KOTOR III: Stat' Geroyami (To Become Heroes)

[Rexraptor2000]

((That's fine MA. Been a bit busy all of a sudden, but hopefully I'll be posting more now.))

 

Prae snorted in irritation as Cetanu stormed off. These days, work wasn't always easy to find for warriors. Well, at least work that was up to the needs of a former warlord and a sentient hunter. You had to deal with the hand you were dealt though, and Prae hated the one he was dealt at the moment.

 

Transporting supplies was not Prae's ideal trade, but it was the trade that kept his ship flying and food in their stomachs. That wasn't even going well, and soon they might have to resort to actually bringing passengers aboard. That wouldn't go well with the already short-fused Cetanu, who would either have to dispose or hide all of his trophies very skillfully if they wanted to avoid an incident. The bounties on their heads because of Cetanu's trophies didn't make Prae happy either, but there was no stopping Cetanu from hunting so Prae tried not to think about those. Overall, it was a matter of moving from place to place and getting a constant supply of jobs that support their physical and cultural needs.

 

He stood up from the ramp of his ship, The Valiant Glory, and headed off back to the cantina in which he had dealt with the Mandolorians. However, along the way, he saw something very interesting: a red-hot ship falling from the sky and then roughly landing/crashing in a park. Prae dully noted this as, to the average person, not common and decided to head over and investigate as a few other sentients were doing.

 

Reminds me of the Huffar Blitz, Prae thought fondly as he calmly walked over.

[Master_Archon]

Cetanu had been skulking down a path near a clearing, or park as some people were referring to it. He paused and looked over at the clearing in the large city, it was like a clearing in a jungle, a big metal and stone jungle. He entered the clearing and finding some small amount of cover he crouched down to observe. He was always interested in the behavior patterns of other species, both for curiosity reasons and more practical reasons as well.

 

As Cetanu looked around he noticed that there was hardly anyone around, so he got up and began to walk back towards the city, but his instincts kicked in like someone starting a stampede. He turned and looked around with a sharp gaze, he knew something was wrong if his senses were going this crazy. Then he heard the sound of a descending ship, looking up he saw something that wasn't pleasant, the sight of an out of control vessel heading for the exact clearing he'd decided to stop in.

 

He turned fully in the direction of the ship, staring at it curiously as it plummeted toward the ground...not just the ground, it was coming down near him!

 

After a few moments of ominous silence the ship made contact with the ground, plowing across the ground it headed straight for Cetanu, but instead of moving he stubbornly stood his ground, his hunter's mind was telling him that he would be making a mistake if he moved, though every ounce of his body, instincts included, were screaming, 'MOVE YOU JERK!!!'

 

As the ship came towards him it slowed considerably, until it settled only a couple of meters in front of him. He looked the ship up and down for a couple of moments before moving towards it, curiosity was now shouting in his mind, while the rest of his senses were saying, 'what was that for!!?'

 

Cetanu crouched a bit and then launched into the air with a strong jump, clearing the distance between him and the ship. He landed oh so gracefully on the front view port of the ship, with a nice hard thud, as he clung to the front of the ship staring into the view port, looking like a big ugly bug smashed against the windshield of a car. He attempted to look into the ship but found that the screen was too tinted to see anything, though he could probably use his thermal vision to make out any vague shapes, he didn't want to be sticking to the ship the way he was any longer than he had to.

 

Cetanu pulled himself up onto the top of the ship and began looking around. He peered over the edges of the ship to see if anyone was coming out. As he looked over one edge he saw two people coming towards the crashed vessel, a male and female Ooman. Cetanu stared ponderously at them for a moment before crouching down on the edge of the ship and waited for them to approach. Observing them was more interesting than waiting a year and a day for the people in the ship to come out, and personally he didn't want to hassle himself with trying to get into the ship.

 

So he waited, and watched, until his gaze settled on a familiar figure approaching the ship. 'Great,' thought Cetanu. 'There goes my fun,' he continued, looking back over at the couple approaching, for now he'd ignore his companion.

[Tysyacha]

Tysyacha had not expected the biggest, most hideous metal-covered bug in the entire galaxy to paste itself suddenly on the cockpit windshield of the Ebon Hawk. Dazed, frightened, and utterly crestfallen, she clambered out of the damaged vessel with Kreia and Canderous not far behind.

 

Sorry, she thought of saying to the flabbergasted observers in the park, but the Exile instantly knew that sorry wasn't even going to come close to "cutting it" in this situation. Instead she said, amplifying her usually-understated voice through the Force: "I apologize. I'm the one who crashed our ship, and if anyone's wondering, we did not intend to land in this park. We wanted to coast smoothly onto one of the landing pads at the nearest spaceport, but I typed in the wrong coordinates in the navicomputer."

 

Tysy shrugged and laughed ruefully, softly as well, hoping to make at least some Kiffar laugh or forget their confusion for a moment. No such luck.

 

"Glupa, glupa yei," one of the bystanders said, and Tysyacha nodded humbly. This meant stupid, stupid her, and she felt it was wholly true.

 

Amplifying her voice again, she called out, "Does anyone know a mechanic?"

