An Inconvenient Situation

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Aster

Escorted by a guard, Aster made her way to the bathroom with the Chiss orphan's tiny hand in her's.

"Everything will be okay," she smiled, attempting to comfort the young child, this time, there was truth to her words. "I promise."

"In, out. Don't waste time," the man ordered when the teenager and child arrived outside the bathroom.

"You go first," Aster maintained her smile as she spoke to the child and ushered her inside.

​

Adair​

Adair shifted in his seat, preparing to strike, his hands freed from the rope that bound them together as he had told the Lady. Quietly, he watched as the Jedi initiated eye contact and flicker her eyes to the man closest to him, presumably indicating which he should target.

Unable to offer much of a reply, the bodyguard tapped his shoes twice in response to the Jedi's gesture then clicked his tongue to indicate that he was ready to strike. Though unarmed, he was confident in his ability to overpower and wrest away the firearm from his grasp. There was no room for failure if he wished to protect not only his assignment but the orphaned children as well.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Aster’s personal guard was alert and she was pleased he was ready to act. Taking his cue that they should strike now, Sorel relied on her basic Jedi training. Although the saber was the preferred method of combat, there were many occasions when it was not appropriate – and when subduing with the minimum risk of loss of life or limb was preferable.

The approach she’d been taught was not pretty – but it was effective. With great speed, she was able to bring her knee up to the man’s groin as hard as she could. Once he naturally doubled over with the combined shock and pain, she elbowed him in the Adam’s apple. This would ensure he didn’t cry out. And then – although three distinct movements, they flowed as one – she grabbed his blaster and hit him hard on the back of the head – rendering him unconscious.

One on one she was the better of him. She just had to rely on Adair performing his part to ensure her rescue attempt didn’t end prematurely.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Adair

Patiently, Adair waited for Sorel to make her move before he made his. Surprised by Sorel's attack, the other gunman moved to assist his comrade ignoring Adair who took this opportunity to sneak up behind him and twisted the man's neck violently with a sickening crack. "Swine," he grunted, dropping the gunman's lifeless body on the ground and sat in wait for the last to enter.

Aster

Fear welled up inside Aster as the gunman escorted her and the orphan back to the room. Though she knew Adair and the Jedi, Sorel was more than capable of disarming a man each, she was still nervous. Too many lives rested on their success.

"Open the door," her oppressor ordered, shoving the barrel of his gun into her back until it dug into her skin.

Hands trembling, she ushered the Chiss child in front of her before opening the door and dived to the ground, wrapping herself around the child as the familiar sound of Adair's boots rushed at the man behind her.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel would have preferred to have incapacitated the men, as opposed to killing either of them, but she also accepted that the children’s lives were paramount and that one fatality was – although regrettable – the price they had to pay for the rescue.

Sorel quickly placed the cuffs that Adair had shed on the man she’d knocked unconscious and removed his ear-piece, handing it to Adair. “You never know; they might share something of use.”

No sooner had she done so than the sound of steps approaching said they’d executed their part of the plan in the nick of time. And Aster had completed her end of the bargain. And given Aster was Adair’s charge, she was not surprised he took the lead in tackling the final guard that kept them imprisoned in the room. For her part, Sorel dived on top of Aster. It was a selfless act from the young woman to protect the young Chiss child and so Sorel reciprocated – except for her it was instinct and duty – something she’d been trained to do for countless years.

As she waited for Adair to complete the disarming of the final guard, her mind started to consider her next steps. Putting the guards and the captive creatures in a corner was a first step. And getting away from the latter was the next. She felt like a fish out of water right now, her lack of connection to the Force was troubling her more than she would care to admit.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

No longer at the mercy of the gunmen, tears began to flow down Aster's face. "Let's build that barricade," she said between sobs as she stood up, gently pushing the Jedi off her and released the child from her grasp.

"Thank you," the teenager dabbed at her tears with the sleeve of her coat and smiled softly at Sorell, grateful.

