Violet Sunrise

[Elliot Drake]

It had been some time since Elliot's escape from the Feriae Junction, the aide of the trio had been his sole reason for escaping. Having been hunted by Inquisitors, he appreciated and was indebted to them. Some time after his escape, Elliot needed to look for work having not fully dedicated to an offer he was given upon his escape. Not only that, but he was in great need of acquiring a ship so that he could travel independently instead of conning rides across the galaxy. Now, he was just outside of the Empire's reach and more in neutral territory, aboard a traveling space station that held a massive marketplace along with plenty of opportunities for work, much like his original home. The space station that was his original home had since been destroyed by the Inquisitors, whom shouldn't be pursuing him anymore as he had already evaded them twice.

Now, Elliot's concerns were much more focused on his lack of credits and poverty-stricken independence. A novice with the Force and hardly a Jedi, the boy still had much to learn before he could make something of himself. Currently, he was meditating in an open spot in one of the common areas that weren't over-stuffed with marketplaces. This time, he was not under the threat of possession and could take time to use what little he could learn to collect himself. Feeling the Force gather around and internalize, Elliot found serenity in this peaceful state. His face was concealed by his hood, the lights of the space station casting a shadow to hide him from peering eyes. His meditation had lasted a while, especially since he couldn't afford to eat, but it was abruptly disrupted by sound from afar.

Elliot peered from under his hood, watching in the distance as an obvious visitor aboard the space station was being shook down for any valuables or credits they could spare. For a moment, Elliot only watched until one of them brandished a blaster pistol menacingly. Alerted, Elliot's meditative state was broken and he began making his way in a hurry. "Oi, hand us over th' credits for the last time, we ain't got to have no trouble, aye?" Elliot over-heard, hearing the nervous tourist respond scared and lost afterwards. "Hey, guys, I think that's enough, huh? Leave 'em alone and WE won't have trouble."

When it became apparent Elliot was outnumbered four-to-one, he sighed out of frustration. The big bad was a burly human accompanied by two smaller Sullustans and a frail Gran that all now brandished their blasters. Well, if I take the easy route then I'll fully expose myself. Don't really want that to happen, I have to be more subtle. "Oh-ho-ho, look at 'dis youngin'. A bit big for your britches, aye?" Elliot spat at the ground, drawing his pistol and gunning down the Sullustans. In that moment, he felt a dark energy emanate from them as if they had a killing intent. They had not aimed their blasters yet, but if Elliot didn't take the opportunity, he'd be unwisely challenging their courage to draw first. The leader, enrage, aimed his own blaster and with a subtle hand movement, Elliot made the shot barely graze his cheek. It left a singeing burn which made Elliot clench his teeth in pain, but it allowed him to retaliate and blast the burly human. Aiming at the Bran remaining, he allowed the less-hostile accomplice to run off and escape.

The tourist, thankful for Elliot's heroism, pleaded and offered a few credits for his work. Tempted for the sake of his survival, Elliot only took part of the reward for him doing what he felt was his duty. "I'm only taking part of it, I don't want your credits but...I am starving. You stay safe, okay? I don't know if they had friends." Elliot nodded, moving on and finding the nearest stall with least sketchy-looking food. Soon after purchasing his food, the young traveler turned to find a group of Barabels brandishing rifles followed by the Bran who had his own tiny blaster. "Well, friends, I take it you ARE, in fact, the friends I was afraid of." Elliot gulped, continuing to eat his food slowly while looking at the thugs. "So what are we doing?"

 

[Wrenarias]

Humming softly to herself, Wrenarias made her way through the station's main market. It was her first solo trip out of the core since being taken in by [member="Cedric Grayson"]. If she was being honest, this little venture was largely a test of her boundaries, to see just how much freedom she really had. Considering that she hadn't immediately been recalled, she thought it was going well. Time would really tell. The Jedi was a busy man, and it stood to reason that he simply may not have noticed that one of his padawans had slipped away.

Either way, she was here now.

What drew her to this particular market was a posting she'd seen about a vendor who was looking to sell a rather rare cybernetic component. The part would be a useful upgrade for her prosthetic, and she was tickled that she'd managed to get her hands on it, which was a large part of why she was in such high spirits.

