Continuing the Search

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Pibs warbled as Kinsey eyed the First Order man warily from the viewport.

"No bud. It'll be like that one time in Sith space. Wasn't so bad, was it?"

A flat whistle returned from her droid.

"Ready?" Blues drifted to Armaud. With his confirmation, she'd unstrap and move to open the u-wing door. The man with the clipboard looked at her with diastase, eyeing her well-worn jacket and boots and the cluttered (though organized!) ship. Kinsey squinted. His name tag said lieutenant Dan. He motioned to a squad of armor-plated troops.

"Alright let's go. Identification and purpose of visit."

Kinsey stepped out, an easy-going look on her face. "Here you go." Her ID said Kinsey Smith. Starchaser would land her instantly in a First Order prison. Probably. Thanks Uncle. The two troopers began searching her ship, brushing past Armaud.

One opened her container of her favorite tea, sniffed it, and then threw it on the floor.

"Feel free to have some." She called out cheerfully. That got her a blank-helmet head stare as more of her jars of goods got tossed about.

Cotten-headed dingledorfs.

Lt. Dan motioned gruffly to the hippy, satisfied with Kinsey's papers. "And you? State your purpose."

 

[Armaud Eden]

Maud stifled a laugh at Kinsey's sarcastic remarks, regarding the tea. The bohemian was mildly irritated with the waste but when it came to the First Order, it was to be expected.

"Here to visit some relatives." Maud responded, entirely honest. Lt. Dan gave him a discerning gaze, as if that might have triggered something, and approached.

"And your name."

Maud paused, pulling the side of his mouth in as he looked towards Kinsey. He knew she'd be disappointed with his answer. "Armaud Eden."

Lt. Dan opened up a data pad and scrolled through, inputting the name. His expression darkened as Maud nervously ran his hands over one another. "We'll need you to come up with us. To answer a few questions."

"Can't be done here?" Maud smiled and shrugged. "Got nothing to hide." Lt. Dan looked up from his datapad and Maud lifted his hands. "Fine. Fine." Maud gave Kinsey an apologetic smile and passed her as he walked out. It wasn't in him to lie and even if it was, he didn't have papers for some other identity. Never had need for it. But as much as these people were bad, they liked to tout some sense of law and order. And it wasn't against the law to be the son of a Healer.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Kinsey didn't know much about the Edens other than the whole healer thing. Had Avalore been that involved with the Alliance, especially against the First Order? They just didn't seem like that type of family. Certainly not militant. Maybe Uncle Gabe? But she wondered if First Order even knew the man's connection to the Edens.

And she'd realized a little too late about his lack of...forged papers.

Armaud hadn't needed to hide like she did. Constantly.

"Wait," she stepped forward. "He hired me as his pilot and guide. I'd like to come with and make sure he doesn't stiff me on his payment."

Lt. Dan turned abruptly, his patience about worn out. Sharp voice barked an order. "You will remain here. Your payment is not our concern."

She took another step, "But..."

"Or you can be arrested," Dan glared it her direction, clearly above working class folk.

Kinsey's arms crossed, clearly trying to keep her suave swagger up and temporarily failing. She finally managed a small, lopsided grin. "Whatever you say, boss." Worried blues flickered to Armaud.

Lt. Dan turned on his heels in a huff as a trooper fell in to flank Armaud.

 

[Armaud Eden]

He chuckled, unsure of whether Kinsey would take being arrested for the principle of the matter. He appreciated the effort, nonetheless. "Well, come on then. I don't have all day." He wasn't a liar but that might have been a lie. In the greatest sense of the phrase, he had nothing but time now.

Stepping down the ramp with the guard on his flank, he looked up towards the metal rafters across the top of the starport. It always felt unfinished, like they had gotten the bones up and going but never managed any insulation or boarding. Gabe would have called it poor form, if he had been there. But he wasn't here and he wasn't on the planet at all. Not if he was alive.

"So, where's your mother?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." Maud replied curtly, being jammed into the seat. Every fixture seemed to be made of metal. The walls were duracrete blocks, painted white, and scuffed fairly consistently at knee level. Looked like people were dragged in and out, kicking and screaming.

"You think we'd believe that."
Maud shrugged and took a deep breath. "What's the point of asking me a question if you're not going to believe the answer?" Maud looked the Lt in the eyes. "Haven't seen her in years."

