Opportunity Makes a Thief

[Onley Xiangu]

Surprise was probably written all over her face though she did her best to fight it. Siobhan had started in the gutter? For a moment Shezi imagined herself dressed in something nice - nothing fashionable, as she could never imagine herself caring much what was in style. She'd leave that to Kerrigan. But just...something soft, something that didn't scratch her skin like the homespun she was used to.

The two women seemed engaged in something that didn't directly include Shezi for a moment but she didn't notice. She was checking out the room, absently running skinny fingers over bedding that was probably middle-of-the-road but felt fit for a Queen to her.

What kind of thief would she be if she didn't steal at least a night here?

But her head whipped around when she heard what Tempest said, her unique haircut sticking out in erratic places, something like nervousness blooming on her face. "I don't have the Force." Of course, she wouldn't know it if it smacked her in the face, but the inklings of 'luck' she'd always had helped her stay hidden. She wanted to keep it that way. If she had that...thing, then there would be no hiding for her ever again.

[member="Tempest"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Shezi Khoza"]


Siobhan smiled at Tempest. "I see you're following my good example," she said a bit smugly. This was the moment to either smile and nod or troll her. "You've got my blessings. You're responsible for her."


However, then the adorable little thief interjected. Her white-head whipped around to them, nervousness spread across her face at the mention of the Force. Well, that answers my question, Siobhan thought to herself.


"Shezi, sweetie, it's ok. Nothing to be nervous about. You're among friends," Siobhan spoke gently, doing her best concerned mum act. She placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You have the Force. It's a part of you. I suppose you've used it unconsciously without even knowing it and thought it was luck. If you don't want to use it, that's ok. But we can show you how to control it so that you don't accidentally hurt yourself or others. Or fall into the hands of people who'd hurt you."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Shezi Khoza"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tempest patted the girl on the shoulder gently. “You might call it a different thing, but those times when things have happened? Strange things you can’t explain? Was it luck? No, Shezi, it’s the Force. But don’t be afraid, we can help you control it. We can help you stay strong so that it never drops from your control again.”

She looked across at Siobhan. She was glad the other woman was there to help with explanations.

 

[Onley Xiangu]

Shezi sat firmly neutral on the moral spectrum, more interested in her own ends than the concerns of others. Her struggle then was torn between what felt like two distinctive ends of her rope as the women talked to her like they understood her even a little. One half wanted to scream as they soothed her, start tearing hair out and kicking and biting like a cornered animal. The other simply told her they weren't trying to do anything but help and she should at least give them a chance before resorting to biting and screeching.

She would have sighed were she not in such a pivotal moment.

"I'm not so scared of the Force. Just of what it means for me," she answered, blinking alien eyes slowly.

Looking between the two women, she shrugged. "Let's do this before I lose my karking mind."

[member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Shezi Khoza"]


"Of being a target. I get that. We can make sure you're safe and show you how to protect yourself," Siobhan said reassuringly. Well, she hoped it was a reassuring tone. "Ok. Let's go," she added and gripped her cane. The door opened as if pulled by an invisible hand when she made a casual gesture, and stepped out of the room, beckoning Tempest and Shezi to follow her.


It was a short walk through the corridors. Ultimately their path would take them to a large, spacious training hall. It resembled an Atrisian dojo and was used by Siobhan, Tempest or any other Force Adepts employed by Firemane whenever they were on the station. Remotes and training droids could be released on command, there were rocks of vayring size and weight an acolyte could use to practice telekinesis on and weapons were stored in an adjacent room.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Shezi Khoza"]


Tegaea cast a curious look at Shezi. It was certainly an interesting reaction. Still, she followed Siobhan and led the girl into the training room.

She knew this place well, had studied there for long hours, but she didn’t expect Shezi to be able to just leap in right there and then.

“Shezi, what Siobhan and I are going to do is just gently touch your mind and assess your connection to the Force. It might be best if you sit down whilst we do it. Don’t be afraid…we won’t hurt you, I promise.”

She glanced to Siobhan. “Ready when you are,” she added, pulling chairs over for the three of them.

