Lilla knew little of...

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla listened and had to agree that the best course of action was, in fact, two courses of action.

It made perfect sense. Even if they deal with the immediate threat, a team would be needed to deal with the clean-up operation and so calling for them now was the right call.

But similarly, Lilla knew that swift action had every chance of saving lives, and so being cautious but continuing, was the right thing to do.

“Do you have a plan?” Lilla asked, “Given this is no longer a simple sweep of an abandoned building. How should we proceed?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Hmmm the jedi master had an idea already but tapped her chin while walking towards the lift and opened the doors. She looked down for a moment but then turned around and started to walk towards one of the balconies overlooking the area below. Buildings and the first feeling of more people but ther was something else. A sameness to them that spoke of a hive mind. Something buried deeper in their brains then she had been expecting. Matsu stopped just at the railing and shook out her hair before she was speaking. "Tell me, have you learned how to cushion your landings and descend from greater heights?" There was a look on her face and she had seen wel some padawans strangely jump out of ships in orbit and hold their breathes before landing on a cushion of force energies.... then walk away to keep fighting... other had been tired afterwards from just jumping out a window. It was a strange galaxy.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla followed Master Ike, a fraction of a footstep behind her and to one side – it was a form of respect she’d grown accustomed to. Like referring to Jedi by name and title – unless they insisted otherwise. And bowing. And wearing the Jedi robes. Did it make much difference to the peace and prosperity of the galaxy? Not a jot. But it was her way.

She glanced over the balcony. Her trained mind had already considered four different routes to descend to the ground from here – and none involved any apparatus.

But now she had the Force, and jumping could be a lot simpler – providing you didn’t end up as a greasy spot where you landed.

“I am familiar with the technique.” Lilla knew there were many techniques used to perform this task. Like many Jedi abilities, it was a blend of different ones. In her experience, you told the Force what you intended to do, and it had a habit of working it out for you.

Lilla’s technique was to jump as normal, then perform a sort of Fore Leap before she touched the ground, which merely slowed her descent to a pace that allowed her to land softly. It required complete faith in the Force, for to doubt it even one percent meant to become agitated – and the absence of calmness interfered with a Jedi’s ability to connect with the Force.

In fairness, she’d never tried leaping from a ship – but the technique was the same – and if she had one important attribute as a Jedi – it was a complete faith in the Force.

“Ready when you are,” she said, checking for signs of anyone approaching.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Well that was good and Matsu stood there for a moment looking over and looking at the buildings. Her eyes narrowing for a moment before she placed a hand on the girls shoulder. Jumping was impressive.... and she had complete faith in the force but thinking baout it maybe something less flashy while she focused. "Stay close." For a moment she let the girl wonder what she meant before small ripples came. White and blue lights forming, she had spent time on Lothal and trained with the wolves there as their techniques for traveling around the planet worked very well. Once you learned how to do it, you could for some small processes.

The rooftop was her destination when it came to the tunnel forming and Matsu moved forwards quickly, faster then she normally would have as the blue and white lights danced making lines of light around all of them. She was standing on the roof top them and holding a hand out while she breathed in and focused the force energies around herself. Letting it revitalize her body. The sounds returning like a boom after the thrum of silence. High speed travel couldn't do much but the jedi master knew how to use diferent areas of the force. Matukai techniques to make the body have a near infinite amount of stamina.

"There we go, a little thing I learned from the wolves of Lothal. Endearing creatures and their abilities with the force are... different." She offered a small smile though while the tunnel closed. It wasn't a tear like traveling with the darkside.. more a slip stream you made for a moment. Just to le tyou go from place to place and go with it. Matsu looked at her though and smiled a little. Rolling her shoulders with a few pops from the body itself stretching out her arms and then her senses. Reaching deeper into herself to pull at the force when she motioned for them to go forward and being able to follow the ones walking in the street.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla knew there we so many applications of the Force she'd never heard of - let alone understood. And she could add one to the latter and cross one off the former.

It was an interesting experience. Interesting was a term Lilla reserved for things that were not positive, but not necessarily negative either. It served a purpose for sure and maybe, just maybe, one days she'd seek out the wolves on Lothal. But for now, she'd focus on her own ways of travel and make do. Her brain could only hold so much information and right now, it had enough to be keeping it busy.

So, she descended slowly, being guided by and no doubt controlled by Master Ike.

"Lothal, I haven't been there...yet. But in time, who knows. The galaxy is a big place and there are an awful lot of places I've never visited. But now it's definitely on my list." She smiled and followed Master Ike as they began to follow those walking ahead of them. "What's the one place you've never visited that you'd love to go to?"

