Private Treasures in the Deep

[Brie Jaxx]

Froswythe.

Aside from plain panthers and bandits, the green farmland orb in the Colonies offered little to scare off Brie from hunting for ancient sith holocrons. It would be interesting to see if the rumors on Cato Neimoidia were true. If they were, she would possess one of the most mysterious and sought after relics in the galaxy. Of course, she didn't need it by herself but it would hopefully fetch a good price with the right buyer.

The coordinates were rough but hopefully she would not need to stray to far from the settlement she had landed in with a local shuttle, her own ship being out of order due to reparations needed to be made. A hired Zephyr-G swoop served as her transport from the settlement. It was old and bruised, but cheap and would do the trick of what she could see and assess before the vendor got too impatient to seal the deal.

The morning sun coated the landscape of plains and forrest clearings in its warm and golden light, and the swoop ride went better than expected as she arrived at the foot of a mountain. She made a halt and checked her datapad. In there, in a clearing would the enterance to the cave be hidden. Trowing one last glance backwards making sure no one followed her, she continued at a slow and steady pace into the woods.

Her rugged black space boots hit the ground in front of a formation of huge rocks. Her helmet hang by her belt not needing it as of now. The planet was completely inhabitable, but her spacesuit still offered good protection from scratches, bruises and other stuff that one might end up getting while salvaging. It was rarely just a matter of walking in on a clean and flat floor, warm and cozy all around you and grabbing the stuff that you looked for. Brie grabbed a small backpack from the swoop bike and threw it over her shoulder before venturing into the dark cave. She made an attempt with a handheld flashlight, but soon realised that it was better to use the ones built-in in the helmet, so she put it on.

Tag: Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx​

A scavenge mission? now this was something new

It was a rarity that he ever took these sort of contracts, but this was one too interesting to let go of. The objective was to find an ancient sith holocron, long forgotten in a cave on Froswthe. Such an object always sold for a pretty credit, and the contractor was willing to split the profits once it was retrieved. Anyone with the right mind wouldn't say no to that, and with the skills he had, it sounded more of a cakewalk than an actual challenge.

From Denon, he found the cheapest shuttle available and rattled all the way to the green planet, one which was littered with bandits and crafty figures alike. Cartri was more than happy to get off when the shuttle touched down, almost surprised that the ship didn't break apart on entry from how much it creaked and shook. Nonetheless, at least he got down with everything intact.

The settlement was small and quiet, and the locals seemed to mostly keep to themselves as they went about their daily business. For once, that was actually a problem. Other than a store offering rentable swoops there wasn't really much in terms of transport, without it, the journey would take hours and tire him out before he even got there. Although, luck seemed to be on his side. A farmer, who had a fancy airspeeder was going in the general direction of the objective. At first, the farmer was skeptical about a kid his age going that far into the wild, but after offering him a transfer of credits he said no more. Once the transfer was complete, Cartri jumped in the back and set off into the hilly distance.

Like most missions, Cartri packed light. He brought an old blaster and tools just in case things got hairy, you never know what could go wrong out there. Especially when your out alone. Considering it was hidden in an old ship the tools were sure to come into good use, but the pistol was something of a safety net and an object he wished not to use anytime soon.

"Here will do..." Cartri shouted over to the farmer who slowly brought his speeder to halt, allowing him to quickly jump out and take a step back "Thanks fo-" was the only thing he could say before the old-timer zoomed down the grassy plains, rudely leaving him on the foot of a mountain "What a miserable man" he said to himself with a shake of his head. Slowly facing the forest, he took a quick glance around himself before heading into the lush overgrowth, barging his way through the greenery which had been untouched for many ages.

It didn't take long for him to spot a clearing in the distance, as well as a cave that offered a large hole into the mountainside. From the entrance, it looked deep and spacious, but the darkness ahead may have given it more than it had. Cartri slowly made his way inside the cave system and put a hand in his bag in search of the torch he packed, however, something ahead was already lighting the way.

A figure wearing a costume and a round helmet were making their way down, almost as if they were searching for something within the area. This was not possible, barely anyone knew about this holocron let alone the cave. Yet, out of coincidence, a person was ahead of him searching for presumably the exact same thing. Whoever it was, they certainly weren't going to get what was rightfully assigned to him nor were they going to let him lose out on some serious credit.

