Star Wars KOTOR: Counterplay

[Tysyacha]

"What?!" Perdante couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Had Salvatore, the smirking son-of-a-kath hound, actually said what she thought he had? In a split second, she realized what he had been trying to do: catch her off guard. Immediately, she rectified her mistake by breaking the sword web and whirling around. "Nice try, Sal!" she cried, a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

 

As the sparring match continued, she explained, "Sleep with you? Not a chance. The Jedi are forbidden to fall in love, or even to succumb to their emotions. That makes us weak. As for 'the act', consider it low recreation for mere mortals."

 

She was enjoying this, perhaps more than she should. Goading Sal was fun!

[ForceFightWMe12]

Salvatore chortled as they spun away from each other, only to re-lock a moment later; it was a dance that he didn't often have a female partner to participate with. So, needless to say, he was taking full advantage of his current chance.

 

"Well," he said, stepping behind her. Suddenly, his arms were reaching around her, his blade held horizontally across both of hers to restrict their movement. With a step as simple and quick as that, he had her effectively pinned against his chest - and even if it was only strong enough to hold her for a second or two, a second or two was all he needed.

 

She was so close that, when he turned his head just so, his lips were at her ear. "Isn't this considered 'low recreation'?" he breathed.

 

- - - - - - - - -

 

His stomach twisted a bit when the name passed her lips because, even though he knew she would eventually mention it - the name of the mineral had been splashed across every headline after the massacre on Coruscant that related to the Found. He could only be thankful that, like she said, no one seemed to understand either one.

 

"Yeah...I've heard a lot about them." the Pilgrim said, looking up at the news feed again, his head tilted very slightly to the side. "What do you think they actually are? I mean, the different reporters all speculate, but...I don't think anyone actually knows who or what they are. Do they?" He wasn't...lying to her. He himself didn't know the answers to any of these questions.

[Tysyacha]

"I...I..." Finding herself blushing fifteen shades of red, she cleared her throat and answered, "No. This is sparring. Training. Jedi are supposed to train every day. If we don't practice, then we fall out of practice, and we can't afford to do that." She stepped out of Salvatore's arms, feeling a fractional twinge of regret. "Seriously. If I allow myself to get distracted in any way, then when the fight against Khristoff comes, I won't be prepared. Let's try again, shall we?" She poised herself into the beginning aggressive stance of the Ferocity form.

 

MIRACLE METALS, CORUSCANT

 

All of a sudden, the holonet news on the set that Targhee Ghut kept in his office showed a stomach-churning scene. Hundreds of people were being shown all over Coruscant--in private homes, in workplaces, in cantinas, and even in temples. All of them were glassy-eyed, cold, and irrevocably dead.

 

"This is an alert to all citizens of Coruscant," the anchor intoned. "Do not drink any municipal water if you live in the areas of..." She rattled off a list of districts that was as long as a Hutt's tongue. "It has been lethally contaminated with the metal ostanovium in its molten form. I repeat: DO NOT DRINK ANY MUNICIPAL WATER. THIS IS AN ORDER, effective immediately. Buy purified water anywhere you can. Do not panic. Stay tuned for more updates on this story, and please keep hydrated with other fluids."

 

Targhee Ghut knelt and squealed, beginning to choke himself in a fit of horrified guilt.

[Cyborg Ninja]

Zen looked around the room as he felt something in his head. He had sworn he heard someone screaming in rage but he couldn't see anyone. Zen suddenly heard footsteps rapidly approaching. He quickly activated his armor's camo and stepped into the shadows. He watched as the captain walked up to Visas's cell with a datapad in her hand. He tensed up a bit as he listened to Captain Starr speak to Visas. He relaxed a bit as the guard opened the cell and the Captain had welcomed Visas. With his personal goal complete he left the prison cells and headed back towards the dormitories. He was looking for Juhani in order to tell her of the good news. Upon arriving at Juhani's personal room her fixing her room with the force.

 

"Jedi Knight Juhani, I bring you good news. Your com...Our comrade Visas will be joining us on our mission. You will also be glad to know she was not harmed while she was in her cell."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"The same could be said of sex, you know." He was smirking cheekily at her as he let her go. Most of the women on board the Millennial had grown wise to his tricks a long time ago; needless to say, it was nice to have fresh blood to play with. That she was a Jedi was just a bonus - their reputation for stoicism made her blush that much sweeter.

 

But then again...she was new to this whole 'Jedi' thing, according to her records. Perhaps that was why she was being such a good sport. Or...perhaps it was...

