Knights of the Old Republic: Darkness Falls II - Alliances

[steven]

"As you menchioned we have shipsss. Perhabs we could spilt up into two groups. One group heads to Myrkr and the other to Onwat." Suggested Tylor. "By the way, I ordered a group of marines to bring any pirates we could capture. So far we have 5 pirates locked in our prison cells. Just a reminder."

[ForceFightWMe12]

((OOC: So now I'm back...from outer space...and you just walked in to find me sitting here with that sad look on my face...yadayadada...in other words, I'm back from NYC. Isn't it just...thrilling? ))

 

IC:

 

Kira rubbed her temples, her thumbs drawing soothing circles into her skull as she thought out each possibility.

"Omwat would be...potentially problematic." she murmured, "Regardless of the new timeline, I do believe that Revan still killed your cheiftan, did he not? Which, already, puts us on fairly bad ground with your people. That, plus the fact of us being outsiders, and some of us even Jedi to boot..." she looked up, "I would avoid Omwat. At most all costs."

The Exile then turned to begin figuring the other routes.

"Nar Shaddaa could be our best bet...the Hutt may be easy to find, if he's as big up in his game as it sounds he is...however, being able to meet with him could be a different story entirely...

"And while it seems Myrkr could be our most direct chance...judging by this video feed, it seems as if someone is training these Ysilmar for battle. Again, as most of us are Jedi, this too would be extremely dangerous if that someone would happen to be on Myrkr the same time we are. If we did head that way, it would probably be best to keep the Force-sensatives onboard." she said, now eyeing Revan, Atton, Mical, Jasra, and Karda, "Limiting us to a very small crew who would be able to investigate the planet's surface."

Still, on top of thinking their next actions out, two other thoughts weighed heavily on the woman's mind.

A second Doctor. she thought, deciding to try and siphon some ideas off on Revan, I thought there was only one?

Then, with another part of her mind that she kept well sheilded from their link, more questions played past her inner eye.

"I trust Bastila. She wouldn't betray m...us."

She mentally frowned as his words resounded in her head. He had sounded so...defensive when he had said that. Of course, she knew what the two had been through together...everyone knew the stories...but...what if...what if they had shared something...more?

Shaking the thought from her head, she returned to the present.

Dilly-dally, shilly-shally. she thought to herself, Focus, Kira!

[The Doctor]

"I agree with Crystal," said Revan, sparing Kira a wary glance. "We should split up. Three planets, three groups. Brax can take Jasra to Omwat, for... obvious reasons. Kira, Atton, Disciple and I will take the Ebon Hawk to Nar Shaddaa to check out this Hutt. Crystal, Tylor, Doctor: as non Force sesatives, you're the only ones who won't be affected by these Ysilimara, or whatever the hell they're called. The three of you are the best choices for Myrkr.

"We need to be careful," he said, addressing the Jedi and Force sensatives in the room. "These attacks seem to be targeting Jedi - and though only Karda and Jasra have any real ties to the Order, the rest of us - including you, Atton - need to proceed with caution as well. We don't know what's out there, and we don't want to have to learn the hard way."

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

The Doctor stood at the console in the TARDIS, the room humming darkly around him. He had tapped into the Dreadless' surveillance system, and was monitoring the conference taking place. He stared at the young man in the brown overcoat, a dark gint in his eye. So close...

 

Suddenly, the doors to the TARDIS slammed shut, and the engine began to grind. His hands flew across the console, trying to bring his ship to a stop, but the controls wouldn't respond. The TARDIS dematerialised, slipping into the Time Stream.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Vros sat in a large ornate chair at the head of a large stone room, staring at an empty patch of ground expectantly. After a moment, a deep grinding noise filled the room, and he grinned darkly. A tall blue box with the words Police Public Call Box inscribed along the top faded into existance before him. After a moment, the door opened, and a man in black robes and a green cape stepped out.

"Greetings, Valeyard," said Vros, standing from his throne.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?" he said.

Vros smiled. "My Master has told me all about who... and what... you are, 'Doctor'."

The Doctor grimaced. "How I hate that name..."

"As well you should," said Vros, still grinning darkly. "Your, shall we say... counterpart... is a retched thing. I would not wish to be associated with him either."

He stepped down from the raised platform his throne sat on, and walked along the edge of the chamber, all the while staring at the Doctor.

The Valeyard spoke, his voice crisp and decisive. "What did your Master tell you of the Doctor himself?"

"Enough to know that he is a foolish, yet very dangerous man. A man whom you have been hunting for nearly twenty standard years."

