Knights of the Old Republic: Darkness Falls II - Alliances

[JasraLantill]

Jasra leaned forward more, and rested her head on Atton's shoulder. "It's bascically the same game," she said, as she twirled a finger in his hair and stroked his back. "Isn't it?" Her eyes grew heavy, and she suddenly collaspsed into his lap unconscious, having finally succumbing to the numbing effect of the Yslat beer.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Er...yeah...I guess...they both have to go to 20 or something like that..." Atton muttered, the muscles in his back flexing as his body reacted to her touch. His face grew hot and he looked away from her, trying hard not to think what he was thinking right then. Unfortunately, with the way most of the Omwati women were dressed...

The next thing he knew, Jasra had collapsed in his lap.

"Whaa!" he shouted in surprise. Looking around, his hands flexed uselessly in the air. What was he supposed to do???

[3yks]

"What are you doing with my girl there Atton?" Brax had a small grin on his face though, as he leaned toward atton and gently lifted Jasra from his lap, craddeling her in his arms. He glanced at the table, and chuckled. "Black Jack not sitting so well with you eh? Just remember your goal is 21, not 20." He winked at Atton.

 

"Well I'm gonna put drooling beauty here to bed, the party will be winding down for the night soon anyway, and with a full week of this she'll need rest." He nodded, "I have had quarters arranged for you, just talk to that fella there, Voskus. Let him know if you prefer rural lodgings or not," he nodded, and headed off toward the hidden city where the ship was parked, with Jasra in his arms.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Uh...right...yeah...okay..." Atton muttered as Brax headed off. Turning back to the Black Jack table, he pushed half of what was left over to the other side of the table, "I'm half in." he said, "And I'm totally going to get 20 this time."

[steven]

Tylor controlled the ship the go towards the pirate at a safe speed. Tylor had a plan that would swiftly take down the pirate capital ship, however he needed to be closer "This is Dreadless to all bombers! We believe we have located the Pirate's outside shield generator. Your orders are too take it out as soon as possible!"

[3yks]

The walk back to the Zedai's hidden city wasn't very long. His rooms were on the first level, he set her down gently on his bed. Silk sheets gentle against her soft flesh, he kissed her gently on the eye lids. "Sleep well." he whispered, then turned and walked over to the wall.

 

"Open." He murmured softly, and the wall turned translucent, and a small door opened up. The view was amazing, the city was built into a cliff, with holo emitters hiding it from the local's. He leaned out against the railing, staring out at the valley, mist rose up from the valley. Smoke trails could be seen coming up from various settlements laid out below him. He glanced back at Jasra, part of him wanted to forget the galaxy's problems. Give Sss to Atton, and spend the rest of his days here, ruling his people with his love.

 

But no, he couldn't do that, he looked back out at the valley, and after awhile of just watching his home, he turned and returned to Jasra. Gently he undressed her, she made some mummbeled comments and tried to help him, but she was pretty gone. So he climbed into bed, wrapped her up in his arms, whispered 'I love you.' and went to sleep.

[JasraLantill]

((OOC: Thanks to 3yks for helping with this post.))

 

The sun was just rising, and a pale rosy light filtered through the transparent wall of the room where Brax and Jasra lay nestled together on the satin-sheeted bed, both of them awake, but now just laying there, still and silent and satisfied.

 

The room, Brax’s room, was spacious and modern, but at the same time cosy, with neat displays of pictures, personal mementos, and collections. There was a door near the corner of the room, and this led off to the dressing area, with large closets, a fresher, and a large sunken tub. Near the door was a desk constructed of a native black wood on which sat a very modern computer terminal. On the wall, a collection of gauntlets were displayed, starting with crude, bone clawed gloves and working its way across to the modern Omwati Force gauntlets like the ones Brax wore. And on the wall opposite the bed was a large colourful hand-painted mural, which merely complimented the vibrant azure flooring.

 

Jasra yawned. She was still a bit groggy from the effects of the Yslat beer the previous night, but she put it down to the early morning hour and the fact that she hadn’t yet had any breakfast. She stared at the mural, studying the pictures within it and wondering about the hand that painted them.

 

It tells a story, Brax’s voice drifted through her head in answer to her question. The story of my family over five hundred generations.

 

Jasra smiled softly. “It’s lovely,” she said aloud, not because she had to, but because she wanted to. “Who painted it?”

 

He grinned. “I did.”

