Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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A Sudden Slight

Tugoro found it difficult to take on Padawans. It wasn't that he disliked teaching, it was far from that. Teaching was the only way the young Knight could show off without being reprimanded by the other Masters. Speaking of which, it had been months since he last visited the Temple, or any Academy for that matter. Times for the Jedi Order and Republic were looking pretty bad, from what Tugoro was able to understand. Lots of political drama, due to the fact that there were alleged war crimes comitted by the... Supreme Chancellor? Tugoro didn't know, he was bad with such specifics.

What he did know was that the Mandalorians had declared war on the Republic, after a long time of peace and alliance. There were simply too many things to be done in times like this, and the young man had a difficult time choosing. He was torn mentally, but it wasn't like anyone could tell. He was calm and composed outwardly, standing quietly within the primary conference room of the Nar Shaddaa Enclave. One of his late masters, The Dark Man, had shown him this secret location. It was the ideal hangout for Tugoro, seeing as he enjoyed patrolling the city night life.

However, there was something off about tonight, even more so than usual. There was a disturbance in the force, and Tugoro knew that there was something that needed to be done. He had encountered a One Sith agent of sorts before, and knew of the Techno Union's alliance with the One Sith. The dark side was about, and the Knight was ready to seek it out. Almost, at least. [member="Dune Rhur"] and [member="Ben Corscifine"] had been summoned to the Enclave earlier, and now Tugoro awaited their arrival. Their assistance would be vital in this operation.
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

[member="Ben Corscifine"] and Dune Rhur had arrived on Nar Shadda on a cargo ship which also took on passengers. Not the height of luxury but it avoided unwanted attention. They'd been assigned to a Knight there who'd requested assistance. Perhaps he'd expected more, but the two Padawans would have to do.

They'd travelled in civilian clothes as part of their disguise. Two young males off to the pleasure dens of Little Coruscant. Dune didn't see what was so pleasurable about the place. For starters, it stank here from the pollution.

Secondly, the press of too many bodies in such a small space. Then there were the garish neon lights and holo are. The noise was constant and chaotic. In short, the Bith wished to be away from this place.

His discipline took hold of him. They'd been assigned to a mission and therefore it had to be done. The first key was to meet up at the rendezvous point.

"This place smells terrible," Dune said to Ben as he leaned close enough to be heard over the din.
 
When Ben received a summons from a Jedi he did not know asking him to come to a place he had never been to, Ben actually found himself particularly excited. This was unusual, seeing as Ben was, by nature, a creature of habit. From what Ben had heard and read, Nar Shaddaa was a vibrant and exciting place, if not a little scummy. He was also happy to hear that [member="Dune Rhur"], one of his closest fellows on Lothal, had also been assigned this mission. Neither Ben nor Dune were sure what exactly the trip to the Smuggler's Moon entailed, but it was nice to be trusted with an assignment.

Dune clearly was more bothered than Ben by the luxury and loudness of Little Coruscant. Frankly, whatever Dune was smelling wasn't so apparent to Ben, but Dune was of more sensitive constitution than Ben. "Hopefully it won't be so bad once we get inside the enclave," Ben offered.

Or maybe Ben just had a taste for vice.

This [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] was unfamiliar to Ben. All the young padawan had been told was that he was a young Jedi Knight who operated out of a secret enclave on Nar Shaddaa. Ben knew Dune to be a more meticulous student. Perhaps he had more information.

"Do you know anything about this Jedi we're supposed to be meeting? Or what we're doing here in the first place?"

Ben and Dune were disguised, so Ben attempted to keep his voice low in the interest of discretion. Not that the conversation of one young human and one young Bith would be noticed in the packed, raucous streets of a place like this, but Ben still wouldn't want to be responsible for blowing their cover in the event that the wrong person happened to be listening at exactly the wrong moment.
 
With his arms folded behind his back and hands clasped together, Tugoro continued to wait silently in the conference room, his patience wearing thin as the minutes went by. Pivoting on his heel, the young Knight would turn to walk out of the dimmed room, figuring that the briefing would have to be skipped. Time was short and there was none left to be wasted. Stepping through the automated door's frame, Tugoro would continue along the corridor until he reached his private chamber. Changing out of his Jedi tunic and into his street wear, the young man would head for the staircase, leaping down one level to the middle deck. The warehouse had been nicely refurnished, but it was still quite the dump.

