Private Chippin' In || Elliana

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

Routine was an afterthought.

After Cantros, the Echani was actually glad to be back on the clock. The Talon siblings were not a lot known for expressing their feelings. Thus, after watching his sister rise from the dead as a monster - and all the fallout which came with it - Var simply walked away. There wasn't anything left to do or say. No matter how one sliced it, his older sister had been returned to the dirt. Life, as chit filled as it was, had to go on. And that meant keeping credits in the ol' bank account. In terms of duty, Var Talon was an Obsidian Knight.

Which was a far cry from the supermax prisoner he used to be, that's for sure.

On some days, the job would take him to exciting locales where he'd fight against crazy people using crazy things. On others, like today, the tasks were far more mundane. There were whispers of trafficking of late. Rumors that shipments of live animals were being used as cover for slaves. With the southern systems as hard no about the practice as they were, it was no surprise that Var was assigned one of the last stops before a ship could leave Confederate space. In particular, he was charged with making sure any live shipments had animals - and animals only.

For the most part, the shipments that he had inspected were of no concern. A few rich folk wanted to have exotic pets from the wilds of the 'Rim - peachy. But then came a rather astronomical cargo ship, with multiple crates filled to the brim with animals. The rationale? A zoo on Coruscant. A quick holonet searched confirmed that such a location existed - but the work of verification was underway. Aided by droids, the crates were inspected with a whole heap of scanners. And judging by the pace, this would take several hours at least to complete.

And unlike droids, Var needed a break.

With his datapad tucked under the crook of his arm, the Knight approached one of the vessel's crew. He paused, settling a cigarra between his teeth before asking: "Got a light?"

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

“Ooh, careful, please!” Elliana found herself feeling a bit more flustered than her usual, happy self as she watched what was unfolding in front of her. Cheeks flushed, she spent some time looking at the datapad as the crates of animals were being unloaded, she carefully marked off each shipment on her datapad as they went. The young woman rushed over to the crate that had been put down a little harder than it should have been; two Munyips chittered in protest leaving her to bend down to the crate and peek in. Her green orbs spotted the two flying creatures recovering from their jostle leaving her to poke her finger inside and feel them nuzzling her fingers with their long nose-like features. “Hey there, you guys okay?” A more positive chittering came from the pair causing her to give a happy laugh. “Good!”

Returning to the spoke of oversight, the incoming freighter was loaded with all sorts of new species and rarities for the Zoo. Elliana lost herself in the datapad of information for the time being as the crates were being scanned and transported up into the ship. Her button nose scrunched up as she worked, trying to figure out the system. The whole experience was new for her as this was her first time overseeing anything of this size. There was all the red tape too; scanners and droids and everything that seemed to slow the process down thanks to a bunch of rotten, shady practices that apparently were going on in the Galaxy."Got a light?"

Elliana’s head snapped up, looking to see who had spoken; a man who seemingly was looking for a way to light his cigarra. Elliana wandered over to the man who was asking the crew members who were shrugging for a way to light the stick between his teeth. “I know someone who might.” Calling over her fellow co-worker, Elliana pointed to the man’s cigarra. “Tarrik, you got something he can light up with? I’ll get it back to you later.” She knew that the red skinned Twi’lek was a heavy smoker. He nodded before handing off his lighter and walked away. As another crate passed, Elliana checked off her datapad before turning back to the rather rough looking man. Despite his overall appearance, his hair reminded her of a fluffy cloud which made her smile. “Just be careful around the crates - some of the animals have delicate systems and any amount of pollution, no matter how small, can actually hurt them.”

The young woman was excited for all the new animals that were about to become a part of their Zoo and it was hard for her to contain her excitement. But just like every day at work, she had to remind herself to keep a rather professional manner on board. It was hard, but the young woman tried her best but it didn’t stop her bright eyes and cheery demeanor. “So...Do you like animals?” addressing the smoking man, her voice was light and cheery as she still worked.

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | @tag​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

The display was one right outta the fairy tales.

