Aren't You A Little Short For A Stormtrooper?

[Lief]

Fields Near the Silent Stones​

Bakura​

First Order Space​

​

She had come here to complete a part of her journey.

Alchaka was a practice she had integrated into her daily routine since she was but a child. Even on the Graveyard she had found time when she awoke each day to fit in a small session before Aellin sent for her. As such it had gone as smoothly as it possibly could've.

Akro, who was stepping in on behalf of Donaa Si, Head of Padawan Kesh (which was currently in the midst of construction), was quick to send her back on her way, after all he had Council matters to attend to, yet she had expressed a desire to remain behind for a short while. Not one to argue, he agreed to let her utilize the Bunker before heading off to Aurum.

The Silent Stones were monitored by [member='Sargon Vynea'] in the Temple Master's absence, much in the same way that she was responsible for the Silent Enclave, and Jyn the Archive. Stewards, they called it. It made sense, Aurum was the modern day Kaleth, and with so much for the Council to agree upon at present they spent most of their time there.

Asha decided that a nice walk was in order before she set to making herself dinner. It wasn't that late, early evening if she hazarded a guess, but already the sun was beginning a slow descent and a moon lay fixated in the sky. Just the sound of crickets in the tall grasses, and the heavy sway of wheat and barley, graced her ears.

Perfection.

She could see why the Zabrak liked it so much.

Setting off down one of the country paths, with a large stick in one hand to help her navigate some of the tougher terrain, and of course a hip flask of water on her belt, she whistled a merry little tune and allowed her mind to switch off for a while.

She was one step closer to becoming a Ranger in her own right.

 

[Huxy]

[SIZE=11pt]The sound of an armored vehicle hit the crip and silent night air like a hammer against toned metal, breaking the silence in an instant as tracked wheels carried a vehicle of metal and firepower over a worn dirt path. The tracks created indentions in the empty, large dirt path that had been walked by day and by night by all types of person's and wildlife. Though, it was empty now save for the bright white lights that reached outwards like prying hands into the darkness, pushing the shadows of the night away to be replaced by artificial light, illuminating all in its immediate path.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Tempest sat in the upper cockpit of the open tank-like patrol vehicle. A datapad with scratched all over it laid in his hand, it's green light illuminating the blank canvas of white that was his stormtrooper armor. His other hand traced lazily across the datapad's interface. The interface was a bird's eye view of the terrain, a life-form scanner. It was standard procedure, and every trooper had to do it. Though for Tempest, he'd much rather be talking to Horizon at the moment. They had just met up again after a year of being separated during that skirmish with the Mandos. She had been injured and brought out of that hellscape of a war zone that was once a beautiful city. He had been at her side when she had woken up. The memory of talking to Horz after such a long time brought a smile to Tempest right now, it helped to distract him from his current task and helped to put him at ease knowing he had been able to save her.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]A beeping sound emitted from the datapad that was in the hand of Tempest, jarring him from his thoughts. There was someone out there...which wasn't right. There was a standard curfew on this world as to stop any rebel sympathizers and to help keep the citizens safe from the wildlife that prowled the golden plain at night. Though this was suspicious. "Hey, I'm going to investigate something. I'll catch up," the voice of tempest echoed outwards through his helmet to the tank driver below as he climbed out of the top of the tank before heading in the direction of the life-signature. Tempest linked the datapad's map to his wrist-pad before replacing the datapad in his hands with his rifle. A soft click went into the air as he turned on the bright and luminescent light on the under barrel of his rifle to help grant him better vision in the dead of night. However was out here, they were going to have some explaining to do that was certain.[/SIZE]

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

It had become dark much faster than she anticipated.

The comm at her side began to beep, a warning broadcast upon one of the planetary frequencies that a curfew was in place. It would have been helpful to know that before she ventured out into the field, though this was her first night on world in a long time... She should have expected things would change, especially under the firm grip of a force such as the First Order.

With a heavy sigh she tried to weigh up her choices. Did she risk continuing her walk, and running into someone, or head back to the Stones and bunker down for the night? Her gaze shifted over the landscape, fields as far as the eyes could see. How likely was it that another soul was around for miles?

And then she heard it, the thunderous sound of a vehicle on the other side of a rise. Though a hill, for which Bakura was well known, stood between her and whatever it was, she realized it was not at all worth her life to stick around and be caught breaking curfew.

Turning, she broke into a light jog back along the country road. Hopefully the stars would light her way back to the Stones, after all they were pretty well camouflaged.

