Ride Along

[Dax Perl]

Location: Kesh

A man barreled through the streets of Kesh, pushing past people, leaving behind startled cries and not just a few people yelling expletives at him. Not that the man cared, he had other concerns at the moment. Tucked beneath his jacket sat two metal cylinders, the dulled metal occasionally gleaming as his jacket moved, its weight the only thing he had to tell him they were still there. The man turned and burst through a small crowd into and ally, and continued on. Several people behind him started yelling at the man before being cut off by another man pushing past them.

"Get out of the way blast it!" Dax yelled, trying to chase after the man. Finally freeing himself from the crowd, Dax took off after his target as they rounded the corner of the alley. "Chit..." The chase continued.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

A woman was also after that same target and behind the other man chasing him. Who or what business he had with the thief, Zesiro didn't know. Maybe he was an agent similar to her she hadn't met before or some sort of bounty hunter. The Power only knew, but she felt it wise to work together to bring this guy down.

Those same cursing people that had previously cussed at the thief and the man chasing him also cursed at her before going back to their business. They watched them for a few moments longer before shaking their heads and returning to what they had been doing. Probably something clandestine that would normally have her attention, but not today.

Rounding the ally after Dax, she practically ran into him, but stopped herself in time before a collision happened.

"Where did he go?"

She no longer openly wore her lightsaber so the only thing way he might know she could use the Force would be small touch of it on her presence. Zesiro couldn't tell he was able to use it at all.

"I'm Ava."

It was the name she went​ by since coming to Kesh and one given to her by a man she had met once many years ago.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax wasn't exactly surprised to here a voice behind him asking where the thief had gone, but he wasn't exactly expecting it either. The man had thought that maybe someone was following behind him, but he'd been too focused on his quarry to really think about it till right then. "Feth if I know..." the Rogue growled, clearly angry at himself for letting the thief go, but moreso at the thief

"I'm Ava." the woman introduced herself. 'Hmm, a Forcer? Some training? But no saber?' thought the Master before extending a calloused hand to her, "Dax Fyre. Now, if I may ask, why exactly are you looking for my bounty?" The Grand Marshall wasn't the kind to lay out all his cards on the table. He kept his Force presence hidden for the same reason he didn't flash his sabers or advertise he was the Grand Marshall. He didn't quite know who this woman was yet, and frankly, Dax was a little paranoid about coincidences like two people chasing after the same person. If she was a bounty hunter, well...bounty hunters weren't exactly fond of sharing.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

She let out a small growl at his answer to her question, but it wasn't directed at him. It was obvious the guy had lost them somehow. Maybe ducked into one of the doors or decided to try and mesh in with the crowd on the street. Either way, he was gone...

Hearing a sound to their right and front of them, it sounded two metal containers hitting together and some guys came out from another ally carrying a large container. Zesiro raised a hand and send a Push at the box to knock it out of the hold of the two guys, one of them being the one they had been chasing.

"He's been stealing from this neighborhood for a while and fell into a trap of routine. Set up and was watching the store he hit before the chase started."

Introducing himself, he also asked why she was after his bounty and having provided half the answer, continued on as she moved out into the street to collect the box. The guy had already started running again, but with empty hands and nothing to show for his theft this morning.
​
"I more or less appointed myself as law enforcement here. Only taking on small time thugs like this guy, but every little bit helps."

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"...every little bit helps." was the only thing Dax heard as he rushed past the woman to take down the man. The Rogue threw his body into the other man, using Inertia to add a little more force and power into the impact, knowing full well it would hurt more. That was the intention after all. The two collided into the duracrete ground, the fleeing man skidding a pace or two, Dax atop of him, a brief cry of pain being loosed and quickly lost in the din of the crowd. Dax flipped the man over onto his stomach and forcefully slammed the man's face into the ground, a loud crack and brief spurt of blood signalling Dax had broken the other man's nose. "That's for stealing my sabers nerf herder." The Marshall proceeded to cuff the man and haul him onto his feet. Now that Dax was actually paying attention, he noted the woman had used the Force, a fact that both impressed and intrigued him. "A Forcer eh? Working as vigilante law enforcement? Sure you ain't one of my crew?" he asked as he shoved the man over to the woman. "He's all yours if you want, honestly I just wanted my sabers ba..." The Rogue's voice trailed off as he peered into the box and noticed that his lightsabers weren't among the contents. Patting down the man also revealed nothing, but a quick look around showed his friend had bolted. "Son of a!"

