When the Bough Breaks...

[Zak Dymo]

~ continued from Sacrifice of Angels ~​

Normally, the ship felt as though it was too big.

With two bed chambers and a sizable lounge, the Equinox's usual passenger compliment of one boy, one droid, and a Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff biot made the transport feel luxurious in terms of appointment or the amount of space afforded them.

Just the three heroes -- the teenaged Jedi, [member="Ren Colvet"], level-headed NFU, [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"], and the young Jedi Initiate, [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] -- would have been more than the Equinox could have offered beds for. But these adventurers had with them the younglings rescued from the disastrous mission to Midvinter, in which their FrontierCorps shuttle had been attacked by pirates.

The young Pantoran had not been with them for the purpose of that trip, which had been a pilgrimage for the Jedi and the opening of trade and tourism for a world newly reunited into the newly formed Coalition of Worlds formed between the Levantine Sanctum and the Order of the Silver Jedi. A Primeval exchange student to the Levantine Astronautical Academy, the boy had been conducting work studies with the Coalition FrontierCorps as part of his training and become wrapped up in the ensuing escape and rescue of the younglings.

In so doing, the blue-skinned tween had revealed far too much of himself. He'd wielded the Dark Side of the Force in front of both Ren and Theo, including the use of a Sith lightsaber he'd recovered from its hiding place on the FrontierCorps shuttle.

While the exhausted younglings collapsed where ever they could find space, the Pantoran gave a low whistle. As though summoned by the signal, a black, large serpent came writhing from out of the shadows overhead. Picking up the living amphistaff, the blue-skinned youth made his way up to the second level to check on the astromech at the controls of the ship.

The droid had jumped to hyperspace using the last set of coordinates in its databank, which had been the coordinates for the distant world of Laekia. In orbit of which was the main campus for the Levantine Astronautical Academy.

"Drop us out of hyperspace, ArThree," the tween said, allowing the amphistaff to perch itself around his shoulders, as the boy looked over the navigational controls in the cockpit. "Start calculating a jump to Voss."

The droid gave a series of low whistles.

"No," the young witch-boy answered simply, reaching a hand up to stroke the head of the amphistaff. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

Of course, it had to be a good idea.

He'd used up all of his bad ones already...

 

[Delila Castillon]

Norah still wasn't quite sure how she had ended up with the group. One minute she thought it was fun to disappear from her caretaker and the next their ship had been falling apart. Apparently she had been stuck on a shuttle with a whole bunch of Jedi or wannabe Jedi. A vessel that had been ripped apart by some type of attackers. Norah found herself fuzzy on the details.


Her mom used to tell her tales of slavers trying to pick off easy targets. Maybe it was something like that? The older Jedi kids had battled while she had gotten the younger ones away to safety. Most of those younger kids were passed out in the cabins or had found small spaces to tuck away and sleep.


Norah felt a little out of place. No doubt they had realized she was a stowaway and not from their school. Wanting to not interrupt, she had went down to the cargo bay to find her own bit of space. Her pack had survived the crash although her datapad screen was cracked in the corner. Frown graced her features and she laid down on a cargo container, feet dangling off the edge.


Powering up her device, the little redhead went back to reading. Part of her was worried where she would be dropped off at it....Hopefully [member="Dirks Hutchinson"] wouldn't be too angry with her.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Sitting by himself in one of the corridors of the ship, the floor was the best place to be comfortable and it allowed him to be with his thoughts. A lot had happened on the shuttle to Midvinter and Théo was trying to make some sort of sense from it. A first time experience for him to encounter pirates, and more. He was more going over the sensations he had felt from Boo. The darkness is in him, yet he does not use it to hurt those around him save the enemy. It is a confusing mix to say the least and Théo was having a time of it to understand. Not only that, he had no idea where they are now, he knew enough to know Boo was taking them to safety, what had happened to all the others on the shuttle? Some of them dead, their bodies on the floor of the ship a testament to that, the crew as well .. but there some missing.

His eyes lifted as the young girl, a red headed passed him in the corridor. Théo did not have a chance to have spoken with her back on the other ship, and she seemed to want for some personal space, the same as he. He watched her walk away and enter what would be the cargo hold, he assumed Boo was up in the cockpit and may come to find them soon enough.