Meanwhile, Adair confiscated gunmen's firearms, taking one for himself and unloaded the other two, roughly throwing them aside. With a shotgun slung over his shoulder, he removed his tie and bound the now unconscious third man's wrist together. Satisfied with his handiwork, the bodyguard started to tinker with the comlink the Jedi had handed him.

"Lady Baelor is safe. We - the lady, a Jedi, the children myself will be barricading ourselves in the room where we've been held," he spoke into the comlink after switching it to the Iron Empire's channel.

"Copy. We're preparing to breach the building with a battering ram and flashbangs in five minutes," came the reply.

"Copy," Adair said then turned to the Sorel and Aster. "Iron Empire personnel will breach the building in five minutes. That's how long we have to barricade the door."

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was aware that the threat was over and clambered off Aster and the young child. Nobody had been shot and Sorel checked the room quickly to make sure nobody had been injured before turning her gaze back to Aster and Adair.

Sorel smiled in response to the thanks. As Adair began to give instruction, she eyed the ysalimiri, wishing they were somewhere else but accepting there was no way of improving the situation – given they didn’t have time to eject them and killing them was not an option.

Satisfied the young woman’s bodyguard had the matter in hand, she began to look for things to barricade the door with. There was a little furniture and she started to usher the children to the end of the room furthest from the door, whilst at the same time moving the tables and cupboards towards the door.

“We should be able to hold the door for that long,” she said as she pushed the first cupboard in front of it. “Good thing it opens inwards.”

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Yeah," Aster agreed. Copying Sorel, the teenager pushed a cupboard towards the door, adding to the barricade.

Though she had visited the orphanage out of good intentions, she had caused nothing but trouble. "I shouldn't have come here," she whispered to herself.

"We're nearly done," Adair announced after a few minutes followed by a loud sound. "And just in time too it seems."

Outside

"Let's go!" [member="Annaliese"] yelled and rushed into the building, aiming her blaster at anyone that moved. The Epicanthix had recieved confirmation from one of the Wolfsglaive held hostage alongside his charge that the only civilians that remained in the building were those barricaded with them.

Under the cover of Epicanthix's fire, the military personnel infiltrated the building, methodically clearing the building of the scum.

Though they were taken by suprise resulting in the loss of the men that patroled the building, the criminals quickly regrouped in the office that their boss had made his own.

"What do we do boss?" one asked desperately.

"We're dead men anyways so we take as many of them with us and go down in a blaze of glory," he replied and kicked open the door of the room, opening fire on the soldiers outside.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was accustomed to action. She was a Jedi and would not dream of others putting their lives at risk to ensure her safety. But she was also used to taking orders and playing the team role well. Right here and now, there was a limit to what she could do. Exiting the room prematurely would do little to help their cause and would reduce those left behind to protect the innocents.

So, once she was sure they’d done everything they could to barricade the door, she looked around the room. Finally she saw what she wanted – an old iron grate in the wall. Not large enough for an adult to squeeze through but it was big enough for her purposes.

She unstrapped the ysalimiri. One by one she coaxed them through the open grate – to their freedom, as well as her own. Grouped together like this, theur Force-neutral bubble had extended exponentially. She wanted them split up and as far away from her as possible. She’d focused on the Force in the room and noted that the lizard-like creatures didn’t so much repel the Force, as make it impossible to use it. She could feel it in here, but not act with it. It was a disconcerting feeling and one she wanted to end as soon as possible.

The noise outside signalled the end game was nigh. “And now all we can do is wait.” Sorel hoped the creatures would hurry up. There was no way to tell who might appear through the door and she wanted to have the Force as an ally just in case.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[cheshire_kitty]

"Push forward and eliminate each and every one of them," Annaliese commanded the men who had been entrusted to her.

Shots rang out throughout the building as the men carried the orders that had been given to them.

Unwilling to surrender the underlings followed their boss' lead, unleashing a barrage of blaster fire upon the heavily armored Iron Empire military personnel until they either crumpled to the floor, lifeless or ran out of ammunition and welcomed death.

"They're all dead," a soldier announced.

"Good," Annaliese smiled. "Check the rooms, find the young Lady Baelor and the children," she ordered, making her way towards a door.