 

After a few moments of overpoweringly awkward silence, a tall Kiffar female with whitening hair stepped up to her. "Greetings. My name is Yeru Dolzhna, and I sit on the council of this fine city. See you the damage you've done?"

 

Tysyacha looked around and saw the broken concrete, the smashed trees, the tipping glowposts, and the anger and confusion of the people. "Yes."

 

"I know you must be quite sad," replied Yeru, "to have done this, as it was only an accident. However, this quarter must be repaired, and to do so will cost one hundred thousand credits. Have you that much, my lady?"

 

The Exile's bowels turned to water. "I have--one-fifth that, but no more. I was hoping to stock up on fuel and food supplies for the next leg of our journey, but it seems that wherever we were traveling to will have to wait."

 

"Indeed. Perhaps if you do not have the credits, you will be willing to do some community labor for us? We are building a temple on Kiffar, a Hearth Home where all species will be welcome to heal, rest, and meditate on their lives and actions. It is not yet finished; the final wall is not as high as it should be, nor as polished. If you will smoothen the edges of the holy stones in it until each one shines like glass, or else build the wall ten more stories, you and your crew can go with our blessings and the food and fuel you seek."

 

Twenty thousand credits should be enough, prompted Tysy's mind, or rather that part of Tysy's mind that was at once scared and self-preserving. Yeru will take the credits under...pressure. Time for a Force Persuade!

 

Good thing no one heard that! Tysy thought abrubtly, sweating.

[Writer]

Though Tysyacha would not realize it, it was quite fortunate that Dakota Cedar did in fact hear the urges of Tysy's mind. And so, to prevent the violation of a mind so untouched as Yeru's, Dakka stepped in.

 

"Councilwoman Dolzhna, don't you think ten stories is a little... extensive?" she asked, with a subtle touch of the mind... nothing so invasive as Tysy had been planning. "Even the shining of the stones... the work would cost you half a million credits, not the simple one hundred thousand this quarter's repair would cost you."

 

Yeru seemed to consider this. "Yes, the work I have suggested may be a bit much..." She frowned. "But we have had no good workers in months! How will the Hearth Home ever be finished?"

 

"With patience, caring, and naught but..." Dakka paused thoughtfully. "Say... ten thousand credits? With that, you can at least afford to hire good workers, yes?"

 

"Ten thousand would help..." Yeru murmured thoughtfully. Dakka smiled and turned to Tysy and company.

 

"And you can afford that, can you not?" she said sweetly. Credits were exchanged and the councilwoman departed, making arrangements for the Ebon Hawk to be removed from the park and taken for repairs.

 

"And as to the repairs of your ship," Ashton said brightly, "you can end your worries about that as well." He extended a hand to her. "Ashton Casey, and all his money at your service." He gestured and Dakka came up beside him. "And the lovely Dakota Cedar, my wife-to-be."

 

"Anything you need," Dakka told Tysyacha, "if we have it, it is yours, including..."

 

"A pilot!" Ash exclaimed, bowing grandly. Dakka giggled.

 

"Don't worry about him," she said. "He loves a bit of a show. But he is a good pilot. Not more than two days ago, he piloted a ship that will never fly again to a more or less successful landing in the main starport."

 

"More or less meaning I landed it... and then the ship's landing gear gave way," Ash explained with a wink. "But we have some money, if you haven't quite enough to cover the repairs and supplies you need."

 

"Ash," Dakka murmured in his ear, glancing at the overcome Tysyacha and crew. "Perhaps we ought to let them have a word in?"

 

"Ah!" Ash replied, his voice hushed. "Right..." He grinned apologetically at Tysy. "Sorry..."

[Jason Skywalker]

"AH!"

 

A loud cough could be heard. Damn that polluted Nar Shaddaa air. He would swear he would destroy them if necessary. But, no point on getting angry with something so insignificant. And he had more important things to take care of. Being an undercover secret Sith Lord and a drug lord on the Smuggler's Moon was hard work.

 

"Master, are you alright?" One of his bodyguards asked him.

 

"Yes, yes, i'm alright," He yawned, 'Nothing interesting ever happens' He then sighed. He then caught the same bodyguard talking to another person.

 

"What is it?" Asim asked him.

 

"It appears one of your agents has stopped a gambler from cheating."

 

A nerve could almost be seen busting from Asim's forehead, "So? Kill him and throw him in the well, i don't care."

 

"It appears the gambler is an ex-Jedi, milord."

 

Asim's face could almost be seen shining ,"Really now? Well, that changes everything. Arrange a room for me to meet him," He told him, already getting up from his comfortable throne, "And oh, remember not to put a neural restrain in him."

 

"I do not mean to sound disrespectful, but Master, isn't that going to allow him to use his Force Powers?"

 

"You are questioning my orders?"

 

"No Master, i shall arrange that right away," And with that, he was off.

 

As he smiled, Asim looked at himself, "Perhaps i should put on more...elegant clothes..."

 

-----

 

The door slided open and Asim walked in with burgundy-colored robes, made of the finest and purest silk with a gold pattern at the back. He then looked at the Jedi. Unshaved beard, mess of a hair, somewhat rugged skin, he just looked like he had gone through hell. Asim's minions probably roughed him up a bit. He then took a seat.

