Knights of the Old Republic: Darkness Falls II - Alliances

[The Doctor]

The door to the interrogation room opened, and the Doctor stepped in, pulling a leather booklet from his jacket pocket. It had one piece of paper in it - and it was blank. He flashed it towards the men, and then towards Revan, Kira, and Karda, speaking the moment he entered the room.

"Darlek Morvul, from the InterGalactic Federation of Trade and Industry. This is my associate, Rose Tyler. This interrogation is unlawful, master Jedi, and I order you to stop immidiately. These men are under the protection of the Exchange."

Revan struggled to supress a smile, and was amazed at his success. He didn't dare look at Kira or Karda, in fear of bursting out laughing. His eyes met Rose's, and he looked away quick as she turned around to hide a chuckle.

"The Exchange is outraged at the unlawful imprisonment of these men," continued the Doctor, replacing the piece of paper in his pocket.

"I can imagine," said Revan, folding his arms across his chest in an effort to look serious. "But these men are being held in the name of the Jedi Order. They are being interrogated as to the disappearance of-"

"Wait a minute," spat the lead salvager. "There's no such thing as the InterGalactic Federation of Trade and Industry!"

"Do you really think that a Union for the Exchange Employees is going to broadcast it's existence to the entire galaxy? We're a covert Union.

"They are under the protection of the Exchange," repeated the Doctor, stepping between the men and the Jedi. "You are to release them immediately, so that I may bring them to the local Exchange office for interrogation. We will send you the results of our-"

"No!" said the salvager who appeared to be in command. "No, no... it's... it's alright. We... don't feel our... rights have been violated in any way. We'll, uhm... we'll answer their questions."

The Doctor folded his arms and turned to Karda. "I take it you're the one in charge?" he asked. Karda nodded. "I must be present during the interrogation," he continued. "Carry on."

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: Apologies to Rob for this, but since either people seem to have a loss of creativity as to what to get out of the prisoners onboard the Dreadless, (or perhaps everyone is just on summer holiday) I will post something for Karda to get things moving again. To recap the plot, we have three groups of people—Group 1: The Ebon Hawk (Revan, Kira, Disciple) going to Nar Shaddaa and looking for Juppa the Hutt who owned the salvagers ship, Group 2: The Dreadless (Tylor, Karda, Crystal, the Doctor and Rose, and the Republic Marines) going to Myrkr and looking for Valclav Amek who paid Juppa to attack Bastila’s ship, and Group 3: The Ssss (Brax, Jasra, and Atton) searching for information from the Omwatis about how to deal with the Ysalmir creatures. Everyone is supposed to meet in orbit around Myrkr in seven days. Nothing is set in stone so get those creative juices flowing and find those villains and some clues that will lead us to where Bastila is! P.S. Thanks to the Doctor for his help with this post.))

 

~~~~~~~~

 

“Well?” Karda stood menacingly over the prisoners. “Are you going to talk to us, or would you rather go back with Mister…?” He looked askance at the Doctor.

 

“Morvul,” said the Doctor. “Darlek Morvul, from the InterGalactic Federation of Trade and Industry. And this is my assistant, ...”

 

“Executive assistant,” Rose corrected, then gave the Doctor a mischievous grin.

 

The Doctor considered. “Yes. Sorry. My executive assistant, Rose Tyler.” He leaned in close to her. “Bucking for a raise, are you?” he whispered, and Rose’s grin grew wider.

 

“So?” Karda asked the prisoners. “What’ll it be?”

 

The lead salvager, a grubby looking Rodian, let out a deep sigh. “Okay, okay,” he said with resignation. “What do you want to know?”

 

“Who sent you here?” Karda asked.

 

Reluctantly, the salvager said, “Juppa the Hutt. He operates mostly out of Nar Shaddaa.”

 

“Operates in what?”

 

The salvager shrugged. “Salvage, slaves, spice, gambling…whatever’s profitable and available.”

 

“So how did you know to come here to salvage the Almanac? Who told you it was here and abandoned?”

 

One of the other salvagers answered. “It wasn’t abandoned when we…”

 

“Shut up!” the lead salvager snapped at his cohort.

 

“What do you mean, ‘it wasn’t abandoned?” Karda asked. “Speak!” he shouted when the salvager hesitated.

 

“We came here with the others,” said the salvager. “They got the slaves, and we got…”

 

“Slaves? What slaves?” Karda demanded.

 

“The passengers and crew on the Republic ship,” the lead salvager said. “But by the time we got here, they had just about finished loading them on board their ship. I swear, we had nothing to do with it.”

