Private What The Hell Are You Doing?

[Iris Arani]

Denon had gotten worse since her Knighting. Something was happening in the background, bringing all manner of criminals to the planet. Was it the rise in Jedi presence? That didn't make sense to Iris, but she wasn't here to not help. Valery had been insistent that being a Jedi was the right way to help the people here. She even had targets laid out in the DireX to go after. And yet, there were reports that came in she couldn't ignore. Red Rdava was gone, was what she realized at first. Nothing on Corin's vigilante name came up.

Then the reports of a Red Mask. Brutal beatings that left thugs in the hospital. Worse. Mask showed up when Rdava seemed to leave.

None of the local authority knew how to catch him. The tricks Corin taught her though, those she could use to try and find where this Mask was. The report came in of another siting and she followed it. Followed where she knew he'd run to get away from the Corpos.

Sure enough, there he was. Her eyes narrowed as she dropped down. Not just him.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?"

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

Some warehouse on the southside of town. If even that, sometimes it better resembled an old and shattered shack; the sort that reminded both Corin and Rafe of the slums of Denon. Home, in a sense. It had tinted windows, too tinted to see into. But the hatch on the roof, this one time, was left open. The Red Mask stood unmasked in the room littered with tools and weapons, of either one of their own designs or borrowed (in the loosest sense of the word) from Yula. He tucked the red helmet under an arm while he stood around the centre table, the sharp incline of his brow fired off at the sudden entrance of Iris.

"You could always knock." He said as the helmet was settled onto the table and hands started to stow an assortment of tools in their respective places. Corin even walked back and forth between the containers and the table that best seemed to have a use in a workshop than a makeshift home.

"Iris, Rafe. Rafe, Iris." Corin waved hands between the two until he planted said hands on the table and looked up to Iris, who landed directly onto it. "Did you miss me already?" He smugly grinned.

Iris Arani Rafe Keppora

 

[Rafe Keppora]

"To be fair, Cor, you hardly do much knocking yourself these days."

Rafe snickered to himself as he finished polishing his gun, fresh off reassembling and cleaning the thing. It was just enough to be proud of, but not enough that he was showing off.

A careful balance.

"Nice to meet you, Iris." The Denonite said as he reached a hand forward to greet the female Jedi as she let her questions settle. "Nice to see that Corin didn't lie about you." He turned towards his slum buddy with a smirk. "Spice of life, eh?"

The pair had been set up in the warehouse for quite some time, minor busts and raids here and there. Enough to get the lower-level scum worried at the very least. But if you pull enough minnows, eventually a bass will come. They had heard about a crime boss wondering why his men had gone missing and were hoping to set up a raid to finish him off once and for all.

Unfortunately, many fights and no rest meant that the Outlaws weren't quite running at theirs. Rafe himself wore bandages that dragged across his shoulder, a slug having torn its way through not two weeks ago.

Came with the territory.

 

[Iris Arani]

They were casual.

Way too casual. Iris stayed up on the table, glancing between the two just sitting there. Cleaning guns. Her eyes narrowed on the blaster. The wounds. Then back to Corin's smug grin. She wasn't sure what she was going to find after reading those reports, but to see him so glib just made it worse. She didn't take the hand that was offered. Just narrowed her eyes that much more on Rafe.

"You talk about me to people?" There was a whole bunch of thoughts on that she didn't want to process at the moment.

"You're going too far these days, Corin. Red Mask just brings fear. So, you wanna tell me what's going on? Or do I have to take you in?"

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

Corin turned to Rafe and offered little more than a side-eye upon the lattest comment. "Careful," the Jedi said to the Denon local before those same eyes upturned towards his peer, "He's an old friend with a colourful imagination." It was dismissive in nature, the words that followed.

Her next series of words, however, forced Corin to turn. He elected to allow a fraction of his attention to befall the continued effort of those earlier minute duties. He stowed the smaller items here and there with his back turned to Iris for a moment. Corin mused on what it was that the Keshian made mention of, and instead it split a small smirk across his lips. He never saw so much as an issue with it - a natural progression, a move forwards, a chance of pace, becoming better.

"Good," the unmasked vigilante commented with some bitter satisfaction, "Let them be afraid; make them think twice before they step out of line and hurt someone else."

He turned around next with the helmet still tucked beneath an arm. "But as for what's going on..." His eyes narrowed, "I grew up."

"And take me in?" His brow quirked, "Let's not pretend for a moment that you could, let alone would."