 

"Well, well," Asim began, "A gambler AND a cheater. Now that's not a way for a regular person to behave, much less a Jedi."

 

The Jedi simply spat at his face but as soon as it was about 5 centimeters of touching his face, it disintegrated into the air. Asim gestured with his hand for his guards to rough him up a little more.

 

"Now, are we going to have a civilized talk or am i just going to kill you? You choose?"

 

"None. You are letting me go," The Jedi ordered him, obviously trying to use the infamous Mind Trick.

 

Asim's face turned a bit innocent, "Oh, why, of course i'm letting you go!" He told the Jedi, a smirk on the man's face, "However, you're still going to answer my questions," He countered with a Mind Trick of his own, subduing the Jedi to sit, tightly.

 

"Well now, shall we begin? I have heard rumors that the Jedi Order has been re-established. Is it true?"

 

The Jedi resisted, "Clearly you have either misunderstood or haven't heard me. Has the Jedi Order been re-established or not?" He incited him to answer him, tightening his mind leash.

 

"...Yes."

 

"Well now, was it so hard? Where are they located?"

 

"...In...in...Onderon."

 

A loud noise was heard as Asim telekinetically slapped the man across the face using the Force.

 

"...They're in Dantooine," He confessed, a single tear streaming from his eye.

 

"Ah, they can never get enough of Dantooine. Well, tell me just one more thing. Do you know a woman by the name of Kreia?"

 

The man remained silent.

 

"Hmm, i see, now you simply don't know her. Dispose of h-"

 

"Wait, please don't kill me! I'll tell you everything!"

 

"Hmm, not much of a Jedi here. But talk."

 

"Are you familiar of the Ebon Hawk? It was the ship both Revan and the Jedi Exile traveled in the past 5 years and now it seems the Exile is looking for Revan but so far she has had no luck. Will that satisfy you, Master?"

 

Asim smiled and got up from his seat, "Thank you...however, i absolutely despise anyone who changes of faction in a life or death situation. You are scum and scum such as you needs to be disposed of from this world!"

 

He then hurled a blast of Force Lightning which, surprisingly, wasn't even seen. The Jedi fell to the ground a second later, dead.

 

"Dispose of him."

 

"Yes sir!"

 

-----

 

"Maya," Asim said out loud while walking on one of his halls as a dark-clothed and purple-haired woman leapt onto a kneel from the ceiling beside him.

 

"Any news on the Ebon Hawk?"

 

"The information department has determined the Ebon Hawk was last seen near Kiffu," Maya told her master.

 

"Good. Take a couple of soldiers with you and infiltrate them. Gain their trust. Be wary of the old woman. I have taught you how to shield your thoughts and emotions so be sure to use that when with them. You may leave."

 

"Yes Master."

[RobQel-Droma]

Canderous stared at Ash. He had absolutely no idea who the man was, and even though they could use the help, he didn't trust him. Canderous hardly trusted any stranger. "Considering that you and I seem to be in the same situation, I'm not sure why we would take you along. Seems to me, if it wasn't for the fact that our ship could get you off of this planet, you wouldn't be falling over yourself trying to help."

 

"And," he said, looking rather disdainful, "I suppose that we should accept your greatness as a pilot simply on your word?" He shook his head, and suddenly felt a pain in his side. Now, he really understood what it felt to be dying; he couldn't take those hard hits without making his body ache for weeks. "Sorry, but considering that your previous ship apparently, well... is in pieces, now.... I really don't see the need."

 

He glanced over at Tysy. "Besides, we don't need the help anyway." Canderous hitched at his gun belt menacingly. Now, Tysy - don't you think we need to get out of here? We don't want to attract any more attention, especially since was just turned a park into a landing pad.

[Rexraptor2000]

When Prae got close enough to identify those who had exited the ship, he was surprised to say none the least when he saw that one of them was one he had come to know as General Tysyacha Dvyx. She had lead the fleet of the Republic, including his own, at Malachor V. Why was she here, and why did she crash? He didn't know, but Prae respected this human's commanding ability enough to warrant walking over and extend his greetings. However, since it was apparent that she was busy with someone else, he waited with arms crossed when he reached the group.

[Writer]

"Well," Dakka began thoughtfully. Ash just had to make a fool of himself and he grinned widely.

 

"The Force got the nibbles," he said cheerily. "Led us to you." To Tysyacha, he said, "Surely you know what that feels like?"

 

"Ash," Dakka murmured, shaking her head slowly. "Shut up." She shot an apologetic smile at Canderous and Tysyacha. "He gets very childish when he's excited," she explained. "To put it simply, we do not believe anything happens by chance. Our loss of a ship here, your unintended crash landing into a park... there's a calling, we were drawn to you. We know not yet why."

[Tysyacha]

Tysyacha nodded. "I do indeed know what being drawn to something--or someone--by the Force feels like. I sense no deception in your words, but my husband? He may be a little harder to convince. "I'll make you an offer. If you set to the repairs right away and we like what we see, then you're very gladly hired. Of course, to address my husband's concerns, I'd like to test your piloting skills on the asteroid belt almost right outside Kiffu's atmosphere. That place is tricky, and it may be what led me to misjudge the coordinates for our landing. Deal?" She proffered her right hand.

