I Don't Trust Droids [OP]

[Lina Djo]

Aella didn't miss a beat. She caught the glaze in his eyes, the sudden stiffness of his posture and the steel in his tone. She'd never seen such a reaction from anyone and curiosity crossed her own features. Was it because she was shi'do? Or a force user? Not one for speculation Aella did what she always did when she didn't understand something.

"Does my presence offend you?" she asked.

[member="Uriel"] [member="Jorus Merrill"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Uriel]

[member="Aella"] [member="Jorus Merrill"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

"Less offend, more trouble," Uriel said, showing a spark of true honestly. "My job is to hunt Force-users. Do not take it personally. I see little in the religious ideologies of the Force. I care not for it."

That sentence would've been so much easier with contractions, but Uriel did not disparage his speech so. In this situation, it was a good way to space out what he was going to say to say precisely what was on his mind and not be a total fool of it.

"The Lord Inquisitor is almost ready for you. He will be the arbiter of your fate."

 

[Nyos Val]

Nyos heard that HK had stepped down as the Protector, and being one of his oldests friends, Nyos wanted to show support. He decided he'd visit the home of the Protector as Sarge was setting up his temp office.

Nyos approached the entrance where a few guards were stationed.

"1st Lt Nyos Val to see the steward Protector."


[member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Sarge Potteiger"]

It was that time; Jorus said his goodbyes and adjourned, still little unsure of whether he'd done the right thing, or whether there was a right choice to be made. The situation, the destinies of nations -- it disquieted him. But if one person had stood by him when it counted, it was Sarge, and the least he could do was lend a hand.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

Sarge said his goodbyes to Jorus, glad to have the man back, before his black eyes rested on the thickly armored form of [member="Uriel"] and his companion [member=Aella]. "Come in, Uriel. You needed to see me?" [member="Nyos Val"] would be ushered up a Lift, where an Inquisition soldier in blue carapace armor would pat him down and remove any weapons he had. He'd then be told to go down the hall to the great double doors that marked the Protectors office where he could wait to be seen.

It might be a little, judging by the woman and the giant armored warrior entering the room.

 

[Uriel]

"Yes, my Lord."

The Inquisitor, very thankful he was to be free of this box, strode into the office - and unceremonously dumped the box full of datapads on [member="Sarge Potteiger"]'s new desk. No rest for the wicked, and there was no questioning the wickedness of the Inquisition. Paperwork was not fun, no.

"You have eight datapads containing standing armaments orders, three with requests for aid and one overview of some kind of... agricultural... thing. They sent me up from the lower levels with this box, my Lord." That was it. Datapads. Boxes and boxes of paperwork. Welcome to Uriel's new job: paper-pusher.

Then he stopped and turned, gesturing to [member="Aella"]. "And this young shapeshifter wishes to join us. I felt that, with her... talents, you would be best-pressed to assist her." We all know what that means. And no it's not sex, damnit.

 

[Lina Djo]

Aella frowned at Uriel's response. There was nothing religious about the force, it was a gift, granted to many throughout the universe, it was those who tried to writer rules and guidlines about its use, that created such opinions as that of the armoured man before her. She however, had little chance to respond to [member="Uriel"] before being ushered into the Lord Inquisitors office.

She'd heard stories about [member="Sarge Potteiger"], not all of them good, but she never imagined herself to be in the same room as him. Standing a step back and to Uriel's left she inclined her head in greeting as the hulk of metal introduced her to him. Not wanting to speak without being invited, she remained silent, eyes watching the pair patiently.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

Sarge looked at the box and slid it aside with a massive gauntlet, not concerned about paperwork right this moment. Paperwork was for when there wasn't meetings. But between 'shapeshifter' and 'implied Force Sensitive', something clicked in the back of the Interim Protector's mind. Something that was wholly dangerous and ignited a spark in those void black eyes of his.

Once upon a time, Sarge may have been handsome, but time and war had seen fit to scar him to the point he was unpleasant to look at, to say the least. He looked dangerous. There was a reason he was considered hyperlethal, and part of that simply came from his appearance. It was a fact of life that people judged you based upon your looks, and even if you were the nicest individual on the planet... when you looked mean, people considered you mean.

It helped, of course, if you were actually mean.

But Sarge was looking murderous for a second or two.

Inhaling slowly, he clenched a fist and calmed himself. This wasn't Cira, and she deserved a chance to do some good. "So, have you got a name?" The man asks in a pleasant, coarse voice, eyes getting the measure of the shapeshifter as the words parted his lips. "And any helpful skills?"