"Lady Baelor," she yelled, as she unsuccessfully tried to force the door open. It seemed to be barricaded by something. "Aster, Adair, are you two in there," she yelled.

"Yes," the teenager's voice confirmed from inside the room.

"The men have been dealt with, come out," Annaliese announced.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

In the distance, shots rang out – initially a crescendo and then, slowly, the sound of blaster fire slowed until finally it stopped.

Slowly Sorel felt her connection to the Force return – or rather her ability to interact with it. Her senses were the first to share this good news, as she became aware that people were heading towards the door they’d barricaded. Clearly the reptiles had split up and moved away from the area.

Then a second sensation overtook the first. With Force Sight came a number of abilities. A three hundred and sixty degree mental map was one. The ability to discern between organic and non-organic was another. Seeing through walls as if they weren’t there was a third, although her range was still limited and the thickness of a wall was a consideration too. But most importantly right now was the ability to discern Force auras. One was present – and it was heading towards them with the group outside. And moreover, it was a dark-sided presence.

Whereas the others in the room appeared to relax at the lack of blaster fire, Sorel conversely became more concerned.

At the sound of the woman’s voice outside, Sorel shot Adair and Aster a concerned look. “Do you know this person?”

Regardless of the answer, Sorel was in a quandary. And if she had identified the Force presence on the other side of the door, there was every likelihood that person had spotted her too.

[member="Annaliese"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Sounds like Annaliese Zambrano, one of our own," Adair confirmed and began to move the furniture away from the door. "I heard she used to be a One Sith Inquisitor and abandoned everything to leave with our Emperor's nephew or something," he added.

"She can be a bit of a pain," Aster frowned and moved to assist Adair, tears of relief sliding down her cheeks. It felt so nice to cry.

Though the teenager had never been particularly fond of the rogue Zambrano, she was glad to hear the woman's voice.

"Don't forget to tell Reinhard and Emperor Baelor how grateful you are for my efforts today," Annaliese called from outside the door with a smirk on her face. Modesty was never one of the Epicanthix's virtues.

"Will do," Aster replied and rolled her eyes. Encounters like these were one of the reasons why the young Baelor wasn't too fond of the rogue Zambrano.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]​

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel had heard of the name Zambrano. It was at best well-known and at worst notorious. But she’d learned more recently to suspend judgement on any race or individual representing a given government – and she knew that common sense approach needed to apply to families too.

Sorel inwardly frowned – but outwardly remained calm and impassive. A former Sith inquisitor? It was hard not to leap back to her initial conclusion as to their rescuer. Not that she feared for Aster or Adair – they would no doubt be fine. And she resolved to find out about this Empire that was mentioned.

And as Sorel’s senses were almost overwhelmed by the dark aura on the other side of the door, there was something else, something altogether lighter tugging at her senses. But her focus was elsewhere and she would deal with that when the time allowed.

And then she helped move the furniture away from the door but at the same time kept her guard up. Saving Aster may be a popular move, but she was a Jedi after all – and maybe her presence might undermine the input of the newcomer. Such people rarely appreciated competition in the ‘hero’ stakes.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"Hurry up, I won't bite - unless you want me to," Annaliese joked impatiently as she heard furniture shift behind the closed door. "Also, to the Jedi inside the room, I assume you can sense me? Stop karking around and harness to Force to move the furniture to save us both some time," she frowned, tempted to attempt to force the door open with a Force Push. Patience had never been one of the Epicanthix's virtues.

After several minutes of annoyed sighs from Annaliese the door of the barricaded room finally opened.

"Aster, Adair," she smirked, ignoring the Jedi. Just because she was no longer a Sith did not mean she had to suddenly treat Jedis with the respect they may or may not deserve.

"Zambrano," Aster replied, acknowledging the raven haired woman. "And it's Lady Baelor," she corrected with a forced smile. The teenager never did like the Epicanthix much and found the woman to be a bit annoying.

"Zambrano?" Annaliese raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly annoyed. "It's Annaliese, Lady Baelor," she smirked again.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

The words meant nothing yet Sorel felt uncomfortable as the presence outside of the door joked and then called her out.

