Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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A Licence To Kill Is Also A Licence Not To Kill

The void stretched out before him like a blanket over Mia, vast and warm with little hints of promise in the form of distant stars. For so long he had wandered, this lost soul, between worlds, amidst nothingness, that he had begun to believe himself not lost at all. Quite from it, in fact. It was here that he remained in his element, a being of certainty and confidence, traveling along routes that so few others had taken. Away from the beaten track, from the trade routes and the noise of life. Here he was like a King, a God even, commanding his way through space with little to use for guidance.

He would never have even attempted such feats during his younger years. A coward, that's what he was, a self proclaimed one at that. Why risk the perils of the unknown when generic routes would do? But then where was his sense of adventure? He could not find it down amidst the ants who skittered over their worlds, working, working, working, as though nothing else in the entire universe mattered. So if not there, then here. Where they ceased to exist. In a place where he could find no other ship. The going was slow, sometimes painfully so, it was not a simple jump through hyperspace... He had to watch for all sorts of anomalies and other such difficulties which could render both he and Mia obsolete in a heartbeat.

Ever so gently, so as not to disrupt any of the controls, Adiara kicked up his feet so that they settled atop the consoles and sighed. With just a slight butt movement he was able to swivel the seat on the spot, enough to see the deadpan droid fixated on his duties. Not bothering to look up. Not trying to make note of what was happening within the ship itself. Poor fool had eyes for space alone. And that suited this particular Spacer to a t. No senseless conversations, no arguments. Heck, by now he was just another extension of the ship itself.

With but a sigh he turned his head back toward the front viewing port and slumped back. Uncomfortable looking, no doubt, would that someone could see him, but in that moment he felt blissfully uncaring. It wouldn't last long, however, he knew that he had a call to make. Sinnat had cornered him last time he was in the Rugger, something about old Jedi contacts - Silvers, no less! - and a job that was right up his alley. Not that Ari knew what Adiara was looking for. Chaos, even Adiara did not know what he was looking for!

But he had said he would try. He said he would give this Jedi a call... And knowing Sinnat he had already informed the damn pesky Jedi of such. How long had it been since he'd had a conversation with one of their kind? Not including little Kail, of course, because that was not a business affair. Then again, our duties on Mirial had led to the Silvers input. The Grandmaster didn't seem half as bad as I recall my own being... Not that any of the Jedi enjoyed my company back then. Trouble maker that I was.

Heavenshield, his name had been. They'd sent aid to what remained of the Mirial, while he and Kail had worked non-stop to provide relief. That whole situation had been horrific. If there was anything Adiara despised more than Jedi, he had decided, it was Sith. Well, as they say, the enemy of mine enemy is my friend...

Lowering his legs down with an almost childish pout and huff of his breath, Adiara found himself back on his feet and headed toward the Captain's Quarters where a large holo-setup was awaiting him. He sat within the large chair, that supported him brilliantly, and set his gaze down over the display. Quite an expensive bit of tech, this desk had been, but it saw to almost every need he had where digital matters were concerned. Compressed into one work surface. He couldn't really complain.

Now came the time to open up comms, and reach out to this Connor Harrison. If that was even the Jedi's true name. If Sinnat is setting me up to fail, I shall leave a most terrible review on his GELP! page... Ach, get your mind in the game Adiara. These Jedi did not seem quite so bad as the ones from the Core Worlds, at least they seemed competent and willing to assist... But at what cost?

Provided the comm link was established, Adiara would soon be looking at the face of the Jedi in question. This Connor fellow. Well, he sure did hope that Sinnat had spoken to the man beforehand or else things may not go quite so swimmingly.

"Ah, Master Harrison I presume?" Best he begin on their good side. Who knew where this would lead... "A mutual contact of ours, a Mister Ari Sinnat, suggested that I give you a call." Pesky little Gossam. "I do so hope you know what this concerns, Master Jedi, I'd hate to be wasting your time..."

[member='Connor Harrison']
 

Connor Harrison

Guest
C
Connor gently stroked his goatee as he waited for the incoming call - shooting a glance to the Silver admin working the communication station in the bowels of the Temple, he hated waiting. Greens and blues reflected across his face in the dark underbelly of their headquarters as the communication was set up.

The old Gossam - Sinnat - had dropped a certain name Connor's way a few moons ago. And, refreshingly, one not gifted with the Force but who knew how to shoot, how to lead, how to act and how to survive. The perfect makings for the expansion and future of the Silver Jedi. Did he think it would have come to this? No. But he was pleasantly surprised.

About to protest, the image sparked to life without warning and the admin gave Connor the nod, looking up at the image of his contact; one Adiara Drelas who looked far younger and handsome than he expected. One-eyed, sporting scars and a big beard was in his mind's eye. Not anymore.

"Captain Drelas. And please, call me Connor." With a nod of the head, he began. "That old goat dropped your name my way and I know your shared background. Dedicated to the cause, fighting the good fight and all that."

He watched the man's reaction, not giving much away.

"Tell me, Captain. How do you feel about fighting the good fight with the Order of the Silver Jedi and making a real difference out there, instead of sitting behind a desk on your own waiting for a call to action that'll probably never come."

