Private Unlikely Allies

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria


"I kind of figured I would be the one doing the splicing. You are..more brawn and I am more brains. Not saying that's a bad thing." Such a weird backhanded compliment from Isabsel. Though at least it was indeed something better than vile hatred. Isabsel peaked inside and luckily the guard at the front entrance was taking a nap. Isabsel motioned for Lily to follow her, quietly so they can sneak into the security room. Moving slowly against the wall, avoiding the cameras and the occassional guard patrol, they would make it to the security room. Isabsel pulled the panel apart and began to hotwire the panel. It didn't take long for the door to slide open and a security guard looking over confused.

"Hey! You don't have sec-" the Rodian began

But he didn't finish his words as Isabsel pulled out her DC-15 and shot him in the chest killing him instantly. She glanced over to Lily before then jogging over to the console, her fingers flying to reprogram the defenses and droids. There was a bit of silence before Isabsel broke it.
"What is our homeworld like? Eshan. I..never been there. I dont think any of my sisters have. We just know it from our trainers. How our people are strong martial fighters."

Perhaps it would be odd for Lily to hear Isabsel refer to the Echani as our people. Especially when Isabsel is nothing more than a hybrid and it just so happens Echani DNA is the largest amount involved. Isabsel continued. "It's just odd. Hearing and reading about our people and culture, and yet also seeing so many Near-kin fighting for the Jedi or serving the Sith. We are meant to be a proud people..."

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Nar Shaddaa
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Isabsel

Nodding her head, "fair. I just don't like people assuming that of me since there are other skills I hold beyond fighting. And fighting as I do demands a lot of brains as well." Lily mentioned. Giving a little of her concerns about how others saw her as well as dealing with the fact that some saw her being a fighter as something to look down at. Believing it made her dumber than she was.

Following Isabsel, she watched as the other woman took down a guard with her pistol. Grabbing the body, Lily dragged it where others would not easily spot it and sound an alarm before Isabsel could get through the system and take control of the commands like they needed her to. When Isabsel broke the silence and asked about Eshan, Lily tilted her head, she had never called Eshan a home world and had never lived there. It was perhaps a curious take she had but one she did not voice. Isabsel did not need her to state that one could only call it home if it had been home to them.

Especially since Isabsel was unlikely given the chance to explore the galaxy and visit the world to call it home. "Eshan is cold. Well, colder than most other worlds. For me, it has a natural temperature and everywhere else is warmer than Eshan." Lily chuckled. "But it is also very beautiful, it is a matriarchal society with our queen leading us peacefully." Lily added.

"Reading and hearing about Eshan and the Echani is not the same as seeing them. Knowing them, living with them." Lily stated, not throwing judgement to Isabsel, just explaining there was a world of difference in the two and for Lily it was something that many failed to realise. "We are a proud people, and we are warriors, but our ways of fighting. It isn't about hurting one another, it isn't about killing. It is conversation, exposing oneself in a manner that is vulnerable and intimate. The bonds between Echani are deeper than any other bond I know between two people."

"Being a Jedi or Sith, that isn't something that takes away from our ways. I have not lost who I am as an Echani just because I adopted the ways of the Jedi. I can be both and I am proudly both." Lily stated, nothing prevented and nothing could prevent her being Echani. "Perhaps you will be free from your cult some day, to spend time on Eshan. Spend some months there and experience what it means to be surround by people who talk through body language and not with words."

 

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria @Lily Decoria


"You know that what's they say about the Jedi and Sith yes? You are cults, all dedicated to your own religious dogma of the Force. You conceal yourselves in either ivory towers of your temples, or the oppressive dark citadels of the Sith. From there, you train and obtain powers that people can only dream of. Yet that somehow gives you all the right to rule or guide everyone else into your own ideal future of the galaxy." For once Isabel wasn't speaking with venom or hatred. Her tone was a bit defensive yes but she was attempting to try and make geunine conversation with Lily. Isabsel would see a red popup appear on her screen before she then opened up a panel, pulling out a wire causing it to disappear.

Her fingers then resumed typing away, bypassing the firewallss to input her own commands. "My sisters and I also communicate by sparring. Usually when its about serious topics. A Jedi escaping custody. A Sith striking down one of our number. Happiness about a succesful mission. A promotion.."
Isabsel seemed to give a small smile, enjoying the memories of those moments. "..I would like to visit Eshan. Speak with the near-kin. One day though. The mission my sisters and I devoted our lives to, it must be complete before I can afford such relaxations."

