Private &nbsp; Prayer For The Refugee

The thumping bass of the Christophsis nightclub vibrated right through the soles of Lorn's boots, doing nothing to improve his sour mood. Crowded, artificial places like this always rubbed him the wrong way. Give him the quiet wilderness of an untamed world, or even the open plains of Naboo, over this stifling grit any day. Unfortunately, pulling off a crusade against the Sith meant diving into the galaxy's underbelly to find specialized talent.

They needed an elite slicer if they ever hoped to breach the Black Wall and strike into the Core. The recruitment ad they had stumbled across was flawless, boasting a level of skill and discretion that perfectly suited their operation on D'Qar. Because the old Jedi Guardian preferred a direct approach over smooth-talking, he had brought Acier along for the ride. The kid had grown up on Bonadan and knew how to handle himself in urban hives. Hopefully, Ace could handle the negotiating while Lorn played the muscle. He just wanted to get the job done and get out of this neon nightmare.

Turning his head toward his younger companion, Lorn had to raise his voice slightly to compete with the pounding music. "Alright, Ace. You're the one who knows how these corporate-rats and street-rats think. Where do we even start?"

Acier Moonbound · Jul 10, 2026

Location: Christophsis

Equipment:
Vanguard Robes | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm | Tic

The advertisement had caught Ace's attention almost immediately. Not the offer itself, because the Vanguard genuinely needed someone capable of breaching the Black Wall. Finding a slicer of that caliber was difficult enough.

It was the advertisement. Most people with skills worth hiding tended to... hide them. Advertising discreet services so openly felt unusual. Maybe it was confidence. Maybe desperation. Maybe neither. Whatever the reason, Ace had no intention of walking in assuming everything was exactly as it seemed.

Still, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Remember." Ace said quietly as they entered beneath borrowed names and forged identities. "We're Kieran and Doran."

The aliases came naturally. Nearly a year spent living with a bounty on his head had taught him never to grow attached to a name when another one might keep him alive.

The nightclub pulsed with music and neon, crowds shifting between the bar and dance floor beneath sweeping lights. Ace barely noticed as places like this had never bothered him. They were simply another part of the galaxy.

Perched on his shoulder, Tic released an inquisitive chirp, his photoreceptors tracking a bartender theatrically flipping bottles through the air. The BD-unit leaned forward with obvious fascination.

Ace's mouth twitched into a faint smile.

"Later." He murmured.

Tic answered with a reluctant whistle before returning to scanning the room alongside him. When Lorn asked where to begin, Ace let his eyes drift across the club, taking in exits, sightlines and the scattered VIP booths overlooking the floor.

"We're here for the slicer." He replied. "Just... stay sharp. Could be exactly what it looks like, or... something else entirely."

His gaze settled on a woman relaxing alone in one of the booths, drink in hand, comfortably observing the room around her.

"Think that's her."

He led Lorn over at an unhurried pace, stopping beside the booth without crowding it.

"Kieran." He introduced himself evenly. "Your advertisement mentioned discreet, specialized work. We might have a job that fits the description... if we're both looking for the same thing."

Xan Deesa · Jul 11, 2026

Xan took note of the two oddballs the moment they walked in. Cameras trailed them and a faint grin adorned her lips while she waited for them to find her. She figured she didn't need to direct them, between the gaudy neon style from the advert and her own gaudy neon style, she trusted in their application of critical thinking to make the connection.

Her hunch proved right.

The two sauntered over to her booth and the one introduced them. Technicolour eyes studied them for a moment while an amused smirk crept along her features. With a wordless gesture she invited them to join her and set a small device on the table. Once they took their seat, she activated it and a faint, grey bubble flickered around them for a brief second. "Privacy filter. What happens in the bubble stays in the bubble." She explained. The music from beyond dimmed and their conversation would be mute to the rest of the club. From the outside, they simply looked like a couple friends meeting up.

"For the record, 'Kieran' isn't the name I got." She began, studying the two for a breath. With a blink of her eyes a photo was taken of Acier, just his face with a blurred background and no indication of his location. She sent the picture to

Colette with a simple message attached.

