Private Echoes Over Tapani

[Pari Sylune]

Pari was watching the pirates calmly when Aileni spoke up. She glanced at him and tilted her head curiously. He was very brave to say things like this, though it did not seem the pirates felt the same way. They were all laughing.

"Our cargo is for devastated families on Tapani. They need these supplies." She spoke as if she could talk some sense into the pirates. Pari had not dealt with Black Sun yet so she wasn't aware that this would fall on deaf ears.


Aileni Ifor Xeraic

 

[Aileni Ifor Xeraic]

Location: Tapani
Attire: Large brown hoodie, grey shirt
Equipment: Dathomiri Energy Bow, practice saber
Tag: Pari Sylune | Kinley Pryse

There was a blush when the pirate declared Aileni, Pari's boyfriend. He did his best to clench his jaw to avoid saying anything reckless or stupid in the moment. When it was announced that the pirates wanted the cargo, he knew exactly what it was going to be used for. Stolen goods sold at a premium to the families. If they were even that decent. They could just steal the stuff and just run away with it to sell elsewhere. Neither was ideal, the latter was just leaving Tapani lives in a more dangerous position.

"They know, but they think they can take these supplies and get more credits selling them." Aileni informed Pari, "if they try selling them to Tapani people, they would do so at an extortionate price and the desperate people would have to pay or go without." It made Aileni furious and sick to his stomach that people would do this. That they would be so bold to do to a High Republic vessel.

Looking back to the pirate leader, "but we can't let you take the cargo. We will stop you if you try to take it." There was a dark, serious tone to Aileni's voice. One that Pari would have never seen from the young teenager. He would not allow people to suffer at the hands of these pirates.

 

[Pari Sylune]

"They know, but they think they can take these supplies and get more credits selling them." Aileni informed Pari, "if they try selling them to Tapani people, they would do so at an extortionate price and the desperate people would have to pay or go without."

"Oh. Well that is not very nice." Pari's knack for stating the obvious rang true once again. She tilted her head to the side, observing the pirates curiously. Aileni said he was prepared to stop the pirates. He sounded more aggressive than she had ever heard before. She glanced at him, wondering what his plan was. She supposed they could try to fight off the trio in front of them. He had his bow and she had her lightsaber.

She would back him up because Pari certainly did not want to see him hurt.

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

Every room Kinley Pryse walks into becomes a crime scene eventually​

The little girl's wide-eyed innocence was almost painful in its sincerity, and it pulled a crooked grin from Kinley before she could stop it. Naïve. Adorably so. She was just about to explain, gently, even, that they knew exactly where those supplies were headed, when the boy cut in first.

Kinley's brows lifted, impressed.

"You've got a head for business, kid," she said. "Ever think about a career change?"

The two goons behind her snorted, the sound rough and mean, until the boy warned them he'd stop them if they tried anything. The laughter died fast. Pirates didn't appreciate bravado, especially when it stood between them and whatever they'd come to steal.

Kinley sighed, more weary than annoyed. "Look, I really don't feel like hurting kids today, so let's all make smart choices." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "I've got twenty more crew aboard, itching to storm this ship and take what we want the loud way. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and, no offense, out-aged."

She leaned back against the cool metal bulkhead, arms folding loosely across her chest, eyes tracking the pair with open curiosity rather than malice.

"But," she added, a smirk tugging at her mouth, "I like your spunk. So here's my offer, we take half. You still get to play the heroes, save the day, tell a great story about standing up to pirates."

She raised her eyebrow at them.

"Everybody walks away. That's me being generous."


Aileni Ifor Xeraic

A Smooth Criminal

 

[Aileni Ifor Xeraic]

Location: Tapani
Attire: Large brown hoodie, grey shirt
Equipment: Dathomiri Energy Bow, practice saber
Tag: Pari Sylune | Kinley Pryse

The temptation to grab his bow was high. It didn't matter how many they were, Aileni was a killer. He fought beasts of Dathomir. He bested some of the most dangerous creatures out there against impossible odds with a mere energy bow as his ally. He was not going to let something like a couple dozen pirates believe they were better than him right now. But there was something holding him back, something that tempered his mind. It was the understanding that he would be acting as a beast, primal and uncontrolled. There was no way that he could move like that without placing some significant risk on Pari and there was no guarantee that he could succeed in assuring that these pirates were all removed.

"I would never join your likes. I have better standards in who deserve to be stolen from than you do." Aileni glared intensely, he understood that some should be taken from, hearing stories of stealing from the rich to gift the poor. But this was not the mindset of that. It was stealing from whoever to ensure they became rich. That was not acceptable in his mind, there was no honour in that.

"Outgunned, outnumbered, out-aged. But not out skilled. I could take down 3 of you now before you knew to draw your blasters." Aileni stated firmly, he might be young but he was still a Jedi and he was a Dathomir warrior as well. He was fast, he was deadly and Aileni did not shy away from that fact. It was something he needed to accept as someone aiming to work on some of the most dangerous Jedi Shadow operations.

He looked to Pari and then sighed, "what do you think? I said that if she is willing to offer half already then she can be bargained down to accepting a 90/10 split with her crew only take 10% of what we got." Aileni stated purposefully loudly to show how aggressive his negotiation tactics were going to be. He would not back down.

But he also figured that Pari would be the best one to find a balanced negotiation stance.

 

[Kinley Pryse]

You've been hit by... you've been struck by...