While seeking someone with the means to continue his addiction, Var's gaze settled upon a contradition to the spaceport. Most in the immediate vicinity were of two varities. Either they were in uniform, or were droids bearing the insignia of the Confederacy somewhere on their chassis. Or, they looked like hired help - sweaty, poorly dressed, and liable to swing on first provocation. That is, except the young woman the Echani approached. As his strides bore him in her general direction, he watched as one of the crates was settled down just a touch hard. It was enough that a garbled mess of noise came in response.

Var blinked. The young woman damn near coddled whatever the feth was inside and reached her hand in. It was a miracle it hadn't been bitten off in his opinion. But, not his circus, not his monkeys. Literally. Nonetheless, Var posed his question - cigarra settled between his lips and all. The response was the woman being plucked from her fairy tale and immediately guiding him over towards a red-skinned Twi'lek. Tarrik apparently. The fellow was kind enough to loan Var the lighter, a fact which earned him a thankful nod. Var was just about to give the cigarra a light when the young woman cautioned him about the needs of the animals.

"I'll keep that in mind." he said. Truthfully. Wouldn't do to damage someone's property when doing check. That would earn him one hell of an earful from the higher ups. So, he pocketed the lighter and held the cigarra aloft in his dominant hand. He'd light it up in a minute, when he was a good few paces away from the product. "Don't want any animals keeling over on my account." As he spoke, he noticed just how damn...bubbly the girl was. Though her tone was professional, it seemed as though she'd practically burst from excitement at any given moment. It was enough to make Var smirk.

She then asked him if he liked animals. A question he had never put much stock into. "I guess I do." came his honest reply, complete with a shrug. "Never really got to see many growing up. Never had a problem with 'em." He then motioned with his dominant hand towards her. "I take it you love critters big and small huh?" Another smile - the cherry tone was clearly having an affect. Unfortunately, there was a storm cloud brewing. As he spoke, one of the droids stepped over.

"Knight Talon, Crate Alpha-Three-Zero." came its simple introduction. The scope of their mission demanded discretion. "Gotcha, let's take a look." he replied.

"Miss, would you mind showing me what's in Crate A30? Gotta do a manual review of a few of them, y'know how it goes."

Hopefully it wasn't something dangerous. That would be a pain in the ass.

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

The man seemed more hardened and all business and that suited Elliana just fine. He was doing his job and her own but it didn’t mean that the two of them couldn’t conversate as she worked and he supervised. "Don't want any animals keeling over on my account." The young woman’s face adopted a very serious look for a second, nodding in agreement before scrunching her button nose up as she worked. She could smell the smoke lingering off of his cigarra, causing her to give the tiniest, little achoo. Wiggling her nose as the sensation passed, Elliana looked back up as he expressed his neutrality over animals. "Never really got to see many growing up. Never had a problem with 'em."

She was satisfied by this; It had earned him a beaming smile in his direction as she held the datapad to her chest. "I take it you love critters big and small huh?" Giving an eager nod; her loose blonde strands bobbing once again with her head’s movement. “Yes! Each one of them is special in its own way. And every single one of them deserves to be cared for and loved.” Her green eyes looked up into his, as she was much shorter than he. “You should visit the zoo, sometime. There are so many creatures from all over the Galaxy.” At the very least, he seemed a bit lighter than the aura she had been introduced to which made her just as content.

But something was wrong; there was apparently something wrong with crate A30. He requested that she show him what was in there and Elliana nodded compliantly but checked her datapad before taking him over to it. Scrolling down a little, she found its contents listed next to it. “It’s a Vulptex. She’s supposed to be our new breeder.” Leading the man over to the crate, she could hear the jingling from within as their ‘fur’ was actually a crystalline form on their frames.

