Private No Duty Too Small [Cerys Dyn]

[Balun Dashiell]

LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

MISSION BRIEF:

Classification: Routine Assignment.
Priority: Standard.
Location: Theed Marketplace District, Naboo.
Assigned Personnel: Jedi Knight Balun Dashiell, Padawan Cerys Dyn.
Issuing Authority: Ala Quin.

MISSION OVERVIEW:

Over the past several weeks, merchants operating in the central marketplace district of Theed have reported an increase in petty theft and unexplained disappearances of goods, personal effects, and trade credits. While the incidents remain non-violent and individually minor, their frequency has begun to raise concern among local business owners and residents.

The Royal Naboo Security Forces have investigated the matter but have thus far been unable to identify a common suspect or establish a discernible pattern behind the thefts. At the request of local authorities, the Jedi Order has agreed to provide limited assistance.

Jedi Knight Balun Dashiell and his Padawan, Cerys Dyn, are hereby assigned to investigate the disturbances, determine the cause of the reported thefts, and provide aid where appropriate.

​

Balun Dashiell and Cerys Dyn had been assigned a field mission together, the first for the Togruta Apprentice since her return to the Jedi Order of the High Republic. She had been given a period of six months where she had been barred from participating in off-world assignments; however, after speaking with Grandmaster Ala Quin , Jedi Knight Balun Dashiell had been granted permission to bring his Padawan along for this task.

Naboo possessed the rare quality of appearing untouched by the concerns of the known Galaxy. Its avenues were immaculate, its gardens always tended, and its architecture rose from the landscape with a grace that suggested centuries of careful stewardship rather than expansion born of necessity. Citizens moved through the streets without haste, merchants displayed their wares openly, and children played beneath the shadow of marble domes without fear. Crime existed, as it did on any inhabited world, but it was rarely visible; order was not enforced through intimidation, but through a culture that valued community, responsibility, and pride.

Together, Master and Apprentice strode along the sidewalk of one of the busiest streets of the Capital, entering the Market District where locals and visitors alike all met to peruse the stalls and city stores, purchasing wares on sale and contributing to the overall municipal vitality of Naboo.

Sadly, where there were credits, there were also signs of those without. You need only know what to look for.

Balun Dashiell led Cerys to one of the stalls, stopping under the pavilion where shelves of food for sale were free to peruse, and the kiosk, attended by a human woman, was a simple table with a datapad and her droid companion for assistance. The Jedi Knight had no intention of making a purchase, but for the sake of looking the part, he began to look through the food on sale while sparing a glance at his Padawan. Prior to their arrival, he had informed her that she would be taking the lead on this assignment. The mission was fairly straightforward, and he was there primarily for guidance if she required it. Cerys was more than capable, yet he would be there should she need to defer to his leadership.

"Shall we begin?".

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The assignment was straightforward. That was fortunate. Straightforward assignments did not require awkward conversations. They did not require emotional introspection. They did not require discussing matters that sensible Jedi should never have discussed in the first place.

They required investigation. Cerys preferred investigation.

The Togruta moved through the market in her usual attire, the silver-blue armor of her former Order worn beneath a layered skirt that swayed around her legs with each purposeful step. The crowds parted naturally around her. Some recognized a Jedi. Others simply recognized someone who looked as though she was heading somewhere important.

Balun's question hung briefly in the air. Cerys nodded once. "Yes, Master."

Nothing more. There was no elaboration. Nor attempt at conversation. Entirely professional and appropriate.

Her blue eyes swept across the bustling marketplace. Merchants watched customers. Customers watched merchandise. Children ran between stalls. Travelers admired wares they had no intention of purchasing.

Everyone was looking at something directly in front of them. Which meant they were probably missing everything else.

Rather than approach a stall owner immediately, Cerys turned her attention upward. A decorative stone balcony overlooked a broad section of the marketplace from the second level of a nearby structure. It would provide visibility of foot traffic through several intersecting thoroughfares.

A better starting point.

Without waiting for approval, she headed toward the staircase.

"The thefts are frequent," she observed, her tone measured and analytical. "If there is a single perpetrator, they likely rely on the density of the crowds. If there are multiple perpetrators, there should still be common behaviours."

She reached the balcony and rested her hands lightly against the stone railing. Her gaze settled over the sea of movement below, seeking patterns that might unfold before them.

