Star Wars: Fugitives

[Tysyacha]

"What a fool you are!" barked Chandria derisively. Turning to the crowd, she yelled, "All right, all right! Back to your drinks." Slowly, meekly, everyone obeyed. "As for you, Mandalorian, step into my office if you don't want to get yourself arrested by every single one of my TSF colleagues at the moment." The aforementioned colleagues gave her wide berth as she led the helmeted male to a glass-enclosed space. A typical law-enforcement officer's HQ.

 

"Now, then," said Chandria. "Sit down, but the only drink I'm offering you is water." She summoned a serving droid to pour him a cold, tall glass. "The job I mentioned is going after a fugitive. She has killed two of the best Jedi operatives the galaxy has ever known, Garrun Thax and Yorran Thul. The former was a human, the latter a Rodian, but that doesn't really matter now. Their ashes have been scattered, and so have the whereabouts of the suspect." She sighed. "My supervisor is offering a two-million-credit reward for the capture of one Tysyacha Dvyx. If not brought back alive, the deal's off." Needing a glass of water herself, she gestured haughtily to the droid.

 

"I've got to get that model replaced! Anyway, she needs skilled hunters, ones that know how to track bounties and NOT bring them home in a body bag. You could be the man for the job, if you'd get off the juma juice."

 

*******************

 

A crumpled leaflet, blowing in the wind, caught the wanderer by surprise as it almost flew right in his face. It read: JOIN THE JEDI! FIGHT FOR JUSTICE! FIGHT FOR HONOR! FIGHT FOR PEACE! Depicted on it was a picture of a tall, strikingly-beautiful woman.

 

A propaganda piece, to be sure, but sometimes propaganda could reveal the secrets of what lay beneath--what causes it was really supporting between the lines. As for this flyer, this detritus of destiny, what lay beneath its surface--and that of the Jedi?

 

It was almost as if the leaflet were alive, daring the shadow-dweller to try and find out.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Or we take our chances with the law."

 

"It is obvious to me that someone...or something is chasing you. Why don't you simply confront them. If you wish I'll help you when you fight them."

[CommanderQ]

Gelvik swirled the water in his glass, just staring into it as he listened. He had his helmet off, both so he could drink the water, and make eye-contact with his employer.

 

"I've got to get that model replaced! Anyway, she needs skilled hunters, ones that know how to track bounties and NOT bring them home in a body bag. You could be the man for the job, if you'd get off the juma juice."

 

He smiled, "I can get this job done. I know this 'Dyvx' women, fought several battles with her, but even more against. And laying off the Juma juice...."

 

He chuckled, "Never a problem, I don't like drinking in the first place. Doesn't bode well with my senses. I accept the job, if you're are willing to provide information and a form of transportation..."

 

The Mandalorian then looked at the TSF Officer's server droid.

 

"Oh...I'm sure you'll get a better model. Definately once your supervisor is pleased..."

 

He took a large gulp of the water, finishing it in a single swallow.

[Tysyacha]

Chandria was pleased. "Done and done! The TSF has several vehicles at its disposal, including unnamed and nondescript space vessels that you can claim for your own and return once the bounty is captured. Did you say you--fought her?" Obviously the suspect in the murder of Garrun Thax and Yorran Thul was more dangerous than Chandria had first believed. "Several...battles?" She decided not to press the issue. In all honesty, she would rather not have known. It was best to think of her hunters as moral, honest, law-abiding.

 

Thus, she proferred her gloved hand for the Mandalorian to shake. "Deal."

 

****************************

 

"You are right on both counts," replied Tysyacha. "Something is chasing me, namely the memories of all the fights I've fought over the years. I've killed a lot of people--more than I care to admit. I was once a Jedi, as you probably assumed when you first saw my dvyxplanochniy-- my double-bladed silver lightsaber. Someone is also chasing me, namely members of the Exchange, since I ran into them not too long ago and had a very unpleasant incident. However, I don't even know if they know where I am yet. Maybe I'm assuming too much too early, but why would they not come after me? There still could be a few bounty hunters looking for creds, too."

 

She looked Niera straight in the eye. "I've been hunted by many over the years. It's going to take a lot of guile and a lot of work to evade them all."