"I was made a promise that I intend to-"

"Yes, yes we know all about the corruption of the Time Lords," said Vros, cutting him off. "We also know that you will not be able to capture the Doctor and collect your promised payment alone."

"I'm perfectly capable of-"

"Are you?" spat Vros, stepping closer. "After twenty years, this body is beginning to decay, isn't it? It won't be long before it dies - and in your... unique situation... regeneration won't be possible."

The Valeyard gritted his teeth and glared at the wall over Vros' shoulder.

"Join us," said Vros, moving around the Valeyard towards the TARDIS, and laying a hand on it's side. "Both you and my Master wish the Doctor dead. It is in both our interests to work together."

The Valeyard was silent for a moment. "And if I assist you in removing the Doctor... I will get what is rightfully mine?"

Vros smiled. "I promise you: if you kill the Doctor, his remaining regenerations will be yours."

The Valeyard smiled. "Then it seems as if we have reached an agreement," he said. Vros stepped forward, his hand outstretched, the Valeyard gripping it in a brief handshake.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira shrugged.

"All three bases covered at once." she said.

"If it's all the same to you guys," Atton spoke up, "I'd rather join Brax and Jasra. That is, if it doesn't disturb Revan's fabulous plan."

The way he had emphasised the word caused Kira to send him a hard, questioning look. He met her eyes for only a moment before turning a hatred-filled gaze on the Prodigal Knight.

[The Doctor]

Revan returned the glare with zeal. "Fine by me," he said.

The Doctor sensed the hostility between the two, and quickly stepped between them. "Perhaps we should consult the Jedi Council and the Senate, before commiting two Jedi Knights and an entire ship's worth of marines to what could turn out to be nothing more than the pursuit of an untamed ornothoid without just cause."

Nobody spoke for a moment.

"A wild goose chase," he explained.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Exactly what I was thinking!" Mical jumped in, following the Doctor's lead, "After all, they would want to know where their Knights are going." he became more somber, "Or, perhaps, in Bastila's case, where they may already be."

[3yks]

"The council has no say over where I go," he looked from Revan, to Kira, and back to Revan. "And the Zedai do not have 'cheiftan's' but Revan did kill our leader, but as I said I have forgiven him for this. He has paid for his crime, and when I return I am the leader of my people, so they would have no problem with him." He shrugged.

 

"But Revan's plan makes sense as well, splitting up to follow up on all the leads at once will make things go a lot faster. I say we designate a time to meet up again after we have followed our leads, and get to it." He looked at the dark haired scoundrel, "I have room on my ship for you, and you would be welcome on Omwat." He offered his hand to Atton. "I am sure there is a lot you could learn on such a trip."

[The Doctor]

Revan watched as the Scoundrel took Brax's hand and shook it, smiling slightly. Good riddance...

"The trip to Myrkr is a long one from here - just under three days. In order to give Tylor, Crystal and the Doctor as much time there as possible, I think the logical course of action would be to meet in orbit around Myrkr in 7 days."

"Actually..." said Rose, stepping forward timidly. "Couldn't we get to Myrkr a lot faster if we used the TARDIS?" she asked.

The Doctor shook his head, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "No," he said. "The arrival of the TARDIS would raise questions I'd rather not have to answer at this point," he said.

[steven]

"I dought the Senate would have much interest in this mission as the jedi order. It's the Republic miltary who organised this mission. The senate doesn't have much accese to ship's like the Dreadless." Informed Tylor.

 

 

" just a couple of questions. What 'new timeline' and what in space's name is a TARDIS?" Asked Tylor cluelessly.

[The Doctor]

((I forgot to send Crystal with a group... oops... that's two characters I've completely forgotten about now... I've added them both into the other posts.))

[Writer]

"Some things are better left unknown, Tylor," Crystal told him with a weary sigh. "As for a ship we could use, I have mine aboard the Dredless. There's enough room in it for those of us going to Myrkr."

[JasraLantill]

“Crystal, we could use your ship for the scouting party when we get to Myrkr,” said Karda. “But I think we’ll be safer, and faster, using the Dreadless to get there initially. Kira, Revan? You’re free to resupply the Ebon Hawk with whatever we have available for your journey to Nar Shaddaa. As are you, Brax,” he added somewhat reluctantly.

