Seeking Dragons

[Ghorua the Shark]

CORUSCANT​

​

Ghorua would always consider Coruscant his home.

The planet-wide city seemed to have finally recovered from the One Sith occupation. The skyscrapers stood tall and proud against the injustices that had previously ruled them. Ghorua remembered the Sith well, the fear that they brought to the planet, the oppression, the deaths.

The Shark was glad it was all over. Both for him, and his daughter.

A small Human girl sat on a bench, retying a mess of jade beads into her long, dark hair. Beside her, an enormous Herglic rested his feet, one arm draped over the backrest. He wore a dark wifebeater and shorts, and a fair share of weapons were visible on his person. While everyone else along the street kept a wide berth around him, the child, who didn't look older than five or six, seemed to be completely at ease, tending to her hair.

She spoke up, still braiding her hair with beads. "This planet has too many people." Her brown eyes darted around suspiciously. "I don't like it."

Ghorua looked down at Minna, a twinkle in his eye. "You get used to it."

Minna looked up, far up, to the tops of the buildings. "I don't think I could. Too many thoughts."

The Shark looked forward, growing a pensive expression. "Yeah, I suppose."

He knew Minna was strong in the Force. He tried to help whenever he could, teaching her his meditation techniques, but he was simply clueless as to how to help otherwise.

A man walked by with a strange animal, and Ghorua couldn't help but wonder what Minna sensed. Raising a child was difficult enough. Raising a child that was beginning to discover the powers she was born with seemed impossible.

"Well, maybe getting a treat will help, yeah?" Ghorua stood, not needing to read his daughter's mind to know her reaction.

"Yes! Please! I want ice cream!"

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

Aela frowned.

She did a lot of that on Coruscant. The planet was one she didn't really enjoy visiting all that much. The sights from Republic 500 or the Senate Building were enough to take someones breath away, but there was something about all these people packed so closely together that just made her feel...ill. It was unnatural in a way, like a city squished into a city. Aela didn't like it, and that wasn't even mentioning the fact that she had been here when the Liberation occurred.

Nevertheless, Coruscant was important. Not only was it at the galactic Center, but economically and industrially it was probably one of the strongest worlds in the galaxy. Everyone had an interest in coming and going here at one point, and that included the Jedi Order. It was no secret that their Temple had been rebuilt here, and over the last few days Aela had been helping some of her former Younglings settle into their new homes at the Temple.

It was difficult, but something she was glad to do. She knew that the Jedi here were good teachers.

A sigh escaped her lips as she glanced at the streets in front of her. After she had helped the kids settle Aela had decided she needed to go for a walk, something to calm the nerves. Of course after about an hour of wandering she had gotten herself a bit lost, though that wasn't any huge concern. She shrugged slightly as she tried another street, her eyes wandering across the small crowd when suddenly she felt an odd sort of...pulse ring through the force.

"What the..." Aela slowly trailed off, frowning.

Her eyes wandered the crowd, senses slowly reaching out as she began to walk forward.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Father and daughter walked through the streets of Coruscant, the former looking for danger, the latter looking for ice cream.

Ghorua had decided not to bring Minna to where he grew up for two reasons. First, he firmly believed Level 1313 was no place for a child to be. The place was terrifying in more ways than one, and the fact that he had made it out was a miracle in and of itself. Secondly, there was nothing left of his family's old mansion. Instead, a processing plant had been built after his parents had been arrested.

He was content with the pair exploring the upper levels, until she was a bit older. Then, she'd have to learn how bad the undercity had it.

They had wandered into a small domed spaceport, room for maybe a hundred ships, where a conveniently-placed ice cream parlor was located. They ordered, Minna acquiring a short vanilla cone, while Ghorua opted for a jogan smoothie. He leaned on a shining wall, and Minna followed suit, pressing her back against the cold surface.

"Mmm... This is good." Minna licked her fingers as her cone began to melt over into her hand. "Better than Commenor, I think."

"Well, if we're comparing smoothies..." Ghorua smiled, about to finish his sentence, when he heard something that chilled him to the bone.

Fzzt!

Ghorua stood quickly, recognizing the sound of a blaster shot. He heard the sound of approaching bootsteps, and turned to his daughter, who suddenly looked extremely concerned. "What..."

"Minna, go hide. Now!" Ghorua turned around, bringing his dual slugthrowers to bear against the unknown assailants. Minna scampered away, her short dress flowing behind her, just as the group came around the corner.

