A Chance at Redemption

[Rasu Gan]

Sweat poured from the green temple of the Jedi Master, as the luminescent neon lights shone down in blurring brilliance upon the Shi'ido. Sprinting out of an alleyway, Rasu couldn't find any footing before she found herself bowling into a crowd of pedestrians. Knocking two to the ground, Rasu quickly turned to face the alleyway, trying to catch sight of her pursuer before rising again and carrying off at a slower pace, apologizing being the least of her worries as she ignored the irritation rising on the pedestrian's faces. Adrenaline rushed through every vein in her body as she gave herself a moments rest to regain some composure.

Thinking back, she had definitely underestimated the One Sith forces stationed on Coruscant. The Shi'ido had been relying on her knowledge of the underworld to test an opportunity of guerrilla warfare in the future, however she had not prepared for such an organised presence by the Sith. Now she found herself fleeing, a handful of Sith aware of her presence, and now doubt spreading word around the galactic capital. She cursed under her breath as a patrol of troopers entered the plaza, still having not noticed the guise of the Mirialan. Shuffling backwards into a crowd of drunken teenagers, Rasu slumped to the ground, attempting to blend in with the crowd while the soldiers marched past, not even stopping to look down at the apparently dazed female. As soon as she lost sight of the troopers, Rasu rose from the ground, breaking into a brisk walk around a cantina and into another alleyway.

Eerie silence met the Shi'ido as the bustling noise of the plaza dulled as she created distance between the two. Slowing her pace, Rasu instinctively brought her hands down to her sabers, concealed behind her dark grey cloak. Taking both from her belt, Rasu gripped them tightly as she continued on her walk, ignoring the flickering of a dying street lamp, her only source of light in the alleyway. Stretching out with the Force, Rasu pinpointed another pursuer, this time different to the other Sith who had been tailing the Shi'ido. This time the presence seemed to be mixed with a tad more light than normal dark siders. Deciding that fleeing was futile, Rasu turned, hiding both sabers and sweaty palms behind her cloak, as she awaited the arrival of her pursuer.

[member="Hal Terrano"]

 

[Hal Terrano]

He had still not grown used to Coruscant.

The buzzing lights, the deafening noise, the polluting smells. It was complete and utter over-stimulation, something that a certain once pious Padawan still couldn't come to terms with. Hal missed the quiet, missed meditation in a tranquil space where he didn't have to worry about pickpockets, plebs and how much meat there actually was in a quarter-pounder from McYoda's.

However this was his home now, the centre of his rehabilitation in the mould of the one Sith.

Who he had been before had been systemically taken apart piece by piece by Nemene Talith, courtesy of a botched and ill-thought out mission in the name of justice. But just before the wretched woman could put him back together she abandoned him, never to return to the torture and corruption of yet another Jedi.

It was the One Sith who saved him from that cell, not his Republic.

Now here he was, on the other side chasing down Jedi through the perpetual alleyways as if they were rats. It lead to a question. How big was the nest? The population of Coruscant was so immense that keeping an eye on every single head was nigh impossible, how many Jedi lingered upon the metropolis? Fighting the good fight.

She may have lost the others, but she hadn't lost him.

The flickering of the lamp brought back memories of those four white walls, causing his jaw to clench tightly in what was almost an automated response. Hal did not put his hands to his belt just yet, a hard offence had never been his style. His steps slow and deliberate, he called out:

“It will be easier if you surrender.”

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

(OOC: Sorry for the massive wait. Hope you're still keen to carry on with this.)

Surrender? The sheer thought seemed alien in her head as the word was processed. Here she was obviously surrounded on a Sith controlled world, the planet already slowly reeking of dark side energies, and she was being offered the chance of surrender. It was hard to believe that such a concept could be questioned by a Sith, although as her pursuer came closer into the light, Rasu could understand why such a thing was possible.

"Ah young [member="Hal Terrano"]." she said, her voice embodying the heartache and sorrow rising to the surface having recognised the man. She had never introduced herself to the man as a Jedi, but her role as Headmistress had allowed her to read up on every Padawan that had ever passed through the Jedi trials of apprenticeship, and Hal was indeed one of those Jedi.

Rasu had known the Invasion of Coruscant had caused a massive shift in the Force, with various Jedi giving into their own dark emotions and turning to the dark side, however she had not expected it of Hal, who had seemed so head-strong and determined to make it as a Knight of the now crumbling Order.

"Hal what has happened to you." she said, suddenly noticing the large scar that runs across his face, obviously a sign of Sith discipline. "Why turn on the people who brought you up? Taught you?" she asked, keeping her mind open for possible escape routes should their meeting suddenly turn ugly.

 

[Hal Terrano]

[That's fine, there are some new plots in the mix but we can still do this. ]

He stiffened when she said his name, being recognised was not preferable especially given the guilt that already lingered from abandoning the Order without much of a fight. Out of all the Jedi that he could have pursued, it had to be one that recognised his sorry face.

While the light that illuminated him buzzed without mercy revealing his thin and sallow features, the light above her flickered relentlessly, almost taunting him. Who stood beneath?

She asked what happened to him.

He took a step forward.

What had happened? What could he say? The truth? Help me, I was captured, tortured and left for dead? Confessions of a stoic man? No. Hal Terrano was the prime example of a bottler, any thoughts of turbulence and trouble were left to be repressed and ferment, growing until they would threaten the very well-being of his sanity. Just talking about it wasn't simple, not to him.

Won't you answer her questions? Tell her why you've turned, Hal, it's quite the story.

Another step was taken towards the woman, a slow step, hands still far from the lightsaber at his belt.

“Please. Just come with me,” he said, sticking to his stubborn guns, it would take more than gentle questioning to spill these secrets. “I don't want to use force.”

[member="Rasu Gan"]