Private To Hell and Back

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

Eyrecae followed Kaida out of the apartment block. It was quiet out in the streets. A little further down a smoking speeder sat amongst some detritus.

As they emerged a gendarme approached. This one was a Vash, with a Xioquo offsider. "Citizen, this block is still under lockdown. I urge you to return to your residence."

Eyrecae looked to Kaida. "A compliment for your duty, officer, Seraph Taldir can be trusted, I feel."
The Vash peered closer. "The Seraph Taldir?" she asked curiously.
"There is none other like her," Eyrecae said cheekily.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

And so Kaida gathered her party and went forth. Presumably Lavina was there too and her writer would provide dialogue for her in their reply because it would be rude to forget about her. Regardless, they ran into two gendarms. They were Vigiles, members of the nomad fleet's police force. They were a rather militarised outfit and clad in riot police gear. Curiously, one was a wood elf, the other a drow. At least they were sensible enough to look past their races' history of animosity instead of dragging old quarrels into the stars.

Kaida liked Tygarans a good deal more than Eldorai. She had the feeling that Eyrecae was making fun of her. Probably because she had not been allowed to stuff herself with her refrigerator's contents. "Yes," she said simply. "What's the situation? How bad did it get?"
"You'll have to go ask my Captain if you want a full report. The short version is multiple cases of arson, some looting and attacks on citizens in the street. Things are quiet now, but we're not taking any chances."
"Any deaths?"
The Vashyada looked a bit uncomfortable. "One rioter confirmed dead in this block from a rubber slug."
"They got a warning and would not heed it," the Xio insisted. He was a male. "They were like wild warg."
"You did your duty," Kaida interjected, cutting him off.

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir
Lavina was there. She said nothing as Kaida spoke, but after the Xio made his confession she sighed slightly. "We all have to do things we need to do. Don't feel bad."
"Lead the way to this captain," Eyrecae said.

Passing through the streets they were led to the local HQ of the Vigiles. The building was surrounded by guards but they parted to let them through. The Captain looked harried, seeming to have been up all night. As they entered they were on an animated commlink discussion.
"...I understand that, Justicar. However, we can't let this one incident affect our response. We have to maintain order." Pause. "Very well, ma'am. Good day."
She flopped back in her seat before realising there were visitors. "Officer Naryana? Who is this?"

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

Last night's ruckus had left its mark on the district. Security was tight at the local Vigiles' precinct. There was some commotion inside the building. Most civilians had been turned away, but a couple could be seen at the reception. "...Your wife was detained under the Public Order Regulations," a tired looking secretary was saying.
"My wife has been a citizen for three years. We're both Forsaken. And she was beaten in the streets by a thug in uniform."
"I cannot provide information on individual cases. Every case is being investigated."
"I need to see her."
"We aren't allowing visits at the moment. You are aware that a lockdown is in effect?"
"So is this is what the Shadows have come? Shooting and locking up honest Eldorai exercising their rights as citizens?"
"She has not been locked up; she has been detained. Her detention will be lifted pending conclusion of the investigation."
"This is a miscarriage of..."
"Citizen, I must ask you to leave," the receptionist cut him off, having reached her limit. "You're holding the others up. Return to your home, calm down, and await a clarification of the situation."

Kaida shook her head as she walked past. Inside the office, they found a similary harried looking Captain. There were dark rings under her eyes and her hair looked disordered. Kaida caught the tail-ed of the animated commlink chat. "Seraph Taldir, Court of the Four Elements," Kaida said curtly. Under the Shadows' system, different facets of society were organised into bodies called Courts. Part government department, part guild, they organised a certain sphere of life, but also gave their members a say in governance.

The Court of the Four Elements governed the Force-Users. Kaida's and Lavina's place in this Court was somewhat ambiguous since they had lost their Sciia. However, this had all happened a day ago and the Court's bureaucrats had more pressing matters to deal with. "I led the mission on Kaeshana. I was caught up in last night's riots and need information on them. People I worked with may have been targeted."

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

The Captain leaned forward slightly. "Oh, I see," she said somewhat tiredly. "You'll forgive me for saying, but I've heard about nothing else since that mission since yesterday, but no one's been able to say what happened. I don't especially care for the full details, but there's enough rumours flying around to sow a lot of chaos."

She looked at her computer. "Right, give me the names and locations and I'll see what I can find, Seraph."
Lavina took the opportunity to give the block where Siona was staying.
"Some disturbances around there, but nothing serious. Area is in lockdown still, but you can get in with your friend's rank.
"My sister," Lavina replied.
"Right...."

Eyrecae meanwhile headed out of the room and wandered through the halls. Everywhere she saw weary officers, resentful citizens and angry prisoners.
"Hey, what are you doing back here?" a Sergeant demanded, walking forward.
"I am with Seraph Taldir, for she is talking with your Captain right now."
"Oh, right. Well, if you're not otherwise employed we're always looking for volunteers."
Eyrecae looked down at herself, then up. "A kind offer, t'will consider it," she said, strolling off.