At least twelve men, carrying heavy disruptors, in various smuggling accoutrements, surrounded the Shark, and he slowly put his weapons down, raising his arms in defeat. Eight of the criminals stalked off, charging down the corridor, while four stayed put, watching the large threat.

"Who are you?" Ghorua snarled, baring serrated teeth.

A Shistavanen with a single milky-white eye glared back, leveling his pistol at the Shark.

"You're comin' with us."

- - -​

​

Minna ran back to the entrance of the spaceport, stumbling out just as a few smugglers also reached the door. They took stun shots at the child, who unceremoniously rolled out of the way, and into the cover of a corner of a building. Screams rang out from all around, someone going to alert the police, but Minna said nothing as she pressed into the rough wall, trying to remember all the techniques her dad had taught her.

Breath. In. Out. In. Out.

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

The moment Aela heard the screams she bolted forward.

Her lightsaber came into her palm in an instant, not yet igniting but held firm as she burst forward and rushed towards the starport. A crowd of people were streaming forward, Aela's eyes fixed on where she thought the danger was coming from. Her lips were thin as she half turned the crowd still rushing past her. She saw a security officer running through them, her gaze falling on him. That odd echo in the force pulsed nearby, her head swiveling to the side. "Stop!"

She called to the officer, the man suddenly halting and looking at her dumbfounded.

"Get these people out of here!" She told him, waving her lightsaber hilt at him so he'd understand whom he was speaking to. "I'll get into the starport."

The man lingered for a moment, then nodded and began to direct the crowd. Before long most everyone had cleared out of the building, Aela quickly stepping forward into the starport itself. A frown pulled at her lips as she moved. Her eyes floated to the stun marks on the walls, the bright burns and the holes that the disruptors had left gaping in the floor.

She walked slowly, rounding a corner when the force pressed at her mind again.

The Jedi Master stopped slightly, then turned, her head ducking low to see a child hiding within the corner. "Hey there."

Her voice grew soft almost immediately, he greeting one of warmth.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna peeked around the corner, ducking back as stun blasts zipped past. She couldn't hear them talking, but she could hear the shuffling as they began to inch out into the street after her.

Why do they want me?

Suddenly, the girl felt a presence behind her. She spun around, hands up defensively in a sloppy Teräs Käsi pose, before relaxing. Seeing the lightsaber in the woman's hand, she smiled brightly, surprisingly very calm.

"Hi!" The olive-skinned girl's eyes lit up, warm brown orbs holding a tranquil intelligence. "You're a Jedi? Good." She nodded, as if making up her mind. "You can help!"

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Minna pushed off from her cover, scrambling towards the two advancing smugglers. They fired their stun blasts, surprised by the gusto the child radiated as she charged. The little girl closed the distance quickly, suddenly graceful as she launched a small fist into the man's chest.

He went flying, a few ribs obviously broken.

If Aela had any question where the pulse in the Force had came from, it would most likely be banished.

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

Surprise colored her face for just a few seconds, though it didn't last.

The instant the little girl struck the first smuggler the second rounded on her, his weapon aiming low and his finger slowly sliding to squeeze the trigger. Aela acted instantly, bursting forward in a smooth liquid sprint that saw her strike the other man in half a heart beat. There was a loud crack as she struck his wrist, her hand coming down on him like a vice as she twisted his hand and brought him low. Her knee came up half a second later, crunching against his face and sending him falling to the ground.

She turned, eyeing the smuggler the young girl had struck. "Hey!"

Aela called to the little girl, not wanting her to hurt the smuggler or for the smuggler to suddenly get back up and hurt her. She had no idea who this little girl was or what she was doing here but that didn't particularly matter to her.

The little girl was obviously gifted in the force, not to mention at least a little smart.

"What are you doing here?" She squatted down so she could look the little girl in the eye. "What's your name?"

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna pirouetted quickly, realizing she was getting flanked, when she saw the Jedi help. The girl grinned sharply as the other smuggler went down in a flurry of limbs and a cacophony of sounds, glancing around to make sure the immediate threat was gone. Satisfied, she massaged her hand, trying to wring out the sudden pain.

Minna turned to the Jedi, a bit of wonder in her deep brown eyes, the green beads in her hair swishing with the motion, coming to rest around her tanned face. When Aela asked her questions, it took her a moment to answer.

"Minna Balin." The little girl stuck out her hand to shake confidently, brown eyes meeting orange. "My dad got stuck in there."