 

"As you wish," he said, inclining his head slightly before falling into a fighting stance once more, his sword held up and slightly to the side of his body. "Though honestly, I have to wonder. You weren't always a Jedi. Did you have any uh...boyfriends prior to joining?" Or perhaps she was used to enjoying that sort of attention.

[Tysyacha]

ABOARD THE MILLENNIAL, TRAINING ROOM

 

"Boyfriends?" Perdante scoffed. "Try 'victims'. You see, the truth is that I was a Sith Initiate before Juhani, my Jedi mentor, turned me back to the Light Side of the Force. Even though the Sith celebrate personal attachments, I never had the chance to fall in love--or even in lust. My fellow Initiates were simply competitors, direct threats to me and my growing power. The other men I was sent to murder, I murdered, feeling very few qualms about doing so. After all, my Sith Master did not tolerate failure. He himself killed the Initiates who failed him."

 

After parrying several of Salvatore's vibroblade swings, she continued, "My former name--my Sith name--was Gagnante, or winner. I had never lost a fight before I met Juhani, because my life depended upon victory. After Juhani defeated me in a duel and showed me mercy instead of the death I deserved, I took the name Perdante, or the one who has lost. Of course, I don't intend to lose against you." She leapt into a phenomenal combination of aggressive attack moves. How would Salvatore counter them?

[Shana]

"It would be nice if you asked permission before coming aboard my ship."

 

"I will sure do so in the future if the situation presents itself again, of that Captain, you have my word. Your investigation was rather fast. I almost expected a full night on the brig. I understand my place as a stowaway on your ship so I will not ask for accommodations, but if you'll allow me, the use of the cargo hold as a place for me to stay, I would appreciate it", Visas said right after she noticed the sound of the force field on the brig power down.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Jedi Knight Juhani, I bring you good news. Your com...Our comrade Visas will be joining us on our mission. You will also be glad to know she was not harmed while she was in her cell."

 

Juhani was making sure that everything was back in good condition, but when Zen said that Visas was free she turned and smiled at him.

 

"Thank you for informing me Zen. I appreciate it. I think that as soon as I have a free moment I'll go and speak with Visas. There is something that I wish to discuss with her. Something concerning the exile."

[Alkonium]

Miracle Metals, Coruscant

 

And suddenly it became very simple. Garren slammed the contract down on the desk after the news bulletin finished. "It doesn't matter what it says. What matters is that people have died because of what's been going on here. You didn't know, and you were only following orders, so I'm going to give you a chance to redeem yourself. If you don't want more people to die, you're going to give me everything on Plina Skelch's involvement NOW!" He shouted, losing any sense of professional detachment.

[Writer]

His stomach twisted a bit when the name passed her lips because, even though he knew she would eventually mention it - the name of the mineral had been splashed across every headline after the massacre on Coruscant that related to the Found. He could only be thankful that, like she said, no one seemed to understand either one.

 

"Yeah...I've heard a lot about them." the Pilgrim said, looking up at the news feed again, his head tilted very slightly to the side. "What do you think they actually are? I mean, the different reporters all speculate, but...I don't think anyone actually knows who or what they are. Do they?" He wasn't...lying to her. He himself didn't know the answers to any of these questions.

 

 

It wasn't the response she was expecting and subconsciously, she adopted his diversion technique, glancing over his shoulder as she shrugged and shook her head. "I'm beginning to wonder if even the Found know what they are," she said softly. Then she looked straight at him.

 

"I've managed to arrange a meeting with one of them," she said bluntly, "and that is why I've come to Manaan." She paused to gauge his reaction, then continued with caution. "I'm sorry, Dom. I-I thought it was you. Seemed to fit, what with how we keep bumping into each other. But by your questions, I see I've been mistaken." She smiled faintly. "Wouldn't be the first time."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Frankly? He didn't.

 

The attacks came so furiously that Salvatore couldn't keep up. He wheeled backwards wildly, attempting to put distance between the spinning blades and his face, but he fell behind quickly. When that happened, his feet weren't nimble enough to get him out of the way. His right foot didn't move out of the path of his left foot fast enough, and the laces of his uniform boots caught on each other. The next attack was parried, but just barely - and even then, it had enough force behind it to throw him off balance. He fell backwards on the mat with an 'oomff!'. His vibroblade went spinning out of reach, and he used his newly freed hand to rub at the back of his head.

 

"Ow." He grumbled. There would be a bump there tomorrow morning...

