After a Knightfall

[Black Knight of Keno]

((Eh... Did you just do some major character controlling there, Curt? I would be fine with it if you had managed to post that before my characters separated and Ferod was joined by two characters that aren't mine or NPCs.

 

Also, WJ, as you threatened me with your departure unless I keep this going, I would like some contributions of your own to keep this going))

 

Charollus flashed a smile at the man and looked to the main street busy with people heading for another part of the Wheel.

"Thank you. I was heading back to Black Eye Cafe to reunite with my ma- hmm... Sorry, I'm not used to calling him Ferod yet" she said with a slight blush of sorts.

"I am Charollus Jali, but you may call me Carol, as it seems to flow better from your species' tongue" she said and offered a hand for a shake.

 

------

 

The ground shook violently as an AT-ST crashed into another one and both exploded. On the planet of Corellia a part of the local garrison of Stormtroopers fought against a small bunch of Corellian Resistance fighters secretly acting under the orders passed down from Garm Bel Iblis himself. The Stormtroopers' last walkers had been now destroyed, at least those which had been dispatched to defend a small factory capable of arming a battallion of Resistance Fighters. The loud bang of a slughtrower was overheard from all the fighting. The bullet went clean through the vizor of a Stormtrooper and instantly killed the clone within. The man wore dark green pants with a blaster holster, a bomber jacket with a flak vest on top of it, effectively modifed against energy weapons. A pat on his shoulder drew his attention off from the closing in troopers and as the man turned, he saw his squad leader of sorts there, giving the retreat sign.

 

They had made progress, even when they dropped into the hole behind bushes from which a tunnel led to their small bunker. The hatch closed and locked the men in and the stormtroopers out of the tunnel. When they got to the bunker, the bunch checked their ammo. The sharpshooter of the group who used a slughthrower rifle walked to the squad leader and removed a headset which had a comm, a scanner and a small screen infront of his other eye that either showed the scan results or enhanced visuals of the target of his slughthrower barrel. Now that the screen was out of the way, he was shown as what he truly was. He had a blue right eye and a brown left eye, which now stared at his squad leader.

 

"I have some old contacts. I know an ex-CorSec who might be interested in our agenda. Once Corellian, always a Corellian. But the point is she isn't welcome here anymore. The CorSec banished her" he said and the leader nodded.

"Contact her and report. I'll see what I can do to get her off of CorSec's blacklist so she can join the fight if she wants to" the squad leader said and the man nodded before walking towards a communications room inside the bunker. One of the other rebels followed him.

"Come on Eki, you know it's useless. Us Corellians are thick headed" the rebel said and the man now sitting next to the holoprojector smirked.

"Maybe, but I need to try anywho. Maybe she's bumped into some Jedi on her travels. Now those are the ones we need to fight for our cause" the man named Eki Rostor said before pushing in some code and starting to speak. Knowing well which ship she stole he transmitted a message to it, not sure if she was in the shp but if not, the astromech would probably patch his message through or note of a message when she came back to the ship.

 

"Shyla. Hey... I know it's been a while and I'm sorry I haven't been keeping in touch since CorSec academy, but I really need you. some big shot in the government who wants to keep anonymous has started a resitsance movement in the Corellia system and we're still an odd bunch. We need you and any friends you may deem helpful in the situation. Corellia needs you, no matter what CorSec says. We're trying to get you off the blacklist. I need you, Shyla. Contact me as soon as you get the message"

[Curt-Man]

((If I did I wasn't aware of such a thing, I simply was speaking about anyone who was currently in the cafe, seeing as my character doesn't know which jedi is which yet, he can only assume those who are there are the ones he's looking for.))

[Nancy Allen``]

"Talk or die, right now." Naboo commando Alixe Medcraft shoved the lightsaber against Clone Commander Cody's throat as her squad took in the surviving members of their assault. "Where is she."

"We didn't want to do it, we knew it was wrong..." Alixe angled the weapon before extending the blue blade.

"Be fitting to be killed by her blade." Alixe was no Jedi but she could torture Clonetrooper with one easy enough. "This was a souviner of your killing is it?"

"No, nothing like that, we were only following orders." Alixe had a fair idea whose, after what she found on Coroscant.