"Hmm." The Lt. pulled out the datapad and scrolled. "In that case. We'd like for you to sign the deed of the homestead over to us. You're recognized as the eldest remaining member of the Eden Family."
"Is that right?"
"It is."
Maud leaned forward to look at the datapad. "So what...when you burn it down, it'll be legal?"

The words were barely out of his mouth when he felt a fist hit him across the head. Stars lit up the room as he hit the ground, taking the chair with him. Just as he hit the ground, the guard was pulling him back up to his seated position. Maud fluttered his eyes as he rolled his jaw, making no other noises beyond an exasperated sigh. "Yeah okay." As quick as that, it was done. And that very same guard was lifting him out to the exit that would lead back into the main starport.

"We'll be sure to tell the Baronness Higgins about your charitable contribution."

Those were the last words he heard before the door slammed and he was back in the foot traffic. He looked around for Kinsey, feeling his tender jaw.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Kinsey was about to wear a path in the duracreet. She was pacing so much outside her ship. She didn't even feel like cleaning up the mess the troopers had made. They'd left after being satisfied with their search. As long as Kinsey didn't try to break into the interrogation rooms, they didn't much care what she did now.

Chumps.

Pibs rolled along beside her, booping and beeping along with its owner's ideas.

"I'm just saying. Lure a trooper inside the ship. About my height and BAM. The armor can't be that bad."

Bweeeeep.

"Well I don't care how much it smells on the inside."

Bwap Bwap.

"Of course you can use your stunner on them. As many times as you want."

Toot.

Kinsey looked up, her fiftieth glance toward where they'd dragged Armaud off, only to see the familiar sight of her friend. Friend? Relief washed over her tightened features. Pibs whistled which caused several pedestrians to look their way as Kinsey quickly closed the distance.

"Hey. Are you okay? What happened?" She glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see him being pursued, wondering if he'd broken out. The pilot pulled him gently closer, catching the swollen jaw.

"Please tell me the other guy looks worse."

 

[Armaud Eden]

He rubbed his jaw as she pulled him close.

"It'd take a bit more of a pummeling to get me looking worse than him..." He stated with a mock smirk. Pain had never been a really big issue for him. Gabe liked to say he probably just had good genes but his mother blamed it on a spiritual temperament, wounds of the flesh were of little concern when the spirit was in consideration.

"Why...you gonna go beat him up for me?" Green eyes looked towards her ship, then back to meet what he could only picture as little orbs of star speckled sky. "You know I left a pretty hefty bag of stones in that compartment. If you would have left, I wouldn't have blamed you. This place isn't safe."

He narrowed his eyes. "And one jar of honey. I think..." His brow furrowed deeper. "I hope the bees can make it without Gabe. Otherwise that honey is about to become way more valuable. Worth at least..." He held up his hand. "Three guided tours from the greatest adventure guide in the galaxy."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Fingers released his outer cloak after she was satisfied. There wasn’t really anything she could do for his jaw. She wasn’t a healer. She could just pick shrapnel out of wounds or patch up blaster burns with a bacta patch. She’d done that enough times on herself.

Maybe stitch a gash if they were in a pinch. But very crudely.

Would she beat him up?

A low, quick bubble of laughter left her throat. “No but I’d send Pibs.” The droid seemed to nod its round head on its round body.

She smirked and stepped aside so she could walk with him through the port. “I probably should’ve left. Think how rich I would’ve been? And karkin straight the greatest adventure guide. Few can afford me.”

She pretended to polish her fingernails on the side of her jacket.

Obviously anyone could afford her. A low whistle left pressed lips. “THREE, eh? Guess it depends on how much of that honey you’ll be eating on the journey yourself.” Elbow went to nudge his side. It was becoming a natural gesture between them.

“I think our first adventure,” she stepped closer, voice dropping in a conspiring tone. “Would be to rescue these bees and get them to a proper new home?”

 

[Armaud Eden]

"Oh you would have sent Pibs, huh...I'm sure that would have worked out." He mused as the droid seemed to make a noise. Like he had been insulted, though Maud didn't notice as he was too busy listening to Kinsey joke about all of her riches. It was quite a bit, she could have lived off that for a while. But then she'd be out of a gem source and more importantly, out of a friend to stay warm with.

Not that they needed it on Sulon - Maud had forgotten just how warm it could get. He pulled his collar as they walked, puffing it back and forth to fan himself, squirming as she nudged him in the side.