She was on her way back to the docks, intending to relax at one of the lounges while she waited for the next shuttle. Plans rarely go as they should, however. Or at least, that was Wren's theory on the matter.

Something tickled at the back of her mind, a presence in the Force that she'd felt before, but wasn't quite familiar with. A frown formed on her lips and the tune she'd been humming fell silent. After a few moments of looking around, she caught sight of a young man who seemed to be in the midst of a confrontation with a group of armed men -- none of whom seemed particularly glad to see the man. It took her a moment longer to figure out where she knew him from, she knew that she'd seen his face before, but she couldn't quite place where.

Then it clicked.

The guy from Feriae Junction, who as she recalled, had gotten himself into similar trouble the last time she'd seen him too. Perhaps getting in over his head was something of a hobby of his? There wasn't any sign of the group who'd swooped in to his rescue the last time.

She glanced down the corridor ahead of her, frowning at the flickering light of the cantina with its enticing promise of a well deserved drink; and then she looked back to Elliot as the men fanned out in front of him to cut off his escape. With a frustrated groan, the twi'lek spun on her heel and made her way through the crowds as she pulled a small silver baton from her jacket. Her thumb pressed a button on the cylinder and then an extended hilt clicked into place. If there was potential for a fight, she'd rather be prepared.

"Hey! I've been looking everywhere for you. Are you ready to go or what?" She called out to Elliot, walking past one of the brutes to approach the young human while he stuffed the last of his food in his face.

 

[Elliot Drake]

As Elliot stood there, eating, the thugs that surrounded him become even more annoyed and stood even more menacingly. The raven-haired boy has been in a number of skirmishes, and this was far from his first. Hopefully, it would be far from his last. Tempted to call upon the Force, Elliot tried searching for a number of solutions as he finished the first meal he had in days. It was a quiet stand-off, broken suddenly by a familiar Twi'lek that had broken through acting as if the two had truly known each other. After a moment's thought, the boy realized that it was in fact the Twi'lek from the Feriae Junction. Smiling nervously as he finished eating, his eyes darted across the group and ended on Wrenarias.

"Well, honey, I figured I'd stop for a bite to eat. Well, I do appreciate you all for the hospitality. Gents, we will be on our way then." Each thugs' grip tightened, some of them aiming at the Twi'lek suddenly. Jerking to react, Elliot seemingly brandished his pistol in a flash and appeared to slide along the ground. He fired to disarm the thugs aiming at Wrenarias, approaching one and jerking his free hand back. In the heat of the moment, Elliot stole the secondary firearm of one of the thugs closer to his side. In one swift motion, he shot down two of the thugs with four remaining along with the shivering Bran. Elliot acted on instinct and knew he was channeling the Force, but knew to do so subtly. While he couldn't contain the aura he exuded to Force Sensitives, he could change the perspective of those who were none-the-wiser.

Another shot rung, singeing the face of one of the Barabels and making the group watch them fall. Aiming at the remaining three, there was another stand-off. The raven-haired boy knew he only had two blasters and if the three remaining Barabels had decided to fire, he was surely to lose the firefight in a direct stand-off. They spoke among one-another in a foreign language, making the raven-haired Outsider conflicted as to what they were discussing. "I'd like to walk away now. I'd like to walk away with my friend and you four can return to whoever it is you work for. Four...Where did the Bran go?" Little to Elliot's knowledge, the frail Bran had armed himself with a rather burly rifle aimed at the back of the boy's head.

Sensing the boy a moment too late, Elliot closed his eyes and simply took a slow, long breath. Hoping his sudden friend would help, he simply felt everything around himself. The metal beneath his feet, the jewelry adorning the Barabels and the shifting rags making up the Bran's clothing. Please for the love of the Force, please don't shoot. Don't shoot, don't shoot, don't-don't-don't... As Elliot opened his eyes after centering himself and concealing his fears, it was like that was the moment to act. Hearing the clatter of blasters, Elliot anticipated SOMEONE to fire at any moment.

 

[Wrenarias]

As the fighting broke out, the rest of the civilians in the area scattered. The chaos allowed Wrenarias to get around behind the Bran without him realizing it. She felt her connection to the force surge through her form and the world around her came to life. This was what she trained for. After years on the battlefield, fighting now came to her almost as naturally to her as breathing. There was still room to improve, there always would be, and she intended to take this fight as yet another opportunity to learn.

