Private The Pillars Of Wisdom

[Jamie Pyne]

The door swung open, though just as it did and she stepped forward, her senses pulled her attention ever so briefly to the sight of one girl she had strictly warned to stay put instead doing the exact opposite, before disappearing out of sight behind the side of the home. There was no time to chase after her, no time to argue with her. What was the point really? She hadn't listened the first time. Blue eyes turned back to the men now before her, standing at the far end of the room. They had surrounded someone, presumably the girl's father, seated him uncomfortably in a chair and beckoned for his daughter.

It appeared that anyone else in the home had yet to make an appearance. That was good at least. Less complications. Though Jamie suspected that would not last, given the ruckus being caused.

They would however likely hear Jamie barge in, her footsteps anything but quiet.

If they hadn't, well, they would most certainly hear the sound and see the glow of her lightsaber as her thumb slid over the ignition, drawing the blade once again. Her arm stretched outward, directing the beam towards who she presumed to be the man in charge.

"She's not here. And you need to leave, now."

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Juniper hurriedly pried open the window, wiggling through with grace that bespoke of many hours of practice. Her stint in the duct work was just the start of what she considered to be her growing sleuthing skill set, and that had been on unfamiliar ground. This was her home.

She heard the heavy steps storm up the stairs, moving for the doors she suspected her mother might have already locked. Nothing good ever came knocking in the middle of night. She winced at a flash of guilt, creaking the bathroom door open.

"Jedi," spat Velg, Tav's number one man. He stood besides her father, gun in hand. He had questions, duh, but Juniper knew the man's usual go to was a much less civil than wordy threats. He stood unaffected before Jamie, though it was the other two that took a step back or otherwise paused.

The forth and final could be heard banging upstairs.

Juniper's pale face could be seen peeking through the eyes flowing the old copper light swinging over the man's head.

"So much for spice seller, eh?" He laughed between the others. He turned serious in a heart beat, the gun pressed to her father's head. "I suggest you get out of here before you do something you regret."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

One might think that anyone who knew anything about Jedi or Sith knew better than to try the old 'point and shoot' approach. Deep blue eyes glared towards Velg. Her ears picked up on the banging of the door above her. There was little she could do about that at the moment. Sadly, she had not perfected the art of being in two places at once.

Jamie, for a moment, looked passed the men before her, into the hallway of the home, whereupon she could see Juniper standing, watching.

"I think not." She said, whilst her right hand snapped forward, curling into a fist and tugging through the air. Invisible tendrils of Force energy wrapped around the man's blaster, prying it free and sailing it into her now open hand in a mere second, perhaps before she had even finished speaking the words.

The lightsaber, still ignited, inched forward as she took another step towards the three men.

"Put down your blasters if you would like to walk out of here with all your limbs attached. I'm not going to ask again."

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

The first man hurriedly dropped his blaster, hands raised as his compatriots shot him looks filled with betrayal and disgust.
Up above them, a male voice screamed. Sounds of a scuffle occurred.... And soon a teenage boy was manhandled down the stairs in a choke hold, a gun to his temple.
The second man, still holding his blaster, barely hesitated, then shot dead at Jamie's head. Juniper startled, her hand lashing out and pulling at the light dangling over Velg's head. The attempt was so strong, fueled by the chaos and the fright, even the wires came out as the fixture came to crash on Velg's head.
All occurring in a matter of seconds.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie heard the scream, heard the scuffle, and from the corner of her eye watched as the boy was dragged down the stairs, similar to that of his father, blaster trained against his head. There was little she could do, as the other member of the cartel simply refused logic and opted for stubbornness instead. Instinct pulled at her, and the saber was drawn low into a guard, deflecting the shot straight back into the man whom fired it, scorching skin and rendering his firing arm as useful as wings on a bantha.

A scream poured from his mouth, but before Jamie or anyone else could react further, suddenly there was a pop! The light exploded, electricity snapping at the air as open circuits drew breath and quickly faded, leaving the room in darkness, save for Jamie's lightsaber as the light shattered over Velg.

"I did warn you, did I not?" She lamented. Ordinarily she would simply kill the lightsaber and leave them in the dark, but Jamie knew she needed to ensure she was the target, so that if this last one had any inclination to start shooting, he would think he had an advantage. Though she could no longer see conventionally, the Force could see for her. The bright yellow blade twisted towards the final man, holding the boy hostage.

"You do realize that if you harm that boy, I will kill all of you. Your only choice is to let him go."