:: Alive (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ ::

"You two can relax, grab a drink. The name's Xan." She calmly introduced herself with a sip of her drink. "So, you two need a slicer? What's the gig?" She asked, hoping to find some more precise details. She wanted in on this supposed crusade of theirs, but she didn't want to come off as desperate.

They could take it easy for a few minutes.

Lorn Reingard · Jul 13, 2026

Tags:

Acier Moonbound |

Xan Deesa

Following Acier through the flashing lights, Lorn shifted his weight uncomfortably, his broad shoulders practically radiating unease. This environment felt entirely unnatural to a warrior accustomed to open battlefields. Watching Ace casually scan the room only made the Jedi feel more like a Nexu out of its cage. He kept a hand close to his hidden lightsaber, navigating the dense crowd with stiff, awkward movements.

When Ace spotted the target, Lorn slid quietly into the VIP booth right beside the kid, his eyes instantly locked onto the woman. The instant she activated the privacy device, the ambient roar of the club vanished, replaced by a dull hum. A brief flicker of genuine interest crossed Lorn's face. Devices like that were expensive and implied a high level of professionalism.

The slicer's sudden remark about their fake names caught him off guard. Desperate to keep the cover intact, Lorn awkwardly cleared his throat. "And I'm Doran," he muttered. Realizing he had probably sounded too stiff, he quickly shut his mouth and let his gaze drift back to the table.

Before Xan could press them further, a server breached the bubble, asking for their drink orders. Lorn caught the attendant's eye and gave a sharp, dismissive shake of his head. "Nothing for us. Thank you," he said firmly, sending the server away with a look that brooked no argument.

Once they were isolated again, Lorn leaned slightly forward, his tone shifting to something far more serious. "We have a significant need for a slicer. A long-term project. There will be general operational upkeep, but we are primarily looking at special, highly fortified projects that require the best of the best." He glanced sideways at his younger companion seeing if he had anything to add.

Acier Moonbound · Jul 14, 2026

Location: Christophsis

Equipment:
Vanguard Robes | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm | Tic

The faint shimmer of the privacy filter caught Ace's attention as it settled over the booth. His eyes lingered on the device for a fraction longer than intended. He'd heard of technology like this before; expensive, specialized hardware designed for discreet meetings but he'd never actually seen one in person.

Which meant one of two things. She either had far more credits than the average slicer... or she was exactly as good as her advertisement claimed.

His attention returned to Xan just in time to catch the subtle blink. It wasn't anything obvious or something he could place. Still... something about it felt deliberate. Instinct noted that.

When she commented on his name, Ace met her gaze without hesitation. "It's the name you're getting now."

The reply came evenly, neither hostile nor apologetic, but it was a soft boundary that requested she stay in her lane.

Then Lorn spoke. Ace closed his eyes for the briefest moment before a slow, almost imperceptible breath escaped through his nose. So much for keeping it vague.

The arrival of the server interrupted whatever might've followed. Ace watched the brief exchange from the corner of his eye while Lorn declined the offer with the same earnest seriousness he seemed to bring to everything. Once the attendant disappeared beyond the shimmering edge of the privacy field, his attention settled back on Xan.

He listened in silence while Lorn outlined the broad strokes of what they needed, offering neither interruption nor correction. Ace was quiet for a moment after Lorn finished.

"Before we tell you anything more..." His eyes met hers evenly. "I'd wanna hear how you'd answer the question yourself. What kind of slicer are you?"

Xan Deesa · Jul 15, 2026

Xan watched the two Jedi with an amused smile as they spoke. "Kieran" seemed to be far more savvy with dealings like this than his compatriot. "Doran" was evidently the master between them. She rolled with the secrecy, Jedi tended to get difficult when startled. When the waitress arived, Xan ordered another cider for herself and sat back to listen to their proposal.