[member="Uriel"]
[member="Aella"]

 

[Lina Djo]

Aella swallowed against instinctive fear at the glint in the Lord Inquisitors eye. First impressions were important, but Aella never held much stock in them herself. She could appear to be a dumb zelton girl in a club to a target, but she was far from it. Her ability to shift allowed her to disregard first impressions, to push aside what implications a persons appearance might have and try to see beyond it.

Aella wasn't totally in the dark either, the story of the Lady Protector and her vongforming was one told throughout the galaxy with great exagerration. So, she understood...sort of.

"Aella," she replied, before adding "My Lord" as an afterthought. She took a tentative step forward. "I have no specilised skills per say, i've spent the little time i've had off my homeworld collecting minor bounties and travelling with what you might call 'scum'." She shurgged slightly "I learn quickly. That is the key point. I am here to learn."

[member="Uriel"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

Sarge cleared his throat a little, exhaling a breath that carried away on its back his pent up frustrations and stress, and he brought himself to a manageable level quite quickly. Rage had been his companion for life, so he was used to its piques by now. A faint smile played across his haggard features, pebbled shrapnel scarring on his right cheek pulling in an unflattering manner.

"Well, I've spent decades among that 'scum.' Most are good people. We've even hired some of them." Wetting his lips for a moment, he looked over to the datapad with his list of things to do. Feena was at the top; he'd need to talk to her about that Temple on Naboo. "If you're here to learn, we can help. We're going to, likely, be building a temple on Naboo dedicated to the Force Orders that aren't Dark. And by that, of course, I mean all the Orders that specifically teach what the Dark Side really is; a cancer."

A firm nod of his head left little doubt of his own opinion, as if the faintly glowing halberd propped against the throne wasn't indication enough. "So if you're here to learn, we're glad to teach. Once that Temple is up, we can see about finding you someone to learn under and, until then, we can easily get situated and put to work around here. We may be the Protectorate, and we may like to think our space is pure and clean and unsullied, but we have the same underworlds as anyone else.

I'm sure the local law enforcement would relish having even a partially seasoned Bounty Hunter around for advisement purposes. It would also give you something to do until we get set up. How does that sound to you?"

It went without saying, of course, that working for the Protectorate in any manner meant you would be receiving a stupendously comprehensive package of benefits.

[member="Aella"]
[member="Uriel"]

 

[Uriel]

This conversation was going exactly as well as Uriel expected; strange paranoia and mistrust, a whole load of compromise done in good faith and in surprisingly good nature for the boss and a place where all the Force-users were kept in one place where he could keep a very close eye on them and their terrible things.

It worked for Uriel.

Unfortunately, being the next step up from a faceless mook at this point in time, he stood there at parade rest and said very little. Well, as best parade rest as a giant power pack getting in the way allowed for. Hiz gaze rested on the new hire, analysing her answers; he wanted to know if she'd be trouble. Probably not, but best to check.

[member="Aella"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Loxa Visl]

Worlds away, on Naboo, Ysanae Vela was learning a new word.

"In-kwiz-ee-tohr," the young Dathomiri witch said slowly under her breath, eyes scanning the latest news to pour in from the central media hub of the Protectorate. She'd been following these things closely, as part of her job here on Naboo. Being the eyes and ears of movements within Protectorate holdings to keep the royalty of Naboo up to date and connected was something of a wash for her - as it all relied on her becoming exceedingly familiar with Basic tongue.

She was getting there, but every day brought new challenges.

Brows lofted as she turned from the holoscreen to a datapad on the table beside her, typing in the letters to bring up a definition.

"Princess," Ysan asked gently after [member="Andromeda Versai"], "does this mean that One-Known-..." old habits died hard, still, "that Sarge is now leader?"

 

[Soleil Ishtar]

A slight crease would furrow upon the young Princess of Theed's brow. The news was certainly of the kind that would echo throughout Protectorate Space, all the more now with the appointment of the Queen of Naboo into -- an Exarch position?

How would this affect Naboo's democratic voting of a New Queen? With only a four year term and a subsequent chance at a secondary term, concern would race through the young teenager's mind.

"Correct, Ysan." Andromeda would confirm to [member="Ysanae Vela"] with a slight nod, the faint melodic jingling of the silver filigree headdress softly rustling at hear ears at the motion.

"For the present time, until an official vote has concluded by the Exarchs and the people -- We now have a new Lord Protector." her lips would slightly purse. Being at the southern area of influence within Protectorate Territory and one of the Mid-Rim worlds, the shifting of power of the Lord Protector would normally not affect her world.

Yet the steady and quick turn-over did not bode well for the young princess. So much that Ysan would be able to take notice.

 

[Lina Djo]

Aella frowned slightly "That's a very narrow minded view." Aella said matter of factly. "Especially from one so consumed by hate and anger as yourself."