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

The men shuffled blindly, their feeble control over the family shattered as the scene fell out from under them. Juniper grabbed the toilet paper stand and ran out with a war cry, the lights not needed for her to know her way. She had spent many hours sneaking around here in the dark. Behind Jamie was a series of thunks, the two men besieged by iron rod whacking them senselessly.

"Juniper! No! Juniper stop!" Came the panicked cries of her father-- too soft a man to do more than use his feeble night vision to flail at the rescue attempt by his daughter.

The final man's fright was painted clear in the light of the glowing saber, so comical in fact he made the hostage boy appear collected.

His gun clattered to the ground, his hands held up.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

It seemed that precisely half of the men present had sense enough to listen. One of the four much less so. Jamie stepped forward while Juniper proceeded to assault the two others with an improvised club, kicking away the blasters that were dropped to ensure they remained safely out of reach of her would-be killers. Presumably Juniper was the girl's name. She hadn't yet asked it. Hearing the man call her suddenly brought that realization.

"Juniper," Jamie said quietly, tucking the blaster she'd taken from Velg into the side of her pants as she reached and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's okay." She assured, hoping to cease the beatings. It seemed one of them she had knocked out cold, catching him on the side of the head in just the right spot. She could tell not from the sight, but the awkward sort of snoring he was doing. The other held his hands over his face, protecting himself from the assault.

"It's okay." She repeated before turning her attention back to Velg and speaking in a very dark and serious tone. "You four have precisely thirty seconds to drag yourselves out of this home. This one--" She pointed to the unconscious man, "Is going to need some help. I suggest you get a move on. I've already started counting."

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Juniper quaked under the hand, her muscles coiled tight with emotions she hadn't the capability to express. The rod froze in mid air, wavering there for a moment before clattering to the ground. Her brother scrambled to turn on the hallway light, the scene slowly painting itself as the three men obeyed without hesitation and dragged Velg out.

On ran all together, leaving the other two to shuffle out, gazing smoldering.

A tense silence descended upon the home. And then a female voice wobbled atop the steps. "Juniper?"

The girl broke from her reverie, relief flashing through her as she exclaimed, "Mom!" In a very human moment, they ran to embrace, the brother caught up in the panicked hugs and tearful confusion. Rapid apologies fell from Juniper's lips, but it was the father who had the presence of mind to look at the person who had saved them all.

"Thank you," he uttered, voice gruff with shock as he stared at the impromptu jedi. "I-..."

2am. Sudden violence. He stood there in a flustered heap, no words coming to mind.

Juniper was so in trouble.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie looked on silently as the men fled, her weapon active until they were out of the home and she watched them tear off down the road. It was only then that she tucked the lightsaber back into its safe place and looked to the family crowded around one another, words mashing together with sobs and half-finished words.

Her attention settled on the patriarch as he thanked her. The dim light flooding into the room was enough that they could see one another. The blonde dipped her head. "I will give you four a moment. I'll just be outside when you are ready." Jamie knew that following the emotional moment Juniper would get a reaming for not only sneaking out in the dead of night, but for everything that had just transpired because of it. She knew this well, because this had been exactly the type of behavior Jamie had herself as a teenager.

The Jedi stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She made her way to the speeder and picked up the holocron Juniper had stolen before returning to the front steps and taking a seat. She smiled. Despite the hectic adventure, the loss of her cover, and the all around messy situation that surrounded this little artifact, there it was, in her hands after all.

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

It wasn't a moment. It was ten minutes. Then twenty. Nearly a half an hour passed before enough understanding had passed from child to parents... and even then... there was little to say amidst such disbelief.

But eventually, Juniper did come for her, sent out by her parents to atone and invite in. Her face was red and puffy, her gaze only raising enough to find her way as she scattered over to the speeder and gave a soft knock.

"... My parents would like to ask if you will stay," she uttered around the bump in her throat. "It is late and... it would be.... safe. I'msorryokay. We have a bed. Will you... will take it?" She glanced up then, eyes burning with emotion. No was not an option. Juniper had many things to say ... at a more appropriate time.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie looked over at the girl. She couldn't help but empathize. She knew the tone, the look of defeat, the embarrassment. It was as if she were looking at herself a decade and change ago. Besides, she couldn't say no even if she wanted to. Jamie saw her use the Force now, twice. She had questions that needed answering, chief among them why she was after this holocron, and how she even knew about it.

She smiled and spoke to Juniper in a reassuring manner, eyes catching hers. "I would be honored to stay with your family tonight."

