Private Padawan Business, Move Along...

[Jand Talo]

LEVEL 1313, CORUSCANT

On Coruscant, Level 1313 had a particular reputation for lawlessness.

It was where many gangs, thieves, criminals of all sorts, made their home. No security force was bold enough to try and bring order to that chaos, no government ignorant enough to believe they could make change without blowing out budgets, and no private investigators naive enough to try and follow leads without fear of a slug to the back of the head...

And then there was Jand Talo.

The Nagai Padawan had been assigned the much simpler task of ferreting out some common pickpockets who were stealing from citizens on the upper levels. However, throughout the course of the task, it had become apparent that it was not as straightforward as believed, and that the pickpockets were actually part of a larger, more organized, thieves ring. And being a newer resident of Coruscant, Jand took it upon himself to venture down in pursuit, without knowledge of the seedy - and dangerous - reputation 1313 had.

It soon became evident that, by following the pickpockets in secret, using the methods of Force Stealth taught by Jedi Master Noble, Jand was able to tail the sentients to find the ring of criminals. Yet, with some degree of caution and forethought, Jand reached out to another Padawan, in order to bring some reinforcement of his own. And with a quick comlink call to Iris, the mission had been explained, the other individual updated on progress, and an place agreed on to meet.

Jand had failed to recognize any concern or apprehension from his peer, were it present.

As far as Jand was concerned, he was on official Jedi business, and that meant he had a job to complete.

"Holo-log update," Jand said as he crouched on a rooftop of a rundown apartment building. He peered down across the streets below, his targets in sight. "I have followed the Twi'lek twins to level thirteen-thirteen, where they seem to have contacted members of their criminal ring. I am currently waiting for the reinforcement of Jedi Padawan Iris Arani, where we will then proceed to continue investigation - and tailing - of the thieves ring known as the Smooth Hands."

Below, the thieves milled about, laughing and joking and chatting.

They were confident...

Jand looked forward to bringing them all down.

"Resuming observation, end holo-log update."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Getting a call from Jand wasn't something she expected, but it was a welcome one regardless. After their last conversation, she figured they weren't on the best of terms. Well, maybe they were. It was hard to tell with him, but hey. She wasn't going to deny helping one of her fellow Jedi just because of something like that. Iris slipped down beside Jand, keeping to the shadows as best she could. Stealth was more her Master's thing than her own, but she had picked up a couple tricks on her time on Denon.

"So.. What's going on? What's the plan here?"

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

LEVEL 1313, CORUSCANT

The arrival of Iris was felt marginally through the Force.

Enough so that Jand didn't react with defensive violence, at any rate. It also helped that the Padawan had been expecting the other. Jand offered a nod, thankful Iris had responded to the call. Their last conversation had been ended abruptly, as Jand had been posed with a number of considerations that required contemplation, while also threatening to put his past into turmoil and confusion.

It had been jarring at the time, contradictory... but, it had also given Jand some broader angles to approach some of his own beliefs.

"You are here, good," Jand said as he motioned with his hand toward the Twi'lek twins below on the street. "Those two Twi'lek are part of a thieving ring known as the Smooth Hands. I had been asked to stop their petty theft, but developments have revealed a larger danger... I have been tailing them for several hours, we are now here."

Jand reached into his robe and produced his datapad.

He offered it to Iris.

"This has my logs, but the simplest explanation is after the Twi'leks had stolen and gone to ground, when I planned to bring them down away from civilian endangerment, I overheard them mention the group," The Nagai continued to observe, his dark eyes unwavering. "That was when I altered the original task, to include the petty thieves and their crew... but it seems this is now even larger than that, as the sentients below are from multiple crews, operating under the Smooth Hand name."

There were some more details in the logs, but those were definitely the important points, and the datapad entry ended with Jand's most recent update mere moments before Iris appeared.

"Now that you are here, perhaps it is prudent to consider moving in closer, to glean more details?"

Jand frowned, as he glanced to his fellow Padawan:

"However, I didn't account for having to blend into the crowd. Jedi robes tend to stand out."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris nodded slowly. She was different now, in the Force. Voss had taken a darkness from her, something she had been struggling with in their last meeting. Not so much now. Now she was far more business. Her gaze scanned over the offered information, reading rather quickly through. The organization Jand discovered, the Smooth Hands. Clever name for a group of thieves.

"We'll have to use plain clothes. I don't think they're going to leave if we take the time to change. If we can get close enough, Domxite can use one of Zoar 's programs to hack their systems. Get in their cameras."