[member="Adiara Drelas"]
 
When the holographic image first flashed into view Adiara could swear a look of impatience had embedded itself upon this Jedi's brow. Had he been waiting? That was a most strange thought... I hadn't even decided that I was going to call until just five minutes ago. Was this some Jedi trick? Or was he just so certain that Adiara would call? Just what had that pesky little Gossam told him?

Well, the young man on the other side of the call dispensed with formalities almost immediately and that had Adiara wondering why... Weren't Jedi all for tradition? For fancy titles and the like?

It has been over forty years since I was among his kind... Likely before he was even a glint in his mother's eye. Thirty since I left the Corps... Chances are things have changed in that time.

Still, Adiara was not wholly certain he was ready to forget his manners quite so soon.

He pushed back his unkempt hair and managed a smile in the direction of the Jedi Master. Smoothly hiding the fact that Ari had most definitely stretched the truth a little... Dedicated to the cause? Oh, not for a great many years now... Mirial was a blip in an otherwise clean record of deftly avoiding conflict and Forcie related things. Still, he would be lying if he claimed he hadn't enjoyed resuming his old role in some capacity.

"I assure you, Master Jedi, that I would rather pave my own path than wait on the call of others..."

Was that not what he was doing this very moment? Literally charting a path through the most unknown reaches of space? His expression remained unchanged - light, charming, a soft smile gracing his lips. He gave nothing away. Had the Medi-Corps to thank for his iron will and expression. Couldn't very much appear panicked around those who were suffering so much more than you were...

"However, that does not mean I'm disinterested. Far from it, in fact. Tell me more about this position, the Gossam was most vague on the details..."

[member="Connor Harrison"]
 

Connor Harrison

Guest
C
Connor didn’t want to let anything slip during this conversation with an unknown ex-Medi Corp soldier. Who knew how volatile he was under that smooth exterior. So he stood, hands behind his backs, listening and nodding. There was a gentle bite to the man’s voice, a subtle resentment about…what? Connor? The Jedi? Active service?

”I assure you, Captain, you don’t want to be part of this then you walk away and I find someone else. I won’t push you into anything, I understand.”

And so the mind games began. First, the hint that he would be a coward for backing out.

Connor had always enjoyed these moments.

”Basically we, the Silver Jedi out of Voss, are reforming. Regrouping. Re-emerging in the galaxy as a force not to underestimate. We want to maintain security over our borders, protect our planets and assist those fighting the creeping darkness. Men and women who kill innocents without hesitation. Men and women hiding behind masks. Men and women who I would like to see under the heel of my boot.”

He stoped himself with a polite chuckle.

”But I digress. We want experience. Your kind of experience. Lead others but also be led yourself. Gather intelligence. Report. Collect data. Observe. Strike. Act. All the things that make people like you…well, people like you.”

Connor gave the smallest of smiles….was it goading? No.

Was it? What was he pushing for?

[member="Adiara Drelas"]
 
So much pretense of grandeur.

For all this Jedi knew Adiara worked for the enemy. All he had to go on was the words of some shady little Gossam in some backwater Cantina... That happened to exist on Nar Shaddaa, or all worlds. And here he was, divulging information as though it were tea or caf' to be shared by all.

Strange things, Jedi... Either too secretive for their own good, or too vocal. Rare that you find one who resides somewhere in between. Although this one... This one is trying to play me. Goad me, tease me, trying to find my pressure point, trying to see if I will... snap.

Well he wouldn't, not for this fool nor anyone else.

Instead he leaned back in his chair with another easy smile, and raised one brow.

"You wish to strike at the unknown with the unknown" he offered, a little more bluntly than had initially been intended but ah well the words were out there now. Adiara steeped his fingers and regarded the man almost solemnly. "Well I daresay you have need for the covert, Master Jedi. You're lucky that I secured the feed before establishing a call."

Almost chiding. This time intentionally so. While he may appear young...ish... he had seen more active years than this Connor Harrison had seen of life in general.

Leaning back just a touch more, Adiara went so far as to kick his feet up onto the desk - thankful that the controls responded solely to his fingertips and nothing more.

"You're seeking out the likes of me, Master Jedi... What stops you from searching from within? Or would you rather someone a little more impartial, and a little less... Zealous? I mean no ill by that, of course, Master Jedi. But sometimes our personal agendas can obscure the full picture. I have no personal agenda with which to obscure delicate matters..."

He watched for any signs of change in the man. Any subtle shift in expression... Any sign which pointed to what he was thinking.

[member="Connor Harrison"]
 

Connor Harrison

Guest
C
This man was already starting to get on Connor's nerves with his analytical speech and his military dignity. He flagged him down a little with his hands.

”Please, call me Connor.” Master - he wasn't this man's Master at all. ”And all I know is you've been to the far edges of the known galaxy with the Medi-Corp and you fight the good fight. You know places. You know methods. You know how to survive and how to win. That's what I want.”

He paused, and noticed he was pointing with two fingers out to the holo of the reclined captain.