"Get down." She barked brusquely to Elliot, swinging the blunted end of the strange baton in her hand into the nape of the Bran's neck. There was a dull thud, followed shortly by a distinct clatter as both the would be assassin and his weapon fell to the ground.

Without hesitation, Wren pulled the blaster from its holster on her hip and fired at one of the remaining thugs. The blaster bolt struck the man squarely in the chest, sending him staggering backwards a few steps until he dropped to the floor, not moving.

"You bit--" One of the men started to shout at her, turning his weapon towards the twi'lek but his words were cut short.

Wrenarias leapt forward with surprising speed, pulling the arm wielding the baton back and across her torso, as if preparing for a slashing strike. The remaining pair didn't even have time to properly react. She swung the weapon, igniting the jade blade mid arc. The blade of light seared through both men in a flash and was deactivated at the end of the swing. To anyone watching, it would have been easy to miss.

It was all over in an instant.

She turned, tucking the hilt back into her jacket as it contracted back up into itself. Her blaster still held loosely in her left hand.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot had nearly reached the end of his journey at the shaking hands of a scared, frail Bran. The humanoid creature was likely lower on the totem pole, but had still mustered up the power to hold the explorer's life in his hands. Wrenarias, however, did not allow that possibility to come to fruition. With a sudden warning, Elliot ducked and felt the air rush from the swinging staff of the Twi'lek. Taking steps out of the way, he watched her make quick work of the remaining thugs and saw her lightsaber brandished gloriously. It was a mere moment for the instant she had used the jade blade, it was gone. There was no mistaking it, however, for Elliot knew what he saw was true.

"Woah, you..." He stood there and pointed at Wrenarias' weapon and then at her, meeting her eyes with his own. It wasn't something he wanted to say out loud, but she was clearly a practitioner of the force. Smiling, he gave a brief wave as if to greet himself formally. "So, uh, yeah! I'm fine...But that was a close call. Woulda had 'im though, promise." Holstering his blaster, Elliot made sure his hood was once again concealing his face and looked off into the distance. The presence of many more was felt by him, feeling the nearing of hostile life forces. "We have to go. Follow me!" Elliot signaled Wrenarias to follow him, hoping she listens and moving out of the common area and into one of the pub outlets in the distance so they could lay low.

Given that she likely followed, Elliot would find them a table and order a drink only to keep his cover and keep his seat. Hoping that Wrenarias followed him and upon her seating herself, he would keep a watchful eye on the door. "Thank-you back there, I promise I'm not all trouble." He nodded, hoping the Twi'lek wouldn't be overtly upset with the traveler. It was in his nature to sometimes find trouble as a treasure-hunter and free wayfarer. However, he hadn't want the danger to infect the lives of others. Knowing that Wrenarias was likely a force-sensitive such as himself, it gave him hope that they'd work together. It gave him hope that he'd have someone without grand ulterior motives to travel with, too.

Little did they know, their enemy was not far away. They had time to catch a glimpse of who they were looking forward and scoured the different outlets outside the common area. Their weapons were readied and had they recognized either one, both of them would be lit up if they didn't act quick. It was a peculiar situation, one that Mr. Drake wanted out of as soon as possible.

 

[Wrenarias]

Wren took a seat that allowed her line of sight of both the entrance and the back exit. Her forearms propped up on the edge of the table with her fingers loosely laced together in front of her face. When Elliot ordered himself a drink, she did as well -- a Tatooine Sunrise. Might as well get the drink she wanted earlier while she was trying to lay low with the boy who seemed to spontaneously create some sort of trouble for himself. She couldn't hold that against him though, she was just as prone to stumbling into trouble.

Her fingers tapped idly against her knuckles, impatient. It wasn't clear yet if she was annoyed with Elliot, or just waiting for her drink to arrive.

She let the young man stew for a few minutes longer, waiting until the brightly colorful drink was set in front of her to offer a teasing smirk.

"I'm not sure that I believe you." She countered with a good-natured chuckle, shaking her head.