Isabel then stopped typing and pressed a simple button. The panels flared brightly for a moment before then rebooting themselves. Once they came back online, she turned to Lily. She raised one finger before then blaster fire can be heard across the building.

"The droids! The-" one voice screamed before being cut off

"Looks like my commands worked. The defenses and droids should be able to register us as friendlies. We can just walk on through now. But we should be quick. There is an elevator that can take us down to the lower levels."

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Nar Shaddaa
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Isabsel

"I always find it ironic that people think the Jedi force their beliefs and ideologies onto others. The Jedi hold no issues with Dathomiri witches, with the witches of Brendok or the myriad of other Force cultures. If the Jedi were a cult, would they allow rivalling ideologies live peacefully side by side?" Lily pointed out, "we fight the Sith because they infringe on the freedoms of people and the peace in the galaxy."

She leaned back, "the Galactic Republic survived for thousands of years in sync with the Jedi order. It was not influenced by the Jedi and it was not run by Force Users."

Nodding her head, "that is good. Then Eshan should not be as much as a shock to you as other part Echani who were born offworld tend to experience when visiting Eshan," Lily mentioned. "It doesn't have to be completed. You can always decide it is not the path you wish to follow any more. I know that is how I would do if my views no longer aligned with the Jedi."

Lily was not so attached to the Jedi that she would follow them without question. She was loyal that she aimed to think the best of them and hopeful that they will always have the best of intentions. "Sometimes we realise the dream we are chasing is not necessary the dream we actual want for ourselves."

Hearing the sounds of conflict. "Let us get on with this then." Lily nodded her head to Isabsel, letting the other woman lead the way to the holocron.

 

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria

Isabsel didn't speak much as the pair made their way to the elevator, as she stepped over the corpses of the fallen criminals. One tried to aim his blaster pistol at the pair, but Isabsel silenced him with a quick strike of her vibro-ax. This concept of doing something else other than the mission she was made to do. Trained to do. It was everything she knows. Could she really abandon it to try something else? But what would she even try to do out in this galaxy? As the pair stepped into the elevator, the doors closing, Isabsel thought about her sisters. What would their place in the galaxy be without their mission? They were all tailored for to eradicate all Force Users.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened up to a grizzly sight. Dead criminals and destroyed droids littered the ground. The automated defenses were also gone. Isabsel simply walked forward to where the Vault was and it had been opened up slightly. Unseathing her vibro-ax Isabsel went in first to the dimmly lit room. Treasures of all sorts where in here, ranging from credit chips, to relics from forgotten worlds. Isabsel moved more quielty upon hearing voices. Looks like three of the guards survived and one of them was securing the holocron The three of them did appear to be wounded, so taking them out would be really easy.

Isabsel turned to Lily "I know you Jedi don't like executing the wounded. So this is your call on how you want to handle it." she whispered.

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Nar Shaddaa
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Isabsel

Breathing in deeply, Lily followed the way that Isabsel carved, seeing the death and destruction from their plan. Seeing it in reality was a very different beast from the way it had seemed in her head. She assumed there would not be quite so much violent and silence. Arriving at the elevator, she could read that Isabsel was going through some thoughts, thinking over the words that Lily had stated. Pondering on what else she could do. It was interesting to see her even consider it as thoroughly as she was.

Demonstrated that Lily was hitting the right beats.

Entering the vault, Lily noticed the lost relics and the credits, making a mental note to report this to the Order so that these credits could be redistributed to the community in need around here. She also knew that the relics would be needed to return to where they had been stolen from. Lily stepped forward and spotting the three guards that were still lingering around the holocron. She sighed, of course that was the thing they were protecting the most out of everything around them.

"Good, there has been enough death for the day." Lily stated, her tone neutral and she was not criticising Isabsel on this either. Just stating it as an issue in general. Lily walked up to the trio and let out a sigh, "sleep." Waving her hand as she attempted to put them to sleep with the Force.

 

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria

"Hey! Stand ba-" That was all the guards could say before then dropping down to the ground, sleeping soundly. Isabsel seemed slightly shocked that the Jedi had such force discipline. A bit concerning to say the least. But at least for now, Lily wasn't going to try that on her. She stepped forward and began to look over the room, before then spotting the holocron. It glowed its faint blue as Isabsel picked it up. It was hard to believe that such ancient knowledge can be held into this small cube. Keeping to their agreement, Isabsel turned around handing the holocron to Lilly, semi reluctantly. Of coursee a part of Isabsel wanted to destroy it, but also a part of her didn't want to ruin this alliance she had with Lilly.