”Look, Captain, I have no personal agenda. This is part of a much wider plan for my Order which will benefit not just us, but the people of this galaxy tired of running and hiding from those bastards out there who will stop at nothing to tear our worlds apart one by one. And you are just a small cog in a much larger machine, so if you're with us, then you're with us for the long-term. If not, then I'm sorry I bothered you.”

Metaphorically, the game pieces had just been moved and now Connor waited for his opponent.

[member="Adiara Drelas"]
 
Oh... So the title wasn't something this one enjoyed hearing? But referring to a Jedi in such a way when you yourself are not one is tradition! Then again, what did these new age Jedi know of tradition? Things had changed so drastically. Orders had risen and fallen, their core tenants had clearly shifted... I suppose that is what comes with new generations. I simply happened to live on the cusp of this change... A shame, truly.

Adiara did not know if he preferred the Jedi as they were or as they are, but it mattered little. These Silvers were not the Republic. It was the Republic he had issues with, their warmongering which had left so many of their own crippled and so many worlds in the worst state they had been in for millennium. You get a new perspective on life when you're staring death in the face every time you step from your medical ship...

Just the mere thought of it had his hand shaking and the need for gabaki rising within him. He resisted though, it wasn't very professional to spark up in company, especially not when for all intents and purposes this was an interview. So he settled his hands flat in his lap to avoid the tremors and simply smiled.

"Connor then, if you prefer it. And you would be correct on my history, I spent more time than is sane amidst the medi-corps, chasing the Republic and their soldiers across the Galaxy. I've seen more than my fair share of war, set foot on the battlefield both to save and to kill. To serve and to lead."

The killing was, in truth, the source of most of his difficulties these days. Some of the things that the Republic had asked of him and his before he left... They did not bear thinking about.

"The fact that you are here now speaks to a personal agenda, Mr Harrison, though in your case it is tied to your Order... I daresay that's not a cross any man ought to be trying to carry alone but it is not my place to judge."

He exhaled for a moment, needing a second to think about it. What was the difference between these guys and the 'pubs?

"Tell me, Mr Harrison... What separates your Order from the countless others out there? The ones who wage war, and kill so indiscriminately? You will forgive my ignorance, I trust, these days I exist mostly on the fringes of space. Believe me when I say I would love nothing more than to work against the cruel bastards of this Galaxy... But I need to know that my best efforts won't be used the way the Republic used me and mine."

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, sizing up Connor...

"You look to be about old enough to remember their actions, no? Their worst ones... The genocide, the war crimes, the political scandals... Things which even their Jedi were tied up in. I have no doubt that your intentions are honest, Connor, but I need to know that the same speaks for your Order."

[member="Connor Harrison"]
 

Connor Harrison

Guest
C
Connor stood still and let his head roll back a little as he listened. It would have been far more useful to see the man in person and read his language and even tap into that military mind of his. But it sounded like he had been through enough to warrant the Silver's attention, and to confirm that Connor had been directed to the right man.

”Captain Drelas, I understand. I have seen many faces of evil out there. Men, women, everything in between. You know just why I contacted you. I can give you the resources to help us fight back against those who think they can walk over people like us; destroy our cities, murder our people, take our freedom.”

He cupped his chin for a second and thought about what to say next to help convince the stubborn soldier.

”The Silver Jedi aren't aggressors. There are others who do the aggressive part. We are peace-keepers. Defenders of worlds. Protectors of righteousness. If there is trouble, we will answer the call. But mark my words we aren't afraid to break down doors to do it and crack skulls in the process. Getting our hands dirty is part of the job, and one other thing, don't compare us to the Republic. They're a dying order. They spend more time vying for power internally that focusing it externally. We aren't them, and while I'm here leading this we never will be.”

He licked his lip a second.

”I am the Silver Jedi. The Silver Jedi is me. You have faith in me, then have it in the Order too.”

[member="Adiara Drelas"]
 
Adiara honestly couldn't decide if he found this particular Jedi charming or egotistical. It felt like every new sentence skewed it more one way or the other until he was this odd amalgamation of the two. He lifted one hand to drum his fingers on the desk... So they were not the aggressors unless provoked? Hadn't the Republic used the same spiel way back when? Then again everybody knew it wasn't true, everybody knew they were using the Jedi to further their borders not to protect them.

These Silvers though...

They had come to Mirial off their own backs, they gained nothing by doing so... I contacted them because I knew that Kail was from their Order, no other reason, and I don't even think I mentioned her once during my conversations with the Grandmaster. Relief had been sent, and we were able to help the survivors...

The Republic would have used it, he knew, to further their own agenda. To make themselves look good in the eyes of the Galaxy, or to gain something which the Mirials now had no use for. A document which survived the bombardments, a high standing officer with information. By contrast, nobody even knew that the Silvers had come that day save for he, Kail, and those who were helped.

"Very well" he said, though little would Connor know that most of his decision had stemmed from that day on Mirial rather than anything which had arisen in their present conversation, "Consider me onboard, Mr Harrison. I have a few things to tend to spaceside, but I will swing by Voss as soon as I am able. Or would another world be more appropriate?"

It probably made sense to go over things properly in person, after all.

[member="Connor Harrison"]
 

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