The Bloody Shade

[Laertia Io]

Arrived in: Blessing of Loste (Dynamic Class Frieghter)

Wearing: Hoodlum's Leathers (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/138757-hoodlums-leathers/)

Armed With: Laertia's trench knife

Constant Gardener (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/138535-constant-gardener/)

A long time ago, on a world far, far away...




The young teen in the spiky jacket and black clothes ventured forward into this strange space within the depths of Nar Shaddaa. She had pale skin, hair cut in an odd moe-type style. She was armed with a nothing but a trench knife, blade a long straight double edge, with a hand guard. Cortosis weave durasteel. Nice and sharp and heavy. Good for picking locks. Her sawn off shotgun lay in her holster on her right thigh.

Gray eyes scanned this strange place, her instincts for danger kicking in.

This chamber was old. Almost as old as the chamber where she had been once blessed by the water spirit. It was why she had accepted the job from the local crime lord to breach the strange chamber once it had been discovered and cordoned off by the authorities. She had the unique advantage of familiarity with the subject matter as well as being so below the radar hardly anyone would see her as a threat.

The chamber itself was made of stone, swirling lines carved through a faceted semisphere of gray, about five stories high at its tallest point. It was dark on the interior, save for being lit by a series of crystaline blue light fixtures that lined the pathway to the center of the chamber, resembling trees in their design.

How a structure so large had remained undiscovered for so long in the depths of the planet wide city was unknown. It amazingly hadn't been breached during development of the streets above, or even noticed by city architects. There were no records of its construction.

Her prize lay in the center, a cube of crystal. She got the funny box, she could buy enough food to keep her going through to the next six months. Maybe even fix up that old beaten up freighter she used as a home.

She felt curiously energized as she advanced. Like the chamber was alive with an invisible energy. Laertia didn't like this place, in spite of how peaceful it was. She began walking forward, feeling strange...

(Indiana Jones Ark of The Covenant theme plays)

The teen approached, closer, ever closer. She looked for traps, security countermeasures, but...nothing...there was nothing that indicated it was protected by anything but the tall, twisting pedestal it rested on.

The girl examined it, face betraying suspicion. No lasers. No trip wires. She circled it, then backed off a few steps, stretching out her hand and focusing, concentrating hard.

The crystal box flickered out of existance, appearing in her palm. Spikes from hidden recesses in the floor sprang around the immediate radius jutting toward the center.

"HA! Try an' puhl 'a' fahst wun on mee, will 'yuh?!" the teen gloated. "I INVENTUHD 'DUH FAHST WUNS!"

"Impressive..."

The teen darted around behind her, staring at who had spoken.

She was a Twi'lek, her skin a rich purple, eyes piercing blue clad in a skin tight, sterile white combat body glove, carrying a golden cane whose handle was that of a horse head, a blaster pistol holstered on her right hip.

"I presume it was you who gave all the ones guarding this place a concussion?" The woman asked, her voice crisp and formal. The teen went still, not sure what to do. Another thief? A merc?

"Nuhtin' pursuhnuhl..." the teen answered, backing away. "Guhr-ul's gotta eat..."

"I see..." the woman's faced softened in sympathy. The teen kept her guard up. She knew never to trust any sign of sympathy on Nar Shaddaa.

"Young one, what you have there is very dangerous in the wrong hands. That's a Jedi Holocron. I'm a Jedi, here to take it back to its true owners." the woman explained. "You need to hand it over to me."

"Jehdie gotz 'emselves plenty of holycronns as is. Wun morrs' naht gunna mayk a diffrinse."

"All knowledge is power, young one. Even in the mildest fragment is important. Too inportant to be left in the hands of some two-bit gangster. Please young one." The woman entreated, holding out her hand. "Please give it to me."

"Sahry, Jehdie. The pretty bahx-holycronn's mine." The teen said, backing away. "Naht givin' up muh meal-tic-kuht."

The woman sighed and focused on the holocron, trying to force pull it out of her hands.

The teen kept a firm grip on it, even as the holocron tried to leave her. The Jedi strained. The teen took a step back and yanked the holocron towards her.

The Woman yelled in surprise as she was yanked forward by her own telekinetic grip on the holocron.

The teen broke into a run for the exit, only to be force pulled herself back to the Jedi, who had gotten up and looked slightly annoyed.

Stumbling, the teen fell to the ground, the holocron flying out of her hand and into the Jedi's white gloved hand.

"I won't summon the authorities. Just forget about this, young one. Its not your night..." the Jedi cooly advised her walking to the exit.

The teen teleported six meters ahead of her, and this time her trench knife was out, a sour look on her face as she flickered into existance.

"Duh bahx is myne, sistuh. I ain' givin' it up wit outta fyght." the teen said, brandishing the knife. "Handz it ovuh, or else..."

The Twi'lek raised an eyebrow.

"Most impressive." she remarked. "Is that how you got past all the security?"

"Itsa majic tric."

"No its not. You wield the Force girl...and easily at that...far more powerful than I initially thought. Where did you learn that power? Who taught you?"

"Taughtz myself, I did." the Teen answered. It was the truth. The other stuff had come later.

"Hmmm..." the woman grunted. "You up to a wager?"