"Do you make a habit of picking fights when you visit a market?" She added after taking a sip from her glass, grinning over the brim at him. While she spoke to him, her eyes casually glanced from one doorway to the next, making sure that his "friends" weren't coming to pay another visit.

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot chuckled back at the Twi'lek who seemed unlike any other. He couldn't quite conceptualize all the way what it was, but something was different. She teased that he'd only been a source of trouble and it was likely a fun jab at a true situation. The boy just couldn't help but piss off the wrong people, and little did he know that was exactly what was happening. Closer and closer, their threat loomed over like a grim shadow. The dark aura of a killing intent nearly overwhelmed the boy and for a moment, it was the thickest aroma. Once it had thinned out for a moment, it had been Elliot pulling himself from the force and focusing on his drink to still his nerves. "Well, you probably shouldn't!" He dryly laughed, reminiscing on what brought him to that point.

After all his journeys with Norman Drake, all the things he had learned had finally been tested. The knack for survival, the sharp eye of a journeymen, and the wit of a troublemaker biting off more than he could chew. It was these qualities that would help define the explorer. Certainly, the curiosity would get the better of Elliot someday. For now, he was able to find momentary solace in the company of Wrenarias and his harsh drink. A bit stiff...but it'll do. Elliot looked back at Wrenarias after finding his reflection in the murky drink of his. She asked the obvious, and all the boy could do was shrug. "I cannot confirm OR deny that, to be honest. I wouldn't be good at being a trouble-addict if I admitted it. Sounds like sobriety."

The raven-haired force sensitive laughed looking around to notice a few looming eyes among the many drunkards that filled the pub. The aura of death had once again stained Elliot's senses, making him a bit more alarmed but knowing if they acted rashly that it would make the two suffer greatly. "They're close. We need to be careful. Oh, Elliot Drake at your service. Can't remember if we properly introduced each other. If we did, tough! I forgot, huh-hey." Elliot was good at being silly despite being in a desperate situation, it helped him keep calm and hopefully chilled the nerves of those he became a jester for.

"I would like to remind you, that we are being watched. I can tell you're not one for sudden movements, especially with how close our friends are." Elliot nodded seriously towards Wrenarias, feeling for his shoto in case things became quite hostile and messy within the pub. Otherwise, Elliot waited patiently. It was hard, at least one of the two surviving together became frigid from the heat attracting many enemies so it became hard to figure out how to start a conversation for the raven-haired boy. "And uh... you got a ship? Not to be direct, but we should leave and I've been...hitch-hiking." The boy smiled feverishly, hoping she would be kind enough to not only save him by the skin of his teeth but also give him a ride to...somewhere. Anywhere. Hopefully not there.

 

[Wrenarias]

The malicious presence prowling closer and closer did not go unnoticed by the twi'lek. Her lavender eyes briefly flicked to the entrance, watching the doorway intently for a few moments before she looked back to Elliot. The boy was eccentric and excitable, but endearing in his own right. At least he wasn't an obnoxiously rude grifter.

"Mhm. I'm well aware." She murmured into her drink as she took a longer swig from the contents.

There was a brief pause when the boy gave his name, she responded by offering her own in a quiet voice. "Wrenarias. And I don't have a ship of my own... but there's a shuttle leaving in about ten minutes. Could try to catch it, if you're worried about your 'friends' finding us."

Wren couldn't help but wonder just what the hell she'd gotten herself into. It was far too late to back out now since she'd interjected herself into the skirmish.

She quickly finished the last of her drink and gave a soft sigh.

"We shouldn't stay here much longer. Think you can manage to keep a low profile?"

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot watched as Wrenarias kept her eyes alert, something the boy had been mindful enough to do as well. It was of upmost importance that they were prepared for the worst, and so they simply drank and waited for a while. The dark energy looming over them eventually faded slowly, allowing them an opening to escape as needed. Finishing his drink, Elliot stood and cheerily signaled the Twi'lek. "Hey, that's our chance. Come on, friend, let's get out of here and have some fun." Elliot was, of course, referring to the wide galaxy ahead of them had they continued to travel together. A traveling partner was something Elliot was not opposed to, being used to Norman's company for so long but..unfortunately being deprived.