[CommanderQ]

"Done and done! The TSF has several vehicles at its disposal, including unnamed and nondescript space vessels that you can claim for your own and return once the bounty is captured. Did you say you--fought her? Several...battles?"

 

Gelvik put the cup down and grabbed his helmet.

 

"Yes...I was in the Mandalorian Wars...one of the few to survive...even at Malachor. I have experience with fighting Jedi...including Dyvx. I also was apart of multiple ragtag resistance groups that were assisted by the woman. She helped us achieve victory on places like Dantooine, Onderon, Telos, even Dxun. I know how she operates."

 

He saw the officer offer her hand.

 

"Deal."

 

He stared at her hand for a quick moment, but moved his hand quickly, taking her hand in a crushing shake.

 

"Deal."

 

He was about to put on his helmet, when he remembered on of the most important things to ask an employer.

 

"Also, before I go...what is your name?"

 

You could never be too careful, often you could trust your employer no more then your enemy. Giving one's name ensured a small amount of trust.

[Alkonium]

"I thought Jedi were supposed to be devoid of attachment, but then again, you don't exactly look like the Order's best." Niera told Juhani, ridiculing her attachment to the ship. "I wasn't exactly clear about this earlier, but I'm a smuggler, or at least I was until I got on Vogga's bad side. I probably could get ahold of this thing, or at least in contact with someone who can." She pointed out in response to Tysy's suggestion.

[Jedi_Man]

After some cursing, muttering and dead-ends, Sam'kil had found his way to the Jedi Temple.

"Hmmm, not much change here either." Sam'kil said as he looked at the spires seemingly endless hights, the grandiose halls and overly large pillars. The layout hadn't changed, or so Sam'kil hoped, and he would be able to find his way towards the council chamber quickly.

Oh wait a second! Another reason why Sam'kil remembered Tysyacha, which he now just thought of. Tysyacha was a General in the Mando Wars too, how he forgot he'd never know.

After a lengthy walk to the turbolift, he found his way into the council chamber, which was not in use except for Bastila mulling through some datapads.

"Here goes nothing." Sam'kil said as he barged into the room.

"Master Bastila, an honor to meet you, I am here to offer my services in finding Tysyacha" He threw out his proposal, letting it hang in the air like a piece of bait.

[Tysyacha]

"My name is Chandria," replied the TSF officer. "Chandria Par Sakhar. I wish you good luck with the pursuit, and remember, bring her back alive. My supervisor was very clear on this, and she's even higher than my boss here on Citadel Station. If she dies, especially in your custody, I don't want to be around to see what happens to you." She winced in pain. First her wrist, and now her hand, were burning like the fires of Mustafar! "Oh, by the way," she continued, placing a small silver object in the palm of the Mandalorian's hand. "You'll need this--an untraceable comlink to make reports back to me of your progress. I want to know how you're doing, and so will my superior. Be off."

 

She saluted him, not unkindly, and turned to the moutain of paperwork on her desk that had piled up in the course of the morning. Bureaucracy was a...

 

**********************

 

Tysyacha's blue eyes grew wide. "You can procure us an UMBRA? How?" Her breathing was almost raspy, and she abruptly shook her head. "Never mind. Your business is your business, and I'll leave the secrets of the trade to you alone. As for you, Juhani--I'm attached to this ship as well, so don't berate yourself for not being a perfect Jedi. Who said I was, either? I'm an--"

 

She caught herself just in time. Don't reveal too much too soon. Doing so would be like taking your queen out too early in your favorite game. Yes, it can be a productive and powerful move, but it's risky. If you're not careful, someone could discover a way to defeat you before the game truly starts. You know who your opponent is, Dvyx, and it's not the Exchange. Not exactly. Tysy shrugged. "I'm an excellent example of how to be cryptic."

[Tysyacha]

Bastila Shan cast a withering glance in the direction of the stranger who had just entered her private offices. Where were her guards, her valets, her servants? Possibly in the mess hall, learning to control their appetites via not eating the bland Temple food, but that was not where they were to be at the moment. She would chastise them later for their disobedience, but now...