The teen scowled. "Termz?" she asked.

The woman smiled. "If you defeat me fair and square...you can have it. If I win...I get the holocron...and you must return with me to the Jedi."

The teen looked at her.

"Yer' onn."

The teen bolted forward. The Jedi guarded with her cane and the teen slipped forward like a ghost, knife in vertical swipe. The Jedi expected to deflect it easily, but was shocked when she was driven to her knee holding back the blow. The sheer physical strength that required--!

The Jedi was fending off heavy swipes that took all her physical power to block or deflect, the teens attacks possessing the persistance and cold efficiency of a war droid. The Jedi was driven back, sparks flying as the knife glanced off the cane, the teen giving no quarter or relenting as she drove the Jedi backward.

The Jedi broke away, twisted something on her cane and the teen dodged the active blue lightsaber emitted from the longer than normal hilt, a small blue saber emitting from the horse-head top, pointing downward from the mouth of the head.

The Jedi thrust the saber forward. The teen expertly parried with a twist of her whole body, letting the blade glance off the cortosis weave durasteel knife, flicking the edge across the shoulder, drawing blood. It looked kinda funny for Twi'lek blood. The teen knew this because she had bled Twi'leks before. But she was too busy fighting to win as she fended off another strike directed at her leg.

The teen's free hand sprang forward, seizing the long handle lightsaber, catching the hook saber with her knife and levering the knife in a way that completely pried the secondary weapon from her opponent, her free hand crushing the shaft of the main weapon, causing the blade to fail and flicker out, forcing the Jedi to her knees.

"Bit off more 'n' yooz coulda chewed sistuh..." the teen snapped. "Duh bahx iz myne..."

"You believe I am beaten?" The Jedi asked. "You have merely sacrificed your positioning for a quick victory...

The pistol pulled itself out of its holster, pointed itself at the teen, set to stun, and the teen knew intense pain before blacking out...




Present day.

Laertia snapped awake in her pink colored captains quarters, white polka dots breaking up the otherwise solid background. The photos of her hugging her pet rabbit Phrik, accidentally killed by her own hand, were turned face down.

There were other photos. Of her and the Marksman. Of Ursula, the Jedi she had fought that day. The one who had recruited her. The one she had grown to respect.

Uri's face was scratched out of the photos. Uri, the one who had ruined everything. Laertia had never forgiven her for stealing Ursula's attention. For being the favorite.

The ex-shadow got out of bed, showered, and dressed in her usual punk-look, heading to the repurposed cargo hold that held all her magic act items and spare rabbits and birds. She always started the day off like this, feeding and petting her remaining animals. Phrik's cage had a drape over it. The rest was cluttered with food supplies, hats, wands, card decks, and other stage props.

Laertia was busy scratching a rabbit's ears, heart wincing as she remembered Phrik's body going into that drain on Alderaan. Anything associated with Uri always brought pain.

Which was why she was now on Corellia. She was doing a show at the local theater. It would help take her mind off of poor Phrik. Laertia had loved that rabbit with all her heart.

"I managed to get most of the pay you were owed by that scumbag Toydarian..." called out a rich, accented voice from behind.

Laertia turned, saw her biot caretaker, Moya, clad in her long black dress of armorweave walk forward, skin a deep brown color, hair very dark and with chocolate eyes. She had been designed beautiful. Designed to look like a dead Jedi. Partly created by that same dead Jedi.

"Wudja tell 'em? Sweet tahlk himz?" Laertia asked.

"Oh, no sweet talk. I just threatened to sue him into oblivion and ruin his business for treating you the way he did. He wouldn't have had two credits to rub together by the time I was done with him." The Biot replied haughtily. She smiled gently, walking up to Laertia.

"We'll get you another rabbit. Soon." The Biot assured her.

"Phrik wuz speshul, Moya. Phrik was...speshul

"Phrik's in a better place, sweetie..." Moya assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, her emotion analysis capacity choosing the best route to try and lift Laertia's mood.

"Ah wish ah could buhlievz it..." Laertia replied, eyes downcast..."Ah wish ah could buhlievz Phrik's one wit' duh Foyce..."

"Speaking of Force..." Moya said hesitantly..."I got a message..."

Laertia looked up. "Who?"

"Jedi...they wanted to speak with you."

"Witch brannd? Dhere's lotsa brannds dhese dayz..."

"They weren't clear...they'll be here soon, though. Its your decision if you want to leave..." Moya advised.

Laertia, still petting her secondary Rabbit, Beskar, trotted about back and forth nervously, thinking. Her head hurt when she thought too hard sometimes.

Finally, after a minute, she stopped.

"I...I'll listen..." Laertia said quietly.

Laertia, headed out to the hatch, exiting out to the prepaid docking pad, waiting for Jedi guests in the heart of Coronet.

What did her old peers want?

Laertia's migraine started and out of instinct she let go of Beskar and let him scurry back up the ship into Moya's arms, who quickly put him back in his cage.

Regardless, Laertia would listen. If only because she still wanted to be recognized for her...very particular set of skills. Skills that made her a nightmare for people like Inquisitors.

She dared not hope that they actually wanted her back...