The force sensitive stepped outside of the pub and gave a quick scan with his eyes and awaiting Wrenarias to follow. Once they would begin making their way for the docking bay, Elliot would resume their conversation. "Okay, so, I didn't just get seen, I had to save someone getting mugged! I wouldn't worry, we're outside of the Empire's reach. Lesser threats on the Inquisitor end." Drake had made sure to keep a watchful eye for their surroundings, no longer sensing an imminent threat. It was crazy to him, trusting in the force as much as he does. The boy initially refused his teachings, but through taking them he was able to learn what he must to survive.

"So, dear Wrenarias, how are we...gaining passage to this ship?" As they were nearing the docking bay, a familiar malevolent force emanated in the distance. The distance that contained their ride home. Elliot was alarmed immediately, making sure his face was concealed. "Especially since I'm pretty sure we're walking into either a trap or we're going to ignore a LOT of bad things. I better not see ONE blaster pointed at anyone..." Elliot was a bleeding heart, and that was likely to irritate his new-found ally, but it was something she was going to have to deal with. Hopefully, however, that wasn't going to be tested.

 

[Wrenarias]

"Dear?" She asked incredulously, blinking a few times as she walked alongside Elliot. An amused chuckled hummed in the back of her throat as she shook her head a few times. There wasn't time to dwell on the overly familiar moniker, a threat loomed ahead. Both Elliot and Wrenarias sensed the presence at the same time. She tensed slightly, her lips forming a tight line as she reached inside her jacket to procure the modified lightsaber hilt once more. With the click of a button, the hilt extended to the length of a short staff. She casually slipped the staff across the back of her shoulders, letting her hands rest over the top of it on either end. It was a casual posture, but one that left her weapon within her grasp without her looking alarmed.

"Don't react unless it's obvious they're coming after us, alright? And don't do anything too brash. Can't fight if you're dead." She advised, keeping her voice low so that it didn't carry over the murmur of the crowd around them.

She glanced to Elliot out of the corner of her eye, subtly arching a brow. "Also can't help anyone else if you get yourself killed. Think of it like that."

Her thumb tapped against the metal cylinder, sweeping her gaze over the crowd as they drew closer to the docks, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble.

 

[Elliot Drake]

Seeing Wrenarias taken aback by Elliot's silly nature, it brought a smile to the traveler's face. It was something that lightened up the serious nature of their position, a welcome change. Meanwhile, they had an obvious threat ahead. Entering into the docking bay, Elliot noticed many people being inspected by the armed elite of the trading outpost. Why they were alerted was beyond the Jedi, but why they seemed overtly hostile was what alarmed him. He hadn't been recognized by them as far as he knew. The boy figured they would have no business with him, so he became less tense. "Oh, I don't know what's going on but they're likely after actual criminals." He chuckled innocently, but still furrowed his brow watching them.

The traveler did not reveal his saber, but was ready to when the opportunity called for it. As they went further into the docking bay, Elliot stopped Wrenarias and turned to her, confused by the thick aura of hostility. "They came here to kill, but I don't understand. Still, shouldn't have to lift a finger. Where's that ship? I still want to make haste..." He darted his eyes around, before hearing the sudden approach of marching steps. The armed guard had suddenly been approaching him, which clued him in on one detail: the people they were searching were robed or Twi'lek. "Halt! State your business." Which made Elliot jump out from his skin mentally; thankfully not visibly.

"I'm a wanderer who's soon to be leaving with my friend here." The guards put a sharp eye on Wrenarias, scanning her with their peering eyes and with great hostility. "Well, we cannot let anybody pass in or out. I'm also going to need to see some sort of identification and for you, boy, to remove your hood." Elliot sighed, knowing that he hadn't the identification and that they were likely looking for a specific person that was accompanied by a Twi'lek that had a cybernetic prosthetic. Looking over at Wrenarias, he had hoped she had something up her sleeve to keep the situation from escalating.

Slowly going to remove his hood, Elliot revealed his pale face with raven-black hair. Smirking nervously, he saw the couple of guards in front of them raise their rifles, but showing restraint in place of pulling the trigger immediately. "Well, I have some unfortunate news for you two. What happens when we DON'T have identification?" Elliot raised his hands for a shrug, keeping a clear path to summon his shoto into his left palm. The guards tensed their grip on their rifles, one of them quietly calling for back up. "Come with us, now. Calmly and quietly." Elliot sighed once again, waiting to make the first move. The only option he saw was either follow peacefully or leave violently.