Kaida Taldir

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

"Here." Without further ado, Kaida slipped a list with names over. Brak'Vrasz, Morwen and the other Forsaken the Shadows had rescued from Kaeshana were being accommodated in a district until more permanent lodgings could be found. Once that was the case, they would probably be distributed across the Defiance and the rest of the rag-tag fleet.

Further down, she had written the block Telara and Tryana were staying in. Far as she knew, her student was crashing at Telara's place after having had an altercation the prevous night. In contrast to Siobhan, Kaida's handwriting was actually readable.

Meanwhile, Eyrecae had been making friends among weary police officers. However, just as she left, she happened upon the gentlemen from earlier, who had been dismissed by the receptionist. "Excuse me, ma'am. You are with Seraph Taldir?" he asked, approaching her. "I saw you at the reception. Please, you must help me. My wife's been locked up. They won't me see her. But she did nothing wrong!"

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

The Captain took her paper and read it. She set to work on her computer.
"Okay, so I see reports that there were certainly disturbances but no deaths, injuries or arrests by any any with those names." A pause. "Wait, there is a Kar'zun named Brak'Vrasz who was involved in an altercation with several assailants. Report says here that he was attacked, but engaged in self defence." She frowned. "He is being held in protective custody it says. I'll give you the details if you'd like?"
"Protective custody, is that normal?" Lavina asked.
"Not uncommon, I can't comment on the case without further information. Is there anything more?"

Eyrecae had been minding her business when the man approached.
"I am indeed in the retinue of the most illustrious Seraph Taldir," Eyrecae said grandly. She listened to his plight. Her initial reaction would have been 'that sounds like quite a problem, but not mine'. However, she felt that was a bit unworthy of her.
"I shall endeavour to ask. I fear no promises as to the efficacy of my inquiries can be made," she said.
The Eldorai was staring at her a bit, but seemed thankful.
"What is her name, citizen?" she asked as she headed towards the desk.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

Kaida's expression was stony enough that it could have passed for a Kar'zun. Deep down, she felt annoyed. "Yes," she said laconically when the Vigiles Captain asked whether she wanted the details. She felt Lavina giving her a look, suppressed a sigh. Protective custody had its purpose, but it was doubtful that a Kar'zun needed protecting. "If he defended himself, why's he in custody?"

Presumably the Eldorai male had not met a Shadow Knight with such a...colourful way of expressing herself. "Thank you, thank you so much," he exclaimed when she finally stopped being wordy. "Her name is Yaereene Cailar."

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

The Captain handed over a sheet of flimsy with the location of the prison written on it.
"He is in protective custody in case he is targeted again. I cannot comment any more," she said. "Now, Seraph, I have a lot to do, so I wish you good day."

Taking the name Eyrecae headed to the desk. "An individual by the name of Yaereen Cailar is being held here. Might I not know what they are here for, and might I talk with her?"
It was a long shot, but Eyrecae looked significantly more authoritative than the civilian and perhaps some of Kaida's authority would transfer down the line to her.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

Kaida took the sheet. "Let's go," she told Lavina. "Where's Eyrecae?" she wondered as they stepped out of the office. Apparently the primordial Eldorai had wandered off somewhere. Kaida was on the clock though and did not feel like playing search.

The receptionist had been about to get up to head for her break, when a big, strong warrior woman suddenly loomed over her. Suffice to say Eyrecae looked a lot more authoritative than a civilian - and a maleling at that. "What...oh, my apologies," she flushed with embarrassment when she realised it was not another civilian.

"Is this an official request?" she straightened. Reluctantly, she accessed her computer and scrolled down until she found the name. "Oh, that one. She's held under the Public Order Act, pending conclusion of the investigation. Look, I just run the desk here. If you want an interview, there are channels go through. You have to fill out the formula, for one." The Shadows might be a bunch of space nomads living on motley ships, but they could not escape the fact that they were elves and thus legalists.

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

Eyrecae glanced down at the forms. She was not great at paperwork, an irony considering she was progenitor of a race which was quite - though not the most - given to legalism. She seemed to pause a moment.
"Can I speak to the responsible officer then? These forms I shall fill in, certainly, but questions I have for them before I do. This aid would be greatly appreciated," she said with a smile.

Lavina meanwhile seemed to consider asking her sister to wait for Eyrecae, but then seemed to reconsider and followed her out. She sent the primeval woman a message though giving details of where they were heading.

The Worldship was not big, per se, but it was multilayered. So, to get to where they needed to they had to drop a few levels down, make their way through several roadblocks or checkpoints and then on.

