Birds of a feather….

[Quorl]

[member="Tobias Wraith"] had adjusted well. It hadn’t been a terribly long time since he’d joined the Jedi Order, and was sociable enough. Quorl admired that he had a mind always searching for meaning. Not just answers in the form of facts but critical thinking. It was a quality lacking in a great many. Still, there was something that didn’t sit well with Quorl, “A Jackdaw isn’t much better than a crow. Scavengers with little real ability.” Yes this issue had ruffled his feathers. “You should have named it the falcon… or better yet a Raptor.” His head bobbed excitedly. “A bird of prey instead of a scavenger who would eat the leavings and trash of other beings.”

Quorl liked ships. “But this is a nice Shiny Rock,” he added turning to look around the ship. Behind him was a small treasure trove he’d brought with him, shiny objects he’d collected from across the galaxy. Most had little value, though he’d be able to trade them on his homeworld. No what others saw as valuable held little fascination for the owl. There was pebbles and gems of modest worth side by side with a mirror in a synth crystal frame and some old discarded circuits. “So about this trade…” the owl began. He did like to barter and often for bizarre things and nearly always started with ‘so about this trade’. “I have with me a rather large stockpile of circuits, a power pack, a few different emitters, some nobs….”

His eyes narrowed as he made his bizarre smiling face, “And of course several different cylinders made of various metal materials.” His head bobbed up and down excitedly.

“Yes,” he said lifting a wing to forestall any questions. “I have all the components and more for a lightsaber and all I want in return,” His head cocked to the side so that it ran parallel to the ships flooring. “Is that one bolt of silkweed we got on Kushiban,” It was pretty fiber with vibrant colors dyed into it. “I want to weave it into my next nests sleeping area.”

A low hoot echoed through the corridors of the ship. “I believe you are ready Tobias Wraith. As soon as this mission is over and we have some more time, we can begin the process.”

 

[Tobias Wraith]

The Jackdaw​

In Route..​

“Listen, I’ve told you already that you can have that silk strip.” Tobias was trying to multitask, and it wasn’t exactly going well. His ship was a wonderful thing like Quorl had said, but like many things it had it’s challenges. For all the beauty with which the ship was constructed, repeated use of the hyperdrive had eroded a few key systems. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue. On a commercial grade freighter such as this, it had a problem of popping up from repeated jumps and less than optimal time in the repair bay.

So while the bird was hopping and hooting around, Tobias was working.

“Stupid, fething piece of..”

His words trailed off as he looked at his now bloody hand. Finally sitting up from where he had been working, he wanted to toss his hydrospanner but thought better of it. Weeks of training, and a few visits to different worlds had shown him to not let frustration get the better of him. What ailed him wasn’t the tool, it was the lack of progress due to his lack of knowledge. Pragmatically looking at the situation like he had been instructed to allowed him to see what the root cause was. Instead of fuming for an hour now, he simply got up and put the tool back in the shelf before heading towards the cockpit while his Master kept talking about lightsabers.

Speaking of those, it was weird feeling the hilt of one against his thigh as he walked.

“What exactly are we doing? You put the coordinates in yourself and I’m traveling blind here. Any grand plans this time?”

[member="Quorl"]

 

[Quorl]

Hoot, hoot. The low sound echoed down passages of the ship. Quorl thought of putting up some animal skins, or sheets, would dampen the echo but [member="Tobias Wraith"] would have none of it. “No, it needs to be a fair trade. Something shiny, for something shiny. Is that now how the economy of the galaxy works?” He hoooted again. Of course Quorl knew a lot more about the galactic economy than he let on. [member="Jorus Merrill"] had taken him from Rishi when he was but a small owlette and taught him about the galaxy and technology and how to pilot a shiny rock. Not that he was entirely ignorant before that. There was outsiders who settled in the lowlands and he’d often gone and traded with them and many other Rishi choose the life down there. Quorl, for his part of life, prefered to live deliberately.

“You shouldn’t curse this vessel Tobi,” He said. “It has held together this long. Done you its service.”

Shaking he rearranged himself in the chair in the cockpit next to Tobias. “So there are criminals on this planet,” squaked Quorl ruffling his feathers to get more comfortable. “Harassing local farming communities, exerting their influence at the highest levels. The Jedi got a request from a local magistrate, but he’s dead now. His deputy is leading the investigation and reaffirmed his desire for Jedi assistance. I answered the call, and so did you… We need to put a stop to this.”