 

“What’s this ‘other’ ship called?” Karda asked. “And where was it going?”

 

Again the salvagers hesitated, but finally the third one quietly said, “The Hetch. It was taking the slaves to Myrkr.”

 

“Myrkr’s not an Exchange authorised marketplace,” the Doctor interrupted. He pulled out a small datapad and appeared to be typing in something. “And who did you say was Juppa’s contact there?” he asked the salvager.

 

“Don’t worry,” Rose added when the salvagers didn’t answer. “All responses will be treated with the strictest confidentiality in accordance with Section 3, Paragraph 8.”

 

“Nice touch,” the Doctor whispered hurriedly to Rose. “So, Juppa’s contact?” he eagerly asked the salvagers.

 

“Valclav Amek,” said the third salvager, swallowing hard with fear.

 

“Valclav Amek,” the Doctor slowly repeated as he typed. “Right. We’ll definitely have to investigate him for making his employees unload live cargo in an unsanctioned environment. Do they sell the slaves there on Myrkr, too?”

 

The salvagers exchanged confused looks with one another. “I dunno,” said the lead salvager. “We just salvage the ships and bring Juppa the parts. I dunno what he does with the slaves. You’d have to ask Juppa.”

 

“We’ll do that,” said Karda. “Where can we find Juppa?”

 

“Refugee sector. Warblink Tower.”

 

“And what about this Amek person?”

 

“Never been to Myrkr, but there’s only one port on the planet,” said one of the salvagers. “I suppose he’d be there.”

 

“Interrogation’s over, Mr. Morvul,” said Karda as he nodded at the guard to take away the prisoners to their holding cells. “Thank you for your co-operation.”

 

“My pleasure,” said the Doctor.

 

“Hey! What’s going to happen to us?” the lead salvager asked as he was being dragged away. “Don’t we get some sort of… I dunno…legal representation or something?”

 

The Doctor raised up his datapad, then slowly frowned. “Oh dear. Looks like you haven’t paid your union dues.” He looked at the salvager and shrugged. “Sorry, but you’ll just have to go it alone. Nothing I can do. Regulations, you see.”

 

“Section 5, Paragraph 2,” Rose chirped.

 

“You’re getting quite into this ‘executive’ part,” the Doctor commented, grinning.

 

“Good,” said Karda. “We can always use quick thinking people.” He turned to the others. “You’d better get going, Revan. If Bastila and the trainees were captured as slaves, time’s running out for them.”

[The Doctor]

As the Doctor and Rose left the room, Revan came up beside them. "Thanks, you two," he said. "It didn't look like they were saying much before the 'InterGalactic Federation of Thieves and Idiots' got itself involved. How did you fake that ID, anyway?"

The Doctor smiled. "The paper is slightly psychic," he said, pulling it out of his pocket and showing it to Revan. "It shows you whatever I want it to show you. Comes in handy."

"You never cease to amaze me, Doctor," said Revan, smiling and handing the 'slightly psychic paper back to the Doctor.

"I tend to have that affect on people, yeah," he responded.

"But what did that accomplish, really?" asked Rose. "We didn't learn anything that we didn't already know from before the briefing."

"It confirmed the information we already had," answered Revan. "We also know now that they have no idea where Bastila is."

[steven]

Tylor had finishd his perperations with the ship and went to inform the jedi's of his progress. While working he talked to the ships translation expert, Matthew Hicks.

"I'm tell you man, the box just appeared out of nowhere." Explained Matt.

"I'm having a hard time believing you," Replied Tylor as he turned a corridor.

"I'm not lying, it just...." Matthew paused "Faded in."

"Faded in!?" Tylor chuckled, "and then what?"

"That weird, scruffy looking dude and that blond walked out." Matthew answered "I think the Jedi called the guy The Doctor.."

"The Doctor? Don't be stupid, he came on the Ebon Hawk with the powerfull Revan." Tylor corrected.

"Really? That's THE Revan!?" asked Matt in exicement.

"No." Tylor replied before turning a corner, leaving Matt to carring on walking to the crew quaters.

 

--------

 

Tylor then walked up to Revan, The Doctor and Rose. "Howdy Fokes, the ship is ready to enter Hyperspace and head to Myrkr. Your group should really head out now." He said to Revan.

[The Doctor]

((Yay, someone posted!))

 

"I just need to find Kira, and we can get on our way. Mical is already on the Hawk, prepping her for launch."

 

((I'll either need to take control of Kira a bit, or wait until FFWM gets back from that impossible for me to spell place. I think she's back this weekend.))

