Private A Past Life

[Saul Colsan]

Saul took a long drag from his cigarette as he leaned against the chair. A couple of waitresses tried to entice with some food, but he waved them off. Not all Saul needed was a pack of Cigarettes and small glass of Whiskey and he was good. Wearing regular clothing, Saul stared at the Twileak singer standing in front of the image of a large Hutt. Elcor the Hutt or Elcor the Slow: Saul's main target. The agent laid low during the Hyperspace War taking on minor stealth missions, he was still recovering from his attack by the Collector however he still wanted to contribute in any way he could. This mission though, was one that he was most accustomed to: Full of danger and intrigue. Information gathering gets boring after a while.

Elcor the Hutt ran the most popular Casinos in Nar Shadda and was rumored in exchanging information from the ISB. Important information regarding Galactic Alliance trade routes, how he got this information was unclear and Saul was suspicious of this mission at first. Something felt off, Elcor based on his record was more interested in his Casinos and the Outer Rim. "We'll to find out," Saul mumbled. "He's scheduled to make an announcement tonight."

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Fate. Destiny. Free Will and Chance.

The war of seers went on unchecked through eternity. Few spoke of it because that lifting of their veil removed the mystery behind the curtain of events. Wars that were a word in an ear, an object moved out of place, a helping hand given at the exact moment it was required. Directions given to a place of solitude or conflict. Small things. Singular actions given at the right time. These things fundamentally changed the flow of reality in the direction a seer tried to shape. It was difficult, like pulling at strings winding together, into one of many possible futures. The more mechanical a person was, a creature of habit, the easier they were to predict.

Nar Shadda was a place she could operate within her element, because criminals were easy enough to predict. Money, Power, Thrill, they didn't offer many unusual paths to tread. Clad in her amber jewel jedi robes that covered her face and her figure, her features were as usual obscured. Which didn't matter too much to those around her, she wasn't the only one hiding her identity even if they did draw the occasional glance. Nobody looked too long, that sort of curiosity didn't flourish here. There was nothing much else she carried, only the lightsaber somewhere beneath her robes, credchit, and water to drink. A humble existence.

Sera folded her robes underneath herself as she sat at the bar, ordering a cocktail that smelled like an exotic but feint berry texture. It was high on water and low on alcohol, if anything designed to be more refreshing than water itself, given her people's tolerances and need for hydration. She had to remove the veil to drink, and she did so, long curly amber hair spilling out, revealing the burn marks on her cheek.

Music slowly beat the time she needed. Counting the seconds to herself, moving her hand across the bar, not touching it, sensing, and seeking that moment she'd come here for, that individual. So real in her waking dream now, reliving it to find the shatterpoint. The Hutt, the dancer, the patron walking by, carrying the drink.

Somewhere in front of Saul, Sera stood up, placed her glass on the tray, it unbalanced and the waitress moved to the right, the other drink spilled on the tray, Sera apologized and offered to pay. The man that would have got that drink, now walked on by to go to the bar for another, completely missing where he would have stood and who he would have talked to. Saul.

One conversation missed… breaking a chain, she hoped… or… there was a glance as if she was finding her balance, something was wrong, this wasn't who was supposed to be here in the dream. Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

As Saul was enjoying his cigarette taking a long drag until the waitress spilled some drink on to his clothing. "Oh! I'm so sorry sir!" the human waitress gasped while Saul growled seeing his pants soaked with alcohol even worse some of the drink on his cigarette. So much for a good smoke. "It's all right," Saul mumbled placing the cigarette on the table and taking out another one from the box in his front pocket. Saul smoked a pack a day maybe two if he really felt like it. Nothing more satisfying than to have a long drag after a hard mission or even during a mission.

While the waitress was busy cleaning up, Saul took out his lighter and attempted to ignite it..... Only to have it fail to create a spark. "Come on," Saul mumbled his cigarette firmly in his mouth trying to ignite the lighter. "This damn lighter."

This wasn't the first time Saul's lighter failed but Saul didn't want to give up on it so easily. This was his lucky lighter, it saved him a couple of times in missions including one where he was shot in the chest only to be saved by the durasteel metal of the lighter. But it seemed the old girl has given up the ghost. "Don't fail me now...." Saul growled maybe he needed help lighting this cigarette.