[member="FN-2826"]

 

[Huxy]

Tempest began to pick up his feet to a run as his eyes fell upon the lifeform-scanner, whoever or whatever was out here was trying to get farther away. Not on his watch. The metal-booted feet of Tempest's stormtrooper armor carried him quickly up the hill, leaving the tank down below to drive down the country path. He then finally crested the hill, the flashlight on his rifle illuminating the ground below in a dull white light. He was getting close now to apprehending whoever this was, good. The metal feet of the armor Tempest was wearing pounded heavily against the dirt and grass beneath his feet, giving away that whoever he was chasing after was being followed. AS Tempest now made his way down over the hill, towards his target, he could've sworn he had seen something. It looked like someone was jogging away from him. Though, he wasn't 100% positive as the night tended to play tricks on one's eyes. However, Temp believed it would at least be worth shouting at whatever or whoever he was chasing. No harm in that after all. "Citizen, either stop moving or I will open fire. I will not hesitate to shoot you...either stop now and comply or be shot, your choice," the voice of Tempest roared metallically through the voice modulator of his helmet. It was true, he was going to shoot the citizen...but he was going to stun them. Temp just figured it was best to keep that a secret as to instill fear in whoever he was chasing as of this moment.

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

When the voice broke out behind her, Asha realized it was time to stop and comply.

Her biggest fear was being asked for some sort of identification, or papers which noted her as a civilian. She wasn't from Bakura, and she didn't really have anything on her which would get her out of trouble here. It wasn't as though she had come to this world with permission from the First Order.

Crawling to a halt, she closed her eyes and exhaled a long breath. Both of her hands lifted, a slight tremor as she realized that whoever it was likely would shoot her if they wanted to. Asha could not recall the last time she had run into a Stormtrooper, she tended to avoid areas of conflict and oppression.

Can't be any worse than the Sith, she thought, Non-Forcies were easier to calm, if it came down to it deflecting their weapons was honestly easier to her than dealing with a saber-wielding Force user.

"I was headed home" she said, voice raised yet respectful at once. "It got darker faster than I thought it would."

[member="FN-2826"]

 

[Huxy]

Lucky for both Tempest and the woman, she was quite compliant, making Temp release a nervous breath. Tempest released his finger off of the trigger of his rifle, keeping it up as to properly see through the dark without stumbling and falling over. He made his way over to the woman, his eyes briefly flickering over the woman. She had red hair and pale skin, similar to Tempest though he didn't decide to dwell on the thought, instead, keeping to treating her as a respected citizen. Tempest then pointed his rifle downwards, the light briefly illuminating the two of them in a soft and bright white light. So, the woman was just heading home? Tempest had his suspicions but decided to keep them at bay, there was no need in interrogating a seemingly innocent citizen without proper cause or reason. Though, he didn't see the problem in escorting her home. She would need an escort to make sure no animals attacked her plus he needed to be sure that she wasn't up to anything suspicious at all. What better way to check that then doing so this way? "Look, I can't leave you without an escort, citizen. It's dangerous out here in the dead of night and I need to be sure that you'' stick to your promise of heading home. I hope that you won't mind...just standard procedure." The voice of Tempest crackled softer than before as it passed through the voice modulator of his helmet.

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

Asha did not dare to lower her hands.

It was not often she found herself across from an individual wielding a weapon with a very real intent of causing damage should she not comply. The last time had been when [member='Connor Harrison'] had cornered her on Korriban. Somehow she had talked her way out of that situation, but she had a feeling it would not be anywhere near as easy this time around. This was a Stormtrooper, after all, they weren't exactly known for being free-thinking, nor anywhere near as emotional as a Dark Jedi down on his luck.

No.

Exhaling a shuddered breath she shifted her gaze to meet his and resisted the very real urge to bow. It had become second nature to her by this point, but ordinary citizens did not greet people in such a fashion and so she stiffened up and forced herself to do otherwise.

"I don't fear nature," she informed him, keeping her tone level and respectful, when he offered to escort her home, yet as he continued to speak she realized there was no choice in the matter. He was wanting to make sure she wasn't lying through her teeth, in a way she had been... But he couldn't know that. Her mind ran through as many scenarios as it could conjure up and none of them seemed as though they'd work out even remotely well.

