A Curious Coincidence

[Caelag Vass]

"Oh I've no doubt you've been in genuine harm's way. I simply mean that someone as genuinely kind of you is someone I am compelled to keep safe. You remind me of many an innocent I've seen cut down for no good reason." She took the pistol, testing its weight before setting the safety, and putting the weapon in as secure a place as she could. She hefted her heavy rifle again, placing a second shot in the chest of someone else charging towards them. It wasn't going to be long at all, if the pirates weren't already running, they would be within moments.

"We won't have very long before they arrive. Normally I would like to take my time, moving from cover to cover and drop them down one by one until each and every one of them has a hole burned square in their head or chest. But we don't have that luxury anymore, if they came straight here then the rest of us are at risk as well." There were another two shots, this time they were getting much, much closer. She could feel it.

She lowered her weapon and turned to face Mykie. "We could secure an empty classroom and utilize that as a secure location. Or we could attempt to keep them out of the building altogether. Either option works fine, so long as we can agree to it. Since I highly doubt you trust my judgement, I leave the decision to you and the Princess."

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"I-" Aster began to argue back before Mykie stopped her.

"Now is not the time to be engaging in pointless arguments," Mykie frowned. "Before you can protect others, you must first know how to protect yourself," she began the first part of her instruction. "First, close your eyes and empty your mind then try to feel the Force. The Force manifests in everyone differently but you will know it when you feel it." She instructed and turned to Miss Ayla.

"In that case, I suggest we secure the second floor and attack from a higher the location giving us an advantage," the bodyguard said in response to the teacher's suggestions. "Wolves, we're moving to the second floor. I want half attacking from the windows and half on the roof," she ordered the elite soldiers and turn to Miss Ayla. "You may choose to take either the windows or the roof."

"Can you feel it?" Mykie asked the blond-haired teenager, approaching her wheelchair.

"I think so..." Aster trailed off careful not to break her concentration as a current flowed through her body.

"Good. Maintain your focus," she said and pushed the princess inside the school.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Mine is not to question why... The thought echoed in Caelag's head as she continued to fire shot after shot, slowly backing to the school after the wolfsglaive had left. More shots missed than hit, a side effect of them knowing exactly where her position was, but it pinned them down long enough for the soldiers to get to their places. After the tenth shot, Caelag ran inside the building, taking cover and reloading the weapon with swift, deft fingers. With things as they were now, the pirates moved in much more quickly.

By the time Caelag's rifle was loaded, blaster fire erupted outside, as the soldiers and pirates began to engage one another. This did force both to take cover where they could, but it also meant Caelag had to make her choice. Fortify a position like the others... yes that was a smart move, one any professional soldier would make. Then again, it was an easy enough option... so it held only as much value as any other.

Instead, Caelag moved downstairs, where there were zero other fighters, and found a window. Taking up a position, she fired a shot at the pirates, before moving and heading to a new room, to take another shot. This is how she would be working, forcing them to take cover at all angles, making them hard pressed to retaliate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Of course the Pirates still were, fireing shots at the windows and taking cover whenever the sniper returned to fire. They were growing anxious, frustrated. Still, they knew what they had to do, get inside. So they began waiting, biding their time. Eventually they'd have to reload, and when they did, the group would rush the doors at once.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Now that you can feel the Force, channel it around you; imagine a shield of some sort before you and channel your Force into a protective barrier. Keep your eyes closed and concentrate on your desire to protect," Everly continued her instruction on conjuring a Force barrier. Knowing Aster, it was best to keep her occupied than risk her putting herself in danger to help.

"Maintain your fire!" Enz, the second in command of the Wolfsglaive ordered. "Fahey, Basout, Onasi, Quo, and I will cook grenades to decimate their numbers. Pull the pin on when I say so and count to five."

"Understood," the four who had been named responded in unison as they removed the grenades, looped their index fingers through the pin and waited for Enz's order.

"Now," the second in command growled and a moment later, the grenades' pins were pulled out then thrown almost in a perfect harmony five seconds later and raining down an unexpected explosion upon the enemy.

Unaccustomed to the sound of combat, the non-combatants whose fear were only inflated by the sound of explosion screamed.

Aster, feeling the urge to cuss for her broken concentration but unable to for the sake of her image closed her blue eyes again that had been shocked open by the sound of explosions and concentrated finding and channelling the Force into the form of a shield filled with her desire to protect.