People tended to reveal themselves eventually. The trick was being patient enough to let them. And unlike conversations with her master, patience was something Cerys understood very well.

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Cerys was being noticeably short with him, keeping strictly to business in conversation. As the Togruta Apprentice observed their environment, the Jedi Knight kept his eyes on the stock in front of him, yet his awareness extended to his Padawan searching for any sign of her feelings without being intrusive of her privacy. She was doing well to put the mission ahead of everything else, and yet Balun understood that finding distractions from working through her emotions and difficult conversations with others was a habit that held her back in her personal growth. He couldn't force her to see these things, however. He could show her the door, but she had to work through it in her own time, when she was ready to do so.

"I agree. There's quite a crowd out here today, but there will likely be some telling signs about our targets. Civilians will be paying attention to the products on sale, our thieves will be paying more attention to the shoppers themselves, perhaps showing signs of paranoia and being wary of law enforcement," Balun suggested as he moved to follow behind Cerys Dyn as she started for a higher vantage point. Again, she showed her frustration with her Master by heading off with little regard for him, yet he kept his thoughts to himself, burying his mild annoyance at her lack of consideration and focusing on their objective.

Standing atop the balcony looking across the Market District, Balun's gaze swept the streets within their reach. It was still early hours in the morning, the day was fresh, and though the streets weren't yet completely full, they were certain to get that way with the typical business of Naboo's traders selling all manner of products, from affordable wares to the rare and expensive luxuries not often found in this sector of the Galaxy. "Depending on how many targets there are will complicate the manner in which we conduct an arrest. If there are two or more perpetrators, how do you see this playing out? Given the high density traffic in this area, it would be preferable not to back them into a fight".

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Cerys remained still at the railing, blue eyes tracking the flow of bodies through the marketplace below. Her posture was rigidly professional, hands clasped neatly behind her back. From a distance she could have been mistaken for a statue set there to watch over the district.

Balun's observations were reasonable, even correct, but rather predictable. Cerys felt her recoil from the judgmental mindset, seeking to push the venom away.

Her gaze shifted from one thoroughfare to the next. "Possibly," she answered simply.

The Togruta was quiet for several seconds afterward, studying movement rather than faces. "I encountered similar situations during my travels." Her voice remained neutral. "Rarely a single thief. Usually groups."

A woman carrying produce. An elderly man haggling over fabric. A pair of tourists examining jewelry. Nothing unusual.

"Often children." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Sometimes adolescents."

There was no judgment in her tone, as she merely stated fact. "They attract less suspicion. Are easier to overlook. Easier to forgive when caught."

Her attention settled upon a stall further down the avenue. A child of about ten years of age lingered nearby. She was young and thin. And she was not browsing the stalls, but watching the customers.

The youngster's gaze kept drifting away from the merchandise and toward passing customers. Looking for opportunities rather than goods. A moment later, the stall owner noticed the child reaching toward something and immediately swatted their hand away. The child recoiled and shuffled back several steps.

Cerys raised a hand and pointed. "There."

Her expression remained unchanged. Even on Naboo there was still the poor. Such was the nature of a rich, and illustrious world that had taken in so many refugees.

"I do not think they will be much of a threat." Her gaze lingered on the child. "But I suspect they know something."

The child had already begun drifting away from the stall, slipping back into the currents of foot traffic.

Without waiting, Cerys turned toward the stairs. "We should follow them." The statement was delivered as a conclusion rather than a suggestion.

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Balun frowned to himself, listening to Cerys Dyn -- not because he disagreed, but because the reality of children having to resort to such measures to feed themselves -- a basic sentient right -- was truly discomforting. This was nothing new to the Galaxy, and Balun himself understood what it took to survive on the streets of Coruscant's underworld. Naboo might look like a paradise by comparison, but poverty was poverty; there was no benefit in measuring one's suffering against another's.

He didn't reply aloud so much as offer a single nod and an accompanying smile, small but present. The theory of there being more than one perpetrator was indeed possible, and her explanation behind the use of children, though sad, was also very astute. Balun continued to study the markets below, searching for evidence of possible persons of interest. Where there were credits being exchanged, there were always opportunists in some form or another.

When she pointed and called his attention to the child lingering nearby one of the stalls, Balun's gaze followed: "I see them", he confirmed. Once more, he concurred with her assessment that the kid would be a fairly straightforward mark if they made a run for it. Which was honestly highly likely. "On you, Cerys", he spoke, turning to fall in behind her as they set out for the ground floor in order to intercept the child.