Finally they came to a true fortress of a structure, and one of the very few on the worldship set apart from other structures to prevent easy access. A heavy guard awaited out the front.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

The receptionist suppressed a sigh and resisted the urge to check her chronometre. This was supposed to be her coffee break. The office had strict rules on that sort of thing "If they are not too busy, yes. Now I'm sure you understand that I have more...work to attend to."

Meanwhile, Kaida and Lavina had made their way down several levels, and past various checkpoints. They had to show their ID a couple times. Eventually, they reached a fortified structure. Guards were on patrol.

Most were Vigiles, but Kaida spotted a couple soldiers kitted out in full armour. They carried themselves as soldiers. These had to be the Defenders. A few soldiers were clad in heavy power armour. They felt like voids within the Force. But it was not they who commanded the Taldirs' attention. A large, heavily armoured being approached them. Its shape was broadly humanoid, but its skull and the rest of its body were made of metal. It had a Sciia presence, but it felt...warped.

Kaida clamped down on a strange feeling of unease. Those who had volunteered to become Guardians had made the ultimate sacrifice, yet she could not quite shake off the feeling of wrongness. Neither Kaida nor Lavina were short, but the Sciiac Guardian towered over them. "State your name, position and the purpose of your visit," the Sciiac Guardian said in a dull monotone.
At least it had allowed her to compose herself. "Seraph Taldir, Court of the Four Elements," Kaida replied, handing over her papers. "Here to see Brak'Vrasz. He's in protective custody."

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

Eyrecae grinned. Sadly this version lacked fangs, so the effect was less so than an alternate version of hers. "Of course, thank you for your work."

She headed down the corridor, taking the information and knocked on the door to an office. The Sergeant inside looked up.
"Yes? Who are you?"
"Eyrecae, adjunct to Seraph Taldir. Asking after a Yaereene Cailar. The receptionist said I might ask you what happened?"
"Hmmph, did she? Well it's quite simple. She was told to disperse along with a crowd of others. She said seditious statements and refused to move. One of my officers went to take hold of her and she attempted to strike them. Open and shut case. Now, she'll likely get fined and paroled, but she's staying here for now."
"Interesting. Thank you."
The good deed done, Eyrecae headed out to find the husband.

The Guardian did not move. "Your request is being considered, Seraph. Please wait." A moment, and then it stepped aside with heavy footfalls. "You may enter. Cell 18. Guardian Tavara will escort you."

A second Guardian, though this one painted with a lower rank, appeared and started to lead the way. Many beings were in here, mostly elves of course, but some from outside the Worldship who had either committed crimes against the Shadow Knights or been captured by them to ransom or interrogate.
"Please, miss, help me!" one cried, a pretty looking Twi'lek. The Guardian paid no heed, but Lavina paused just a second before hurrying on.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

The husband was waiting outside. The receptionist was probably happy that he was not interrupting her coffee break, too. Another receptionist had taken her spot in the interim. This one was a male Xio. Judging by the crowd outside, he and his colleague would be occupied for a while. Upon catching sight of Eyrecae, he immediately approached her. "You're back? Did you see her? Will they let her out soon?" he asked hopefully.

xxx

Twi'leks were commonly stereotyped as whores. This was, of course, racist and said more about the bigot applying the label than its intended recipient. Kaida saw something else when she heard the Twi'lek's bleating. Perhaps the woman deserved to be here, perhaps not. It was not her concern. But Twi'leks were what the Eldorai could end up as if they did not pull through. There were individual Twi'leks who were strong and made it in the galaxy, but there was no independent Twi'lek nation or even a movement that stood up for them.

Their leaders, whether honest or avaricious, had been bought by foreigners and Ryloth was a colony that was handed down from one empire to the next. It was only known for slaves, strippers and spice. And the Twi'leks who succeeded in life had been deracinated. Even the fetishisation of Twi'lek lekku and Eldorai ears was a commonality. She pushed these thoughts away and pressed on.

Finally they reached Cell 18. None of the cells were luxurious hotel rooms, but it was located in the section with a better class of accommodations, compared to the one they had just left. "There. You may speak to him," the Guardian spoke. Unlike the Guardian from earlier, the tone of voice was less dull. It sounded vaguely feminine. "I will be waiting outside."

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir
Eyrecae held up her hand to still him.
"Seems they say she was saying things she shouldn't and tried to hit an officer. T'wouldn't let me in to see her, but that's what I can get. I do however have this lovely form for you to fill in to see her."
Offloading bureaucracy was something she very much approved of. Doubtless this would not be all the man wanted, but Eyrecae was not being paid enough to be some sort of hero for justice of all.