[member="Caelag Vass"]

 

[Caelag Vass]

Fear. Caelag clutched her head with one hand as she felt the emotion rip through her body. She knew it was a poor desicion to leave her post, taking shots out through the windows and ending pirates, but her instincts were too strong. She broke into a run, moving into the most secure room she knew they would be in.

The lockdown room, reinforced and secure as it could be. Until now it hadn't been properly used, it existed from a time where bombing had been a concern. Now it was for intruders, like this. Once closed only the occupants could open it..

She was quick to enter, calming every student she could and helping the children relax, hopefully making it easier to deal with. She was, however, made aware one student was missing. Assuring them she'd take care of it, she ran out with her weapons...

(Assume the pirates are decimated by this point, heavy losses, and a pair of )

Though it wasn't until she found the child, crying in the principal office. She placed her weapon aside, picking the boy up and holding the chiss to her as she hushed him. Unknown to her, the PA system was on, and began to broadcast everything as the pirate captain entered.

"Quite a lot of trouble for an antique, you've cost me a lot of good men today you bi-"

"Language... there's a child present."

"Alright Alright. But I'm going to need to make more than your toy was worth to make up for my losses... the iron princess would catch a fine price on the slave market. So how bout it then, give up the woman and the weapon and you can continue to play teacher in this backwater town for the rest of your life.. a fair deal wouldn't you say so?"

It.. was a deal she could take couldn't she? Just stand aside, let him try to take things for himself. No one would know.. but Aster had been.. so.. So kind.. and forgiving. She took a breath and set the child down, motioning to him to move behind her as she slowly turned to face the pirate captain.

"Over my dead body."

"Stubborn to the end then? A shame, you looked quite nice."

The child hid as two blaster shots could be heard over the PA system.. Aster, her guards, everyone could hear it. All of it. But no one but the child that soon ran out of the room looking for help saw what happened. Each had shot the other, Caelag landing a blow between the pirate's eyes, and the pirate managing a shot to her side.

Caelag was slumped against the wall, looking dead as she waited for what was to come. The pirates outside began to flee, leaving them alone to tend to what happened.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

As if in a world of her own, Aster concentrated on creating and maintaining the Force Barrier before her. Almost translucent and delicate in its form, the shield while small in size was filled with her desire to protect the children. However, though she had a strong desire to protect, she was unskilled in the use of the Force and her concentration broke when a conversation was broadcast through the PA system.

"Mykie!" Aster called, summoning her bodyguard. "Find Miss Ayla and help her," she ordered her tone frantic.

"Understood," Mykie nodded then turned to a teacher. "Where is the room with the PA system?" she asked then ran towards the room once she was informed of its location.

"Miss Ayla," the bodyguard called for the woman once she entered the room and noticed the miraluka slumped against a wall. "How are you feeling?" she asked and glanced at the lifeless body on the ground. One shot, between his eyes - there was no doubt the pirate was dead.

Kneeling down beside the woman, Mykie examined the wound. "Seems painful, but you'll survive," she said as a second group entered the room. Aster pushed by another member of the Wolfsglaive, the other teachers and the children had arrived.

"Lady Baelor," Mykie called to her charge. "You have a patient."

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag shifted, pushing herself up a bit more straight when Mykie entered. "Oh I've had worse... it's just a flesh wound. Please just.. don't let the children see if you can help it." She coughed as she tried to push herself up, stumbling and falling back down. She was stubborn though, and half began to crawl to the door. "If... If there's nothing else.. I suppose this is the part where you arrest me right?" She laughed to herself as Aster entered the room. "I suppose I should introduce myself properly, Miss Baelor, Miss Mykie. My name is Caelag Vass, ex corporal of the Galactic Republic. I'll answer whatever other questions you have on the way to whatever detainment facility you deem fitting..."

Naturally most of her speech was cut off by little coughs, she really was fine but the blaster hit flesh, unlike when she had armor. It was much more shocking and painful than she imagined, usually she just had to deal with the remnants of energy from the bolt and any kinetic energy.

She might have to change her mind on her opinions of being shot.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Shaken by the events that had just transpired, Aster was escorted to Miss Ayla by a member of the Wolfsglaive with an expression fo worry.

Was Miss Ayla alive? And what of the pirate who shot her?

A thousand thoughts ran unspoken in her mind.