Crouching down low, Cartri carefully approached the person and hid behind a rock his hand reaching for the blaster that even he knew he wasn't going to use on lethal. His finger switched the setting to stun as he sat on top of the boulder, while his free hand held a rock the size of a pebble in preparation to gain her attention. Cartri lifted up his rock and lightly threw it at the figure's helmet "Alright fishbowl, I want you to slowly turn around and not make any sudden movements. You got that?" he questioned, making sure she heard as he raised the gun nonchalantly to her upper body

 

[Brie Jaxx]

The sound and feel of the small rock hitting the back of her helmet could have been anything, really. A loose stone from above or some indigenous creature whos home she had just invaded.

"Alright fishbowl, I want you to slowly turn around not make any sudden movements. You got that?"

Instead, she heard the young voice of a boy asking her, or rather demanding her to turn and face him. She could feel the blaster being raised at her. Being held at gunpoint were never really anything you got used to, but while the voice was clear about the demand, it simply wasn't that threatening. However, she did as the boy said and with gentle steps turned around while raising her gloved hands slightly.

They had not gone that far into the cave, so the morning light was still offering them a faint lighted up path. When turned around, she slowly reached for and upened the visor of the helmet, its flashlight shed light on the face that had just threatened her and still did with that old-looking blaster. Brie had met grizzlier faces than this one, to say the least. Still, he held a blaster that she didn't know the settings of and how experienced this boy was with wielding one.

''Who are you calling fishbowl, laserbrain?'' she frowned with a gnarly voice, in response to the little insult.

''You feel like you need that, or what?'' she asked and nodded down to the blaster pointing at her. They were one-on-one and he had the high ground, so if he wasn't a coward he would lower it, she thought. It wasn't like any of the two teenagers were going to rip each other apart, was it?

Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx​

When the figure finally turned it seemed like a flicker of surprise flashed across his face for a brief second, almost not expecting a person of similar age to be all the way down here. The grip on his blaster would loosen from the confidence of her being harmless, but it didn't mean he was going to have some fun first "You, of course. Who else would I be speaking to?" smirked the teen as he kept his blaster on her, just in case she had any more buddies sulking about "I could say the same about that fancy space suit you got on. You do realize there's something called oxygen on this planet? something that allows us to breathe without dressing up like a big headed alien?" Cartri said back in response, his head sometimes looking behind just in case a buddy of hers was going to sneak upon him.

"Tell me, have you come here with anyone else? and please, don't even try and lie. I'd be more than happy to stun you where you stand" he questioned this time in a more serious voice, while in the meantime getting himself comfortable on the rock as he lazily held up the blaster to her "If you have, why haven't they done anything yet, did they accidentally take off their helmets and choke from the more than hospitable air?" along with that he mockingly made a choking sound and put a hand up to his throat, before breaking out into a laugh soon after

Cartri didn't mind messing around, for now, he had more than enough time to go in and retrieve the Holocron within minutes. Although he needed to be cautious of the criminals that were rampant on this planet, it was certainly possible a whole bunch of them could come through the entrance at any moment. At the same time, this place was pretty concealed, so it didn't bother him right now

"As a matter of fact, what are you even doing down here? you certainly haven't come down for nothing..."

 

[Brie Jaxx]

''I'm not a fishbowl!'' Brie said huffily and gave the boy a glare that spoke of her dislike to his consistant messing around. This... boy was far from the kinds of Rajo Sobek or any other brute that she had encountered on her journeys. This one was just really lippy and stup-up that he had the high ground!

Brie listened to the boy with the less golden and more rusty gun. Even if it was old and rusty, it could still pack a punch and a stun bolt was the last thing she would like to be hit with right now, not knowing if this boy would just leave her there and continue wherever he was heading. Thinking of it, he must have been headed on the same treasure hunt that she was on. Why else would he be here on Froswythe, and particularly in this cave?

In frustration, she threw her hands at the buckle of the helmet and unlocked it. Lifting it off, she revealed a blonde and untidy ponytail, a few stray strands falling in her face, before more slowly setting the helmet down beside her on the bare and cold floor of the cave. She rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance to the laugh the boy broke out into.

''Yeah! I do...! It is not the air I'm worried about! I need it to shield off all that bantha fodder that comes out of boys like you!'' she snapped, almost surprising herself with the sassy comeback. Daiya would have been proud, she guessed.