 

After "Ash" and "Dakka" dashed off to survey the damage done to the Hawk, Tysy felt "drawn to something" through the Force, just as the two had mentioned. She would have ventured forward alone, except something told her to bring Kreia and Canderous, if they would come. Beckoning slightly, she smiled and started to walk forward toward the mysterious source of Force energy. Ah! Of course it would be...

 

...a half-finished building with silvery stones as ragged and jagged as the mountains of Mustafar! Tysy was surprised in spite of herself. So this was the Kiffar "Hearth Home." "I can't say I'm impressed," grunted Canderous, and Tysy gave him a look that said, Me neither. Out loud, she told him, "The Force brought me here, drawing me to this place just like Ash and Dakota described. Let's go inside and see how the builders are doing."

 

The builders, it turned out, were scrambling here and there trying to put panes of delicate transparicrystal in the windows, barking hurried orders to each other in a version of Kiffar where proper grammar was only a luxury. Tysy's eye was drawn to ten small stones set upon a ceremonial pedestal. They were as unpolished and raw as the boulders in the wall, but these, she noticed, radiated life through the Force. The wallstones did as well, but they were quiet, peaceful, at rest as much as inanimate objects could be.

 

"Hold," said Tysy gently. "I'm going to polish these, because if I'm not mistaken, they're Force-Sensitive ores. Not exactly pebbles--this could take me a while." She picked up a sandrag and set to work. Kreia meditated, and as for the Mandalore? He watched his wife with laughing curiosity. My love, sometimes I don't understand you, but fair play is always fair play.

 

When the Exile had finished, she reset the stones in their previous places, bowing to them and their highly-increased power. Suddenly they began to glow, and it wasn't long before a warm fire was ignited in their midst. The builders' eyes lit up with hope and wonder, and they all stopped their work to gather around the flame which required no fuel. They all felt much at peace.

 

Apparently, some of the builders had gazed at the Mandalore with sadness and compassion in their Kiffar eyes, and from species to species was given understanding. They knew what troubled Canderous, and Canderous stood still. It wasn't long before someone else arrived--a smiling Yeru Dolzhna.

 

"You have lit our holy Hearth," she said to Tysyacha, "and it was these very stones that I wished you to polish as your labor--one of love. Now we can finish our work without as much tension and fruitlessness as before. We would have done it ourselves, but the Hearthstones needed a polisher who was more than halfway sensitive to the Force. Thank you, kind one.

 

"We wish to present you with a gift before you leave--a Pendant of Pardon. This means we have forgiven you for the damage you caused to our park, and not only that, we offer you all our goodwill on your future travels."

 

A healing warmth radiated from the nine-sided crystal dangling from a light magnetic chain, and Tysyacha knew why the Force wanted Canderous here.

 

She bowed her head and her heart, released a valve on Canderous' helmet, and clasped the Pendant around his muscular and nigh-unbreakable neck.

 

"Better?", she asked as the builders applauded, cheering quietly in Kiffar.

[Master_Archon]

Cetanu wasn't pleased, the people who'd come out of the ship had asked for a mechanic, and he had been ready to jump down and introduce himself as a tech savvy, when the same couple he'd been watching had offered to pay for repairs. Cetanu would have even gotten Prae's help, as neither one of them were inept at repairing things. Prae repaired his own ship more often than not, seeing as it was a Sangheili ship, and most mechanics had no clue how to work on one. Second, he himself was skilled at repairing, and even making weapons, and he had worked with Ooman technology before, it was nothing special, or even remotely difficult to work on.

 

Besides that, his friend and himself needed the work, and they would have done the repairs at half the price of any ship mechanic. But what bugged him further was the fact that he had seen much more than most others, and he had noticed Prae's patience towards one of the ship's crew, a younger female Ooman who'd simply ignored Prae and walked off towards some half-hazard building that didn't look like anything special. This burned him, his friend obviously knew her, and had politely waited for her to approach him, and she ignored him completely, Prae was the best person he knew, no one did that to Prae!

 

Cetanu growled audibly, then jumped off the tree he had perched on, since the ship had been so speedily taken away. He landed on the ground with a thud and began walking off towards the pointless building, as he approached it he paused just inside of the entranceway, watching as the same woman cleaned a bunch of rocks. This just irritated him further, the female had ignored his friend and himself to clean a bunch of useless rocks! He was about to approach the woman when he saw a flame kick up, it came from no where, and wasn't fueled by anything, this shocked him for a moment, but he quickly came to his senses.

 

The people in the area began to gather and get all mellow, he didn't see this often, and it reminded him of when Oomans got drunk. As the others seemed to get happy from the flame this woman had somehow conjured up, and clapped as she placed some pendant around some male's neck, he himself was seething with anger, this woman was annoying him to no end, and he barely knew her! It frustrated him, and he knew he didn't like this lady, he got a weird feeling when he looked at her, and he didn't like it, on top of that she'd completely dismissed Prae, whom he respected too much to let slide.