[member="Matsu Ike"]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"].

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Laertia Io"] [member="Tanaski Yumi"]

The world was always a place to go... Matsu explored, she built herself a small buffer where she could leave and head off to search around the galaxy for anything interesting. Here was a time at least when she stretched out herself in the ship. It wasn't often she got to take her old ship out and just explore, always testing something new or using one of the massive library styled ships. An exploration vessel was just what she needed and well it being loaded with some of the latest force technologies that the engineers and artisan's at sasori had been developing would only make it that much better when she stood in the one chamber.

The walls were like closets.... or at least marked like that, the dimensional compression technologies meant that her labs were anchored here in a pocket dimension and with the proper amount of resources that were being used... she could literally expand them as much as she needed to or as much as she wanted to. It gave her an even better idea of how to handle things when she could also draw on the energies here with crystals to provide almost unlimited power to keep it anchored. She was working on it and allowing herself to check a few systems where they checked it out. She was landing on the planet and standing there.

Her kimono was simple, jedi styled with a stiffer trim for a look itself. She had her hair in a thick braided ponytail with the crystal bells and tipped with small crystal beads where she was moving now. Her lightsaber was on her hip and the jedi itself went around itself. THe sky blue coloring was faded and light itself with floral patterns on it and aurabesh script augmenting the robes. The jedi master walked though as the sounds of the crystals jingled in her hair. She was looking at the world as the ship touched down stretching out her senses to better see it within the force. She breathed in deeply before she sat down in the chair looking out from the bridge of the ship.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

It had been a while since Tana had last been to Corellia, well he never really had a reason to, with the whole half the planet being blown up and the major restoration project. He had to admit the Metal Lords and other had done a good job making the place whole again, if they were able to reconstruct Alderan again when half a planet wasn't to much of a problem. Though today he was not here for personal enjoyment or to see how the planet was going in some other regard no today he was here with Jedi master and well known CEO [member="Matsu Ike"].

Well less accompany and more tagging along for a small trip, even if the women was an important figure head one could not expect her to be working all the time. Even multi billion dollar corporate bosses needed time off to have fun and mess around, though he was still yet to know why they had come to Corellia. It wasn't exactly a place one when to on any major adventure, unless the women knew about an interesting fact or event taking place on the planet, it honestly wouldn't surprise him, Matsu always seemed capable of coming up with things almost out of the blue.

Walking down the ships landing rap the young Jin was donned in his own Kimono, carrying the usual array of equipment stores in the loose fabric sleeves and dress, ready for use at a moments notice. "Soo master Ike, what is our first activity today? or will we just be wandering around and seeing that things happen before us"? He was fine with ether but would ask regardless, not harm in knowing what was ahead.

[member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Laertia Io"]

 

[Laertia Io]

It didn't take long for the Jedi to show up. The wind tossed Laertia's hair about as her dark grey eyes stared. Not standard Jedi. Not even Silver. No...this one looked a little more hardscrabble. Brown Robes were torn and frayed in some places, face concealed by a silver, engraved mask. A single bladed lightsaber hung from his belt.

Laertia twirled her fingers, somehow making a toothpick appear out of nowhere and plucked it between her teeth.

"Moya sayz yuh wuz lookin' fer' me." The ex shadow spoke in her typical, slightly high pitch.

"You are Laersha Seurat?" The Jedi asked in a deep baritone.

"Wuz Laersha Seurat...wen I wuz 'bout ten. Dhese dayz itz Laertia Io." Laertia answered.

"Records of you are listed under multiple aliases after being acquired by the Marksman. Forgive me, Miss Io. We knew your reputation better than we can be certain of your name it seems."

"Whatcha' here fer'?"

"Well..." the knight trailed, hands going to his hips as he paced about "We need your help...both with something specific...and...in general..." he stated.

"Do you know a man named Dyson Darkmite?"

Laertia narrowed her eyes.

"Dhatz a name I ain't heard ina long while..." she answered. "Small tyme gangboss when I met himz. He'z wuz like all dha young hoods on 'Shaddaa...young, cockee, 'n' had blud 'round dha corners 'a' hiz kisser. He, uh, he's dha wun dhat hired me fer' dhat holycronn jobb."

Dyson and her had never gotton along on Nar Shaddaa's streets. Laertia had been freelance, and that never sat well with the power hungry Darkmite. He had constantly pressured her to work for him exclusively. It was only after she'd left an entire human skeleton in his bed as a warning that he'd given up. But she still had done jobs if he paid well enough. Going after the holocron he wanted had caused her to be recruited to the Jedi.

"Whatz Dahkmyte been sneaky-sneakin' up 'ta?"

"Darkmite has been busy. His network's grown and he has recently set up shop on Corellia in the aftermath of the invasion..."

"Whyz dhis duh koncirn 'a' Jedi?" Laertia asked, folding her arms, not liking where this was going.

"Darkmite has been killing his rivals recently. And he's done it in a really unusual method. The victims have been found completely drained of their fat reserves."

Laertia's eyes widened. She whistled.

"Still doesn't explayn duh jedie's intrist..."

"Let's just say we are starting to suspect alchemical methods behind the killing..."