Either way, it was Nar Shaddaa, so you couldn't really ask for anything more unless you were on the higher levels of the city-planet. Donning his brown leather jacket, Tugoro would fasten his boots tightly before jogging along the bridge into the Corellian sector. The force was abundant on this planet, given the mass amounts of life upon it. However, only few stood out as significant, those being the signatures of [member="Dune Rhur"] and [member="Ben Corscifine"]. Breaking into a sprint, Tugoro would suddenly jump into the air, propelling himself upwards via the force. It's energy streamed out of his feet in a telekinetic fashion, allowing him to achieve temporary flight. Touching down on the side of a building, the Knight would utilize pipes, window sills, anything he could to scale the duracrete wall. With the forces aid, he was even able to cling to the flat surface for brief moments, crawling up it like a spider might.

Moving fast, the Jedi hoped to keep out of sight, continuing upwards as he pulled himself up onto the building's surface. From there, he continued travelling, leaping from rooftop to rooftop in order to focus in on the two Padawans. Coming to a halt, Tugoro would kneel down and gaze upon the streets, his sense as keen as ever as he surveyed the crowds. His senses of sight, smell, and hearing were already above average due to his upbringing, along with the force they could reach inhuman levels. Though, what really made the duo stand out was the aura of light they possessed, something Tugoro was able to notice instantly among the common scum that walked to and fro. Leaning forward, the young man would allow himself to drop down into a dark alleyway, before emerging and heading in their direction.

it probably looked suspicious, but it was better than gathering attention by jumping off of the roof. Coming to a halt before Ben and Dune, Tugoro would give them a firm nod before speaking, "Glad you could make it." They were the spitting image of Tugoro and his former friend, Kian Karr. Just a bit older. He and the Kel Dor had been through a lot, it was difficult to think that everyone else was probably going through the same. It was sad, really. No doubt they had many questions, and so they could be asked on the way there. Turning tail once more, the young Knight would head off through the crowds, hoping the Padawans kept up.
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Ben Corscifine"]

Dune could tell Shadda excited Ben much as it repulsed himself. They walked among the press, turning off at the appropriate place. There a man looking like an older Ben briefly stopped in front of them. He spoke before melting back into the crowd.

Dune shared a glance with the human Padawan before they followed the distinct Force presence down the street....
 
It was a little unnerving how similar the Jedi Knight was to Ben.

Maybe an inch taller, Ben observed. See..you're not finished growing yet.

The man appeared for a moment, his Jedi identity made clear by his presence in the Force, and offered a brief greeting before disappearing down the street at an elevated pace. Clearly the Jedi was more comfortable in the crowds than Dune and Ben were, as he easily slipped past the throngs and continued down the street. Ben could feel himself and his partner losing distance from the man, as they were simply unable to match his pace on this crowded moon. Still, he seemed to be tethered to them through the Force, not intending to lose the two padawans who were meant to accompany him on this mission.

Putting and elbow out in front of him, Ben pushed through the crowd with an increased speed, being more brash than his Bith friend, who followed behind. Ben wondered how his friend kept from apologizing to every person that they bumped into.

Must be because they're smelly.

Despite the fact that Tugoro was faster than both Ben and Dune, the younger man was determined to keep up. Ben wondered if maybe this was some sort of test. After all, both padawans were still completely in the dark, and there was no time to put the matter up for debate.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
 
In only a matter of moments, Tugoro had managed to lose the two padawans within the flowing streets of Nar Shaddaa. Whoops. That was seriously a mistake, he thought that they would have been able to keep up. Perhaps he could turn this all into a test somehow... Nah, feth it. They would probably have time for things like that later, for now the group needed to concentrate on traveling to their desired location. Which Tugoro only knew of, at the moment. In case they had trouble tracking him, the young man would lift his arm, displaying his brown leather sleeved arm for [member="Ben Corscifine"] and [member="Dune Rhur"]. Assuming they could see it amongst all of the grotesque looking aliens, with their long necks and such. Tugoro tried not to be offensive when it came to certain species appearances, keeping his thoughts to himself at all costs.