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Dominic was very close to betraying himself, he realized - not by word or purpose...but simply by the reactions of his face. The surprised look, which wouldn't have been out of character given the meeting she had just announced, slipped into a pale grey look that was. The expression matched how he felt: like a pound of jagged lead had just settled somewhere in the lower half of his intestine. His right hand, resting on his lap and thus hidden by the table, curled into a tight fist against the tattoo.

 

What had given him up? He replayed the conversation they had had when they met up on Coruscant, and nothing in particular came to mind. Yet there had to be something he had done to spark her suspicion - one doesn't just make accusations like that for no reason!

 

But that speculation would have to wait. The expression had only been on his face a moment, but he had been staring right at her. A moment was one moment too long.

 

The Pilgrim averted his eyes to the Holonet feed again, drumming the fingers of his left hand on the table top. He didn't want to address the second part of her statement, because that would require him to lie. He needed to find something to distract her...

 

A thought struck him. She was looking for a member of the Found to talk to...and he was looking for a member of the Found. In fact, he knew where this Found was, and he had been on his way to speak with him when he came here to Manaan. He had no way of guaranteeing that the man would cooperate, and in fact, he probably wouldn't. But Arai was very good at dealing with those sorts of people...

 

This was working out far too well.

 

He sat bolt upright as if the idea had only just hit him, and he looked at her. "Wait..." he said slowly, wide-eyed. "You want to know more about ostanovium, right? I think I know someone who can help you."

[Writer]

She had to wonder what the hell had happened to him since he left the Jedi Order. Once upon a time, he would have told her anything that was going on in his life. Now, she couldn't even get him to admit that he was one of the Found. She was sure of his involvement in the group now, and the mention of someone he knew solidified her certainty. She broke into a wide grin.

 

"Oh, Dom," she said. "That would be beyond fantastic."

 

Then without warning, a hairy, grungy, drunk man bumped into their table. Distracted, Arai looked up and immediately wrinkled up her nose.

 

"Oh, look," she murmured to Dom. "The talent's here."

 

"Heeeeyyy," he slurred, dropping a heavy hand on Arai's shoulder. "You'sssoooo pritty, yeah."

 

She waved a hand in his face. "No, not so pretty after all."

 

He squinted at her. "Nooooo. I ain't that durnked, misssssieeeee. You's a sight for... my eeeeeyyyyyeeesssssss! Yessssss!"

 

With a glare, she tried again and laughing, he mimicked her gesture. Frowning, Arai glanced at Dom and murmured, "This is new. So drunk as to be impossible to manipulate?" Turning back to the Drunk, she said, "Go away."

 

He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned in that stupid way only someone who's had almost more alcohol than is healthy for them can. "Nope."

 

She stared at him intently for a moment and then cringed. "Force, Dom," she whispered, "he's so drunk he doesn't have shatterpoints. It's just this sort of... mess of..." She shuddered. "I can hardly think, looking into him like this..."

[Tysyacha]

MIRACLE METALS, CORUSCANT

 

Targhee Ghut, startled out of his suicidal plans to choke himself due to Garren's sudden shout, scrambled to his feet, ran to his desk, and took a ring of well-worn keys out of the middle drawer. Surrendering, he handed the key ring to Garren. He was horrified by the holonews report--and by the spy...

 

"Here, here. Take keys. Use keys and open every drawer in file cabinet over there on wall." He pointed frantically, jabbing his index finger at the rusty metal monolith of which he spoke. "In top drawer, look for big file SKELCH. In middle drawer, look for file BAD METAL. In the very bottom, bottom drawer, look for THRESHOLD. Me not know what that file says, but it give me shivers."

 

Targhee stared at Garren. "Gotta go," he said, and then fled from his office.

 

ABOARD THE MILLENNIAL, TRAINING ROOM

 

"Sal!" Perdante deactivated her lightsabers immediately and rushed to help him. "Are you all right?" She seriously wondered what had happened. Were her Juyo moves so intense that she had literally knocked him to the ground? In that case, she was worried about what would happen during an actual battle. What would her opponent do if THAT happened? For now, she settled for helping Salvatore to his feet...and yielding to his arms--!

 

Before her conscious mind knew what it was doing, Perdante had Salvatore caught in a full-fledged and fully un-Jedi-like liplock. Heat flooded her face...

[ForceFightWMe12]

Dominic looked warily at the man, glanced back down at Arai, and then back up at him. No shatter points...? He pressed his lips into a thin line and frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. Clearing his throat to catch the man's attention, he reached his hand across the table to brush hers possessively - and it was very difficult, even for him, to tell if it was just to try and scare the guy off or not. After all...most guys, when faced with a formidable rival, backed off.

