Private Crazy Rich Jedi

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko was looking at her and oh this was going to be fun.. or a mistake... a mistake waas possible but Xian was a good girl she wouldn't get lost... maybe.... and maybe she could get one of the trackers for children... nah. She opened the doors of the ship and was heading out inot the port as the hanger itself was secured... protected with droids that ided her and she was able to direct them mostly to protect the ship for when they would return. She went through the large doors that opened onto the strrteets and hallways of the station showing many more people... massive lines for food stalls, buildings that were entertainment and more to divide most visitors from their credits. Gambling, food and more was legel here but regulated as there were dancers luring customers into buildings... there were vendors with statues, books, pictures and holos. "THis way." Noriko said it while leading the way towards the other ports and what they could see out there in space that looked beautiful.

 

[Xian Xiao]

If Xian had been younger, she would have taken off right away. Age had tempered that impulse...a little. She hopped around the hanger and customs while Noriko took care of checking them in but she never actually ran out of sight of the Master.

Falling into step close to the other woman, the teen took in the sights just like she had on the ship earlier. There was the temptation to run over to the shops set up nearby, however, she remained as close to Noriko as she could without actually touching her.

Practically running in circles around her, it was clear the girl was not lost...yet.

"What good are those books?"

Briefly pointing to the offending objects, Xian almost snarled in defiance of reading.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

"Books..." She said it and looked at her with a nod. "Are great for stories, collecting histories... digital archives can be changed and altered often without someone knowing. THe books though are permanent if preserved." Noriko said it while she was waalking and leading the way for the two of them.. there were herglics and wookies, Atrisians and several dozen other species that traded with them. THeir nearness to the Farlax sector which was largely unexplored and filled with thousands of inhabited worlds meant richer trades chances as well as mysterious species. She also knew well Atrisia was making abnk.. most of their goods went for steep mark ups to offworlders to the point they were swimming practically in credits from the other core worlds... but they still shipped off cargo holds worth of supplies and food where it was needed for worlds unable to feed themselves. THey just had an economic AI that worked to make sure the exchange rate was a high enough price in their favor.. that and they also overproduced from the living modules which meant they got to sell off to other worlds that just weren't able to make the minimum and were looking. "The shuttle down towards the planet is this way." She said it while walking and the kimono clad force users were largely in an outside teahouse discusssing things when their small temple saying it was for force users who wanted to be informed or jedi from the colonies.

 

[Xian Xiao]

"Reading is hard and something I'm not interested in doing."

The sneer remained in her voice but not on her face as much as it had been. Starting to fall behind in her steps, she had to dash to catch up with Noriko. Looking around, all the bright lights drew her attention and she started falling behind again. Turning to look at another flash, when she looked again, her Master was no longer in sight.

Xian did not start to panic so soon. She just kept walking and hoped Noriko would turn around to look for her. Then the smell of cooking food hit her nose. This was something the teen could not resist. Following the aroma to where it came from, she stuck her hands in her pockets and was practically drooling over the delicious-looking food in front of her.

Eyeing her surroundings, the girl waited for just the right moment before reaching out for one of the tasty-looking pieces. Grabbing it and running away, unless somebody tackled her, she would then take it into the shadows to eat.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko lost track of Xian.. they were staying together for the longest time but the girl had a wondering eye and would stop... Noriko eventually assumed that she would catch up so tried to stay close but not make it look like they were being held up by it. Then Xian had stopped and wandered off somewhere as the jedi stopped and was looking around for her as the jedi master reached out with the force to try and sense her through it all... there was a whole lot of people here she was sensing. "Oh padawan." She said it but was giving it a chance as there was still the hope she would be alright but NOriko needed to find her.. the Anshin was well beneficial but it was where a lot of the criminal elements had come to along with other dangerous situations. Noriko set off to try and find her weaving through the crowds.

 

[Xian Xiao]

Letting out a sigh of relief, Xian ate the snack she had just stolen. Oddly enough, she didn't even feel like she had done anything wrong. This was how the girl had grown up and some habits are hard to break. Without supervision, she reverted back to an old one that had always been a source of food for her. Wiping her hands off on her borrowed pants, she came out of the shadows and started looking around for Noriko again.

Not returning to the same area of the stall that had the food, she figured that was not going to be a good idea. Her face might be known by them. Walking in the opposite direction, there were just many things trying to catch her attention. So much more than she had seen in her life on Coruscant. Comparing this to Kashyyyk, the Jedi there were sticks in the mud.

"Master Noriko!"

The young teen was lost and only now after getting a full tummy did she start to get upset by this.

"Where are you? Where am I?"