 

[Wrenarias]

As the rifles came up, pointed at both her and Elliot, Wren took a deep breath and slowly raised her hands to shoulder height. Her expression stayed calm and non-threatening, not wanting one of the guards to get a twitchy finger and fire off a shot on accident. There were too many people around them for her to risk fighting her way out of the situation, so for now, she waited.

"Just stay calm..." She muttered under her breath to Elliot, glancing between the guards with a warm smile.

"We'd be happy to. Why don't you lower those blasters now though? No need to make a scene and frighten folks." She said, addressing the man who seemed to be in charge of the group detaining them. While she spoke, she internally was sizing up each of the armed men. The one on the left was the smallest and the closest, she reasoned that she could take him out relatively easily... which would give Elliot an opening.

But she couldn't do anything here. Not with the crowds. She grit her teeth in frustration.

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot darted his eyes around the scenery, looking for anything to use to his advantage to get the two out of such a sticky situation. His eyes were partially concealed, so it kept the guards from reacting with hostility but he knew they had to act soon. Thinking for a moment, Wrenarias likely sized up their enemies just as he was in that moment. Knowing any action would be too dangerous in such a populated area and not seeing anything he could use to his advantage, Elliot nodded with his hands raised, awaiting them to lead the way.

Wrenarias had already agreed to the two being taken in by the guards, likely for questioning -- especially with the lack of identification of sorts. Either that was a ruse or it meant to them that the two were considered to have illegally boarded. The guards would draw the two away from the publicity of the docking bay and towards what looked like could be a holding cell until they received some sort of transportation. Once they were entered, an electronic field was cast to form a transparent wall. A few guards kept watch while their superior spoke on his comms quietly.

"Psst...Wrenarias..." Elliot tried getting his companion's attention, watching the two guards lazily stand by and trying to focus on their gossip. Pointing to them, Elliot squinted his eyes. Opting to close them, Elliot focused in on the Force around him, feeling the vast energy that was so unfocused before messily centering the energy on the two guards. When he initially did this, hundreds of whispers invaded Elliot's ears, the whispers dying off one by one until it became two which grew into clearly audible voices.

"Aye, nice one asking for th' "registration" Cal." The first guard spoke with a reserved chuckle, tapping his fellow guard on the chest with the back of his hand in triumph. "Oi, it ain't nothin' Del, thanks for keepin' ya finger steady. Unlike usual, I's sure the slavers are gonna love 'em." The two laughed between each other once more, looking over their shoulder suspiciously. Elliot's eyes darted open, turning to Wrenarias. "You're not going to like this. And I have a horrible idea, to boot."

 

[Wrenarias]

Something was wrong.

Dock masters wouldn't have taken them to individual holding cells, especially not portable ones like these. She recognized the technology behind the barriers and cages the moment they activated. Every instinct the woman had screamed at her to lash out, to fight. She didn't need the Force to tell her who these men really were.

It took all her willpower to keep the panic at bay as it tried to claw its way up her throat. She was focusing on calming her breathing when she heard Elliot in the next cell over hiss at her.

One of the armed men turned to look over his shoulder at them as if appraising the pair, and Wrenarias felt fire in her veins as her fury smoldered in her belly.

"And what exactly is this plan?" She growled lowly to Elliot through the barrier, keeping her gaze on the men across the room from them.

Elliot Drake

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot could see the anger in Wrenarias' eyes, but he couldn't know exactly why. He could only presume to see the damaged past. Though, he need not be concerned with her past at the time and more so was concerned with their present situation. Unlike his Twi'lek companion, he remained a bit more calm and collected, scanning around with his eyes to take in the environment. One way, no cameras, and the superior had just walked off. Turning to Wrenarias, Ellios chuckled nervously before leaning to whisper.

"Well I think we have...two options, see. We either play a trick or two on these guards or we let them take us in and we take over whatever ship is going to pick us up. I'm sure they wouldn't want tourists suddenly appearing to be slaves on the same space station." Elliot looked forward, the guards ahead who peered at them giving the two dirty looks. Elliot wanted more than anything to beat them for being so dishonest over there intentions, but he knew he would have to show restraint.

