Enter the Puffcake Brigade! [Padawan Outing]

[Darth Metus]

Nar Shaddaa, Hutt Space

The Next Generation showed promise.

It was one of the few facts that kept a glimmer of optimism alive in the Feeorin. The current times were Dark indeed, characterized by war and loss. Yet despite the advance of the One Sith Empire, this truth remained clear: the next generation of Jedi showed promise. They, like any young practitioners of the Force, had very much to learn; and it then fell to individuals like Denko to impart sound knowledge to them. But what exactly could the aging Jedi Master contribute? What did he know that could be of use to them in these dark times?

Some of his collegues would answer this question with "swordplay" or "force power tutorials." Yet upon meditating on the matter, the Jedi Master conceived a rather uncanny contribution. The Next Generation was smart...but they were not Street Smart. This was a skill that one picked up from living in the gutter. This was a skill that the hard knocks of life taught on a frequent basis. To be Street Smart was to be resourceful on a level that academies simply cannot teach; for how can anyone learn to survive the "mean streets" from inside the walls of a Temple?

As such, Denko had put together an outing for several of the Jedi Order's Padawan. They had been instructed to venture south of the cradle of civilization...all the way to the most famous cesspool the Galaxy had to offer: Nar Shaddaa. Basic directions had been given to each. They would rendezvous at a rather striking contradiction to the dank cityscape: a bakery, and from there the outing would commence. The Jedi Master did not whisper to a soul what his intentions were, of course, for that would spoil the surprise of the event.

Instead, the Feeorin sat in a booth towards the rear of the establishment. Today, he forewent wearing the traditional robe of the Jedi Order in favor of "civilian" clothes; for the nature of the outing demanded discretion. Whilst awaiting the arrival of the promising men and women, Denko had taken it upon himself to order a small plate of puffcakes. After all, what else was the sweet-toothed Jedi to do whilst he waited upon the Padawan Pack?

[member="Ciara Jevnaker"] | [member="Uri Aureleos"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"] | [member="Des Kovak"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member="Morgana Forceborn"] | [member="Cronos Aegir"]​

 

[Des Kovak]

[member=Denko] | [member=Ciara Jevnaker] | [member=Uri Aureleos] | [member=Dair Cotarin] | [member=Jacen Voidstalker] | [member=Haytham Kaze] | [member=Morgana Forceborn] | [member=Cronos Aegir]

Des Kovak made his way down the neon streets of Nar Shaddaa. Somehow, he thought, the place managed to appear like a swanky upper-class district and a sleazy underworld back alley at the same time. The sickly-sweet smells of overperfumed ladies, drugs and even a bakery mingled with the stink of open sewage. It unsettled Des.

He had been a late addition to the Jedi Order, growing up on the mean streets of Pelek Baw, the Korunnai capital, for most of his youth. A pruduct of his upbringing, the Korun was impetuous, headstrong, and a complete stranger to the Galaxy at large. He had thought Nar Shaddaa would be a place he could relate to, much like his home on Haruun Kal. He'd been wrong.

Dressed in the sleeveless tunic that he wore as a matter of course, Des approached the adress he'd been directed to. The Bakery. Of course it is, he thought. With a sigh, he stepped inthrough the door as a bell overhead chimed a happy little tune. He scanned the sitting area, but saw no Jedi to meet him there. A pair of the ever-present Humans sat staring into each other's eyes, and what looked like a burly Nautolan was eating pastries. This is some kind of prank. It has to be. But nobody knows me well enough to do that kind of thing. With an angry huff, Des turned, ready to simply leave again.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

CJ, dressed in the garb of normal people to blend in, stepped off the shuttle and sighed heavily. She had been to this wretched planet before and despite everything she had learned since her re-enrollment into the Jedi Order; she hated it. Slavery was her biggest issue. Hutts and their cronies had preyed on the weak robbing them of their gift of freedom, and turning them into husks to perform all manners of demeaning jobs. She never understood why the Republic allowed this tragedy to continue but she could only think it had to do with politics. She had never been one to indulge in politics but that was beginning to change. The Jedi could only do so much and it seemed to the young Vahla that if she truly meant to stay the course of helping the citizens of the galaxy, then she would have to learn the art of politics.

She moved through the streets defending her senses from the feeling of desperation radiating off the people here. Most, if not all, lived under the bellies of the Hutts and whatever piece of life they could afford to etch out for themselves mainly amounted to nothing or scraps. This place was truly a nightmare. However, as much as she wanted to assist these people here and now, she had orders to follow. Perhaps the Force would one day guide her back to Nar Shaddaa where she could relieve the strenuous pressure and daily misery off the shoulders of the people.