As she wandered, something else caught her eye. The bright lights of a candy shop. Knowing just how much Noriko liked sweet, maybe this would be a good place to meet her.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko was looking for Xian in a different way... they were both smaller and there was less chance to see her in the crowd but the jedi master was moving up.. to the rafters that went over and was used by droids to move around and scan the area. The means to keep the station running. Noriko moved along it and reached out with the force to try and find the girl... the sensation of her was there and she started to track her jumping and running but didn't want to shout into the wind as it were... instead searching where she felt her but just being behind as she knew where they were going.... and could see a small group following and going after someone who was ducking into a candy shop.

The small gang was one of the few criminal elements on the station.. most stayed off of the world as they had legit businesses there and had entered a sort of truce if you could call it thaat. Tourists and business were good... crime and low level things were bad for business so they acted like police in some ways to stop it or at least mitigate the problems... can't have tourists being robbed and hurt by other Atrisians who would interrupt the flow of credits. Noriko dropped down into the streets aas they were going into the shop\ after Xian with eschima sticks to tune her up and the jedi master wasn't running but had to intervene once she got in there.

 

[Xian Xiao]

If Xian had the forethought to use the Force, then she would have likely easily found her Master. However, it never crossed her mind. Another reason was she really did not have any idea how to do this...so she went into the candy shop. There was no clue about her to indicate she knew she was being followed.

Once again reaching into her pockets, she kept her hands to herself. Merely looking at the sweets was enough and her goal here was to meet Noriko...not steal anything. Until she saw a sucker that was the largest she had ever set her eyes on.

It was far too large to even try to put into a pocket but she stood almost drooling as she looked at it. Reaching out two hands, she plucked it out of its stand and turned around to run. Instead, she found herself surrounded by a group that appeared to be thugs. Not quite though...they were organized thugs.

Hands reached out for her and the sucker fell to the floor.

"Oh no..."

She more thought this but it was also said out loud.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko was moving carefully to not attract the attention but she was standing there as she noticed the padawan and the gang members who were there... then she slipped into the crowd and stayed prepared and careful. "Jia Ren doesn't like thieves messing with business kid." The gang was moving in to grab her as Noriko moved sliding in and she had her saber on her belt as she looked up at them. "Not nice trying to go after a kid." She said it and stood there looing at Xian for a moment. "I warned you about getting lost didn't I?" She said it but she wasn't mad more determined as this was a dangerous aspect and the jedi master was starring them down as they started or aat least looked like they were going to think better of it in this situation.

 

[Xian Xiao]

She had been caught at least once before trying to steal things. Most of the time, she was let go with a slap on the hand and warned not to do it again. This was the first time, Xian actually felt like she was in deep trouble. Then Noriko arrived to rescue her. As she was on the floor, the teen looked up with a very thankful look on her face.

However, she did not think she was entirely out of danger yet.

"I'm sorry, Master Noriko. You did warn me. That's why I came here. You like treats so much, I knew you would find me...I had just hoped it was before I got into trouble."

On the bright side of the situation, she understood she was in trouble. Gulping and not looking at the thugs, she fell silent. Though she did wonder just who Jia Ren was.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

The jedi master didn't look at her padawan but she spoke. "I know you might not be able to see this but I am rolling my eyes so hard right now." She said it as a joke and didn't take her eyes off of the thugs before she was moving quickly.. the force guiding her movements as they tried to attack and she didn't need a saber ducking under one of the fists and using the momentum to bring her feet up to back flip bringing a boot to the head of him and sending him to the ground. She crouched low to the ground springing up as one swung a baton at her. Twisting her body in mid-air as she grabbed his wrist and kicked forward wrapping her legs around his arm pulling him down and to the ground as she squeezed and snapped it. SHe looked up at the third and fourth motioning for them to come at her as one was pushed up into the air and the other pulled into the third... then Noriko was up and looking at Xian. "Now we run." She said it and grasped at the girls hand to get her and start heading towards the terminal to get down tot he planet quickly enough.

 

[Xian Xiao]

The situation in front of Xian unfolded so quickly she could hardly follow the movements of her Master. All she knew what the woman barely taller than she was singlehandedly took on all of the thugs and take them all down in a matter of seconds. If it was even that long. As soon as the words were out of Noriko's mouth, she was on her feet and running. Never mind the treat she had been attempting to take. It had already been shattered anyway.

Luckily, this time, Noriko kept her hold on the young teen and they were gone within moments. Hardly breathing, the girl ran with her and was able to keep up. Once in a while, she might have needed to use the Force to do it and help her along but they were soon approaching the terminal area to take them below.

"Thank you, Master. I'll do my best not to get distracted again."