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Clarity was urgent, if she had misinterpreted, no, it had been interfered with. Almost like wisps of reality unmaking itself, the dream was different. She closed her eyes, there was no time, the bar patron had his new drink. The newcomer was holding a cigarette looking for a light, he might leave to find one. She had to postpone both departures until the meddler revealed themselves.

Leaning upward to whisper in the ear of the barman, a whole round of drinks were given to the first bar patron, keeping him there indefinitely until he could no longer walk. Hoping her adversary had not pre-seen this action too. For the other, she moved her hand sideways at her hip, the air warmed around the cigarette, a pleasant warmth, then with a spark there was ignition to flame. Practiced, controlled, the scars on her hand where she'd fallen victim to her fire, and those on her cheek, were signs she'd learned from the opposite in her youth.

Still there was a lingering in the air, like she wanted more to let go, it was always there. The One Sith had instilled a desire for expression of force energies, and in her case engulfing fire. This ceased quick enough, as she pulled her veil back across her lower face, leaving nothing but her eyes to see.

"Forgive me." She said for her supposed accident, and to herself for Sith thoughts. There was a certain low level warmth around her that would not leave wet clothes for long. Next a question to seek a new thread, "the entertainment draws many." Probing to see if he was here for relaxation or for business. She stood back to the bar once more, so out of place in this bar, but so at home in her imagined dream, that she had seen for the last 3 weeks in preparation.

If he was observant enough he would see she was watching for something like he was, seeking it out before it came to pass. Not what was going on now, but trying to see ahead of them, where they were going to walk, or what they were going to do.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

“It’s fine,” Saul responded his gaze turned still fixated on his lighter. After a few more frustrating clicks, Saul saw that the cigarette was magically lit. “Huh,” Saul said before sticking the cigarette in his mouth. The voice belonged to a woman soft yet pensive. Saul slowly turned around to see her. His eyes lighting up with curiosity, the woman is a Jedi that much Saul could tell. There was something about that spaced look in a Jedis eyes, as if they were looking through you rather at you. The Force had a tendacy to make them space out he supposed but Saul was generally cautious around Force Sensitives. They were capable of great power and though Saul has taken out many Force Sensitives, too many proved hazardous to his health.

The woman looked like that she watching for things to come. More of that destiny chit that Saul could hardly comprehend. The womans long red hair fell towards her waist while soft features were somewhat marked by some burns. Even then she did look attractive but Saul kept that to himself. “What’s a Jedi doing on a planet like this?” Saul asked taking a drag of his cigarette. “Would figure that you all will be out fighting the Brotherhood?”

Saul continued to look around for the Hutt trying to remain vilagent. “Gonna tell me your name?” Saul asked. “Not many opportunities for me to meet Jedi.”

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Faintest relaxation as he spoke to her, a normal conversation, one only her Master had tried with her for many years in seclusion. "On the front lines?" Sera said almost to herself surprised, one time that was true. Part of crusades in the first army of light, breaking apart the galaxy, some might say for the worse. Given how many darksiders rose from the ashes, especially those she had known as companions. A danger was, the longer she stayed like this the more distant she became. Life faded away, the galaxies plights were harder to relate to, things became unimportant. That distance was a reality any Jedi in isolation could face. For her something she struggled with on every mission like this, leaving the here and now for an imagined future. Meaning no family, no children, just this.

Perhaps they shared that in common, the mission, the work, with little time for life, not that she'd know from this brief meeting.

Her expression tightened, "There is no Jedi here." The voice was quiet but almost sharp, pointed, loaded with distant regret. Once upon a time. In another life.

Sera missed that he was also looking intently at those around them, so wrapped up in her vision. After a time her footing became unsteady, and she had to lean against the bar to recover. The tight expression released as she spoke, smiling, almost sadly but resolutely, "my name means nothing. I am no one." It was better that way. Unknowingly drifting toward what a certain kethenite Sith Lord wanted her to be. A Ghost. One more specter for his ghoulish collection.