Rafe Keppora Iris Arani

 

[Rafe Keppora]

The Redhead threw his hands up in response to his friend's warning, clearly a bit more comfortable than he should be.

Rafe was the odd man out here, there was clearly a history between the two. The Denonite had heard stories of Corin's fellow Jedi, but he was always an arms reach away from them. Used to be he would just help out with information. He had been stuck on Denon after all, easier to keep track of those ruining your planet when you were still stuck in the mud with them.

But still, his playful smirk wiped itself away as Iris Arani mentioned taking him in.

"Too far is playing by rules that let more people die." Maybe it wasn't his place to chime in on this argument, but when Corin Trenor approached him to actually make a change with their own hands he became part of whatever this was. "We have been dealing with fear since we were children, it's time to give a little back."

 

[Iris Arani]

"I don't think you grew up at all. We're Jedi, Corin. We protect people from fear, not instill it in others." That was a line no Jedi should cross. She'd already met one throwing around the head of bandits to try and make the others think twice on raiding a nearby village. A head. A severed head.

Her gaze flicked between the two. Rafe was a complete stranger, who seemed to know something about her. And knew Corin. How much, what he was responsible for. Too many questions. Yet she was here anyway.

"You said you'd trust me to stop you if you started to go too far. So if you think I wouldn't drag you back to the Temple, you'd be wrong." Her gaze shifted back to him. Narrowed in focus. And concern.

"Don't forget you're a Jedi."

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

"There is no too far." He stated with malice, an embittered scowl formed across his worn and battered features; cuts lined his face as well as bruises, strands of raven hair still faintly wet with sweat fell around and down his thundered features. He nodded towards Rafe, "You heard him. The Jedi sit by and let people die, not only on Denon. I can make a difference as one of them but if I need to cross a few lines to do so, then so be it."

It was an endless, unshakeable devotion to Denon. To his home. To his people. Just as it should be. There was no threat that would take him from this system, no punishment cost too much. Even expulsion.

"This is my home, Iris." He said with a cool measured tone, "There's nothing I won't do to protect it."

Iris Arani Rafe Keppora

 

[Iris Arani]

"I don't. And I'm far from the only one. Everything is changing, and we're supposed to be the ones to help that change. But now you're refusing to change." Finally, she did hop off the table. Shifting so she wasn't between the two any longer. She kept her hands away from her blades, for now. Turned her gaze around them to just look over the room. She hadn't thought about it, but here he was. Bringing in more.

"Kai felt that same way when he tried to rip my mind apart."

That was the core of her problem. Another friend going down a path they shouldn't. Where the ends justified the means. If that's truly how he felt, she wouldn't let it reach that point. Not this time. Even if she had to drag him back by force.

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

"Until it does, I continue the mission." It was simple to Corin, the conviction in each uttered word carried the sense of self-belief that remained so adamant. Denon was home and it needed aid, the sort of aid and care no one else could afford the derelict system stricken with crime. "If you want to take me back to the temple to make me see some sort of reason, let it be."

"I'd sooner leave the order than Denon." He let the words stir, "Better expell me from it now."

Iris Arani Rafe Keppora

 

[Iris Arani]

"Why does it have to be one or the other? There are ways to help this world as a Jedi. All this is is just.. Ugh! You're still an ass! Anyone of us would come and help you, no questions asked. But you didn't ask for help. Not from us. You grabbed someone who wants to help beat people up instead of helping the people here. You're not here to protect anyone. You're just here to make people feel how you did. That's not being a Jedi, or continuing the mission Dagon started."

She took a breath, mostly to calm herself before she rambled any more than she was. Then narrowed her eyes again.

"I am going to take you back to the temple. Kicking and screaming if I have to. Because you're acting like a child, Corin."

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

His foul features stretched, the bitterness strewn across them more apparent than ever before. Even the mention of his mentor seemed to lack focus with all the attention instead thrown onto the reference to his youth. The years of fear and fury, the need to steal to survive yet unable to ever thrive. On the streets of Denon, a young Corin was lost with the rest of them. But few knew of it, and the correct assumption from Iris only boiled his blood.

"Denon is worse than ever with all the outside intervention. It invites trouble, and I'm not interested in seeing some other Jedi stumble into some unknown situation and prattle on with some ridiculous moralism to people that need other forms of help." He said with malice, "I spoke to Alicio, that senator. Him and I, we have a plan. It's slower but it works, it fixes it all, root and stem."

It was with an all too offended look that he continued to ignore Rafe that no doubt slinked off out of the conflict in the meantime.