''I'm here alone.'' she continued and gathered herself for a short moment. As always, she did her thing alone and it had worked so far. With more or less minor obstacles in her way, but she had handled them. This big-mouthed comedian was not going to stop her.

''It is none of your business, actually. Well, not before you have put that blaster away, anyway...'' Brie answered on the question what she was doing here, wiping her mouth and nose once.

Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx
​

The teen watches her face to see if there was any hint of her lying, but from the looks of things, the girl was not bluffing. Hesitantly, he lowered his blaster and flipped it into his pocket "Fine then, I'll do it..." smirked the teen as he slowly lowered himself off the rock to stand in front of her. He had to admit, her attitude did remind him of Daiya whose sassy and strict remarks were top tier amongst the galaxy. But of course, nobody could beat his mentor Xan Deesa in that regard.

She was smaller in stature to him and had a few inches ahead of her. Although, he was quite unsure of her age. A wise guess would be the same age as himself, but sometimes people could look older than what met the eye. With his eyes locked on her, he took a quick gaze down to her helmet, another joke popping into his head from something she said earlier. Although, this time he was going to save it for later "Let me guess, you're down here for a certain object hidden in a ship correct?" questioned the teen, who thought it was the only possible reason she was down here "Well, I'm afraid its mine. I'm sorry, but it's just the way it is..." he said with a shrug

It would be a lie if he wasn't disappointed with this predicament, but it was just the way it is. The contractor wanted him to bring it back alone, not with another person. If she had a problem with that, then things may have to get nasty in order to get off this sorry planet with a profit "Speaking of which, where are your parents? wouldn't they be worried that their daughter walking around a criminal infested planet alone? and with her magical helmet off too?!" he said sarcastically while leaning down to grab a hold and examine the helmet, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Brie noticed that he was thinking of something when throwing a glance down at the big white helmet. It had seen its best days, but was still very much functioning and had kept her alive and well more than once. She could guess that it was something of equal nonsense next to his cheeky introduction. She let it be for now.

''Just the way it is?'' she repeated, slightly surprised that the boy had the audacity to walk in here and just claim the rumored holocron for himself without even finding it yet. ''I was here first. You are the one that should leave, and accept that you were too late. It's only fair.'' Brie explained, although with little hope that she would reach an agreement with the boy.

The whole time, Brie stood still while observing the boy and trying to read his true intentions. Who he was, and where he came from. The mentioning of her parents did not exactly ease up her mood, but instead made her frown disgruntled and peer her eyes at him.

''I've been to more dangerous places than this one... Without my mom and dad.'' she replied shortly.

When the intruding boy leaned down to reach for the helmet, Brie's thoughts raced and she saw a chance to even out the odds. She lunged at the pocket where he had put the blaster away, and tried to grab it while pushing him away and at the same time back off herself and release the battery from the blaster, rendering it useless for the time being.

Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx
​

"Maybe you should consider that life isn't fair either," he said back to her, uninterested in the silly game of first come first served. In the galaxy, it didn't matter who got to a certain place first, people were cunning and willing to do anything to get what they wanted, this wasn't anything different. As far as the boy knew the galaxy was a giant free for all.

Cartri couldn't help but raise a surprised brow as he leaned down to grab ahold of the helmet, leaving him wide open for a surprise attack by the girl "Wow, your parents must be-" hey!" yelled the teen as his pistol was swiftly taken from his pocket, before being pushed away forcefully away from the girl. He stumbled backward and just about managed to stay on his feet, a small smirk crossing his lips when she decided to dismantle the gun before him. Cartri stood up straight and glared at fishbowl girl, unimpressed by her antics to gain the upper hand "That wasn't a very wise move..." he said with confidence, almost as if he didn't care for one second about the blaster. If needs be, he was confident in his ability to take her alone, even if it meant using the force to achieve that goal.

"You know what, I'm starting to get tired by this..." he said with a sigh as he began to fearlessly walk straight at her. Her height and weight didn't do her any favors, as well as the fact she looked like the most ridiculous alien on the planet. Reaching his hand out he looks to grab her by the collar of her outfit and tug her in the direction of the exit. He didn't really have the stomach to harm a girl who couldn't harm a bug, so it was only right to give the girl a "gentle" reminder of who was the boss around here "Consider this a favor..." the boy said as he began to hook his fingers around the collar close to her neck.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Brie wanted to snap something at the boy, who obviously was about to say something rude about her parents. She could bet on it by now, considering his stubborn ways and loud mouth of his right from the start. Few other topics could pull her into a more emotional state. Daiya could certainly testify to that. Of course, this boy didn't know that so he could have just rambled on like a reek in a china shop. Though, she kept quiet and stood her ground, relieved that her little trick had worked.