She caught sight of the bakery and moved cautiously toward it. She didn't believe that there was planned danger around but this was afterall Nar Shaddaa and danger was the unwritten middle name of the planet. And she was a Jedi on a slave world. She could never fathom how much a price she would fetch if the Hutts knew a Jedi was in their backyard. She hoped the others would error on the said of caution as well.

Once inside the bakery, she glanced around the establishment unsure if this was the right place and nearly bumped into a dark skinned male.

"My apologies," she said then slightly smiled. "Well this seems to be the place afterall."

She didn't know the male personally but she had seen him around the Temple before. So if things went south, at least she wasn't the only Jedi that would be faced with tough choices.


[member="Denko"] / [member="Des Kovak"] / [member="Uri Aureleos"] / [member="Dair Cotarin"] / [member="Jacen Voidstalker"]/ [member="Haytham Kaze"] / [member="Morgana Forceborn"] / [member="Cronos Aegir"]

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Nar Shadda was defiantly an odd place for choice for a training area for Jedi. The place was noises and bright and loud, and it seemed like that was the norm 24/7 around this place. Morgana made her way down from the landing port to the streets, all the while remembering the history of Nar Shadda. It was a crime infested place ruled by the Hutts. Over the years the leadership had changed but no matter what this place still felt wrong. It stuck. It had speeders booming constantly with music. And all the while she had dirty looks fro people she passed by, but wasn't intimidated and often shot them dirtier ones back. It wasn't until she finally arrived at the spot Master [member="Denko"] had said to come to in his message that she had to take a step back.​

​

"A bakery? Really?" she asked herself, scratching her head. Nearby she soon spotted the familiar face of [member="Ciara Jevnaker"] along with a rather handsome fellow padawan ( [member="Des Kovak"] ) and called "Hey guys!" glad to see she hadn't come to the wrong spot. "Hey. CJ." she said, shaking Ciara's hand. "Long time no see, eh? Good to see I'm not the only one who came here."​

​

[member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Cronos Aegir"] [member="Haytham Kaze"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] [member="Uri Aureleos"]​

 

[Qhorin Solas]

The last time I had come to Nar Shaddaa, I had been on Atrisian business. I could scarcely remember what my mission had been, for all the things that had happened since: my enslavement by a Vong warlord, the fall of the Empire, the rise of the One Sith, and, perhaps most importantly, on a personal level, my joining the Jedi Order.

My former occupations, as both an Inquisitor and a hybrid IIB/ISB agent, had seen me develop a rather important skill for traversing harsh environments like Nar Shaddaa. I called it the "don't frakk with me aura." It was a mix of body language, facial expression, and a very subtle, but poignant use of the Force. No one bothered me. Some didn't even care to look.

Clad in black -- a form-fitting sleeveless shirt and slightly baggier pants -- with my lightsaber hidden and blaster visible, I made my way down the winding, maze like concourses that connected the vast, almost countless buildings of the scum-infested ecumenopolis, to... a bakery?

Of course. A bakery. During my probation, I had read up on nearly every Jedi in the database. Master Denko's love if puffcakes was well documented. Because of that reading, when I entered the bakery and bumped into the youngsters standing near the entrance, I recognized them for the padawans that they were Dee Kevik? Dev Karvo? Des... Kovak? Yes, that was it. And Morgana, and.... Ciara? Her last name started with a J, I knew, but it escaped me at that moment.

"Mr. Kovak, Morgana, Miss Ciara." I nodded to each, toning down my specialized 'aura'. "I am Cronos Aegir." Of course, Morgana knew me. My eyes scanned the room beyond them. The smell of fresh pastries was rich, and almost cloying. Now where was --

Ahhhh, there was Master Denko. With those tresses of his, he could almost pass for a Nautolan. I gestured towards him. "Shall we join the Master?"

[member="Ciara Jevnaker"] | [member="Uri Aureleos"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"] | [member="Des Kovak"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member="Morgana Forceborn"] | [member="Denko"]​

 

[Haytham Kaze]

It was the first time that Haytham was ever on Nar Shaddaa. At least, when it came to being a Jedi Padawan. Which he had been, for quite a while now. Not to mention, he still considered himself to be Kiskla Grayson's Padawan, whichever she was in the Galaxy. He still awaited her return after the battle of Manaan... Or was it Mon Calamari? He didn't particularly remember which bothered him beyond compare... He just knew it was a water planet.

