Stranger Danger [Valik]

[Mia Monroe]

Sweat beaded on Lucy's forehead as she climbed, running down it hung from the end of her nose for a moment before plummeting down the cliff face she was climbing. It wasn't much of a cliff if you were an adult, but when you were ten years old, it was a mountain and beneath you were the monsters you were trying to escape, and above you was your ship, ready and waiting to whisk you away.

Finally reaching the top she rolled onto her back, out of breath and covered in dust a wide smile on her face. Catching her breath she climbed to her feet and peered over the edge. Getting back down would be problematic but not impossible.

Her grin faded as she looked out across the land, she could see her home in the distance, but it was much further than she anticipated. She had crossed the boundary, one set by her mother months ago when she came back when it was dark because she's travelled to far out.

She sighed heavily "She's gonna kill me." she groaned.

 

[Valik]

Valik was, as always, taking samples. He was on the moon of an expansion region world named Immeria. As he looked at his datapad he scowled. Thusfar he had not located any particularly interesting animals, plants, funguses or minerals. This trip had ended up turning into a long-winded hyperspace ride for nothing. Then one of his scanners blinked, it had detected something. He extended his senses in the Force and found a very slight signature. It was weak, untrained, but unmistakeably of the Force. Valik extended a scope and looked around to find a small girl, perhaps no older than ten, facing particular difficulty in climbing a hill.

Knowing the sentients location he considered shooting the girl for a moment, but decided not to. While he wanted no witnesses to his presence that didn't mean killing her was the stealthy option, a random killing in an ecumenopolis wouldn't attract any attention, but a dead child in the middle of the forest, especially a Force Sensitive one with a potential Force Sensitive family, would bring unnecessary questions. Valik considered a moment just fleeing unseen, a child wouldn't be skilled enough to find him. Then again, she looked to be fleeing something. Perhaps she wished to leave this world . . . and perhaps the best option was to oblige. A young and impressionable apprentice? An opportunity to study a force-sensitive subject over time? The possibilities were endless.

So Valik began to march up the hill, checking his features using a camera as he went. Valik cared little of his appearance in all honesty, but eyes too yellow or skin too pale would frighten off a young child. Luckily it seemed he had not sacrificed enough of himself to the Dark Side for such transformations to become physical. Valik put his datapad away, then heard the high pitched voice of a child.

"She's gonna kill me." He heard @[member="Lucy Verdikis"] groan as he reached the summit to meet her. Likely a parent issue, and one Valik believed he could play rather easily.

"Running away from home?" He asked the girl, in a tone with a certain sweetness and serenity he hadn't used in ages. "Do you have enough food and water? I would hate to think of sweet young child like you hungry."

 

[Mia Monroe]

Lucy became aware of another presence and found herself looking for somewhere to hide, but who was she kidding. This moon was barren. She peered down the cliff, wondering how quickly she could get down.

Not quick enough.

"Running away from home? Do you have enough food and water? I would hate to think of sweet young child like you hungry."

Lucy froze as he approached her, her normal confidence vanishing. Her eyes flicked towards her home and back to the man. "No. I'm not running." she licked her lips, slightly nervous "Who are you? No one ever comes out this far."

 

[Valik]

Valik watched the girl as she looked over the cliff, then back to himself. He guessed she wondered if she could run, as he sensed no other presence that could have warranted her attention. It was a wise move to stay, Valik had several methods of to deal with the child if she did run, but he was hoping not to expand his resources or energy in such a way. A willing test subject was always better than an unwilling, and Stokk'olm Syndrome could take years, if it manifested at all. No, he would earn her trust if he could. And what better way were there to gain the trust of a child than with honesty?

"My name's Dr. Valik. I'm a scientist and I came to do some surveys on the local flora and fauna, animal life, that sort of thing. In honesty I'm a bit disappointed. Doesn't seem to be much on this rock." He said in a tone to match his words. If the girl was an empath she would see his truth, if she wasn't perhaps not, but he suspected she could tell his truth even without the Force.

"If you're not running than where are you going? It can get awfully lonely around this moon. Would you mind if I accompanied you, if only for your safety?"

 

[Mia Monroe]

Lucy watched him with suspicious eyes, though there was nothing very deceitful about him. But there was a definite darkness, like her Uncle Zaiden...but somehow more refined. She chewed the inside of her cheek as he offered and explanation a snort of laughter escaping her.

"No animal life here. You might find a lizard or two, but its too late in the day for them, they like it when its really hot. Then they catch bugs." she brightened up a little bit as she chatted. "They have a whatchmacallit an... ummm.....basking spot! Over there somewhere" she waved vaguely towards her home. "I sit and watch them sometimes." She was talking too much.

To a stranger. Yet somehow, she couldn't help herself.

"I was exploring, and sorta running" she pointed to a ridge in the distance "My home is just beyond that ridge. I'm not supposed to come out this far. I'm not supposed to do a lot of things." there was an air of bitterness to her voice. "You can come with me if you like." she agreed with a shrug "but umm...Dr....Valik" she said remembering his name "Are you a force user? Your a sensitive. I can tell that." She gave him a proud grin.

 

[Valik]

Valik listened to girl as she spoke of some of the lizards he had found earlier. She continued on for a moment about the lizards as if she found them fascinating, a tell tale sign of her innocence and naivety. Valik grinned, he had so much he could teach the young child. She then changed subjects, shifting to her running, and specifically why she would do it. From her tone he could insinuate that she had some issues with her parents. Wanted more freedom. A wish Valik would be happy to oblige.

"Are you a force user? You're a sensitve. I can tell that." She said and gave him a smile, proud in her abilities. Valik returned a smile and took his datapad and began floating it in the air using his telekinesis.

"I've had some training with the Force, yes. I'll admit I'm not the best at such things, but I could teach you a trick or two if you have the time." Valik said as he moved a bit closer to the girl's side and retieved his datapad from the air. "So where are we going ms?" He said and asked the girl's name as well as their destination.

 

[Mia Monroe]

Lucy shivered with excitement, but she did her best to hide it. She knew her mother didn't want her to be trained but what was the danger in learning a simple telekinesis trick. she offered her hand to Valik as he asked her name "Lucinda Verdikis, daughter of Jedi Master Feena Mason." she said, her pride evident "Though you can call me Lucy. Only mum calls me Lucinda." Once she had shook his hand she dropped onto her haunches and slid over the edge of the hill, climbing back down again.

"We're going home." she said softly "it'll be dark soon and if I don't get back before it does they'll send a search party out for me, Then I'm in big trouble." Reaching the bottom she looked back up at Valik "Come on, mother always brings people round. I'm pretty sure she likes guests."

 

[Valik]

Jedi Master hunh? That explained the latent Force Talent. The girl's usefulness and appeal increased, as she likely had great potential in the Force, her retrieval would a slight to the numbers of future Jedi, and she would also come in handy later as a possible blackmail tool or bargaining chip. Perhaps this journey to the moon of Immeria would be beneficial after a..

"Come on, mother always brings people round. I'm pretty sure she likes guests." The girl said, and Valik had his doubts. No Jedi Master, or at least any conventional Jedi Master, would allow him to sit at their table.

"I'm not so sure we'll be able to make it in time Lucy." Valik said as he followed the woman. "Let me send them a message and tell them we might be a little late. I wouldn't want them to worry about you." Valik said as he took out his datapad and held it to his chest, and sent a signal out to some droids he had sent to scout the area. The datapad let out a ping after the signal was sent, and Valik put that datapad to his pack. "There. They should get my message if they're within about 2 kilometers or so."