First Reply Looking For a New Start

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: OPEN

Eshan was home and Lily was resisting the call to home for now, she knew that inevitably that she was returning to Eshan at some point. It was too familiar, too much of a safe place where Lily would bounce immediately back into action and try to just find a routine of some kind. For now, Lily wanted to roam, do things that she felt was not appropriate for a Battle Master. Jedha felt a good place for Lily to start her journey, there was Jedi history ties, likely to be some potential Sith Covenants who strayed away from their territory and a chance to just help people seeking ways to better their lives.

Lily was in a new attire, something that strayed from her old Jedi look, reflected the more nomadic life that she was seeing in her future if she was going to do any further work as a Jedi. But also, maintain the look and style that Lily felt harkened back to her Echani roots. The sleeveless cloak pooled against the Jedha sands as Lily crouched down and touched a spot on a pillar that felt heavy in the Force. Psychometry was not something that Lily was particularly skilled in but something drew her in closer as she touched her fingers against the pillar and closed her eyes. For a long moment, there was nothing and then she felt it. Fear, death and screams of anguish. Something terrible had happened nearby and people had fled this way.

Rising to her full height once again, the silver eyes of the Echani scanned around the horizon. The memories were faded but she was not sure how long ago it was that they were formed, it could have been years, could have been hours. "They were heading that way though... That much I can tell..." Lily muttered to herself as she walked. Her thoughts lingered on the fact that she was no longer a Jedi of the Jedi Order, no longer on the council, no longer the Battle Master that she had loved to be. Now she was simply Lily. Lily Decoria, wanderer. Was that truly enough for her now?

There had to be more that she could do. Perhaps just finding people, helping them around the galaxy and roaming the borders of Sith territory to be a nuisance, that was all she needed to be?

 

[Tibera Jessen]

Dust, rock, and frigid cold, that's all Jedah was to Tibera. She wasn't a Jedi, and she didn't find this dustball to be particularly sacred. But, Jedah was a hotbed of activity as of late. Small sects of Sith and Jedi were always squabbling, leaving good people in the crossfire. Good people whose pockets were deep enough to pay for the right kind of protection.

Trouble was, there was little to know organization when it came to the forces on the planet. Tibera has found herself patrolling through a winding path between two villages. Tucked under her chest was a slugthrower, an obvious mark she was some kind of thug.

"What a day, nothing but sun and sand for kilometers around. Pretty sure any Sith around here would die of boredom." She lifted her rifle up, resting it on her shoulder as she continued her route. "Fething Hell, gotta stop for some water soon."

Cold and dry, it was no better than chitholes like Tatooine. Couldn't walk one klick without feeling that relentless sun beating down on you. Only good thing was the cool conditions meant you were being freezedried rather than broiled in your own armor. A quite literally cold comfort...

Tibera sat down on her helmet, flicking a hand through her hair. A flask came out of her hip pouch, letting her sip some wine as she looked over the dunes. Just then, she could barely make out something.

"I'll be blasted," Tibera said, squinting at the tiny dot moving against the skyline. "Looks like someone is actually coming out here!" No telling what they wanted though, not until they got closer.

Tag: Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Tibera Jessen

Lily was slowly making her way, following the direction that she felt the people fled from the memories that she touched upon. There was no clue how far she needed to go but there was too much sense of urgency on her mind that Lily could not ignore the plea for help. Even if all she could do was honour their memory. Her mind lingered more on the Jedi and on Kito. She felt like a failure as a mentor to walk away and not remain within the Order to ensure that Kito got to experience friendships and bonding with the fellow Jedi there. Something to show why fighting with the Jedi was important, even if they were going to be fighting those that Kito's lover was connected to.

It was a mess, a mess that Lily did not think she was handling well, but Lily was trying to do the best that she could.

While in her thoughts and questioning everything, Lily paused and spotted someone approaching. Armed and armoured. Thoughts on anything else faded from her mind as Lily let her hand linger over her Lightsaber but did not activate or unclip the blade. Just prepared for what may come next. Lily's other hand shielded her eyes from the sun as she got a better look at who was approaching. "Greetings there. Lily Decoria, Bat... Just Lily." A slip up back into old habits.

"What has you out here? In all that armour too." Lily questioned, curious to see what they were doing and hopeful that there could be an ally in handling this minor quest that Lily had set herself upon.

 

[Tibera Jessen]

The lady merc arched her brow under her faceplate, the voice sounded vaguely familiar. She reminded her of one of the Jedi from the years ago during the war with the Galactic Alliance. Nah couldn't be, probably just a sense of deja vu on her part. So many people seemed to come and go that after a point Tibera just didn't question whether they'd met before.

"Greetings there. Lily Decoria, Bat... Just Lily."

"Well 'Just Lily', I'm Tibera. As for what brings me out here is a daily patrol. Currently me and a bunch of other mercs are out looking for any signs of Sith." As curt as she could be, the mercenary wasn't aggressive towards Jedi. There was slack in her arms as she held her rifle, idly keeping the weapon at the ready.