Sorel had almost forgotten she could access the Force – and added to the fact she did not use it for mundane tasks, had not considered using it to move the furniture. Checking her connection to the Force once more, she sighed softly and then lifted the remaining furniture and slowly moved it across the room before setting it down gently against the far wall.

Sorel had long ceased judging people by titles. There were Jedi she had no respect for (and in truth would never call Jedi due to their actions – even if they named themselves as such). And there were rogues that she had a great deal of respect for, even if they did not consider themselves Jedi. But users of the dark-side she considered a breed apart. It was ingrained. It was a significant part of her history and would never go away. She might tolerate some but that was, for the present, as far as she could go.

She listened to the exchange and sensed Aster’s annoyance with the woman – and as she did so, she sensed something else. Something else entirely. She wondered if the former Sith recognised it too? Force Sight was not taught to everyone and it was the only sure way of identifying what Sorel was currently sensing. The presence of the feathered lizards had stopped her identifying it before, but now she was aware it was so obvious. Hopefully she would get a chance to speak to Aster alone before they parted. For as much as she sensed an aura, it was such that suggested there had not been any training – and Sorel suspected the young woman wasn’t even aware.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

"So I suppose you'll be taking me home now?" Aster asked the bastard maintaining her forced smile.

"No, all of you are going to be checked out by the medical staff outside and have your injuries attended to," Annaliese replied staring at nasty the bruise on the blonde's face.

"In that case, please escort the children out. I would prefer if they were examined first," the teenager said and began to usher the children out of the room. "Please leave us, I would like to thank this Jedi here, [member="Sorel Crieff"] in private," Aster gestured to Sorel.

"Fine, just don't take too long," the Epicanthix replied and followed the children out of the room.

"Thank you," Aster turned to Sorel with a warm smile. "Your assistance has been invaluable."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel did not need to have reconnected to the Force to gauge the relationship between the two women. It was as warm as the snow outside. She suspected both sides were aware of the mutual animosity and it was protocol that forced them to interact. Sorel was pleased, for she suspected it was the same etiquette that would allow her to walk away without having to deal with the dark-sider directly.

Sorel would, naturally, ignore the offer of medical attention. She was unharmed for a start and could apply field medicine to herself without any difficulty and use the Force when necessary to heal her own wounds. She was still a novice when it came to helping others – but she was not a Healer by vocation.

Sorel gave a short bow as the ‘rescuers’ left the room and then faced Aster. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but there is no need to thank me. I do what I do because the Force guides me. But I appreciate your thanks none the less.”

“But if I might ask a favour in return, I would like to ask you a question. When those men were around – with those creatures on their back – tell me, did anything feel different? Were any of your senses hampered, or did you simply get any strange feelings?” The question itself seemed innocent enough, but Sorel had a serious face on. Clearly the response was important. But before Aster could reply, Sorel continued. “You see…” she said then paused, “I am a Jedi. I can feel the Force. And I have been trained to sense others that are Force Sensitive. I sensed…you.”

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Aster could only stare at Sorel in shock when the woman informed her of Force Sensitivity. For someone who had not many interactions with Force Sensitives, the news came as a surprise to her. "I did feel a little restricted inside for a reason other than being taken hostage," she admitted.

"Was that the doing of those oversized lizards?" the teenager inquired curiously. "Does this mean I get to learn how to use the Force?" she continued, her eyes full of excitement. Any reason for her to temporarily take her leave of the freezing climate of Csilla was a welcomed one. Although she knew her guards would follow her wherever she went, limiting her freedom if she was to undertake training on another planet, that extra freedom was still a little more than she otherwise would have had while she remained in the Iron Empire's territory.

"Where did you come from? Is there someone I can learn from there? Is learning to use a lightsaber really necessary?" Aster asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled warmly, and was careful to keep her voice low. Adair was loyal no doubt, but Sorel was not entirely sure who to. And the former Sith? This news would be of great benefit to her for sure.

Sorel had contemplated keeping this information to herself. Perhaps Aster could have lived a life without knowing. It was entirely possible. But Sorel knew the truth and felt compelled to share this fact with Aster. It was the young woman’s right to decide what to do with the information, not the Jedi.