 

[Tobias Wraith]

[member="Quorl"]'s words made his head nearly snap off his shoulders, such was the force of his head whipping to look at the Rishii. "You mean, we're dealing with a threat that dangerous?" Tobias hadn't heard of anyone being brave enough to terminate those in charge in Republic territory. Only in the One Sith territory had he seen certain elements pull that stunt off, looking back he understood why. Years of taking orders for them, well being forced to do what they wanted had blinded him to the injustice. Only when he had made it away, and into the hands of the Hutts did he understand how functional government truly functioned. All the laws, and how fair the entire democratic process truly was.

If only he hadn't been trying to learn those rules so he could break them.

"So, I'm being considered a Jedi now." Looking out at the view of hyperspace, he let himself get lost in it for a moment. "Just promise me that we both will make it out of this okay?" That smile, the one he always flashed shown brilliantly at Quorl. "It's been a while since I've intentionally gone to take down the bad guys, and I actually feel good about this." What he didn't say was that he didn't want to lose another friend, or have to do anything that would make him feel compromised. In the silence, Wraith knew his Master understood what he was thinking as he tried to center himself. There was no need to admonish Tobias for caring, or wanting to do the right thing.

So they sat in silence, simply being and appreciating each other just as the ship came out of hyperspace.

"Lead the way Master," Tobias said as he took manual control of the Jackdaw.

 

[Quorl]

The owl hooted out a few chuckles. “We are who we are because we choose to be,” he said repeating the mantra. He was always saying that, or variations of it. “You are a Jedi my young friend.” He scanned the data on the planet below. “I cannot promise that we will both make it out okay. If not in this instance, perhaps the next. All things come to an end, and for some the end comes to swiftly.” Sobering. “The start is always fast my young friend, but the end is always slow. Let us not think of such things. Instead let me give you my word that I will do everything within my power to see you through this safely.”

Then he turned from the data and briefing provided. It was slim with little on who the criminals even are that they were to hunt down. Too afraid to broadcast it? Perhaps. That didn’t matter now. “They want us at the main spaceport,” Quorl said, “But there is another one.” Quorl opened and closed his beak rapidly creating a snapping sound. Something was awry. “Eris. Smaller spaceport, out of the way. Subtly has uses.”

Then Quorl stood and moved to stand behind Tobias as he assumed direct control of the ship. “To Eris human!” he called extending a wing to point at the planet below...

[member="Tobias Wraith"]

 

[Tobias Wraith]

“No complaints here, Master.” Tobias could appreciate the need for subtlety, it was the first and last code in the smuggler way of life. How many times have I done just this? Inputting the codes in the false telesponder, he let the docking workers thing a small freighter was coming in for an emergency landing due to a fuel pump malfunction. It was a simple bait and switch, often times two teams of ships would pull this same maneuver so one could either receive or deliver cargo while creating a mess in another city to draw away the authorities. What he was doing was essentially the same, they just would have to get out of dodge faster than usual.

Everyone would swarm the ship soon, and they had to be gone by then to get investigating.

“Alright, I’m going to set it down. Be ready to leave, and I mean fast.” Bright flashes of light and fire danced across the hull as they entered the atmosphere. A few minutes went by before that faded to clear skies. Letting the computer go on autopilot, he hopped up and ran to the cargo area to get equipped. Sliding his two pistols onto his belt, he made sure to readjust to compensate for the lightsaber hanging there now. A quick once over of his gear was all he needed before he put his leather jacket on, and ran to the loading door.

“All right, I bought us some time.” He pulled a few speeders from storage. “Now, lets see if we can get a little bit more.” He didn’t know what the Rishii would do, but he had to hope Quorl could see that Tobias was pulling all his old smuggler tricks out for this.

[member="Quorl"]

 

[Quorl]

Human ships were designed for humans. To most people this seemed obvious enough, however humans tended to forget this in moments when life and death were on the line. Quorl hopped into the seat and took the controls when Tobias left. Autopilot was for others. As a Jedi Quorl hated putting his life in the hands of a machine. He wasn’t the greatest pilot but Jorus had taught him a few things.

“We are landing,” Quorl said looking down at the scene below. The little city they were going into was smouldering. Fire had been there some time ago, and carbon scoring marked the buildings where blaster bolts had buried into them.

Quorl took the ship and slid it across the horizon until it settled into the small little space port, which was being generous. The truth was the space part had enough space for four ships. It wasn’t bustling or active, just a little private berth for a few people who made their living in this town.