Her rest was momentary. She'd seen him, it had to be, a hutt? The priestess couldn't make out fully who it was or what they looked like yet, but the feeling was there. Unknowingly for her, they were both here for the same individual. Perhaps they made their move toward them at the same time? That might be awkward.

OOC:

Spoiler

Left it up to you to describe the hutt or stranger you are seeking. Can assume she moves if you do.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Though the woman was in denial, Saul could easily tell that she was a Jedi. Even if she gave up that life a long time, she still has the mannerisms and habits of a Jedi. "That's were many Jedi are fighting at," Saul said taking a drag from his cigarette. "Unless you're not much of a fighter."

The Agent could recognize the look etched on the woman's face full of pain and regret. Her eyes though still remaining distant practically screamed that she seen too many things in her life that she didn't want to see. Saul knew that feeling all too well, yet he kept pressing on surviving nothing more than his will and plenty of alcohol. "Don't want to give out your name huh?" Saul smirked his eyes continuing to scan the area. "Fine, I understand I have no name as well. I'm a ghost and I was never here."

He was partially joking, Saul was nicknamed: Ghost during training due to his exceptional infiltration scores. His reputation spread throughout his career as he snuck into high security buildings and left without leaving so much as a smidge of mud on the floor. "Everyone is someone," Saul said. "Even social basket cases like us."

The way she spoke gave out an air of mystique, good for movies playing a mysterious and beautiful oracle but bad for reality. People will think she's odd even for a Jedi, thankfully she was paired with Saul who avoids social contact like a Wookie avoids bathing. "Well, if you look at that," Saul frowned seeing a Rodian dressed in light armor with two blasters placed on opposite sides.

"Know him," Saul placed his cigarette on the table. "He works for Elcor the Hutt," The Agent got up and began to trail the Rodian wondering why he was here instead of Elcor. Was Saul's information faulty? Or did plans change at the last minute.

From the corner of his eye, Saul noticed the woman following him. "What are you doing?" Saul grunted. "I thank you for the company but I got some things to do."

He turned on his heel began to walk already noticing the woman continuing to follow him. What is she up to? Part of Saul wondered if she was a spy for the Hutt but that was doubtful. She definitely wasn't following Saul because he was an attractive man that's for sure.

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Hopefully she wasn't a fighter. Just a seer doing her part to serve others the way she knew how. Maybe she was lying to herself. Conflict is in all things naturally, Keth's nightmares were right about that much. Counterbalance and balance in the dream's flow.

Ghosts they were. Drawing smile as his words tried to comfort her. He was kind, for a Ghost. A light warmth emanated from the priestess's hand as it touched her side. There the shatterpoint was felt approaching, the break in the force to collapse events, but now Saul was going to meet the Rodian, not who she had stalled from doing so. It was a false strand of prophecy.

What had gone wrong, so much preparation to find the likely strands that would lead to this. Were they being watched? Was there another? She was snapped out of it by Saul's own suspicion of her. Every time he turned around to talk to her, that awkward moment where they were heading in the same direction happened. She would fold her hands inside her robes appearing humble. Trying to keep her distance, eyes down or to the side, and ending up waiting off to the side of their conversation. Sera didn't need to overhear what was happening now, only sense the direction event were going.

Eventually as they interacted or spoke, she would approach the Rodian, eyes piercing, burning as she looked into him. To stand too close would be to sweat as heat warmed the air. Closer she came, within touching distance, the Rodian flinched but didn't shoot. Something in the way she looked, almost frightening, almost like a sith might look at something before them. Remnants of her past.

Was she imitating what she knew so well? Maybe, or maybe not.

Producing a small wooden symbol unfolded from within her robes. It looked something like DR with numerals etched into it. There was an understanding. Whether she followed or waited depended next on what the ghost next to her chose. If they went to the Hutt or were denied, then she'd need to find some other access.

However the event unfolded, "we are known to each other." She to Saul looking at the Rodian. Either way this went intensity ebbed away and she returned once more to as she had been, calmer, had it been an act to appear as she needed to be? Were they really being watched? Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Who was this Jedi really? Saul kept his distance watching the red woman appearing humble and keeping her distance. Her constant interference with his mission meant that she was a suspect. The Rodian locked eyes with the woman and gulped, quickly scurrying away from the two of them. Saul sighed anger slowly rising craning his head towards the woman who said they are known to each other.