"Orders are no excuse." She waved the weapon about his face menacingly. "Can you think of a reason why the galaxy wouldn't be better off without you?"

"We didn't..."

"Didn't think so." Her end of the conversation over, Alixe flicked her wrist and ended Cody's life. She bent down to the headless corpse when her commander came up from behind.

"Did your torture yield anything?" he demanded. Alixe deactivated the lightsaber and held it up.

"If this is anything like we thought then she is the same as all the other Jedi that had been found. Dead." Commander Walter Jao reached for the weapon when Alixe pulled it close to her chest. Knowing the pain she felt, they all felt, he placed a hand on her shoulder. When she turned away however, her body shaking over the grief she felt, he didn't argue and went to organise the squad to move out and report.

Orders, she thought, throwing the lightsaber against a tree in anger. Trying hard not to let her feelings get the better of her Alixe slowly pulled out a bag which she placed Cody's head in, thinking of the dramatic effect it might have when she next fought agaiinst the rising empire when she would hold it up like a trophy. That done, she went over to pick up the lightsaber, the hilt somewhat battered but still allowing Alixe to see her brown features in the metal.

"I will avenge you my friend," she whispered, "I swear it."

[Writer]

((Relax a bit Tepe... was gone all weekend. No worries, I haven't vanished again ))

 

 

"There was always the chance that this was a trap," Niara said calmly to Ferod. To Gordan, she said, "In all likelihood, that is exactly what this was. Somehow, someone heard you were eager to meet with Jedi. We've all been set up."

 

She turned to Shyla. "Shyla, I believe we've found a use for you." To Ferod, she explained, "Ferod, as much as you love your ship, I'm afraid you'll have to leave it behind for now. All of us will. Of those of us here, Shyla is the only one with a ship they won't be expecting... but even that advantage will not be long available to us."

 

With a thoughtful frown, she glanced around the room. "Ferod, it's high time your friend returned, don't you think? What's keeping her?" She shook her head. "Never mind that just yet... Shyla, go get your ship ready. We're leaving."

[Black Knight of Keno]

"Actually, that depends on where we are headed. If you helped an ex-CorSec steal a ship, someone must be looking for it" Ferod said and looked at Niara.

"We will need either a completely new ship that hasn't been linked to illegal business and which hasn't been stolen. Or the second thing is that we take the public transports which are very risky due to pirates and Imperial customs surprise checks" he explained and reached down to his utility belt. He took out a small holopad connected to a comlink.

 

The image of a Trandoshan appeared in front of them on the table where the holopad had been set down.

"Yeah?" the Trandoshan asked in his native tongue while getting responses in basic.

"You still owe me one, my friend" Ferod said in basic and seemingly made the Trandoshan uncomfortable ad paying off debts was never good news.

"Well, what do you want this time?" the Trandoshan asked with what seemed like a sigh.

"We need a ship. Freighter. Well armed but fast and without any records in the Imperial database" Ferod asked and the Trandoshan looked shocked. This was enhanced by what the Sultan said next:

"And we need it within two hours"

 

The comm suddenly cut off and Ferod smiled.

"We'll have our new ship within two hours. Now it's up to you. Do you wish to leave your ships behind, don't come at all or dock with the new ship. That is, once we know where we're going. There must be an insurgency going on somewhere without the Empire letting the public know. We'll just have to find it through other means than HoloNet News"

[Flamehart]

"Alright then, Carol. I am Viktor. Let's get this show on the road then, shall we?" the mercenary replied with a much more friendlier smile on his hardened, though handsome features. He wasn't such a harsh looking man when he wasn't holding up a young female Jedi in an alley. He extended his hand and enclosed around hers, shaking it firmly, then returned it to his side. "Lead the way, then. I'll make sure none of these scruffs mess with you," he added.

[Grace]

The ship discussion had flown by so fast Shyla had barely managed to keep up. "I..." she stammered. Then, she frowned. "Well, I'm not leaving my ship behind. How big is this freighter you've managed to get us?"

[Black Knight of Keno]

"How should I know? Didn't I just contact a Trandoshan about it?" Ferod asked and shrugged. After a short while, he looked up at her and sighed.