[JasraLantill]

As Brax approached her, Jasra propped herself up on the round bed with her elbows. A look of concern dwelled in her eyes. “Brax,” she said in a quietly inquisitive tone, “when we get to Omwat, how do you think your people will react to me? I mean, you said yourself that you didn’t think it was possible to develop this sort of….” She sighed then licked her lips, trying to fight off the strong feeling of attraction to him and maintain her focus. “…’special’ bond we’ve formed.”

 

Her will to keep her thoughts focused was quickly fading. She sat up and leaned forward to be closer to him, half-closing her eyes as she inhaled his intoxicating scent. “I’m a bit concerned that they’ll be upset about you not bonding with an Omwati, and then not help us with information about the disappearances, or with how to deal with those… erm, creature things on… that… that planet whatever we’re supposed to meet the others at.”

 

Her breath quickened and she shifted uncomfortably. “I think,” she struggled to say the words, “that the stuff the doctor on the… the, oh, what’s it’s name… Dreadless! The stuff he gave me, isn’t as long-lasting as he said it would be. Either that, or…” She reached out and began to caress the well-defined muscles of his arm. “…perhaps you’re giving off… more pheromones… then before.”

 

She blinked her eyes, in a final desperate attempt to focus. “This is driving me mad, Brax,” she said in a breathless whisper, drawing ever closer to him. “The connection… what you offered me before… through the Force…“ It was difficult for her to think of anything else now but being engulfed in his embrace. “...before we had the briefing. Can you try it again? I… it… seemed to… help… me… think.” With lust in her eyes, and just inches away from him, she began to pull him even closer to her and a small sigh of desperate longing escaped her lips. “Please,” she whispered into his ear, though it was difficult to tell whether she was pleading for help or gratification.

[3yks]

He press his forehead to hers, his eyes closing as his arms slid around her and pulled her close. Let go my love, just give in completely. Then we will rebuild. He ran his fingers down her sides and peered into her eyes. Feeling her body moving against his, quick breath's and soft sounds of pleasure. Their minds tangeling up, as she lost all control. He delved down into her thoughts, tangeling them up into his own.

 

I know it's frightening, it's frightening for me as well ... Images began to flash through their minds, memories, disjointed, out of time. Him as a child, seeing the half naked barbarian run about, wearing a loincloth. She understood a lot about him and his people, how the Zedai were more than a seceret society, they were like a whole other world. Most of his people were just barely past discovering fire ... but the Zedai, were way beyond that. Some of their tech was beyond Republic tech, his people were brilliant.

 

She saw as he aged, through his life ... how when he was seven or eight years old the Zedai took him fom his village, from living in tents, to a great underground city. A city of technology. Being trained int he ways of the Zedai, and in the ways of technology. His training was different than the Jedi training that was coming forward in her own memories. The Zedai walked a fine line, between light and dark. The Zedai used their emotions.

 

Brax felt her emotions flooding him, their passion culminating togethor ... pulling each other close as the world disapeared around them, and then, all of a sudden they were somewhere else. Brax landed hard on the ground, feeling grass and dirt under him. He blinked pushing up, looking around. He was on Omwat, he recognized the jungles, though not the exact area. He looked around, looking for Jasra. But she was nowhere to be seen.

 

Jasra also found herself lost in a jungle, her mind was clear, but she had no clue where she was. Though she realized it was omwat, from the memorie of one of their connections. They would have to figure out what was going on.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Done with the repair work already?" Kira asked with a small smile as the astromech droid whooped and whirled over to her the moment the hangar bay doors slid open.

"Beep boop treet treet treet!"

"I see. So the Republic soldiers were a help then. The starboard blaster is functioning properly?"

"Bleep whoop!"

"Great. Force knows we'll need it where we're headed..."

Adjusting the black gloves on her hands absentmindedly, she strode to the Ebon Hawk, her eyes examening its hull as she went.

On the road again... she thought with a sigh. When would she ever be rewarded a few days of peace? Every time she thought rest was coming, she would be shipped off again...

 

((OOC: And I'm finally back! Paaartay!...Alright fine, don't partay. See if I care. >P Can you tell I'm tired? Jetlag major

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: Yay! FFWM's back! Hope you had a nice holiday. Now maybe we can get things rolling again. I can only imagine what Atton might be thinking being alone and piloting Brax's ship (as Brax and Jasra are 'otherwise engaged' at the moment) but I'm sure you'll think of something for him to do, eh? ))

 

Jasra stared up at the canopy of thick jungle trees, then blinked. The last thing she remembered was being engulfed in Brax’s embrace, feeling his gentle invasion of her mind as they shared their most intimate thoughts and memories. Then as, right at the climax of their passion, Brax had vanished. The bed had now become soft ground and leaves, the ship’s hull walls thick foliage and vine-covered tree trunks, and the stars that had been visible through the transparent hull of the Ssss were now scattered points of flickering sunlight filtering through the leaves. She knew, although she didn’t quite know how she knew, that this place was one of the jungles of Omwat.