"Hell, you have no idea how I felt. If it means I'm not a Jedi, whatever." He turned with a huff and retreated into the helmet then placed over his head. The muffled and synthesized voice carried on, "Tell your old master to forward me a holo. I have work to do."

Iris Arani Rafe Keppora

 

[Iris Arani]

"No, I don't know how you felt."

She couldn't, not that life. She barely experienced her own for that matter. He was right. Denon was worse. She'd seen it first hand. Her narrowed eyes softened, turned more to pleading than anything else. Even more so as he pulled his helmet on. Valery Noble had been firm with her on this, on not being a vigilante. But that only worked because Iris still wanted to be a Jedi.

Corin was willing to give that up.

"I know the plan. I helped Alicio plan it. I want to help, Corin. But you can't be alright with this. With turning your back on everything you were taught. Stop pushing us away, please. I'm trying."

Corin Trenor | Rafe Keppora

 

[Corin Trenor]

It was with the whites of his helmeted head that found Iris with a half-turned stare thrown over his shoulder, "Go home, Iris."

The Jedi were once his life. Once. His determination and interest fell elsewhere, and of what use were the Jedi then, Corin wondered. The people of Denon suffered under the rule of the Corporate Authorities and yet still the Senate never mobilised in order to make a fix for the people of Denon; another puppet installed to oversee the same, better concealed brutalities. To what end was that a resolution, the then vigilante demanded an unfound answer. It was time to take matters into his own hands, of which yielded better results than ever before.

Time to continue, then.

"I never asked you to try." He said amid steps taken towards the exit door, a latch kept it locked. He fiddled with it some. "I'm not interested in help either."

Iris Arani Rafe Keppora

 

[Iris Arani]

"Well I'm going to anyway. You can be an ass about it all you want, but I'm not watching another friend sabotage themselves because they can't see people will help." On that, there was no going back. She raised a hand, forcing the door to stay closed.

"You're angry. Please, just talk to me. At least talk to me."

Corin Trenor

 

[Corin Trenor]

His arms fell limp beside him, a frustrated breath left his muffled mouth. Corin turned over to face Iris from across the room, those colours said all his hidden features could not - the same to be said of the subtle tilt that followed her words. He wandered closer, slowly.

"Talk to you about what what, Iris?" His voice carried an endless bitterness, "I'm over words. There's nothing left to be said. Do whatever you think is right, know that I'm doing the same."

He let it simmer.

"Now go."

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

"About this cloud around you! I can see what you're feeling. You know that. But no, I don't understand. Help me understand." She'd stamp her foot if she thought it'd help her case. It wouldn't. Was she supposed to be angry? Concerned? Frustrated? So many different emotions crossed through her mind as she lowered her hand. Watched him step closer. Watched the bitterness grow worse and worse.

Then, a defeated smile took over.

"I'm not going to leave you to this. We don't leave people behind. You know that."

Corin Trenor

 

[Dagon Kaze]

"Think he's given you his answer, Iris." an unfamiliar voice rasped from the shadows. There were only two white orbs piercing the darkness that veiled the Nightshrike leaning comfortably on a steel pillar with his arms crossed.

His presence in the Force was minuscule, almost like that of a phantom, and his identity an enigma; the product of Yula's technical hands and the Halari-Ra's force imbued threads and needles.​

Iris Arani Corin Trenor

 

[Iris Arani]

Another. This one she couldn't see was there. No colors, no presence. Or at least nothing she could see in the haze of all the other colors. Whatever smile she had left at that. Another who knew who she was, but she didn't recognize. She said nothing as she stepped forward, past Corin. Her hand lifted just enough to send the door flying open, lock broken and all, so she could leave.

It was in the doorway she paused. Not to look back.

"I thought you said you trusted me."

Then she was gone. Leaping away to just get away from this building frustration within her.

Dagon Kaze | Corin Trenor

 

[Corin Trenor]

There was an outline in the shadows.

Corin never saw the world in a vast display of colours that whispered truths and lies, able to reveal the details of someone's life and state of self in a sudden flash and splash of moody colours. His eyes were trained, however. He could see what most others failed to, the faintest of details hidden somewhere. Like someone shrouded in the darkness. This phantom followed Corin, stalked him. It felt as if it bore down a suspicious and judgmental stare with each action undertaken, set to sit and wait with baited breath for the moment to call him on all he'd done.

True or not, Corin had no time for it. Even less room to care.

"You can leave, too." He muttered bitterly as arms unfolded and he returned to his devices on the centre table.

Dagon Kaze