Campaign Misplaced

[Aeris Lashiec]

The field let go and Aeris stood back up again. While she figured the slavers would still be around when they were done fixing this, it was also a fair assumption that maybe they would not be. She gave Dagon a nod before she motioned for Kai to follow her. They would fix this, then they would get back home. Wherever that would be.

She threw a look over her shoulder for a moment at Dagon before she continued wandering further into the cove. They would catch up.

"We'll talk to them." She said and turned back to Kai. "Or try to. Give them a chance to hand themselves—"

And that was when it hit her. The administrator wasn't exactly likely to co-operate. Aeris exhaled a frustrated sigh.

"It was a mistake coming along for this."

 

[Arlo Renard]

Taking advantage of the fact that Dag was listening, Kai eagerly added fuel to the fire. <She’s been like this ever since we left the starport. She disobeyed your orders and left me behind to attack the slavers on her own.>

Rather than endure the hatred she radiated toward him, Kai severed Jem from the battle meld. She was so wrapped up in her own little world, careless toward the people around her, let her be alone then.

The relief he felt at no longer having to deal with her was short-lived. Even as he walked away with Aeris, Kai cast a glance over his shoulder at Dag, sensing the Knight’s inner turmoil. He couldn’t even enjoy seeing Jem humbled, not as long as it caused his friend this much pain and guilt.

Turning to Aeris, he noticed she was growing increasingly frustrated with the situation. <We give them a chance to surrender, and if they don’t, we take them by force. If they attack us, then we defend ourselves.> He shrugged. <That’s what cops do. Jedi aren’t supposed to police the galaxy, but we are supposed to be the guardians of peace and justice.>

Granted, Kai had learned this method not from reading a police manual, but from watching reruns of Bright Knight, a show about a Jedi Knight who had survived the Purge and gone on to live a double life as a masked vigilante—er, “duly deputized agent of the law”. The show painted an idealized portrait of how situations like this were meant to play out. Things were usually a lot messier in real life, but don’t try to tell Kai that.

Lawyers and judges would no doubt have a field day with this mission—with any typical Jedi mission, really—trying to decide whether their actions counted as self-defense or not. But the laws differed depending on what star system you were in, what faction you were part of, whose authority you acted with. It was all tangled up and complicated, a gordian knot they had no hope of unraveling. Besides, how did the old legend go? The warrior walked up to the knot, drew his sword, and cut the rope...

As they approached the cove, the silhouetted figures resolved themselves into people. Kai pulled out his lightsaber hilt, but didn’t activate it.

<Hey! Jedi here! Surrender now, or else!> he told them. When the slavers not only failed to comply, but didn’t even react to his telepathy, deaf to the Force and too busy hauling screaming and struggling children onto the transport to notice the two people standing a little ways out in the desert, Kai sheepishly turned to Aeris.

<Could you yell for me?>

Zaka Dagon Kaze Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Creuat Viers Connory Valery Noble Mercy Pyrrah Tae​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ponemah​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers (Concealed): Link!​

Tag: Zaka Pyrrah Tae ​

​

​

Chit.​

​

There was no way this guard was going to leave his position - he was likely instructed to guard the office and not leave his post, regardless of what was happening outside. There were, after all, plenty of other guards to deal with intruders or troublemakers. She had seen the vast majority of them around Zaka earlier, and they seemed to still be distracted.​

​

So all that remained for her was to deal with this guard, and she had just the idea.​

​

"Hey there," Valery said as she stepped out of her Cloak behind the guard, who quickly turned after hearing a woman's voice behind him. But as he turned, a Force-augmented fist struck him in the gut, causing him to fold over. His mouth opened to produce some kind of noise, but Valery silenced him with a second strike against the side of his head to send him down to the floor. ​

​

That was going to hurt, but it could have been much worse.​

​

As quietly as possible, Valery then snuck into the administrator's office and moved up to his desk. She spotted a lot of datapads and other items and began to go through them. "Cargo manifests, clearance codes, a shopping list? Security funding..." she muttered inaudibly to herself.​

​

Valery knew she didn't have the time to look through all of it in great detail, but there was a lot of shady stuff here. People at the spaceport had been bribed to allow cargo through without clearance, the cargo manifests had been tampered with and there was an unusual amount of security funding. She decided to just take it all and quickly made her way back out.​

​

I really need more pockets, she thought to herself as she carried it all out, back within her Cloak to remain hidden from sight.​