Maybe, if Aella had been a less socially retarded and more emotionally intelligent, she might have realised the impact of her words before opening her mouth. As it was, Aella was not socially smart, so her words were spokne matter of fact and were not, in anyway, meant to offend.

Didn't mean they wouldn't. "I was not looking to learn the way of the force. That is something I intend to learn alone. To fight though? That is another matter."

[member="Uriel"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

"We can't let you learn alone." The man says matter of factly. "There was a time I could trust people enough to wave a hand and let that happen, but just as you don't let someone pick up a gun without training, so too must we treat the Force. If you know I'm an angry person - and frankly there's been very little news coverage of me up until the past month or so - then you also are aware of how things are in the galaxy."

His gaze settles on her, almost blank, brow faintly furrowed. He sounded genial, and for all intents and purposes, he was. No anger. No disappointment. No hatred. "And that means, Aella, you know what happens when people aren't adequately trained in the Force. They reach too far, too quick. It's a build up process, just like building muscle. You start small. But without supervision - or inadequate supervision - most people reach beyond their means, and that's when we have people falling to the Sith."

His head tilts. "So when you say it's a narrow minded view, I'm wondering why you're here. Because if you know me, then you know that's the exact answer I'm going to give you. That the Sith are a cancer. That the Dark Side is, doubly so. It feeds off your own life energy and those around you, taking your essence to fuel itself. It twists and corrupts the mind, perverting everything you are and stand for.

We all know that. You can see it happen. It's not like the Dark Side is some unknown quantity in which I've applied an unfair label. But if your description of my 'narrow minded' view is more a relation to the opposite; the Force, or as some call 'The Light Side' then perhaps it's true. It is a narrow minded view. This is by necessity. The Dark Side is a slippery slope, and that first step is all it takes to start the snowball."

There came a shake of his head, before he coughed into a fist. A lingering bout of something, probably, rather than an awkward attempt at filling the silence. "So, while I'm not saying everyone who comes to us need obey a Jedi Code or dedicate themselves to a monks lifestyle, I am saying they need give me the promise that at no point will they dabble with that which is tearing our galaxy apart.

You can train yourself, but you will do so with supervision. But if you just want to learn to fight, we can do that. Few are better than us at fighting without the Force. The Protectorate has prided itself on that since its inception, really - that and being a haven for anyone not Sith, something we've aimed for since birth as well." His lips pursed as he let out a breath and looked to Uriel for a moment.

"So, what'll it be, Aella? Learn to fight? Train under supervision? Or are you going to take your services elsewhere?" This was his nation now. His office, his laws, his people, his words. As ever, he wasn't going to back down because someone didn't like them. If she knew of him, she knew exactly what she was getting into walking in here, and that meant this was on her. Not him. She admitted to not being ignorant, so he would trust she wouldn't act it.

[member="Uriel"] [member="Aella"]

 

[Lina Djo]

"Perhaps I should Clarify what I mean by 'alone'" She replied after a moment of thought. "By alone, I mean that I will not have one master, one teacher, one viewpoint. There are many aspects to the force and no one master can teach you all of them. No one temple holds all the answers. In order to fully understand the force, one must travel and learn from a great many masters, from many temples. I will chose those who teach me, and if they are willing, then all is well, if they are not?"

She shrugged "Then it is likely, in their view, that I am not worthy. The fact of the matter is this, I came here to learn to fight without the force. I could have gone elsewhere, but I chose the protectorate for one very simple matter. Freedom. Freedom to follow my own path, to travel where I please, yet still be relied upon and rely on yourself for support. Freedom to follow my own beliefs, so long as I am here for duty, and fighting for the Protectorates beliefs."

She tilted her head and paused. "Am I in the right place?"

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Uriel"]

 

[Uriel]

In the meantime, Uriel started thinking about ropos and kittens and who would win in a fight, because he wasn't involved in this conversation whatsoever but needed something to do while everyone around him had a monologue war.

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Aella"]

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

"None better, [member="Aella"]." He says flatly, looking to [member="Uriel"] and giving a nod. "Uriel here will help get you set up and where you need to be."

 

[Uriel]

Huhwhat.

You're up, scumbucket.

"As you command, my Lord," the Inquisitor said in response. It was pretty clear that the Lord Inquisitor had plenty of work to do - considering Uriel had just dumped a bunch on his desk courtesy of the boys in the basement - and would need to go about his business. The Brother-Sergeant had been delegated the task of looking after the newbie and that he would do.

The large blue-clad man turned to [member="Aella"], motioning back down the hallway. "We shall find you living quarters and an assignment. We can deal with paperwork at a later time. Perhaps a stop at the armoury would not be out of turn, either. Do you have preference for weapons or a place to work?"

A nod to [member="Sarge Potteiger"], and Uriel led his charge back down the hall.