 

Another timeslip? she thought to herself. She blinked again, then got to her feet. It was then that she noticed her skin wasn’t quite the same colour as she remembered it should have been. Blue. Not the deep blue of Brax’s skin, but a paler shade, but nevertheless, blue.

 

“Brax?” she called out, but all she heard was the sound of flapping wings as a startled pair of brightly coloured Juni birds flew up into the treetops.

 

Juni birds? How did I know they were Juni birds? A flicker of a past memory suddenly popped into her mind, of her collecting the bright yellow eggs hidden among the hollows of the gnarled Wimba trees. Only it wasn’t her memory. It was Brax’s.

 

She nodded then. “Mindscape,” she said aloud. “This place isn’t real.” She started forward, towards what looked like it could be a trail, stopping to look at an unusual flowering plant. She reached out to touch the blossom, then winced as her finger was pricked by one of the plant’s very fine but very sharp spines. “Alright, so maybe it is real.”

 

Her finger was beginning to get numb, and now she ‘remembered’ that the flower was poisonous. But she also ‘remembered’ the cure. She broke off a stalk from another plant growing nearby, and rubbed the sap on her finger.

 

She needed to find Brax. If she could remember his memories like they were hers, she wondered if he could remember hers like they were his. She had been taken away from her family and given to the Jedi at a very early age, too early for her to have any clear memories of her biological family. And the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was nothing like the thick jungles of Omwat. At least, she didn’t think it was. She was having difficulty remembering the specifics of her own memories, and if Brax was having the same trouble, then he might need her help. At any rate, she knew she needed to find him if they were ever going to leave this place.

 

She started to follow the apparent trail, then paused. The jungle had grown suddenly quiet. Too quiet. She felt as if she were being watched. Carefully looking around her, she found what she needed—a small thicket of Ufur, a bamboo-like plant with strong, straight upward reaching stalks that were easily severed at the growth point just below the ground. Every Omwati knew that Ufur stalks made a perfect natural fighting staff. She had no sooner chosen her weapon when she sensed the predator approaching her from behind.

 

It was an Iesok, a mid-sized omnivorous creature that looked like an unholy cross between a kath hound and a Gamorrean. Staff ready, she took a defensive stance just as the creature started its charge.

 

She waited for the perfect moment to vault over the creature’s back, then stabbed its hindquarters with the staff, not enough to wound it, but enough to scratch the thick hide. The creature whirled and charged again. She dodged it and stabbed at it again, this time piercing its side enough to cause it to bleed. It screeched and then charged again. A few more well placed stabs by Jasra, and the Iesok was soon having second thoughts, pawing at the ground and gnashing its sharp tusk-like teeth a few metres away from her as it contemplated its next move.

 

“I’m not an easy meal,” Jasra said to it, and she shouted and stabbed menacingly at the air with the staff as a warning.

 

The Iesok hesitated, evaluating her with its beady black eyes, then slowly began to back away, then quickly disappeared into the undergrowth.

 

Jasra let out a sigh. She definitely needed to find Brax—especially before he had an encounter with an Iesok. Staff in hand, she headed through the jungle to find him.

[3yks]

Brax pushed up to his feet, looking around quietly. Looking down at himself, as he realized he wasn't himself. Well he was, but he was the him of long ago, no more than four feet tall or so, wearing some strange brown robes. Jedi robes he thought, he reached up and felt a small braid tight in his hair, the rest cut short.

 

"I was never a Jedi," he whispered, looking around. Up ahead he saw a door, just a door. It was closed at the moment, but it was easily discernible that there was no building attached to it. He frowned, he knew this had to be a mind scape, so he approached, his hand moving to touch the door, looking for a panel to open it. As he touched it he felt dizzy, the world spun.

 

And when it finished he was no longer on Omwat, he stood facing a tall door. He frowned, it was familiar, it was to his bedroom, but not his bedroom, Jasra's. He turned looking behind him, two sets of bunkbed's, children slept on two of them, Jasra's the bottom one on the left, was empty. The one above it as well. It was night, he could tell that much. Suddenly a voice beside him.