 

Another contender. Pathetic! No one ever said being me was easy.

 

"And your experience?" She took a sip of Tarisian port. "If you're going to capture someone as calculating and unpredictable as 'Tysyacha', you' had better be an established bounty hunter with the Republic or some other force. I have rarely found independent contractors to be trustworthy," she continued, "and I have already sent one out against my better judgment. Who are you? How many captures have you made? Do you have your own ship?" She took another sip, waiting for his answer. He seemed very weak.

[Chevron 7 locke]

((I thought Bastila was on Dantooine.))

 

"I thought Jedi were supposed to be devoid of attachment, but then again, you don't exactly look like the Order's best."

 

"I am no longer a member of the Order...I follow the path that Jolee Bindo follows now...if he lives still."

 

"As for you, Juhani--I'm attached to this ship as well, so don't berate yourself for not being a perfect Jedi. Who said I was, either? I'm an--"

 

"Outcast? Exile?" Juhani finished the sentance for her. "I too was exiled...though not by choice. When the Sith began to strike out at Jedi after the civil war I was forced into hiding...Seven years I waited on that cesspit excuse of a planet for some word from another survivor...and then after years of waiting I find that Bastila Shan rebuilt the order...in her own image."

 

Juhani's hand drifted down to her saber and she had to restrain herself from igniting it at the thought of Bastila.

 

"...She never even sent anyone out to see if I was alive...All she cared about was the order...despite all the battles we went through together.."

 

Juhani hissed angerly.

[CommanderQ]

Gelvik nodded again, "Oh, I'll bring her back alive. Definately alive."

 

He put his helmet on, and it immediatley activated, the blue HUD identifying different routes to the hangar, or displaying current status of all in the TSF building.

 

"Until next time, Chandria Par Sakhar, su'cuy gar."

 

He returned her salute, and turned to leave. He went straight to the Hangar, and went about procuring a vessel.

 

The Mandalorian knew that he would find, and capture, alive, Tysyacha Dvyx. He would then be worthy enough to return to Mandalore, and rejoin the other clans.

[Tysyacha]

((She wasn't on Dantooine in TSL, so I moved her to Coruscant instead.))

 

Tysyacha's breath caught in her throat. Again. She had to stop people from doing that, or more likely, she had to stop herself from being so surprised.

 

"You were on Nar Shaddaa for seven years, trying to dodge bounty hunters, the Exchange, and who knows what else? And, after all that time, you found out that..." She trailed off. Something else troubled her: "What order?"

 

If you found out about the incident on Eriadu--because word does travel fast among the wrong people--you could blow my cover story right now.

 

Nevertheless, she believed this agile Knight of a Cathar would bide her time.

 

****************************

 

After the Mandalorian departed, Chandria made a quick holocomm report:

 

"Master Shan? This is Chandria Par Sakhar of the TSF speaking. An untoward and dangerous incident happened today, involving a Mandalorian and an unnamed, elderly black male. At first, the Mandalorian was half-stuporous on intoxicating beverages, but the old man tried to rouse him to his senses. The two seemed to be arguing, so I assessed the situation. It turns out they were not, and I mentioned the job of capturing the Exile to the helmeted personage. He accepted my proposal, and he's now in your employ, albeit unwittingly. He doesn't know I work for you as well as the TSF forces."

 

She decided not to mention the part about the brouhaha in the cantina. After all, it had only been that foolish Mandalorian's way of getting her attention. Instead, she continued, "As for the old man, and his companion as well, I made two composite sketches which I'm sending to you right now via holowire. Sakhar out." She returned to her forms and requisitions, satisifed.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"You were on Nar Shaddaa for seven years, trying to dodge bounty hunters, the Exchange, and who knows what else? And, after all that time, you found out that..."

 

"I...was hiding. Before I managed to loose then I was under near constant attack by Sith...not the foot solders but strange sith. They were like predators, they were always able to track me no matter where I went. So I had to loose myself here."

 

She hissed in anger yet again. "And...one day as I drank in the cantina, Bastila's face appeared on the screen...and at first I was joyful, One of my so called 'friends' was alive. But then...I began to find out the truth, she had rebuilt the order in her own flawed image...she never sent anyone to look for me! She left me alone...on one of the worst worlds in the galaxy."