“What do you mean by that?” Saul asked the woman. “You know the suspect? If so tell me everything.”

Looking back, Saul saw the Rodian turned on his heel and walked at brisk pace. His growled, he needed to hurry. However this woman is a liability. Saul looked at the wooden device that she taken from her robes labeled: DR. “What is that?” Saul whispered eyeing the woman suspiciously. “What are you going to do with it?”

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Pause. A turning to a New course.

There was clear tension to her steps as she followed. What was she going to do with their directives. Burn them all if she could. Correcting her mistakes. Sera folder her hands within her robes again and said little about her motives or what the DR stood for. What would Saul do with it? Become one more body that she allowed to have on her conscience. Sith thinking. Allowance. Control. She relaxed and walked between Sith and Jedi to offer what she could.

"Our actions don't end here, rich enough they will grow perhaps for another hundred, another thousand years." She had to understand if he could understand. That rich ideas continued on in an echo. What they did in an endless tug of war. The right idea was dangerous, it was a weapon, a cause, a culture, and when ritually repeated into their force could be terrifying.

Sera sighed and unfolded her hands, this previous force exertion had tired her, but there was sympathy for his questions and anger. Looking at Saul wanting to offer him more, foundation or concrete answers that he could understand. "I know he doesn't deserve what will happen to him. Even if he has done harm or harbors hate in his heart, nobody deserves…" Her head snapped around, turning her body following it "….We must hurry." Sera said to both of them. There was a murmur of activity somewhere within the bar behind them.

Seemed like civilians, rough around the edges but nobody special. Was that all? Is that what had her spooked a bunch of bar locals? Right now she wanted to pull Saul with her but wasn't near strong enough, or the kind of person to try. "There is more to say. I am sorry." She was almost pleading with Saul to get all three of them out of the room to their next destination.

There was a very slight chill in the air, as if it was becoming colder. It could easily be missed.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

The red woman was just dodging the question clearly uncomfortable with explaining her abilities. Saul quickly realized that she was less of a suspect and more of a person trying to help. The question now is: Why? "You haven't answered my question," the Agent replied bluntly annoyed that the woman's "answer" sounded like something taken from a fortune cookie.

Could he tell her that he was a SIA agent trying to bust an alliance between the Hutts and the NIO? Not yet, he didn't trust her and the fact that she keeps interfering with his mission. "It depends on what he says," Saul muttered following the Rodian who looked very nervous.

Saul frowned, why was he fidgeting so much? Where was he going? "What did you see in your visions?" Saul asked the red woman. "Because I have a feeling that something is not right as well."

OOCL

Spoiler

Okay so you're free to have Sera tell Saul about him meeting an experimental dark trooper. He's an enemy who nearly killed Saul in the past.

Think of him as basically Adam Smasher from Cyberpunk.

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Anger, frustration she felt these emotions from him. Questions were for now. Now had already happened, it was less important. These were old traits, she was trying to soften but they persisted. "Everything. All you want, we will speak of, but please." She hurried out whichever alley, exit or room the Rodian had gone to, hoping they'd all leave together before the past met the future from the bar.

The commotion in the bar increased slightly as the small group of civilians were going to each table looking for the Rodian, for Sera and now probably for Saul too. They still probably didn't seem like much of a problem to handle, rag tag, not that well armed or armored. Bit of a distant look in their eyes, hungry perhaps, not that well fed and malnourished, a couple could do with a good bath. It wasn't a danger so much as a reminder. The one in charge might have moved like ex military but he too was thin and malnourished, with a gaunt look to him. Two pairs of them looked exactly alike down to the smallest detail, a curious case of two sets of twins? Maybe Their faces might even be recognizable to the galaxy at large, if it weren't for the dirt, pain and hardship on them.

Assuming Saul also continued to follow the Rodian, he'd find Sera wherever they had been led.