​

From her position, she looked down towards where Zaka was keeping them busy, and reached out telepathically to him, hoping to signal him that she had what they were looking for. <T> "Got the goods, time to go." the woman said, wanting to keep it short and simple. ​

​

But as she moved for the wall, which she'd be able to go over again to make her escape, a voice behind her suddenly called out.​

​

"Ey boss! Tinus is knocked out by your office! Someone was inside!"​

​

Oh crap​

​

Valery stopped immediately as she made her up on the wall, and turned to see what would happen between Zaka, the administrator, and his guards. One thing was for sure, she wasn't leaving him behind. If he needed help, she'd come down there without any hesitation.​

​

​

 

[Pyrrah Tae]

Ponemah Terminal
Lets Transport Some Slaves
The “Heroes”: Zaka | Dagon Kaze | Jem Fossk | Arlo Renard | Valery Noble | Viers Connory | Creuat | Aeris Lashiec
The Saviors: Mercy
​

“Ah yes, Mr. N’Jazaka, I remember your appointment.”

The pirate did not, in fact, know who this man was. His lackluster attempt to break in had proven that there was a hole somewhere in his security. It needed to be fixed now. No one should be waltzing their way into his workspace to snoop around.

“I’m afraid that I will not be able to come with you, Mr. N’Jazaka. My time is running thin today. If you don’t mind, we could step inside and discuss more deta…”

Jedi.

The rush of their presence on this planet crashed over him like a tidal wave. Scattered about the city like ants. It was right under his nose this entire time. He was foolish for not considering them as a threat, especially this close to Alliance territory.

Before the man had the chance to do anything, one of his guards came running out through the main doors, panic coloring his voice.

“There is somebody snoopin ‘round inside! We’s need to lock this place down!”

Whipping his head around towards the guard, the pirate shot a deathly glare in his direction. This was not good.

“Lock down all operations. No one gets in or out. Now!”

As the guard scurried away, the pirate turned back around towards N’Jazaka. Was he a Jedi too? One of the intruders trying to ruin his plans? He would soon find out.

Reaching down towards his belt the man unclipped his lightsaber. The golden hilt fell into his hand. With a flip of a switch the saber ignited, the yellow blade illuminating the surrounding area.

“You know, Mr. N’Jazaka, I think we can discuss business right here.”

 

[Zaka]

BLACKFANG - THE (NEW) JEDI vol. II
Issue #2 - Ponemah Forgotten

​

Oblivious to the ongoing events outside of the Settlement and the ones going on in the Administrator's Tower, Zaka's friendly features continued to shine brightly. Surprisingly authentic for the typically brooding and lonesome Jedi, Zaka raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head idly as he waited for an answer from the Alliance Official.

During his wait, a familiar presence brushed against his own, connecting to his mind in a limited facet to relay information.

"Got the goods, time to go."

Some good news.

The only news he'd received.

He could only guess that the others were just having an uneventful day.

"I'm afraid that I will not be able to come with you, Mr. N'Jazaka. My time is running thin today. If you don't mind, we could step inside and discuss more deta…"

Exhaling and releasing a pent up breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Zaka felt the mood switch immediately. In response, his brows began knitting together, fiery emotions raging in close proximity with the Administrator, and it was in that moment that he could sense the innate feel of another Force user.

He was experienced too.

Inwardly frowning, he should've sniffed out his ability weeks ago.

Somebody cried out that there was an infiltrator inside. With Valery out... It was time to go.

And as he was turning to head off in the commotion, he heard the voice of the Administrator speak again. The familiar sound of a lightsaber's ignition filling his ears, and he froze.

Shoulders slowly raised and rolled backwards, straightening his posture as he turned to face the official.

The pretense of his being there melted away in the blink of an eye, his friendly, careless, even dim-witted demeanor instantly shifted as he squared off with the Administrator. His eyes, the colour of drawn steel stared out from the determined face of the Padawan.

In his peripheries, he could see the security guards around them, but he did not care. The reveal of the lightsaber increased the Administrator's priority in Zaka's eyes.

He'd warned the group to be careful with their affiliation. To complete the job without needlessly alerting authorities.

But now this... Governor.. thought he could threaten him.

In the Lion's Den, Zaka had been careful, distracting the Lion and his entire Pride. He thought he could challenge the warrior. And the Blackfang did not shy away.

