Fixing the pack.

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen smiled a bit as he stepped off his ship, onto the surface of Nar Shadaa. For thousands of years, it had been a place of refugees and fugitives. Now, the Valde of the Vitae Alliance had come in search for a person who had been both. He didn't know her name, simply what to look for. A curled tail and the distinctive look of a person far from home.

Of course, Vulpesen hadn't simply cast his line into a random pond. No, back at Veradune there had been extensive searching into records of the bandit coalition, as well as cumulative information given by those who returned home. The operation to notify the and return the population to their ancestral home was massive to say the least, so large that even the leader of the alliance had taken it upon himself to personally check the rumors, and see the mission through.

He adjusted his coat as a person bumped into him, then moved his hand t call his wallet back from the person's hand. There was a shocked gasp, but before the failed pickpocket could find him, the ex-jedi shadow had already disappeared into the crowd. The crowded nature of the planet was both a curse and a blessing. It made it easy for him to maneuver, but difficult for him to find his target. But such was why he relied on the force. Allowing it to run through him, he made his way through the streets, letting its ebb and flow guide him in hopes that it might lead him to the zorren they had tracked.

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

If there was something Rei knew for certain about her Master, it was that he loved to leave her alone. It was not necessarily a bad thing, but it seemed a bit unorthadox. Most of the other padawans seemed to be locked at the hip with their Masters. The more she thought about it, the more she questioned if it was her Master's teachings, or if he did not like her. He sometimes would joke, saying she smelt like a wet dog; although, she never really believed him. He had a crude sense of humor. Then again, maybe he simply liked solitude and was not entirely keen on training someone; so, he taught his padawan solitude, which is what he knew best.

She might not have been subtle, but she was quick and able to blend in and disappear more efficiently than the wind. After convincing some swine to relay the information she required, she ducked through the window, mistaking it to be open, and crashed out into the alleyways, sending glass shards everywhere. She managed to avoid the noisy gunfire that blazed behind her. After some simple manuevering, she was making a swift escape through the alleys and back into busy streets.

That was another thing that made her different from her Master; she was always the first to charge in and he was usually the last. She doubted it was cowardice, more of his methods of silent observation. She did not doubt his power, only his sanity... Sure, she was a bit sloppy (maybe a lot sloppy), but at least she got things done, fast.

Rei dusted fragments of glass off her cloak's shoulders and turned her head slightly so it popped - one direction, then the next. She checked to make sure no glass was sitting in her cloak's hood before she lifted it up and let it rest over her head. She did not usually like wearing the brown cloak because it meant her tail was smooshed, unable to wag freely; but, it was easier to blend in and not draw attention that way.

[member="Vulpesen"] ♥ OUT OF CHARACTER NOTES: If you have any problems with my posts not making sense, just send me a message. I'm new, so I would not be surprised if I make mistakes.

 

[Vulpesen]

The walk was a solitary one, despite the crowds, and his tail, unlike that of [member="Rei Ishveil"] was fully exposed. He held no fear of the bandits. He'd driven them from his home, and inspired fear to the cowards of men. They would not attack him so boldly. Not after he had shown them his face and utterly destroyed their leader. A crash sounded to his right and he made quick turn, leaving his memories to find a young lady smoothing out her cloak and facing away from him. "Well hello there."

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

Only seconds after returning to the streets, Rei heard a voice call out to her and she found herself staring at a man who was much larger than herself. Her gold eyes locked with his gold eyes and, for a moment, she feared she had been caught. The Force had not warned her of danger; although, she was not as skilled as others and could easily miss real danger. She imagined if this man was after her, he would have grabbed her by now.

Feeling strangely exposed, Rei swallowed the rock in her throat and replied, "Hi..." Aside from her own family, she had never met anyone else with gold eyes. It was not a very common trait, so far as she knew; so, she wondered, why did he have gold eyes...?

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

He looked down at her and his eyes widened as he saw hers. Golden eyes. Seems the force worked a lot faster than he thought it did. He kept his eyes locked on her as she spoke, taking in every image of her features. She didn't give him much, but her greeting did open her mouth enough for him to see the small fangs of his species. That was all he needed. Well, almost. "Pardon me miss, but..." He called on the force and swirled his hand in an upward fashion, causing the wind to blow at her cloak, specifically in such a way as to hopefully reveal her tail.

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

It was a bit odd, the way this man stared at here, as if he had been struck. For a moment, she began to panic, but remained calm on the outside. Had she been discovered like she feared? He could have easily been one of those infamous Jedi Hunters. She was a young padawan, out and alone without her Master; she was an easy target, like catching fish in a barrel.

Then, the man lifted his hand and Rei flinched, stepping away from him, fearing he might strike her. She could feel the Force kick up the wind around her, blowing the bottom of her cloak in a bizarre fashion. Her thick tail stuck out quite noticeably behind her, its thick fur sporadic in the wind. Then, her cloak fell back down and all seemed to go still.