"Miss Ayla!" she exclaimed, relieved. "I am pleased to see you are alive," Aster said smiling softly then listened as the injured woman spoke.

"You fought with us and tried to save the children so no, you will not be arrested - only questioned," she said, extending her hand to Caelag once the woman had finished speaking. "Furthermore, it seems you have experience in combat - the Iron Empire could use more soldiers," she spoke softly as she extended her offer to Caelag. "Show me your wound. I know a little in the way of Force Healing so I may be able to help with your injury."

[member="Caelag Vass"]

 

[Caelag Vass]

So kind, she could see why she was a princess and so well protected. She bowed her head slightly, thanking her for the offer as she took her hand. On the subject of using the force to heal, however, she shook her head a little bit. "It's.. nothing really. I've been shot plenty of times before. A little while with a bacta patch and I should be fine. Of course I usually had armor on so.." She winced a bit and moved an arm over her side, lifting herself up and against the wall. "Still.. I need to do plenty of work before I can go anywhere. There's the formal resignation, the packing of my belongings, saying goodbye to the children, finding someone to take the load until a new teacher is hired.." She didn't say she was opposed to it, of course.

Once a soldier, it was hard to live another life.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Are you sure?" Aster furrowed her brows with concern as she spoke. "It will be much faster than a bacta patch but if that is what you wish, I will respect it," she said as she reached for the first aid kit Everly had brought to her and removed a bacta patch and an alcohol wipe from its contents.

"Would you like me to help you apply it?" she inquired. "And on the subject of your leaving the school, while I understand your reluctance to leave, the Iron Empire needs skilled individuals like yourself to protect our people so I ask that you join in our ranks," Aster spoke in a firm tone with a look of determination in her blue eyes. "If help is what you need, I will have a couple of the Wolfsglaive assist you but please, help me accomplish what I can't alone. Help me protect others."

[member="Caelag Vass"]

 

[Caelag Vass]

"I d idnt.. decline your offer of a job, Princess. Merely.. noting that even with help packing.. there are things I have to do. Time has to be spent writing the formal resignation for records and I cannot leave my students completely teacherless. That said... maybe a week to find a substitute.. then I'd be free of duties.."

She pulled at her shirt to move it up, let the injured skin show. "Some help would be nice.. I'm hardly a medic. Huh.. so that's what a shot looks like without armor.. I can see why Flemming used to get upset at this.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"My mistake," Aster smiled a bit embarrassed. "Some prefer to let me down gently," she added as she watched Caelag lift up her shirt to reveal her injury.

"I can take care of that," the blonde-haired girl said, removing an antiseptic wipe from her pocket and tore it open. "This will sting," she removed the wipe from its package and cleaned Caelag's wound and placed her small hand over the wound.

Closing her eyes, Aster visualized the current of Force that flowed within her body and channeled it into the palm of her hand. Though she was still new to the use of the Force and her abilities while still weak should have been enough to stop the bleeding and close the wound - or at least that was what she thought but whether that was the case, she could not be certain.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​

 

[Caelag Vass]

"I'm a soldier not a politician. Wordplay isn't my strong point, I prefer to be direct when its something serious." She didn't seem to flinch in the slightest as the wipe was placed on the injury. Like her nerve endings were dead. Of course they knew it was not comfortable for her, she was still alive, still felt pain. But it was at least a strong example of her hardiness. She tried her best to ignore things for just a little longer, until she no longer felt the evidence of the injury. It was a solid few minutes, but she gently reached down and removed [member="Aster Rose Baelor"]'s hand. Wound closed, and she was no longer at risk.

Still sore but what could you do about that? "Thank you, princess."" She was finally able to slowly push herself up onto her feet and went to grab her rifle. She stopped for a brief second as the weapon shifted in place towards her, but finished grabbing it, wrapping her hand around the weapon and lifting it up onto her shoulder. "Thank you for protecting the children. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if something happened to them. Thank you."

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"There is no need to thank me. It was both my duty and honour to help you and protect the children," Aster shook her head and smiled. "I can think of no higher honour than to be of assistance to others," she said. Though she had spoken words of modesty in response to Caelag's gratitude, Aster could not help but feel a sense of pride swell inside her.

"I look forward to the day we might meet again within the Iron Empire," Aster gave Caelag a polite nod, bidding the Miraluka farewell, then gestured at her bodyguard to follow. The time had come for her to return.

[member="Caelag Vass"]​