Knights of the Old Republic: Darkness Falls II - Alliances

[The Doctor]

Revan smiled. "Look on the bright side," he said. "No Sith hanging onto our butts."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira smiled as well. "Or Mandalorians." she added.

[Writer]

The door to Crystal's quarters slid open as Jasra approached it, inviting her to enter. Crystal was on the other side of the room, occupied with a computer console, but she glanced up as Jasra entered. With a slight smile, she said, "It's good to see you again, Jasra." Then, she returned her attention to the computer.

[JasraLantill]

“Crystal,” Jasra said as she entered the room, “I’ve been thinking. There is obviously something still connecting all of us that were in the ‘old timeline,’ and it must be related to …”

 

She stopped, and stared over Crystal’s shoulder at the computer terminal. “Oh. So, you’re searching the hyperspace routes that intersect the Austrak sector, too? Good. What do you think about the Naboo route?”

 

When Crystal looked up at her curiously, Jasra leaned against the edge of the console table and let out a sigh. “It’s imperative that I find Brax,” she explained. “We’ve got a connection… a bond, carried over from… well, from before.” Jasra bit her lower lip. “And it’s more than just a Force bond. It goes… deeper than that.” She frowned slightly. “He occupies my thoughts, all the time. And,” she said, frowning, “he’s in pain. I can feel it. If I don’t find him soon, he’ll die.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “Brax, the others… they are on their way to Naboo. Probably already there by now. And through our bond, Brax told me that the Doctor was with them, too.” She stared at Crystal intently. “Maybe I’m mistaken, but I thought the Doctor told us that he wasn’t supposed to be here. If he corrected the timeline, then why is he back? Unless…,” her voice trailed off. “Crystal, I fear that something else is wrong. Very wrong. We have to find a way to get this ship to Naboo, with or without Karda’s permission.”

[The Doctor]

The Doctor sealed the door shut behind him. He strolled over to the console and punched a few buttons. An image appeared on the screen - an image ok Kira. A data readout began scrolling across the screen.

 

Name: Kira Starr

Species: Species: Human

Native Galaxy: 113-68

Native Time Frame: Index 004-13-6, Old Republic Era

A short biography followed, outlining her early life, training records, and a record of her exploits near the end of the Great Jedi Purge, shortly after the Civil War.

 

He punched in another set of commands, and Revan's face filled the screen.

Name: Revan

Species: Species: Human

Native Galaxy: 113-68

Native Time Frame: Index 004-13-6, Old Republic Era

"The Prodigal Knight," he muttered, smiling slightly.

 

He punched in yet another few commands. This time, Atton's face appeared.

Name: Undetermined

Designation in current time frame: Atton Rand

Species: Species: Human

Native Galaxy: 113-68

Native Time Frame: Index 004-13-6

Not much data on 'Atton Rand'. No redirects either. I'll have to keep an eye on this one...

 

He then accessed information on Disciple, Crystal Gray, and Jasra Lantill. Nothing relevant - the timeline had been reverted. But presence of another Time Lord told him that there was still something wrong...

He accessed another databank. An image of a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair appeared.

Name: Rose Tyler

Species: Species: Human

Native Galaxy: 22-3

Native Time Frame: Index 904-83-4, Early 21st Terran Century

Like most humans in the Milky Way, Tyler was no threat. At least, she appeared to be no threat. He pulled up the information on Naboo, and began reading.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"I'm glad you two never seem to want to slow down." Atton murmured as he brought the ship in for docking. "Force knows if you did, the galaxy would fall apart."

A console beeped.

"Incoming transmition. Patching it through." the pilot reported, and hit a few keys on the terminal.

"This is the Naboo Docking Authority. Please identify yourself." a man's voice said.

Kira moved closer to the console. "The Ebon Hawk." she said, "We're here for pleasure. To check up on an old friend." she added, just for good measure.

"Very well, your ID checks out. You may dock in Bay 147. Please enjoy your stay on Naboo."

[The Doctor]

"They're letting us dock?" said Revan, surprised. "I thought you guys had completely ruined this ship's reputation?"