The blonde climbed out once again and gestured for the girl to lead on. It was her home after all and Jamie didn't want to impose, or seem rude. She'd only barged in when it was absolutely necessary. Now she was nothing more than a guest and thus would show proper respect to the family. The holocron however she kept in hand, intending to further investigate it later. It would not leave her sight now.

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Relief flashed through Juniper, her expression lightening. She gave the jedi a nodnod, more bounce to the steps that led them back to her house. A glance to the woman's hand left her visibly double-taking. There it was! Suddenly all didn't seem lost. She bit her lip, debating just how many lines she could get away with crossing tonight. She glanced at her front door, still twenty feet away, then whipped out her hand and uttered quickly.

"Thanks, I'll take that back now."

She tried to play it cool, shooting the jedi an anxious look. She totally didn't steal it! She brought it with her! Yeah.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie paused, a dumbfounded expression painting her face as she glared at Juniper in complete disbelief at the words coming from her.

"You'll...What?" She asked, more rhetorical than anything. "No. I think you've done quite enough for one night, wouldn't you agree?" The Jedi gestured with her free hand for Juniper to keep it moving. "We'll talk about this, and everything else, tomorrow. For now, you just worry about getting some sleep and keeping to your bed this evening."

The boldness she exuded was nearly unbelievable. Jamie had never met someone that was as close to an identical match to her teenage years as Juniper was. To her it was like looking into the past; The craziest form of deja vu she could imagine.

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Her mouth worked like a gaping fish-- blubbering disbelief and unexpressed words. Her empty hand tingled at her side, a reminder of just how much she had messed up. Heat flooded her cheeks, the girl soldiering on and shuffling on ahead in. Geeze adults were grumpy tonight. The girl gave her father a reproachful look, but a jerk of his chin sent her right back upstairs, into bed.

Juniper's head hung, small shuffles being taking as she dutifully agreed.


And she had been practicing too!


Morning came. Juniper was up the earliest of them all, not the least bit sleepy as she sat alert and stressed at the kitchen booth. Her mother puttered around the kitchen, a bit of tension to each movement as she prepared a breakfast. Despite the new day, the unresolved problems hung in the air.

Mainly that their teenage daughter kept trying to be a jedi. But also that she had failed.

This was getting out of hand.

She perked a little as her father came down next, an affectionate ruffle being done to her hair.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Morning light pierced the window of the room she stayed in, eyes creeping open slowly as a yawn echoed in the small room. The blonde rubbed her face and reached to her left, feeling the holocron resting where she'd left it she pulled the sheet back over herself. It had been a much more eventful night than she had anticipated, and truth be told she wanted nothing more than to just linger in the comfort of the bed a while longer. Had it been her own place, her own bed, she'd have gone back to sleep.

But it wasn't. And there was still a lot to discuss with everyone.

With a sigh she pulled back the sheets and pushed herself up, hanging her legs off the edge of the bed, still wearing yesterday's clothes. Ew.

Making her way for the door she scooped up the artifact and headed downstairs. The sound of voices congregating in the kitchen directed Jamie to that room, whereupon arriving she smiled to all and took a seat next to Juniper. "Thank you again for the hospitality, ma'am." Her eyes turned to the girl now beside her. "Good morning." She said as she set the artifact onto the table, directly in front of her with a pronounced thud.

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Juniper flinched, giving the artifact a side glance. Her shoulders slumped further, a direct response, as both her parents gave Jamie a much warmer reception. Coffee. Eggs. An 'I hope the bed was alright'. They had every reason to be thankful for the woman who had saved their home and family.

"No doubt we all slept better tonight having you around," came the kind gesture of her father.

Which was another issue all together.

Of course last night wouldn't just be forgotten by Tav. The target on little Juniper's head had irreparably grown quite large. The issues remained in the air, unspoken yet unresolved. For Juniper's part, she didn't look at the jedi, the whole affair turning out to be...

to be...

Well it sucked!

"We owe you more than a few scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, hospitality is all we have to share," the mother sighed, serving Jamie some fluffy fried bread and eggs on the side.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Not paying Juniper a look yet the Jedi smiled to, and responded to her father. "I'm pleased to see you all safe. Juniper warned me you would be in trouble after what had happened, so in that regard she is owed some recognition." Some. Everyone present knew if she hadn't gone off sneaking about in the middle of the night, well, this entire scenario would have been much different. As in, wouldn't have happened at all.

But it was too late to change the past.