Before she could speak again a radio message from the outpost over the next dune came in. A gruff and wet male voice coming from around her shoulder. "Kilo actual calling to all units. Be advised of unknown civilians in the AO. How copy over?"

Soon after several other voices resounded, Tibera keyed the mic for her radio and began speaking into it. "Solid copy Kilo actual, Kilo seven-one reporting contact with a non combatant." The mercenary then paused, noticing the hunk of metal hanging near Lily's hand.

Command would definitely want to know about there being a potential Jedi, but it'd be a big mess if the Jedi didn't want to come with her. For now she'd see how the situation developed. Next check in wouldn't be for a while, so she'd have plenty of time to chat with the Echani warrior. Should she be so willing, that is!

"What about yourself? Looking for something? 'Cause all you're gonna find out here is sand and old bones. There's an outpost about two klicks that way. We got water and food, shouldn't be hard to get there if you want." Tibs pointed her left hand towards the general direction of the outpost.

Tag: Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Tibera Jessen

Mercenary looking out for Sith, seemed to be interesting, a lot of mercenaries that had crossed Lily's path tended to be ones that sided with the Sith. It was good to see that wasn't always the case. The conversation with the radio held a little pause in Lily as she could sense some tension. While Lily wanted to remain a non-combatant in all this, she wasn't sure how well that would go. Breathing in deeply, she hoped that her ownership of a Lightsaber and tense demeanour wasn't giving the attitudes of a Sith. She didn't want to accidentally start an issue because she was mistaken for association with something that she was not a part of.

Seeing Tibera's gaze note her Lightsaber, Lily adjusted her cloak to cover it a little more. "Sorry, I am here with a mission in mind. I found a trail that I need to follow. It was leading me this way." Lily explained, understanding how vague and strange the whole situation sounded but that was as clear as she was willing to be on the whole thing.

"I carry supplies with me. I shall be fine for now. I don't wish to intrude on your camp." Lily stated cautiously, knowing that her refusal might stir up an issue or two. "If you wish to follow me, make sure that I am not doing anything suspicious or harmful to the area, then feel free to keep me company." Lily offered. Feeling far more comfortable and relaxed if this was a situation that was more one on one if it became confrontational than if it was a group fighting her.

 

[Tibera Jessen]

"No skin off my bones, I ain't paid to be a tour guide. Just wanna make sure no one dies of thirst out here. Though, can't say that's the worst way I've seen someone go on Jedah." Despite the grim nature of her words, she delivered them with a nonchalant level of matter-of-factness. Death was sometimes preferable to whatever Sith could think up.

Tibera started to walk away, their chance encounter in the dusty dunes seemingly over. Then a thought struck the big merc, her shoulders tensing for a moment. Was Lily onto some survivors out here? If so then there was a chance she might need some help. Couldn't hurt to ask anyway.

"Say, you said you were following some kinda trail yeah? Maybe I should tag along with you. Better than walking this route another day. Besides, command said there's civvies somewhere out here. Might be looking for the same thing..."

It was a long shot, admittedly, but the saber swingers did have a sense of where the trouble was. It was clear that wherever Lily was going, there was a good chance of trouble. Tibera liked that kind of trouble, made all the blood and sweat worth it. Whether Lily liked it or not, she'd picked up a lost war dog now!

"So we gonna talk about the five thousand pound rancor in the room or what? That saber of yours, you a good one or a bad one?"

Tag: Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Tibera Jessen

Lily nodded her head at the initial refusal to join her, it made sense and Lily wasn't going to feel bad but then there was mention of Tibera's command wanting to find some civilians. Lily realised that what she had sensed was something far more recent than her initial thinking had been on the case. Breathing in deeply, "it seems we are working a similar mission." There was no point denying what was going on and what Lily was doing since the more help would benefit in ensuring they found these people sooner rather than later.

"I sensed their presence back near some Jedi ruins. Running in that direction," Lily pointed towards the north-east from where they were. "I haven't gotten any further clues, but they were fleeing some sort of danger." Her silver eyes flickered over to the mercenary, "hope you and your group was not the danger they were fleeing from."

Chuckling Lily shrugged her shoulders, "if I said a good one, would you really believe me?" Lily asked, lying came too easily to a lot of people, especially Sith. Lily feared that even if she attempted to demonstrate she was a good person, that it would not be enough. "I just... I need to make sure these people are okay and whoever was hunting them... They are stopped."

 

[Tibera Jessen]

if I said a good one, would you really believe me?"

"Good point," Tibera said as she marched alongside Lily. It was really a hard question to answer, and truly Tibera only cared for her own sake. "Long as I don't end up getting stuck in the back, you're good as credits to me."

Selfishness was a sort of learned trait for her. She had spent so long caring for only herself that it was hard thinking of others. There were exceptions though, her squad mates being the main one.

It did seem for all the world that this woman had a lot on her mind. Tibs considered saying something encouraging to her, but decided against it. Pep talks were never her thing, at least normal ones weren't. She doubted that a rousing pre-combat speech would smooth over things.

"Don't you know these people by any chance? I just can't fathom going all this way for total strangers."