For Now.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Wren paused, quietly considering their circumstances. Something Elliot said resonated with her and gave her a moment of clarity. This was likely not the first time these men had done this... and they would likely do it again, so someone less capable of defending themselves if they made a break for it now. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she looked to Elliot, lowering her voice.

"We need to take them all out. All of them. We'll take the ship." She whispered with a determined nod of her head.

They hadn't taken her saber and they certainly had not placed a Force inhibitor on her. Such contraptions were expensive and incredibly hard to come by. These fools likely didn't realize just what they'd caught in this little farce of theirs.

Wren intended to make them pay for their mistake. No one else would fall victim to these foul men.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

Elliot Drake

 

[Elliot Drake]

Elliot could feel the anger brewing inside of Wrenarias, a fume of darkness that created a stinging aroma. It was unsettling, but he knew that she was right to a degree. He could tell that she wanted to kill them, but he simply wanted off the ship. He knew that their trade had to come to an end, so he couldn't merely be opportunistic. Stepping forward after nodding at Wrenarias, he took a moment to focus on the two. Remembering what the strange alien on the Feriae Junction did to him, with the attempted mind invasion, Elliot figured he could channel the same power through the force.

When he did, however, it felt wrong. As he stared at the guard on the left, he felt his essence creeping along the empty space between them, slowly attempting to seep into the guard's mind. At first, the guard seemed discomforted, swaying a bit and acting groggy. Then he started complaining about a headache, so there may be a clear sign to the wary of someone's interference. "Woah, man, I don't feel so good." "You okay Del? How about you pop a squat and I'll transfer the two toys over here myself while the boss just kisses ass!" "Fuck off, man, I REALLY don't feel good..." Elliot slightly lifted a hand, extending his fingers as he focused the intense intrusion.

That's when a strange feeling washed over him. He could feel the man's body, and he could feel the dark tendrils of the force drilling into the man's skull. Drilling and cracking through, quasi-presently shattering it and twisting into the different lobes of Del's brain. Kill him. He can't disrespect you like that. Elliot couldn't help himself at this point as whatever he was channeling had manifested himself as raw anger and a tear slid down his cheek. Cal had turned to see the glistening tear, also looking down for a moment in confusion to see the sprawled hand of the hooded Jedi.

"Huh? Wait...oh f--" And in that moment, the concussive sound of a blaster pistol resounded throughout the hall and the side of Cal's head turned into a seared, crispy-burnt crater while the other end had a length of energy slide out from it. Del was shaking, resisting the persuasion with every fiber in his body but Elliot kept it going. Taking slow, unbalanced steps forward, Elliot dominated the guard and eventually it lead to their freedom.

Once the energy field was disabled, Elliot slowly closed his hand and the dark lament of the Force pulled itself viciously from the now-crying Del, causing his eyes to roll to the back of his head and for his body to collapse. Elliot seemingly had not been breathing the whole time because he desperately gasped for air as he fell to a kneel. Wheezing, everything around him seem to become so closed off from his senses. His hands trembled and he couldn't help but cry. "What the hell? What did I..."

Elliot, unsure of what he did to create such an opening, could feel that for the moment he was drained and most certainly needed to recover. Needless to say, he tapped into a rather darker part of the Force.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

Under almost any other circumstance, Wrenarias would have avoided touching Elliot. She made a concerted effort to avoid any form of physical contact with people, given her condition. If she wasn't careful, it could overwhelm an unprepared individual. Though it had its uses, and if ever there was a time to put her ability to use, this was it.

Elliot falling apart now would only complicate things further.

She hurried over to him, dropping down to one knee. Hesitation caught her hand as she reached for Elliot's shoulder. Almost every other time she intentionally touched someone it was to inflict a negative emotion or pain. There was only one person in her life that could easily forge the connection with her, without being put off by what came with it.

Closing her eyes, she focused on the calm determination that burned within her and then reached out to place her hand on Elliot's shoulder. She felt her aura shift and ebb into the man through her hand, her warmth and emotional state gradually spreading through him. An eerie calm, not one of meditation, but borne from a life well accustomed to battle and death would settle over Elliot. Laying dormant beneath that steely calm, was a torrent of heartache and anger, but she masked those as best she could to avoid overwhelming her companion.