“Okay, everyone stays back for a moment. She should be fine but if you spook her she’ll get a bit feisty.” Elliana’s voice held its usual bright manner but her tone was a bit more hushed as well as commanding. The young woman didn't want the creature or anyone on the docking bay to get hurt or cause an altercation. She could hear it growling some as she punched in the numbers on the side of the crate that was listed next to the number on the datapad. Elliana finally cracked the crate’s top before standing on her tiptoes to see the small crystal-wolf-like creature curled up in the corner. The Vulptex looked at her with a bit of a growl and her eyes held fear and the crystals on her back seemed to bristle upwards leaving the young Zookeeper to gently reach out, feeling the fear in the animal and trying to calm it.

“Hey, girl. It’s okay. This won’t take long, I promise. You’re okay…” Her voice was soft and as her hand grew closer, the animal seemed to calm; the fear in its eyes fading into a calming and trusting gaze as the crystals on her back flattened as well. “There you go, good girl.” Letting her fingers gently brush the crystalline fur, she looked back up at the man behind her with an accomplished smile. “It’s okay, you can come closer now, just be slow and easy. She won’t bite.” ​

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | Varion Talon ​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

The woman was literally sunshine and bubblegum.

The Echani mused to himself whilst the conversation flowed. The pleasantries were brief, but Var got the impression that the attendant wasn't putting on some kind of show. Between how eagerly her hair bobbed when she nodded, how quickly she put her hand inside a crate to settle the animals, and how brightly she smiled - there wasn't anything suspicious about her. And that, quite frankly, was what made the operation stink. Though his face said nothing regarding his thoughts on the matter, experience began to make Var think about the scenario. If anything was amiss, this one would most likely serve as the perfect cover. A nature loving woman amidst hired help.

Duly noted.

Each one of them is special in its own way. She explained, looking up at him with excitement. She had suggested that he should visit the zoo sometime, a fact that made the Echani smile ever so slightly. "If I end up going, you'll have to give me the tour. Never been." Such activities were usually reserved for younglings and their parents during downtime. But, for his family, downtime was spent training and keeping an eye on the future. House Vail of Eshan was strict as all get out compared to the Galactic norm. But, Var didn't feel like his childhood was missing anything due to the experience.

He would have loved to chat more about the zoo, but one of his subordinate droids approached. When Var asked the woman to show him what was in Crate A30, she advised that it was Vulptex. The Echani followed in tow, nodding along as she gave a brief introduction - and pausing when she told everyone to stay back. Her tone went from bubbles to authority - the zookeeper had arrived. Var simply pocketed his cigarra and folded his arms, watching the woman work. When it was safe to approach, he did so, taking slow cautious steps into the crate. Slow. Easy. Just like the zookeeper advised. "Well hello there gorgeous." he said, keeping his tone light.

The canine creature did not seem to mind Var much. Perhaps it was due to his keeping his hands where it could see them. Reaching, the Echani simply settled his hand upon the wall of the crate. His presence in the Force reached out, reverberating quietly throughout the metal. For one untrained, a chill would race down the zookeeper's spine. She'd feel something there, but there wouldn't be a word to describe what was occurring. Var wouldn't offer an explanation, as his eyebrow raised ever so slightly. "I'm going to need you to move her into another crate for a few. Gotta do a quick sweep, note it, and she'll be good to go."

He withdrew his hand from the crate wall and offered a warm smile. For the moment, he kept his cards very close to his chest. Partly because he his gut said the woman had nothing to do with what he had felt. Partly because there was a beast within arm's reach of him.

Clever.

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

“I would LOVE to!” Her green eyes seemingly got brighter at the prospect of showing someone the zoo. But even more so, this man had never been which made it even more so. Elliana’s passion for animals ran much deeper than just taking care of them but it was also to see others enjoy and have the same joy that she did when they saw them. A lot of creatures at the zoo were creatures that most beings in the Galaxy wouldn’t get to see; some would while others would surprise and delight.

With the conversation shifting, the pair of them at the crate and Elliana calming the female Vulptex, she let the inspector get close to the crate and admire the creature. "Well hello there gorgeous." Elliana kept her hand gently on the Crystallized wonder while the man inspected the crate. “Shh, you’re being such a good girl.” Elliana kept her tone sweet and light, assuring the creature she was safe despite the surroundings. But it was at that moment, leaning into the crate that the young Zookeeper felt what could only be described as icy fingers chilling up her spine as she stood there. Her shoulder twitched at the sensation leaving her eyebrows to furrow some at what had just happened but quickly shrugged it off as a bodily function.