His datapad beeped in his jacket. He bore civilian clothes, basically something akin to whatever everybody else wore on this planet. In his jacket however, his datapad beeped, and he knew that it meant he was nearing his location. And when he noticed it was a bakery, but sensed the other Ashlan presences, Haytham knew he had arrived at the right location.

A bunch of Jedi, in a bakery... What could possibly go wrong here?

So he pushed open the door, to see... [member="Cronos Aegir"], [member="Morgana Forceborn"], [member="Ciara Jevnaker"], [member="Des Kovak"] just beyond the doorway inside. The ones that he sensed, he knew it once he opened the door and set his eyes on them. Jedi he had only seen briefly when he had spent time traveling between Temples.

Glancing around, his gaze settled on [member="Denko"], and he knew that he was the one that had organized the whole thing.

He inclined his head just so slightly to each and every one of them. He would've introduced himself, but he didn't want to be any more tardy, so he brushed past them lightly, and moved towards Denko.

 

[Des Kovak]

[member=Denko] | [member=Ciara Jevnaker] | [member=Uri Aureleos] | [member=Dair Cotarin] | [member=Jacen Voidstalker] | [member=Haytham Kaze] | [member=Morgana Forceborn] | [member=Cronos Aegir]

Behind Des, one Jedi after another suddenly started showing up, crowding around the doorway. He hadn't paid much attention to any signatures in the Force, besides which his attunement wasn't exactly up to snuff. Des didn't really reply to any of them, except for grunting at the apologies of the first Human. After her came another Human who seemed to know the first, and then... two more Humans.

When he looked back over his shoulder, Des was almost glad to see the supposed Jedi indicated was not yet another Human. Still... "That guy? Really? He don't seem like no Jedi to me," he said.

 

[Jsc]

My my. The bakery was getting crowded, wasn't it? Hehe.

Mars entered through the front door clad in her EVA space suit and colorful shawl. It gave her comfort against the native atmosphere of a hutt moon. The warm bodyglove that hide her amber skin against the sticky air and the gritty walkways. This city could be downright disgusting. Just walking to the bakery from the port meant she must have stepped in more than her fair-share of dark puddles and murky goo. Bleh. Even with her helm tucked under arm and her hair in a elaborate bun, Mars felt like she needed another shower already. Ugh. Probably four of them in a day at this rate.

"Ah. And look here. A Padawan pack indeed."

She smirked as she edged past the group nearer the door. It was a tight squeeze and a happy one too. No wonder the trainees were all getting the eye from the patrons. This was going to be a fun crew. Smirking to herself, Jerry moved to sit down next to [member="Denko"] at his happy little booth of booths. Puffcakes too? Oh my. What a funny menu. Perhaps today's adventure was one of the culinary sort? Fascinating. She imagined the name already. 'Baking with the Hutts'. Or, 'Denko does Donuts'. A reality television show. Um. It would be awful. Hehe.

"Greeting Master Denko. May the Force be with you. I am Padawan Mars of the Ossus Academy. Formally of the Rangers. Reporting for training under your command. Might we have time to order sir? ...Or shall we straight to business."

Her tone was respectful and meek. However, military and quick. Even dressed as a soldier, Jerry was more gunfighter than Jedi priestess. Perhaps she had just been away from the temple for too long this year.

"Ah. And sorry for being late. Have we made introductions yet?"

She looked about the room to the others.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"That guy?" asked [member="Des Kovak"]. "Really? He don't seem like no Jedi to me."

"The eyes can be deceived," I told him, threading my way through the small cluster of bodies to stand further in the shop. Clad in black, I probably I didn't seem very much a Jedi myself. The Inquisition was dead and buried, true, but it would never completely leave me. Not quite.

We were joined, briefly, by a fifth padawan, who promptly bypassed us to go sit at Master [member="Denko"]'s table. I hadn't come across her files while studying the Jedi during my probation, so I didn't know her name.

Not for the first time, I wondered just what Master Denko intended for this little outing. I had some inkling, but I hadn't been properly debriefed. One could only discern so much through the Force. The particulars of mission parameters weren't quite within its purview.

There was only one way to find out. I walked over, took a seat, and asked, "How are the pastries?"

[member="Haytham Kaze"] [member="Ciara Jevnaker"] [member="Morgana Forceborn"] [member="Jerry Mars"]