 

This time Jasra grinned, and nestled deeper into his embrace. Her eyes moved to a picture hanging near the desk. The holovid picture was of an Omwati woman in native dress, standing in front of a tent made of taut animal skins stretched over poles. It was a candid shot, not a portrait, and Jasra immediately recognised her as Brax’s mother from the mindscape of their bonding experience.

 

“Revan killed her,” Brax said, again knowing Jasra’s thoughts. “As he did many of my people.”

 

“And yet you forgive him,” Jasra said absently. “I never knew my parents. Not like you did. Although, I have a very vague recollection of a dark-haired woman, with a soft voice and the clean scent of talc about her. But no face. No name.” She paused. “Even so, I don’t know if I could forgive a person for a crime like that.” She lifted herself to face him. “But yet, you do.”

 

“I do, because I must,” said Brax. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. “We must not forget the reason why I have returned. There is a great threat to us all out there. A threat that we must eliminate and defeat.”

 

She stared at him longingly. She felt comfortable, warm, cared for here. She felt as if she could stay here the rest of her days and not want for anything. But Brax was right. They had been chosen by the Force to wage this battle. And she had no choice but join with him to fight it. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brax shushed her by placing a gauntleted finger on her lips.

 

I know. I feel what you do. “But we must.”

 

Jasra nodded. She looked at the transparent wall. The sun was up. The day had started.

 

“Then let us go and meet with the Zedai Council,” she said, raising herself to her knees. She grinned softly. “And then we can rejoin the Vsssx celebration. You did say that it would last the week, didn’t you?”

 

“Traditionally, yes.”

 

“Then let’s find Atton and meet with your Council,” she said, grabbing his arms and attempting to pull him up.

 

He countered her grip, then grinned rakishly. “Soon, my love,” he said, pulling her down towards him. “It’s still early yet.”

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Aren't you the man who won all of those rounds at the Black Jack table? I saw the mountain of chips you had near you by the end of the night..."

"Oh, you saw that? Keh, I was having a bad night. Normally I'd have twice as much, especially if I was playing Pazaak. The game's in my blood."

The Omwati woman sitting next to him leaned in closer, a finger trailing lightly across his bare chest. Apparently he had forgotten to put his shirt back on...

"I do love a lucky man. And you're an albino too. Just think of how I could brag..."

Her lightly trailing finger became a hard jab in the shoulder, and a second voice entered his head.

"Atton, wake up!"

He looked around, pawing at the air to knock away the invisible hand that was jabbing him. "Hey, cut it out!"

"WAKE UP!"

 

The pilot slowly cracked open his eyes, pulling out of the nothingness that was between wakefulness and sleep, giving a disgruntled grumble as he did so.

"What the hell...go away..."

He closed his eyes again, and again felt the hard jab, and the now-recognizable voice calling him.

"Atton, c'mon, get up."

"Damn it, what--JEEZE!" he jumped several feet backwards, almost falling off the side of the bed as he saw Jasra's face so close to his. Pulling the covers back over himself, he pawed at the fabric mindlessly.

"What in the name of Sith's blood are you doing here??"

[JasraLantill]

"Apparently," she said, tilting her head up and eyeing the flimsy sheet he was so desperately clinging to around his waist, "interrupting a good dream."

 

Jasra grinned with wry amusement. "C'mon," she said, trying her best to keep a straight face. "Get dressed. Brax is taking us to meet with the Zedai Council."

 

She turned to leave, but then stopped at the door. "You do still have clothes, don't you?" She glanced over her shoulder at him. "You didn't bet them all last night, did you?"

[ForceFightWMe12]

"No, of course not! I may bet a lot but I do know when to stop, and as an FYI, it turns out I got most of what I lost back." he snapped defensively. He was not a morning person.

"They got any caffa in this place? Hell knows I'm going to be drinking an entire brew of it to get outta this hang over..."

[JasraLantill]

Jasra was puzzled. "Hangover? How come you have a hangover and I don't?" she asked. Then she shook her head. "Nevermind. Don't answer that. Look, I don't know about actual caffa," Jasra said. "But they have something similar that I spotted some of them drinking on the way to come and fetch you." She grinned then with false sweetness. "But if you don't like it, I'm sure there is still plenty of Yslat beer left."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Uhh, no, no more beer. No thanks. At least, not till tonight..." Atton seemed to think for a moment, wondering if the beer was really worth this major headache. He looked up at her, as if for the first time realizing she was still in the room.

"Look, will you go already? I'm supposed to be getting dressed."