"Izzis yuh wayz 'a' askin' fer' help?"

"Yes...I suppose it is. You know Darkmite. You know how he thinks."

"Dyson ain't no mastuhmynd. Justa hood wit' a slightly bigger noggin' izzall. He'll fold if yuh pressure 'im 'ard enuffs."

"Thats the trouble...we can't find him...but we know where an associate of his will be in six hours...at your magic act...we've also become aware Jedi Master [member="Matsu Ike"] and Jedi Knight Tanaski are also on Corellia, so you may want to co-opt their assistance. We believe Dyson's associate, a man named The Forager is arranging some kind of drop off or meeting concerning another hit."

"Yuh ain't even sayd who yuh works fer'." Laertia spoke. "Or why yuh wantz muh helpz..."

"I represent the alliance in exile. We've come across records of you. To put it mildly. We're interested."

"AIE's ragtagz. Heardz yooz can barely supplize yerselves..."

"We have resource problems. Allies to help in our more difficult, close to the chest iperations is one of those resource problems. We ran across records of your actions as a Marksman. Suffice to say...we're impressed."

"I ain't no good ta yooz. Damaged goodz. Mygraines 'r' unpredictablez."

"Technology has advanced since your injuries--"

"I ain't no goodz ta yooz." Laertia repeated. "I'll helpz wit Darkmite, but afta dhat..."

The Jedi sighed..."Just give it some thought. A woman of your talents can make a lot of difference."

The Knight handed her a datapad that contained details of this 'assignment', as well as a approximate coordinates to Matsu Ike and [member="Tanaski Yumi"].

Laertia narrowed her eyes at the name. The head of Sasori...one of the richest people in the galaxy. Nearly untouchable...And a interesting customer in Tanaski...she got a good look at him...she'd bet credits he was nothing to be trifled with.

"Why my magic show?"

"Dyson's associate is a fan of yours. Of course, he's not aware of your former occupation." the Jedi answered, the wind picking up on the pad. "So, try not to tip him off..."

Laertia nodded, deciding to take a walk before the show. She headed back in the ship, finding Moya tending to her rabbits. The Biot liked and cared for her pets as much as she did.

"Moya, I gotta go tayk meez a wahlk. Be back soon. But uh...there mightz beez a situashun where yer...'negotiatinz' might come in handy..."

Moya folded her arms, looking cross. "As long as what you are asking isn't blatantly illegal..."

Laertia gave a grin. "Nah, nuthinz like dhat...I swearz!"

Moya smiled back. "As long as you're back in time for the opening at Black Crescent Auditorium. And as long as you get some meds in you before we open...then no problem...so what did the Jedi want?"

Laertia stopped smiling...

"He wuz ally-ance. Dhey...dhey ask fer muh help and...I dunno...I'm wurkin' it outz..."

Laertia walked out of the ship, going deeper into the stretts of Corellia, deciding to go and meetvthese two Jedi...

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Laertia Io"]

THe jedi master looked at Tana as she was moving and paused only enough to walk a little off to the side. She motioned and smiled bringing up what information and what they had of Corellia itself. Sasori had been here working with others to try and restore parts of it. THey also well had ties with certain green jedi while she was walking around and saw some of them. Friends and fellow jedi like Lorna Halcyon's few people with their skylar green cloaks. "Welcome master Ike." A look on the younger mans face was there before they were moving now and Matsu could see some of the information they were bringing about their own ships. She had worked to remake several corellian style ships for them as she spoke. "THank you for having us."

She bowed her head though walking past them and some fo the others when she looked at Tana and spoke. "Now KNight Yumi, lets see what you have learned. Look out here among the people and lets see your senses." She said it as a teacher wanting to see what he had learned from JUnko but also see his skills... a jedi masters job and as she was more or less considered the leading archivist.... she wanted to educate oh so many that could be working outwards. THe other jedi with them stood off to the side and she was filling out information for them to get new supplies and some of the equipment they wanted to try and investigate and maintain within the system itself.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

Tana knew the smile, Matsu had some in mind for this little trip didn't she, and of cause it had to involve Sasori, "well I guess that explains why the planet has been going quite steadily", it took a massive amounts of material and money to rebuild half a planet. He had also forgotten that the Green Jedi were a thing, along with what he remembered to be some small Commonwealth that was run on Corellia not to long ago, before the whole 'fall of the Alliance' event. Now that he thought about it more the still recovering trade world was actually more important than previously thought, "so are we doing anything with the New Republic? or is this a Jeid matter only"? He asked as they continued to walk, said question being put to the side with Matsu posing a new exercise for him to test his skills.

"Awww I know I am beautiful, but yet I will give it a try", he joked, even his last name having funny meanings in his eyes. Waking a deep breath Tana let his mind wander through the hundreds of people crowded down below, "I see, a people who were once with fear but are now, hopefully, but still not entirely thankful, it feels like they, resent the New Republic, but... know that it is necessary to have least more problems come, well at least that is what it feels like to me in context". It was a little hard to tell, the sea of feelings was mixed, quite a lot, no doubt muddling the results he got back, "was there a point to me doing this? is the lesson 'the feelings of a planet and it's people are never black and white? or just a simple test"?