[Writer]

Crystal frowned. "I don't think that's wise, Jasra," she said quietly. "Look, I want to regroup as much as you do... but the Jedi gave you and Karda a mission. I'm not here to interfere. I'm here to help. I intend to speed this mission up as much as I possibly can..."

 

She sighed and shifted slightly in her seat. "If not us, who's going to look for Bastila?" Her eyes fell again on the computer and she groaned. "I look at hyperspace routes to settle myself down a bit... relax, let my brain rest. Hyperspace routes may not be straight lines, but each one has a definite beginning and end..."

 

A few taps to the screen later and the screen was displaying a closer view of the hyperspace routes. Crystal tapped on one and the screen split in half, one half showing the chart and the other showing information on the hyperspace route Crystal had tapped.

 

"No," she murmured. She tapped the screen several more times and then shook her head. "I've just looked into several potential ways to get to Naboo," she told Jasra. "All of them require a couple of extra jumps, which, if you're trying to do this without Karda's approval, is not the way to go."

 

She sighed. "Jasra, I know you want to get back to Brax. Believe me, I'd love to get you there... but it looks like we'll have to play along with Karda. I'll do everything in my power to speed up this mission. I'll call on the mental power of every person aboard this ship to increase my telepathic range if I have to, but it's looking like we'll have to find Bastila before we rejoin our friends."

 

A disappointed silence was shared between them and Crystal said quietly, "I'm sorry."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira smiled devilishly. "Ruined? Yes. Completely? Not yet."

"Well, you two have fun." Atton said, getting up, "I have to go get some things before we leave." and with that, he left the cockpit.

[The Doctor]

Revan watched Atton leave, a dark look on his face. "I don't trust him," he said, finally voicing what he had been thinking since the previous time line.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"I do." Kira said, watching after him, "He's done more for me and the others than he was ever entitled to do. He's put himself on the line countless times and was always there to watch my back. In some ways...he reminds me of someone else I know." she added on as an afterthought, looking pointedly at him.

[The Doctor]

Revan shook his head. "His thoughs are too clouded. He doesn't want us to know anything about him. He's hiding something, I can feel it. I never had anything to hide. I never lied to you. He has."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"I know what he's lied about, Revan." the Exile answered, "And trust me, if you had a past like his, you would want to hide your thoughts as well."

[The Doctor]

"That's no excuse," spat Revan, standing quickly. "I'm not exactly proud of my past, either, Kira! I've done horrible things! I killed millions as Darth Revan! I slaughtered men, women, and children! But I don't lie about it! I don't pretend it never happened! I don't betray my friends, change my name, and run away and hide on some **** hole of a planet!"

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Revan!" Kira said, placing her hands on his shoulders, "Settle down. It's just the way he is..." a small smile spread on her features as she realized why he was flying off the handle so easily. "...and it's why he could never be you." She reached up and kissed him lightly, quickly. Then, pulling away, she said, "C'mon. We have work to do."

 

((OOC:Wheee...sucky post, I know Though, I have to say that your post is quite interesting, Doc ))

[The Doctor]

((I was venting my anger. Better than my rants, right?))

 

"Truer words were never uttered," said the Doctor, entering the room. "We must find this... other Time Lord... and being him to death."

Revan turned to him. "What about Brax? Have you discovered what's wrong with him?"

"Nothing that I can fix," he answered shortly. "His redundant systems will take over shortly. If not... well, you'll have an ugly blue carcass rotting in your med lab. Now let's get going."

[JasraLantill]

Jasra left Crystal’s quarters and headed for the bridge. If she couldn’t get to Brax, then she would just have to get him to her.

 

“Ah, there you are,” Karda said, catching her up. “Figured you’d get yourself settled rather quickly.”

 

“I’m not ‘settled,’” Jasra replied flatly. “I’m just heading to the bridge to use the com system.”

 

“Oh? Missing Master Verga already?”

 

Jasra stopped in her tracks and gave him a deadpan look. “Why would I miss him? I hardly know him.”

 

“What do you mean, you ‘hardly know him?’ He’s been your Master for the past five years.”