"You ignited that weapon," he reminded, wrists twitching. Business. "I don't deal with scum. Surrender. Submit. And confess to the people of Ponemah your crimes."

The saber hilts slipping down his sleeves slid into his palms nicely, but he waited to key their activation.

He wanted to. He imagined the fight in his mind. He'd bet that he was quicker than the Official. He practically trembled with anticipation. But the Alliance would want the man alive, and his tendency to take lives and ask questions later was not conducive for an Alliance investigation. Another corrupt fool. How were these people supposed to live if those above them kept taking advantage?

Valery Noble Pyrrah Tae
Dagon Kaze Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Arlo Renard
Creuat

 

[Dagon Kaze]

MISPLACED
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #10

​

Whoa.

"Caaaaalm. Breathe." the words were as much as for her as they were for him.

The Knight crouched down beside her, hearing Kai's words but choosing not to address them right now. The way she conducted herself, apparently, was reminiscent of his younger days as a padawan... just more extreme. More unrestrained. He'd been busting thugs with a cocky smile on his face those days - she was just full of contempt. Simmering anger repressed deep inside. Regret. Guilt, maybe. He didn't need to be an investigator to deduct what drove that. At her age, Dagon's father was merely a memory from the past.

Hers was the living apocalypse of the galaxy.

"Aeris and Kai can handle it on their own. I want you to focus on me, now." two fingers pointed at his eyes, "On you..." then, he barely jerked his head in the direction of the man she had slain, "...on that." softly swallowing the tension forming in his throat, pushing back his early fears of failing to mentor her, he continued dealing with the situation the only way he knew how.

Investigating.

"Did the thug catch you off-guard?"​

Valery Noble Zaka Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Arlo Renard Viers Connory Mercy Creuat Pyrrah Tae

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Arlo Renard

Aeris exhaled.

"Jem has taken the news about Solipsis particularly hard, her reaction is worrying but understandable." She glanced over her shoulder yet again to look at Dagon. "But I think now that Dagon is aware he will take care of it."

Even he could see the dangers of not handling it, surely.

"You are right though, as Jedi we should always choose the path that leads to the least amount of blood spilled. Mentors, not enforcers."

They approached the cove and Kai tried to shout, except, well… Yeahh…

Aeris cleared her throat.

"Gentlemen!" She exclaimed and raised her voice. "You have, within your camp, several children that have been stolen from their parents. We are here to get them back. Please come out into the open with your hands up. No blood has to be spilled today."

 

[Jem Fossk]

Of course Kai would rat on her. He was a rat. He wanted her to suffer-- she could feel it as it as he cut her from--

"Caaaaalm. Breathe."

Her eyes snapped back to Dagon.

"BUT-"

"Aeris and Kai can handle it on their own. I want you to focus on me, now."

Her jaw set, ready for fight, but it was his final question that caught her off guard.

"Did the thug catch you off-guard?"

"No. But I had already seen him shoot someone-- in cold blood! He would have hurt you, or worse, the kids if I had given him the chance, and you know it!"

Kill or be killed. That was the reality the sith had burned into her when they tore down the temple. How was this any different?

 

[Arlo Renard]

<What news about Solipsis?>

Kai had obviously been kept out of the loop regarding the whole “I am your father” business.

Aeris shouted at the slavers to surrender. The slavers responded, rather predictably, by shooting at them. Kai’s lightsaber deflected the bolts back at them. The sight of the blade actually caused a brief pause in their firing as the remaining slavers reacted with shock—and perhaps fear—to the presence of the Jedi.

When the firing resumed, it was much less intense. A few of the men were down, while others shot at the Jedi as they rushed toward their transport, intent on escape.

Zaka Dagon Kaze Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Creuat Viers Connory Valery Noble Mercy Pyrrah Tae​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

"That he is—" Aeris began but was cut off by gunfire, perhaps as a sign from the force that it was not a revelation for her to share. She exhaled and raised her hand to deflect one of the incoming blasts into the attacker's knee. "Never mind."

So much for being an adventuring raider now.

Aeris remained calm, her hand extended before her by her side as she erupted a shield between herself and the bullets, carefully moving into position to intercept the transport as it flicked to life with a mechanical growl. The propulsors' whine increased at an unusually rapid pace and yet the machine remained in place. It took a lot out of her, but slowly but surely she began to tip the van over as the panicked yelps of the children inside seemed to tumble to the side.