 

He glanced back at the park where Prae's figure stood ominously alone, and abandoned. He would have to let Prae stand up for himself...because he knew that if he even attempted to talk to this woman he'd snap and try to kill her. He was too angry, too constricted inside to deal with anyone right now. As he turned to leave he slammed his fist into an unfinished wall, it barely shook, but it was a complete mess where his hand had made impact. He pulled his hand out of the small crater he'd made in the wall, his knuckles bled, the green irridescent blood of his people flowing from his new, self inflicted wounds. He turned around, noticing some of the workers had been snapped out of their mellow state and were now looking at him, confused and scared of the large imposing figure causing harm to their precious building, and to him it seemed as if they could see the anger rolling off of him.

 

He snarled at the people, who flinched in fear of him, and he turned and with a strong jump left the area before anyone could apprehend him to make him pay for the damage caused. He wasn't sure of himself right now, he was angry, and it's common companion, confusion was close behind. He desperately needed to find a place to seclude himself.

 

His jump landed him near the park, and he walked through it the rest of the way, and as he passed his friend Prae he glanced in his direction, though his face was covered with a mask, he knew Prae could tell his mood and other subtle things just from a glance. He gave a nod to hint to his friend that he should talk to the woman before she decided to go polish some more stupid stones, though he didn't know why his friend wanted to talk to the woman in the first place.

 

As he walked, leaving the woman, her companions, and his own friend behind, he looked at his bleeding hand and clenched an angry fist, 'What's wrong with me?'

[Rexraptor2000]

Prae had dealt with many things in life, and, in the last ten years he had traveled the galaxy, learned to let go of things that would otherwise spark blood lust from the average seasoned male Sangheili. Male Sangheili who, to no exaggeration, had the strength and battle prowess of three Wookies. There were things that still made him angry however, such as plain disrespect from one he respected. As Supreme Warlord this would have been a direct challenge to him, and it obviously ticked off Cetanu, because not soon after she had done that the large alien was stalking from the building Tysyacha had gone, with a bloody hand and a musk that spoke volumes with his body language. Despite this though Prae wasn't going to on a killing spree for it, but if she did blatantly ignore him again he wasn't going to let it slide so easily.

 

He uncrossed his arms and walked over to the building to which the Jedi had gone to. It was an ugly thing in Prae's eyes, having grown to only love Sangheili architecture, but it may have been unpleasant purely because it was still in construction. Apparently something special was going on, because when he arrived there was some commotion around the Jedi and, from what Prae's experience told him, was a Mandolorian. She was standing with the Mando, who's neck she had placed the necklace. So, he waited again, this time at the entrance to catch her when she turned to leave.

[Tysyacha]

Tysyacha was startled at the entrance to the Hearth Home of the Kiffar by a patient and yet angry-looking sentient being. Sanghelli, male, the Force told her, and as she gazed into his eyes, hot shame flooded her body. She had ignored him and his inquisitive comrade, blatantly turning aside all recognition of their existence as she had exited the Ebon Hawk. "Sir," she began, her throat parched as the sands of Tatooine, "I--please, forgive me, I did not notice you, I was...distracted..." No good.

 

Such words sounded sincere, as they truly were, but as if they were coming from a two-year-old. This proud Warlord had the stature and strength of multiple Wookiees radiating from his form, and here she was stammering like a child? This would not do.

 

Knowing that a Mandalorian, let alone a Sanghelli, would conscript her to true hard labor for such a breach of common decency and respect for rank, Tysyacha did the only thing that her guilty conscience would permit her: She disarmed completely.

 

Clatter, clatter! went her silver lightsabers to the ground. She stripped off her Circlet of Saresh and all other accoutrements she used to augment her strength and power. Kneeling in only her civilian's tunic--not even the Jedi Robes that she wore over it--she slid her knees out from under her so she lay prostrate to the ground.

 

Slowly, slowly, she rolled over on her back and closed her eyes, relaxing. For the final step of her more-than-symbolic gesture, she tilted her head back at an angle.

 

Tysyacha's neck lay exposed. The apprentice of Darth Traya, the Jedi Exile, General of the Mandalorian Wars under Darth Revan, was offering the Sanghelli herself as a kill.

[RobQel-Droma]

Canderous stared in disbelief. Er..... Mind filling me in on this plan of action Tysy? He looked at the Sanghelli, alarmed at this strange turn of events. Even he, though he was not a force sensitive, could feel the power rippling off of the Sanghelli.

 

And he really didn't care. I'm the Mandalore, the leader of the most powerful race of warriors in the galaxy. I don't fear you, and I don't fear what you can do to me. Why would he, after all? He was already dying... Canderous raised his rifle and set its sights squarely on the sentient - oddly, he felt as though his arms had lost their ache just a little bit. The pendant was helping him.

 

"You touch her, you die. Your choice." He stared at the Sanghelli.

[Rexraptor2000]

Praeceptor Sicarius stood at the height of ten feet when standing at full height, which, in proportion with his body, made him look like a titan compared to the small and disarmed form of Tysyacha laying before him. His massive golden battle armor shimmered dully in the light as he knelt in front of her, revealing the wear and scars of hundreds of battles. He ignored the threat of the Mandolorian who had his sights on him, and moved his face inches from Tysyacha's. Under normal circumstances, a Sangheili who committed an act of this stature would either be forced back down a few ranks and regain their honor, or be pardoned for their dishonorable act and all forgotten. He knew what he would do. This was one of the few humans he actually respected, and one of the only ones who truly honored at least part of his culture.