[member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Laertia Io"]

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia strolled down the street, the Constant Gardener clipped to her belt. It had been a while since she had worn it openly. She had not had cause before.

The black hilt's metal was worn and scratched and nicked. How many had last died from its green edge? She'd lost count after fifty...

Corellia was still trying to erase the scars. There were good and bad things about the modern war economy, she had observed. On the bad, the devastation could be total and absolute, on the..."good"...all the crazy tech that existed and the crazy rates at which money and opportunist contractors flowed from established planets meant even Corellia would be fully up and running again shortly.

As she walked the streets to go and meet Matsu, another Migraine came and she temporarily forgot what she was doing as she stumbled past blown out buildings and rows of candles left by families where loved ones had died during the fighting
She saw photos put on makeshift memorial walls. Eventually they would be removed. Mourning had to end at some point, for the construction crews, at least.

Some mournings never ended though.

Laertia's damaged brain made her see Phrik the Rabbit's broken body, still clutched in her robotic hand. She still felt the fur, the broken bones before the world the wretched Uri Udinia had been born on tore even the corpse away from her.

Laertia swelled with anger, thinking of Uri. The favorite. Who the hell had held half that girl's targets in place?! Laertia, that's who! Laertia had! She had--

Laertia stumbled around for the next five minutes in agony, trying to focus on her destination, trying to get to the approximate location of [member="Matsu Ike"]. Trying to forget Phrik's accidental death. And especially forget about Uri, who'd stolen Ursula's attention from her.

Ursula, even by Laertia's admission, wasn't a perfect figure to place that kind of parental need on, but she was pretty much the closest she'd ever get to having a mother figure. It wasn't the same. Not even with Moya. Moya's programming determined the biot's reaction. It had been Laertia's request to have it dote on her. It was a request she was still secretly ashamed of.

The Migraine cleared as sudden as it occured and Io found herself off course a little. No telling when the next one would hit. So she decided to splurge on her chief gift.

Laertia focused directly ahead of her, and teleported. She stopped short of her maximum range of a hundred meters, as she could not teleport any closer to living beings than five meters. Laertia figured it was an instinctive safety measure. If she happened to teleport exactly to where a person was standing...she shuddered to think of the possibilities.

As she turned her head right at a ruined avenue that was being repaired from orbital bombardment, she at last sensed something powerful. Someone filled with light, and willed herself to it, the world sucking away from her for an instant before re arranging around her.

Spotting Matsu, Laertia headed over to Matsu and Tanaski, nervous about being in the presence of a master.

"Mastuh Ee-Kayy, Knyte Yuumee, sorryz fer' botherin' yuh's..." she said after teleporting directly infront of her path.

"But me namez Laertia...and...and..."

Laertia stopped, getting a feeling akin to stage fright. It was her brain. She got anxiety attacks these days.

"Er...errr...errrr..." Laertia mumbled before the anxiety got under control.

"I uh...I kynda needz both yer' helpz. Corellia needz it moore tho'. You uh...gotz a minyte?"

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Laertia Io"]

THe jeid master was watching Tana and checking where they went. "WHat do you believe it is?" She said it with a raised eyebrow while she was moving.though the area. THen someone came before them and the jedi master listened raising an eyebrow to her request for help. "I see." She said it but was moving now as she looked at Tana and was more curious then anything. "I cannot speak for KNight Yumi but if you require aid young one then I can give it to you. Just tell me what the details are." THe jedi master bowed her head while she was walking and clasped her hands behind her back to look around and was feeling out the area with the force itself.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

Tana was a little lost for words when Matus asked, he was not exactly good with discerning people emotions and what it meant, to himself the concept of feelings was kind of and oddity. Each of her persona had one and only one emotional setting, so to try and understand how a normal person 'felt' was an odd concept.

Fortunately it was not a question he had to answer right away as some strange girl literary appeared in front of the due, making Tana tense thinking it was some sort of attacker. What he got was a girl with a very underworld accent which somehow knew his name and Matus's well latter was more beliveable though herself knowing his name seemed quite questionable.

Had the two met at some point during his life as a hired blade? Maybe but he was not certain, what was certain was the girls need of help in some regard, Matsu already opting to lend a hand. "Well I won't say no to helping you out, but what is it you need"? If she was looking for Jedi such a task would probably involve sorting out a conflict or taking care of illegal dealings, Corellia was kind of known for them.

"One things first, may I ask who you are? I think there is some amount of information I am not yet knowledgeable about".

[member="Matsu Ike"]
[member="Laertia Io"]

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia managed a weak smile for both [member="Matsu Ike"] and [member="Tanaski Yumi"], but it was one thing to talk to fringe Jedi likely in her line of work and another to talk to legits like these two.

Laertia hadn't felt legit in years. Magic tricks were what she loved but being a Jedi had been validation to her. Killing all those dark adepts had been validation. Being forced back to the street had been a source of stinging humiliation to her. To say she still harbored some resentments were an understatement. She knew it was irrational, but Laertia was prone these days to myopia.