Even though it had worked, she was far from sure that it had been a wise one. Like the boy just remarked. Brie felt her pulse increase and her breathing get shallow but kept her glare at him, standing completely still as he approached. She could not say that she was afraid of the boy, but more annoyed of him. As he unexpectedly grabbed her by the collar, she got tugged along for a brief moment and almost lost her balance. Brie could just not find herself in this, and she made a hard sweep at his arm from below to make him loose the grip, before following up with a two-hand hard push at his chest.

''You don't have the right to assume anything about my parents! Whatever you was about to say, I hope you keep it to yourself! You're just...'' she uttered and backed away a few steps. ''You're just rude!''

Stars, it felt good to say that and speak her heart.

Brie prepared to find herself in an all out fight with the boy, if he didn't appreciate the push that was. Few people did, but this one could definitely use one every once in a while. She was quick to pick up the important subject of them being here, instead of just snapping at each other.

''Nothing says that we have to bring the other one to the contractor. Just the artifact.'' she said and briefly catched her breath. ''And since neither of us seems to have the intent to let the other one have it all... What would you say we split the reward? Two of us... means twice the chance to succeed.''

Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx
​

"Come on st-" grunted the teen before his arm was forcefully swiped away, leaving him open for a strong push to the chest. He stumbled back quickly and caught himself on a rock, saving himself from the rough surface below. Recuperating, he leaned back up and dusted off his top, slowly shaking his head from the girl's quick judgment "I didn't know calling parents chill was a crime..." the boy mumbled, ever annoyed by the attitude of girls "Unfortuneately I can't seem to say the same for yourself"

In all honesty, Cartri didn't want an all out fight with the girl. But, if she didn't move out the way he'd be forced to go to special measures. He began to slowly approach her once more but came to a halt when she began to offer some kind of way for them both to profit. Her offer wasn't a bad one by any means, and it would provide a quick solution to their dispute. Although Cartri wasn't here to split "I'm sorry, I can't do that. What is there to say you steal the credits from me anyway? we've only just met after all" he sighed with a small shake of his head before his hand slowly beginning to raise "This isn't going anywhere, is it? so how about we get it over with" Cartri grumbled, even though he hated using his power on people. However, just as the girl began to feel an ease of weightlessness, something broke his concentration entirely

"Well well! what do we have here boys!" a gravelly voice boomed. Four men from the entrance of the cave came running through with blasters, pointing them at the pair while a tall man came walking down to them, a huge smirk wide on his face "It appears we have ourselves some young souls! it is truly a shame you two have come to this..." he said sarcastically before nodding to two of the men, leaving them to sling their blasters over their chests and hook their arms around the pair, preventing their arms from doing anything stupid. It was clear this whole thing was a trap from the start, and without his blaster, there was no hope of being able to defend himself.

"You're kidding me right" Cartri grumbled, shooting a quick look of disdain to his female counterpart "Four blasters on two kids? you really are cowards!" Cartri said to the ring leader, whose beard was hiding most of his lower face. The man in charge simply chuckled at the boy's words as he looked between the pair "I'm afraid that how we do things kid. You really don't expect us to look away from a profit do you?" he said with a laugh this time, prompting his crew to do the same. Cartri glared coldly at the man in charge and replied with a smirk of his own, something obviously crossing his mind "Like what your eye is doing right now?" he shot back, almost instantly shutting the bandits down.

His quick and witty remark was quite true though. The large man in charge had a noticeable lazy eye that was seemingly looking the opposite way. Although, the remark might prove to be a mistake. With a growl he walked up to the teen with purpose and roughly grabbed him by the chin, forcing the kid to look him in the eyes "Trust me boy, if you weren't so valuable I wouldn't hesitate in teaching you a few things. But that doesn't mean we can turn a blind eye if you decide to continue does it?" urged the captain, staring directly back into the boy furious eyes. Cartri wanted to say something smart, but he couldn't bring himself to say something. These thugs weren't going to get away with this, not by any means...