 

“I don’t remember that,” she said, starting toward the bridge again. “And I don’t see how you do either.”

 

Karda stopped her. “I remember,” he said, her arm firmly in his grip, “because it happened. And if you took time to meditate on it, you’d remember, too.”

 

“How can you ‘remember’ something that didn’t happen to you?” Jasra asked him. “You were with me on the Ebon Hawk. You were there when the Doctor sent us all back. It happened. This ‘new’ time line, its past, it didn’t happen. Not to me.”

 

“It did,” Karda said to her. “If it didn’t, you wouldn’t be here.”

 

“Well I’ve got other things on my mind at the moment.”

 

“Brax?” Karda asked, cocking his eyebrow.

 

“Yes.”

 

Karda sighed. “You’re a Jedi now. You don’t need him anymore.”

 

Jasra began to fume. “And just who are you to tell me what I need and don’t need? You’re not my Master.” She looked him up and down, then snorted. “I’m not even sure if you’re my friend.”

 

Before she could turn and walk away from him, Karda grabbed her arm. “How can you say that? I’ve only ever tried to help you. And you… you threw any advice I gave you back in my face and went with that… beast.”

 

“Brax isn’t a beast!” she said hotly. “He’s a Zedai priest! The leader of his people!”

 

“And you’re a Jedi,” Karda hissed. He looked around to see if anyone was watching, then dragged Jasra to a quiet alcove in the corridor. “You weren’t abandoned this time,” he said quietly. “You were found. You’ve been given a second chance. I thought that’s what you wanted. To be a Jedi Knight. Don’t throw away this opportunity to follow the path of the Light.”

 

“How can I get this through your head?” Jasra whispered back. “I’m. Not. A. Jedi. I was a Padawan learner—that’s all. I don’t remember being found and trained by Master Verga. How can I be ready for knighthood trials when I don’t remember having half of my training?”

 

“Your physical body remembers,” said Karda. “Meditate on it. You’ll find you remember more than you think you do.”

 

“Look, all I want to do is find Brax,” Jasra said. “That’s all. I don’t want to meditate, or remember, or do any Jedi things. Just find Brax.”

 

Karda gave her a strange look. “This ‘connection’ you have with him. It’s not just a Force bond. You’re obsessed by him,” he observed.

 

“I’m….” Jasra stopped herself saying that she was in love. “I’m concerned about him. He’s dying.”

 

“Dying? How do you know he’s dying? More dreams?”

 

Jasra bit the inside of her lip as she thought how to answer.

 

“You’ve connected with him through the Force?” Karda surmised.

 

“Yes,” she answered, thinking that there wasn’t anything to gain from lying about it. “And he needs me. Physically needs me present, or he’ll die. He and the rest of the Ebon Hawk crew are on Naboo. Now, let me go and contact him.”

 

“I told you, we are not deviating from our course until….”

 

“Look, I’m not planning on hijacking the bloody ship and going to Naboo! I just want to contact him so he can come to me.”

 

Karda took a moment to consider. “And the rest of the Ebon Hawk crew are with him? Kira, Atton... Revan.”

 

“And the Doctor,” Jasra added.

 

“The Doctor? But I thought….”

 

“So did I,” Jasra finished for him. “But Brax said he was there. And that he was… different.”

 

Karda raised an eyebrow at this. “You discussed this with Crystal?”

 

Jasra nodded. “And she agreed with you that finding Bastila was the more important thing to do. That’s why I wanted to contact Brax and have him meet us here. Please, Karda, let me contact him.”

 

Karda went over to a com panel on a nearby wall and contacted the Bridge. “Tylor? Contact the Palace at Naboo. See if their security people can locate any of the crew of the Ebon Hawk or anyone who calls himself ‘The Doctor’. If they're there, send them our co-ordinates so they could meet us if they so choose.”

 

Jasra breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“Now,” Karda said to her. “There’s something I want you to do for me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Come with me to the med bay,” he said, leading her down the corridor. “I want to run some tests on you.”

 

“Tests?”

 

“Tests. I suspect that your ‘obsession’ with Brax might be more than just a ‘Force’ bond.”