 

"C'mon open the door, we're gonna get caught if we dally," A thick accent, he looked over seeing a young Twi'lek girl, he was around the same age Brax figured he himself was, seven or eight. Brax reached out the panel now clearaly visible, but it was locked. He thought a moment, and then tapped out the sequence. Jasra had watched carefully that day and memorized it when their instructor had left. Bra paused though seeing his hand, it was odd, a very pale blue, not his normal darker blue, like pink had been mixed with it almost.

 

"C'mon then." The two dashed out into the hall, Brax moved quietly but quickly with the Twi'lek, and soon they were in a large chamber. It was quiet, by they could hear voices far off down the hall. "Somebody is coming." The girl was Ooroona, Brax suddenly remembered.

 

He grabbed her arm, tugging her into a small alcove. Two Jedi walked past, a tiny little green man, and a very tall human. They were saying something about the little one's. Brax watched until they were gone, then they snuck back out and started down the hall again. Brax remembered this, from Jasra's head. They should have been caught there though. The little green one had turned and looked right at them and told them to go back to bed. And Jasra and Ooroona had done just that. So why was he instead heading toward their goal? What was their goal, the council chambers, they had wanted to see the council chambers.

 

And they were there, looking around the room, the pillar there in the center, where one day Kira would leave her lightsaber, chairs in a circle around it. Brax looked around quietly, the place was similar to the Chamber of Greatness on Omwat. Ooroona moved hopping up into a chair, and starting to act like she was an important Jedi. Brax had his back turned when he heard the scream, he turned and where the girl had been was now a bloody puddle, and some bits of flesh. He moved ducking behind a chair. What was it, he listened intently.

 

He heard movement, and peaked out. A huge black ... cat like thing was there, with a strange winged like tail, and spike coming out of it's top. Brax looked around for a weapon, there was nothing. He chedked his pockets on the robe, a utility knife. He opened it up, frowning. This wouldn't be a ton of help. But he woul have to try, the creature dove at him and he ducked, the knife thrusting upward, catchign the beast in the neck, it cried out in pain and skidded away, running and hiding.

 

Brax's chest felt pain after a few moments, and he looked down, it had gotten him fairly well too, two deep red furrows had appeared in his chest. He looked around, there had to be something more to fight with. He found it, but it made no sense. An Ufur stalk? Just laying there a few feet from him, he grabbed it up though, and when the cat came next he sunk it into the beasts stomach and threw it into the wall. And then again, and again. Until the thing got the picture and stalked off.

 

He had to find Jasra.

[RobQel-Droma]

(((OOC: No need to apologize, Jasra... I've been having you take over my own character for a long time, anyways; and I've now been posting a bit sporadically)))

 

Karda sighed, then dropped into one of the seats in the room. "A bit complex, isn't it?" he said, looking at Revan. "A Hutt hires salvagers to come to attack and strip a Republic vessel, while somehow working for another entity that has taken the prisoners to Myrkr, again for an unkown reason."

 

And to face it all, he still was a bit confused; he didn't show it, but the whole time-stream thing was not his kind of expertise. Memories of things that didn't happen... and yet, stranger things were still happening. "I'm not too sure about Jasra and Brax," he said suddenly, changing the subject.

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: Yay! And Rob's back too! Rob, just take Karda when you are able to post. I'll only post for him if the story is lagging behind. Remember, he's supposed to be sort of 'looking out' for Jasra as she's still only a Padawan (and the fact that her Jedi Master was his old Master), so he probably won't be too pleased if she strays from being a Jedi. But, at the same time, he knows what she was before the timeshift, so he won't be too surprised if she does. He might inform the Council about what they are planning to do, too, just so that the Council is aware of what is going on, and doesn't send any more Jedi out to find Bastila (or our group if something happens to us.) And he should probably inform the Republic, too, for the same reasons. Again, PM me if you need help with the plot.))

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

The jungle trail began to get more distinct and more well-travelled as Jasra followed it. Finally, a clearing opened up, and Jasra could see the tents in the make-shift village of Nussss, which in Omwati meant ‘honoured servants of the earth’.

 

Small Omwati children wearing loincloths ran and played among the tents pitched in a large circle, while a group of Omwati men prepared to smoke the meat from the morning’s hunt, and Omwati women prepared the hides for tanning. The tents were roomy, made of strong hides stitched together over tall, sturdy poles, easy to put up and just as easy to take down, for the Nussss were a nomadic people who followed the seasonal cycles of Omwat. It was summer, and that was the time for gathering plants and fruits and smoking meat to store in preparation for the winter season spent out on the plains.