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Brie had been quick to judge the boy for what he was about to say, but everything else he had showed of himself left little doubt with her for what she would expect more of him. She stood still, breathed heavily and glared at him. Her offer was unfortunately denied, and just as she thought they would get into an all out fight, she began to feel the odd sensation of weightlessness, just like in space but here in the cave.

"Well well! what do we have here boys!"

The booming voice had the feeling of trouble going through her whole body, making the weightless feeling go away as quick as it came. It was unclear to Brie wether the men also searched for the artifact, or if the whole thing had just been a big trap right from the start, but why would anyone do that to two kids? She remembered that one time on Coruscant, where she had been caught by a stranger and cut off from escaping. At first, she had been afraid and feared the worst but it turned out that the man was okay and rather friendly. This time was nothing like it. These men was not going to take a seat by them and light a cigarette and small talk with them.

Much to her dismay, the young and obstinate boy did not stop his snooty rant, but instead just directed it to them. A decision that could very well cost them dearly. Brie was not even sure of who to be more angry at right now.

While the boy did a pretty good job stealing their attention, she would give him that, Brie could quietly clasp the helmet in her hand and prepare for action, not just talk that would get them nowhere. As one of the goons approached to grab her, he was distracted by the conversation between the boy and the boss, which gave her a window to act. She braced herself and lunged the helmet at the back of the goons head, hitting him so hard that he fell to the ground, hopefully unconscious. If that was an equal unwise choice as the boys rant had no time to go through her mind right now. Instead, she grabbed the backpack and tried to run deeper into the cave. She threw a glance backwards, hoping that the boy would also see that it was better trying to flee rather than fight.

Cartri Keswoll

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx
​

Suddenly, as the pirate captain was about to say something else smart a loud clang echoed around the cave. One of the thugs fell to the floor in a motionless heap, leaving the girl to bolt further into the cave with her trusty backpack in hand. The three remaining men watched on in awe before the captain finally snapped out of his daze and growled in annoyance "What are you standing here for?! one of you go get her!" he pointed with authority.

One of the thugs, a big man with a fashionable bald spot gave chase, not choosing to unsling his weapon as he searched for the girl "Come here you little brat! where do you think you're going?" he shouted after her through the darkness, confident that he was able to handle a harmless girl with no weapon.

"Now... wh-" was the only thing the captain could say before he watched his other thug get a back kick in the bread basket, leaving him to stumble back with a pained wheeze with two hands between his legs. Not wasting the chance Catri tried to charge at the captain and tackle him to the ground, although that would be a foolish move. The teen's shoulder crashed into the man with little effect, leaving the man to only chuckle at the attempt before driving a knee into his midsection. Cartri grunted in agony and crumbled to the floor, gasping for breath as he curled into a ball holding his stomach.

"Foolish boy, if you had a brain you'd be dangerous," he said with a sinister laugh. Approaching from the side he used his boot to turn him to his back and place a boot on his chest, pressing the weight of his body onto the teens frame "Now, why don't you be good and stay while I deal with your friend who has decided to wander off" he growled, leaving Cartri to kick his legs up and down as he struggled to get air. Clicking his fingers to the remaining thug, he pointed down to Cartri below "Pull yourself together and watch this little punk" he grunted as he finally lifted his boot off and walked further into the cave, leaving the two of them alone.

Cartri slowly took deep breaths and put an arm over his stomach as he leaned up, glaring up to the lackie who looked down to him with a menacing face "Don't even think about moving kid. Just you wait till the Captain gets back, I'm sure he won't have any hesitation in letting me get my payback..." he snarled, his blaster holstered for now as he folded his arms above him. The teen looked up to him with a defeated expression and coughed heavily to the floor "I-I think I'm going to be sick..." he gasped, before releasing a convincing gagging sound "That's no-" the man mumbled before Cartri reached behind him and fired a small blaster into his chest, forcing him to the floor in a heap with smoke coming from the hole.