She pointed to the door, a bit of doubt eclipsing her confidence. "I was gonna go get him alone." Hope lit up her eyes. "But you can help!"

Minna began to walk towards the entrance to the spaceport, before turning and bouncing on her heels, watching the other with interest. "You are a Jedi, right? What's your name?"

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

"Wait." She told the young woman.

Most of her was trying to process exactly what the girl was actually just saying to her. In a sort of fact she got that her father had apparently disappeared, or at least gotten stuck in the spaceport, but a few things were still rather...puzzling.

Aela's lips thinned. "I'm Aela."

She responded, trying to think for a moment and rub the top her head. Her fingers latched around the hilt of her lightsaber, pulling it free from her hip just in case more of the smugglers showed up before she could finish talking to the little girl. She was weary of all of this, but clearly Minna knew what she was doing...or at least she thought she did.

"What happened to your dad?" Aela asked. "I can help you find him but I need to know first."

Walking in blind was never helpful. "And who are these men?"

She motioned to the still groaning smugglers.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna inched closer to the Jedi, looking at the hilt in her hand with wonder. Snapping out of her sudden respite, she glanced at the doorway, weary of more criminals. Eager to get her father back. Maybe a little angry.

"They caught him." She said the statement simply, as if that explained everything. She touched her hair, combing it out of her face. "I don't know who they are, but they aren't good. My dad's big and strong, but he's in trouble." A touch of worry darkened her eyes, and she rushed towards the Jedi, pleading.

"We have to save him, Aela. We have to!"

- - -​

​

Ghorua sat in silence, cross-legged in the dark. Eyes closed, he meditated, centering himself, trying to calm his rage. His weapons had been relieved of him, as well as his dignity.

He was in a large animal cage.

The structure was at least twenty feet tall, meant for something much larger and stronger than the Shark. All around him, he could hear the chittering and baying and growling of beasts, captured in similar cells. An emaciated rancor, across the room. A set of large, sand-blown eggs. A tree, stripped of leaves, with ysalimiri latched upon it.

The scents in the room were sickening.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Footsteps.

A human came into the light in front of the Herglic, a wide-brimmed hat shadowing his face, and some bird creature on his shoulder. He looked the cage up and down, smiling. Ghorua opened his black eyes, voice resonating in the air. "Who do I have the honor of addressing?"

The man removed his hat, and the bird on his shoulder squawked. He examined Ghorua with an interested eye, as one might look at a prized animal. Finally, he spoke, grinning.

"Jacinto Ress, of the Crate Dragons. Welcome to my ship, Bounty Hunter."

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

"We will." Aela said with a smile. "I promise."

Whoever these men were it didn't seem like they were all that organized. Two of them had chased after a little girl with no real plan or coordination, something that was tipped off by the way they moved. She guessed they were some sort of criminals, though neither of them really wore any sort of markings that would identify them as such. She frowned for a moment, glancing at one of the smugglers and walking over to him so that she could dig through his pockets.

She searched for a communicator, glancing over towards the little girl as she spoke. "We can't just run in there."

Aela dealt with plenty of children, and she knew from first hand experience that speaking to them as an adult, respecting them, went further than most people might think.

"We have to go in slowly and not just rush in." After a moment more of digging she pulled out a small electronic device. "Or we might just end up in as much trouble as your dad."

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna fidgeted impatiently when Aela told her to wait. She was like a detonator ready to explode, as her little mind tried to comprehend the value of not rushing in headfirst.

"Fine," she said, walking defeatedly to the Jedi's side. She looked over Aela's shoulder as she rifled through the man's pockets, coming up with a commlink. Minna tilted her head to the side as she examined it, a sudden interetest banishing whatever jaded attitude she had before.

"Oh," she said, looking at the device with interest. "Will that help us get my dad?"

Suddenly, the device lit up, and a man's voice emitted from it. Minna jumped in surprise, hands coming up defensively again.

"All teams, check in."

Minna frowned, putting her hands down again.

"Dragon One, checking in." "Dragon Two, checking in."

Each person's voice chirped out with professionalism, some sounding human, some a little stranger. The numbers went by quickly, in order, until...

"Dragon Thirteen, checking in."

There was a sudden silence as the comm stopped, and police sirens wailed in the distance.

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

She let the silence hang in the air for a moment. "See?"

Aela told the little girl with a smile.