Pacing down the ship in an uneven, hopping, gait Quorl came to the speeder bay to see [member="Tobias Wraith"]. “I will not need a speeder,” the master said slamming a wing into the button opening up the ramp. “There is something wrong with this town. An attack.”

As the ramp lowered Quorl had to squint as light from outside pierced the ship like a spear. It was only a brief effect before the Rishi’s eyes adjusted and he could see clearly once again. “Quickly, we may have been spotted. We must make sure the people here are safe, I shall take to the sky and have a Quorls eye view…” His head bobbed excitedly at his joke as he mimicked human laughter. “Quorls eye view…” he repeated. “I spend too much time with younglings.”

With a flap of the wings the bird took off into the sky...

 

[Tobias Wraith]

“Well, alright then.”

Something felt off, that much he knew. It wasn’t even that funny feeling that was making the hairs on his neck stand up, danger sense as Quorl had called it. Apparently, he had been practicing that ability as naturally as breathing his entire life. Something was off with the whole situation, that much the budding Jedi knew. Too many missions in the field, and too many months on the run from enforcers and hunters had taught him this lesson. If it didn’t look right, then it sure as hell wasn’t going to go right. Except everything was different for him, he was no longer a smuggler.

He couldn’t run from this, he was running headfirst into it.

Straddling the speeder, he cranked it up before realizing he forgot two things. Out of habit, he reached into the Force and grabbed the Hyperion rifle and pulled it to him as if on an invisible string. Putting the strap over his shoulder, he also put on the goggles and double checked for his lightsaber. Gripping the handles, he leaned forward and put his feet on the rests as he pressed forward on the accelerator and the clutch.

In a blur he was gone.

Be fast Master, I’m positive there are snipers around.

The mental message wasn’t clear, that part of his training was still a work in progress. It was delivered as intended, and he shot down the streets at a blistering pace. Eyes could be felt burning on him, and he felt bad intent. Hairs on the back of his neck shot up, and he knew to move without why. Adjusting his course, a shot hit the dirt right where he had been.

They were under attack!

[member="Quorl"]

 

[Quorl]

And Quorl was in the air looking around. Normally humans cities were a bustle of activity and at least the young were outside. This city had nothing. Suspicion crept into the Jedi Master as he soared overhead. Yes, something was indeed wrong. “Look to the skies,” Quorl said as a fighter with skull and crossbones flew about prepared to do a strafing run on [member="Tobias Wraith"].

None of that. Quorl used the force and boosted his wings shooting towards the fighter. The snubfighter had to slow down in order to hit a ground target with its guns. Missiles were expensive and you surely didn’t need them to kill a lone man on the ground. The fighter turned and stuck its nose down just as a diving quorl struck. Like lightning he found himself on the fighters hull pushing his lightsaber through the cockpit and ruining the internal instruments.The pilot pulled out a pistol at his side and desperately shot up into the cockpit, but the great owl was already gone.

The fighter careened down and away from the town, its controls completely shot. Quorl saw the pilot eject before looking down to the roof lines. Men with blasters were poisoned to Ambush Tobias. With a dive and a roar Quorl screeched.

A wave of sonics burst against the roofline as he swooped down sending men flying from the roof as the blow struck. Then he focused on the last scum on the roof and picked him up in his talons lifting him up for a bit before dropping him.

Across there was more men with blasters and even a single E-Web repeater. “Tobias remember your training,” Quorl yelled in a hooting little voice. These men would no longer terrify and intimidate this town. A loud hoot emanated from the Owls beak as he fluffed his feathers and took his lightsaber prepared to fight these minions….

 

[Tobias Wraith]

Rocking his wrists forward, the speeder accelerated as he brought the throttle down. Shots aimed for his head merely hit the pavement behind. Hugging the speeder tightly, he brought his torso all the way down into the console to hide from wind shear and the bolts flying at him. Cerulean eyes scanned the roofs as he moved at two hundred miles per hour down the deserted streets, and he could see that quite the ambush had been set. Bobbing and weaving along the few remaining speeders left on the roads, it was clear that a gang had taken over the small town. Children were nowhere to be seen, as well as any adults. Boarded up windows were the other indicator, but he had little time to focus on anything.

Hairs stood up on the back of his neck again, and he barely got his cheek down against the console fast enough to avoid losing his skull. Burnt hair filled his nostrils, and he knew he was going to have a ,missing patch of hair now thanks to the guys on the rooftops. Tobias grit his teeth as he heard another massive engine, and a small klaxon sounded on his console. They brought a fighter? Wraith tried to whip his head around as he rocketed through the town, and he saw what happened just in the knick of time.