[JasraLantill]

"Fine," she said haughtily. She turned to go, but hesitated. "I don't know why you're suddenly so shy. It's not like you have anything I haven't seen before." She looked at him askance. "Or do you...?"

 

A flying pillow hit her in head. "Alright, alright!" she said, unable to keep herself from laughing. "I'm going!"

 

She left his room, shutting the door behind her.

 

"He'll be out as soon as he gets dressed," she said to Brax, who had been waiting outside in the corridor. "So, how come Atton has a hangover and I don't?"

 

Brax grinned slyly, then pulled her close and kissed her.

 

"Oh," she said with a knowing smile. "That's why."

[The Doctor]

The Doctor stepped onto the bridge of the Dreadless, Rose right behind him. He pushed the soldier at ops aside gently, taking in the data reading across the screen.

"Commander," he said. "You've got three more ships coming into the system, their weapons charged. We can't hold out against all of them!"

[ForceFightWMe12]

Atton sighed exasperatedly and fell back onto the bed as she finally left the room. Damn woman...she was with Brax...why'd she have to keep teasing him the way she was?

Finally dragging himself out of bed, he took a quick, cold shower. Dressing, he fought with his hair for a few minutes before deeming it a useless struggle. Stepping outside, he almost ran right into Jasra and Brax.

"Whoa."

[steven]

"We can't let them have the Almanac. We just need to get closer and to take down they're shields and we can easily destroy the enemies bridge," Tylor replied, then muttered to himself "Dammit, why did Captain Ford leave? He's much better at these situations than me."

[3yks]

"Whoa, indeed," Brax motioned for him to walk with him and Jasra, wrapping his arm around Jasra's shoulder and pulling her to his side. "I hear rumors that you finally picked up on the whole '21 instead of 20' thing." He grinned at Atton.

 

Before Atton could really answer they were entering a large archway. An into a large room. "We'll talk more later." Brax said, and kissed Jasra ont he temple before heading off arounda huge arced table, six people sat on each side of the arc, culminating with an empty seat, which Brax took, in the center. There was another smaller arced table with four chairs at it. Faced toward the larger one.

 

"Have a seat," Brax said as he motioned toward the smaller table. Jasra and Atton took the two center chairs, the council sat down once they had.

 

"I call this morning session of the council of Elder Zedai to order." Brax said, he was dressed in fine robes, blue and black in color, with intricate designs weaved into a center peice down his chest and lower.

 

"It has been some time since i was home, Arivus would you mind getting us up-to-date?"

 

"Of Course, sir." Arivus stood from his place directly to Brax's left, and raised his hand, a hologram apeared between the two tables. "Here is the itenrary for today. It is brief, since this is not a normal meeting. We will start with the reading of an essay on the possible reasons why male Zedai are not being born among the Zedai populace."

 

Arivus motioned to a woman at the end of the table who stood and began to speak.

[The Doctor]

Vros raised his head, still kneeling, to look up at the black mirror in front of him. "The Valeyard has agreed to our proposal, Master," he said. "He has promised to bring us the Exile, if in turn promise him the Doctor."

He was silent for a moment, listening.

 

"My Lord, if I may... what is it that the Valeyard wants from the Doctor? What could any Time Lord possibly need from another?"

 

The mirror spoke to him again, though the chamber remained silent.

 

"Of course," he said. "I apologise for my ignorance, Master. When the Time Lords created him-"

 

He fell silent, listening again. "Of course, Master. I apologise again." He bowed to the mirror, then snapped his head up again. "What? Rand? What could he possibly-"

 

He fell silent again as the mirror cut him off.

 

"Is that really neccessary?" he asked. "Surely the Valeyard does not require assistance?"

 

He listened, and then:

 

"Of course not, mi'Lord," he stammered. "I would never question you. I will do as you command... I was simply requesting an insight into your plan - so I might better serve you!"

 

He bowed after a moment. "Of course, Master. It shall be done."

 

He stood, bowed at the waist one last time, then turned on his heel and marched out of the chamber.

[JasraLantill]

"Essay? Did he say 'essay'?"

 

Jasra nudged Atton in the ribs with her elbow. "Be quiet," she hissed softly, as the Zedai woman introduced herself as Sasshiv, and thanked the Council for the opportunity to address them.

 

"Yeah, but essays are long. And boring."

 

“This is a Council meeting," Jasra whispered back irritatedly. “Don’t be impolite."

 

“Sorry,” Atton whispered. “Forgot that long and boring is a universal standard for Council meetings everywhere.”