As if on cue the small BD unit popped up on her shoulder. Glancing around with them. "Give us all the information we could want."

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

LEVEL 1313, CORUSCANT

"It is true that the Twi'leks have remained at each stop for long periods of time," Jand said slowly, as he nodded. "It stands to reason we have time to change appropriately, yes."

The mention of something called Domxite confused the Padawan, until he saw a droid crawl up onto Iris' shoulder, though her state of alarm didn't increase so it meant the BD-unit was - likely - expected. There were some minor leaps in logic for Jand to come to the conclusion that the droid was Domxite, to which the Nagai raised an eyebrow:

"While we do that, is your droid capable of maintaining observation? It will allow us to avoid losing the contacts, should they move away."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Domxite can, yes. They're not a droid, though." That was the usual thing she forgot to explain. Domxite nodded before letting out emotion. Not physically, but through the Force. Complex flashes of different emotions. Language, that Iris seemed to be able to understand. She nodded once, glancing to Jand shortly after. Domxite hopped off, finding their own little perch to overlook the targets below.

"Alright c'mon. You have plain clothes, right?"

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

LEVEL 1313, CORUSCANT

When Iris mentioned about the droid, Domxite, Jand was confused for a moment. He glanced to the thing, unsure of the context of what his fellow Jedi meant, before he simply continued with the conversation.

"If you insist," Jand said, content to leave the complexity of droid - or not - as stated, without need for clarification. "I do have plain clothing, yes. My clothing from my home."

With Domxite to watch over the scene below, Jand felt comfortable to temporarily leave the position, to better prepare.

"Did you arrive in a speeder? I did not, as I followed the suspects on foot, when things changed... failing that, perhaps a taxi might be in order."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"A speeder?"

Oh. Oh no. Iris should probably invest in getting one, now that she thought about it. At least when it came to getting around Coruscant. And Denon. In a hurry at least. "No, I don't. I should probably get one, huh? Heh. Guess we'll just have to walk..?"

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

LEVEL 1313, CORUSCANT

The intention to walk seemed time consuming to Jand, as the Nagai frowned and considered.

"We are several hundred levels below the surface," The Padawan mentioned, as he glanced up. There was no sky overhead, just flying speeders and a view of higher lights and structures that disappeared into foggy darkness. "Let us call for a taxi, but make our way up to an appropriate meeting point."

It would mean the pair would make progress higher through Coruscant, which would mean a shorter ride back to the Jedi Temple, rather than waiting and not moving at all... besides, level 1313 seemed to have hesitation regarding visitation, though Jand didn't understand why.

It seemed a perfectly acceptable place to wander, so far.

Jand pressed several buttons on his comlink.

"I have organized the lift," He said simply, then looked back up. "We must ascend five levels to meet our speeder. Let's go."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Ah, right. Taxi it is."

They'd charge the temple, right? Probably. Maybe.

She turned her gaze back to where the Twi'leks were, just watching them for a moment longer. A thief ring. Still seemed weird to think about on Coruscant. Center of the Galatic Alliance, still full of it's own crime. She blinked. Five floor ups? Her gaze shifted back to Jand as she nodded. There was probably a lift close by. No, there was. The one she took. "Right. Quick, yeah?"

She gave a brief smile before, well, starting to run. They didn't want their targets to get away while they changed of all things, right?

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

Jand offered a nod, as he gave one last look to the Twi'lek twins, then started to depart the area with Iris.

He still wasn't sure what - or who - Domxite was, but so long as the unknown entity was able to perform the task of maintaining observation, the Nagai would trust the other Padawan.

Ascending the levels wasn't too difficult. It mainly consisted of walkways, turbolifts, and the odd Force-assisted leap. And before long, Jand stood at the point where the taxi had been summoned to meet the pair, to which the pale Padawan stood with thoughts that drifted back to the task they were on.

"Do you have any recommendations for clothing?" Jand said as he saw the yellow-colored speeder approach, the words TAXI plastered across it in various dialects. "I do not pretend to understand Coruscanti fashion customs, and do not wish to stand out, jeopardizing our operation."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"Recommendations? None. I'm terrible at clothing or fashion or anything like that. If Bri was here she probably would know. .. Mm. I guess something simple. Jeans. Some uh.. You have a favorite band? Can put on a band T." That was her plan anyway. As for the band in mind, well. Whatever she happened to have stashed away. Most were hand me downs from Briana anyway.

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

The taxi arrived, the door opened, and Jand slipped inside.

"I do not have a favorite band, no," The pale Padawan noted, a furrow of his brow evident. "Should I?"