 

“With you falling through floors," Jasra whispered to Crystal, "I think it’s better you stayed on the 'big ship' for the time being anyway.” She gently patted Crystal on the back, then rose from her seat. “So, three ships, three missions…well, we’d best get going!” As she locked her gaze on Brax, she immediately felt her face begin to flush and her breath quicken in eager anticipation of his touch. I want to be alone with you, she said to him through their telepathic link. I need to be alone with you. Now. She bit her lower lip as she raised her hand to touch him.

 

“… med bay,” she heard Karda’s voice in the background. “Jasra? Jasra!"

 

“Huh?” she asked, her entranced state suddenly broken.

 

“Are you even listening to me?”

 

“Erm…yeah, Karda. Med bay.” Suddenly she frowned quizzically, and looked at Karda. “Med bay?”

 

Karda sighed. “I said, before you depart the Dreadless, you and Brax are to report to med bay.”

 

“Why?”

 

Karda raised his brows. “You know why. Whatever ‘link’ you have with Brax is causing you to act irrationally and unfocused.”

 

Jasra shifted uncomfortably, but her gaze remained defiant.

 

“But if you really need another reason,” Karda continued, “it’s because I’m the Jedi in charge, you’re a Padawan, and I said so.” He shifted his gaze to Brax, then tossed him the empty medical vial. “Brax, our med tech will need a sample of your blood to see if he can isolate what sort of pheromone you’re using on her so he can formulate a possible antidote.”

 

“I’m not going to the med bay,” Jasra said, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

“You are,” said Karda. “Even if Crystal and Tylor and I have to drag you there. And if Brax cares about you, as you so claim,” he said to Jasra, even though now he was looking at Brax, “he’ll make sure you go, too. You can’t perform well on a mission, especially a mission involving someone targeting Force Sensitives, if you are constantly distracted by….” He paused as he searched for the right word. “…attachment and desires.”

 

“Yeah, yeah…emotions lead to the Dark Side…blah, blah, blah…” Jasra rolled her eyes. “Look, I don’t have to listen to you. You are not my Master.”

 

“Neither is Brax.” Karda just stared at her calmly, then sighed. “You’re becoming more and more unfocused, emotional, and irrational, Jasra—a dangerous combination to have in any Force user. Dark or Light,” he added. “Brax, please take her to the med bay. At least let our med tech try to come up with some sort of solution to the problem.”

 

He turned to Kira, Mical, and Revan. “I’ll inform the Council of our plans,” he said to them, “just so they are aware of the problem so far. We’ll meet up with you near Myrkr in seven days. Good luck, and may the Force be with you.” The briefing over, he started for the door, but not before giving Jasra a hard stare. “Med bay,” he said to her. “Tylor?” he called over his shoulder. “I believe you said we have some prisoners to interrogate?”

[The Doctor]

"Actually," said Revan, stepping forward. "I was hoping to be present during the interrogation, if it's not too much trouble..."

[3yks]

Brax stared at Karda, his eyes intent, but the emotions behind them unreadable. "Come on Jasra," he said, the vial had been plucked from the air, and he headed for the exit of the room. Part of him wanted to just take the vial and shove it into Karda's less tanned area's. Snot nosed little brat was what he was, and worse yet thinking he was some bad ass Jedi. When they were in the hall he took Jasra's hand gently, wishing that he could feel her hand against his, instead of her feeling the warm metal of his gauntlets.

 

"I hate to admit it, but Karda may be right, let's go down to the med bay and see what we can find out."

 

"Why don't we just find some place less open instead." Jasra whispered, leaning close to his ear, her tongue darting along the lobe. He was tempted, but ... no.

 

"Soon Jasra, we'll have plenty of privacy on my ship, it's a few days trip to Omwat." He nodded, and gave her a breif kiss on the lips, before leading her off, somehow managing to find it despite the fact he had no idea where it was.

 

"Ah, so you must be this 'Brax' that is affecting Jasra." Was the first thing he heard, turning and looking at the thin human doctor. "Do you have that blood sample for me? Jasra could you ahve a seat here, on the table?"

 

She didn't seem to hear, but Brax led her over to the examining table, and picked her up and set her on it. "Stay here Jasra, i'll be right back." He turned and walked to the doctor, pulling his robes up to reveal the soft blue skin underneath. "Give me you rneedle, my veins are a not easy to get to." He took the needle in his left claw and raised it up away from his right arm, placing the arm on a table. Then he drove it in, deep, at angle, sliding deep into his arm, he grunted in pain. And then dug around witht hte needle, before finally it began to fill with a pink liquid.

 

"There." He offered the needle to the doctor, closing his eyes for a second as the wound closed, bigger than any a human would need ot get blood from. He moved back over to Jasra, letting her wrap her legs around him and pull him close. For a few moments getting lost in her lips against his.