[3yks]

Brax had told the others not to disturb him, and so he woke up after having some horrible pains and lay on the floor in a pile. He frowned and pushed up slowly. The ship didn't sound right, they had landed in his unconcious time. He frowned and slowly pushed himself to his feet. He closed his eyes and focused, calming his body.

 

"We will see Jasra soon." He whispered to himself, a soft humm eminating from his lips, humming a song of his youth to calm his nerves. A song from his training, used to focus the mind.

 

The Zedai, much like the Jedi found young force adepts and trained them from as early an age as possible. But, unlike the Jedi, they were also encourged to mate with other force senstive Zedai, in hopes of having children that could also become Zedai. Brax was one such child, he had been trained since his first memories to know the force, to control and harness it. His childhood nursery rhymes, the songs his mother sang him to sleep with, his toys. Everything, had been designed to train and focus his mind into being what he was today.

 

But all of it was coming crashing down upon him, he couldn't focus, even his humming only kept him in control enough to 'seem' in control. He could still feel his hearts pumping a bit to fast, the faint slickness from his temperature being too high. He could feel several of his organs failing slowly, back up organs were working to take their place ... but the rate of detereration was making him ill. He sighed and slipped out of the room, looking around.

[JasraLantill]

“Right,” Karda said to the medic as Jasra laid down on her back on the medical table. “I’d like you to run a chemical analysis on her blood. To see if there is anything…unusual.”

 

“Well, she doesn’t have to lay down to do that,” the medic said, picking up a hand held analyser and moving towards Jasra’s arm. “It’ll just take a sec…”

 

Karda stopped him. “I need you to do this while she’s meditating.”

 

“Meditating?” Jasra sat up. “I told you, I don’t want to….”

 

“I’d like you to see if you can re-establish contact with Brax,” Karda said to her obvious surprise. “And when you’ve made contact with him,” Karda turned to the medic, “that’s when I want you to run the analysis.”

 

The medic nodded. “Fine,” he said, with a skeptical undertone. “Just tell me when.”

 

Jasra let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know if I can do this with you two staring at me,” she said.

 

“Just relax and try,” Karda said, and he sat down in a chair a few feet away from her. He motioned for the medic to take the seat next to him. “I promise, we won’t interfere.”

 

Reluctantly, Jasra laid back down, then closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate on Brax. What seemed like minutes passed, until finally, she felt herself drift further and further away, until she thought she could almost feel him…

 

”Brax?” she called out from her mind. “Where are you? You’re in pain. I can feel it. Where are you? How can I help you if I can’t find you? Brax….?”

[3yks]

"Jasra?" He wasn't mediting or unconious, he blinked a few times and then closed his eyes, sensing some... medical labratory. "Naboo ... " Had she not heard him the last time? "Where are you? I'll come to you ... I have my ship with me, the others are leaving the ship, looking for some other .. .time lord or something."

[JasraLantill]

Jasra heard Brax answer her and immediately relaxed, comforted by his presence even though it was only faintly felt through the Force. “So, you are still on Naboo. Good. We've sent a message to the Palace to find you. I’m on a Republic ship,” she told him. “The Dreadless. In the Austrak sector. I don’t know the exact co-ordinates, the Palace on Naboo will. But even so, I found a hyperspace link that leads directly from Naboo… “