"This isn't their natural habitat..." He stated off the cuff, admittedly unsure of what the bees habitat actually was. "Well I take that back. Their habitat is around here, but their use of Ankarres...that was because of Gabe. He could...uhh..." Maud tilted his head as they continued to walk through the starport. Following the directions from the signage, baggage claim and the exit were in the same direction. He imagined that made sense though he wondered what baggage claim was actually good for. Unless people were star hopping on space buses, which admittedly sounded like a bit of fun.

"He can talk to the bees..." Maud gestured, as if his hands could do the explaining. "He convinced the Queen that Ankarres was the best source of nectar. Which I guess means he lied to her..." He looked towards Kinsey and poked her in the ribs. "You'd know all about that, wouldn't you...Miss Smith? Or is it Missus?"

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"Hey," she flicked the hand that did the poking. "Is it lying though? Is. It. Maybe one day I'll settle down with someone and I'll become Kinsey Smith. Who is to say?"

Pibs warbled behind them and Kinsey stopped suddenly, turning.

"Oh nononono. You go back to the ship and stop describing what Mister Smith will look like."

Pibs booped and turned around as Kinsey rejoined Armaud, peeling off her jacket. Her favorite jacket. She picked up naturally on the conversation where she'd left off.

"But I'll have you know Miss Smith runs an excellent piloting service and absolutely NO illegal or misconduct flags on record. A good standing citizen and certainly no history with the Alliance. Family ties or otherwise. She probably saved someone," eyes flickered to Armaud, "from attempting some half-baked rescue attempt."

Pot calling the kettle but whatever.

They were nearing a speeder rental area.

"And I didn't know talking to bugs ran in the family."

 

[Armaud Eden]

Ticking his tongue, he shook his head slowly. "A good last name like Starchaser, be a shame to give it up for Smith." He never really understood the last name concept or really marriage at all. Didn't seem like it made much sense. If people cared about each other, why would they ruin it by putting their names together on a piece of holo-record?

And absent gaze adorned him as he approached the speeder rental, pressing his thumb against the identification pad. "Though Miss Smith does seem like an upstanding citizen. She doesn't seem like she'd lie about anything or...smuggle cargo. Or really anything nefarious like that."

"Armaud Eden?"

"Yep." He responded to the teller who returned with a nod.

"Your usual..."

"Whatever you got works." The teller responded again and handed Armaud the key, ushering them through a set of frosted sliding doors with a sweep of his hand.

"It's not really like it runs in the family..." He scoffed as he rattled the keys in his hands, hitting the clicker as he waited to hear the horn beep. "It takes practice."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"It IS a good name but not so loudly, yah mind?"

It was an open air speeder. Thank the stars. Some moving air, even with the heat, would be a good thing. She dumped her jacket in the back and then plopped into the front passenger seat. Boots kicked up on the dash as she leaned lazily back.

"It'll be nice to have you drive for a change."

A wink went his way.

"Well. I guess I'm glad someone thinks it's important to commune with insects. Saves the rest of us from practicing." Tone turned a bit more serious, gaze trained on his face. "Your home still standing? Think anyone is left there?"

After all, she'd missed his interrogation.

 

[Armaud Eden]

He shrugged, not thinking much on the name. Maybe it was his carefree attitude, though she might consider it careless, but he assumed they were past the hard part. Approaching the speeder, he appraised her with a discerning eye and a somewhat coy smile.

"It'll be nice huh..." He replied, feigning some sort of insult. He could drive whenever she wanted him to, but it was her ship and actually he probably couldn't. But it also wasn't his place to. Opening up the door, he plopped down in the faux leather seat and closed the door behind him. Powering the vehicle on, he thumbed a few switches as the repulsor came to a humming life.

"Not really mine anymore..." He adjusted the mirrors for rear and side view and cut on the side vents. "They made me sign it over to Baronnes Higgins." He shook his head, scoffing, as he looked over towards Kinsey. His eyes drifted down to the hint of scar on her arm. It was hard to make it out but it looked eerily similar to the bottom of a claw mark he might find on the trunk of a spruce tree. Maybe a bear had used her for a rubbing post.

Squinting, he turned back towards the front and nodded. "Imagine they wouldn't have made me sign over the deed if it wasn't still there so...guess we'll find out." He kicked on the thrust and the speeder took off, sending his hood back and his dreads dancing about in the wind.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

"Ohhh. The evil lady that kept all those exotics?" She shifted in her seat. Made him sign caused her to purse her lips. She imagined that's where he got the swollen jaw from. She really missed her hidden blaster right about now.