"My...muh namz Laertia Io. I used tuh bee ah Jeh-die Shaddoh, operaytid wit' a groop called Duh Mahx-men. We...we snuffed outta lotta bad sorts..dhen I gotz dys-charged fuh medykal reesuns. AIE approached and sayz dherz a crymynal I had expeereence wit...a Dyson Darkmite. Nasty cryme boss...taykes duh fat from hiz ryvaals bodies, he does...they asked fuh me and possibly duh helpa yoo toooz...tuh find and stop im" she explained, her fidgeting, uncertain stare juxtaposed by her thuggish appearance. She didn't make eye contact, her facial scars partly hidden by her odd moe-cut.

"Willya helpz meez?" She asked in a small, quiet voice, hands clasped together as she continued staring at the ground, too scared to make any more eye contact with someone like these, reminders of everything she used to be and now wasn't any longer.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Laertia Io"]

Matsu was listening to her and the first thing that came to her mind was her accent.... the second was her saying she was a shadow and while she had come to accept that shadows were now a catch all term for anyone who was a jedi and wanted to be mysterious... she disliked that elite sentinels who sought out and fought the darkside were now tied to well assassination, using the darkside, infiltration and any number of other things then what they originally were intended to do. She didn't discuss this with many... few even seemed to grasp ideas of the jedi of old. THis new third wave of jedi coming into being who retired and left the order because their feelings could be hurt. It was a foreign idea to her. "IF I am able to help with this then I shall but I do not speak for the both of us."

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

Tana found it hard to properly understand the women she spoke in a very underworld like accent, combining with the fact galactic basic was his second language the young Jedi found it a little hard to catch what the women said, several words being lost to him. Over all though he got the gist of the situation, this women as a former Jedi shadow that had been discharged from service, her story sounded like someone his mother new by the name of maple.

Said women was looking for help in tracking down a crime boss of sort for reasons he was not sure or didn't catch from the girl herself, Tana having to look to Matus to see her own answer to the question. "If Matus is willing to help then so am I, it's kind of nice to help out a fellow shadow Jedi, even if they are a former one", even if he had become part of the shadows due to past life as an assassin and not so much it being a personal choice. "So who is this crime boss you are talking about anyways? seems like an dangerous person".

[member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Laertia Io"]

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia smiled at both [member="Matsu Ike"] and [member="Tanaski Yumi"]. Her grin was toothy, and as the wind blew back her Moe-Cut, it revealed the scars across an otherwise pretty face, her dark gray left eye bearing a sheen in the light that gave away it as cybernetic. When she moved her left arm, the subtle sound of moving parts revealed its artificial nature.

The phantom pain started up in her mechanical arm again and her natural one clamped down on it. It did not come with the migraine but it required her full strength in her organic arm to steady it.

"Sahry. Duh arm actz up nowz end aginz." she explained hastily, praying a migraine would not come, cursing that she had forgotten her medication.

"Az fer yuh kweschun, Knyght Yoomee, Darkmite iz...iz..."

Laertia stopped, steadied herself a moment fighting off the the sudden anxiety attack.

"Darkmite wuz alwayz a grayd A peece 'uh' chit. Wen hez wuz twunny hee alweady kontrolled too hole blocz onn 'Shaddaa wit an irun fyst. Hez a shahk swimmin' in dahk waterz, waitinz for evin duh fayntest sign 'a' chum. But...he wuz neva dhis kwazy buhfer. Duh ally'yince guy dhat wahlked up tuh meez sayz hez gottenz intuh alkemi andz whatnotz. Thatz why hez been takin' duh fatz fromm hiz rivalz sinnce comin' tuh dhis planetz. But see. No onez knowz wher' hez hid on Corellia. Dhatz wer I come inz..." she said, an almost childlike excitement coming over her as the intense pain in her cybernetic limb stopped. "Wun 'a' hiz 'Sosseeutz likez magic...and I'm a street magician dheez dayz. I jus found out dhat dhis frennd 'a' Dyson iz headinz tuh muh show laytuh dhis evenin'. Best chanz tuh getz uss a lead on Dyson, an' what he wantz...Dyson alwayz haz a plan. Tinks ten stepz ahedz, he doz..." Laertia finished. "But I knowz dhis bastahd. Hez smart, but git' im' in duh ryte spot...he'll fold. He alwayz foldz when he knowz hez cornered." Io asserted. "Muh showz in a few hourz...plenty 'a' tyme tuh set a trappy-trap fer' wun 'o' hiz sneaky sneaks..."

Laertia smiled a little but then soon started staring at the ground. She brushed her hair from her face and tried not to look too nervous because this was her first actual mission and she didn't want to look like a fool, but she was still having great difficulty with eye contact, so nervous doing something for Jedi again.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Laertia Io"]

Matsu listened and.... got some of it. SHe was more then glad to help though and noticing the artificial limbs it was something of a story she might be able to learn about. The jedi master turned to look at Tana who was also in for this when she started to walk. "Then we should head out and start planning, if we can get some of the information about where he is then we can start formulating a plan to better improve our positions." She knew for infiltration she could work on it and cover them with illusions to conceal themselves or if they were going into a combat scenario. SHe offered a hand for the girls shoulder to make them a team with a nod of her head. "We'll handle this and then maybe I'll make some cake."