It was a part of being a Jedi, something he still thought he had trouble with. No wonder he was still a Knight, while all of the others had gone on to be masters. Corvus, Kian, Kana, all of them. He always wondered what had happened to Lupe, and Anarya though. Such thoughts always made him jealous and angry, but he had worked to control these emotions over the years. They had damaged him greatly, his own light having been clouded for sometime. He often surmised that his recklessness as a youth was a direct result from his thoughts of inadequacy. Of course, that couldn't have been right, for Tugoro was perfect and powerful. How foolish he had been. He had seen all of this, or some form of it, within Ben. All it had taken was a brief glance into his eyes. Perhaps... Perhaps he could turn this all into a test. Somehow. Crossing the street into another dark alleyway, Tugoro would await the two padawan's arrival, before continuing on along the path.

"We're heading to the Refugee sector. I've been monitoring activities their for awhile now. I even encountered a Sith Lord," the young Jedi explained, hoping the two knew exactly what they were in for. "If we're lucky, we'll find another. I know of the Techno Union's alliance with the One Sith, though not much of their operations. If it is the One Sith, they are probably bringing in weaponry or other equipment illegally, and distributing it to the populace," the Knight paused, exhaling in an annoyed fashion. "After all, crime basically runs the economy here." Suddenly, Tugoro would pause, his eyes widening as he turned and continued walking towards the next sector. Since when did he talk so much?
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"][member="Ben Corscifine"]

They followed the Force signature at a distance. The Bith supposed it was part of his cover. Ben dove headlong into the crowd, pushing past. He simply moved with the flow. Much less effort that way.

As they caught up, the Jedi told them more. Dune had to keep his facial expression neutral with an effort when the Sith were mentioned. He couldn't imagine encountering one to be a 'good thing'. Their involvement meant it got a lot more complicated.

He wasn't afraid of them, but only an idiot truly looked forward to encountering them. They were deadly, for they could wreak havoc and take many down with them. It was a duty, no more than that, to defend against them. Of course, the Padawan kept silent as they moved along.
 
An opportunity to disrupt a One Sith operation? Ben truly looked forward to the opportunity to serve in the war effort, even in a role not as obvious as front-line combat with the Sith. He could feel Dune shying from the idea of a confrontation, and he was probably right to do so. For a Jedi, combat was the last option.

It didn't help that combat was Ben's best skill.

Ben could feel on this Knight Taidarious the marks of kinship. It was as if he and Ben were members of the same species of man, prone to the same shortcomings and masters of the same strengths. Perhaps, as the two got to know one another, Tugoro could serve as a valuable role model for the young Jedi, who struggled every day with what he considered--only privately and in deep meditation--to be the precarious position that he held with the Light Side of the Force. Ben was passionate, prideful, and obsessive. Intentions aside, these were all paths to the Dark Side.

Corvus had explained to him on more than one occasion that a fall to the Dark Side is ultimately a choice. A decision to take the easy way out in ones relationship to his inner turmoils. Ben would be mindful, and protect against taking that low, wide, oft-trodden road. In his deepest being, Ben felt that meeting Tugoro would be an important event in that endeavor.

Taking a cue from his often-correct pal, Ben kept his mouth shut, simply deferring to their superior with intentioned presence. They were there to assist and carry out the will of the Force, however Tugoro directed them to do so.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
 
Continuing through the streets, Tugoro would make sure to glance behind him every so often, just incase [member="Ben Corscifine"] and [member="Dune Rhur"] got lost again. Though, the trio was now traveling through the backstreets of the Corellian sector, which weren't so packed if you ignored the creatures and homeless people. From a brisk walk, the young Knight would break into a full sprint, his legs moving in wide strides as he dashed down the dark alley. There were many twists and turns, even some drops to lower levels, but eventually they arrived at the Enclave. It was a beat down warehouse on the outside, but inside it was somewhat different. Still not luxurious, but it served it's purpose. Either way, the trio were not heading into it right now. Instead, Tugoro would continue forth, crossing one of the bridges before leaping into the air, landing on the one that led into the Refugee sector.