Kinley Pryse doesn't cause chaos. She curates it​

Kinley Pryse was not a woman known galaxy-wide for her patience. What had begun as an almost charming display of bravado from a feisty kid, something close to amusing, had quickly soured into the sharp yapping of a mouthy brat blocking her path. When he loudly proposed a ninety–ten split, the air around them changed. She felt it instantly: the subtle shift, the way her crew stiffened, hands drifting just a little closer to their blasters.

This negotiation was seconds away from becoming a mess.

Kinley didn't bother thinking it through. She drew and fired in one smooth motion, a stun bolt snapping through the air and dropping the kid where he stood. Before his body even hit the ground, she was already turning away.


"Keep the other one quiet," she said coolly to one of her associates. Then, louder, to the rest of the crew: "Start loading."

The situation had, as predicted, just gotten a whole lot worse, but at least now it was moving again.

A Smooth Criminal

 

[Pari Sylune]

Aileni sounded utterly confident in his abilities, but Pari felt the weight of uncertainty settle deep in her chest. She hadn't been tested in real combat, not truly. Training bouts and controlled exercises were one thing; standing face to face with pirates who looked far less impressive than the stories somehow made it worse, not better. The danger felt messier. Unpredictable.

She opened her mouth to suggest something though she didn't yet know what that something was.

A bolt tore through the air.

Pari didn't even have time to cry out before it struck Aileni. He went down hard, and she was at his side in an instant, shock freezing her limbs as tears blurred her vision. Only when she felt him breathe, felt the steady hum of a stun charge rather than the silence of death, did she realize he was still alive.

Her breath shuddered free.

She cradled him carefully, protectively, then lifted her gaze to the pirates. The fear in her eyes hardened into something sharper. Fiercer.

By the time it was over, the pirates were gone and so was the cargo. The space they left behind felt hollow, stripped bare of everything the Tapani people had been counting on. Pari stayed where she was, kneeling beside Aileni, waiting for him to wake.

When he finally stirred, she had one piece of good news to offer.

As the pirates fled, she'd managed to slip a tracking device onto their ship. It wasn't much, but it was hope. And if the Force was willing, it meant they could still get back what the Tapani needed so desperately.


Aileni Ifor Xeraic

 

[Aileni Ifor Xeraic]

Location: Tapani
Attire: Large brown hoodie, grey shirt
Equipment: Dathomiri Energy Bow, practice saber
Tag: Pari Sylune | Kinley Pryse

The cocky attitude of Aileni was hit hard with reality. His skills were much above the average but there was still a lot that he needed to learn and he was still far from having the necessary tools to defend himself against everything that the galaxy threw at him. That included a well timed stun shot from the lead bounty hunter. Aileni was knocked out hard and it was not the first time in his life. Just one of the few times that he realised his mother tended to be a little gentler on him than she appeared to be.

Since this stun round felt ten times more intense than the ones his mother trained him against.

When Aileni woke, he woke with a start. A growl and grabbing his bow ready for a fight. However, there was no one else around beside Pari. Aileni paused, breathing heavily for several moments. His primal fury burning through his body for a time as Aileni thought about what he was wanting to do those criminals now. None of it was the teachings of the Jedi but a bestial roar inside Aileni demanded satisfaction over the indignation of being stunned in the way that he had.

Swallowing the pride and fury, Aileni sat back down and looked down at his feet. "I karked this up. I should have kept my mouth shut." Aileni sighed, even if half the supplies were taken, at least they could have given what was left right away to the Tapani civilians before heading off to find the rest. Now there was nothing to give and they had to hope they could find everything lost.

"What should we do now?" Aileni asked Pari, feeling the massive idiot he had been, Aileni knew that he should listen to her a little more to avoid fumbling this opportunity.

 

[Pari Sylune]

"I karked this up. I should have kept my mouth shut."

"It's alright. We left with our lives, and that is something. I do not think the pirates would have spared us if it came to a fight." Her knack for stating harsh truths was once again revealed as she spoke. Pari helped him sit up.

"What should we do now?"

"I put a tracking device on one of the crates of supplies. I think we should follow it and then steal back our supplies. Then we deliver them to Tapani as promised."

From her point of view they would do better if they were sneaky rather than face the challenge head on.




Aileni Ifor Xeraic

 

[Aileni Ifor Xeraic]

Location: Tapani
Attire: Large brown hoodie, grey shirt
Equipment: Dathomiri Energy Bow, practice saber
Tag: Pari Sylune

"I let my anger overtake me. I felt ready to fight them all for their attitude and the arrogance in believing they could take what they wanted without consequence." There was a indignation in Aileni, the feeling of injustice that he could not allow to happen but it was clear that he was still lacking the skills and power to fight that injustice as much as he wanted to. "If I had remained cooler about the situation, then I wouldn't have made you worry. So, I am truly sorry for that Pari."

Hearing about the tracker that Pari was able to place on the cargo. "Sure. It might be tricky to get in and out without being caught. As far as I know, this ship doesn't have any cloaking or anything to aid in being stealthy..." Aileni mentioned as he headed back to the cockpit. Looking around at the controls, nothing seemed to shout out to him that it would be a cloak for the ship. "However, as long as we can get in without being detected then I think we could get the cargo for the Tapani people."

Aileni nodded his head, there was an attempt to be optimistic but Aileni was very aware of how dangerous this could get and how risky it would be. Anything and everything could go badly.