What did she see? "Many half truths, hard to walk here talking to you and walk there at the same time. To read again clearly I'd need time and space." She looked concerned, almost worried, for the first time since they'd met. "I was to stop the Rodian meeting him, he was then to go… " her eyes closed falling into the moment, losing track of their surroundings, the force turned inward around them. Farseeing. "dark, damp, greying light. Hard walls, rubble, broken things, pain. You are there. He is there. Cold, unfeeling, maybe sadistic, maybe machine. The armor is distinct, sleek, polished and dark, you see him and," her eyes opened.

"I'm sorry." She said as sympathetically as Sera Inkari was able to a word that drew out her breath. That delay reaching for the most likely strands of possible futures, have given those in the bar time to search most of it, and it had tired her again further. Had the Rodian made his escape? All she said was, "Greysite," as if it were a place or a clue, "you ride the crow, and I," she looked up, seeing transports overhead. She couldn't see her own strand of time, standing too close to it.

The force felt colder, maybe a shiver, maybe an echo.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Saul glowered at the woman still trying to follow the Rodian but was annoyed by the Red Woman's mysterious messages. "Is there an off button to her?" Saul thought. The drunken rants by the homeless by his apartment made more sense than whatever the woman was rambling. He gave a sigh of relief when the woman left.

"I assumed you've heard that?" Saul said touching his ear. Inside was a small radio connected to the small bones of his ear, his personal A.I: Dave was on the other end watching Saul's progress from inside the secret room of his apartment.

"I did and I'm running a scan on the woman as we speak," Dave said. "She looks like she wants to help you though."

"Don't know about that," Saul muttered. "I'm not going to accept help from any old crackpot from the streets."

"She is a seer," Dave said. "A rare ability for a Jedi, only the most in tuned can see the future."

Saul snorted while he continued to follow the Rodian. "Destiny," he said. "A free will advocate's worst nightmare."

"I'll be also monitoring on why Elcor the Hutt didn't arrive at the location." Dave said. "This is not like him for not going to this deal, he doesn't like relying on middlemen. He prefers to meet his partners upfront."

"That's okay," Saul said. "I'm used to things going wrong, tracking the Rodian down."

"Be careful," Dave said. "His name is Chigg Owi: Elcor's right hand man. He's one of the best marksmen in Nal Hutta. If Chigg is spooked then...."

"I got it," Saul grunted. "Over and out."

As he turned the corner he saw the red woman again, she apologized while Saul gave her a suspicious glare. She went on talking about seeing a machine that's cold and unfeeling. The woman's face wretched with fear and concern for Saul. Honestly what she described sounded vaguely familiar..... Saul had it on the tip of his tongue. "What are you talking about?" Saul said when the woman that they rode the crow and mentioned: Greysite. "You haven't lost him," Saul sighed pointing at the rusted metal door. "I already know where he's going."

He turned to Saul. "You're going to follow me?" he asked. "Then you need to explain your visions and why are you so fixated on this Rodian?"

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Follow "not you. We can part, I can enter, but I may not be strong enough." She admitted looking at their now shared fate, a door to open. Even if she wished to spare him from what he would see, somethings had to be confronted, personal demons exercised.

Explain the visions. He'd see her almost laugh and relax an inch, siding by that foreboding rusty door to destiny. Do you have your four sided map ready she wondered, almost ready to break into another explanation about strands. Instead she pulled into the moment, by fatigue as well as empathy. Removing any trace of veil to talk freely, Sera smiled, her face closer up wasn't too burned, with just light scaring along her cheek, and the smile brought some needed warmth to in. Perhaps she wore that veil to hide her scars, soon covering them with an equally burned hand.

"Behind us was past, my past. Hurt, wounded and those we wronged. Left and abandoned to become wretches as they are now." Wretches wrapped around the finger of another. An echo. Always there. Going against her nature to think of past, or even present sometimes, so what he asked of her was difficult to do. Abandoned Sithwatch and also a few clones of famous heroes or legends at the time that fought in the One Sith's wars, well known faces once that looked nothing like they used to now, volunteers from all over the galaxy making a clone army.

Taking her time to rest on a ledge, to recover from her exertions. Understanding was like a rat in a maze, always seeking the cheese. An addiction.