"You did what you had to do. But there's still work to be done. On your feet, Elliot." She said softly.

Elliot Drake

 

[Elliot Drake]

The orphaned Drake had been one to peer into the surface of the emotions of those near him, but could not take a true look into their minds and their lives. This was always a surface-level understanding of their aura, so when Wrenarias had touched him he felt amazed at an ability he would likely never be able to replicate. The instant connection between the two could have been overwhelming, but Elliot was okay. At first it was emotionally harmful, but that harm subsided and then Elliot looked back into Wrenarias as she looked into him.

Pain. They both had a lot of pain, having mentors who were once with them but now were gone. It wasn't that she let those emotions overflow into her attempt to cool Elliot's own, but the boy's curious mind's eye that did its own search. She had opened a window and it was second nature for the Drake to explore that opportunity. Looking back at the Twi'lek, Elliot had somber eyes and merely nodded. Their pain was not the exact same because it was born from different places, but it was the pain of loss and the frustration of the cause not having answered for it the way they wanted.

"I...understand." Elliot muttered, still collecting himself with the psychic support of his companion. Clenching at the air as he was encouraged to stand and with the perceived implication he needed to stand tall, Elliot rose. His shoto shook from within his cloak, something he cast aside to reveal his slender, almost frail-looking body. His lightsaber spun out from its holster, orbiting his waist on the right side and twirling into the left. Mentally the kyber crystal's energized blade was called forward.

Elliot couldn't quite pinpoint where he stood spiritually with the force at the time, but they had a mission in mind. "Well, today...I learned NOT to try out the tricks of some tentacle-cheeked race. Doesn't, uh, doesn't end well. Tuckered me out for a moment there and uh, yeaaaah I got some stuff to deal with." Elliot sniffed dryly and cleared his throat with a brief look downwards before darting his eyes forward. It was the type of expression that tried hard to play off a serious moment as smaller than it was.

The ranking officer that was on call had entered back into the corridor expected to be talking to Cal and Del. "HEY you two gran-heads, transport's on its way, slavers are waiting near the waste disposal sector. Get the..." Elliot extended his hand forward, grunting as the air between him and the officer rippled, tugging the captor toward them. Elliot side-stepped, allowing the empath to take her swing. He tried to play it off, but he wasn't feeling very physically rejuvenated but was able to collect himself thanks to the Twi'lek's efforts. Still, it was draining to harness the Force but that stamina was restoring itself as Elliot mentally collected himself.

Once the officer was dealt with or interrogated or whatever Wrenarias wanted to do with him, Elliot would take a moment to close his eyes and briefly meditate. Okay, Elliot, you got this. You are in control. Remember, there is no emotion...there is peace. No emotion, peace. There is no emotion, there is peace.

Wrenarias

 

[Wrenarias]

While Elliot was trying to convince himself that there was no emotion, Wrenarias was succumbing to her own -- but with a startling calmness about her. As the guard flew through the air towards her, the twi'lek reached out to catch the man by the throat and slammed him into the ground in a brutal swing. The wind was knocked from the man's lungs and his form went limp, stunned from the impact.

Wren drew on the fear and anger that always simmered beneath the surface within her. Visceral images of her friends dying, gore turning the air itself a fine red mist, screams echoing through a battlefield, a sith lord in pursuit with his red saber glowing in a swirling darkness, the fear of being trapped in a cage, beaten as a slave. All of the trauma from her life coalescing into a single thought. The projection formed in her mind as she stared down at the guard's face, then she allowed the emotional trauma to assail the guard's mind through the connection she'd formed with the physical contact.

A guttural, feral scream clawed its way from the man's throat as he flailed desperately on the ground in an attempt to get free from the Empath's grasp.

She pulled her saber out from inside her jacket with her free hand, with a click of a button she activated the blade and then slammed the saber of light into the man's skull.

He went still and silence fell over the room once more.

The twi'lek pulled back and deactivated her lightsaber, expelling a sharp breath.

She turned her gaze to Elliot, a look of grim determination on her face. "Let's get to that ship."

Elliot Drake