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

The explanation from [member="Laertia Io"] was quite informative and also gave Tana a gauge at the real problem the under city was facing it made more sense for why Jedi were needed in this matter. "Wait so were are helping you take down some crime boss that has access to magical or force type things that give people powers"? "Just making sure, because that actually sounds like a possibly large threat, also a bit fun, kind of interested to see what we may be up against". The new question was where to start, "I assume you have an idea of where to check out first"? he asked the somewhat speech impaired women, rolling his eyes at Wu wanting to make cake. "Another thing, you want me to have a look at your arm? my older sister is a cyborg and I often help here with small repair to her mechanical limbs, seems yours needs a little care and spurs up". At least that is what he assumed it to be by the women's reaction.

[member="Laertia Io"]

 

[Laertia Io]

"Well...I dunno iff all dhis fatz steelin iz gyvin Darkmite powahs...but peopul arr turninz upp dedz...yooz myte acshully bee onn ta' sumthin..." Laertia mused, though she was greatly relieved they would both be helping. And [member="Matsu Ike"] had mentioned Cake. Laertia was a fan of carrot cake, due to her aformentioned love of rabbits. She wondered if Matsu knew how to make it. She'd ask later. They had more important things to do. [member="Tanaski Yumi"] asked if she could help with her arm and Laertia shook her head.

"Nyce 'o' yooz ta' offa, Knyte Yoomee...but wat I gotz can't bee fyxed wit' sum toon-upz...duh daamyge iz purrmuhnint. Inn duh brainz. Mygranes 'n' fantum paynes fer' duh rest 'o' my lyfe." Laertia explained as she began to walk, to lead the pair back to her ship so they could discuss the next phase of the plan.

"Muh shipp ain't much...but itz home--"

Someone screamed on the street next to her and Laertia teleported about thirty meters to her left, waving at Tanaski and Matsu as to where she was.

A civilian woman, laying flowers at a makeshift memorial of a building that had been destroyed during the recent invasion had found a duffle bag close to some rubble from the building. Thinking it suspicious she had opened it--

--and found a well dressed human corpse, almost mummified looking. His face was one of agony and strange markings were on his face.

Laertia grimaced as the local police told everyone to get away, though they let her stay, thinking her a Jedi. She didn't correct them as she examined the corpse.

"Yeah...itz Syth magic alwight...but what's the purpose?" She muttered.

"Thats Boss Razon of the Exchange...he was one of the most protected thugs on Corellia..." a nearby cop noted. "His skyscraper was a damn fortress..."

"Not fortressy enuff it lookz lyke..." Laertia muttered dryly, hoping the Jedi Matsu might make sense of the goal of this magic...

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Laertia Io"] [member="Tanaski Yumi"]

Matsu was listening and trying to figure out a few ideas and plans when she saw the woman teleport and that raised her eyebrow more then anything. Few in the galaxy knew the technique and she seemed to do it without tiring.... something impressive and that she would want to learn more about... the way she focused and saved energy... the technqiue she knew different versions of it while moving quickly. "What is...." She was looking at ti and a partially mummified corpse was something difficult to see or understand. She tapped her chin and focused on the force itself so she would be able to see some other parts of it. "It klooks like someone was trying to use him to power an object or power source." She was curious about it checking it all out as she reached out with the force itself.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

Tana had seem quite a few interesting and down right absurd force powers in his time, but instant teleportation was not one of them. The way [member="Laertia Io"] performed the action was so smooth, with little effort, it as just 'poof' she was there. No doubt a skill for a shadow Jedi, having the power to literately appear next to your target and vanish just as fast, perhaps she'd be willing to teach him in time, but right now they needed to investigate the screams.

With no hesitation Tana followed Matus to the scene of the crime, his eye instantly being drawn to the lifeless corpse in the bag, listening to the information thrown about by the other two Jedi and police. "Power yes, it seems like the mans energy was completely sucked out of him", the texture of their skin being similar to victims of energy drain, by either and vampire of dark side force user. "But why this man? and why put him in a bag in the middle of the street, unless this is some sort of message... wait a duffel bag, it is a physical object, I could use Phycochemisty to find out where it has been recently, if I have permission that is".

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia Io looked at the corpse.

"Cantz bee no morez dhan a dayy ded, att mostt." Laertia observed distantly. Darknite had gotten sick...plenty sick...

Once upon a time, such a thing would have made Laertia run. She'd developed a keen instinct for survival by ten years of age, and knew to stay away from corpses and not take anything from them. Because more often than not what had made that corpse might still be lurking.

After Ursula had...acquired her...Laertia had made so many corpses it was rare for her not to be around one afterward.

"Yeah, sure, take a look, Jedi." The cop told [member="Tanaski Yumi"] in confirmation, stand aside.

Laertia backed off, still staring at the drained corpse. [member="Matsu Ike"] believed he was powering something with living tissue. Laertia, by no means an alchemist, wasn't sure.

She knew Darkmite. Darkmite liked to send messages. He'd left the corpse at a memorial site...he respected nothing, and she knew and understood criminal mindsets, having been a criminal herself: Darkmite was staking a claim to corellia, and killing the local crime boss was a sign he was ready to start taking in territory. Laertia had always wanted to open the bastard's throat on Nar Shaddaa but he had paid well for his little jobs. So much so, she decided she would lose more than she'd gain killing him.