"That blows," she mused, hand raising to push dark feathered hair away from her eyes. She was really sorry. This was his home. The way he'd talked about it on the way over spoke volumes to how he felt about it.

"I'm glad I get to be a partner in crime with you. Breaking and entering into your own home. Looting it." She pushed on a small smirk.

She was curious about one thing, though.

"Do you know where your family might've gone?"

As for a teeny positive, atleast she wouldn't have to deal with the 'how do you know my son, blah, blah, blah.'

 

[Armaud Eden]

The speeder cut across the open plains, leaving a wake of dust along the primitive road between the Starport and Baron's Hed. To the left were scrubby woods of low lying bushes and prairie grass, having the appearance of an old field that had been burned down and was doing it's best to recover. Scorched scars encircled small patches within the wood and despite his better intuition, Maud was sure he could see smoke rising. To the right, open fields of wheat and hay that spread over gentle slopes.

But nothing had been tended. The wheat was drying out and the hay packs were unraveling, leaving big piles for the local fowl to pick at. It was all just one big fire, waiting to happen.

"No..." He shook his head as the speeder cut down along the road, Baron's Hed was a small blotch in the verdant distance. Shrugging, he tried not to dwell on it. "So yeah, I guess we'll break in...if the homestead is still there. Maybe look for some clues."

He lifted his right hand and wiggled his fingers, eyeing Kinsey. "Put the old abilities to use. Unless the front door is locked...then we'll have to go in through the basement." He made it sound eerie and covert, pursing his lips thoughtfully. But in truth, there was just a key under a rock in the sand garden.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"Well. I hope we don't run into any ghosts in the basement. I'm sure I'll see all your family's dirty secrets. Illegal moonshine from your uncle? Maybe a shoe fetish?" Everything was said with a wide smirk on her face. Eyes that seemed too big and blue for her face, sparkling in the hot sun.

"And watch where you point your fingers, mister." Stern index finger waggled in his direction. She found herself pushing up her sleeves. It was still a little warm.

"Haven't seen a lot of folk around," she mused quietly. "I wonder how much of the population fled when the Order rolled in."

She wondered where they all went. Maybe to the outer rim.

 

[Armaud Eden]

The thought of anything family related and a foot fetish, it made Maud visibly cringe. And for a moment, he forgot about that pit in the center of his stomach. Blinking, he retracted his finger with a bemused smile, and didn't afford her the same investigative glance when she pushed up her sleeves. He was curious but not that curious, not curious enough to risk driver safety.

But he had to admit that it was getting a bit warm for his robes.

"I'm hoping that they fled. Many of the locals weren't the type to live under a heavy hand. It's why the Alliance worked so well for the-"

The speeder cruised into the town but even miles away, the billowing smoke could be seen - Maud had hoped it was a celebratory fire for a festival he had forgotten about or perhaps the advent of fireplaces had become more pronounced. But now the smoke was in his mouth and his eyes. He blinked, squinting, as the vehicle came to a stop and the door cracked open. Looking up, he stepped out and held his hand over his brow. He saw the body of Old Beret, shot dead, with his mounted turret still rattling off despite being empty. Verdant gaze shifted to the streets and while there were no tumble weeds to speak of, there might as well have been.

Stepping into the street, he approached what he thought was a bundle of rags. But it wasn't. Kneeling over, he gripped the body by the shoulder and turned her over. His expression hardened as he looked at her weatherbeaten face, her mouth was open and empty except for one tooth. And clutched against her chest, her hands held a full bottle of Gabe's mead.

Maud chuckled, breathing out heavily, as he pressed a hand against her cheek. "Oh Elzeban...why did you stay? Stubborn woman..." He sucked air between his teeth, knowing that it was a stupid question. The Porcelain Gypsy was nothing without her porcelain. And looking to her vendor stand, 20 feet away, he couldn't sight a single item that wasn't broken.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

Kinsey's smirk quickly disappeared. She stayed in the speeder as Armaud got out, watching him silently.

War.

She was no stranger to it. And she doubted anyone in the galaxy was. Eyes watered and she cleared her throat, as if she could so simply expel the smell of death and loss. Finally, she moved, getting out of the speeder, the door left open.