Nonetheless, Jand leaned forward and spoke to the driver:

"Jedi Temple."

The droid beeped, then swiveled its domed head and began to steer the pair back up toward the surface...

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"I.. Honestly have no idea. I'm only into music now cause of Ara, actually." Ara Sheridan 's own music, specifically. She was working on listening to more, but really it was her friends music she was more interested in.

"There's a lot of stuff to learn, I guess."

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

Jand watched the outside traffic whir past, as the taxi ascended.

"I am unfamiliar with that sentient," Jand said as he glanced to Iris. "I am also uncertain if music provides any real benefit for myself, it seems a distraction to training. My master Vanagor uses music while training... though I cannot claim if it helps."

The Nagai frowned.

Part of him wondered if he was missing too much, with his upbringing as it was, and the adherence to it as he did.

"What stuff is there to learn? Do you mean about music, or generally?"

Both were likely applicable.

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"He listens to music while training?"

Iris never did have an idea on what to think about Master Vanagor. Her first meeting with him was him sitting atop the body of a beaten thug with countless more harmed around him. Assassins, she later learned. Assassins trying to take his life. It put quite the spin on what she was doing, healing their broken bodies. But, well. That's just who she was. Jedi or not, people who needed help needed it.

Maybe she should try talking to him at some point.

"Mm? .. Oh. Yeah. I don't remember my childhood. Or growing up. I just know what I learned these past couple of years. There's a whole galaxy to learn, right? Different cultures, beliefs. So I guess generally."

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

"Yes, there is much out there."

Jand nodded, as Iris mentioned the countless number of things to learn and experience.

Since his time at the Jedi Temple, the Nagai had considered being more open to that kind of learning. He still held a natural distrust of other species, simply because of his culture and history, but as time progressed there was a growing sense of curiosity. Perhaps, in time, Jand would begin to actively look into other species, cultures and things.

"We will be arriving shortly, dear passengers," Said the Taxi pilot suddenly, as it swiveled the dome to look at the pair. "Please secure yourselves for landing."

"We require a return trip," Jand said as he looked to the droid. "To the same location we started."

"Understood, dear passenger." The droid beeped. "I will park and wait until you re-enter the vehicle."

The droid returned to driving, as the distant Jedi Temple grew steadily, as the yellow vehicle crested the lower levels and reached open sky.

"I still find it surprising," Jand muttered, before he looked to Iris and clarified. "Seeing Coruscant, I mean. This city planet is unlike anything I have witnessed before. I still find the skyline intriguing to look at."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

"There is so much life, but not at the same time. The colors here are all based on human emotion. It's.. Different. I'm not sure if I like it or not, but it is familiar." She'd lived a long time in a slum. Longer now on Coruscant. Denon. A planet of natural life always shined that much brighter. "It's home. I guess." The speeder came to it's stop and Iris stepped out, hummed. Looked around.

"I guess I'll meet you back here?"

Jand Talo

 

[Jand Talo]

"Given the rudimentary nature of hyperspace travel, and how efficient starship travel is," Jand said with a glance to Iris. "I'm sure finding a more calming world to live on wouldn't be an issue. Even if you were needed urgently, it could be a matter of an hour or less by hyperlane."

Jand recalled when Iris had shared her Force colors with him, the way they had been perceived had been overwhelming in the moment, but had given him a measure of what she experienced. Sometimes he thought back to the event, which allowed him to make more sense of the stimuli, like one dissecting a musical piece in mind after having heard it.

Nonetheless.

The taxi landed, Jand stepped out and nodded when Iris mentioned to meet back.

"Yes, I won't be long."

✦ ✦ ✦​

Jand walked from the temple, dressed in a simple combination of shirt, pants, boots and jacket. The latter helped conceal the array of weaponry. It had taken him a handful of minutes, with traversing the Jedi Temple being the biggest delay. Still, before long, Jand was at the taxi and opened the door to slip inside.

When Iris appeared and joined him, he offered a thin-lipped smile.

"All set."

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

Oh. That was true. She didn't actually have to live here on Coruscant, did she? Maybe.. No. Not yet. Maybe when she was a Knight she could think about that. Right now? The job at hand. Iris came back dressed in something similar. More punk rock. An outfit she borrowed from Ara Sheridan to better blend in in the lower levels. She offered her own smile in return before hopping right into the taxi.

"Alright, we go back. Domxite's already let me know they're still there. We should be fine on the way back."

She nodded once to the driver. And pulled out a credit chip to at least pay for the whole trip.

"We go back, we follow them. We don't engage, okay?"

Jand Talo