Asha was not residing inside a home, after all, the home she spoke of was a secret Je'daii Temple that had thusfar remained undetected by the 'good' people of the First Order. Nor could she really lead him back to her ship without arousing yet more suspicion from him. She doubted his government liked people freely coming to and from their farming worlds without due cause, and Asha had no good excuse to give him that didn't involve giving up the location of her people's Temple.

And so, thinking as quickly as she could, she came up with a plan.

"I understand. I'm not sure how long I was walking for, but I'm sure I can find my way back home."

Or, more appropriately, back to [member='Sargon Vynea']'s home. She had been there once or twice following the construction of the Standing Stones, after all it had been a tremulous moment in time for the young Hex, a time when her own Father had forsaken her.

"May I lower my guard a little?" she requested, gesturing with her head to her hands to let him know what she meant. The last thing she needed right now was to faint.

[member='FN-2826']

 

[Huxy]

[member="Asha Hex"]

Tempest's eyes of steel watched the woman carefully as she spoke, and as her mind possibly ran about with what to say and do...hidden behind Tempest's helmet which acted as a shield for his emotions. Tempest couldn't help but smile from under his helmet at what she had first said, 'I don't fear nature.' So, it seemed that she was either the arrogant type or she was hiding some sort of weapon of her, that would be wise to keep note off. He nodded silently to the woman's request to lower her guard as she didn't seem a threat. Well, for the moment at least. One could never be too safe around a suspicious citizen, he didn't have firsthand experience per say though he had heard stories of letting your guard down around a citizen...most of which ended in pain and sometimes death. Especially if this woman did have a weapon like he was suspecting at the moment though he didn't have anything to back up his claim. The waxy, gloved finger of Tempest slid back onto the trigger of his rifle whilst the safety was still on, ready to flick the safety off at a moment's notice if the woman tried to make a break for it or if she just tried to do anything rash. The rifle raised upwards in the air at a rough seventy-five-degree angle. "Well, lead the way then," the voice of Tempest echoed emotionlessly through the voice modulator of his helmet, breaking the sound of the night-time wildlife. Tempest contemplated asking the woman for her name, though decided to wait till she had led him to her house. He had a plan in mind which was currently forming to find out if she was an actual citizen of the First Order. "So, citizen, where is it that you live exactly? Not many citizens and land-owners live out this far..."

 

[Lief]

She let out the breath she had been holding and slowly lowered her hands to her side, making sure to keep them completely in view at all times and away from her jacket or trousers. She did not want to give him any cause to think that she was reaching for a weapon. It wasn't as though she had any on her right now, her lightsaber was back on the Prophet and being that she was a total pacifist she didn't exactly even own any other weapons, much to her Father's displeasure. Well... She did, but they were on his ship. She knew she ought to keep something on her person just in case, but the likelihood of her ever drawing upon something was slim to none.

It just wasn't her way.

When she was directed to lead the way to 'her' home Asha began to walk back the way she had come from. Thankfully Sargon's home was very close to the Stones, it had made sense to do it that way given that he was the current Steward and as such had to watch over them so it wouldn't be too difficult to take him there. The real problem was that she had been walking for quite some time before night descended, and she didn't relish the thought of spending more time than she had to with a Stormtrooper.

"I live on a farm, out by the coast," she told him, "Nice little place, my foster dad picked it up after the Fringe dissolved - way before I was around, mind you."

Foster dad? Made more sense than referring to a Zabrak as her actual Father, and besides he had been a huge role-model in her life for some time now. A mentor if nothing else. The lie had come easily to her.

"I'm sorry this is eating into your shift, Ser, it might take a while to get back home, I had been out getting medical supplies but our usual supplier had to reschedule - something about being low on supplies himself. Didn't find out until I hit the edge of town" she knew there was a township a few leagues from here, though if he asked for more specific details she worried she might falter. As such she quickly brushed over it and continued to speak, "that's why I'm out here, instead of where I ought to be. I swear the sun set early today. No matter."