"What's you ship like then?" he asked, slightly defeated knowing the Imperials would be there in less than two hours and by then they had to be gone.

"Can it carry an ARC-170 inside it or have it dock on a docking ring somewhere or something similar? 'Cause I am not leaving my ship behind either" the Vultan said.

 

------

 

Charollus smiled back at the mercenary and walked out of the alley.

"Ruffians beware, for I have mighty Viktor with me" she said playfully as if she was a juvenile even if she wasn't. Her nature had always been such. Whenever not in combat or faced with a serious matter she was playful and childish. She eventually did lead Viktor back to the Black Eye Cafe and to her master's booth, siting down in the slowly cramping up booth.

"Hullo everyone! This is Viktor. A mercenary who might be willing to assist us. So... Where are we going?" she asked mainly from Ferod who shrugged in response. He did not know where to go. probably some unlawful planet somewhere where they could hide easily or to help any insurgent in need of them.

[Flamehart]

"Hey, careful. I may be good but there's a few share of people who don't like me," he said with a smirk on his face. He was actually rather amused by it, and wasn't worried if any ruffian did approach, but it was just a trouble he would much rather forego. When they arrived back at the Cafe, he nodded a greeting to Ferod when Charollus introduced him.

[Grace]

"Ship's a YG-4210," Shyla said. "Not big enough to store your fighter in the cargo bay, but it should be easy to clamp it up top so's it can't go anywhere until we want it to or get torn off entering hyperspace. I'll contact Artie now and have him get started on the prep work. He's a genius, so he should have it ready by the time I get the ident code changed and do some cosmetic work so's nobody can recognize it for the same ship."

[Black Knight of Keno]

Ferod first looked at Charollus and then at Shyla, nodding quietly.

"That would work just as well. Go ahead with the prep. We'll have to attach ourselves to your ship in space. The hangars are too low for such an operation" he said and then looked at Viktor.

"And what may drive you to our presence? I hope Charollus hasn't bothered you to the extent of a nervous breakdown yet. She can easily be that way" the Vultan man said before slumping a bit and groaning after his apprentice had manage to nudge him quite strongly via the force.

[Grace]

Shyla grinned and departed in a hurry. As she returned to her ship, she contacted her droid, informing him of what they would be doing. He issued a flurry of complaining beeps and whistles, scolding Shyla for getting herself into a difficult situation... again. Shyla shut him up by ordering him to do the work... and then closing the connection.

 

Back at the ship, the droid was attempting to inform his master of the message that had come in. But given how insulting she'd just been, he supposed he hadn't tried too hard. She'd be back to the ship soon enough anyhow. Then, she'd get the message.

[Flamehart]

"Nah, it takes alot to bug someone like me," he assured, then shrugged at his question. "Helping out seems alot better to do than sitting around in an infestation like this," he said, however he said it in a way that tipped Ferod off about what he knew. It wasn't his boredom that drew him to them. It was rather, his desire to help the Jedi over sitting idle by while the Empire took more and more worlds.

[Curt-Man]

"if you guys don't need me I'll be off then, but if you need a smooth talker or a sharp shooter, you know where to contact me." Gordon said as he retruend to the bar and ordered another ale.

[Nancy Allen``]

"Alixe." Commander Jao went over to the grieving soldier.

"Why?" she asked. "Senator Amidala is dead, the Jedi children were slaughtered. The rest..." Alixe trailed off. "Why for hells sake? For what?" she demanded despite knowing the answer.

"The others saw what you did," Jao told her. Alixe glared at the remaining Clone Troopers.

"Good. Maybe now they'll start giving answers." She started towards them, reaching for the dead Jedi's lightsaber.

"They said they didn't want to kill her, they were under orders."

"That's no excuse!" she snapped. Instead of taking out her anger on the survivors she grabbed the sack with Cody's head and flung it against a tree.

"What's that?" Jao asked. Alixe gave no answer, instead trying to hold back her rage enough to consider the next best course of action. "Right. They said they would show us where they killed her."

"So we know for sure." Alixe sank to the ground, a hand over her face in grief.