"I'm going to need you to move her into another crate for a few. Gotta do a quick sweep, note it, and she'll be good to go." Looking up at him and his smile, Elliana was a bit taken aback by that. Zoo policy didn’t allow them to take the creatures out of the crates unless they were in immediate danger. If the animal spooked, it could hurt everyone around them depending on the species or itself. “Uhhh…” She paused, hesitant for a moment deciding what to do. “Okay.” Her voice was still light but the hesitancy was there at the thought of something going wrong. Looking down at the creature, she called Tarrik to be on standby behind her in case this went badly.

“Have a spare crate ready, please.” Letting the Twi’lek follow her commands, Ellie gave a big, deep sigh before looking back down at her next task. “Okay, girl. This is gonna be scary but I know you trust me.” Voice soft and sweet, she heard the Vulptex give a tiny yip in agreement as the young Zookeeper reached out a bit more to ease the animal before gently and carefully pulled her out. They were, by natural state, the size of a medium to small canine. But she was small and petite and still young. “There you go…” Giving a smile as she carefully held the Vulptex firmly but carefully, as she didn’t want the crystals to cut or go through her clothing. “Good.” Looking up at the man, giving a nod Elliana slowly stepped back, gently placing the creature in the spare crate and allowing him to inspect the crate at his own free will.​

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | @tag​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

She was all sunshine and rainbows.

Unfortunately, whomever had put her smiling mug as the face of the operation knew what they were doing. This was something he had seen before. Something that the Knights had dug into since slavery became a capital offense. Get someone ignorant who'd play the part well. Someone who could erode any suspicion with a dazzling smile. The zookeeper? She had all that in spades. And if the Echani hadn't known any better, he might have just glossed over the inspection. But. The droids had seen. He had felt. Now it was just a matter of confirmation.

The woman was sweet as sugar while relocating the crystalline creature. As she set about guiding the beast out, Var did his absolute best to keep his tone and expression even. Genuine. "You're a real gem." he said, immediately offering a light chuckle at the pun. Crystal Wolf. Gem. Get it? Nonetheless, once the creature was situated, Var stepped deeper into the crate. He croached, lowering his palm to where the beast was formerly laying. His knuckles tapped upon the steel floor, making a solid echo. He advanced. Tap. Again. Again. Again. Hollow. By now he had reached the back of the crate - or so he thought.

"Mother fethers." he swore under his breath, before commanding the Force. The hollow steel creaked in protest before bowing forward and giving way. The false back slammed down onto the crate's innards with a mighty thud. The response? Not an animal. But scared, tiny gasps. Huddled in the corner were a trio of Twi'lek children. Gagged. Chained. "Easy. Easy now kiddos. I'm a good guy." he said softly.

Immediately he rose. Fresh fury in his voice. "Round them up! Everyone on the ground NOW." As he turned, droids poured into the crate and saw to the children, allowing Var to deal with the culprits. His lightsaber flew to his hand. His badge of office more or less. As he strode out of the container, his gaze returned to miss sunshine and rainbows. Was she innocent? That remained to be seen. "You." he snarled. "This chit here? Capital offense. So if you want to keep breathing, you'll cooperate."

He then motioned towards the crate. "Doubt you'd have been happy to clear that out if you knew there were kids back there, so I'ma give you the benefit of the doubt. For now. Who loaded these crates, point 'em out."​

Elliana Wess[/color]

 

[Elliana Wess]

"You're a real gem." That made the young woman giggle. The pun more than likely would have made most roll their eyes and smirk but to her, at least it was funnier than it probably was meant to be. But the air around them shifted as the man inspected the crate, revealing children within. Elliana gave an audible gasp. Her green eyes wide at the thought of the little poor souls locked in a crate, leaving her to comply with the sharp command that was given to everyone involved with the transport. "Round them up! Everyone on the ground NOW."