"Long term, huh?" She idly remarked, eyes darting between them. She was about to comment on the "project" but the padawan spoke up first, wanting to know a bit more about her. She hummed in response, thinking of how to answer. "This isn't my first rodeo with you guys. You want discrete, I can do discrete. You need something, I deliver." She began, falling quiet as the waitress returned with her drink. She took a moment to savour the first sip of her beverage. They wouldn't be able to feel the joy she felt, but they would clearly see it in her face.

Turning her attention back to "Doran" and "Kieran", she regarded them for a moment. "You don't get to where I am by being sloppy. I could give you receipts, but I like to keep a few secrets of my own." She sat back, idly tapping a finger against her bottle. "I know a bit more of what's going on here than you'd like me to know. I also know your 'competitors' are being a problem. Credits are nice, but I'm not talking to you for a payday." She sat forward, eyes narrowing just slightly. "I got a thing against how your competition conducts itself. I'd like to do something about them but I can't do it alone." Her eyes shifted to "Kieran" with a mischievous grin.

"You know what I'm talking about. You did a stint with them not too long ago, right?" She remarked, sitting back for another sip. The master was going to take some work, but getting under the padawan's skin was probably a lot easier.

Lorn Reingard · Jul 15, 2026

Tags:

Acier Moonbound |

Xan Deesa

Mention of other Jedi immediately raised a red flag. Which had she crossed paths with during her travels? Still, her familiarity with their ways offered a practical advantage. Her technical skills were never in question, as they wouldn't even be sitting in this neon-drenched booth if she lacked the talent.

A deeper curiosity lingered regarding her grudge against the Sith. People rarely went to war with the dark side out of charity, and he wanted to know what drove her. An urge to press her for details arose, but the impulse died the moment her focus shifted sharply toward Acier.

Targeting the kid's past with the Covenant was a bold, dangerous play. Instinct urged the older Jedi to intervene and steer the conversation back to safer ground, but he held back. Observing how the young wolf handled a direct strike would show what the kid was truly made of.

Underneath the test of his companion lay a chilling reality. This slicer knew far more about their history and identities than any of their security protocols should have allowed. Somewhere, they had a leak, and discovering how she obtained this information was suddenly the most critical question in the room.

Acier Moonbound · Jul 16, 2026

Location: Christophsis

Equipment:
Vanguard Robes | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm | Tic

Ace remained quiet. The mention of prior dealings with Jedi caught his attention and he filed it away alongside everything else she'd volunteered since sitting down. She valued discretion. She kept clients' secrets. She'd refused to parade past accomplishments simply to impress them. Oddly enough, that made him trust her expertise more. Someone who understood the value of silence was usually far less likely to break it.

Then she played her ultimate hand. That she knew he'd spent time among the Sith Covenant. His expression never shifted. Outwardly, it was as though the comment hadn't landed at all.

Internally, however, the pieces were already moving. She'd worked with Jedi before. Now she knew about his period as Sith. How?

Had another Jedi pointed her toward them? Toward him? Had this been arranged before they'd ever stepped foot into the cantina? His mind briefly sifted through familiar faces. Lorn's old contacts. Hidden Path survivors. High Republic personnel. Even the Jedi Council itself wasn't impossible. The list of possibilities only seemed to grow the longer he considered it.

After a few more seconds of silence, Ace finally leaned back against the booth. His arms folded loosely across his chest as his eyes settled on Xan once more.

"So..." He said evenly. "Someone sent you here, then."

It wasn't quite a question. His gaze lingered on her, studying her face for the smallest reaction before continuing.

"I'm guessing you're not here just to leak my whereabouts." He let that sit a moment. "You want the Sith stopped too." His tone remained calm, almost conversational. "You figure we can help each other. Got it."

His head tilted ever so slightly.

"But what's a slicer's stake in all this?" He asked. "Most people who run in your circles don't usually care who's running the galaxy unless it starts hurting their pockets."

Xan Deesa · Jul 17, 2026

A demeaning chuckle bubbled from the cyborg at the kid's observation. She spared a glance at his master, who elected to sit back and let his padawan do the talking. One thing was clear to her, they were both worried about how much Xan knew of the whole operation. She had to keep it that way, telling them that a buddy told her everything would really knock her down a notch.