 

"Tysyacha Dvyx, you are pardoned," Prae rumbled, his tone gruff but clear. Then he stood up, offered his hand, and said "So rise. The great may fall, but the greatest rise again."

[Master_Archon]

Cetanu crouched precariously on the edge of a building-top, stock still, like a gargoyle perfectly perched on the roof of a monastery. He breathed deeply and let his senses cool, he needed to get himself straightened out before he went back down among other sentients. He, personally, was confused with his actions lately, he couldn't understand the source of his growing anger. It seemed that his anger just kept getting worse, and had gone from mere annoyance of other people, to near absolute hate. He had been growing this way more and more so since his early departure from his clan.

 

He had despised that woman, nearly driven to the point of killing her, and yet, over what? Why? Why was he so easily provoked nowadays? What was wrong with him, what was happening to him? He didn't understand.

 

Cetanu stood up on the tall building, high above most other buildings as he'd tried his best to get to the tallest building he could find. He breathed in deeply, then let out the loudest roar he could, which was amazingly loud. It echoed through the cavernous buildings below, carrying far, and heard by many, in it could be heard sorrow, and confusion.

 

Cetanu watched the people on the ground below, he pondered them, and himself. Why was he so attracted to violence? His species were hunters, but they were more than peaceful when they needed to be. What was his exception, why did he crave it, like drugs, why? Why was the hunt so much like a fix for him? What made him this way?

 

He stood, it seemed like a second, but it was much longer, nearly half an hour had passed. He just needed to let go, he told himself. He scanned the ground below one more time, and then...jumped.

 

He was going hunting!

[Master_Archon]

((Cetanu wasn't hunting your character Tysy, sorry if you misunderstood. Unless it wasn't my character blindsiding yours, then I'm the one who misundertood.))

 

-[Will Edit in Post Later. Busy.]

Edit: New Post is #44

[MJ-W4]

Kreia stepped up to the Exile, deftly drew back her hood and looked at her pupil out of clear, blue-grey eys. 'Well done, girl. Take that look off your face and close your mouth. I may be a number of things but I am no dentist.'

 

When they had come to the temple-to-be, the old woman had felt the unfocused Force in the area tingle and prick like thousands of pins yet to no ill effect. She had stayed at the back, seated on a cushion among tools and other gear the workers had dumped on the floor at the far end of the building.

 

While Tysyacha had busied herself with the crystals, Kreia had acted as a catalyst, channelling the Force through herself to aid her apprentice when a thought had struck her. I wonder if it will make a difference, she had thought, and turned to look inside herself. There were the optical nerves, the retina...

 

When her eyes had regenerated, she had kept her eyelids closed, still beholding her surroundings through the Force, and only slowly, very gradually opened them to let them adapt to the daylight sifting in through the entrance. For the first time in years, she could make a choice how to see her surroundings again.

 

She had watched intensely how Tysyacha had finished polishing the stones, how she had intensified the bond to her husband and how well she had dealt with the Sangheili and had slowly moved along the circle of Kiffar.

 

Now that the Force was in focus, she could feel a struggle in the Force not very far away.

 

She smiled at her pupil's bewilderment. 'Do I remind you of someone? As I said, you really did well. Would you care to introduce us?'

[Tysyacha]

"I...don't believe I know your name," she said to the tall Sangheili Warlord, "but as you said, I am Tysyacha Dvyx, and this is my Master, Kreia. We both came to the Hearth Home to refresh and reconnect ourselves to the Force." Tysyacha bowed again.

 

(By the way, I am very sorry for misspelling Sangheili. It ends in ILI, as I found out by looking at previous posts and Wikipedia. )

[Master_Archon]

((Sorry for the odd/longish post, but it is an RP-Fic. I was just getting Cetanu's weird bloodlust issue out of the way for the moment. He's got hormone problems...no, seriously, his Kill Glands' regulator implant is malfunctioning. I'll explain it later.))

 

Cetanu had little struggle when it came to breaking his fall, so as not to break every bone in his body, even though the Yautja stress structure was capable of withstanding anywhere between seven to ten times the amount of stress and pressure Ooman bones could withstand, including falls, but that still didn't stop his organs from being turned to mush on impact, so he had to slow himself down before getting to the ground.

 

He would land on a ledge, or a building top, and then, not to slow his momentum, would flip off. After he finally reached the ground he found himself in an alleyway, dark and abandoned, it allowed him a slight vantage point to look out at the streets and buildings and observe people, and yet not be seen himself.

 

Cetanu snarled as he looked from one person to another. They were all unarmed, all weak, none of them worthy to be hunted, none of them were even honorable to kill, some, especially the women and children, were seen by his people as innocents, and were considered dishonorable kills, and would often lower his standing, instead of raise it. Sometimes Yautja that killed too many innocents were declassed and dishonored, which basically meant that they were deranked. Many that continued would be ranked as Bad Bloods, which are considered criminals in Yautja society, though the most notorious of Bad Bloods were those that killed their own species, and not just innocents of other species.