 

[Onley Xiangu]

Shezi had been in rooms like this, though perhaps not quite as nicely stocked or organized. She'd never run with any gangs personally, but she'd had acquaintances with whom she'd tagged along to strongholds and safehouses. They liked to train to, though perhaps for less noble reasons. Pushing those thoughts aside, she tried to drag her racing thoughts back to some semblance of normalcy.

Sitting in the chairs arranged by Tempest, she wrapped her hands around the seat on either side, looking like a child who'd been caught at something they shouldn't have been doing. She wasn't entirely sure she liked the sound of her brain being poked but they'd given her no cause to distrust them so far. Besides, they most likely could have read whatever thoughts they wanted from her mind whether she gave them permission or not and they hadn't.

"Alright," she said, settling herself and looked between both of them. "Not sure you'll like what you see though, so be careful like," she added, grinning to reveal two stainless steel crowns where her premolars should have been. She tried not to imagine hocking a loogie just to be gross.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tempest"]​

​

Spoiler

Thank you so much for being patient with me you guys. You da best.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Shezi Khoza"], [member="Tempest"]


From a certain point of view, the average corporation was just a gang that wrapped itself in the colours of respectability and had discovered classy ways of exploitation. Firemane did kind of act like a law unto itself. Then again, it didn't screw its employees over. It did have a token Hutt though. Who wore a monocle and a bowler hat.


Anyhow, on with the plot. "It won't hurt, sweetie. Just relax and think of nice things," Siobhan said in her most reassuring tone. Well, she thought it was reassuring at any rate. So she stretched out with the Force to touch Shezi's mind, trying to be as gentle as possible.


Siobhan was not much of a mentalist, as the duel with a certain amazing Zombie Queen showed. This one could keep on fangirling about her like a blushing schoolgirl, but we have a plot to write. Her mental tendrils gently stroked across the girl's mind, trying to take care not to dig in too deeply because she didn't want to intrude upon the girl's privacy. She could feel the Force emanating from the girl. It was unrefined and instinctive, like many Forcewielders who unconsciously drew upon their gift without knowing it, but it was there.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Shezi Khoza"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tempest blinked at the metal teeth. They were certainly fearsome looking.

She switched her attention back to Siobhan’s probing, and she joined in as best she could. Shezi had the Force, that was for sure. She had a great deal of untapped potential.

“Relax, Shezi. Now, think of something that makes you angry…visualise it in your mind and focus on it.”

They would hopefully feel a spike in her mental powers.

 

[Onley Xiangu]

She could feel them poking around her thoughts, but not as if they were trying to steal or alter something. That put her slightly at ease. For a thief she certainly got indignant about being stolen from.

Which got her thinking...

The two crowns on her teeth were a product of a bet gone wrong. Once, before she was streetwise, she'd thought it a good idea to mouth off to a Rodian about his losing streak in the ring. She'd bet on him, and losing the only credits she had burned her. It was her fault of course - she shouldn't have bet it all. But the only way to vent her frustration with herself was to take it out on someone else. He'd shown her the error of her ways by punching so hard in the mouth she'd been flat out unconscious on the street for two hours and woke up short two of her teeth.

She'd managed to find someone to give her implants, but they were obviously fake - chrome and shiny even against her pale skin.

Being little made her angry. Being small made her angry.

To the trio's left, one of the stun batons used for more high-stakes training shuddered ever so slightly.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tempest"]​

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Shezi Khoza"], [member="Tempest"]


Metal teeth were a bit unnerving. Now this writer is wondering whether Jaws would have phrik teeth!


However, such musings were far from Siobhan's mind when she suddenly felt a spike of power inside Shezi. It was still weak and unrefined, but it was there. She felt ripples in the Force, then a stun baton shook just a bit. It was a start.


"Good girl. People mock you for being small. They'd underestimate you because of it. Your size puts you at a disadvantage in a straight-up fight...but it's meaningless against the power of the Force. Size matters not. Fools would think you weak and helpless, but we can show you how to be strong. Now, remember how being pushed around makes you feel. Hold that feeling close to you, and will that baton to rise. All you need to do is want it enough."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Shezi Khoza"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

“All those people who have scorned and rejected you. All those people who thought you were nothing. You know you are better than them. You have the strength to make them sorry. You just need to…let it out.”

Baiting someone was not a strategy Tempest often liked using, but in this case it was necessary to make Shezi believe she could do it…then it was just about control.