Plus, she'd always felt a strange hesitance towards finding and offing him afterward. Perhaps it was a twisted gratitude...without that job, she'd have never met Ursula...

Still...the gratitude had long since worn out, especially since it seemed Darkmite had gone full blown loony animation character with these antics...as far as Laertia was concerned, he was just another dark side worshipper to put to the sword. As she had been taught.

The teen awoke aboard small, clean quarters on what she figured to be a yacht. She'd robbed yachts before. She was familiar with the type of rooms they had.

The teen spotted a tray with food. She sniffed it, took out her trench knife, cut a small piece of the vegetable she spotted, nashed it against her teeth and did not swallow. It was an old army technique for detecting poisoned food. She waited fifteen minutes, waiting for signs of numbness or drowsiness, or swelling in the gums. Cautiously, she swallowed it after another five minutes of waiting, waited another ten minutes before she took another bite. Then cautiously took a sip of what appeared to be plain water. She waited ten minutes before swallowing the sip she had taken. No adverse affects.

The teen began to eat the food and drink the water. She looked for her lupara, found it resting on the stand. She picked it up, checked its ammo. The shells had been removed.

"I left you with the knife. But it seemed unwise to leave you with ammo in your shotgun."

The teen wheeled around. The Jedi was standing there, still in her sterile white combat suit, arms folded behind her back. The teen had not heard her enter.

"Your meal's getting cold."

"Yooz a sneeky-sneekin sortz." The teen noted, unsmiling. Dark gray eyes stared into icy blue ones.

The Jedi gave a small smile and nod of acknowledgement.

"I'd have to be, given that I'm a Jedi Shadow."

"Wutz dhat?"

"I'm a specialized warrior of the Jedi Order..." the Jedi explained. "We hunt and eliminate threats from The Dark Side before they become an even bigger problem than they already are."

"Yooz a triggar-pulla..." The teen surmised.

The Jedi frowned. "A gross over-simplification."

"Wut yoo dooz happenz inn duh streetz evuhreydayy. Itz called ryvall-killin." The Teen responded firmly. "I seez hoodz doin' dhat all duh tyme. Wutevahz itz purrpuss iz, ennd reesoltz duh sayme."

The purple skinned Twi'lek woman raised an eyebrow. The girl was surprisingly cynical. Cautious too.

"Do you have a name?"

"Wee all gotz us a nayme. Yoo foyst."

The Jedi nodded again. "Fair enough. My name is Sandraven. Ursula Sandraven."

(Clip of Bond Theme plays)

"Dhatz a purty nayme." The teen observed, wondering what would happen.

Ursula took a few, cautious steps forward.

"Your name?" She asked.

"Io. Laertia Io"

"Is that your real name?" Ursula asked, knowing full well a professional criminal wouldn't give up her true name on the first question.

"Itt iz now, Sistuh."

"Do you know your real name, Laertia?"

"Gotz ridd 'o' itz..." Laertia answered. "Wun musst looze a nayme, wunce 'n' a whilz. Forrgetz whooz dhey wuz, buhcomez sumbuddy else..."

Laertia watched with interest as a strange expression, almost like a passing shadow went over Ursula's face. It was gone as quick as it appeared.

"I can relate..." Ursula said softly.

"Where wee hedin' tordz?" Laertia asked, taken a small, tentative step forward.

"Dantooine..."

"Long wayz off, Sistuh. Wutz a grass woruld gotz dhat 'Shaddaa dontz?" Laertia asked with a frown, folding her arms.

"Laertia..." Ursula said, leaning against a wall. "Do you know why I have brought you aboard my ship?"

Laertia took on a pouting expression.

"Dhat wuz yuh termz. Yooz beet mee fare 'n' squarez...I honorz muh deelz, nuthin' morr."

Ursula smiled a little wider.

"A wise policy. I can respect that. No one likes a deal breaker."

Ursula cleared her throat.

"Laertia...you have the Force...and I believe that power within you can be turned to a constructive purpose..." Ursula explained. "I want to evaluate you. Give me a few days to explain the Jedi...and if, after three days, you still aren't interested, I will return you to Nar Shaddaa. Or anywhere you like."

Laertia shrugged.

"Yorr moneyz 'n' tyme, Sistuh, not myne..." Laertia said with blunt honesty. She could escape any time she wanted. She'd never met a place yet that could hold her...



It was funny to Laertia how quickly she had gone from calling Ursula Sister to Master...

"Eh, Knyght Yoomee? Wut impressionz you got?" Laertia asked as she stood back from the crime scene.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Laertia Io"]

Matsu was listening to the force around the crime boss.. the grisly display something she was wondering about but the girl seemed to be drifting off while the jedi master herself closed her eyes. Not needing to see it to remember it... no she wanted to hear what Tana thought while moving around and feeling out where they might have gone or where they might have come from. The scents and her senses being enhanced with the force as she started to track and follow the lingering scents on the body. Whoever had been moving it had left something and it was there under it all... clinging while she started to track and search for the course they might have to take next.