Rei immediately reached for her lightsaber and extended her arm, prepared to summon the blade, if needed. She did not hesitate to show this man what she wielded. Maybe, if she was lucky, he would be a little fearful of the weapon; people unfamiliar with lightsabers often feared them. She continued to back away form the man when she suddenly heard shouting. "That's her!"- "Over there!" - "Get her!" Rei glanced over her shoulder and, sure enough, the bandits from early were charging over to her.

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen flashed a grin as he saw the tail. The force was kind after all. Or at least, those were his thoughts until a group of men appeared around the corner. Of course, the bandits were a mottled, though unified, group. And while they sported no banners or colors for Vulpesen to see, it was fairly obvious, to him at least, who they were. "You're done." Horrors. So many horrors done to the zorren people. They had done enough and as he stepped forward, his right arm lifted, a gaze nearing hatred on his face. he couldn't kill them. He wasn't so cold as that. But perhaps what he had planned was worse than death. Ten darts shot from his wrist, each one laced in the terrible pheromones of the Rhak Skuri Concentrate. One prick from the small pieces of metal and their minds would fill with illusions of their worst fears, essentially giving the drug trip from hell.

"Excuse me again." He knew the effects of his poison, and he didn't need to see it. He'd already be able to hear her screams through the streets. No need to see them run around in terror. He wrapped an arm around [member="Rei Ishveil"] while his now freed hand called upon the force to pluck the saber from her hand. He then leaped upwards, making his way to the roof and setting her down once his feet touched the duracreet. "I'm assuming you'll want an explanation of what just happened." Maybe it was a bit fast of an introduction, but this was Nar Shadaa. What else could be expected of the planet of crime?

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

The last thing she expected was the man to stand between her and the bandits in a defensive manner. It was downright insane. Who the hell was this guy? Was it possible that he was another Jedi and she simply did not know that? However, as the man turned and she caught sight of his tail, it seemed to all come together. The gold eyes, the tail - how many species had that? Were those a common pair? She honestly did not know, but it was possible that he was-.... like her.

Rei watched as darts shot out of his gloved wrist and penetrated the flesh of the bandits. His aim was good and he managed to avoid the civilians that were crowded around them. The civilians, shockingly enough, hardly seemed bothered by it. Perhaps brawls were common around these parts.

"Hey, what're you-" she sputtered as the man suddenly put an arm around her and took her lightsaber with his other hand - with the force, she noticed. In the blink of an eye, she was standing on a tall rooftop with the city streets beneath them. Suddenly annoyed, she reached for her lightsaber, though it was harder when the man was so much taller than her. "Give me that back!" she demanded, snarling like a wolf.

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen grinned and released the woman before producing her lightsaber, his eyes scanning the metal surface. "A force user and a zorren." He grinned and handed her the weapon. "I just didn't need you stabbing me when I tried to save you." The evidence of his actions could be heard below in the screaming voices of the bandits. His smile continued and made his to sit on the edge of the building. "So, whats your name pup?"

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

Very annoying, practically fuming by now, Rei swiped the lightsaber from the older man's hand. Exactly what game was he playing? Whatever it was, she didn't like it. As he grinned, she only glared back. "I don't need saving," she snarled at him. "I could've fought all five of them at once if I wanted to!" she exclaimed dramatically. She really did not know if she could do that or not, but she sure felt confident enough to do so in that moment, especially if it meant showing up this stranger.

Then, the man called her a pup and her anger seemed to die away in a single breath. She stared at the man's back, wondering what he was getting at. "My father was the only one who ever called me that... Who the hell are you?"

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

He grinned and started to slowly wag his tail behind him. She was fiery and entertaining for sure, and despite his overall intentions, he couldn't resist goading her. "Sure you didn't. That's why you hurled yourself through a glass window while running away. All part of your master plan." His grin continued and he leaned forward at her question. "Vulpesen Espadus Torrevaso, prince of the zorren Royalty, and ruling Valde of Veradune." Most would have simply heard gibberish, but for those who had been raised by the zorren culture, several things would stand out. The word, Torrevaso was the last name of the royal family. Veradune would be the zorren planet, the leader of which was called a Valde.

"I'm also leader of a much larger group known as the Vitae Alliance. Though, i doubt you've heard much about us. But, I do hope that answers your question." He leaned back a bit on the edge, watching for her reaction. Maybe she was too young to know, or care. But with any luck, his words would strike a cord in her memories. He doubted any zorren father would refrain from telling his daughter about her home.

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

Rei narrowed her eyes at the man, giving him a snarky glare. She knew he was toying with her, but it seemed to best to just go along with it, rather than appear more foolish than she already had. "Yes, it was all apart of my plan," she said, crossing her arms and not letting her glare weaken. "You just got in the way," she mentally added.