Théo decided to be alone with one thoughts, was getting him nowhere and maybe the young girl might want for company too. He followed her path and enter the hold to find her sitting on a container looking at something. "Hey, I am Théo", he said to her as he approached, he could not remember if he had given his name prior. He walked up to a container near by and sat down looking around a little awkwardly. "You alright?", he finally asked.

​

​

[member="Boo Chiyo"] | [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"]​

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] \\ [member="Boo Chiyo"]


Sprawled out on the container reading the book, legs laying over the edge. They idly moved against the container, letting off some nervous energy as she read. Red bangs fell across her eyes and she batted them away with a free hand. In the distance, she could hear soft footsteps moving closer to her, closer to the cargo hold.


A black haired boy moved close to her, sitting on another free cargo crate. Norah put the datapad containing her book on her stomach and turned to look at him. Theo, his name was.


"I'm Norah, nice to meet you."


Was she alright? Well....things could certainly be better.


"Just hoping my adoptive father won't be mad at me....I haven't lived long with him."


Jedi probably didn't know things like parents or caretakers, so maybe Theo couldn't relate. Norah didn't know the ins and outs of their religion...cult...thing. Most of them seemed quite nice so far.


"How are you Theo?"

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"Yeah I am alright, hey none of this was your fault, so he should not be mad. In fact he should be happy to see you are safe now". He looked her over, there was no visible signs of injury, not that Théo could do anything about it had there been, save for make her comfortable.

"My Mama and Papa, will be so worried, and my Grand Papa, he was expecting us on Midvinter and so he has probably sent word to my parents we did not arrive". He thought about this for a moment, and it gave him heart that at least someone will be out looking for them.

"You not from the Temple?", he could sense she was not attuned to the force, but the Silver Sanctum does not only provide education for the Jedi alone, even Théo has classes in general education outside of his force training.

​

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]


Norah thought a moment, thinking. She wasn't sure what [member="Dirks Hutchinson"] would do when he found her again. Grounded? Take away her stuff? Lock her away in a all-girls boarding school? This would be the first time she would have gotten in trouble with her new father. It would really be the first time she would be in big, big trouble.


Ever since her Mom died it just felt different. She felt different. Norah hoped it wouldn't last long.


"Maybe your parents will find us soon. It is good they were expecting us...don't want to get lost and never found again. Especially if those....people....that attacked us have friends hanging around."


A small smile crossed her features at his question. Head shook,sending tendrils of flame red hair loose from their braids. To be honest, Norah was surprised it took the Jedi children this long to figure out that she wasn't one of them. Wasn't there internal Jedi-dar or something?


"No, before this I went to school on Laekia since I was a little kid. Now I go to school on Ceto but Uncle Hutch takes me a lot of places with him lately....He was busy at work when I wandered around and joined your group. I figured I would fit in since it was a field trip."

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

Théo smiled at her, her running off was something he would do. "Well I hope they don't either, I mean what are pirates doing in Sanctum space anyway? I don't think my parents will be to happy about that".

"I have never been to Laekia, but I think my Papa lived there for a while with Nina. Is it a nice place?". The young girl seemed in good spirits and so was Théo, it was good to take his mind off what had happened. But he did wonder where Boo was. But someone had to fly the ship!

"I have spent most of my life on Voss, or Tabaqui or Midvinter, they are the only places I have visited". Sounds impressive! well not really Norah had probably seen more of the galaxy than he. But a sheltered life has he and one day he will experience to wide galaxy.

"I hope your guardian comes for you soon, but my parents will make sure you are safe once we get to Voss", he gave her a smile to reassure her more.

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]


Norah moved to sit up so she could talk to the black haired boy. Datapad went back into her backpack and she sat cross-legged facing him. Elbows went on her knees, leaning slightly forward so she could listen and talk better. She bit her lip at the pirate thing, thinking.


"Mom always said this area was kind of empty years ago. Maybe they are mad they can't do illegal stuff anymore...ya know, because of the Jedi and soldiers running around."


Brow furrowed at his mention of the planets she had never heard of.


"I've mainly lived on Laekia. Its nice...beaches and open areas. We didn't live anywhere near the beach, just on the edge of the capital city. Before Laekia I lived on Fondor and Ord Mantell. Back in Omega Pyre space....I dont think its Omega space anymore..."


