A Chance Encounter

[Jak Sandrow]

RYLOTH TRADING SPACEPORT

Late Afternoon

---

Hauling cargo was not the most glamorous job in the world. In fact, by some, it was seen as the least favorable job in the galaxy. Thankfully, Jak was not here to transport cargo, but to simply body-guard those that were. It wasn't the best-paying job, but then, there wasn't much call for a bodyguard-for-hire in the upper class. Still, it paid for his water, for his dirt. For the fuel for his ship - well, the one that was currently in repairs on Tatooine - he'd have to get around to that some time. For now, it was just the long-haul.

At the moment, he had just finished a job and was looking for another, when something seemed to tug at him, through the Force. Well, it wasn't so much of a tug as a bit of a sinking feeling. As if there was a hole in the Force that needed filling.

Striding easily through the afternoon rush hour, his body cutting a swath through the throng, he came upon the source of this void. A man, also in charge of cargo duty, was directing the transfer of cargo. Or so it seemed; Jak didn't bother himself with that. What was interesting, however, was the distinct 'pang' in the Force, of something that didn't exist. Yet Jak believed his eyes; but to be sure, he flipped down his HUD.

A hand not made of the same material as the body; no tech on him at all; distinct humanoid shape... There was no doubt.

This was a Vong.

Perfect.

He made his way purposefully - but hopefully not antagonistically - towards the burlier man.

Standing nearby, he commented, shaping his words with the Force so they sounded like quiet murmurs to everyone but this mystery Vong; "That's a lovely arm you have there. Mind if I check it out?"

---
[member="Gorak Lah"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Gorak was gathering supplies to take back to Krag. Supplies that weren't meant just for him, but for those that now inhabited the world from time to time. This was why a great many of the supplies were not organic, and why he was riding on an inorganic vessel. The goal had been to not draw attention to himself, which was why he wore the cloak over the majority of his body. It usually served its purpose since he didn't have a masquer available.

Ryloth had a good supply of a plant that he wanted, as well, so he'd made several purchases of those. It was a good trip, but he wanted to be back and in his area of the Paladin Citadel, not stuck among the machines.

Of course before he could do anything, someone spotted what he was. Immediately he figured it was a Force User, because nobody else would have questioned his appendages normally. He'd made many runs like this without issue before. People generally didn't look at you close enough as long as you had plenty of credits to spend. Now, though, someone had figured out what he was, and he was certain that was why this creature had spoken about his arm, which disappeared back into his cloak.

"What do you want, creature?"

[member="Jak Sandrow"]

 

[Jak Sandrow]

"Creature?" Jak scoffed. "That's... actually not far from the truth. Though, admittedly, that's the first time I've been called it." Picking a small leaf from a tree nearby, he twirled it between his first and second finger. "To be honest, I'd say I'm more of a plant-based organism. Not a human at all, really." He was kind of baiting the shaper, he had to admit. Dangling information that he wasn't human? But a living, breathing, sentient hybrid? That had to influence the guy, surely.

The leaf appeared to balance in Jak's palm, almost fluttering in the welcome breeze. Then his palm - pale as a human's - turned green, swallowed up the leaf, and turned back to a 'normal' coloration. Jak nodded. "I want to talk. To someone who probably understands what I am better than I do."

[member="Gorak Lah"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

"You were human at one point, I think, or else you wouldn't look so much like one."

Gorak wasn't really interested in talking to this mongrel. He was here on URO business, not the business of making friends. But he was slightly curious about the nature of this creatures being. There was a definite non-human element to it. Plant like. Not shaped, however. No, something else had caused this, he was fairly certain. If there were other beings in the galaxy that could meld organic life in such a way then he wanted to know who they were.

"You have until my goods are loaded."

[member="Jak Sandrow"]

 

[Jak Sandrow]

Jak grinned, but stifled it right away. "I want to figure out exactly what I am, what I can do. If I'm going to make the most out of myself, then I need to know what I'm made of. Obviously something plant, but what exactly. I don't know."

He could see that he was boring the other man, so he hurried along. "I've studied a very minimal bit of Yuuzhan Vong history, and what I've read coincides - at least on some parallel - as to what I am. I want to learn more about Vong-shaping, so I can have complete and total control over my powers. ... "

Now came the hook... "I was hoping to meet someone who could help me with this, perhaps a Sith alchemist... But a Vong shaper would be far superior to any of that." He hoped he wasn't being a fool and acting like a child meeting his favorite holo star, but still. He needed to win over this Shaper.

Something in his mind clicked. "You're hauling cargo, right? I'm recently out of a job guarding a shipment; I could tag along as bodyguard, maybe learn a few things from you...?"

[member="Gorak Lah"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Gorak made a face at the mention of Sith. He had no love for those mongrels or the Yuuzhan Vong that worked for them. Even thinking about them left a foul taste in his mouth that made him want to rip out his own tongue. He had half a mind to do it, were it not for his need of being able to speak. There were still many among the Paladins that did not trust him, and he had a need of his tongue to get him out of a tight spot.

"Do not mention those vermin in my presence, creature."

Yes, he was going to keep calling him that.

"I have no need of guards and where I am going there are a great many people that would kill anyone who was willing to seek out a Sith for guidance. Are you a Jeedai or a Sith mongrel?"

There was the curiosity at studying him, but studying him would take some time, and he wasn't sure of this creatures alignment, what with the mention of the Sith. The Rogue's would quickly kill any darksider that managed to find its way to Krag, and he would surely suffer as a result of taking a darksider there.

[member="Jak Sandrow"]

 

[Jak Sandrow]

"I am neither Jedi nor Sith." Jak made a face himself. "Both of them are too polar, and neither of them can get anything done - the Jedi through bureaucracy, and the Sith through betrayal. I am neither."

Noticing the other's blatant distaste - well, hatred - for Sith, Jak took a cautionary step back. "The only reason I am looking for a Sith is out of pure desperation. Trust me when I say: I have no love for the Sith. ...truth be told, I was hoping to luck out and find a grey, non-radical Sith who enjoys not slaughtering little children. But, my luck - or lack of it, rather - seems to have held. You will not find the taint of the Sith anywhere on me."

"And, um," he added as an afterthought, "it's Jak."

[member="Gorak Lah"]