As he explained who he was, Rei's expression shifted yet again. For a moment, she stared at him in shock, unsure if he was real or not. Her father and grandfather told her stories about their people all the time. She grew up on tales of the Zorrens. "You... you can't be serious." She did not know what else to say to him.

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

He gave a small shrug of his shoulders as she showed her disbelief, having ignored her previous statement. "Actually, I am. Son of Garena nd Carliah Torrevaso, and heir to their throne until someone successfully challenges and removes me from power. There's that, and I'm the one who freed Veradune from the bandit coalition." His smile was wide as he spoke the news. He hadn't found a lot, but the Zorrens he had found were generally happy to say the least, after his small speech. "I've been leading the effort to find and inform those of us who've hidden in the galaxy, and its a good thing too. We wouldn't want everyone wandering around with the planet lost and forgotten. Far too beautiful of a place."

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

In that moment, all Rei could see was the face her father and grandfather would make when they told her about their homeworld. It was a face unlike any other she had seen before - face of a person who had lost something that could never be redeemed or replaced. She thought about her father slaving away on a foreign planet to make enough credits to take care of them. It was different for Rei, having grown up surrounded by odd species, she was used to it all. Her family, maybe they weren't.

Maybe this man was indeed telling the truth. Seeing his glowing, gold eyes, his distinctive fangs, and his wagging tail, it seemed unlikely he was lying. She had never met another Zorren. It was a lot to take it so suddenly.

"I'm sorry; it's a lot to hear so... unexpectedly... My father was never hopeful of ever going home. I did not think any of the royal family was left; it didn't seem to be that way." Feeling more comfortable in the presence of this man, Rei took a few steps closer and extended her arm so she could shake his hand. "I'm... Ishveil, Rei." If he was telling the truth, then this man was royalty. He was the voice and face of her people and standing in his company made her feel a little nervous, especially after she yelled at him. What did her name mean to their people? What kind of family had she come from? She honestly did not know.

[member="Vulpesen"]

 

[Vulpesen]

The look on her face was priceless. So, she had heard the stories, at least, her parents had been alive long enough to tell them to her. "There's still a few of us. My parents and I somehow managed to survive. And now its a pleasure to meet you miss Ishveil." His tail wagged a bit faster behind him. "And is your father still alive?" It was a question that would make or break the mood, but no matter what, his mission stayed the same. Try and convince this girl to join him and the rest of her people on Veradune.

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

When she heard the man's question, Rei's lips curled down into a frown. She glanced at her feet for a moment before lifting her eyes back up to his. She honestly did not know, she had not seen him in almost a year; yet, she could not bring herself to tell this stranger the truth. It seemed wrong. "Yes. He's a guardsman for ships - told me he was a soldier... back then." Somehow, it seemed odd for her to tell this information to this stranger. Maybe the Force was telling her to trust him. Had it been the Force telling her that he was, indeed, her own kin? Or was it just the eyes and the tail that gave it away?

[member="Vulpesen"]​

 

[Vulpesen]

He narrowed his eyes a bit at the frown. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but he had a feeling it included her father not joining them on the trip, at least, not for now. He got up and started to walk across the roof. "Well, if you wish, I have a ship that can take you to join us on Veradune. And considering you're a force sensitive, we can easily find a place for you in the Tenevi Order, that is, if you accept. Of course, you'll be given tie to say any goodbyes you might have, and make as many preparations as you need."

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

Rei swallowed the imaginary rock in her throat and studied the man's expression. Going off with a stranger was one thing, but what really concerned her was the fact that she would be abandoning her duties as a Jedi. That was simply not acceptable.

"I would love to see my home planet and meet more Zorrens; but, I cannot leave this planet, right now. Those lesser bandits are connected to a larger string of bandits that have been terrorizing small ships in this system for months. I have to put an end to them, first." She wondered if her having a lightsaber would have been enough to show him who she belonged to. Belonging to the Jedi seemed like an odd way to put it, but it seemed like a rather accurate statement for the time being. Becoming one with the Force and defending the galaxy seemed like her calling in life.

[member="Vulpesen"]​

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen smiled at her resolve. It was good to have a purpose. And he certainly couldn't blame her for not wanting to leave yet. While many of the younger zorrens wished to see their world, they had yet to be there and thus they lacked the connection that the older generations had to their old home. Still, his mission, to him, was clear. "If I'm right, these bandits are part of the group that is currently hunting our kind as well. However, I crippled them on Veradune, so perhaps I can aid you in destroying this remaining cell."

[member="Rei Ishveil"]

 

[unforgiven_yasuo]

For a moment, Rei considered the offer that Vulpesen gave her. She thought about what her Master said. Had he told her she must do this mission alone? Not exactly; he told her to utilize whatever resources she had, but not expect help from other Jedi, who were busy with their own missions. Even though this Zorren used the Force, that did not make him a Jedi - honestly, she did not exactly what he was. "Okay, then, your majesty. You have yourself a deal," she said, bowing her head slightly to him, but only slightly.

[member="Vulpesen"]