 

Cetanu didn't know whether his clan was keeping track of him or not, but he knew all too well that they could very easily catch wind of any dishonorable acts, and it would eventually end with an Arbitrator being sent out after him.

 

He needed to find a worthy prey. He needed to find himself the only way he knew how, through hunting, and killing. Cetanu leapt up onto a low roof, and stalked along the top, out of sight of anyone on the streets. He found himself getting close to the park again. Hunt the witch woman! Something screamed within him. Cetanu paused, and then pushed that out of mind, he couldn't, he wouldn't! He looked around until he observed something he found interesting.

 

A group of Oomans, he didn't know whether they were normal Oomans, or Near-Ooman species, and he really didn't care. They were standing outside of a cantina, roughing up a scrawny young man, a local by the looks of it. Another dishonorable thing in Yautja society, never walk away when others show dishonor. Besides that, the leader looked to be like quite a tough Ooman, an alpha male if he'd ever seen one, and killing an alpha male showed dominance, and brought great honor.

 

Cetanu dropped down in an alleyway not far from the group, actually, it was right behind them. As he drew closer he could hear them laugh and taunt the fellow they'd been picking on.

 

"Hah! How about you show us some respect now?" One said, he seemed small, an Omega of the group, like himself, maybe a Beta at best.

 

"Shut up 'Z'," said the alpha male, the smaller one complied with sealed lips, and it reminded him of the days when he used to be with his clan.

 

Cetanu came up behind the men unnoticed, the scrawny local's eyes grew wide at the hulking new arrival, but he smiled from behind a bruised face as he realised that the newcomer wasn't exactly on the gang's side.

 

The group leader stopped smiling as he saw the local smile at something behind him. He turned, his teeth clenched together and his eyes widening as he saw the tall figure looming behind him. But before the leader could even give out a cry, he was impaled on two medium length wristblades, parallel to each other. The man was large for a Ooman, but was lifted off the ground with ease as the Yautja made a quick and efficient kill.

 

The group was awestruck, but quickly went into action, most ran, including the one called 'Z', while a couple of tougher men stayed behind, giving a cry they pulled blasters on Cetanu, but he was quick. One more fell to his wristblades, and at the same time another was impaled on Cetanu's combi stick, a telescoping quarter staff, a common weapon of his people.

 

There was one other, and he got the worst of it as he was mauled by both weapons. Cetanu didn't pause to look at the corpses, and ran after the cowards.

******

 

Cetanu stood infront of a fear struck and horrified man. The man witnessed the large beast of an alien tear through the gang that had been harrassing and beating him, and ruthlessly hunt down every last one that had fled. Behind the creature in the alleyway was something that would turn heads, and stomachs. Hanging upside down in the alley were the skinned corpses of every gang member, all but the leader, whose headless corpse lay propped up at the end of the alley. If it weren't for the fact that the alley was in a secluded niche, then everyone on the street would be able to see the horrifying sight.

 

Cetanu stared off towards where the park was, he was satisfied, for now. But he was also upset, the alpha of the pack had been too easy to take out, he wanted worthy prey, and an honorable hunt, not a massacre, which is all it had ended up as. He finally looked down at the man curled up on the ground, as if seeing him for the first time. He reached down and lifted the man up with one sharp tug, the man giving out a yelp.

 

 

Cetanu lifted the bloodied wristblades under the man's chin, and said menacingly, "you tell no one!" And with that he shoved the man into the street, the man taking off like a frightened animal. Cetanu retracted the blades, and put the cylinder that was his combi stick back in it's place, and headed off towards the park to meet up with Prae. Hopefully he wouldn't smell the blood on him.

******

As Cetanu approached the figure of Prae, he noticed a group of people standing near him. It was the woman and her companions. Cetanu snarled to himself, but stood silently behind his friend as he conversed with the woman.

[Rexraptor2000]

"I am Praeceptor Sicarius, former Supreme Warlord of Sanghelios. I lead the Sangheili portion of the combined fleets of the Republic and her allies at Malachor V, where you lead with great honor." Prae spoke, and then added as Cetanu walked up behind him. "My companion, Cetanu, and I are here on the business of looking for work. Recognizing you, I wanted to exchange my greetings and respect for which you commanding the forces over Malachor V."

[Tysyacha]

The Exile bowed deeply, shuddering inside her heart. "It was...truly nothing. Malachor V would not have happened had it not been for Revan. Darth Revan, as he was known more than five years past. It is he that my companions and I wish to find, although rumor has it that Revan has since turned back to the path of the Jedi and the Light.

 

"As for work: if you wish to come with us, we would welcome your company and your skills, especially those in combat. Not only do we want to locate Revan and have him join us, but our ultimate mission is to strike at the heart of the Dark Side, the True Sith. They are the ones who incited the Mandalorians to go to war against us. The Mandalorians gained great honor before their defeat, and the True Sith gained time. Time to marshal their forces and wait in the shadows before the final reckoning."

 

"The final reckoning of what?" sneered a Kiffar who was standing a little too close. "Seems to me that your Jeedi tricks have made you a little bit crazy." He chuckled and shook his head. "There are no True Sith, just the ones we have seen!"

 

"No one calls me crazy and gets away with it," snarled Tysyacha, brandishing sabers.