 

Jasra strolled through the village, seemingly aware that the largest tent in the group was hers…well, Brax’s. Inside, an Omwati woman stood over a pot hanging over a cooking fire, stirring a concoction that gave off an acrid odour that nearly made Jasra’s eyes water, but at the same time, was comfortingly familiar. The woman, Jasra instinctively knew, was Brax’s mother.

 

“Did you get the Moku?” she asked without looking up from her work.

 

Jasra hesitated. “Erm…no?”

 

“No? You know I can’t make this set without the Moku.” The woman sighed with disappointment. “I suppose I shouldn’t have sent you to fetch it. It’s obviously too difficult a task for one so young.”

 

Young? Jasra looked down at herself. Aside from the slightly blue skin, her body was as it had always been. Of course, she now realised she was only wearing a loincloth, much like the children she had seen on her way into the village. She grinned, slightly embarrassed about her bared chest. If Brax could only see me now…, she thought.

 

“I’ll get it. I just… forgot my knife,” she said to the woman. Jasra went over to a pile of furs and skins in the corner. Brax’s bed. She ran her hand underneath one of the furs, and found what she knew to be there. A blade, carved from crystalline rock.

 

“You should have taken that with you in the first place,” Brax’s mother chastised. “Remember, I need at least two.”

 

“I’ll remember.” Jasra took a last look around the tent. It was cosy, albeit primitive. And she suddenly felt…love for this woman. Something that she hadn’t felt before, as she barely remembered even having a mother herself.

 

Jasra left the village and headed back into the jungle. Moku, she thought. It was a fungus that grew in the upper branches of the Bannka tree, but....what was the trick in getting it? Hopefully, she would remember when she got there.

 

It didn’t take her long to find a Bannka tree. It was a tall tree, with a trunk covered in sharp thorns that dripped with super sticky sap. She remembered that the men of the village used the sap to glue the fletchings of their arrows, but she also knew it had to be gathered carefully, for it would stick to skin just as well as it would stick to an arrow shaft. She looked upwards. She could see the bracket like Moku fungus protruding from one of the upper branches, but there was no way to climb the trunk of the tree to get to it without getting stuck by the sap.

 

She closed her eyes and searched her memories. Brax’s memories. Suddenly, she knew what to do. “Pika Oil.”

 

The Pika was a tree that produced large, tasty fleshy fruits—but the inside of their hull was quite oily. Smear Pika oil on your body, and the sticky sap of the Bannka tree won’t stick to your skin, she remembered someone saying to her. To Brax. She shook her head. Having another person’s memories was quite confusing.

 

It took her a few minutes to find some fallen Pika fruit, and a few minutes more to thoroughly coat her body in its oil, then, with her stone knife held securely between her teeth, she began to climb up the spiky thorns. They were a natural ladder to the top branches, provided you didn’t stick to them.

 

It was difficult and slow going, being as the tree was so tall and the thorns more widely placed towards the top, but eventually, she reached her prize, finding not two, but three of the bracket fungi. She cut them from the tree and allowed them to fall to the soft forest floor.

 

She returned to the village, an oily sheen covering on her pale blue skin, but Mokus in hand.

 

“I got three,” she said to Brax’s mother, upon re-entering the tent. And she was rewarded by a smile, a hug, and a taste of the concoction her mother…no, Brax’s mother was making.

 

She wanted to stay there, basking in the comfort and security of a mother’s love, but…she had to find Brax.

 

“I... I think I need to wash the oil off,” Jasra said. “I’ll be back soon.”

 

“You be careful by the stream. Watch out for Iesoks.”

 

Jasra smiled. “I will. Mother.” She slowly backed out of the tent, then headed once again into the jungle to find Brax.

[3yks]

The beast was gone now, it had slipped off into the hall. Jasra's friend was too. He frowned at the bloody smear, and turned slipping out into the hallway again. He needed to get out of this building, he though. He turned looking around, hallways led off in different directions. Jasra's memory told him that the exit was that way. He moved heading off.

 

He had been on Omwat, now he was on Coruscant, he had been here before, now he had to figure out how to get back to Omwat, something told him that was where Jasra was. He came to a large doorway, this would take him out of the building, he reached up and pressed on it, trying to push it open. But it wouldn't budge. He realized there was a hoo sign active on it.

 

'Sorry. The outside world is temporarily closed, please try again later.'

 

That was an odd sign, but he knew it meant he couldn't get out, he frowned looking back, then what did he need to do. His mind flashed through memories of Jasra's, and something told him he needed to find the archives. He moved, heading off, the halls were quiet and empty, it was late at night, and everybody in the temple was asleep. He finally found the door he was looking for. It was oddly sized now, not as big as it should be. He peered down at himself again, he had grown back into his adult size again.