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko moved and gave a nod of her head as they got to the terminal and she used her interface to get them through. THe jedi master stopped when they were inside and the guards were there so no one really tried to mess with them. Criminals might be outside but inside the more prestine and sterile terminal it was all about the efficient. NOriko was waiting as she looked at the padawan and looked her up and down. "It isn't that you got distrracted, I should have been more careful and aware but it is thaat you attracted attention... Jia Ren is not something lightly and their influence well best think of them like a hutt.. they take a cut from most criminal activity in the Commonwealth in exchange they have an unheard agreement with the government about harming people or raiding Commonwealth ships and supplies.... So be careful about attracting attention."

 

[Xian Xiao]

Once they were inside the terminal, Xian visually relaxed. She sensed she was now safe and did not need to be on guard quite as much. A small part of her still remained at attention though. Looking around, the area they were in was vastly different than the previous one.

However, the girl stayed next to Noriko and did not even think about walking away from her side.

"Who is Jia Ren, Master? Who it is they scare me. They have the power to control those thugs and sounds like a bad person."

Chewing on her lower lip, she looked over at Noriko to see if she was listening.

"They are a pirate too?"

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

"Yes they are a pirate.. well the pirate... someone who has been around Atrisian space for a long time and they run most of the criminals... the Commonwealth goes after them but they have largely been quiet keeping criminals under control." She said it and there was a lot that went into the Atrisian underworld and their criminals... there was a sort of more families but they operated in the green to make credits and ifnluence rather then carve out a bloody empire. "The criminals of Atrisia largely avoid dropping bodies but try to have their hands in everything... small crimes can be dangerous and offworlders who commit them they make an example of."

 

[Xian Xiao]

Feeling suddenly like she was in well over her head, Xian just gulped a little when the situation was explained to her. Trying to shrink into a form what was smaller than she actually could be, she hugged herself.

"I don't want that to happen again, Master. Maybe put a leash on me?"

She had seen many children tied to their parents on Coruscant. Knowing she had the tendency to wander off, this might be a good way to keep her close.

"Thank you for rescuing me."

Keeping her arms around her body, she stood up on her tiptoes to try and see what was going on around them.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

SHe looked at her and wrapped an arm around her leading the way towards the terminal... "I don't think we will need to go that far... having a teenager on a leash is not an image I want to present to the people." She said it partially as a joke but was looking at one or two things as she was setting the course. "Lets see now, the shuttles down go to the major cities but there is a couple private ones where you can land... We are heading towards the Wukong's Agora temple." She set the destination and was directed while she was guiding them to it as she sat down and relaxed in the seat leaving room for Xian to sit down where she was loking. The ornate designs of kimono styledrobes that the Wukong were using. A pair of Keisei were seated with their make up on and jeweled kimono's. "It shouldn't take that long to get down to the temple."

 

[Xian Xiao]

She couldn't help but smile just a little when Noriko said she didn't want to put her on a leash because it would give others the wrong idea. It hadn't been something Xian thought of when she made the suggestion but it made sense. A small part of her was thankful and with Noriko's arm around her, the Master might be able to pick up on it.

"What is special about the Temple?"

It could have been mentioned on the ship but the teen did not remember the name...if it had been mentioned. Maybe it was the one with mazes or trials that was talked about earlier. Mentally shrugging, the girl waited on the answer and did not try to escape the light embrace of Noriko.

Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

Xian Xiao

Noriko smiled at that though and where to start. "The Agora as far as temples go is maybe one of a kind... each part of it from the trial tombs to the kyberr forest under the tree itself." Trying to explain everything would be difficult as the massive tree was an ancient one from Kashyyyk that had been brougth to the world... it grew in the valley and filled it with more trees as well as other things. Like animals and there was always Fang Min who oversaw it and other temples... the more stoic jedi master of the Wukong. "The tombs though serve as two things... jedi trials of knighthood and places to test your skills. The river within the valley feeds into the crystal plum trees and create the xiantao fruits as well as other force infused fauna."

 

[Xian Xiao]

The girl really was curious when she asked her question and listened closely to the answers given by Noriko. While they were still pretty broad, it did give her some idea of what was in store. Scratching an itch on her chin, Xian was silent and actually well behaved...for the moment.

She had asked on the way here what good tombs were and when this came as an answer, she grew a little uncomfortable.

"I don't want to meet any ghosts. They'll probably try to eat me or my soul."

Gulping, she put her hands in the pockets of the pants and kept up with Noriko. There wasn't going to be a time in the near future where she ran off again. Her eyes lit up at the name of a fruit mentioned.

"There's a fruit with my name in it! Can I eat one?"

Noriko Ike