The streets were quickly growing with a greater populace, traders, civilians and a small presence of local law enforcement walking their patrol routes. Keeping pace with Cerys, Balun searched ahead of the crowd, seeking to regain sight of their target of inquiry. For the average person, the pursuit might have been troubling, yet the Force was with them both and Balun's trust in its guidance was steadfast. He reached out, expanding his senses and searching for whispers of possible threat, yet for the time being, sensed little in the way of outside interference. Only the two Jedi and their mark.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The child noticed them.

It did not happen immediately, but eventually, the realisation spread across the youngster’s face. They glanced back once, then twice, stiffening the exact moment their eyes locked with Cerys'. Then, they ran.

Cerys did not pursue them. Instead, the Togruta simply altered her course — tugging on Balun's sleeve to follow, cutting through a side avenue rather than following directly behind. She knew this marketplace well enough. The child was heading for a narrow alley sandwiched between two older buildings, likely intending to vanish into the maze of service corridors beyond. It was a predictable tactic.

By the time the child emerged from the far end of the passageway, panting heavily and glancing over their shoulder, the Jedi were already standing there waiting for them.The youngster froze, and for several agonising seconds, neither of them moved.

Suddenly, the child threw their hands into the air. "I didn't steal anything!"

Cerys blinked, finding the outburst interesting. "No one accused you of theft."

The child's panic instantly melted into confusion. "Oh."

A heavy silence followed.

Cerys folded her hands behind her back, her gaze steady. "You were watching customers."

The child shrugged defensively. "People watch people."

"You were not watching merchandise," Cerys countered.

Another shrug was the only reply.

"You were also chased away from a stall."

The child scowled, doubling down. "I wasn't stealing."

"I know."

That answer caught the youngster completely off guard. Cerys studied them closely, noting the worn clothing, thin frame, and nervous eyes. She had seen countless variations of this exact same story during her travels across Nar Shaddaa, Brentaal, and Coruscant. Different worlds always yielded the same patterns; children rarely organized theft rings on their own. Adults did.

"Who are you working for?" she asked.

The child's gaze dropped immediately, a clear tell of fear rather than guilt. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do," Cerys replied, her voice calm and certain.

As the child shifted uncomfortably, Cerys glanced briefly toward the alley entrance, knowing Balun would cut off any attempted escape.

She looked back at the youngster. "You are not in trouble. Who are you afraid of?"

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Cerys Dyn tugged upon his sleeve, and Balun pivoted to follow with a quick nod of approval. The Togruta Jedi's instincts were finely honed, and when in the field, Balun knew that she was entirely focused on the objective. She moved calmly yet with purpose, and falling behind her, he could not help but smile to himself as he looked ahead. In the field, there were no distractions, no troubling emotions to sway her into unease and uncertainty; she was of instinct and clarity, and Balun felt that his Master had been right to suggest the assignment.

At the opening of the path enveloped by skyward buildings, Balun paired off from his Apprentice, nothing spoken but Cerys would sense his distance and know his intent; likewise, Balun was certain she had been expecting the same of him. Between Jedi, there was a cognitive and telepathic connection that the Force created, and after spending enough time together, two Jedi could read each other beyond the physical and verbal language. The Jedi Knight had turned his focus to the priority before them, and it brought an almost exhilarating feel to be back on mission and doing something that required action as opposed to the recent classes he had been teaching.

Balun slowed as he entered the alley, each step quieter than the last as he moved to approach the adolescent while Cerys kept their attention, yet he stopped several meters from their person of interest, not looking to spook them but merely to block their exit path. The child appeared gaunt and forlorn, clearly in need of proper sustenance and care. It was obvious they lacked the environment of safety, comfort and belonging that all young people required at such an age.

Reaching out into the Force, Balun touched upon the mind of the youngling and offered an olive branch, so to speak. From within, he projected a sense of calm, drawing upon his recent meditations to exert a more complacent and cooperative influence over the child. Cerys, too, would sense it, though only in the Jedi's intent. An encouraging presence for the young mind who, at present, trusted them none and seemed ready to bolt in a desperate plea to escape trouble.

She wants to help you. You can trust her.