"Now we know how many of them there are." It was a small gift, one that they would have to make use of. She knew the authorties weren't too far away, but if they arrived here and attempted to take control of the situation it could very quickly become a hostage negation. That was something she didn't want, mostly because of the danger that was involved. She frowned for a moment, glancing at the little girl before she slowly stood.

They'd have to take care of this.

"Alright." The Jedi Master said as she clutched her lightsaber. "Let's go get your dad."

Slowly. "Stay behind me, okay?"

Aela wasn't one to involve children in things like this, but she highly doubted that this little one would listen if she was told to stay put. It was better to stay with her and actually make sure she was okay. A frown pulled at her lips for a moment, a small thought erupting in her mind.

"Here." Aela plucked the bracers from her wrist, bending down and gently placing them on the little girl, placing a thin sliver of her own hair beneath the bracer itself so that it would still work. "If you're in danger put these two together, they'll protect you."

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna listened to the Jedi Master with attentive eyes, the pools of dark brown soaking in her deductions. She turned them to the entrance of the spaceport, and she frowned, holding all the impatience of a child. Until she finally said the magic words.

Let's go get your dad.

The little girl nodded adamantly, accepting the bracers with grace. "Don't worry, Aela. I can take care of myself." She flashed a quick martial stance to prove her point.

Slowly, behind the Jedi, she inched into the spaceport.

The door led immediately into a hallway, which after a short walk, opened into the spaceport proper. Ships of all kinds were landed at regular intervals, although most landing spaces were abandoned. Boxes of all kinds were splayed around, tossed haphazardly, either by the smugglers, or by spacers trying to escape.

A gathering of five of these smugglers seemed to be loading a Skipray with crates. It was difficult to see the cargo from the distance Aela and Minna were, but the disruptor rifles slung across the criminal's backs were easy enough to spot. One of them, a Pantoran with a swirl of yellow tattoos, gave them crisp directions, a ship manifest clutched tightly to him.

Minna rubbed her hands together, anticipating action, before looking to the Jedi for assurance.

- [member="Aela Talith"] -

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Ghorua the Shark"]

Disruptors.

The weapons were extremely dangerous, even to Jedi. Lightsabers couldn't block disruptors and the shields of protection created by herself of the bracers could really only take a shot or two before fading completely. Aela had fought Sith troops that utilized the exact weapons back on Coruscant, an experience that had left her with a chunk of her torso gone. She frowned for just a second, glancing down at the little girl with concern on her face.

Aela knew she wouldn't run, so she'd have to do the next best thing. "Run to the corner over there."

She leaned down and pointed to the edge of the hangar. The Jedi Master knew that she had to keep most of the smugglers attention, that she'd essentially have to draw the enemies fire so Minna didn't get hurt. The idea was...well what her father would call idiotic since she was basically putting herself into danger, but it's what needed to be done.

"I'll get their attention." She pulled the other lightsaber from her thigh. "You take out the ones in the back when the look at me."

The Jedi Master stood, her fingers slowly slipping over the activators on her sabers.

This would be close, and fast.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Minna nodded solemnly, her upper lip curling into a determined smirk. "You got it." She tied her hair together with a rag, silencing her beads. She whispered something under her breath, closing her eyes for a second, before surging with energy.

The little girl darted from her cover lithely, moving from empty crate to empty crate. As she moved, the muted conversation between the smugglers grew increasingly louder. The unintelligible muttering slowly morphed into Basic.

"...next to the narglatches." The Pantoran gestured with his disruptor pistol at a cage. The cargo was indeed cages, large and small, stacked upon each other, hosting a wide array of colorful and dangerous animals. The four other smugglers nodded in understanding, if not a little apprehension.

"Don't ya think we should keep the songbirds away from the predators? A narglatch could definitely reach through it's cage and snag a snack." A rougher-looking human with a net gun stared daggers at the back of the Pantoran's hair.

"And why, exactly, would one design a narglatch cage that can't hold a narglatch?"

"Not a narglatch cage. Meant for ten meter beasties. Not a sixer, like that guy."

The Pantoran turned angrily, almost catching sight of Minna, who dove into cover. "We have sponsors now, Jakir! You and your band don't have to work with second-hand gear anymore. Buy smaller pens, or something! Anyways..." The blue-skinned alien went into more technical terms, ordering the poachers to carry more of their merchandise into the Skipray.

Minna coiled into position, balling her fists, preparing to strike the group from behind.

- [member="Aela Talith"] -