 

"What order?"

 

Juhani turned and gave her a strange look. "The jedi order of course...Or what passes as the Jedi now. They are not Jedi...not anymore."

[Tysyacha]

For the second time in what seemed like an hour, Tysyacha said, "Uhh...okay." She knew that something was entirely wrong with Bastila--what kind of a Jedi would blackmail anyone, even a murderess on the run?--but the rest of the Order? Did they even know what their Grand Master was doing? Probably not, but it didn't pay to assume anything, not now, not ever. The Exile sat again.

 

"Maybe you'd better begin at the beginning, Juhani," Tysyacha requested. "Niera? You might like to hear this, too, because if we've got Jedi that have turned rogue on our hands, there could be trouble. T3? Could you please bring us some drinks?" He dweedled an assent and sped off to the cargo hold.

 

Once the cold beverages had touched their lips--exotic and rare Tarisian dessert wine for Tysyacha--the ship fell silent, waiting for Juhani to explain.

[CommanderQ]

Gelvik had moved to the Hangar without problem, none of the TSF officers questioning his presence, or even displaying any hostilities.

 

This was extremely unusual, the Mandalorian was used to someone posing more of a problem when you were using something of theirs, apparently Chandria's word was pretty good.

 

He got to the hangar and activated a anearby control panel, immediately searching through the available ships.

 

There were several, and they were nondescript, but too nondesript. They were little more then metal boxes with a hyperdrive. Finally, he found one...and it fit him very nicely. An old Basalisk War Droid.

 

It fit him perfectly.

 

He pressed a button on the bottom of the screen, and the picture of the Basalisk was replaced with a bright red, "Procured and in use."

 

 

Gelvik smiled and closed the panel, leaving quickly and quietly.

 

He opened the door to the Basalisk's Hangar, and felt old memories return as he walked toward it. The loading ramp opened and he walked up into the small interior of the droid, and began activating it. The excitement that had once filled him whenever he stepped into one fo these, returned. He could see the Republic ships again, the thousands of them, and he could remember the pure power and euphoria as he would stare out at his fellow warriors, prepped for battle.

 

But those days were long past. The Republic had won, though the Mandalorians had made them pay for it in blood. But Revan's retribution had been swift, and so many familiar faces that Gelvik would look upon before battle, were dead. Such was war.

 

Gelvik shook the thoughts out of his head and brought the Basalisk into orbit.

 

He activated the comm that Chandria had given him.

 

"Par Sakhar? Chandria? Do you copy?"

[Tysyacha]

Coughing a little, for she had a little bit of a cold coming on, Chandria picked up her comlink. "Par Sakhar here. Are you safely launched?" She waited for his answer. Speaking of answers, Bastila was probably busy right now. If she had not been, she surely would have made a response to her recent holocomm report and looked at the sketches. No matter. Chandria was patient. She could wait. That was what made her different from all the rest of the idiots on the TSF. Despite what happened in the cantina, with the Mandalorian pulling his pistol, she knew that what counted here was the peace the Jedi taught.

 

Peace... The Mandalorians sure weren't peaceful, especially to foes.

 

"I wonder what kind of a vessel you've commandeered. Do you like it?"

[CommanderQ]

Gelvik chuckled, "Yes, I've launched safely....and yes, I like the ship...you can probably guess which one I took."

 

The cabin was alive with the hum of the engine and the controls. He was still performing a diagnostic to make sure it wasn't going to kill him accidentally.

 

"So...do you have any leads, any information, any recent events, that could point to Dyvx?"

 

Another, more random, question came to mind.

 

"Also, if you don't mind me saying, you are a vui'tak more capable then the other TSF officers...you've either gotten alot more experience...or you're something else."

 

Gelvik wasn't one to ask many questions, but something about Chandria struck him, she didn't seem like you're usual TSF officer...she seemed more like the officers you don't get except every ten years or longer. Those officers, were either very smart....or not officers at all.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Maybe you'd better begin at the beginning, Juhani."

 

Juhano bowed her head once. "As you wish."