The youngster wouldn't so much as hear the words but find themselves inclined to question, drawing out their deep-seated desires for a better life, one of friendships and small pleasures, being among others who he felt accepted him and wished only the best for him. The base wants of all juvenile hearts, and that which they were owed in order to live their best selves.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The youngster’s eyes flicked between the two Jedi, youthful bravado masking a fading instinct to flee.

"I ain't afraid," the child muttered.

Cerys remained motionless, letting her silence serve as a tactical weight until the youngster folded.

"...I don't steal. I just watch."

There it was. Cerys felt no satisfaction; it was simply the logical conclusion of the data. "A lookout," she clarified.

The child nodded sharply. "Sometimes."

"Who do you watch for?"

The youngster’s gaze drifted down the narrow alleyway. "People. The wrong ones."

He was being deliberately vague. Cerys maintained her posture, forcing a defeated sigh from the child. "Other crews."

Crews. Plural. Cerys processed the data immediately. They were dealing with multiple organized cells, not a single faction. She didn't look at Balun, but her Togruta montrals sensed his immediate alignment with her conclusion. "Who pays you?"

The child hesitated, eyes darting between the Jedi. "Depends."

"On...what?"

"Who's asking."

Cerys didn't take the bait, letting her calm gaze serve as its own pressure.The youngster shifted against the stone deck, a look of defeat crossing their face. "Look, I can...I can show you where he sits in the market." The reluctant offer was clearly meant to buy freedom.

Instantly, the child pivoted to bolt past Cerys's flank, only to find their path blocked with smooth, tactical precision.

Frustration boiled over. "Fine!" the youngster snapped, scowling toward the market grid. "Just follow me and keep up."

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Their assignment had just become rather more complicated with the new intel that there were likely multiple groups contributing to the ongoing theft in Theed's market district. While Balun Dashiell remained silent and watched both the boy and his Padawan, he couldn't help but consider whether the Jedi Council were aware of the probability. If there were, in fact, several crews, gangs or syndicates, then tackling them all would require more than just the pair of them, unless, of course, they somehow caught them all in the same place, which was unlikely due to the competitive nature of their business.

Making one last desperate attempt to flee, the kid sought to take off around Cerys, yet the Togruta Jedi intercepted him quickly, blocking off his exit path. It was a fair attempt given the child's position, and Balun couldn't help but appreciate the boy's initiative. Unfortunately for him, his emotions betrayed his intentions, and Balun and Cerys could both read the resignation that fell over him after his failed attempt.

"Lead the way kid, my friend here will accompany you" Balun told the boy before turning his attention to Cerys; "I'll follow at a distance. My robes make me stand out a fair bit and could give us all away. I'll keep an eye out in case we catch a tail on the way too" he explained, concluding with a nod of confidence for his apprentice. He didn't feel he needed to tell Cerys to take care. She knew what she was doing, and she was committed.

The market district was extensive and filled with all people of varying origin and socio-economic backgrounds. While the youngling would provide them with direction to a potential key player among his group, Balun didn't doubt that along the way, the sight of the child walking with strangers (let alone a Jedi or two) could very well attract the eyes of his possible partners in crime. Where the white and gold Jedi robes were a symbol of the Order of the High Republic, they weren't discreet in the least. If the boy were seen to have gained a Jedi follower, however, he might not be picked out as an informant; ratting out his crew and incurring a beating. Balun had seen it before, and misguided as the child was, he was still young with a long life ahead of him.

It was the Jedi Knight's turn to leave now, stepping away from the pair and heading back out into the public street. Reaching out with his senses, he would ensure he could feel Cerys' presence in the Force, a sense of direction in case they were split up. Likewise, she would sense him and know that she hadn't been simply abandoned. If required, Balun was skilled in telepathic communication, though he didn't plan on needing it.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Cerys watched Balun depart, offering only a single, curt nod. "Understood, Master," she said, her voice giving away nothing more.

Beside her, the child immediately started walking, clearly eager to be moving again. Cerys fell into step beside him, maintaining a measured pace while keeping her attention sharply focused on their surroundings. As they walked, the bustling marketplace slowly gave way to quieter service roads and storage districts where deliveries arrived and merchants kept their excess stock. The area was far less crowded, meaning there would be fewer witnesses - a detail she noted grimly.

The boy led her toward a weathered warehouse tucked tightly between two larger structures. It looked ordinary enough, complete with standard loading doors and faded cargo markings. Nothing about it immediately stood out as unusual.

"You come here often?" Cerys asked, breaking the silence.

The child merely shrugged. "Sometimes," he replied. It was not a useful answer.