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu took a moment to think about it when she was looking at it.. then her hands and a smile was on her face. "Well there is a couple of places maybe. I was on a quest with the grandmaster of the jedi once. Corvus, we were following an ancient jedi sect that had left clues apread across the galaxy. I'd want to continue with that as the world that was next was pretty far out there but protected. I'd need someone skilled and able to handle themselves on a world predating most of the jedi or civilizations people claim are the eldest in the galaxy." She smiled though following them with a look on her face as she crouched down watching the people heading into an open area. Praising around a seated individual who was overlooking all of them.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla was much better at splitting her attention these days. Not so long ago, if she was focused on the Force, she was largely unable to do anything else. Now, in part due to her work on the third Form, as well as Moving Meditation, she found it relatively easy to be aware with her usual senses as well as perform certainly routine tasks with the Force. Or repetitive duties plus a more challenging aspect of the Force.

So she could both keep her Force Sense current and seeking potential threats, at the same time as having a conversation with Master Ike.

“I have to say, the quest sounds something I’d love to be part of. I can handle myself generally, although my skills and experience would pale compared to those of a Master. So I would not be offended if I were not the ideal partner.”

Then, switching her attention, “I wonder why all the interest in the person that’s sitting down?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu looked at her and there was something to be said about humility and underplaying your own skill... she preferred it when one didn't brag about their abilities all the time or their past glories but there was also when they kept saying they were inexperienced more so then they were. Still as she was about to speak and looked at the one sitting there it wasn't what she was expecting. The seat was white... no pale and instead of wood or metal look more rough along the surface. Soldi even while the being sitting on it was pale and her body somewhat twisted. A dangerous looking foe but you could feel the menace raditating of of her. If this was the queen.... but the queen was dead. "That throne looked like a single thing, carved and worked on whoever is sitting on it either had a lot of time to get it fashioned or it was made with a lot of credits." Both of which meant power and danger, credits could mean ties to criminals which would mean dangerous weapons or enforcers... age could mean power in the force.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla was delighted to be offered the opportunity – and hoped their work together presently would tip any scales in her favour.

But right now, there was the thorny issue of who these people were – and more importantly, who the seated figure was.

For there was something wrong about the person the crowd was huddled around. Lilla sensed power from the Force – but a darkness too, which did not bode well. And the person did not appear to be alive – at least not in the conventional sense.

Some sort of a Force ghost? Or some demon? Or maybe an entirely different manifestation of perhaps the old queen – a form that was not familiar to Lilla at least. But the energy and malevolence she understood – which spelled danger. In capital letters.

Very, very large capitals!

“Who, or what is it? I sense evil and not inconsiderable power. What about you, Master Ike?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

"I sense a lot of power but more then that. It is something different." She said it and there was something there while the jedi master moved. Observinign and focusing her sight on them. It was more like an undercurrent of energy that poured from them to everyone around her.. cascading like a wave with small riples where there were some who looked stronger but all were part of her. "I have seen some papers on the symbiotes but study of them is not exactly easy to do. It is mostly guess work for even the jedi as a live specimen would be far to dangerous.... however killing them would not be a worthy cause either." SOs he didn't have the full details of the creatures or what they could do... vague reports, fears and orders to exterminate places even suspected of them being there. She also could see the bounty of riches that were present on her fingers. From crystals and gems to gold and other precious metals. Everything screamed queen but everyone believed she had been defeated and killed. "We should try and get a closer look but this feeling comes from all of them. If one sees us.. they might all see us."

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla listened. In her studies, she’d seen some references to symbiotes. It helped to have an eidetic memory – especially when you’ve looked to cram the learning a typical Jedi has in seventeen years into five. But nothing she recalled was particularly useful, or even specific.

The only reference she could recall were the Abersyn symbiotes – with no associated helpful hints on dealing with them. This was not helped by the outlawing of them – so research was sketchy and if it happened, largely illegal and therefore not published widely.

"Is that the queen? Or a descendant? Or some non-physical representation of her – like a Force ghost? I mean, part of me is really curious to find out, but – like you – I fear getting close enough to find out is the same as getting close enough to get caught. There must be another way to find out, surely?”

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

"I may know a way or two.. but it isn't really easy to do and would be dangerous potentially." Okay very dangerous..... kind of. Mostly it would involve careful coordination between the two of them while she stood up and moved back a little. "I can conceal us from their sight but when I am doing it even with all of my training I can't move. So someone would have to carry me if we wanted to say move in close enough to observe." She said it and produced the small crystal from her hands. "I also happen to have a force battery that draws from the universe itself and can sustain me for a long time in using techniques so my body doesn't come to harm."

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla nodded, to show she understood what was at stake and what she would have to do. The young Jedi was physically fit, and the master was not a heavyweight – but to carry her for a period of time would take stamina – or at the very least some Force intervention.

“I am familiar with Force Valor. It would allow me to carry you for an extended period. Should we attempt it?”