 

"It began nearly seven years ago...I told you that I was with Revan when he went on his quest to defeat Darth Malak...he managed to beat his former apprentice and we were all awarded with the cross of glory. After that...I lived with another member of the crew for a short while after Dantooine's destruction. His name was Jolee...He's most likely dead now...along with all the other members of the old crew."

 

"A year later...I left. I had heard rumors that Revan had left known space and I needed to make sure they were true. He insisted that I shouldn't leave but I didn't listen to him...and thats when the Sith began to hunt me. No matter where I went...they were always there...hunting me...stalking me...toying with me. They were led by a man...who looked as if he had been killed a thousand times and then revived. His skin...his face...He was a Sith Lord."

 

Juhani lifted on one side of her robe to show them all the bottom edge of a scar that ran from the top of her chest down to her thigh. "I finally made my stand on Dxun...and I lost. Badly. I was forced to flee to Nar Shaddaa where I could lose myself in the people here. Shortly after..my ship was stolen."

 

"I survived the next seven years by working in a cantina...and then you know the rest. One day I saw Bastila's face on the screen and at first I was happy...but then I found out the truth. She left me...she never even looked to see if I was alive...She rebuilt the Jedi Order into something flawed...something that was not meant to be."

 

Juhani grinned a feral grin and stared at the two of them.

 

"There will be a reckoning, you can be assured of that. I spent seven years training, training my skills, Bastila will pay dearly for what she did to me...for abandoning me."

[Tysyacha]

Chandria laughed, at first not catching the Mandalorian's full meaning. "Thank you. I've had a lot of training, in both combat and forensics, and that's made me a--vui'tak?--more experienced than most of my colleagues on the force. The TSF are honorable, sure, but I'm never one hundred percent certain if they were only hired because they're fresh meat. You know, new hands on deck? Citadel Station isn't the most exciting place in the galaxy, and onboard, you're mostly dealing with drunks--sorry!--and the occasional hacker or thief. My friends, or those I call friends, say they're only here because they have families to support." A Jedi shall not know anger, nor hatred, nor love... "If it hadn't been for the wife and the kids, or the husband and the kids, nine out of ten would be scouring the space lanes for some action. Like yourself, perhaps."

 

She found herself blushing. She hadn't meant to get too chatty with her client, who was in reality Bastila's client. Deciding to return to the matter at hand, she answered his other question. "In terms of leads, I have none, though if I were the suspect, I'd go hide out on someplace like Nar Shaddaa. Crowded, noisy, smelly, and the perfect place to slink into the shadows. Of course, if I couldn't stand the stink of nearby Nal Hutta and wanted some solitude, I'd head for Dantooine. Peace and quiet. There or Tatooine."

[Tysyacha]

The Exile closed her blue eyes and then opened them slowly. "The one of whom you speak...his name was Sion. Darth Sion. He was a member of the Sith Triumvirate, one of the leaders of the same Sith who hunted you, Juhani. You are right about his being killed a thousand times and then being pieced back together--it was done through the Force, either through his own will or that of his Master." She paused. "You'll be glad to know he's dead. After fighting him almost to the death four times, I convinced him to let go of his ties to the Force, and that killed him for good. This was on Malachor V...the same planet that marked the end of the Mandalorian Wars. After closing his eyes in the sleep of death, I went to duel the one who taught him." Tysyacha sighed. "She was waiting for me in the core of the planet.

 

"I defeated her, but did not kill her. She collapsed after conceding she'd lost, revealing much to me. However, she was mortally wounded, and a true Jedi pays honor even to his or her enemies. When she passed away in the medical bay aboard this very ship, I personally wrapped her body in my former outer robes, gave her a proper funeral pyre on Dantooine in secret, and then carried her ashes to space, where I scattered them. No one knows about it, not even the ones I myself had taught and left on that planet in the rebuilt Enclave there. They would have condemned me if they'd known."

 

Her eyes met Juhani's. "It seems we both have pasts to put behind us."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"It seems we both have pasts to put behind us."

 

"Indeed...it seems we do."

 

Juhani stared at the celling with a blank look for a moment before snapping back to reality again. "Tell me...what has that Schutta been doing since I last saw her. I only saw brief news reports and heard rumors about her."