It certainly sounded like Lily was sticking her neck out for people she didn't know. Cripes, there was that pang of conscience again...

At the top of the first dune Tibera took out a rangefinder, raising it up to her right eye. She could see for miles, but was having trouble scoping anything out. It was seemingly just miles and miles of nothing, no shelter for anyone to take up. Then, she saw something in the heat haze. A single vehicle floating above the sands.

"Looks like some kinda repulsor skiff hovering in the distance there. 4 plus foot mobiles following it. Could be your people, or their hunters. Either way, we head Northeast along the dunes."

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Tibera Jessen

"There is no honour in backstabbing or deception, I would never fight in such deceitful manners." Lily mentioned, it was a personal code that she had long stood by. One must confront the enemy openly and honestly. Demonstrate the mind and abilities to outmanoeuvre and out-skill an opponent, of course. But betraying an opponent after attempting to be an ally, that was never something that demonstrated combat skill or proved one to be the stronger fighter. Just who spotted an opportunity to win at all costs.

Costs that Lily valued as too high a price to pay.

Lily shrugged her shoulders, "altruism is not always a path that people fully understand or find themselves able to commit to. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do, it is the way of being a Jedi that I have tried to stand by. A belief system that I uphold personally." Lily mentioned as she looked to Tibera, "I do not know these people but that should never mean I deny their need for help. Once you limit yourself to only serving those you know, then you will find more reasons not to help. Questions on how well must I know them to help them will come, do I truly know this person to be worthy of help?"

"Conditional support is not fair to those who need support."

Nodding her head as she listened to Tibera mention there were people in the right direction. "Let us hope it is the people we are seeking then." Lily was not eager to be fighting today but she did look to the mercenary. "You did say you couldn't fathom helping a stranger... Yet here you are, helping me. I offered no credits, no benefits to your cause, but you have chosen to lend me your aid anyway."

A smirk on her lips, "perhaps the path I walk is not as dissimilar to the one you are on as you perhaps think?"

 

[Tibera Jessen]

Tibera saw the smirk, it was a little gesture, but it spoke volumes. She knew what Lily was getting at, that there was something deeper at play. It wasn't entirely wrong either. Her thoughts weren't as focused on money and personal gain as she liked to pretend. If the day kept going in Lily's favor, she might see the reluctant humanitarian side of Tibera.

"Don't read to deep into it Doll, I ain't the warm and fuzzy type," She said, adjusting the way she carried her rifle.

There was one thing missing that Tibs wasn't accounting for. None of this was for personal gain. If anything she was risking her skin for a reprimand from the commander. Not the worst thing that could happen, if they managed to help these civvies lost in the desert.

"As for helping you, it's pretty damn simple," She said, being obviously vigilant about her surroundings. She was scanning the horizon as best she could given a lack of corrective lenses. "I couldn't live with myself if someone worth a damn got crossed off when I could help them. The galaxy needs more people who do good, not killers like me..."

It was a solemn statement, but one Tibera made in earnest. She saw herself as lesser for all the death she had sown and havoc she'd wreaked. There was a long ledge of mistakes and evils behind her, and acts of service was how she would repay those debts.

Lily Decoria

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Jedha
Outfit: Bokken Jedi
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Tibera Jessen

Lily shook her head, "call me Lily, not doll." The pet name irked Lily in a way that she could not explain but it was something about the term doll that felt forced, fake and not the way that Lily presented herself. It felt more appropriate to use it as an insult in Lily's mind than a term that complimented her or was meant to endear. "That is unfortunate to hear, the galaxy could use some more warm and fuzzy types of people. But it is not an easy life to live. Sometimes the hardest thing a person can do is smile and put on a warm exterior when utterly surrounded by darkness." Lily mentioned as she thought about the way things were going around the galaxy.

"Does not seem like you are that different to myself. I protect those that carry the Jedi teachings even better than I do." There was no humble brag in her tone, Lily was far too much of a warrior to be considered the ideal Jedi in her own mind, "it would take a lot for me to end up in a fight that I could not succeed." Lily was bragging about her skills there but speaking from experience, she was a warrior who had faced a lot of danger. Danger that far exceeded her capabilities so she had a deep understanding of what it took to overwhelm her. "I have killed as well, it is not what you have done that defines you, what is it that you wish to do? What is the lasting impact you wish to have on the galaxy?"

Lily looked over to Tibera, "I wish to end the Sith, stop the imperialistic oppression of people and give them the chance for peace and freedom that we all sorely need. That is the legacy I wish to leave. Once I achieve that, I will not be a Jedi, I could not be the Jedi for that era. I am a warrior, I fight and I kill. I am what is needed now, but my hope and the impact I wish to have is that the galaxy will need less people like me and more of those that I wish to protect. Peace keepers, people who are pacifists and seek non-violent solutions to situations."

"Perhaps that is also something you wish."

As they moved forward, Lily pulled out a scope lens from one of her pouches, holding it, she scanned around and spotted the skiff that Tibera previously pointed out to her. On it there was a symbol and Lily sighed deeply disappointed. "Gangsters, local, but definitely the hunters not the hunted that we were seeking."