 

“Halt! Children are not allowed to enter the Archive's. Go back to your room Padawan,” he looked around seeing a tall Jedi standing a few feet from him, looking at him.

 

“I must get in there, there is information I need.”

 

“Then this is the wrong door for you to enter. You must go through that one,” the man pointed at a door a little ways off, a duplicate of him stood beside that door as well. “You must convince him to let you through, but you can only go through one door.”

 

Brax frowned, and went over to the other door, “I need to get in there sir, into the archives.”

 

“But this is not the archives, you were just at the archives, it is that door which you want padawan.”

 

What was this madness? Why were both of them telling him they were the wrong door, “But that man just told me that this door goes to the archive.”

 

“My brother is a liar, ever word he speaks is a lie, you can not trust him. Tel him you see through his lies and that he must let you in that room. But remember you can only go through one door, one is the archive, the other is death.”

 

Brax frowned and returned to the other door, peering at the man. So the other man said that this man always lied. “Is this the door to the archive?” He asked.

 

“No,” replied the man, “The door you were just at is the door to the archive.'

 

Well one thing was obvious, one of these men was not telling the truth and the other was. But which one was it?

 

“Would he tell me that this door is the door to the Archive?”

 

“Yes, of course he would.” And he had, he frowned, and walked back to the other man.

 

“Would he,” pointing at the other guard, “tell me that this door is the door to the archive?”

 

“No, he would not.”

 

But he just had. Brax pondered a moment, “I choose this door then, let me through.”

 

“It is your death, you have one last chance to change your mind.”

 

“My mind is maid up.” And so the man stepped aside, and Brax opened the door, and the archive was before him. Finally, he stepped inside, and looked around, then headed for a computer, sitting down. He began to type, seeking the answer that Jasra wanted from the data banks. It was not found though, as the world faded away and Brax found himself once again in the Jungles of Omwat, a half naked Jasra washing herself in a stream.

 

“Jasra!” He called out, and ran toward her. But as he neared she turned and in her hands were two lightsaber's, both red in color. She grinned a wicked smile at him, and charged toward him, he felt the familiar wait of his gauntlets come into being on his hands and lifted them in defense of himself. He could not help but think of the beauty of her form as she ran at him, but he pushed it aside and blocked her blows, he didn't want to kill Jasra. But, why would she just attack him?

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: This is a joint post for 3yks and me. Thanks 3yks!))

 

Jasra heeded the words of Brax’s mother and kept a sharp eye out for Iesok as she approached the stream. Detecting none, she stepped down the bank and immersed herself in a pool of the cool, clear water.

 

The Pika oil was hard to remove, but she marveled at how soft it made her skin feel. She was just about to dowse herself again, when she heard the sound of a dry branch crack. Instinctively, she grabbed her Ufur staff and whirled to face the culprit.

 

It was Brax, standing on the bank. Relaxing her stance, she smiled at him, relieved to see him. “I’ve been looking all over for….”

 

She didn’t have time to even finish her sentence, as Brax suddenly leapt at her, his red eyes burning and the razor sharp claws on his gauntlets outstretched and aiming for her throat.

 

Brax's view of this was very different, as she charged him he dodged to the side and deflected sabers away from himself, tumbling past her to the waters edge. She leapt over him out into the water.

 

From Jasra's viewpoint, she ducked and dodged his attack, and as he plunged into the waist deep water she used her staff to pole vault onto the bank where he had been standing.

 

“Jasra! What are you doing, it's Brax!” She was leaping over him back onto the bank.

 

“What’s wrong with you?!” Jasra shouted at Brax. “It’s me! Jasra!”

 

But neither heard the other’s true words.

 

Brax just glowered at her. “I know,” he said, in a tone that chilled her blood. And he flexed his gauntlets, readying himself for another attack.

 

Jasra in return glowered at Brax. “I know,” she said, in a tone that made Brax's frown grow deeper, she flourished her sabers readying herself to attack him once again.

 

Two battles raged, one with staff and gauntlets, the other with lightsaber and gauntlets, the real version of each was slowly but surely taking the advantage over the other. Brax parried her sabers, deflecting and getting a couple chances for a killing blow, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't let himself kill her.

 

Jasra too found holes in Brax's defense's seeing where her staff could be slipped in to injure him badly, where she could end the fight easily, but how could she do that to him? Her love? He would be seriously injured, possibly killed.