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Dax went and tackled the guy while Zesiro looked into the box they had been carrying. The two items he had stolen were in there, but not what Dax was looking for. He handed over the thief and mentioned he was looking for his own sabers. This brought a lifted brown from Zesiro and the dots connected a little further. One thing he asked confused her though.

"Your crew? No, I work here alone for the most part. A few people help, but not many. What do you mean?"

The other man that had been helping to carry the box appeared to be long gone, but Zesiro had the one she had been after. Maybe after questioning him, she could learn where the other guy could have gone.

"What would this guy want with your sabers? Yes, I can use the Force."

It didn't appear that fact bothered him and his words indicated to her he could use it as well.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"You ever heard of the Judges?" Dax said as he crossed his arms, clearly angry. "In the Coaltion, we're the ones who keep the peace. Not the Jedi, or someone else with tons of red tape to work around. Us. Of course theirs the planetary law enforcement, but the Coalition agreed to a Forcer organization meant to hunt down the more difficult criminals. How we get them is up to us. There are only two rules. Avoid violence when you can, don't kill any innocents. Simple as that." Dax turned back to the handcuffed man and roughly grabbed him by the collar, pulling the man's face close to his own, "Unfortunately for you, you're not exactly innocent are you." The Marshall pulled a black knife out of his belt, "To answer your second question, fethers like these" Dax poked the man in the chest with the point of his knife, "can get a good bit of money on the market for sabers. More so for one like mine." The Rogue pushed the knife a little into the man's chest, causing him to wince, "Isn't that right? Now you're gonna tell me where to find the guy who has my sabers."

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Dax asked if she had heard of the Judges and mentioned something called the Coalition. He also sounded angry, but Zesiro wasn't sure if that was directed at her or the thief. He said they kept the peace even outside of the planetary authorities that she worked with on Kesh. They had not informed her of the Coalition or Judges. The rules he stated were pretty much common sense to her and she didn't go out of her way to hurt even the offenders.

"Interesting, I never thought sabers would fetch a price on any sort of market. While I've only ever had one...and that I stole from somebody after he died."

What she left off was that man was her first master that had failed in almost everything, but still turned her into something. A seductress and manipulator. While she had moved past the seducing part of things and tried to get that out of her, she still moved with a natural grace. Zesiro had given up on trying to get rid of that and just accepted it as part of who she was. The dark she had also given up after several further attempts at training. She was too nice to be a sith and not strong enough to be one.

She had tried being the Empire and the First Order, but then she ran. Not belonging in either of them. When she ran it was Kesh and that was over three years ago. Having made a small name for herself and found a place, she stayed. The name she provided was false and the people here didn't know of her past. Coming back to the present though, she turned her attention to their captive thief and looked at him.

He was clearly unhappy and when Dax shoved him to her, she gladly took a hold of him to prevent him from trying to run again. Dax got up his nose and poked a knife in his chest, but the guy wasn't giving up his partner to him.

"Give me a moment."

Whispering in the man's ear, the words unheard by Dax, he paled a little more and whispered back.

"We meet at the cantina at Old Marisopa and 12th."

His answer was heard by ​Dax since he was so close to his face, but whatever Zesiro had said wasn't.

"I should get this guy to the station unless you have other plans for him."

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"He's all yours." the Rogue said, "How do you feel about wrapping this up with me. Find out the time they were supposed to meet and head down to that cantina together, grab that last guy." Catching that last man wasn't Dax's only motivation for asking the woman if she wanted to tag along. In all honesty, the man could do that on his own and with ease. The Marshall wanted to see the woman's skills. Whatever she had said to the man had clearly worked, so maybe she had other skills that could benefit the Coalition. There was always a need for more lawmen and women in a relatively lawless universe.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

She nodded when Dax said the thief was all hers and kept her hold on him. He asked if she wanted to help wrap up the situation and get the other guy involved. That man was previously unknown to her and she nodded.

"Yeah, I'll get this guy booked. Nearest station isn't that far actually. Give me like ten?"