She could feel Tarrik’s comforting hand on her shoulder as her hands held onto the datapad while she stayed perfectly still. Who could do something like that? Why would anyone want to ship children? Elliana wasn’t a serious person by any means but the thought repulsed her, leaving her reeling mentally at the thought. "You." Looking down at the ground for a second, her head snapped up once she heard the menacing voice addressing her. She could almost feel the heat leave her face as his tone remained the same, allowing her to know what would very well be happening to anyone involved. "This chit here? Capital offense. So if you want to keep breathing, you'll cooperate."

The young Zookeeper had never been threatened in her life; she was bullied and poked at for who she was but this was a whole new thing for her. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. Looking back at Tarrik, her green eyes a bit of a rushed panic in her voice. “Take care of Meatball for me?” The Twi’lek simply shook his head, not overly phased by the tone but spoke up to help ease her some. “It’ll be okay, Elliana, just tell the man what he wants to know.” She felt a pat on her shoulder as she turned around to face him again.

All the man had to do was say please and she would have told him what he wanted to know. Elliana knew it was a serious situation and he didn’t know her from the man on Mustafar but in the end, she had no idea what was going on. She wasn’t even supposed to be here, today. “Mr. Grumpy Sir... Uh…” Her voice was its usual flighty-ness but it was soft. She pointed to the group behind them, without saying another word. Tarrik patted her shoulder approvingly as she stayed there. “You can check my datapad, I don’t know what’s going on at all, I promise.” Her green eyes were still wide at everything going on. What was going to happen to her?

"Doubt you'd have been happy to clear that out if you knew there were kids back there, so I'ma give you the benefit of the doubt. For now. Who loaded these crates, point 'em out." He was right about that. Elliana felt horrible for the children there and wished she could have given them all a hug and show them the zoo. But the pit in her stomach told her that wasn’t going to be happening. “No Sir…” Elliana paused before speaking up again. “Are they going to be okay?”

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | Varion Talon ​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

Supermax had quite the impression.

Though the Echani had been raised with the honor centric traditions of his people, his choices had not always taken him down the most gilded path. As the youngest and sole male of his generation, there were expectations piled upon his shoulders since before he could talk. At first, he grew with the intent of bearing them all and of being a source of pride for his kin. Yet, as time moved on, he grew to care more about himself and his own desires far more than approval. He ran with the wrong crowds. Made all sorts of mistakes - bloody ones - and ended up in a prison station. By all accounts, he had ended his own life.

But inside that iron hellscape, he learned that there were actual monsters that deserved to be thrown into the void for all eternity. Sure, there were folks who made mistakes, just like he had. Sure, there were folks who were violent or tried to get rich easily. But there were some who were sick in the fething head. Who craved things that normal people just didn't. In Supermax? Those kind of people were given the treatment they deserved. Ridiculed. Beaten. Killed. And now that Var was out? Those sort of monsters received the same treatment now. Yet in the Southern Systems, he had the Law backing every step.

As he barked his orders, the droids aided in securing the area. All of the working hands and personnel were rounded up in but a matter of moments. Droids had no qualms about shoving, and soon the zookeeper and her Twi'lek friend were joined by literally everyone from the vessel. They were all set before Var, hands behind their heads, on their knees. If he weren't a lawman, the scene would have looked like a criminal execution just waiting to happen. There were light protests to the treatment, but the barrels pointed mere inches away from their faces silenced damn near every voice. Soon, the only ones speaking were Var and the Zookeeper.

He pressed her for answers, following his intuition that she was the innocent sucker on the front of the magazine. And as she replied, that theory made itself all the more evident. She called him Mr. Grumpy. Swore she knew nothing about this. Offered her datapad. The whole nine. "I wish promises were all it took. Really do." he breathed. The Knight reached out, as if to take her up on the offer of the datapad. Yet, instead of taking the device, his hand gingerly caught her wrist. She'd feel an icy tingle run up her arm. As if someone had injected winter inside her veins. The cold would rush up, past her neck, and settle firmly at the top of her head.

