No More Heroes (Korr)

[Arage Bao]

Nar Shaddaa​

Jimmy’s​

[member="Ryan Korr"]​

Jimmy’s was a regular’s place, meaning that mostly the oldies get together here and share something to eat or maybe get a drink or two - didn’t stop from other people joining in on the fun though. Today was a slow day, couple of stragglers at the bar, some cloaked shadowy figure in the corner and the patrons that were always here.

Khaleel wasn’t one of the oldies, not really at least. When he had left Little Coruscant for the greener side of the road in Merrill’s employment people wrote him off for dead or worse, a rat. Ain’t easy to win their trust back and part of him didn’t even want to bother, what did they have to offer to someone like him?

Anyway, the food was good. Always had been, clean and not too expensive for Shaddaa standards, it’s why so many people like to come here, well that and the information one could get here by simply listening to the beat of the crowd. Khal wasn’t doing that though, not now, he was on paid leave - a vacation miss Merril had told him, after his arm got wrecked during their duel. He had to get one of those fancy cybernetic replacements, also courtesy of Merrill.

Ain’t too bad really, sure… he’d have preferred his original arm, but working under Rave was dangerous every once in a while. Khal had known that from the start and had still gone through with it, anything to get outta here.

Scooping up some more noodles with his spoon the young thief looked with interest as some new guys walked into the restaurant with- with guns? Oh boy, this didn’t bode too well.

Other people were catching on by now, some of the regulars immediately slipped out, the rest hugged the wall and watched how this would unfold. There ain’t no brave old men in the underworld, there was a reason why they had managed to grow old.

Khal took another spoonful and then studied their movements, definitely no amateurs, someone else would have probably tried and stop the robbery, but Khaleel was no hero.

Let someone else sort out the problem.

 

[Fen]

The cloaked shadowy figure in the corner happened to be enjoying as good a cup of caf on Nar Shaddaa as could be expected. The debauched planet served as a haven for criminals of the worst sort. So when several armed thugs entered the building, no one was really surprised.

These guys just brandished their hardware in the hand-over-your-money-or-I'll-kill-you sort of way. Thing is, everyone on Nar Shaddaa is armed, one way or another. And whenever you're looking to knock over a joint you can never be quite sure about who will be inside it when you do the knocking over.

The regulars who didn't want any trouble slipped away. Those who stayed could be divided into two groups. Idiots and Killers. The latter were the reason it payed well to inspect a building's clientele before going in guns blazing.

Sure enough, one of the thugs walked up to the counter and jammed a blaster pistol in the owner's face.

"Put the money in the bag."

A duffel bag hit the counter top with a thud.

At that moment, the shadowy figure in the corner chose to stand up and lower the hood of his earth-toned cloak. Red hair above a hard, scarred face. His face was of less interest than the cylindrical device he produced in one hand. It came to life with a snap-hiss, shooting out a glowing bar of blue.

"Nobody has to get hurt," said a voice that promised pain, "Put your guns down."

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

These days it wasn’t so rare to see a Jedi, especially since Nar Shaddaa had been taken over by the Republic a few years back. In this type of situation you did either of the two things, you either put your guns down and submit to Jedi Supremacy, or you decide to take your chances.

It was surprising to no one involved, except perhaps for the Jedi in question, when the thugs didn’t put their guns down and instead sprayed bullets towards the shadowy corner and its occupant.

Of course, the Jedi was a Jedi.

So he will probably kill their ass in a matter of moments.

By that time the rest of the patrons had slipped off into the night, killers or not you don’t stay in a room with bullets and blasters being thrown around. Khal pointedly stayed put, he still hadn’t finished his noodles and the attention of the thugs was on the threat.

Khal, in their opinion, was no threat to them.

[member="Ryan Korr"]

 

[Fen]

A gesture of Ryan's hand overturned the table he had been seated at. He ducked behind it, thick wood providing temporary cover. Blaster bolts and bullets splashed and thudded against the round oaken thing. Another gesture sent the table flying across the room. The heavy table knocked two of the thugs over like ninepins, leaving just two more to deal with.

Korr parried a trio of blaster bolts, catching them on his lightsaber and rebounding the first two into the ceiling before batting the final back at the sender. The Weequay took the bolt in the stomach and grunted, falling to his knees.

The final assailant was evidently not as strong stomached as the rest. The idea of fighting a Jedi didn't seem to appeal to his greater sense of self-preservation. That said, when the shooting abruptly stopped he peeked around the corner of the pillar he'd been hiding behind, only to have the back of his head seized by an invisible hand. His forehead made a brief, but firm acquaintance with the pillar. He collapsed, unconscious.

The Weequay sat slumped over his knees, staring at the blood pumping out of his ruined stomach. Korr stepped forward and kicked away the thug's gun, then approached the two who had been knocked over by the table. One rolled over, raised a holdout pistol and fired in a smooth motion.

The reflexes of the Jedi were nearly too slow, but he managed to bat the bolt aside, just barely. Unfortunately for the thug, he'd batted the blaster bolt back into the man's face. Death had been instantaneous.

Ryan Korr grimaced, muscles in his jaw writhing.

"Unnecessary," he muttered.

The third lay at an awkward angle, staring at the bone jutting out of his bloodied leg.

The redheaded Jedi sighed and pulled out a pair of binders, which he clicked onto the man's wrists. He then did the same to the other surviving members. Finally, he pulled out a com link.

"This is Jedi Knight Ryan Korr. Reporting an attempted robbery at Jimmy's Restaurant, Northern Fire district. Three suspects in custody, one dead. Send an ambo."