 

"Look, man," he said, dropping to a dialect that he might understand as he slid to the edge of his seat. "She's kind of with me right now, so if you could just..."

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Had he fallen on purpose? No, he certainly hadn't. But it was one of the skills of the Caraway twins to turn any situation to their advantage, so when she came to help him...he let her. For a second or two.

 

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. He offered his arm up when she neared, and clasped her arm at the elbow. Pushing off the ground with his other hand, he leaned on her arm only slightly until he was about two inches off the ground. Then, certain that he had more weight with him now than she had balance, he fell back to the ground and brought her with him. A simple tug on her arm with the strong, persuasive grip he had, and she was face-to-face with him.

 

Salvatore had only intended to bring her so close to him so as to make her uncomfortable...but he had miscalculated. And suddenly he was kissing her.

 

At first, he wasn't sure what to do. This was...bad. This was a Jedi's lips that were on his now. This was so against the rules...but...he wasn't going to object. And it was nice. So his lips, which had been frozen in surprise up until that point, moved gently against hers.

 

((Can I get a Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhani? =D))

[Chevron 7 locke]

((Yes you can! ))

 

Juhani left her quarters and was on her way to see Visas when she passed the training room and saw something that made her stop short.

 

Her apprentice...and the Republic officer. One of the ones that had greeted her when they first came on board. Their lips were pressed together. Kissing.

 

No...I must be hallucinating.

 

It was after a few short seconds that Juhani realized that she wasn't hallucinating. That her apprentice was actually doing what Juhani was seeing.

 

Juhani stormed into the room and snarled at her apprentice. "What do you think that your doing?!" She yelled. She looked over at the republic man and snarled again. "What do you think your doing?!"

[Tysyacha]

ABOARD THE MILLENNIAL, TRAINING ROOM

 

Juhani's apprentice nearly fled the Training Room, her composure utterly gone. However, her subconscious mind knew that if she did, Juhani would be even more angry with her than she would if she tried to deal with the situation instead of run from it. Jedi weren't cowards. They faced up to their problems, especially if they themselves were at fault.

 

"Uh," she stammered, clearing her throat, "I was practicing my Juyo moves when Salvatore here offered to be my opponent. I accepted, and we began sparring. I went into this series of combinational attacks, completely overwhelming him, as was the objective. However, when I tried to help him up, I just...lost my head, Juhani! I swear by the Force itself!"

[ForceFightWMe12]

Salvatore had just been leaning up to deepen the kiss when he felt her tense above him...and it wasn't a good sort of tense. A moment later, he knew why.

 

"What do you think that you're doing?"

 

Perdante ripped sharply away from him, and he looked over at the door, being caught totally stupid for a minute. Juhani directed her sharp cat eyes at him, and he fumbled for words - and, of course, found none. "Um...er, I...umm..."

 

The Jedi stood up, and he got up too, rubbing his palms, which had become a bit sweaty under the sudden stress of being caught, on his pants as he gulped. Or attempted to gulp. His mouth was bone dry. "Y-yeah, what she said."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"However, when I tried to help him up, I just...lost my head, Juhani! I swear by the Force itself!"

 

Juhani turned her gaze from Salvatore to her apprentice and shook her head. "That is an excuse apprentice. I don't like excuses." She was visbly struggling to keep her notorious cathar temper under check.

 

She grabbed her apprentice by the scruff of her robes and began dragging her out of the training room. "You will remain in your quarters until I come to have a talk with you."

 

She slowly turned her head to look at Salvatore. "And you. You will stay away from my apprentice. I was trying to stay away from your captain for now but now I feel I have no choice. I will be speaking to her shortly."

 

Juhani continued on her way out the door all while dragging her apprentice behind her.

[Tysyacha]

Perdante let herself relax and be dragged to her quarters. Normally, she would NEVER have done that, no matter WHO was doing the dragging, but after seeing Juhani's monumental display of Dark-Sided rage earlier, she decided to play it safe and keep quiet. As for giving an "excuse" for her behavior, of course it was an excuse, but the young Knight had a feeling that an "I'm sorry" wouldn't have cut it, either. Thus, she meekly submitted to being locked in her chambers.

[Writer]

But the drunk wouldn't take the hint. He pushed awkwardly at Dominic's shoulder and slurred, "I ain't talkin' to you." Then he turned back to Arai and with a plastered-on grin, he said, "I's got a niiiice place sssshweetie. I take you there."

 

And with that, everything became painfully simple. Arai wasn't sure if it was because she'd stared at him too long or if she'd just lost what little patience she had left. Either way, the answer to this pesky drunk was nothing more strenuous than a nightmare. Her stare turned into a full-on glare and she embraced the Dark Side. The drunk stared back, suddenly quiet, eyes wide in growing terror.