In a different tone, "ahead of us, he is there," looking to Saul, there were some tears in her eyes. "Your pain is waiting. For both of us." Because also there was at least one dead lingering spirit. Closing her eyes, "Guilt of my ghosts" she'd put there, "cold echoes" in their force, that her old master still collected even in his death, amassing more than she cared to know, for a purpose she couldn't see.

"We can mend a mistake," she said to him quietly, "stop others suffering as we do." Opening her eyes sharply. "But don't lose yourself." She wanted to scream those last words and so said them louder than all the others, herself and perhaps him too a walking reminder of losing yourself.

Walking Ghosts that had not died.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Saul paused breaking his gaze from the Rodian that entered the building and shifted it towards the Red Woman. It was the first time in what felt like years that Saul wasn't focused on the mission. The woman sounded hurt as if she had done and seen things that no person should ever experience. According to her visions, whoever this Rodian was leading her to is the key to confronting her past. "Maybe its less about her visions," Saul thought. "And more about trauma she experienced."

The agent didn't feel annoyance with the Red Woman but sympathy. They both shared in having to do unsavory things and paying the price for it. Saul wasn't sure what the woman meant when she said there was pain for both of them. But he set it aside "listen....." Saul paused. She didn't tell him her name which made forming sentences difficult. Given that he rarely interacts with people, Saul always stuck to a script and the red woman was single handedly sidestepping them leaving Saul trying to recover. "You and I have more in common than I thought."

He stared at the door. "I don't know what you expect when you meet Elcor the Hutt," Saul said. "But I'll protect you, I know how you feel I've..... done a lot of things in my past that I'm not proud of. Unfortunately, the nightmares no matter how much we want them to, will never go away. It's like you said, the only we can do is to prevent people from experiencing it. Don't think taking it head on when you say that you're not strong enough is the right idea but if you insist on confronting whatever is haunting you than come with me. Just one thing."

Saul smiled at the Red Woman. "When the fighting starts, stay the hell out of my way."

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Rarely releasing trauma as her focus was often on the future, all was shaped and molded again to now to experience anew, but she often missed her lessons to learn to heal.

We have more in common. "Yes." Sera said softly, composing herself. Different paths, same place, same result. Protect her, she smiled and lowered her hood. Protect her from her fate. She remembered her Master, the bargains they'd made to save some. She would outlive all of them, her penance was to see it all, all of them age and all of them die. That was her price, she could not really tell him, that this would happen again, and again and again. Until things were changed and suffering was avoided. She would witness it all, every agony over the generations that came from these actions.

Sera had tried to warn him, and to prepare him. All she could do was stand up again, to prepare herself. "Whatever happens." The fire danced across her fingertips and palm, not touching of course, but a degree of control over the flame's position, even if it still burned and shaped as it wanted. A control of finesse she never had as a sith. "We are not alone." Meaning of course their force, but also each other, in that order according to her ideology and dogma.

Flames vanished to haze and then nothing as they burned out. She was ready and would enter behind him as he requested.

Kintan's priestess disguised herself again. Finally, the reason for the veil was evident, not vanity from scars or even regret toward those that were coming, but purpose. They were still coming, still searching for the pair and this place, ordinary men and women with nothing left to lose.

All would converge here in time as she now saw it was destined to be. "All will find peace." She said optimistically, "even ghosts."

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

A small smirk formed on Saul's face he didn't remember the last time he genuinely smiled. But of all of the Red Woman's babbling, the only thing that made sense was that even Ghosts can find peace. "I appreciate it," Saul stumbled on his words surprised at how happy he was. "I think the only way I'll find peace is in a grave, but I appreciate you giving me hope."

Even if it was false hope.

The woman removed her hood revealing some faint burn marks on her face. Even past the scars, Saul saw her heart shaped face and soft features, her expression suggests a troubled yet hopeful vibe. Though whether she felt hopeful because of Saul's words he did not know. What Saul did know was that she was attractive in spite of the scars. While the woman formed flames on her fingertips and disguised herself again, Saul regained his focus turning his gaze towards the door. "Two social outcasts vs the entire Galaxy." He mused. "That's sounds like something from a Holobook."