"Look I don't think you need to be here," Jao told her, trying to be comforting. "Head back to the shuttle until we're finished here." Alixe looked up at him for a moment before choosing to storm off, take time to come to terms with what happened.

[Writer]

Niara watched Gordon at the bar for a moment before turning to Ferod. "If someone used him to set us up, he's in as great a danger as the rest of us."

 

She stood and strode over to the bar, taking a seat beside Gordon. "Whoever set us up may use this meeting as cause to arrest you, to force you to work against Jedi. As strange as it may seem given the fact that Jedi are being hunted like none other, your best bet for safety and actually getting out of this mess alive is to stay with us."

[Curt-Man]

Gordon smiled. "And here I thought I was here to help you." He said with laughter in his voice. "Yeah I'm in." He stood up. "I have many contact in many places, so i'm not wihtout my uses."

[Black Knight of Keno]

"Quite true" Ferod said and nodded before Niara excused herself from the booth. Only a moment later the Vultan man as well stood up. Looking down at Charollus, he smiled.

"I must go move our fighter to the hangar where Shyla's ship is. I shall contact you when we are ready for departure. Keep the group together and lead them to the hangars once you recieve my message" he said and nodded, stepping away from the booth, smiling still to reassure the woman she can pull it off. When the man left she sighed quietly and looked at Viktor.

"I'll be needing your help here. I'm overwhelmed with this task and you seem to know your way around the Wheel"

 

------

 

Once Ferod had gotten to the ARC-170 and jumped in he had once more changed into his jedi robes, feeling the armor chafing in the wrong places and being very painful on longer sitting periods. The engines were warmed enough and he contacted the Wheel's main computer for help in locating Shyla's ship. After finding it the Wheel helped by tractor beaming him towards the right hangar once he had left his hangar and gotten near enough. However, there was something he saw on the way that disturbed him, as the ship called Firewind dropped out of hyperspace and launched several shuttles to head for the Wheel. Firewind was a Victory-class Star Destroyer and a part of Vader's Death Squadron. Not only did it mean that the Empire had been much more swifter than they had expected, but it also meant they had no time to lose in getting out. Fortunately the Firewind didn't have the needed equipment to stop them from jumping into hyperspace. After Ferod arrived in the same hangar as Shyla's ship he set the ARC-170, aptly named Trouble Hunter, right next to the light freighter before getting out of the cockpit and looking at the ship.

 

"What a hunk of junk... I hope it can hold the weight without splitting open" Ferod said to himself and chuckled, taking out his comm and contacting Charollus.

"Charollus, we've got Stormtroopers on their way to the station. We need to go. Reassemble in Hangar TH-1138-X" he said and cut the comm before approaching the ramp leading to the freighter.

 

------

 

Charollus sighed after getting the message. By the time they were at the hangar, the Empire would have boarded the Wheel and started their search, including having view through the surveillance cameras. He first turned to Viktor.

"Hangar TH-1138-X. We need to go there. Now" she said before standing up and walking to Niara with the same message.

"Imperials. Hangar TH-1138-X. Now" she said and headed off, hoping someone of them knew where the hangar was in the first place.

 

((Time skip so we can get a move-on and avoid needless blabbering and such))

[Grace]

"...Corellia needs you, no matter what CorSec says. We're trying to get you off the blacklist. I need you, Shyla. Contact me as soon as you get the message."

 

Shyla sat in silence, staring still at the comm system though the voice had died away. After all these years, they wanted her to go back? CorSec would have her hide as soon as she'd finished helping them. And yet...

 

Artie whistled curiously and Shyla shrugged.

 

"I dunno, Artie," she said. "Should we go back?"

 

The droid issued a flurry of beeps and whistles and Shyla laughed. "I really should give you a memory wipe," she said. "You have altogether too much personality for one astro droid."

 

From the noises he made, Artie made it very clear what he thought of that idea.

 

"Don't worry," Shyla chuckled. "You're safe... but I am going to call Eki."

 

She switched on the comm system and called Eki Rostor...

[Black Knight of Keno]

The jedi walked up the ramp and looked around. He looked around, drawing his hood over his head and then continued further inside. Keeping an eye out for intrusive droids and such, he looked around a bit. Amongst the things he looked for was Shyla herself. By the point he bumped into Artie, he had found Shyla trying to reach someone. It seemed just as well that they now had some place to go.