Suddenly skidding to a halt, the young man would turn to face Ben and Dune while lifting an arm, waving it through the air to display the seemingly dead-end they had come across. Except, this was no regular dead end. It was not walled off, but a massive open drop that led into the Refugee sector below. It was a dead end, in the sense that taking the route was suicidal. "Nar Shaddaa is a place teeming with life. Know the force's presence, and let it flow through you." With that Tugoro would turn from the duo, sprinting full speed before jumping out into the darkness below. Before fading out of their sight, the Knight would turn himself mid air, pointing to the wall that extended around in a cylindrical fashion around the seemingly bottomless drop.

There were many pipes, power units, and other things that could be utilized for climbing. It would prove to be a safer method of travel, but would take a bit longer. Tucking his arms to his sides, Tugoro would dive through the air, his eyes widening as he spotted a few speeders going from sector to sector. There were a bunch of open air lanes, and the fall would be a lot more dangerous than the Jedi had initially thought. With his telekinesis however, he was able to guide his movements, narrowly avoiding death by collision on numerous occasions, before landing slowly on another large bridge that led straight into the sector.
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"][member="Ben Corscifine"]

Dune liked Shadda even less as he saw the homeless and destitute of the refugee sector. How could the Techno Union ignore this suffering? The hunger and desperation came off of them in waves. He ached to help them but knew he couldn't without possibly blowing his cover.

It was with a heavy heart that he leapt into the darkness. Letting the Force guide him, he found the handholds provided by piping, power lines and other things. He quickly skittered down like a spider, his boots finding solid ground in just moments. Dune found the as yet unnamed Jedi's headfirst leap excessive.

Seeing him ahead, he strolled over the ribbon bridge.
 
Ben was alone on the edge off of which their guide and Dune had both leaped. Ben wouldn't want to admit it, but he was a little nervous. That was an understatement. He was afraid to jump. He remembered falling on Ilum into the endless whiteness and snow when he had attempted to save Quinn from throwing herself off of a cliff when she sprinted blindly through the blizzard. He remembered the vision that he had encountered upon reaching the bottom, of his childhood home overrun by Sith. He was willing, but his body would not allow him to move. In his mind (valid or not) Ben was supposed to be the brave, brash one, while Dune was the contemplative member of their friendship, and yet the Bith had jumped without a thought into the darkness below. Then Ben remembered the telekinetic practice that he had had with Dune.

"Trust the Force," he had said.

They don't call it a leap of faith for nothing, I guess.

So Ben took the dive, and attempted to quiet his mind. With any luck, the Force would carry him through the fall. As he plummeted, he found that his fear was gone. It was replaced by faith in the Force. He could be sure that it would protect him as he neared the bottom. He reached out and found a pipe, which he was able to use to slow his fall just in time to reach the bottom. He then moved ahead on the bridge to join Dune and the Knight.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
 
Now that the trio had made the journey, they were extremely close to their destination. Walking slowly at a calm rate, Tugoro would let [member="Dune Rhur"] and [member="Ben Corscifine"] walk beside him, as they ventured deeper into the Refugee sector. Just about everyone you saw here was either wounded, sick, or simply impoverished by the raging wars in the galaxy. Refugees from all around came to Nar Shaddaa, though all of them were usually in the same state. It was pitiful, but Tugoro knew that it took two to tango. That was why lots of people hated Jedi nowadays, the Republic even more so. Emerging from an alleyway, the three would find themselves in the warehouse district, a rather large building just one hundred meters away. They were hidden by the shadows, and it was clear that there was some sort of activity going on in the distance. What appeared to be workers were unloading crates from a cargo ship that had just recently docked. The men were all uniformed, but nothing really stood out as a red light.

"That's the place. Big warehouse. We want to get in and out quickly. Exactly what do you two specialize in?" the Knight figured he should ask, turning to look to the human and Bith.
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Ben Corscifine"]

They'd walked along the docks, keeping mostly to the shadows. Thusly, they remained unnoticed by the workers. It was interesting how you didn't always have to apply anything more than intelligence and common sense. His attention directed to the enclave, Dune took In a nondescript building.