XXX

Lavina and Kaida entered the cell. It was a specially built one to contain a Kar'zun. How else could one keep captive a being which could eat stone and metal? To this end the entire room was sheathed in an energy field a few electrons thick...but enough to resist the most titanic of strength so long as the power lasted.
The Kar'zun was sitting casually on the floor. He looked up when they entered.
"The sistren return, why? Concern for myself, or concern for their course? The stonehewers have not forgotten, they would break this one to dust to stop the truth."

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

The Eldorai male looked just a bit deflated. No one liked dealing with paperwork. "Oh, I see," he said, sounding a bit disappointed. "And she was only defending herself," he insisted. "Anyway, I shall go...fill this out. I thank you nonetheless, Warrior."

xxx

The Kar'zun was wordy and used language. Imprisonment had not changed that. Kaida was, usual, considerably less verbose. The fact that he had been placed in a cell meant to contain Kar'zun made the claim that he had put in custody for his own protection a bit questionable. "Have you been maltreated? Do you know when you'll be released?" she asked, rather than replying to Brak's question. Perhaps because his last words hit harder than she wanted to admit.

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir

Eyrecae nodded and stretched. She realised she had no idea where Kaida and Lavina was. She pulled up her commlink.
Lavina's comm beeped - after all calling Kaida was often an exercise in terse futility.
"Eyrecae? Where did you get to?"
"T'was doing my service to the community. You?"
"Likewise, I suppose. We're at the special containment facility. Here's the location." She sent a ping to the elder.
"I shall see you there."

Brak'vrasz looked stoic. "They have not mistreated me. For my own protection I am here, it is said. It is said that my case is being reviewed. By whom I know not. But I warn you, Taldir of ice, an enemy we have both made through our searching. Beware of the sign of the laced circles, that is their sign."

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

Kaida's expression remained stoic enough that it could pass for that of a Kar'zun...if she had been bigger and made of stone. She glanced at Lavina. The symbol did not ring a bell, but she had not been a Shadow for that long. Lavina had been one since the Exodus, so maybe it would be more familiar to her.

Her icy blue eyes turned back to Brak'Vrasz. "Can you describe your attackers?" she paused, considered. "While you're here...who's in charge of your people?" There was, after all, the potential that the Harrowed might not take their leader's incarceration well and suspect a plot.

 

[Eyrecae Alzari]

Kaida Taldir
Lavina looked a little puzzled, shrugged. "I don't know who or what that might refer to," she admitted. She wished the Kar'zun would be a bit more...well...upfront. Some people liked to be mysterious, but she suspected the Kar'zun was not doing it to be infuriating, just because he was on another plane of reality sometimes.

"Macrina will lead in my absence. She knows much, but hates more. It must be ensured that she does not act rashly...."

"The throng were armed civilians, knowlessmen who act out of anger and fear. The instigators were three, their casual attire too carefully chosen to be true. All three Sciians, though none used their spirits to assail me, but I sensed them. Their faces covered, two males, one female."
Brak'Vrasz stared at Kaida and reached to a spot on his massive body where several deep cuts were newly etched on his stony body.
"The shape of the old weapon. The staser."
That would be a curious detail. Very few people used the staser anymore; not unless they were completely out of options...or used them out of pride.

Eyrecae meanwhile headed towards the special containment unit. However, as she was passing near she heard a sound. Her keen ears received what sounded like a click.
Acting on instinct, not knowing why but giving in to it, she turned and ducked. Thus the shot aimed for her head merely scored the pavement behind her. Diving forward, she rolled into cover behind a parked speeder. The curfew being in force there was no one around, though looking up she saw faces looking from windows above. Several were open, there was no sign of the shooter.
She grinned. This was better than bureaucratic nonsense. "Lavina, Kaida, someone just tried to assassinate me. Be warned...." Still crouched she looked at the mark on the road, frowned. That didn't look like a blaster bolt....

 

[Kaida Taldir]

Eyrecae Alzari

So a lunatic is in charge, Kaida did not like flowery speech. It vexed her greatly. "Stasers. Idiots," she remarked icily. Few used them these days, unless they were really desperate or stubborn. A Stormtrooper could be bombarded with Staser shots and be completely unharmed, unless one struck a weak spot. On the other hand, their general inefficacy meant that Staser ownership was poorly regulated. It was the law that every household had to own a weapon, but it had to be registered. Few bothered with Stasers though.

Her comm beeped as Eyrecae's message came through. "Take prisoners," Kaida spoke into the device. She did not ask how Eyrecae was doing or whether she was hurt. The primeval Eldorai had been able to find the time to call them and did not sound like she was in pain. Besides, she could regenerate anyway. Kaida was not the type to make token queries.

In this moment there was a knock on the cell door. "Your time is almost up," a mechanical voice informed them. Clearly the guards were not big on letting visitors chit-chat with detainees for long.
"We're finished soon," Kaida grunted irritably. "I'll ask the administration to let you call your people. Keep them from doing something rash," she told Brak.