[member="FN-2826"]

 

[Huxy]

"Oh please, anything's better than doing nighttime patrols, especially with a few 'specific' troopers...but uh, nevermind, also...execuse my curiosity, but how long have you lived here?" Tempest spoke casually, a bit too casually. He hadn't meant to go rambling on about a specific trooper he didn't have a fondness for, yet he had nonetheless accidentally, though nevermind that. The gaze of Tempest drifted to the red-haired woman as she spoke up about what she had been doing to make her so late. Apparently, she had gone to some town for supplies...though Tempest didn't really know of where she spoke. He knew there were towns in the area...though he primarily knew the names of military outposts and the major cities, not really any frontier towns or villages. Those names alluded his grasp as he saw them as less important in his endeavor as a First Order Stormtrooper. "I'm uh, not overly familiar with the towns or names of towns around here...more of a city type of person personally. But...back to the point, could you please enlighten me as to where you went for your supplies? Also, why not just try making herbal medicine? It's the only cost is manual labor. Speaking of the farm, does it go under any legal title or name? If not, I'll have to fine you, sorry...but it's standard procedure for any property to be given a name by its property-owner. We can't, after all, have rampant, unknown and unlicensed houses out on the fringes and among the frontier.

 

[Lief]

Seemed as though Stormtroopers really were just fellow beings after all, that was the realization she came to when the man spoke of a distasteful coworker, though honestly she had never really believed them to be anything less. Just a little... misguided perhaps. Over zealous.

"Not long, I think it will be coming up on two months next week. My papers haven't quite come through yet, but we put a rush on them."

Think fast or get shot. Asha had found herself in these dire situations so often by this point that lying to save her own hide was a necessity. It scared her just how good at it she was getting. Once upon a time she prided herself for being the pinnacle of truth, but the real world wasn't always kind to people like that.

Their way was lit up solely by whatever device [member="FN-2826"] had on hand and as such Asha was genuinely having a difficult time figuring out the right path. It was mostly a straight road in truth, but she knew she was running the risk of twisting her ankle or falling down. Small price to pay to keep her head.

When he asked about the name of the homestead she seemed honestly perplexed, before offering the man a loose shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm certain it does have a name, Ser, my foster dad likes to do things by the book, but I haven't heard it called by anything yet. If you'd like I can find out when we get there, he's not home right now but the papers will be somewhere inside!"

She could feel her heart thumping roughly against her chest, she hated telling lies, hated it so kriffin' much, but what choice did she have? She knew for certain that Sargon was not home, the Zabrak had taken leave of Bakura for a time and as such someone else had been put in place to watch over the Stones in his brief absence. She didn't know whether to be more terrified or relieved of that fact, the last thing she wanted was to drag him into this but having someone there to corroborate her lies would have been a blessing.

[member="FN-2826"]

 

[Huxy]

"Sounds like a plan. Just show me the papers when we get to your father's farm and we will be fine. Though, I'll also need the registration of citizenship papers for both you and your foster dad when we get to your home to make sure everything checks out," Tempest said calmly as he spoke. He would need to see the citizenship papers anyways so it would be better to ask now anyway, or at least that's what Tempest felt was right to do. As more time went on, Tempest began to relax somewhat as he didn't feel the woman would try anything. Though, he kept his guard up just in case anything did happen. It was nice, however, to just talk with a non-stormtrooper in a casual way for once rather than his normal stoic personality which he kept up most of the time...though he still had to remain vigilant to keep the First Order which he represented afloat in his image. He gave a sideways glance in the direction of the woman as he followed her, keeping his flashlight mounted rifle pointed forwards as to both offer them some visibility in the dead of night. Though truth be told, these flashlights were not that good and at times, they were quite unreliable and often more trouble than they were worth. "Citizen, what do you go by? I mean, what's your name?" Tempest tried asking as casually as possible with still a sense of authority in his voice as the voice modulator crackled out his voice mechanically.

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

She was digging herself quite the hole right now.

Asha knew that she would have to find a way to lose him along the way, before they actually reached Sargon's home, unless she wanted to risk really dropping the poor Zabrak in trouble. She had said too much, made too many lies, and that would come back to bite her in the butt. Sargon at least could feign ignorance. In fact he would be stupid not to.

"Of course" she said, her voice a little more meek than previously, skin paler as all of these realizations dawned upon her, "I hope I'm not in any trouble, Ser, I don't think he'd much appreciate me bringing problems to his doorstep after just a few short weeks."

Her concerns were obvious in her voice, her words and the truth finally meeting a crossroads. She respected Sargon, and now she was causing him trouble.

Onward they walked, for a time in silence, past the farms and hills of Bakura on their way down to the farm in question. At some point throughout he asked for her name, and rather than dig more holes by lying she merely said, "Asha." No last name given, she could easily brush that off though since she was pretending to be without her actual parents. Right? Who knew. "What about you? Do uh... Do Stormtroopers have names?"

It was obvious she was trying not to be offensive with the question, but whether or not she had remained to be seen.

[member="FN-2826"]