There was much to discuss, including the very real reality that just because Jamie had scared the four off the night before, did not mean this would be swept under the rug. Nor could Jamie stay here forever as their personal bodyguard. Some sort of solution would have to come of this, but there were still many other things to discuss in the interim.

"Please, there's no debt to pay. And your hospitality is more than enough." Besides, she was starving, and this smelled delicious. She would be insane to turn down a well cooked meal. Especially when she was anything but a chef herself. She could burn caf if given the chance. Sticking the eggs with her fork she took a moment to indulge in the food before finally setting down the utensil and turning to the still quiet Juniper.

"So." She started, one hand directing the girl's attention to the holocron. "How about you start by telling me what exactly this is, and why you were crawling around the ventilation ducts of a black market cartel exchange looking to steal it?"

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

"You did what-"

"Juniper!"

Came the admonishing gasps of her parents.

Juniper cringed, eyes squeezing closed as she came to face the fact that all beans were about to be spilt whether or not she liked it. And Jamie was suppose to be her friend!

"I um-" She clammed up under the attention, her eyes flickering up once to catch the flabbergasted gasp of her father. Shame flooded her cheeks, her shoulders slumping as she surrendered herself to renewed thrashing.

"I dunno... I heard Velg threatening dad last week for the extra payments-- and then I heard you guys-- thinking about-- selling the business and dad.... going to a work camp for a while to help and-- You just can't do that, those places break people!" She exclaimed, passion fueling her voice. She looked up at them all, imploring for them to see reason.

After a moment she sighed, her shoulders dropping. "I thought if I could sell it it would be enough... And then you wouldn't have to go... and they could leave us alone."

Instead she had achieved the opposite. Her fists clenched, nails biting into her palm as she held back her frustration.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

It dawned on Jamie that perhaps Juniper hadn't relayed quite as much information as she would have expected. Though, then again, why would Jamie expect that? She hadn't so much as listened when she was asked to simply stay put in the speeder. So perhaps it wasn't as unexpected as she first imagined. There was also the angle of not wanting to get in more trouble than absolutely necessary. She knew that angle well enough, that's for sure.

The glimpse into why Juniper was at that exchange was beginning to come to light at least. Something about a debt and methods of payment. From what was being implied it almost sounded as if her father was in danger of becoming trapped in some kind of indentured servitude. Still, what she'd done was beyond foolish and irresponsible. Even if she hadn't been caught, that artifact did not belong anywhere but with the Jedi.

Jamie remained quiet for a few moments, letting the tension hang in the air.

She really wanted to discuss the holocron, however it was now obvious that her family needed to know exactly what had happened.

"I'm here because I spent considerable amounts of time tracking this little device down." She tapped the holocron with her finger, eying Juniper for a moment, before shifting back to her parents. "I posed as a notable spice dealer and got entry to this exchange taking place. One that Juniper here somehow knew about as well." Again she shifted her eyes towards the girl. "I'd hoped to learn who had managed to steal it first, before reclaiming it myself."

The Jedi took another few bites before continuing.

"However, during the talks, your daughter found her way in and caused quite a commotion. A smoke grenade was it? Crafty idea, I will certainly give you that. However it seemed we were both after the same thing, and the one thing I hadn't counted on was a tiny girl with Force abilities trying to steal this artifact from under my carefully planned nose. Unfortunately when I pulled back on it, she fell from the vent and into my lap. To shorten the story, I got us out, I had planned to take her to where I was staying, she warned me they knew who she was, and the rest you were present for."

Jamie took a breath, a sip of water, and another bite of food.

"Now, that's as much as I know in terms of what happened. But I am curious still, do you know what it is you were trying to steal to sell, Juniper?"

Juniper

 

[Juniper]

Juniper seem to glower and grow smaller as each transgression was laid out.

Smoke grenade? Oh that was a big one. The tension in the room tripled at the mention of that. Come to think of it, she didn't like this jedi so much anymore. She didn't like jedi at all. They were horrible people.

Rats.

Said glower was barely tossed sideways towards Jamie as she was addressed, the question lingering in the air. When it became clear little Juniper was deigning not to answer, her mother cleared her throat, the pan banging down with intention on the stove from where the mother had frozen holding it.

The story had been quite the shock.

"I know it's expensive," Juniper finally responded, grumbling into her hair. "And important. And it called to me!" So clearly that made it hers. "How are we suppose to know you aren't lying about being a jedi too? What if she's really a spice dealer mom! What if this is all a trap!"

"Juniper!"