 

The doctor glanced at them, frowning faintly and went over to the lab equipment down there in the med bay. He took some of the lbood and put it on a few slides, and put some into different machines, he glanced at Brax and Jasra as brax pulled a curtain closed around the two of them. "Give us a few doc." He murmured, and the doctor frown, but said nothing. Working at his equipment.

 

It took about twenty minutes for everybody to be finished, and the doctor was frowning. "I don't think there is much I can do for you Jasra, I have something here to give you, that will I think reduce the effectiveness of the Pheromone on your system. But it will not be permanent, and I can't make much more of it. I'm gonna send what i have made with you, it should be enought o last 12 or 13 hours, which means you need to use it only when you really need it."

 

Brax nodded, Jasra seemed to kind of understand. Brax helped her get her armfree and the doctor injected her with the serum. Her brain coming a bit less muddled after a few moments, and she looked faintly emberassed.

 

"Here you go." The doctor gave brax a black bag with a few different vials and things in it, and Jasra and him headed off toward his ship. When they got there several people were rather suprised when the ship simply apeared out of nowhere. Brax didn't care, he helped Jasra in and then stopped. "Wait, we need to get Atton huh." He looked around, "You." He pointed at some tech, "Tell bridge to get Atton Rand down here quickly, his ride is leaving."

[steven]

"Actually," said Revan, stepping forward. "I was hoping to be present during the interrogation, if it's not too much trouble..."

 

"Sure I don't mind." Replied Tylor, who seemed to be happy about the interrogation. "Perhabs the presents of a Jedi will intiminate the poor b*****s."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"If you don't mind," Kira cut in, "I think I'll join you as well."

"Atton Rand, if you could please report to the shuttle docks. Mr. Rand to the shuttle docks. Thank you."

Before the announcement over the P.A. had even finished, Atton was headed for the door.

"Well, that's my cue." he murmured, and disappeared.

 

((OOC: Yaaaaaay, weird post...))

[3yks]

Atton had a bit of a tight fit in the cargo compartment of Brax's fighter, but it was a brief ttrip to his main ship, and soon the three had disembarked. Atton was given a room in the 'crew quarters' it was a private room, designed for a single person, much more luxurious than the one's that he was used to on the Hawk. Atton settled into his room, dropping the single bag of thigns he'd brougt on the floor and laying down on the double bed.

 

Brax let him settle in as he brought the much more lucid Jasra to his own room's. "Why don't you lay down for a bit? I need to get our course plotted ... I know you like the view from my room." he pointed up, the stars and the two ships were there in the cloacked window. She protested some but finally agreed and laid down. Focusing on trying to ... well focus.

 

Brax slipped back onto the main deck, "Atton could you come to the ... bridge please." he said over the comm, and moved dropping into the auxilary control seat. Atton came out and Brax motioned at the main seat. "I hear you're a good pilot, wanna give her a go?" The ship was nice, Atton frowned, suspicious, but sat down in the chair. "Ship please convert all language to Galactic Standard, your pilot probably doesn't understand Omwati."

 

Atton tapped at he controls after they changed, "Set us a course' mr. Rand, you'll find Omwat in the database, feel free to play around a bit, you'll find the cloack controls on your left there, yep those one's. You'll find the various armamanets ont he right there, though I can control those as well. We are fairly heavily armed, and armored. There are double Quad-lasers mounted on both front and back, with 190 degree arc's to cover both side's as well. There are also four proton torpedo launchers two facing each direction that feed from the same bay's."

 

Atton whistled. "You don't take defence lightly, eh?"

 

"Nobody who has ever owned this ship did."

[The Doctor]

Karda led Revan and Kira to the Dreadless' brig, flanked by three Republic Marines.

"So," said Revan, turning to Karda and Kira just outside the room. "I don't think the good cop/bad cop ploy is going to work with three of us. How are we going to do this?" he asked.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Do we know if they're trained to resist Force persuasion?" Kira asked.

Karda shook his head, reaching for the keypad next to the reinforced door. "We know almost nothing about them."

[The Doctor]

As the door opened, Revan caught a glimpse of three men in separate cells, all of them wearing sullen expressions as they saw three Jedi enter the room. Anger and hatred flared inside him, but he forced it down, reciting the Code in his mind. There is no emotion...

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," said Karda, as Kira and Revan took up spots on either side of him. None of the three men said anything.

Revan spoke first. "Alright, we're going to make this simple," he hissed, pacing in front of the cells. "First of all: you do know who I am, don't you?"