Getting up from the rocky floor, he winced slightly in pain. Even though he was making the most of it, the blow still hurt like hell. Nonetheless, it was worth the bruise that came along with it. When Cartri tried to tackle the captain he managed to swipe a miniature blaster from one of his side holsters, tucking it under his back when he fell to the floor and hiding it from the view of both scumbags. Unfortunately for the captain, Cartri did have a brain

"Sick of seeing how stupid you all are..." he finally finished before slowly following after the captain with his blaster in hand, hoping that he hadn't got his hands on the girl just yet.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Illuminating minerals in the rocks shed some light on her path, but Brie still didn't see more than a few feet in front of her as she ran and jumped over rocks and potholes with particular nimbleness. Another hunt and another run for her credits, and life for that matter. Many were the times that she had been forced to flee out of dangerous situations like this. She were no match for a gruesome and merciless space pirate, and she knew that very well. The key out of those dangerous situation was her young and crafty mind, her nimbleness and a daring mindset.

Brie tightly held onto her helmet and backpack as she ran deeper and deeper into the cave. Out of breath, she spotted a narrow opening on the left and a couple of feet off the ground. That would be a good place to hide, Brie thought, and ran over to it. She tried to get a foothold on the rough but slippery rock wall. Her space boots was not the best for the purpose, but she managed to throw her bag and arms over the edge.

She almost didn't have time to register that something or someone suddenly pulled at her belt, before she was brutally dragged off the edge and with a cry fell down to the ground. Backpack and all. The pirates must have caught up with her. It was Brie's last thought before the side of her forehead hit a rock badly, and she was knocked unconscious. Her fate had never been that uncertain.

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx​

Going swiftly down into the dark tunnels of the cave Cartri tried to navigate his way back to the girl. In the distance, he could hear the slight echoing of boots, one of which seemed to be getting faster by the second. Suddenly, a loud cry rang out through the cave that didn't seem to be too far away. with a kick of his feet, he carefully jogged in the direction of the source.

Eventually, the teen came up to a spacy area where he saw a small figure laying on the ground. Although, something else would be standing above her. One of the henchmen who had gone after her before was taking in his handy work, even if it wasn't the best way of doing it "That will teach you a thing or two..." he said with a sinister chuckle before lowering himself down to one knee, looking to pick her up in his arms "Now, why don't we take you back to your little friend and see what we're going to do" he said smugly before turning the girl over to her back. Unknowing to him, Cartri had snuck up and kneeled to the right, blaster in hand "You really need to pick on someone your own size" the boy said, making the man snap his head to him in shock. Before he could move a muscle a stun bolt hit him point blank in the chest, instantly sending him back first to the rocky floor in a heap "nerf herder..."

Turning his attention to Brie, he put the blaster down beside her and gently patted Brie on the cheeks to try and wake her up "Come on, you're too stubborn to die now" he said down to before going to the method of roughly shaking the girl. In the mean time, he quickly examined Bries's face to see if there was any blood or visible damage. However, when he was about to check her hair a looming shadow towered above both of them. Cartri slowly came to a halt and felt the captain's presence, a feeling that came too late. Reaching down the man wrapped his arms around him and stumbled back, forcing Cartri to his feet as he thrashed around desperately "You think we were finished?" he laughed, before roughly throwing him back first into a rocky wall.

Yelling loudly the teen arched his back and fell on his chest, in complete agony from the surprise attack the captain had sprung "I had a feeling you'd be here to save your "girlfriend" you little kark. Now, who's going to save you?" he grunted before delivering a kick to his stomach that rolled him along the rough floor. Cartri gasped for breath and coughed heavily, struggling to gain his breath while the vengeful captain leaned down to grab something from his boot "Your a piece of work you know that kid?" he growled, slowly flicking the knife up gracefully in his hand "But I think it's time to cut you down to size" the pirate captain said proudly, his hand reaching down to grab Cartri's shirt collar

 

[Brie Jaxx]

In her unconscious state, Brie picked up a muffled voice speaking to her, to which she were unable to answer. The gentle pats on her cheek and the rough shakes to her body left her ultimately unaffected. If the fall had not knocked her out cold, the question was if she would have let the earlier rude boy in that close. If he wouldn't have been met with another push, his thief ways and big mouth in close rememberance. Of course, if she knew that he now was at least checking on her, she would have been grateful. She were no mean girl, and not stubborn and dismissive without a very good reason.

Again, and ever so slightly, something within her detected the shadow and danger that was rising once more. She laid unfazed while the boy was violently pulled away from her. A muffled laugh and a painful struggle played out in her subconscious mind. It was an all too distressing feeling that now put pressure on the force sensitive salvager girl. The voices and fuss slowly became clearer, as Brie slowly came to and could feel and move on her arms and legs. She had a terrible headache, but it had to wait as she opened up her eyes and saw what was going on a few meters from her feet.