The odd sensation was none other than the Force. And though he didn't say anything about it, he was running through her mind like a kid flipping pages in a dictionary. The invasion was brief. Enough to put names to faces. In short order, he then took the datapad and released her wrist - and mind. Are they going to be okay? A solid huff escaped his nostrils. Though he was angry - and had every right to be - the question was valid. "Yes. They will be just fine." he began. But there was something about her that just...madee him want to offer re-assurance. "They wouldn't be if they had gotten out of this port, that's for sure. But, we'll get them back to their families ASAP."

He paused, only long enough to flip through the device. The intel lined up. "As I said before, slavery and trafficking are capital offenses here in the Confederacy. You're all complicit in breaking one of our most hallowed laws. As a member of the Knights Obsidian, I am exacting our justice today."

His intuition told him to do one thing. He reached out and placed the datapad back in the woman's hand. And just as her fingers would coil about it, he'd direct her back towards the Twi'lek. He had seen enough, on the pad and in her thoughts, to know they weren't directly responsible. That was enough to save their lives. And as her back became fully turned to him, the Knight would signal. Elliana would find herself in the embrace of her friend, face away from Var, as the din of blaster bolts ran out. Forms slumped over. The Echani then spoke. "Re-check all the crates. They covered the backs in nightshadow to mess with your sensors. Double-check them. No kid gets left behind."

And as for the two who had been spared? "You two." he began, pointing. "Ignorance does not absolve you. But it has spared your lives. You'll be taken into custody where we'll sort all this out. In the meantime..." He huffed.

"Are you good with kids?"

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

Things weren’t going well, at all. As Elliana did her best to explain her innocence, she was certain the man didn’t believe her. The young Zookeeper had never been in trouble with the law. She had never done anything to hurt anyone. The only thing she had aimed to do in her whole life was help animals and let others experience the joy that she felt while being around them. But instead, she was on her knees, heart-pounding and green eyes wide as he reached out and took her wrist instead of the datapad. There was that icy sensation again; it crawled up her arm and into her neck and head, leaving her to shiver some and her button nose wrinkling at the unpleasant sensation. She gave a tiny whimper as the feeling felt as if icy fingers from Hoth had locked themselves onto her. While it was quick, it wasn’t something she’d forget.

The only relief she felt was the reassurance of the children. "They wouldn't be if they had gotten out of this port, that's for sure. But, we'll get them back to their families ASAP." She nodded gingerly, not wanting to speak but the relief flooded across her face at the thought of them being back with their families in no time. Elliana couldn’t imagine how scared they were as she remembered once getting lost in the marketplace when she was younger- the terror and fear she felt while she stood in one spot, wailing loudly for her adoptive mother to come to find her. "As I said before, slavery and trafficking are capital offenses here in the Confederacy. You're all complicit in breaking one of our most hallowed laws. As a member of the Knights Obsidian, I am exacting our justice today."


As Elliana was led back to Tarrik, the sounds of simultaneous blaster fire and the dropping of bodies filled the young woman’s ears as she didn’t let her gaze leave the Twi’lek’s dark eyes. He gripped her arms firmly, keeping her in check as she did her best not to look at any of the now lifeless bodies that littered the ground. As the man ordered the droids about, Tarrik spoke to the usually bubbly woman; his voice even. “It’ll be okay. You’d never harm a hair on anyone’s head. They’ll see that. Keep your whits about you, girl.” His voice was even and she wasn’t sure how he managed it as her throat went dry. Nodding, the same pieces of loose, blonde hair waved about as they were addressed again. "Ignorance does not absolve you. But it has spared your lives. You'll be taken into custody where we'll sort all this out. In the meantime..."