The three men nodded, not saying a word.

Revan gritted his teeth. "Good. Now:

"The three of you were found onboard a Republic ship, still transmitting it's ID codes, just after it was attacked and it's crew abducted or killed. Care to explain what the hell is going on?"

None of them said anything.

 

((Sorry guys, I'm having a hard time focusing right now. I'll have to leave this to Jasra, FFWM, and Steven for now.))

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Come on, boys." Kira said, stepping in front of Revan, "I'm pretty sure that there's nothing that you guys did wrong personally, but the grouches behind me," she said, jamming a finger over her shoulder at Revan and Karda, "Won't believe me. So c'mon, tell us what you know so I can prove these two right."

She touched Revan's mind. Just because there's three of us doesn't mean we can't play good-cop-bad-cop.

[steven]

Tylor headed off to the bridge, where'd he'd be most use. He walked past the blue box, giving it weird looks, and sat down at his piolt station and began prepping the ship for launch. He smiled as he began pressing bottens and pulling a lever or two. Piolting was Tylors most favorate acivity to do, in his mind it was where he shon. He enjoyed it and the larger ship he piolted the more he enjoyed it.

[RobQel-Droma]

"Or," Karda added. "You could just sit there and say nothing like dishonored Wookiees. At which you will be taken to a Republic base and held indefinitely, perhaps even wrongly accused of crimes you might have not committed." He looked over at Revan.

 

Of all the things I could be doing right now... Going to Myrkr on a suicide mission, flying to the "Smugglers Moon" to find a Hutt, or travel to Omwat with a Omwati and an irrational Jedi slash freelancer. But I get to sit here and interrogate three worthless people in a cell.

 

(((My computer said that hardly anyone had replied after my last post... apparently not... I'll try and keep up with this now)))

[The Doctor]

((Sorry about that, people... I was kitten sitting for a week, and didn't have a lot of time to sign on. I'm back now, and I now have entirely too much time on my hands.))

 

Revan shook his head. "At this rate, I don't care if they comitted any crime or not - if they don't start talking, I'm going to start breaking joints if they don't tell us what they know."

 

((Uhm... I really don't know what they're supposed to know... oops...))

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: Apologies for not posting anything for a while, but I’ve had a really bad time with my internet connection. But it’s fixed now and I’m back! ))

 

Jasra was lying still on the round bed in the middle of Brax’s chamber, hands folded lightly over her chest, staring up at the stars through the transparent ceiling. She was feeling better, calmer, much more focused and in control, and now slightly regretting her foolish and wanton behaviour earlier in the med bay.

 

It was a good thing Karda hadn’t witnessed what happened there, she thought, then she frowned slightly as she wondered why she was so concerned about having Karda’s approval. But as she took in the vastness of the galaxy, she knew why. In this reality, she was a Jedi. And Karda’s opinion of her mattered a great deal.

 

But so did Brax’s. She loved him, or at least, she thought she did. But maybe Karda was right when he said it was only the pheromones that were causing her to feel this way. Then again, maybe not. Their bond had started in another timeline. Surely chemical pheremones wouldn’t have been carried over from one reality to the next, or could they?

 

As the Ssss made the jump into hyperspace, she sighed and she stretched her arms upwards. Her muscles were toned from hours of Jedi training and exercise right down to her fingertips. She couldn’t escape what she was, but neither could she escape her feelings for Brax. She knew why the Jedi forbade attachments. They were distracting liabilities that a Jedi could not afford to have, especially in battle. And battle was sure to come if they were going to rescue Bastila from someone who was collecting Force Senstives for some unknown reason. But wasn’t Brax different? He was a Zedai, a force Master and the leader of his people. Surely, he would never be a liability to her, would he?

 

And what would happen when they arrived at Omwat? Brax had said himself that he was unware how a mate-bond had occurred between them. Would his people accept her as his partner, or, like the Jedi, would they see it as some sort of deviation?

 

The special door that led from the bridge opened and Brax stepped into the room. As she turned to look at him, her arms came to rest on the bed above her head.

 

Whatever chemical solution the doctor on board the Dreadless had given her, it only slightly dulled the animalistic impulses of attraction that she felt towards Brax. Her feelings of attachment, passion, and love for the Omwati were still present and powerful, but with one exchanged look between them, she knew Brax could feel her uncertainty about her situation through their bond.

 

She gave him a weak smile. “I don’t know what I should do,” she said in a voice just above a whisper. “I have so many questions, and so few answers.”