 

Then, Arai spoke softly. "This is the path you entrust yourself to. Endless drunken nights, all strung together, nowhere to go but the dumpster behind a house that is no longer yours. Your friends will leave you, you will have no hope for redemption. In time, even your next drink will fail to come, and then what will you be?"

 

He took a step back and Arai rose, almost snarling as she clamped a hand on his shirt collar and threw him to the ground. "Less than the scum you are now. Is that the life you want? Or should I end your misery here and now?"

 

As she finished, tiny arcs of lightning played across the fingertips of her right hand...

[ForceFightWMe12]

The navigation officer looked after the retreating women, scratching the back of his head. "Um...okay..." he said slowly.

 

Looking back over the last few minutes, he had to wonder what in Sith's blood had just happened. Better yet...what had he gotten himself into?

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Dominic watched Arai deal with the drunkard with a growing sense of alarm. This...this wasn't the woman he was used to. This was someone much darker, much more...terrifying.

 

When the sparks started to fly, he knew that he had to intervene. Getting quickly to his feet, he crossed to her and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her none-too-gently around to face him. "Arai." he hissed. "Calm down!"

[Writer]

She spun willingly with him, her rage suddenly finding a new target. But as she glared daggers into him, her hand ready to spray lightning into his gut, the fire in her eyes swiftly choked up and died. Gasping for breath, she closed her eyes and fell to her knees, tears beginning to fall.

 

"Do you get it now?" she asked, her voice wavering, heavy with the emotions of anxiety and fear. "Dom, this ostanovium stuff, it's not just a passing interest. If it's legit, I karking need it if I want to stay sane."

[Cyborg Ninja]

"Thank you for informing me Zen. I appreciate it. I think that as soon as I have a free moment I'll go and speak with Visas. There is something that I wish to discuss with her. Something concerning the exile."

 

Zen did not know much of this exile. He had heard she was a very great warrior but other then that he knew nothing.

 

"You are welcome Grand Master," he said using the other title she had.

 

In his culture name was one of the most important things to a Sangheili, and with name often came title. As a veteran he had earned many titles over the years and done so with great valor. So when he addressed his comrades on the ship he would often state their title first and then the name.

 

Zen watched as Juhani got up to leave before he could ask her a question he had in the back of his mind. Seeing that she had not seen her comrade Visas in a while he decided to wait for a better moment to bring it up again. He helped put anything back that he thought looked out of place and left the room in a few minutes.

 

Not a few seconds later did he run into Juhani who was literally dragging Perdante by her robes. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of this. It very much reminded him of what his mother would do when he had misbehaved. He began to follow the two and flashed Perdante a smile.

 

"Former Sith Perdante, you never cease to amuse me," he said to her before looking over at Juhani. " Grand Master Juhani, what has she done that causes you such anger? I can watch over this "child" for you if you still have not gotten the chance to speak with your comrade," he added in trying to be helpful.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Grand Master Juhani, what has she done that causes you such anger? I can watch over this "child" for you if you still have not gotten the chance to speak with your comrade,"

 

Juhani made sure the door was shut properly before responding to Zen. "She broke a certain Jedi rule. Something that shouldn't be broken under any circumstance. I would be grateful if you watched over her quarters to make sure that she doesn't leave until I have a talk with her."

 

She turned to leave. She smiled slightly. She had no intention of talking to the captain. Her apprentice was the one who had made the first move from what she understood and he had simply responded.

 

One warning is all he gets. She thought. One warning.

 

She sighed once and then headed for her apprentice's quarters. It was time to have a talk with her.

[Tysyacha]

ABOARD THE MILLENNIAL, PERDANTE'S QUARTERS

 

A mixture of anger, confusion, and sorrow had flooded the Jedi Knight's mind as she sat on her bunk, her head bowed. What had come over her? One moment, she and Salvatore had been sparring in a perfectly appropriate, organized way. The next moment, she had leapt into her attack, and then the kiss...That kiss!

 

"A Jedi shall not know hatred, nor anger, nor love..." She repeated these tenets to herself, almost whispering, but they rang hollow in her ears. What did the Jedi know about sudden passion, about finding a person you "clicked" with, about experiencing emotion instead of always denying and repressing it? It wasn't fair. Part of her knew that Juhani was right and that her actions would only lead to folly. Still, she wished someone understood, and would not judge her.

 

Perdante could not hold back her tears any longer, and so she wept softly.