"Hutch is probably at work. I'll be okay on my own...waiting. "

 

[Zak Dymo]

"Wait a minute. Let me expla..."

The Sullustan on the other end of the link to the Antarian Ranger station on Voss was less than willing to do that. A rapid stucco of flowing syllables interrupted the Pantoran, as the hologram projected by the R3 unit reacted angrily to the call from the Primeval transport. Nonetheless, Boo had made the call with the intention of letting the Jedi know what had happened to the shuttle to Midvinter -- and the fact that the crew was safe for the most part.

"Yes, I've got Theo Heavenshield and the other passengers aboard. They're fine by the wa..." the boy offered, before getting interrupted a third time. Or was this the fourth now? "What? No, I don't have any demands. This isn't..."

Another rapid fire burst of Sullustan, the angry tone making clear the somewhat less-than-receptive context of the communication.

"Balagoth's balls," the youth swore, beginning to become frustrated by the decidedly regressive nature of the call. As a Primeval exchange student to what had been the Levantine Sanctum's academy, the tween's droid-controlled ship had made the transit from Bastion to Laekia openly as a Primeval registered private vessel. By the time that the Sanctum and the Silver Jedi had formed the Coalition, the ship had already been berthed at Oswaft Station for some time. So, the sector patrols knew of it and its purpose. In contrast, Boo had known that a Primeval flagged transport hailing the Ranger station on Voss was going to present a picture in contrasts -- but he hadn't thought that it would be this bad.

"Look, I'm trying to tell you that I'm bringing the passengers back to Voss, so you..." More Sullustan. Much angry. "This ISN'T an invas..."

A burst of angry Sullustan, the hologram clearly coming up from out of a seat to shout directly into the holographic projector as a threat of a military response was made.

And then the link was severed.

Great. Boo had a two-man transport packed with about twenty kids and the Silver Fleet was going to be ready to respond to some Primeval Youngling Crusade. Or whatever they imagined this to be. "Maybe we should have gone to Ziost, ArThree," the boy opined aloud, running a hand over the transparent dome of the astromech. A series of low whistles seemed to signal agreement.

Except Ziost had never been an option. Too many people would have been 'interested' in Ren or Theo. Especially Theo.

People like [member="Zambrano the Hutt"], whose descent into Balagoth's shadow seemed both macabre and madness. Twisting a beautiful religion into something that the Pantoran didn't want it to be. Or maybe it already was and he was too blinded by faith to want to see it. There had been the executions on Bation, commanded by the Host Lord in the name of all the gods.

He'd dealt with monster's his whole life. He didn't want any of the younglings aboard this ship to have to experience something like Z-Hutt.

But where else were they going to go? Hutt Cartel space? [member="Sempra the Hutt"] would have welcomed them with open arms, and then sold the younglings by the lot or wholesale the moment he thought Boo wasn't looking.

No. They were going to Voss. Even if it killed Boo.

And after so much killing, perhaps that was the best outcome for all.

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Théo sat wondering what a beach was, whatever it was seemed nice from how Norah spoke. He had only ever experienced, lakes either frozen or not or wanted to drown him or rivers which seemed to have the same intention as the lakes. Not that he did not like them...

"How did you get away? I mean wont your guardian be worried. I don't know how long we have been away for", he pondered, as this was true, time had some of vanished with all that had happened. Théo jumped down from the container, "We should go and find Boo, see where we are and stuff".

By now a few more children from the excursion had joined them, sitting around looking confused and concerned not knowing what would come next. "Come on", he encouraged Norah with a tilt of his head.

The corridor in which Théo had previously sat, is now lined with more children and so he had to step over legs and bodies now laying to get rest or chatting. Some looked up as him as he passed, but Théo had his sights set firmly on the cockpit door now.

As he approached the door, he could sense him inside, and muffled voices filtered through to the corridor. Boo's seemed to be the loudest .. "Boo?". He knocked before seeing the control panel and pressed the open button. The door whooshed open but Théo did not step inside, he couldn't .. it is too small for him.

"Hey, you alright?", his eyes darting around the cockpit.