They would be okay. Aeris had seen enough younglings shake off seemingly mortal damage as if it were nothing enough times to understand just how… Malleable… they were. Worse for wear? Sure. Not sold off in a slaver camp? Absolutely. Something told her they'd care more about that than the former.

As the driver and passenger bailed out and opened fire she let the van go and focused instead on their projectiles, freezing them in place to buy herself the time to step aside. Her breath began to run ragged but she pushed through.

"Open the door, Kai!" She shouted over the field at her friend. "We are nearly there."

Arlo Renard

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ponemah​

Valery: Appearance​

Lightsabers (Concealed): Link!​

Tag: Zaka Pyrrah Tae ​

​

​

Looking down at the unfolding scene below, Valery froze for a moment when the yellow blade of the administrator ignited, followed by Zaka readying his own weapon. This was escalating really quickly and put her in the position to make a tough decision. Regardless of what happened in this fight, she had the evidence to expose the administrator's crimes. If she were to move away now, they could complete their mission. But in doing so, she'd leave Zaka to fight not only Pyrrah Tae but also his guards.​

​

If she were to help him engage the thugs, they ran the risk of losing the evidence required to help the people. To fulfill the promise they had made earlier, to themselves and to the people on Ponemah. Looking at Zaka again, a huff of air escaped her lips and a lightsaber hilt came loose from her belt. She had made her decision.​

​

Nobody is getting left behind.​

​

<T> "Don't worry about the guards." ​

​

Her words were simple, and she hoped to inspire even more confidence in the Padawan, who already seemed more than ready to take the administrator on. But without the worry of guards getting involved, he'd be able to focus on the bigger threat. So with a plan in mind, Valery suddenly stepped out of her Cloak and launched herself in the air from the top of the wall. ​

​

The Force was flowing through her and the moment she came down, her fist impacted the ground to release a powerful wave of Force energy across the ground. With all the guards having surrounded Zaka, they were together nicely enough for them all to be knocked off their feet while Zaka and the Administrator were completely untouched. None were killed, but some were likely unconscious while others had only been knocked onto the ground.​

​

Valery's violet blades then ignited and with the sudden move, she hoped to motivate the man even more to surrender. If he did, they could charge him for his crimes without unnecessary harm done to anybody here. But she had a feeling this was going to escalate, and thus she stood ready to engage the guards in a second sweep.​

​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai didn’t have to be told twice. The doppelganger was already racing toward the tipped transport, grabbing the doors and forcing them open as a slew of children and teenagers poured out, screaming and wailing and crying. The older ones carried the younger ones, or they clung to each other in terror, not sure what was happening.

When the last of them had climbed out, Kai herded them back toward the other transport, where Dagon and Jem were. It made for an amusing sight; Kai was really just a big kid himself, but he proved a competent enough shepherd. How they would get the kids out of the desert was a statistical problem he left up to the adults. Presumably, they'd just call the children's parents.

Zaka Dagon Kaze Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Creuat Viers Connory Valery Noble Mercy Pyrrah Tae​

 

[Dagon Kaze]

MISPLACED
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #10

​

He looked back at where the transport had been, recalling the recent scene at the best of his ability, then turned back to her, "Three ways you could've disarmed him and another three to knock him out cold... but it never was about that." his eyes pierced hers, a mixture of concern, frustration, and disappointment. At her and at himself. "Justice, not vengeance..."

Dag averted his eyes away for a moment, then, "... to do unto him what he has done to others... it's an urge we'll never be free of, I don't think - at least, I haven't found how yet but Jem... to be a Jedi, we have to be a symbol, an example to follow. We can't turn into... them. The Force, it gives us powers beyond the common man's understanding. To do things they could only dream of. To use it in the same vein as that thug has used his gun..." his words trailed off, he didn't need to say more for her to understand.
​

Valery Noble Zaka Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Arlo Renard Viers Connory Mercy Creuat Pyrrah Tae

 

[Jem Fossk]

His words stung. That look burned through her. She withdrew back a step, but it followed her.

"I'm not like them. They started this-- I am just fixing it." Her words struck her with frightful clarity, and that look that he gave her-- the weight that laid there. Her skin lost its luster at once.

Her father had said same thing to her. Same reasons, bigger scale.