Lilla expected the answer to be yes, but she didn’t want to presume.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu gave a nod of her head to that.. while it might not be the most... dignified approach she wasn't going to turn down the chance for them to gather intelligence and information about what was happening here and this seemed to be the best way possible. The jedi master focused herself and made sure there was nothing loose or that would make her overly heavy to carry around. She was glad for the time that she was small compared to most and weighed just enough soaking wet. "Lets do it... and then never talk about it with other people." Matsu gave a nod of her head and it was mostly a joke... there were worse things that could happen when she started focusing with the force around the pair of them to conceal them from view wihtin the white current.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla suppressed a laugh. There was definitely a comical side to their current situation — and not one Master Ike was going to wish to share any time soon.

Lilla waited for the Jedi Master to perform whatever Force ability would hide them from view — in Lilla’s mind it would be something like White Current — but she knew there would be many ways of performing the same feat. Once she had, she put one hand behind the Jedi Master’s back and scooped up her legs at the knees with her other.

This was a comfortable position for Lilla to maintain for some while — and hoped it was broadly OK for the person she was carrying too. Then she waited for instructions as to where to go — once the Jedi Master was ready.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu was up on her back and focusing, the cloaking and concealment bent the light around them and kept them from being sensed as she moved deeper and deeper into the force. Barely feeling Lilla holding her on her back but she was aware of a few things... namely just how small she really was compared to most others. She often presented herself as larger then some but she was physically still smaller then most padawans or knights or masters... being like this when they were creeping in she thought... What if she tries a backflip or running and jumping? She didn't know what to do if Lilla tried anything but she could at least keep them focused while they could approach.

The voice of the woman became clear, her presence very different. "You are all here because no one wanted you. They called you criminals, rapists, murderers, thieves, so many worse things. They cast you out, threatened your lives but I welcomed you. They hated you but morals and the need to be justified meant they wouldn't just kill you. Only lock you away with more like yourself and hope that you would kill each other... a moral victory for them." Matsu raised an eyebrow listening as she maintained the force connection to the cloaking on the pair of them. "But even here they try and manipulate you, sanctions on our food and supplies... but we have a plan. Even now we are infiltrating them."

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla sensed what Master Ike was doing – although she had no strong inkling as to how she was doing it. It relaxed Lilla more, which in turn allowed her connection to the Force to intensify, further enhancing her Force Valor. In this state, Master Ike’s body was almost weightless to Lilla – and she could have carried her indefinitely.

As they drew close to the woman, Lilla was able to hear her speak. Clearly there were two things to worry about. Firstly, that the people surrounding them were no innocents – they were the flotsam and jetsam of galactic society. Any sympathy for their plight was off-set by the list of misdemeanours they’d committed.

But the second point was more worrying. These people this…cult, was not passive. It did not appear to be content with remaining here and carrying out these gruesome experiments. Instead it appeared they were looking to branch out – and that could only spell trouble.

Lilla was unsure if their voices were muted to the others, so she kept her thoughts to herself for now.

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu remained there and she could muffle their spech but it was something you didn't want to draw attention to. She could feel the force practically flowing through Lilla when she looked around. Listening to this woman and she was different. The way they seemed to really be working with the other governments. If they were using this world as a means to dump their criminals... it was something far more dangerous then she could imagine. It would mean that these weren't just white collar oh they did some bad.. these were the ones who survived. Who dug in and made it into a place where only the most dangerous and strong thrived. "We should be careful." She was watching the crowd who seemed to be getting riled up when they brought a couple forward. Bound and shaken before being set down as the woman stood over them. "We'll start with judging these ones, they sanctioned the supplies coming here to send to a private station in the hellhoop. They have been stealing from us because to them we are scum and deserve it. So what will we do to them."

 

[Lilla Syrin]

As Lilla listened, a thought struck her. Was this place a refuge for criminals, or did the queen – or whoever the woman was – have some arrangement with other governments? Prisons cost money to run, so a willing recipient of your most wanted might seem a great opportunity. But it was, in Lilla’s opinion, a short-sighted one. One that might come back and haunt them later.

Her eyes widened when the two prisoners were brought forward. On one hand it was hypocritical for murderers and rapists to judge thieves, but then Lilla had heard that even the most unlawful often had honour codes – and besides, this act served two purposes.

The first was to make an example of these two. Others would certainly be dissuaded. Secondly, this was a good way for the ‘queen’ to strengthen the bonds of the group – offering them power over others.

She nodded at Master Ike’s warning and continued to observe. What punishment might they mete out?

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

Matsu was watching but motioned with her head. The woman was speaking more as a blade was brought over to them. "You have been judged and found to be guilty." She said it holding the blade. "I don't fault you for what you were doing, a taste is always good, a taste is allowed but you should have been smart and not expected an entire meal." She stabbed one of them in the legs when he laid there gasping. To really work on it and they were being crippled then sent out into the crowd for anything that might be happening. MAtsu understood what was happening, leadership in a criminal organization was important. It established her leadership role, dissuaded rivals with the brutality and inspired those who were here to work together and bond doing terrible things to people. Where she was looking though was a problem. They couldn't just let them kill these people as the crowd were starting to leave with the stronger ones and the queen leaving them to their fate.