"But I think it's time to cut you down to size" the gruesome figure said, and she recognised him from before. The boy had indeed followed her down the cave system. She remembered the fall. The boy wasn't there then, but now he had clearly found her and also found himself trouble.

As Brie looked to her side, she saw the blaster pistol laying there offering them a chance to get away from here alive and on one piece. She had just to make the shot count, she thought, and grabbed it to point downwards at the goons back.

''Hey... Hey! Bantha fodder!'' Brie mustered up, wavering on the aim but focused all her energy to try to keep it steady. She waited for the boy to hopefully squirm out of the bandits grip and jump out of the sights, before she pulled the trigger not once but twice. The stun bolts made the foul man fall into a heap onto the rocky cold floor, and between heavy and exhausted breaths, a deep sigh of relief left her.

Brie lowered the blaster slightly, but would also change target and aim the blaster upon the boy, or the correct word of it would have been to just keep it in the boys direction as she felt the headache come back.

''Ugh... I... I think this is yours...'' she said, lowering the blaster further until it touched ground and she pushed it over to him. ''You can have whatever that's inside this kriffing cave... I don't care anymore. Just don't, you know... shoot me?'' she explained in defeat.

Cartri Keswoll​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

After all the blows to his stomach, Cartri felt like he was going to puke for real. His face was a light shade of red from the lack of breath in his lungs right now, and it didn't seem like the pirate captain was in the mood for waiting. The overconfident captain wrapped his hands around his shirt collar and roughly brought him to a kneeling position, wrapping his arm around his chest to keep the thrashing Cartri in place "N-no... let go of me!" he grunted, but the struggle would soon come to a halt when he hovered it in his line of sight "Shut up kid, maybe I'll save your tongue if your lucky!" the man growled as he began to bring the knife closer and closer to his cheek.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind which stopped the man in his tracks. With a loud "Huh?" he turned around to see the girl pointing a blaster at him. Cartri tiredly looked up and saw his chance. Extending his arm out he used the force to bring a decent and sturdy rock in his hand to slam back into the side of the man's face. A hollow impact of skull meeting stone echoed around the cave as the pirate stumbled back in dreamland, completely unknowing of what he was about to feel. Brie pulled back on the trigger at close range, sending two bolts into the middle of his back. As expected, he crumbled to the floor like a sack of bricks, a small stream of blood slowly flowing down the side of his head.

Cartri hesitantly got to his knees in discomfort, a funny feeling coming from his stomach while at the same time feeling the pain of what his midsection had absorbed. He looked over to Brie and saw that the blaster was aimed at him now, forcing the teen to freeze in place until she dropped it on the floor and slid it over "I don't think I have the strength to blast you now..." Cartri joked, an exhausted smirk crossing his lips before finally getting to his feet with the blaster in hand "F-from the looks of things this is the furthest way down. We won't find anything here" he explained, a look of concern crossing his face when he examined the girl.

Staggering over, he winced heavily from the pain in his back and slowly extended a hand down to her as a peace offering "Come on, we're both shaken up. The least I can do is help you get your fishbowl back and get out of this karking cave, sound good?" Cartri said, before showing a friendly smile to the girl that almost got him killed.

Brie Jaxx ​

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Finally, their fight with these thugs seemed to be over as the pirate captain hit the cold rocky floor with two smoking holes in him. Brie smelled the burnt flesh and was instantly disgusted by it. Her headache didn't exactly make matters more easy, either. The boy could have just stunned her right then and there, but instead he actually approached with his guard down and his hand stretched out for her to take. She looked up at him with suspicion, then at the hand stretched out, then at him again guessing - or more hoping - that his friendly smile was genuine. Without saying anything, she took the hand of the boy and with the help of it staggered to her feet. Brie had to struggle some to counter the dizzyness she felt from hitting her head. That was one thing the fishbowl were useful for.

''Great... Just another foul trick...'' she sighed in defeat, looking around some only to find that the boy seemed to be right. For the first time since they met, she did agree with him. ''Think it was the pirates all alone? I guess we should consider ourselves lucky not to end up captured by them...'' Brie added, feeling very relieved by that fact. She gave the boy a nod of agreement and an uneasy smile as he suggested to get out of there. It was funny, but also kind of awkward. Mere minutes ago they were about to claw the eyes out of each other, and now they would at least make accompany each other out of the cave. The boy even offered to help her find her helmet.