As they approached, the warehouse door slid open with a dull scrape, revealing a woman standing inside. She was human, middle-aged, and dressed in plain, unremarkable clothing. She was not at all what Cerys had expected, but the child immediately relaxed at the sight of her.

It was a mistake. The realisation came a fraction too late. Cerys realized the danger not because of the woman herself, but because the warehouse was entirely too quiet. There was no machinery humming, no workers shouting, and absolutely no movement inside.

It was a trap.

Cerys turned sharply, instinct screaming a warning through the Force. Someone was moving behind her, executing an ambush fast...very fast. Her hand had only just begun to rise to defend herself when a heavy blow struck the side of her head.

A sudden flash of white exploded across her vision, and the world lurched violently sideways. She heard the child shout something in the distance, but she couldn't make out the words. Then, the cold warehouse floor rushed up to meet her, and darkness followed.

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Tailing Cerys was fairly simple, not due to her lack of expertise or skill but due to the familiarity of her presence in the Force, as well as the child's lack of emotional restraint. Where the Togruta Jedi was focused on her duty, the younger of the pair was clearly anxious and searching for a way out of the mess that he had found himself in.
Following at a distance, maintaining a line of sight on the pair, Balun had pursued at a calm, collected pace in their footsteps. The boy and his Apprentice weren't his only subjects of inquiry as they moved through the market district, but so too were the crowded streets as he searched for eyes upon the pair. Any sense of attention diverted towards Cerys and the child, and any feelings of tension, suspicion or anger that might result from the sight of the two walking together.

Cerys, to any potential co-conspirators, would be a clear stranger and deviation from what the child's typical job required of him. The boy had explained himself in few details, yet it had been enough to suggest that anything outside of his normal routine might be questioned or frowned upon by what the boy had claimed were more than one group of thieves.
As she was led towards the edge of the market district and the crowded streets began to thin out, Balun noted the back alleys and narrow corridors separating taller, industrial-style buildings. Warehouses, factories, garages -- Not the most appealing of sights yet not so heavily polluted by manufacturing that required their location to be further out on the edge of the city limits. What concerned him was the lack of eyes on his Apprentice, save for his own; discretion was the better part of valour in this case, and despite his misgivings, he didn't allow his desire to protect her to interfere with the mission. There would be a time and a place, but currently he had little evidence to confirm his doubts.

The back roads were tighter, more confined, and well out of the public spotlight. Every building cast a shadow, and every shadow held the potential for others to be lying in wait. This was not a place that echoed Naboo's typical beauty and splendour, instead speaking to the harder labours of the less fortunate, those who had to work hard to get by, while all under the thumb of the rich, the royalty of Theeds' noteworthy houses.
The Jedi Knight's steps were a conscious effort to quieten the sound of his movements, simultaneously reaching out to the Force to shroud his presence from the perception of those nearby. Life in the area was indeed present, and those who wandered these side streets were potentially connected to their young informant. Balun was taking no risks in alarming them to the presence of a second Jedi, a figure of authority that, at the very least, would be something to pay attention to for anyone hoping to cut corners of legality.

It wasn't until he felt a sense of dire urgency overcome his Apprentice that Balun was provided the justification to break into action. Immediately, his collected pace turned up a beat, moving into a sprint as his left hand fell to his Lightsaber and, eyes ahead, his perception in the Force honed in on his Apprentice and signs of life accompanying her. The boy was present, desperate to flee while two others had appeared. Most alarming was the sense of utter shock from Cerys, enough to send Balun into full flight with a snap-hiss of his amber blade.
As the solid ground rushed to meet the falling Padawan, Balun's free hand snatched out, fingers extended, yearning for the Force to cushion her impact. The cloak of discretion instantly fell away, drawing the attention of the woman and Cerys' assailant, the latter of whom turned around a second too late to find Balun rushing him, turning in with his right shoulder and colliding with the man while keeping his lightsaber low, far from contact lest he be forced to humble the man in the most aggressive of terms.

The impact and momentum sent both the Jedi Knight and the attacker tumbling, though Balun rolled and used the Force to dampen the impact, recovering to his feet quickly and turning to point his weapon down towards the fallen assailant, his eyes darting from the man to the woman, while his mind reached out to Cerys to gauge her status. She had taken a hit from what appeared to be a lead pipe, enough to drop anyone from behind.