[Rexraptor2000]

"Tysyacha, contain yourself. The honorless runt is not worth it." Prae growled, moving between her and the stupid Kiffar. Then he turned to the Kiffar and said "And as for you, runt, if I hear you make a remark like that again I will crush your skull. Do I make myself clear?"

 

Prae was a bit surprised by Tysyacha's reaction, but then, insults in his culture were generally a call for a fight. Had that been directed at him, the Kiffar's skull would have literally been crushed.

[Master_Archon]

Cetanu looked over at the insulting local, he found himself inwardly commending the local for insulting the witch woman. But what got Cetanu's attention was the way the woman acted. She had been very brusque, and amazingly quick to temper at the meager insults. Even Cetanu, as off in the head he was at the moment would have just brushed the guy off. He had a slightly different view of the woman now, and something popped into his head, she would be a great hunt!

 

Cetanu shook his head rapidly and then stepped forward a bit, as Prae had moved to separate the local from the woman, and that had made room for him to stand in a position to be noticed. Cetanu looked at the odd cylinders the woman was holding, and the light that they emitted, thinking to himself curiously, 'A light wielder? I thought they were going extinct?'

 

Cetanu looked over at Prae, and saw the local still hovering behind him, and of all things making faces at the monolithic alien who'd told him off. Cetanu walked over and grabbed the man by the throut, and lifted him bodily, and with a simple toss, sent the man flying behind him like he was a rag doll. The man stayed on the ground for awhile, obviously the landing had been rough, but not enough to kill him. Cetanu looked back over at his companion, who was still focused on the woman.

 

Cetanu was relieved and sad at the same time. For one, he wasn't found out for the killing he'd done earlier, which was a relief. But he was sad because he had the strangest desire to talk to someone, it was as odd as a serial killer going out for tea and biscuits after murdering someone, then again, serial killers did have odd quirks. Cetanu lifted his hand, which was still bleeding slightly, but what he was looking at was the red blood stain that was all over his hand and forearm. He was lucky Prae was too preoccupied to pay attention to his surrounding scent, Cetanu was surprised by that though, he had practically bathed in blood, well, not really, but he had gotten enough on him that even an Ooman could smell a faint hint of it. Prae was usually more aware and observant than this, and he would have at least deducted that Cetanu had killed someone by now. Odd.

 

Cetanu lowered his hand, his gaze following, he suddenly felt a surge of shame wash over him. 'I don't deserve to stand in the presence of a Warlord and a War Leader, after what I just did...what I went through....' He thought in a depressed manner. In Yautja society, Omegas were hardly ever allowed to be around Alphas, especially those with the rank of Honored, or Ancient. Though neither of the two standing before him were of his society, he still saw himself as very unfit to be around them considering all the accomplishment they'd had in their lives, while he, who had been around longer than both, was still drifting through uncertainty and despair, and had accomplished no great feats, nor shown no great skill, other than being easily angered, and even quicker to kill.

 

Cetanu crouched down, low to the ground, an odd habit that he did when he was depressed. He continued to listen to his comrade and the woman, but kept his eyes focused on the ground.

[RobQel-Droma]

Canderous stared at the Kiffar angrily. Yea, you better walk away. No one insults Tysy like that in front of me. The Kiffar shook his head and left the three of them, without looked back.

 

He turned back around and looked at Tysy and the Sangheili, who had both already continued their conversation. And suddenly, looking at his wife, and then at the armor-clad giant who had thought nothing of his attempt at intimidation, he had an odd feeling; she didn't need his protection. He, the Mandalore, was the one who needed protection.

 

Stop thinking like that, Canderous. You're still Mandalore, and that doesn't change until you die. And you're not dead yet. He looked back up at Tysy and "Prae". He needed to get away for just a moment, just to collect his thoughts. "If you have this under control Tysy, I'm gonna leave you two to whatever business you have with each other for a few moments."

[MJ-W4]

As soon as Tysyacha had put away her lightsabre, Kreia quickly grabbed her chin and confronted her pupil with a stern, sad stare. Then, without a word, she turned away and beckoned Canderous to follow her to the glowing crystals in the centre of the temple.

 

'I know, the Force means little to, mighty warlord. Still, rest here a while among the healing powers of these imbued stones and heal. I will not extend my friendship to you lightly but I will be prepared to talk to you if you need someone to confide in. I shall leave you here for the moment. Rest here and heal. I have other business to see to.'

 

Quietly and unnoticed, Kreia left the temple. There you are. What a fine specimen. And so very confused. Poor creature.

 

Engrossed in his thoughts, Cetanu looked up in surprise as the old woman's parched hand softly touched his shoulder. He had not anticipated her coming and for the merest fracture of a second he had had the fleeting impression she was a ghost.

 

'A blood-stained warrior, so unaware? You have much to learn, my friend.' Kreia very gently reached out through the Force to calm the huge creature and felt the struggle within.

 

'Calm yourself. Wash off that blood and and join us. I may send you on a hunt one day. A hunt you may dream about.' She gave a friendly nod and withdrew to the building where Tysyacha and the others were still the centre of attention, keenly eyed and listened to by the locals who seemed to enjoy the impromptu circus amidst their holy building site.