Almost not waiting for an answer, Zesiro nudged the captive with her shoulder and tugged him along to follow her. If Dax followed, she would walk with him, if not, it took her only a few minutes longer than expected, but did return to him.

"Alright. The meeting place is that way."

Pointing to the left, it​ was still in the direction the two had been heading in.

"I wonder if there's a bigger ring?"

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax followed the woman in relative silence as she took the criminal into the station, turning over various scenarios in his head. Some involved simply beating the kark out of whoever it was that currently had his sabers, others involved what they might be walking into at the cantina. For all they knew, the watering hole could be filled with like-minded thugs and gangsters, or be relatively benign. It was those kinds of unknowns that worried Dax the most. He was not necessarily keen on the idea of walking into a place where everyone wanted to kill him...not that he hadn't done that before.

"I wonder if there's a bigger ring?" Dax snapped out of his thoughts when [member="Zesiro"] addressed him with the question, "It's possible, but I'm not sure. These guys seem like small time peddlers, just nabbing whatever they find. I could be wrong though...if they are part of something bigger I'll need to send someone down to investigate." '...or maybe I'll just have you do it.' Dax didn't voice the last part of his thoughts, but it would be an option regardless of whether or not the woman proved to be Judge material. She was trying to do good, and she was already apart of the case. That was good enough to him.

 

[Zesiro]

After processing the thief and handing over the items that he had with him and the contents of the basket, Zesiro turned to look at Dax as he spoke.

"I would find it odd if there was a ring and it didn't get noticed before. Not that we're perfect here or anything, but decently well versed in the comings and goings of the bad guys around."

As she finished speaking, there was a little humor in her voice. Good and bad were on the point of view of the person speaking. While what she considered she did was good, it still pissed off some people and they didn't like her. Sometimes people like the guy in the cell currently were just trying to make a living, even if that living was to prey on the weaker.

"Want to head over there or scout the place first to see if there is something more involved? I'd say we just go and see what happens."

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax nodded, "I agree. No point in waiting around, doubt we'd see anything we didn't already know from watching outside." The Rogue started walking in the direction of the cantina alongside the woman. "So Ava, lemme ask you something." he said after a while, "You can use the Force. But I don't see a saber. And you're clearly not a Jedi, you wouldn't be here if you were. What's the story?" There was no point in discussing a 'plan' for the cantina. There was only so much the two would be able to do before having ad-lib it. Even the best laid plans didn't survive first contact.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

He agreed with her about not waiting around or scouting the place. She knew the town well enough by now and how to get there. Not walking too fast, but not slow either they followed a steady pace and he asked what her story was.

"I've never told it to anybody."

Noticing right away she could use the Force and commenting she didn't carry a saber, Dax also stated she wasn't a Jedi or she wouldn't be on Kesh. Wondering just how much to tell. Zesiro wasn't going to lie to him, but how much should she tell.

"Let me keep it simple. My life went to hell and I came here. Once here, I changed my name to one that was given to me by a guy while I was a mission. Nobody here knows what it really is except me and now you. I'm Zesiro. It still won't mean a thing or shouldn't at least."

She had been with the First Order and the Empire in her life after killing her master.

"My saber is red, but that's not what I'm meant to have. I'm too soft and weak to be evil like that."

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"I've never told it to anybody."

Now that was something Dax had heard plenty of times before, especially here in the Outback and the Outer Rim. These kinds of places were perfect for people like Ava who sometimes just needed to hide, disappear, escape, or whatever it was they were doing. Some might call it a hell or the place to send exiles, but Dax saw it as a haven. A new start, just like he had. Sometimes you just needed a push in the right direction.

"I'm [member="Zesiro"]. It still won't mean a thing or shouldn't at least. My saber is red, but that's not what I'm meant to have. I'm too soft and weak to be evil like that."

Dax couldn't help but scoff and put a good-natured grin on his face at that last statement. "Alright, listen here my friend. I've been on both sides of the fence, and trust me, the color of your fething glowstick doesn't mean jack-diddly-chit. I've seen Jedi worse than Ol' Palps and Sith with hearts of gold. In the end, what your saber is what you make it." Dax could hear the words of his old master in his head, 'That weapon is symbol. You chose what to represent to the galaxy.' "And I don't believe you're soft or weak. Look what you're doing here. You got spine. Not wanting to commit a mass genocide or something doesn't mean you're weak, just cut from a different cloth. A more sane one in my opinion." The Master shrugged and shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket as they walked, "I hope you don't mind me goin' all mentor-y on ya there, force of habit I guess. But think on it maybe."