Thankfully she had no presence to sense.

"I'm more than just a pretty face, you know." She quipped. "Nobody sent me anywhere, curb your enthusiasm. You're not important." Another snicker and a glance at his master. "Got wind that some Jedi are planning to do something other than hoping to meditate the problem away. I want in, simple as." Another measured sip and a kind smile. "Besides, 'most people' suck. I have my own gripes with how things are these days, those vermin make my life karkin' difficult." A bit of annoyance slipped past, but the smile remained. Her gaze shifted to "Doran" for a change. "And you, handsome, I got a question for you." She shifted to face him as the pretty smile was replaced with a scowl.

"Your beloved Chancellor Vexx. What's her stake in all this? She pulling your strings or making you squawk? Or is this job actually good work for a change?" Her hatred for the chancellor was on full display. They didn't need to worry about the history, they just needed to let her get close enough.

Lorn Reingard · Jul 21, 2026

Tags:

Acier Moonbound |

Xan Deesa

Pride surged quietly in Lorn as Ace handled the provocation with composure. The kid didn't flinch, didn't break cover, and didn't let the slicer goad him into a mistake. He pressed her on her motives, forcing her to answer for herself rather than taking control of the room.

Her responses were basic, but they carried enough weight to be plausible. Grudges against the Sith were common enough in a galaxy choked by their expansion, and a rogue slicer wanting to hit back made sense. Lorn gave a slow, deliberate nod of acknowledgment as she spoke, processing her words while keeping his guard up.

Her sharp pivot toward him smashed straight through his train of thought, the scowl on her face dripping with genuine venom for Chancellor Vexx. She called him "handsome" and demanded answers, but the beat of silence that followed was entirely Lorn's fault. He almost forgot the false identity he had assumed only moments prior.

Clearing his throat, the Guardian leaned in to bridge the gap. "We have no relationship with the Chancellor, nor any official ties to the Republic," Lorn admitted. "Though we hold no desire to see either come to harm, our primary focus is the Sith. Nothing more, nothing less."

Temptation flared to offer up a bit more bait, perhaps admitting they were technically fugitives from both the Republic and their own Order to build some quick outlaw camaraderie. Trusting a stranger in a neon pit with that kind of ammunition was a death sentence, however. He held his tongue, leaving the rest of their truth in the dark where it belonged.

Acier Moonbound · Jul 23, 2026

Location: Christophsis

Equipment:
Vanguard Robes | Lightsaber | Shoto | Cybernetic Arm | Tic

Ace answered Xan's denial with a quiet "Uh-huh." Neither his expression nor his tone suggested he believed her.

When her attention shifted to Lorn, Ace's gaze followed. He trusted the Jedi to hold his ground, and Lorn didn't disappoint. He revealed little, conceded nothing, and let the conversation remain exactly where it needed to be. Xan, however, revealed more than she probably intended.

Ace's attention lingered on the scowl that crossed her face at the mention of Chancellor Vexx. It wasn't just the anger that caught his eye. It was the way she described her. Pulling your strings. Actually doing good work for a change. There was history there. During his brief conversation with the Chancellor, Ace had come away with the impression of someone accustomed to moving pieces from behind the scenes. Xan's choice of words seemed to fit that picture.

He leaned forward and loosely interlaced his exposed hand with the fingers of his gloved cybernetic one before looking between them both.

"Let's address the bantha in the room." He said. His eyes flicked briefly toward Lorn before returning to Xan. "We don't trust you, and you don't trust us. No negotiation's going to change that. Way I see it, all three of us want the same thing. There's no harm in seeing how this partnership goes."

He let the thought settle for a moment before adding, just as evenly, "If it doesn't work out, though, we'll have to kill you. You running around knowing all our secrets is bad for business."

Ace's face remained completely straight. Only the faintest glimmer in his eyes suggested he wasn't being serious. It was the driest joke he'd made all evening, delivered with such conviction that it almost sounded believable.