The young woman wasn’t sure what to do. Never being in trouble with the law had its perks and it meant that she was a good person but it also meant that she didn’t know how to handle situations like this. So Elliana opted to do what she figured was best and out of character for her; she stayed quiet. Whatever happened, she knew she had no control over and it was evident that anyone who broke or fought the law would end up like one of the beings that had been so easily snuffed out. She had half expected to be led away that very moment but he had spoken up once again, asking about being good with kids. She gingerly raised her hand, somehow finding her light but the quiet voice from before. “...I am, Sir. I ran a children’s zoo program for three years.” One of her first jobs had been creating fun events with the tamed species for children to come in and pet and learn about them. It had been one of her most favorite tasks but as she grew in experience, her jobs had shifted leaving that for someone else to do. “I can help if you… If you want me to.”

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | Varion Talon ​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR STARPORT

For the moment, the crisis was averted.

Acting as judge, jury, and executioner was not a role that the Echani took lightly. Compared to his previous decisions, the mantle was literally anathema to the life he had lived. Yet, it allowed him to operate with a much more "spirit" of the law versus "letter" of the law style. Some of the Knighthood enforced every word by the word. Yet Var? Var would work with those who were trying. Those who were good but were in bad circumstances. Those who weren't monsters.

And those who were vile? They would fall before him. Just like the traffickers of the day.

With the summary execution rendered, the goal turned from investigation to recovery and cleanup. Executions in public places, no matter how warranted, weren't the best for public morale. Thus, Abel tapped upon his ear-mounted comm and reached out to his fellows. "Going to need cleaners down here. Exfil for the victims." Request rendered, his attention turned to those he spared. Spirit of the law indeed. He asked the woman, miss bubblegum herself, if she was good with children. Why? Because the kids would respond a lot better to a happy face that was good with animals than an awkward killer like himself.

So he hoped. "Good. I'm going to need a hand keeping the little ones calm. They've...been through a lot as you can imagine." A hefty sigh fell from his lips. "And please, call me Var."

In the next few minutes, the droids would pull no less than fifteen younglings from the crates. The zookeeper would find herself surrounded by dirty faces and runny noses. A mixture of fear and relief plagued each and every child. For the most part, they were unscathed. Those that weren't...had already been avenged. The situation made Var's stomach flip, but he kept a brave face on for the kids. A smile never left his face in their presence. In the midst of introducing the younglings to one of the more docile creatures, Var pulled the woman and her Twi'lek charge to the side.

"Got good news and bad for you. Which do you prefer?" One aspect had to do with the kids, the other with their fate. Which was which remained to be seen.[/indent]

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

"Good. I'm going to need a hand keeping the little ones calm. They've...been through a lot as you can imagine." Elliana could imagine, or at least to some extent. She just hoped she was just what the children needed until they could be safely returned to their families and homes. "And please, call me Var." It was a simple name but Elliana liked it. It was unique much like his white hair that still reminded the Zookeeper of a fluffy cloud. “I like that name.” Her voice was soft but despite the fear that rolled in the pit of her stomach, she kept it hidden away. “I’m Elliana. But I like being called Ellie.” She figured the man already knew who she was or at least had heard her name from her Twi’lek work partner. But despite the events, she didn’t see a reason to be rude.

As the younglings looked up at her and surrounded her, Elliana didn’t waste any time crouching down, giving them all a bright, friendly smile. “Hi there, you little ones.” She reached in her overall pocket, pulling out a single credit chip, allowing it to capture their attention while she flipped the shiny piece in her hands, making it appear and reappear. Despite the pain and fear in their eyes, she had their attention while she did her best to bring them some sort of distraction and happiness, as little as it was.

But it wasn’t long before she was pulled aside, leaving the credit chip with the little ones to practice and try to replicate what she had been doing. "Got good news and bad for you. Which do you prefer?" Ellie did her best to keep her face neutral as she looked over at Tarrik before speaking. “I like good news. Can we have the good news first?” Something told Elliana that it wasn’t going to be the new she had hoped for. What could the bad news possibly be? Was she going to be locked up, never to be seen again? Or worse, if minds were changed and she was thought to be implicated in such crimes? “...Please?” she tacked that on for good measure.​

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | Varion Talon ​

 

[Varion Talon]

TEYR SPACEPORT

Magic.