"Thought you would like to know that there are Stormtroopers heading for the Wheel. We need to get off this hunk of sin as soon as possible" he said before the communications were estalished and he stepped out of the holoprojector's range.

 

------

 

The occasional rumble echoed in the rebel bunker and dirt fell from the roof to pile up on the floor. The Imperials were determined to find them, no matter what it took. Fortunately for the rebels the bunker extended far below Coronet and the Empire could not risk the loss of such a metropolis and the ships from Corellian Engineering Corporation. Thus they were safe from bombardment. At least for now.

 

A loud beep broke the silencein the bunker and Eki responded. Walking into the communications room he sat down and traced the call back to Shyla's ship. Smiling to himself he answered the comm.

"Finally. I knew you'd answer my message once you got it. Are you coming back?"

[Grace]

Shyla hesitated a moment, glancing at Ferod. She was unsure of what her new traveling companions would think about going to a place where Shyla herself had been unwelcome. Slowly, she nodded to Eki. "Yes," she answered. "Promise me CorSec won't be a pain."

[Black Knight of Keno]

Eki sighed and looked at the hologram infront of him.

"Shyla... You know I can't promise that. We have used all resources we have to get you off the blacklist, but the final decision is to CorSec and we won't be trusting them until they prove themselves to be for Corellia and not against it" the man said and shook his head, startled slightly when a robed man walked into view and drew his hood back.

"Is there a possibility of hiding our ships inside a larger freighter. To make sure it is safe to enter the system?" Ferod asked and Eki looked behind him at someone they couldn't see before nodding.

"It could be arranged. One of us has a bulk freighter captain who owes a favour. But we will need two days at least to prepare the containers to carry a ship as large as yours" Eki said and Ferod placed a hand on Shyla's shoulder.

"Then we shall stall somewhere for two days and then head for a meeting with the freighter just outside the Corellia System. Right?" he asked and looked down at Shyla for confirmation

[Grace]

((Due to computer issues, WJ has asked me to inform you that he won't be able to post for a bit. Computer had to be sent away somewhere or something... he promises he's coming back though, which is an improvement from last time, I gather ))

 

 

"Right," Shyla agreed. She smiled at the hologram of Eki. "See you in two days."

 

Then, she looked up at Ferod. "Two days... any suggestions of a destination? We've gotta get out of here fast... where is everyone?"

 

Distracted, she began working the controls of the freighter, preparing everything for a quick escape. As if sensing her distress, Artie whistled sadly and rolled away to help prep the ship.

[Curt-Man]

"Dantooine. I have some contacts there, we can stay for a bit then move on." Gordon piped up suggesting a destination as it was requested.

[Black Knight of Keno]

Nobody had noticed the rest of the group entering the ship just in time to hear the question. As Gordon spoke, Charollus noticed Ferod's robes and smirked, leaving for the lounge to get some refreshments, meaning water.

"Dantooine is a good place to start at least, but we shouldn't stay even there for long. As a Jedi I'm still obliged to keep peace, and Dantooine is a peaceful planet which should not be disturbed by a major Imperial mission to destroy a pair of Jedi and those who are helping them" he said before smiling appaerently for no reason and following Shyla.

 

"That was Eki Rostor, wasn't it? I had the pleasure of fighting with his father and brothers during the Clone Wars. They spoke much of him, but I never really got why he didn't follow them to become an Antarian Ranger or a Freedom Warrior and instead chose CorSec. Is he truly that much of a patriot?" he asked and slid his hand under his sleeves, truly looking like a peaceful Jedi in harmony with the Galaxy, even if he was not in such a state. Maybe once before the Clone Wars, but that side disappeared with the fighting and would cower away from him until he died or found a new reason for getting in harmony with himself and the Galaxy. He was blind to such things, however.

 

Charollus meanwhile walked out of the ship and hopped into the ARC-170, prepping it as well, even if that didn't take as long as the larger freighter did, but nonetheless she should be sure everything was working right before docking with the larger ship once out of the hangar.