 

~~~~~

Karda was observing the medical monitors near Jasra. “There,” he said to the medic, pointing to a slight change in her blood pressure and heart rate. “Begin your sampling now.”

 

With a slight roll of his eyes, obviously indicating a lack of understanding of Jedi, the medic complied and he drew a sample of her blood. As the analysis came over the screen, the medic raised an eyebrow. “Now, that’s interesting,” he commented.

 

“What?”

 

“A marked increase in her serotonin and adrenal….” The medic looked at another monitor, then gave Karda a strange look. “She’s not a former spice addict, is she?”

 

“No,” Karda answered curtly. “Why do you ask?”

 

The medic shrugged. “I’ve seen hormone readings go off the chart like that before in addicts. They’re off it for a while, and then, when they get a little bit, they appear to relax, but in reality their hormone levels are going haywire. It makes them crave it even more. Nasty stuff.”

 

“Are there other substances that could give off the same sort of readings?”

 

The medic thought a moment. “Well, some species give of pheromones that act in a similar manner. Falleen, for instance. Served on a ship with one on board once, and some of the human crew had bad reactions when the Falleen disembarked. Increased agitation, sleeplessness, inability to focus on their jobs….”

 

“So, if Jasra had been exposed to a similar pheromone, you’re saying she could be going through some sort of withdrawl?”

 

“It’s possible,” said the medic. “Though it’s hard to explain how she’s able to elicit the production of serotonin by just ‘meditating.’”

 

Karda didn’t answer him. He knew how. She was ‘communing’ with Brax, and that little bit of contact was enough to elicit a response. “And what about the pheromone producer? If they were exposed to the pheromone, but then it was suddenly withdrawn, what effect would that have on them?”

 

“I really couldn’t say without examining them,” said the medic. “Although, if the circumstances for producing the pheromome couldn’t be replicated, I imagine that it could have severe consequences.”

 

“Death?”

 

“Possibly. With additional hormones running through the body, and no pheromome to counter-balance them, I suppose it could eventually result in death.”

 

“Is it possible to simulate the pheromome so we could ‘wean’ her off of it? Offset the effects?”

 

“It’s possible. But, again, I would have to know the specific species in question.”

 

Karda paused for a moment, then frowned. “Ever hear of an Omwati?”

 

The medic snorted. “Can’t say that I have. But if you come across one, let me know and I’ll give it a try.”

~~~~~

 

“…and intersects near to where we will be,” Jasra said to Brax. “Forget about the others. They don’t matter. Just come and find me. I miss you, Brax. Terribly. Please, come and find me.”

 

.

[The Doctor]

The soldier led them into the shade of the palace, where Rose removed her bulky sweater, panting.

"There are too many hills on this planet," she muttered.

The soldier turned to her as if to speak, but was cut off by another soldier coming up to him. "Sir," he said. "There's an incoming message from the Dreadless," he said. "They're looking for the Ebon Hawk."

"The Ebon Hawk? Why would she be here?"

"I don't know, sir. The pilot also mentioned a man calling himself 'the Doctor', and asked if he had been seen - apparantly, he usually pops up when their's trouble."

Rose smirked. "He does seem to have a knack for finding it," she giggled.

Her companion smiled. "As it so happens, I know where you can find this 'Doctor' fellow."

The soldier turned to him. "Well?" he asked impatiently, after a short silence.

He reached out a hand and shook the soldier's. "Hello!" he said happily. "I'm the Doctor."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Everything's been taken care of." Atton said, leaning against the hull of the Hawk as the Exile descended the loading ramp. "The ship's registered and the docking fee's paid. We're good to go."

"Thanks." Kira said, smiling as she took a deep breath of the clean, fresh air of Naboo.

[steven]

Tylor entered the med bay (if he's still there. If he's not I'm entering the room he is in now) "Mr.Karda. We've recived a reply Naboo. They have the "Doctor" in friendly custody and are awaiting our arrival. I've allready set a corse, since that was a location for the search for the jedi. We'll be arrivng there in less than half an hour."

[JasraLantill]

"No, don't divert our course to Naboo just yet," Karda replied to Tylor. "We need to investigate Bastila's ship the Almanac and the surrounding area first. Just give the Palace Security on Naboo our co-ordinates. I'm sure the Doctor is resourceful enough to rendezvous with us if he so desires.

 

"Just let me know when we arrive at the Almanac. When we do, assemble a boarding party of marines. You'll be in charge of securing the ship. Her drives have been disabled by the Republic's scouts, but she's been adrift for a few days now, and may have 'uninvited' guests by now. Salvagers, pirates, who knows. While you secure the vessel, myself, Ms. Gray, and Padawan Lantill will join you onboard and look for any clues that may have been missed by the Republic the first time around."

 

He looked at the medic, and then at Jasra, who was beginning to come out of her meditative state.

 

"As soon as Padawan Lantill is through here, we'll join you on the bridge," he said to Tylor. "Understood?"