 

Jasra glared at him.

 

Sasshiv rose from her seat stood, and it was immediately obvious to both Jasra and Atton that she was heavily pregnant.

 

Atton made a noise halfway between a snort and a gasp. “She’s….pregnant,” he whispered.

 

Jasra kicked Atton’s shin. “Don’t stare,” she whispered.

 

“…an alarming decrease in the number of male births among the Zedai,” Sasshriv read, “and although there does not appear to be any genetic link to this event, our studies have conclusively shown that statistically the odds of two Zedai parents having a Force Sensitive male…”

 

“O-ow,” Atton whined, rubbing his leg.

 

"Shh!"

 

"... in 50,000. Extensive genetic testing has revealed no specific physical abnormality to account for this loss of Force Sensitivity, and there has been only a slight decrease in the general population’s birth rate of Force Sensitive males. However, in comparative analysis between both Force Sensitive and non-Force Sensitive parents in the general population…..

 

Atton stifled a yawn. “Told you this was going to be long.”

 

Jasra elbowed him in the ribs. "You're embarrassing me!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

 

Sasshiv went on to give statistical figures on their studies for the next few minutes. But then something caught Atton’s attention.

 

“Did she say ‘non-Omwati birth parent?’” Atton whispered.

 

Jasra turned and glared at him. “Be. Quiet,” she whispered back.

 

More statistics.

 

“You know, you could end up as one of those statistics if you’re not caref… Ow!” Atton frowed. “Stop kicking me, will you?”

 

“Then quit acting like a drunken fool.”

 

Atton considered for a moment. “I’m hungover, not drunk.”

 

“Shh!”

 

“…as we know, they are not as common. In conclusion,….”

 

“Finally,” Atton sighed. Then he quickly moved his leg, and grinned. “Ha. Missed,” he whispered.

 

“As we can find no obvious scientific reason for this decrease, we can only speculate that the Living Force is cognizantly denying males access to having Force Sensitive abilities, at the very earliest stages of fetal development.” She bowed to the Council. “Thank you.”

 

“Are there any questions?”

 

“Can we go now?” Atton said under his breath.

 

Jasra elbowed him again.

 

“Thank you, Sasshiv. And now,” Brax addressed the Council, “for new business.” He nodded at Jasra and Atton.

 

Jasra prodded Atton to stand. “I, and my compatriot,” she gave Atton a doubtful look, “are on a mission to locate a missing Jedi Master. She, and a handful of Jedi trainees were abducted from their vessel only a few days ago. The evidence we have gathered so far indicates that they were abducted because they were Force Sensitive, but we are unsure of the reason why or where to look for them. We also believe that the abduction of Master Shan is linked to a previous disappearance of a Zedai vessel in that same area. We have come to ask the Zedai if they will assist us in the matter.”

[The Doctor]

"Commander, we have to get out of here!" yelled the Doctor, as the ops console exploded behind him. "There are too many of them - we can't hold out against them for much longer!"

[RobQel-Droma]

"He's right, Captain!" Karda shouted as he dodged the many blasts coming from the ships; he had been in contact with the ship and heard the Doctor's yell. "If no reinforcements came, we had a chance - I'm afraid that if any pirate ships come, we won't be able to make any kind of escape."

 

He pulled hard away from one of the enemy ships, watching Republic fighters engage hopelessly against an increasingly larger enemy. This is more like a pirate fleet than anything else - I wonder if Revan and Kira have discovered anything pertaining to this on Nar Shaddaa... But unfortunately, no time for that.

[steven]

"We cant escape. Our hyperdrive has been too damagely damaged. It'll take atleast two hours to repair... Doctor, did you say your TARDIS could go anywhere at anytime? Even those ships..." Tylor suggested.

"Shields are down and we have a lock on their bridge! Firing torpeedors!" There was a moments pause "Torpeedors have hit the target! Enemy bridge has been destroyed."

[The Doctor]

"There's no point in using the TARDIS to board the other ships - there's too many of them. But we can use it to get out of here."

[steven]

"You can get more than 100 people on this ship?" Tylor questioned the Doctor.

"Tylor!" Called out the radar officer "We have detected a Republic Star Destroyer on route that passes our location. If we send a message to them they could easily assist us."

"Do it!" Order Tylor before cotinueing his work as his piloting station.

[The Doctor]

"I can fit a hundred million people on the TARDIS," said the Doctor, smiling slightly.

 

((w00t for one liners... sorry, not very creative today. My bad...))