 

Their battles raged on, neither one willing to kill, but neither one willing to be killed either. Finally, with both of them nearing exhaustion, it came time to decide—to live or to kill their love.

 

Brax had made a spectacular leap--in his mind, he was trying to avoid one of the lightsabers Jasra had just thrown at him; in her mind, Brax was making a final mighty charge of sheer strength and power. They found themselves on the bank, inches away from each other, Brax on top of her with his razor sharp claws at the edge of Jasra’s throat; Jasra’s staff about to puncture through Brax’s underside into one of his hearts.

 

His gauntlets were at her throat, but he felt the heat of her lightsaber at his chest as well, ready to plunge into him and kill him. He could not kill her, his grip loosened, and he looked into her eyes. If he would die at her hands, at least let him have one last kiss, so he leaned down pressing his lips to hers.

 

Jasra felt the coldness of the metal claws on her throat, then…. If she were about to die, she wanted one last thing. Releasing her hold on the staff, she closed her eyes and kissed him.

 

She felt the cold traces of the claws slowly rake down the side of her neck as he responded to her kiss with ever increasing passion.

 

He felt the light blade enter his chest, as she responded to his kiss with ever increasing passion.

 

And when their eyes opened, they were back on the Ssss, the stars twinkling above the round bed in the comfort of Brax’s private chamber.

[RobQel-Droma]

(((OOC: Will do, Jasra. To tell you the truth, I really haven't even read the last part of DF, so, er... heh heh... well, I have been trusting to the fact that I can get along without doing that. Thanks. I hate being away from RP threads for a long time.)))

[ForceFightWMe12]

What in the hell have they been doing this entire time? Atton thought, frowning as his hands sped across the foreign controls, playing with them more than actually doing anything.

Looks like this controls thrust...and these are weapon systems...for an alien of a non-Republic race...he's got some nice toys on this thing.

He scanned through the listings, fiddling with a few turrets here and there. Seeing a blinking light on the nav console, his fingers spread across the keys. A strange feeling arose in his chest, and he put his hand over his heart for a moment, breathing a sigh.

Had Kira already left for Nar Shaddaa? Was she in Revan's arms right now?

He punched a key with a bit more force than needed, and the light went off. Damn the 'Prodigal Knight'!

 

- - - - - - - -

 

Kira watched the console flash from red to green as the systems diagnostic test ran its course.

"Revan, my friend," she said, opening a comm. channel to his personal communicator, "The Hawk's ready to go. Where are you?"

[The Doctor]

((Wow... I haven't posted in a while... I got so carried away with my modding that I completely forgot to RP... lol...))

 

Revan pulled the comm unit from his belt, and flipped it open. "I'm still onboard the Dreadless. I'm just finishing up here, though. I'll be there shortly."

 

((lame...))

[ForceFightWMe12]

"I'll be waiting." Kira answered, the comm. falling silent. Her eyes idlely scanning the consoles, she noticed a light blinking on the nav. console. Frowning, her fingers danced across a few keys. Glancing at her reflection in a viewscreen, she started a moment before shaking her head, chuckling to herself. She and Mical were the only ones on the ship. Atton was somewhere far off...so then why did it feel as if he were standing right over her shoulder?

She shook off the feeling and sat back as the light turned off. All systems were go. For once, the Ebon Hawk was in perfect shape.

[The Doctor]

About twenty minutes later, Revan was sitting in the cockpit with Kira and Disciple as the Ebon Hawk broke away from the Dreadless.

"So..." said Revan, after a few moments of silence. "How about that local swoop jock?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira chuckled lightly, peering at him for a moment before her eyes returned to the controls.

"You're really that desperate for conversation, aren't you?"

[The Doctor]

"Hey, I could be a swoop groupie!" said Revan mock indignantly. "Just because you can't appreciate a good sport doesn't... mean... Just shut it, Kira," he snapped jokingly.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Actually, the local swoop jock's name is Neil Crokens. He's a rodian, 35 standard years old, and holds a record of 4 wins and 7 loses this season." the Exile's grin widened as she looked at him again, "Anything else?"

[The Doctor]

"Well, you didn't mention his favourite colour - or are Rodians colour blind?"

He shook his head. "So how jealous of this 'Neil Crokens' should I be?" he asked jokingly.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira chuckled again.

"Unfortunatly, I like to stick to my own race. I think you're pretty safe, dear Revan."

[The Doctor]

"Good to know," said Revan, nodding. There was another few moments silence. "So, Kira... looking forward to seeing Vogga again?"