The agent took out his silenced blaster pistol and slowly opened the door, Saul quickly scanned the area checking his corners before motioning the red woman to come inside. Pointing his blaster pistol from side to side, Saul leaned against the rusted metal approaching a dark room ahead. "Saul," Dave called on the radio. "I'm losing your signal but I'm detecting multiple hostiles unknown classification."

"Got it," Saul muttered before turning to the red woman. "If we get in trouble," Saul whispered. "Hide. Understand?"

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

"Then it was a good book." Another smile, almost a laugh, almost there. Definitely fire in the eyes returning.

"You are more than you realize," Sera said openly, "we never see everything we are, that takes others to tell us or show us." Moments like this too.
Otherwise, everyone would live alone. A very light pat was given to his arm if he allowed her, till she withdrew back to herself.

Kintan's priestess stood taller, a bit of her past self returning. Chin slightly raised toward whatever danger lay ahead.

Hide. She appreciated his offer but there was no way to hide. "we won't lose ourselves," Sera added. Again warning, again assisting, again meaning both. Ghost did hide, but they didn't need to become monsters, we would see. She even said a quiet prayer, something she hadn't done for a long time. For their force to watch over both of them. Kissing a small orange symbol around her neck to end.

Breathing in deeply, centering herself, there wasn't a Jedi's calm but there was readiness.

"Ready."

Ahead perhaps, grey light, rubble, the tip tap drops of moisture, hard walls, a distant chill and…

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Saul wished what the red woman said was true but hope was that, hope there wasn't a guarantee that things will get better. In Saul's experience it was the opposite. Still, the Agent found himself smiling once again when the Red Woman patted his arm. It was a light touch but it told Saul enough that the Red Woman would stand by his side. Though Saul preferred to be alone, he did appreciate that maybe..... just maybe there was somebody who actually liked him.

"Huh, miracles do happen." Saul thought.

Leaning towards the railing, Saul heard the loud thumping echoing in the dark room along with whirring of machinery. Squinting, he saw large droids cladded in dark armor, their eyes glowing red carrying blaster rifles. "Dark Troopers," Saul muttered to the Red Woman. "About 10 of them, looks like the NIO is staking a claim on Nar Shadaa and very aggressively as well. You don't send in the calvary unless something big is going to happen."

Stormtroopers would be preferrable to Dark Troopers. These were merciless soldiers devoid of any humanity, Saul remembered being reduced to paste by one of these Dark Troopers. Derek Sol a former Sith Trooper turned NIO soldier during the war between the Sith Empire and the NIO. He had a reputation of being sociopath not caring for collateral damage. Recently he was taken into the Dark Trooper program where he became more machine than man. A tool, nothing more but all of his humanity ripped away. Saul remembered Derek how he manhandled him during a mission, how he left him for dead. He still had nightmares over it.

"I can't take them on," Saul said. "We're gonna have to sneak by them."

Sera Inkari

 

[Sera Inkari]

Dark figures, large and imposing. Reminding her of old One Sith troopers, trained to be devoid of usual emotion or understanding to commit unspeakable acts. In the sith's case rewarded for their brutality. The metallic noises were offputting but potentially masking steps if done in time, not that she would think of this.

Saul might see Sera silent, eyes closed. Hopefully not sleeping. Many possible futures before her eyes all leading here, sorting through them, noises, headlights, speeders, traffic. Some were dead ends, some were bright lies, and some were the most likely. "Noise. Speeder Horn. Distraction." Soon. She opened her eyes back up, this farseeing was not easy to keep doing and there was a toll on her accuracy as well as on her physically. Evident because if they waited it might seem like nothing was going to happen, delayed, until outside from their buildings west there was a huge.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP

Two speeders almost collided, and angry insults were exchanged in passing somewhere along the streets outside. A constant backdrop of buzzing life on the smuggler's moon.

Much of the Dark Troopers' attention shifted, to a mostly blacked-out window, with just eyes holes cut out to see. There were ten of them still, so chances were Saul might need to show some skill too to avoid the rest. Even just in showing timing and telling them when to move. A brief opportunity to make their move, she would stay low behind him, struggling to step quietly over the rubbled floor or see that well in the filtered grey light.

That presence again, colder, calling.

Saul Colsan