The young woman - Ellie as she liked to be called - proved to be a hit with the children. It seemed that, for just a few precious moments, life wasn't so unforgiving. They laughed, probably for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Things would only go up from here, for them specifically. As for the survivors? For Ellie and her Twi'lek friend? The future was uncertain. All rested within the palms of the Echani; and frankly, he wished that it didn't. His instincts and reason were bickering constantly. One side knowing that the pair were innocent, whilst the other considering ignorance as no excuse.

But he had to ensure that justice was served. And thus he pulled the pair aside. He gave them a choice, to be told the good news or to be told the bad news first. The bubbly woman, ever the epitome of sunshine and bubblegum, went with the good news. She even tacked on a gentle please for good measure. Var ran a hand through his hair as a sigh fell from his lips. "Alright. Good news first." he began. His hand then motioned to the children who were left playing with her credit.

"Found all their families. They'll be home safe and sound tomorrow. That is the good news."

He paused, striding over to an empty crate. His backside plopped down upon it unceremoniously before he continued. "That bad news...is that I can't just let the two of you walk. No matter how much my guts tell me that you weren't aware of this chitshow going on." Another hefty sigh. He racked his brains. He wasn't going to execute them. Nor was he going to lock them up and throw away the key. He had already made his mind up there. But what then? Silence ruled him - until the crystalline creature from earlier roared from within its crate.

The din rattled him ever so slightly. And he thought - just what're we going to do with these? Probably bring them to the Knighthood. All kinds of critter and creature resided on Roon, some as mounts, others as sustainable sources for equipment...He snapped his fingers. "So, I've got your sentence. Ignorance being no excuse - you're both going to do lot of community service." His dominant hand motioned towards all the animal-filled crates surrounding them. "All these? Getting rehomed on Roon. Knights keep and use critters all the damn time. And you two? You're going to look after them."

"I'll sort out room and board. But you'll be paid. On planet arrest for the first month. Yadie yadie yada." His hand motioned as he spoke.

"I take it you're going to come quietly, right?"

Elliana Wess​

 

[Elliana Wess]

Elliana listened carefully to what the man had to say. The good news was indeed good. The children would be safe and they would end up back home with their families. This alone was enough to raise the young Zookeeper’s spirits. Her green eyes brightened at the words, looking over at them playing and jabbering amongst themselves. She gave a soft smile as she watched a moment, leaving Var to break her concentration after a little bit. "So, I've got your sentence. Ignorance being no excuse - you're both going to do a lot of community service."

It was better than death or being locked up, to say the least. Var went on about rehoming the animals and room and board as well as payment. And it seemed, the community service wouldn’t be picking up trash on Courscant’s lower levels but rather doing something she already had the skill to do. Part of her found a sense of excitement at the so-called ‘punishment’ but there was a twinge of apprehension as well. The bubbly Blonde had never left planetside. And would she become her loth cat? “Anything you need me to do for the animals, I will be happy to.” Her tone was positive and a smile on her lips but after the previous events, the energy she had would take a few moments to return.

"I take it you're going to come quietly, right?" Elliana gave a quiet nod, her green eyes locking on Var’s. “Mr. Gru- I mean Var…” She paused, trying to think about if she wanted to say anything or not. “...Can I bring Meatball?” She could hear Tarrik groaning beside her but she didn’t remove her gaze from their Punisher’s. Tarrik spoke up, in case there was any sort of confusion in the air about who Meatball was. “It’s her Loth Cat. The damn thing weighs as much as a cruiser. At the very least, Sir arrangements for the animal.”

There was a hint of annoyance in her counterpart’s voice as she spoke about the overweight pet. He turned his gaze to her, leaving her to only glance at the Twi’lek. “Can’t believe you’re worried about that in a moment like this.” Elliana gave a small shrug as her pleading green eyes shifted from him back up to Var.

•••
SINGLE | 23 | HETEROSEXUAL | SINGLE BLASTER | Varion Talon ​