"Here you go Jedi. Your holocron is safe and secure now." Isabsel then looked to the elevator that they just came from. "I suppose this is where we part ways then yes?"

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Nar Shaddaa
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Isabsel

It was something Lily was fortunate with, she knew her powers in the Force were limited and she couldn't get away with making people sleep all the time. In fact, she was glad it worked this time since she knew there was a strong chance it would not. When Isabsel walked over to Lily with the holocron, Lily looked thankful and pleased that they were still keeping to the terms of their agreement. All that Lily needed to do now was find a datapad to make a copy of the holocron for Isabsel to have something to take back.

Looking around, she found an empty datapad, making sure all the data from the holocron was installed into it as a copy. "Here, this is a copy for you to take as well. As part of the agreement on working together." Lily gave a small smile, "hopefully this doesn't have to be a full goodbye. If you ever wish to visit Eshan or need help freeing yourself from this cult you are attached to right now. The datapad has an encrypted channel you can reach me on as well. So, just make sure to keep that before handing the data over to the ones in charge of you."

Lily was hopeful that Isabsel would accept the offer and that things would change from where they were before this mission.

 

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria


Isabsel took her copy of the holocron and also stared at Lily for a moment when it was mentioned about the encrypted channel to reach her. If she ever wanted to visit the homeworld of Eshan. She looked down and part of her wanted to be angry. To be furious. Part of her did begin to yearn for something more than her mission. Visiting Eshan at the very least. Plus Lilly was offering to help her out. Isabsel snorted but then it surprisingly turned into a small chuckle. "Going soft on me Jedi?" she teased.

Isabsel then seemingly glanced to the side for a moment, as if she was trying to hard to not show Lily something. A slight blush in the cheeks? A flustered look at this open honest gesture of help. "..I.." Isabsel didn't finish her sentence. Instead she bolted out of the room, going up the elevator leaving Lily down there in the vault. Her head was swarming with thoughts. She was feeling emotions that she never thought she could have. Isabsel was confused, scared, paranoid. Her training didn't prepare her for this. She actually cracked a joke?! Teased the enemy?! But..was Lily an enemy?

Isabsel ran off into the streets of Nar Shadaa, heading back to her ship. Her mind and heart conflicted. But she managed to get the courage enough to send this message to Lily over the encrypted channel "....Save me..when you can...."

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Nar Shaddaa
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Cross guard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed).
Tag: Isabsel

Lily could read the conflict on Isabsel's face and body language, it was clear that she was not expecting Lily to be so generous and willing to help. When asked if she was going soft, Lily smirked and shook her head, "just showing you the side of the Jedi we wish to be. The side that the Sith, Mandalorians and Imperials prevent us from being." She explained.

Watching Isabsel bolt, Lily hoped her offer was not something that offended Isabsel or put her life in danger. That was the opposite that she wished to do. It was also not what she was expecting from the seemingly stoic and reserved woman as well. It seemed that her gesture had broken down several walls in an instant.

Taking her time to ensure that that things in the vault were reported to the correct authorities and waiting for those authorities to arrive so that they could take the many things here and ensure the correct course of action is done. Lily felt the ping from the encrypted line that she gave Isabsel. She was surprised that it had pinged so soon. However, reading the message, Lily responded right away. "Tell me where to meet and I be there right away." She was not going to let Isabsel suffer longer than she needed to.

If the woman was willing to escape her cult now, then now would be when Lily would help with it.

 

[Isabsel]

Planet: Nar Shadaa
Equipment: Armorweaved Outfit, Cortosis weaved Vibro-Ax, DC-15 Side Arm Blaster,
TAG: Lily Decoria


As Isabsel strapped herself into her ship, her mind still conflicted, the answer from Lily came in. How could this woman be so willing to help her out? So instantly? All because this is how the Jedi is supposed to be? Isabsel sighed as she tried to think straight. She couldn't even try to leave her cult now. Wait why would she call it a cult? Those were her sisters, her family. All she knew. But the lure of knowing more about the galaxy...its what kept pulling her to try and see Lily's side. To know about Eshan. To know more about...

Isabsel responded "I'll...reach out when I am ready. I..there is things that need to be finished first. You have much more important things than me. Waging a war and all. One of these days I will reach out and..hope you come. Though..I understand if you can't. Stay safe..Jedi.."

Isabsel then closed the channel, started up her ship. "..I hate feeling this way..but..why does it feel liberating.."