"That's not fair," she protested, her voice small and wounded. "This is different. You would- and Zaka- I just-" She stumbled. She was desperate to shuck the suggestion that she was anything like the thugs. She was just doing what he had. But he had learned a lesson that she had not caught up on and now she felt caught out. She didn't like feeling out of step.

"I'm a jedi." She told him, equal parts strength and mortification.

 

[Dagon Kaze]

MISPLACED
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #10

​

"You are." he says, putting a hand on her shoulder, "But it takes only one small misstep, Jem, to start walking in a completely other direction. Killing should always be the absolute last resort...why, because I know the ripples murder makes."

Dag shifts his gaze into the sky and draws a sigh, "My father, Haytham. He was killed by Yula's mother. And that changed my brother... probably forever. He fell to the dark side, seeking to avenge our father's death. No matter what..." he recalls, "... we could go around killing every goon we meet and you'd think we'd squash evil forever. But what if... what if one day we kill one thug, but this time he has a young son. Tomorrow, the son learns the news and the son becomes an orphan. Grows a seething hatred of the Jedi. He starts roaming the galaxy. Killing others. Creating even more monsters."

"...he inevitably becomes what we are trying to put a stop to."

"And we become him." ​

Valery Noble Zaka Jem Fossk Aeris Lashiec Arlo Renard Viers Connory Mercy Creuat Pyrrah Tae

 

[Jem Fossk]

Jem was struck dumb.

Goosebumps speckled her flesh, but she couldn't make herself move. The sobs of traumatized children paraded by behind them and... she could picture it. It was chilling.

She didn't like it.

Her gut instinct was scoff at him, to deflect or otherwise deny that thats what she could end up perpetuating. She knew the kind of person she was.


But maybe... she didn't need to kill that slaver. She just didn't want to leave room for him to hurt anyone again, and she still felt that he would have if--Well, she guessed she'd never know that answer, because she never gave him the chance. She just assumed for him. ...And what if he did have a kid?

She wanted to collapse in on herself. She could see her response clearly for the first time-- and she could see the darkness that had fueled her. She had tried to throw the masters back.

Her skin drooped to a pale, sickly silver.

"I'msorry," she squeaked, her voice tight in her throat. "I just wanted to protect you."

Dagon Kaze

 

[Pyrrah Tae]

Ponemah Terminal
Lets Transport Some Slaves
The “Heroes”: Zaka | Dagon Kaze | Jem Fossk | Arlo Renard | Valery Noble | Viers Connory | Creuat | Aeris Lashiec
The Saviors: Mercy ​

Before the man had the chance to strike the Jedi across from him, the feeling of a powerful energy washed over him.

One by one his guards were blasted to the ground by the force. It wasn’t coming from Mr. N’Jazaka, but another nearby Jedi. He growled at the inconvenience of all of this. Now he was 2 to 1 against the Jedi, with however many more were already on world.

“Crimes? Ha! I have committed no crimes. It is only business that I conduct here my friend. For it is you that has committed crimes here at my operations.”

It was time. Reaching for his right ear, the man activated his earpiece. A message would be sent out to all guards and workers.

“We have a Code J3-D1, load all valuable assets and meet at the designated rendezvous point. I repeat, Code J3-D1, load all valuable assets and meet at the designated rendezvous point.”

Swirling his blade in his left hand, the crime lord pointed it outward, challenging the two Jedi. He wouldn’t let them leave without some sort of parting gift.

“Shall we dance, Jedi?”

 

[Zaka]

BLACKFANG - THE (NEW) JEDI vol. II
Issue #2 - Ponemah Forgotten

N'Jazaka didn't take his eyes off of Pyrrah for a second. He shot scathing ocular daggers at him, that, had it been his way, he would've cut this man down without thought. What made it worse was that he had the audacity to wave around flimsy words of semantics in his face. As if those would save him.

He'd set the mission parameters, but every word that fell from the Administrator's mouth, every second he had to spend listening to his arrogance. He wanted to break them.

Around him, the guards were dropping, and although for a split second he was confused as to why, he remembered it must've been Valery. So caught up in his own thoughts, he'd forgotten where he was. Brow raising in the direction of the Administrator again, he slowly shook his head at his taunt. I'm going to kill you.

Without an audible response, Zaka lurched forwards to close the distance, purple beams of energy bursting out from the hilts as he moved with violent intent. One moved to the mans midsection, more so to occupy his blade, the other leapt up to his face a split second later.

Pyrrah Tae Valery Noble