It made perfect sense as a safehouse. No one would live in such a rathole, not even a Jedi. The thought amused the Bith. People as a whole really didn't understand as much as they assumed.

I specialise in not dying, Dune wanted to reply to the question, and not killing. Instead, he replied thus.

"Specialise?," he shook his head "I'm an apprentice, Jedi. We aren't allowed to specialise as such."
 
Ben always found it amusing when Dune got sassy. He didn't know why, it just always surprised him. Ben stifled a small laugh, but quickly regained his composure. The question hadn't struck Ben so harshly as it seemed to have struck Dune.

"I mean, no, we don't have specialties; we're attempting to learn all we can. We're apprentices; we're exploring," Ben echoed Dune's answer. "Although my training has been more successful when it comes to lightsaber combat. I'm becoming fairly good with Forms I and V, and I have some training with Form III."

It wasn't an extensive summary of what he had learned in his time with the Order, but it was certainly the closest thing Ben had to a specialization.

In reality, I'm pretty much a novice at everything.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
 
A sigh would escape Tugoro's pursed lips, as he frowned in disappointment. Maybe bringing these two was a bad idea after all. The Bith wasn't even competent enough to list his skills, whereas [member="Ben Corscifine"] had at least caught on. Looking to the young man who was his age, the Knight would nod firmly, concluding, "Alright, a duelist. Good," he spoke knowing full well that Ben could change his expertise at any given time in the future. It really didn't matter what they wanted to specialize in, what mattered was what they knew now. With dull and unamused eyes, Tugoro would fix his gaze on [member="Dune Rhur"] before falling silent, awaiting a real answer as he folded his arms over his chest. Tugoro, however, wasn't exactly satisfied. "If you have no skill set and are effectively useless... Stay out of our way. You can think that you aren't allowed to specialize, but the sooner you learn the better. First things first, don't bring that Academy poodoo here. It'll get you killed," he stated matter of fact, remembering many Jedi in the past that had been slaughtered on the streets of Nar Shaddaa.

This was a rough environment, and some Jedi practices and ideals were simply too passive. It was obvious that Tugoro was being overly stern, but the toll the war took on some was also apparent. Tugoro had been around for years and witnessed much, whether he liked it or not. It was clear that the Knight had zero tolerance for such behavior, and for good reason. It was all out of concern and worry, under the blanket of coldness he wore. The tall, looming lampposts that shone brightly at the end of the cargo piers were suddenly blotted out by darkness, as a sleek looking Imperial craft lowered from above. It was a Lambda-class shuttle, one that had been repainted black and adorned the insignia of the One Sith.

Moving back into the cover of the alleyway, Tugoro aimed to pull Ben and Dune with him, not wanting them to be spotted by whoever was about to exit. A few moments passed, and the airtight lock on the boarding ramp would release as mist sprayed down from under the ship's nose. The ramp lowered to the ground, allowing three individuals to exit the shuttle. One was your standard soldier, donned in the usual One Sith infantry armor. The other was an officer of some sort, decked out in a sleek grey suit, his shirt decorated with whatever symbol that indicated his rank. Either way, these two were hardly noticeable, for in the middle was what appeared to be their main target. A decently sized man, who seemed to be athletic in build. Decent height, decent muscle mass, along with black clothe draped around his body, a hood and mask concealing their identity while a short but flowing cap billowed in their movement. They entered the warehouse along with all of the other workers that had been present, leaving the coast clear.
 
[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Ben Corscifine"]

The Bith smiled, almost imperceptible except to another Bith. Even Ben wouldn't catch it even though he'd become adept at reading the allegedly poker faced Bith. His Master had begun rubbing off on him with her irreverence. Being too tense impeded your performance after all.

The Padawans followed along into the alleyway. Dune stayed in the cover of it as he watched the shuttle land and it's passengers disembark. His eyes followed the figure in the centre, feeling the aura in the Force. This was the Sith, then.
 