The pair were getting close to the cantina by then, and Dax's eyes flicked from person to person as various beings entered and exited the pub, half of him looking for the bosh'tet that had his sabers, the other half checking to see if those who entered and left were armed, and if so, how heavily. At least then they'd have a better idea of what they were walking into.

 

[Zesiro]

By the time Dax finished speaking they were getting close to the cantina and the time to speak of their past and personal matters had come to an end. Zesiro had the feeling more time would be there in the future, but now they had a job to do. While he scanned the people coming and going from the front, she went around to the rear and saw a second door where there should only be one.

Returning to Dax, she pointed this out.

"There's another door. That might lead to what we're looking for or it could be a broom closet for all I know."

A touch of humor indicated her thought on what it meant. While she had no visible weapons, the Force itself had been enough for her. Not being fully trained hadn't helped in some things, but one of her skills did. If it came to a fight, she had an ace up her sleeve. Only if it was needed would she ever show that card since nobody else knew the skill that she knew of at least.

"No guard or anything at the door, don't know what to make of that."

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"Why don't we go see what's goin on back there then." the Rogue said as he crossed the street towards the cantina and made his way towards the back alley, "Maybe it is a broom closet." he joked. If it was, then oh well, but Dax hoped it was either a rear entrance or maybe where those black market folk conducted their business. Either case would make their jobs a lot easier. Fewer people meant fewer people that Dax would have to knock out.

Dax approached the door that [member="Zesiro"] had mentioned and drew his slugthrower from his belt and pulled a short rectangular piece of metal from his jacket, affixing it over the barrel of the pistol with a small click. "You ready to take a peek?"

 

[Zesiro]

She couldn't help but feel this was going to go smoothly when he went along with her joke. Following him, but keeping her eyes looking around to make sure they weren't being watched or followed.

"One door I would assume leads into the cantina. Probably the one to the right, just common sense and the way these buildings are laid out. The other door looks different and was probably an add on or replacement of one that was destroyed."

Looking on as he drew out a gun, she shook her head as she had no actual weapons.
​
"I guess I should get something at some point."

Zesiro had a slightly less obvious way to get the door open than blasting it away with a gun and raised one of her hands. The wind stirred up around them slightly, but as it blew past them, she appeared to take a hold of it. With a touch of finesse, she turned some of the breeze into an invisible key and would open the locked door for them. Letting go, the wind died around them and was gone.

It didn't put either of them in danger and allowed them to see packed cases inside what might have once been a conference room. Nobody was alive in the room.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"I gotta learn how to do that..." Dax muttered as the door slid open. The impressed look on Dax's face quickly changed though as the door slid open revealing the room full of dead. "Aw feth..." he said under his breath as he clenched his teeth, raised his pistol at the ready and quickly rushed into the room and ensured that it was devoid of life. "Clear." The Rogue began checking the bodies for pulses, well at least the one's he knew how. Rolling over the dead so he could see their faces as he confirmed that they were deceased he asked [member="Zesiro"], "You know any of these guys? I'm not seeing our guy."

The tension in Dax's jaw still hadn't left him. Death was intoxicating. At least for him. Better that he hadn't found his sabers now. The man closed his eyes a moment and turned his neck, attempting to relieve the tension that had built up. A deep breath and his head felt a little clearer. It would have to do for now.

 

[Zesiro]

While she wasn't one to flaunt her abilities, Zesiro knew what to use and when. In her years of hiding, she had been practicing some and that wind came in handy from time to time. It left no evidence, fingerprints or anything that could be traced back to her.

When they entered the room, she could tell they hadn't been dead long. No bugs covered their corpses and they weren't stiff with death yet. Something was off about the room though.

"There's no blood or rather not much..."

This was all there was to the room. Crates lined the walls though.

Tipping her head in the direction of them, she faced the door to keep an eye on anybody coming.

"I think this is bigger. See your sabers in any of those?"

[member="Dax Fyre"]