Quorl happened to be exact.

Through the Force he could feel his power, but he actually spun out and stopped his speederbike to witness what was happening. Pulling his own lightsaber from his belt, he ignited it and deflected a few incoming bolts like Quorl had taught him. It wasn’t so much thinking, it was just letting the Force take hold and block the bolts for you. His shimmering yellow blade bounced the shots erratically back towards a few stray walls and a few unlucky snipers. The Rishi took down the fighter, as well as everyone on the roof tops. Seeing where his Master was aiming for, his Padawan cranked the speeder and launched towards the area as well.

Quickly covering the distance, he launched himself from the bike and flipped into action.

Ataru, or for IV as it was known was all kinetic motion. Quorl had seen his ability to move, the One Sith had used him for many an urban mission to traverse crazy gaps with his gymnastics ability. His yellow blade was a blur of motion as he hopped from roof to roof, flipping around before landing in the midst of those who had set on them.

It was time to show what he had learned.

[member="Quorl"]

 

[Quorl]

On the roofs Quorl slashed and dodged a number of bolts from every direction. He knew what was happening, but let instinct take over. His body bobbed from side to side as blaster bolts came at him. It was an impressive display and yet and a bird quorl had always been light on his feet. Vaulting over a wall with a short flutter of wings grabbing one of the thugs within his talong and hurling him from the roof.

Another one of these criminals engaged him at a distance and a mighty screech erupted from Quorls beak sending a shockwave out peeling up even pieces of the roof the man stood on. “Tobias,” Quorl threw his voice, enhancing it over the sound of blaster fire, “we must make safe the town.” He’d have to build a new roof.

Looking down into the nearby home he could see a family unit huddled to survive, hiding from the fighting. Who were these thungs? A vanguard for a larger force, a welcoming party, or the entire raider band? Quorl wasn’t sure, but he knew one thing; the force had led them to this place.

There was no such thing as random chance, no such thing as coincidence. There was only the force.



[member="Tobias Wraith"]

 

[Tobias Wraith]

Tobias wasn't his Rishi Master, nor would he ever be. Flight wasn't something he would ever possess, and the ability to use the Force to scream at that intensity didn't seem in the cards. So, he didn't fly or yell at any of the thugs. Instead, as soon as his feet made contact with an air conditioning unit on top of the building, he lunged. A blaster bolt hit where he had stood, but he moved as one entity with the Force. The cup empty, he instead moved in tandem, his skills being used to their fullest ability at the moment. His yellow blade was a blur, deflecting bolts back at all those who were trying to take him down. As soon as his feet made contact, he was leaping again. This time it took him into a backwards flip to get some distance. One attacker drew near, and his blade move without his control.

A scream was heard, and an arm fell to the ground along with it's owner.

The Force erupted from Tobias' outstretched hand, and the other two fell down. Without hesitation, he strolled forward and knocked them both out with a few swift punches to their temples. Quorl finished off the rest of the group, and now it was just the two of them. His lightsaber now deactivated, he occupied his time restraining those left. His work finished, then he decided to join his Master.

"Well, how do we go about doing that?"

[member="Quorl"]

 

[Quorl]

How indeed? Quorl thought for a moment before hopping over to slice the barrel off of one of the gangsters blasters before throwing him into a wall with a burst of telekinetic energy. “Cover me,” Quorl said disengaging his lightsaber and throwing himself up into the air. His wings flapped creating a torrent of wing behind him as he enhanced his speed with the use of telekinetic pushes with the force.

In the air now he could see everything and only engaged his saber to deflect a few pot shots taken at him. Few were on target and so it didn’t take much effort. Then once in the air Quirk took a deep breath in and let himself hover for a moment in the air. “Flee,” he shouted in a booming voice. “This is your chance now to flee!”

He empowered his voice with the force letting it travel down into the city. Closing his eyes and he allowed himself to start descending falling towards the ground and letting gravity do its work. A little pressure he exerted over the group combined with his booming voice saw some of the scum running off.

Good. Opening his eyes and wings he redirected his free fall into a dive and then swooped last minute away from the earth letting out a screeching bellow at the last remaining pirates sending them flying from their position before pulling up and making a small loop to land next to [member="Tobias Wraith"]. "Let's check on the people of this town, make sure everyone is healthy and get emergency medical care to those in need...." Reaching out Quorl find an old pole belonging to... something and used the force to bring it to him walking on it like a cane to the first house....