"You know this weapon, you know who we are," Balun said firmly, his voice cold and authoritative as he then looked at the middle-aged woman who stood a short distance from them. The boy was nowhere to be seen, but these two could still be leveraged for intel; "Stand down. I don't want to have to harm anyone today". Sadly, his apprentice had already taken a blow, and as Balun sought to de-escalate the situation, he couldn't help but want to come to her side.

One problem at a time.

Either of them could be carrying a blaster.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The man on the floor grimaced, raising his hands in slow, reluctant surrender.

The woman reacted with far greater urgency. Her hand blurred beneath her jacket, reappearing a second later wrapped around the grip of a compact blaster. For one tense heartbeat, she looked ready to fire.

Then, she truly saw what stood before her.

She took in the glowing amber blade, the heavy folds of the robes, and the absolute, unwavering calm in Balun’s posture. A Jedi.

The confidence drained from her face instantly. "Oh, kriff this," she muttered.

The blaster lowered...not in a measured surrender, but abandoned entirely. It clattered loudly against the concrete floor.

"We were told it was just a kid!" she snapped, glaring down at her companion.

The man looked equally horrified. Neither of them seemed eager to test their luck against a Jedi Knight. The conclusion of that fight was already a foregone conclusion. They bolted in opposite directions, one tearing toward a side door while the other lunged for the rear loading entrance. Cowards, professionals, or perhaps just practical.

A low groan shattered the sudden quiet as Cerys stirred. Her eyes squeezed shut, fighting the haze of returning consciousness as the warehouse ceiling swam above her. Grimacing, she pushed herself up onto one elbow.

"Ow." She reached back, rubbing the tender, throbbing spot where the pipe had connected with her skull.

After a few seconds of gingerly assessing the damage, she looked up at Balun. "I believe," she said flatly, "that I have identified a flaw in my investigation technique."

Balun Dashiell​

 

[Balun Dashiell]

NO DUTY TOO SMALL
LOCATION: Theed City, Market District.
INVENTORY: High Republic Jedi Robes | Crossguard Lightsaber | Standard Lightsaber
TAGS: Cerys Dyn

​

Balun sighed in frustration, glancing in either direction toward the fleeing suspects as they gave up the possibility of fighting back and instead took off at full sprint for the closest exit. His grip around the lightsaber loosened a little, and the blade disengaged, the amber light appearing to snap back into the hilt. Had he been younger and alone, he would certainly have given chase. Today, however, he was much less impulsive and more concerned about his fellow Jedi.

Not to mention the male offender who had been brutishly floored by the Jedi Knight's shoulder. Reaching around the back of his belt, Balun pulled a pair of zip-ties from one of the pouches and forced the suspect onto their stomach, binding their wrists before they had the chance to take off. "You, my friend, have the good fortune of meeting two of Naboo's finest", he muttered quietly to the man before stepping away.

Walking over to Cerys Dyn , the lightsaber hilt still in hand, he took a cautious look around the warehouse, though he spoke for Cerys' benefit and fought the instinct to kneel beside her. "This is why Jedi work in pairs", he smiled to himself while he scanned the perimeter of the massive indoor opening, "How bad is the head? We can call for backup if we need to", his question accompanied by the option to provide Cerys with some reprieve. Balun couldn't be certain whether she had been dealt a concussion -- Cerys most always seemed to keep herself composed in the field, sometimes giving Balun the impression that any hint of vulnerability could be an embarrassment.

Someone else had taken the youngling, and the female suspect had alluded to their objective kidnapping. Perhaps it was a retrieval job for their employer, working the same side... Or perhaps this was a rival syndicate seeking to work the kid over for information on his own people. With the child clearly at risk, Balun felt an urgency to continue. They had one in custody who needed to be handed over to local law enforcement, but he didn't want the trail going cold on the boy either.

"Here's an ethical dilemma for you, Cerys" Balun glanced back to her with a half-smirk; "One presently in custody but a youngling at risk and being pursued by multiple suspects. Time is counting", he elaborated. Though it likely seemed like the worst time to pose a test, especially after taking a blow to the head, Balun still gave her the opportunity to suggest an approach moving forward. Truthfully, he had already considered leaving the man there on the ground to fend for himself while they both took off after the kid. Adults could fend for themselves, make their own choices, and live with the consequences, but the boy remained a juvenile, thinking and feeling like a child and clearly influenced by the wrong kind of people.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​