“I suspect you have a thousand questions, and I won’t leave until I’ve answered them all. I sensed your ability to connect with the Force only when those creatures left. They don’t cut you off from the Force – but they do stop you using it.” Sorel had explained the phenomenon of the Force to countless Younglings but typically that was in a classroom setting. Here she needed to be swift and precise. “Currently you may access it inadvertently. Maybe you have quicker reflexes than average. Or sense when something good or bad is going to happen. Or even form an opinion of someone without any significant interaction, or have a feeling to doubt their motives or words. That is most likely the Force guiding you.”

Sorel glanced around to make sure they were not being monitored. “But given you have not been trained, your Force Aura is low. Once you awaken your connection to the Force, deepen it, you will be more visible to other Force users. Like…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced in the direction that the former Sith had departed in. “Which makes you a target. People will want you to either be on their side or they’ll see you as a threat. This power you have can be used for good and for evil.”

“I am a Jedi and I am part of a specific Order – The Silver Jedi. There are many Jedi Order in the galaxy where once there was just one. Many if not most, are affiliated to governments. But the majority of light-sided Force users are independent. Doing good wherever they can. There is no best path – although there are some poor ones. Some lead to the dark side, and often Jedi are blinded by their own abilities and underestimate the risks chosen actions will entail.”

“But I am not here to talk morals.” She smiled again. “No, I should offer advice. And that is to find a good Master, one that will teach you not only the abilities but the Jedi Code. Is it necessary? No. But you asked me and I can only give my honest opinion. Yes, the Silver Jedi would welcome you with open arms, but if you decide to work with the Galactic Alliance or any other government, it is your decision to make.”

“And if you ever wish training, I would be honoured to help. Oh, and some Jedi don’t use sabers, but they are the minority. Not that this makes them in any way wrong.”

And then she paused to allow Aster to ask any more questions.

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]

 

[Aster Rose Baelor]

Aster listened intently, nodding as Sorel says spoke, explaining to her a little about Force sensitivity and the organisations that trained them.

"Since you can sense my Force Aura and being trained will make me a target, if bad people were to somehow pick up my untrained Force Aura, would I be a target then as well?" The blonde asked nervously.

"And just to confirm, the Silver Jedi are not associated with any governments right? Since I am a member of the Iron Empire's imperial family, I would prefer not to be trained by an organisations affiliated with a government unless they at least have a non-aggression pact with the Iron Empire to avoid potentially troublesome situations - I hope you understand," she smiled gracefully.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was not a trained diplomat. She’d brokered peace deals before but her approach was simple. Effective but as instruments go, it was relatively blunt. She spoke the truth. No sugar-coating. No twisting of words or purposes. She simply spoke how things were.

“Yes,” she said as Aster asked if she might be a target. “Dark siders would love to have you as an asset. And if they can’t have you, they won’t want anyone else to have you either.”

“But you could go a lifetime without being discovered. But the more public your life is, the more likely you will be sensed by someone like me. Or someone with less honourable intentions. And I may be able to teach you how to hide that aura – if you wish I could show you. It would keep you hidden from any accidental sensing. But it won’t be one hundred per cent reliable – for example when you’re asleep or distracted. And there are artefacts you can buy to hide your presence. But just owning one places you at risk of being exposed. Their purpose is clear.”

“And we are not allied to any government. We provide protection to a loose confederation of planets. But have zero say over their governance. We aim to keep the peace and protect them from those who might look to subjugate them. Are we faultless? Of course not. Is every Jedi perfect?” She snorted at the very prospect. “But we are, as a collective, good people that want to do the right thing. And unless the Iron Empire starts to impact the peace of the galaxy, I would have no issues with them. None at all.”

“And the offer of training comes with no strings. You don’t have to join the Silvers. Or stay if you enlist but then change your mind. I got you into this, it’s the least I can do to teach you how to protect yourself. To use your abilities for good – whatever that means for you and your conscience.”

[member="Aster Rose Baelor"]