''I... I'm... I'm sorry I pushed you...'' Brie mustered up without looking at him, as they begun their walk and climb over rocks and boulders. He had been rude, sure, trampled on a matter delicate to her, but she was still completely sincere with him.

She had been in danger numerous times before, and every time it had felt like she had escaped with a hair's breadth. Pure luck or extreme stubborness, or simply both. Suddenly, something flashed before her and she could recollect the moment just before she came to from her unconscious state.

''You think I am stubborn...?'' Brie said after a while of silence between the two, as they made their way out of the cave. ''You ever looked yourself in the mirror?'' she continued with a soft smirk emerging on her lips, meaning nothing but to lighten up the mood in the otherwise dark and humid cave. She was stubborn. She didn't like that exact word for it, but you had to be headstrong and hard working if you, like her, often worked alone.

Cartri Keswoll ​

 

[Cartri Keswoll]

Brie Jaxx​

Grunting in discomfort from the pain in his back and midsection, he winced heavily as he helped Brie get to her feet. Looking around the cave. the boy slowly nodded to the fact that they were finally alone "I hope so because I don't think I have any tricks up my sleeve for another party of scuffbags" Cartri grinned painfully as he walked to the pirate captain and nudged his motionless body with the edge of his foot "Good riddance, from the looks of things they were looking to traffic us to some weirdos in the galaxy. I guess they picked on the wrong kids..."

Considering they were about to be at each others throats at the start, the pair seemed to come to some understanding. Both boy and girl had saved themselves from a horrible fate, something that made their respect flow for one another.

"Don't mention it, I've had worse..." the boy answered back as they both carefully made the journey back up the cave, his arm keeping close by to Brie just in case she looked unsteady on her feet "I never meant to be rude about your parents by the way. It was probably best to not mention them at all, with that I'm sorry" he said sincerely, from the looks of things she was in the same boat as him on the subject of parents.

Cartri glanced back to Brie with a small smile in the corner of his lips, humored by how she turned the tables on him with the stubbornness comment "You ain't wrong, I'm too stubborn for my own good. But I'll have to admit, you remind me of a girl I know from Denon who has the same stubborn tone as you. I like her... but our own stubbornness will keep that from going any further" the boy chuckled as he put a hand through his ruffled ginger hair

In the far distance. a glint of a round helmet glistened back to them from the glow of the entrance "There's the helmet.." he said proudly as he leaned down and offered it back to her with a sarcastic bow "Your fishbowl, majesty"

 

[Brie Jaxx]

As she apologised for the push she did not actually expect ginger boy to do the same, at least not in the way that he now did.

''They're gone. And... I miss them. You could not know that, but thank you.'' Brie explained as they made their way to the top, meaning that the boy merely had acted on facts unknown to him. It took some efforts to say it, and also not to be put down by the reminder that she still had not found them. Some day she would. She still had to ask Ruby Jaxx what her position was in the matter, though. They had a lot to talk about when they would get the chance to do so.

Ginger boy continued to explain how Brie were reminiscent of another girl that he knew, and on Denon of all places.

''Really? Are you from there? Denon, I mean?'' she uttered and gave him a tierd but curious look backwards. ''When I am not on my way somewhere in the galaxy, I use to live there.'' she continued and wondered if it were just a coincidence that they lived on the same planet. Denon were a big city planet that would seem to fit a boy like him.

''Well, have you told her about it?'' Brie added without even thinking of it. It just felt like a natural question to ask in reply to what the boy said about this other stubborn girl.

Soon, the boy found and picked up the helmet and offered it to Brie with a silly but fun gesture that made the corners of her mouth go upwards in a gentle smile. Brie examined it slightly and nodded her thanks to the boy. The helmet were not the prettiest of things from the start, but it was sturdy and still functional. Suddenly, Brie came to think of it that they had not introduced themselves yet. Even if they would soon part ways, it might be proper to do so considering what they had went through. She were about to begin, but hesitated at first.

''I'm Brie... Jaxx.'' she said, and let the surname rest on her tongue for a moment before it passed her lips. It felt odd, but special. It was the first time ever she had used a surname, and it was the one she shared with her sister.

Cartri Keswoll​