[Tysyacha]

"To tell you the truth," replied the Exile, "I don't know. After I defeated Sion's master on Malachor V and tore the planet asunder using the Mass Shadow Generator I commandeered during the Mandalorian Wars, I went to look for him. Revan, I mean. Darth Traya, the one I checkmated once and for all, said that he had gone beyond the Outer Rim, to the Unknown Regions. She mentioned something about 'the true Sith' and 'perhaps you will go there with him to do battle at the end of all things'. I didn't understand what she meant, but I had to try and find out--and find him." Tread carefully, now...carefully...

 

"I moved around for a couple of years, working at whatever odd jobs I could on whatever planets I could. I knew that once I ventured beyond the borders of known space with the Ebon Hawk, all bets were off when it came to finding reliable sources of food and fuel. Thus, I needed as many credits and as many supplies as I could muster to prepare for the journey." She laughed ruefully to herself. "As you can both see, I haven't gone on it just yet."

[CommanderQ]

Gelvik heard Chandria laugh. He couldn't help but notice, but she had a very nice laugh.

 

"Thank you. I've had a lot of training, in both combat and forensics, and that's made me a--vui'tak?--more experienced than most of my colleagues on the force. The TSF are honorable, sure, but I'm never one hundred percent certain if they were only hired because they're fresh meat. You know, new hands on deck? Citadel Station isn't the most exciting place in the galaxy, and onboard, you're mostly dealing with drunks--sorry!--and the occasional hacker or thief. My friends, or those I call friends, say they're only here because they have families to support. If it hadn't been for the wife and the kids, or the husband and the kids, nine out of ten would be scouring the space lanes for some action. Like yourself, perhaps."

 

Gelvik nodded, "Heh, I just thought you seemed a lot more experienced then the other officers I've encountered. I'm sure the other officers have their experiences as well, but your resolve seems stronger then the others...if you don't mind me saying....so you didn't have any experience before TSF? Work with anyone else? Do anything before Telos?"

 

"In terms of leads, I have none, though if I were the suspect, I'd go hide out on someplace like Nar Shaddaa. Crowded, noisy, smelly, and the perfect place to slink into the shadows. Of course, if I couldn't stand the stink of nearby Nal Hutta and wanted some solitude, I'd head for Dantooine. Peace and quiet. There or Tatooine."

 

Gelvik began to punch in the coordinates for Nar Shadaa.

 

"This is good...that's lead enough...just contact me if you have anymore leads. Anything could help at this point...I already have a good idea as to where Dyvx may be."

[Tysyacha]

Chandria glared at her paperwork, condemning it to the lowest level of her mind and her existence. This Mandalorian was an excellent conversationalist, for one of his bloodthirsty and warmongering-grunt kind, and what was more, he was beginning to care about her as a person. Should I tell him?...No. It would only make things complicated, and that's not how I want him. It--!

 

"Before Telos," she said, "I was the atypical daughter of a typical Republic officer and his typical wife. Military brat. Yes, sir, no sir, and all that drak. We have it in the TSF, too, but it's not as strong as it would be if I were on some ship somewhere. As I said, I was atypical because I didn't want to go into the military per se. I wanted to do investigative work, behind the scenes and not up front in somebody's face. I also wanted a calling. Sure, serving the Republic and the galaxy is a calling, and a noble one, but I guess in the end, it all boils down to politics. I wanted something that didn't, and that's why police work appealed to me. Thus, I applied for a job with the nearby TSF director here, and the rest is history." She smiled to herself. "I don't find it boring." She stared at her desk again. "Well, except the paper."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"As you can both see, I haven't gone on it just yet."

 

"These things can take a great while to set in motion...and an even longer time to start. There is no shame in it."

 

Juhani sighed.

 

"...Sometimes, I can't help but wonder what happend to the members of Revan's crew. Mission...Jolee...The Mandalorian...Zallbar...Even that damned droid that he created. I miss them all...and the fun we used to have."

 

She turned to Exile with a grim look on her face. "Do you happen to have any remote training droids on board? All this talk of Bastila has gotten me angry and I would like to...train for a short while."