Blues tracked to the mounds of rubble where shops had stood. The street was littered with glass and brick. It was like a vengeful giant had pounded it's fists from the sky, picking and choosing which buildings stood. The post office still stood, though a window or two were shattered.

She knelt quietly next to Armaud, looking from the dead woman to her companion's face. Reaching out, she gently wrapped fingers around the wrist of the hand that was pressed to the woman's cheek.

"Careful," she breathed. She knew about Kiffars and the risk of touching too many dark memories. There was a risk to the darkside. Not to mention, she didn't want to see Armaud torture himself. What was done was done.

But her touch reminded him that she was here for him. Whatever he needed. He wasn't alone.

 

[Armaud Eden]

"Gabe called her mother..." He smiled, shaking his head. "Her last memories were dusting her wares. They called her the Mainstreet Gypsy. He...Gabe...was using this..." His other hand moved to the Mead clutched in the woman's hand, feeling the resonance of the force as it percolated through the golden fluid. There was a strong lightside signature within the bottle, offering any deterrent that was needed against the corruption of the darkside. "To treat an advanced and aggressive form of brain cancer."

He smiled warmly. "She died without ever knowing what was happening." He wondered on the value of ignorance but in her memories, he only felt bliss. Maybe it was best that the sickness wasn't truly treatable and that she went in the fog of dementia.

His hand moved to overlap Kinsey's, looking up to her with a smile that showed only in his eyes. "Don't worry... These people died on their own terms..." He stood and looked towards the vendor shop, spotting the wooden door to the left of the peppermint canopy. Gently pulling Kinsey's hand from his wrist, he offered it a gentle squeeze of reassurance - he was happy that he wasn't experiencing this on his own. "Come on, let me show you something..."

He didn't release her hand but instead tugged her along and away from Elzeban. Approaching the door, he released her hand and knelt. Feeling along the space beneath the door and ground, he pressed upward at a notch - deactivating the deceptively thorough locking system. The door creaked open as Maud watched quietly, scoffing. "They were here to only rid the place of free people...without realizing what lied beneath."

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Armaud Eden"]

"Alcohol to treat....what?" Dark-brows lofted on her starkissed face. She clearly didn't get it. Was Armaud losing his mind...Alcojol couldn't cure cancer.

The girl followed along, sharp-gaze watching his features closely. Overall, he was taking everything surprisingly well. Probably because these folk really had died on their own terms. In a way.

Hand tingled as his fingers slid away.

"Ah here we go. Felony one-oh-one. The Armaud I know and adore." Voice trailed off as she followed him inside.

"Wow," fingertips lightly traced along varying metals, jars, and handles. The explorer weaved her way through the space. It was a wonder the bombs hadn't gotten this place. "What IS all this stuff?" Curious gaze searched for those two pricks of green.

 

[Armaud Eden]

Adore...

He chuckled as he stood, dusting off the shoulder of his robe. "All in a days work..." He muttered as he entered in, approaching the forge. There were multiple mannequins, composed of hay, that were donning experimental or incomplete armor sets. Sword and lightsaber hilts hung from rack on the cobble wall or from chains that seemed to move of their own volition.

Leaning forward, he put his hand in the dormant forge, thinking that he could almost feel the residual heat from a stoked fire. Coal and ash billowing out from the brick chimney, the clank of a hammer against an anvil, the bubbling of a glass container filled with mead.

"Gabe was..." He stopped, turning to look at Kinsey. "Is." He stated with confident certainty. "Capable of many things. Well, he's also incapable of many things...but he's good with his hands." He stood up, strumming his hand against the blade of a suspended sword, showing the rippling effect of meteorite ore that was common in Gabe's work. "He's skilled as a blacksmith, supplying relics to the Alliance. Jal Shey Imbuement...Upari stone cutting...an assortment of techniques that I can't pronounce."

He stopped. "The very same techniques he used to imbue that honey. Or in the case of that alcohol...imbue it to heal cancerous lesions. Don't ask me how...But he stored a good deal of valuable gems here, the sort that I don't think he'll be coming back for." Gabe bewildered Armaud in many ways. In some ways, it was annoying - in other ways, it was fascinating. Stopping, he lowered his eyes to the ground and flared his nostrils. "I'm going to go upstairs..." His eyes lifted before focusing back on Kinsey, and then over to the ramp behind her. "Thata way." He pointed as he strolled passed her and trudged upstairs.

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]