He approached the Weequay and placed a hand over the gut wound. His hand began to glow. The Weequay howled.

"I stopped the bleeding, but you will still need to go to the hospital. Let's not have a next time."

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Ryan Korr"]

Khaleel blinked, of course he had heard the tales on the Jedi’s sheer skill. Their exploits were practically legendary anywhere in the Galaxy, but seeing it in action yourself?

Different, very different.

He was about to say something, a jest of some kind, when he noticed a guy creeping up on the Jedi Paragon. Khal frowned, he hadn’t been there a couple of moments ago, had he?

Part of him wanted to simply take another spoon-full of his noodles and then get out of there with no complications. A smart man would have done that, an intelligent man would have simply slipped away during the commotion.

But it had already been established that Khaleel Malvern was no smart nor intelligent man.

His hand found the Tenloss Ambassador strapped to his thigh, unstrapped it and before the would-be assailant could do anything malicious Khal pulled it out and shot him - twice to be sure.

Relaxed the young thief put the gun down on the table and awaited the Jedi’s righteous fury or worse.

 

[Fen]

Two shots, their barks like screams in a silent night.

Ryan turned sharply, hair on the nape of his neck standing on end. Grey eyes with a weight like edged steel glanced from the dead thug to the man seated at a table. A bowl of noodles was in front of him. As was the still smoking gun.

"It seems I owe you a life debt, stranger," he glanced at the dead one, brows lowering, a troubled expression. The overcast gaze swept back to the life-saving rogue. "Odd. I sense...." He stopped midway, clenching his jaw several times. "What is your name, friend?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Ryan Korr"]

Khal raised an eyebrow when the expected outburst of fury didn’t occur and instead gratitude was extended. The Jedi weren’t only known for being very capable fighters, stories had been circulated about self-righteousness and hypocrisy, mixed with arrogance.

It seemed not all of the stories about the Jedi were true.

‘Khaleel Malvern, Master Jedi.’ the thief replied without hesitation and then simply studied the Jedi. There was an idea blooming up in the back of Khaleel’s head and he wasn’t liking it one bit, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

He wondered… how would one become a Jedi?

 

[Fen]

"Well met, Khaleel," said Ryan. He turned and stalked over to the handcuffed prisoners, double checking their bonds while he spoke. "I sense the power of the Force within you."

Satisfied, Ryan began collecting all the discarded weapons littering the floor and putting them into a pile on Khaleel's table. One hold out blaster. One rifle. One bowcaster. One vibrodagger. The list went on.

"Have you ever thought of becoming a Jedi?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Ryan Korr"]

Khaleel blinked.

How di-- okay, that was definitely impressive. It only solidified his opinion that becoming a Jedi might be the best thing to do as a guy in his position, he wasn’t safe on Nar Shaddaa, never had been, but this was a way out. A way to somehow do better, perhaps do some good while being at it.

‘I… thought of it just two seconds ago, but I am guessing you already know that.’ Khal admitted sheepishly.

‘Does the Order accept people like me?’

 

[Fen]

The redhead snorted. Growing up in the Temple had accustomed him to interaction with other Force Users on a daily basis. He forgot that those without such intimacy often viewed the Jedi as some sort of mind-reading mystics who could see people's thoughts painted on the walls in neon green comic sans. The idea seemed comical to him, but he supposed there was a substantial amount of truth backing them. He couldn't shoot fireballs from his eyes, though.

"I didn't read your mind. I just felt your presence. Its.... well, hard to explain. "

Korr dumped the last bit of excessive weaponry onto the table and took a seat while he waited for the security forces to arrive.

"As for people like you. You think you're special?"

Sitting closer to Khaleel, the scars littering Ryan's features would become more apparent. A hard quality. Like chewing on cereal and suddenly finding a stone had found its way into the mix. Disconcerting.

"We have many with... unusual backgrounds. Some have criminal records, if that's what you're worried about. I don't care what you've done in the past. What I want to know is: do you have a contrite heart? And are you willing to change?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Ryan Korr"]

It had indeed crossed his mind, Jedi were supposed to be Paragons of Virtue and- well perhaps that was another story that had been grossly exaggerated. The more Khal was talking with Korr, the more he was coming to suspect that they were more human than the legends would have you believe.

Did Khaleel feel truly guilty for the thieving he had done, for the people he had hurt in his short career as thug? It was a hard question. He had never set out to hurt anyone, ever, but living in Nar Shaddaa doesn’t give you much options most of the times.

It’s either do or be done.

That being said, if he was able to get out of here? Khal believed he could do better.

‘If I am given the opportunity I will better myself.’ he answered. ‘Things can get desperate out here, Master Korr. But I never liked or enjoyed the things I had to do, I am willing to change for the better.'

 

[Fen]

Ryan nodded once. A curt, simple gesture, but somehow it conveyed understanding, affirmation and acceptance, all in one simple bow of the head. The sound of sirens drew closer. They would be here soon and with that his business on Nar Shaddaa would be almost concluded. He'd just stopped here for a caf, with full intentions of heading to the Republic base for a final mission report. Stopping armed thugs had just been a hiccup. Or a bonus, though he still felt bitter about the two deaths.

"Good. If you truly wish to join the Jedi Order, you can accompany me to the Republic Outpost. I'll be departing there at 1900 for the Ossus Temple. Today. That should give you enough time to gather your affects."

One of Nar Shaddaa's finest stomped through the door, hand on his gun.

"What's g- holy mother of- praise the Horned One. What happened?"

Ryan excused himself from the table and began the aggravating process of explaining to the local security forces what exactly had transpired. It didn't take more than ten minutes.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]