While Ben had--as a result of their extended friendship--moved past the point of incessantly teasing Dune for his pacifism, he still got a kick out of the Jedi Knight's stern words. In reality, Ben knew Dune to be skilled in many aspects of a Jedi's training. His abilities with Force powers far exceeded Ben's, but Dune wasn't the type to gloat or aggrandize. He never felt the need to sell himself, while Ben was constantly in a state of trying to prove something. With his militaristic manner, Tugoro was clearly more a Jedi after Ben's heart than Dune's.

As the shuttle bearing their target touched down, Ben felt his heart rate rise slowly. It was somewhere between nerves and excitement, not quite distinguishable as either. But Ben could feel the Sith through the Force, both as a presence, but--more importantly--as an enemy. This signal was Dark, and felt opposed to Ben's very being, as if the two could not be allowed to exist in the same place at once.

Three figures emerged from the shuttle, Ben did not know how to determine what their roles were; he had never seen combat with the One Sith before. All he knew was that the hooded figure in the center was the Sith--there was no mistaking the sinking in his gut. Ben took what he had learned and attempted to center himself, steadying his breathing.

Soon, it would be time.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
 
Tugoro was still a bit annoyed with [member="Dune Rhur"]. Even if the Bith was trained and a Knight to be, he was a rookie. Sure, Tugoro wasn't that old either, but he had power and experience to back him on the battlefield. He also had people that knew how to work with his skillset. Pressing a button upon his wrist communicator, the young man would suck in air through his mouth, his cheeks narrowing slightly as he flicked one side. Opening his mouth and allowing the air to escape at that moment, the Jedi seemed to simulate the sound of a rather loud rain drop. It was an easy trick that most people could do, but Tugoro had more. He could even speak Shryiiwook, but that was not the point. He had sent a discreet signal, and only minutes later a brief flash of light could be seen by a nearby rooftop, across from the trio's current position and passed the warehouse. It was Strike Squad, confirming that they were present and aware of the situation.

Emerging from the shadows, Tugoro would beckon for [member="Ben Corscifine"] and the Bith to stay close, as he darted along the duracrete ground towards the warehouse entrance. Directing his gaze upwards, the Knight spotted a camera that panned from side to side. It was located high upon the warehouse wall, just below the roof that slightly curved downward to give the surveillance machine some cover. Tugoro would squint, narrowing his vision as he focused it upon the camera. Force energy would begin to gather, surrounding the machine before compressing it completely. Sparks and smoke would rise from it after it's destruction, providing them a clear path into the warehouse.

Though, someone would eventually notice, and so they had to be quick. Pressing his body against the wall, the Jedi would lift his arm, tapping a button upon the console before waiting for a moment, a red light flashing on the panel. Through the force, he could sense the dark presence, it was all the way in the back section of the warehouse already. Knowing they had to be quick, Tugoro would place his flat palm upon the console once again, closing his eyes briefly as bright emerald electricity began to crackle around his hand. It flowed into the circuitry, frying and overloading it. Though, through the guidance of the force, Tugoro was able to trigger the door's release, causing it to slide open loudly. "Who's there?" Someone asked nervously from within. The sound of a blaster pistol could be heard, as someone approached the doorway slowly.
 
[member="Ben Corscifine"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

Having a Bith's auditory organs meant Dune made as close to no noise as possible. He could hear every scuff and scrape distinctly and he was careful to stay on his toes. He cringed when the camera went up in sparks. Not very subtle, the camera going out suddenly would attract attention of the unwanted kind.

When the door slid open, Dune could already hear the footfalls of the guard before he spoke up. Before the Jedi fried this being, Dune acted. He signalled to the other two to wait before stepping forward. It was risky because he was counting on the individual to not kill him on site. Then again, few beings would outright murder a stranger in cold blood.

"We're with the delegation," Dune said as he saw a nervous young human holding out a blaster pistol. "Three of us. Everything is in order and you don't need to check in."

The Bith made a discreet gesture as he spoke and the human's face went slack as he repeated the words.

"You're with the delegation. Three of you. Everything's in order, go ahead, sir."

Dune looked back to the others and cocked his head towards the door.
 

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