​

[member="Boo Chiyo"] | [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

Turning back toward the stairwell which connected the upper and lower tiers of the aft 'bulb', the Pantoran gestured for the Valkyri boy to come through the entryway.

The cockpit of the Equinox was a large room with a vaulted ceiling. The room was divided into two parts, with the front half hosting the flight controls and rectangular windows that offered a view out into hyperspace. The back half was the lounge and autochef. Tucked to one side were a pair of reclining chairs on either side of a djarik table.

The Pantoran stood over where an orange astromech droid was plugged into the flight control console. A black, snake-like creature was coiled around the blue youth's shoulders, peering back at the newcomer's voice with a cold stare. "I get the feeling the Coalition don't like the Primeval much," Boo supplied in answer, turning back to offer the smaller youngling a forced smile to accompany the deadpan humor.

"There's food in the autochef if you want to eat," the witch-boy added. The Golden Banner had just restocked it for him before the start of the semester, right after the incident at Ord Janon.

There was also a shower. Which the Pantoran probably ought to use, being that he was still covered in blood and other colorful fluids from the Gamorrean and others they had encountered aboard the pirate outpost.

"ArThree will have you back on Voss in no time," the boy promised firmly.

"...assuming we don't get shot down first," the Primeval adherent opined wryly, turning back toward the starscape beyond the windows.

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"]​

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]


"I just slipped away. My guardian wasn't the brightest...I don't think Hutch could find someone good on short notice."


Theo mentioned finding Boo and she slid her datapad back into her schoolbag, leaving it where she was sitting. Norah would probably retreat back to the spot later on. It wasn't like they were disembarking off the vessel yet anyways. The slight redhead picked her way through the halls. Younglings were still relaxing anywhere a space was found, chatting or sleeping, some playing games with each other.


Norah found herself with Theo in the cockpit with the blue-skinned boy, he seemed the oldest out of everyone aboard. Listening to him speak, she found a piece of fruit near his autochef and began to eat. Eyes scanned the same viewports he was looking out of. Chewing on the fruit, an idea sprung to life.


"What if I contacted them? I mean....I'm nobody but I'm not a Jedi or a....Prime-whatever. Maybe they will believe me instead, like a neutral third party versus you guys."

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"Ah, yeah I don't think my Mama and Papa like the Primes much", he added in agreement with Boo. "But why would the control on Voss think we are Primes?". Théo asked not know Boo is of that faction, or at least was.

Théo followed Norah over to the autochef and grabbed a sandwich and a blue milk. Walking back until behind Boo, Théo happily munched on his food. He stopped mid chew at the thought of being shot down. "Why would they do that?, tell them I am here? that might help or I could talk to them". Words came out muffled with a mouth full of sandwich, and a large slurp of blue milk.

"Give Norah a go and if they don't believe her, I could try and contact my Papa I suppose".

​

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

The young Pantoran said nothing as either of the other younglings spoke.

As he brooded, one hand rested atop the head of the serpentine biot that was perched across the youth's shoulders like a shawl. The other pulled on a string of beads that was hanging down from where they were wrapped around the boy's wrist. A crystal dangled at one end, swinging like a pendulum as he played the prayer beads through his fingers.

It was Theo's question that finally got the Pantoran to speak his mind. "Because I'm Primeval," the blue-skinned youth answered quietly.

It was a simple answer, though with many complications attached or implicated by it.

"The comlink reflects that the ship is from Coruscant," the youngling added, gesturing with his hand full of prayer beads toward the communications controls. There was a false transponder capable of making the ship appear to be either a Galactic Republic or neutral vessel, but he'd only made use of that while undercover for the Bleeding Sun. He'd rather not rely on falsehoods or lies here. A lie merely caused complications in the end.

Too many lies. And too many complications. "The Primeval rescued both of us from the One Sith," the boy supplied. A cryptic explanation, but a succinct enough of one for the context of their conversation.

"If either of you want to give it a go, ArThree will link you."

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"]​

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]


Theo had volunteered her to go first. Norah wasn't quite sure why beyond the fact the dark-haired boy was currently stuffing a sandwich into his mouth. It seemed the Heavenshield kid had an important father. As in, so important Theo's father could probably get them out of this mess by transmitting a simple message. Now it seemed the planet they were trying to land on - Voss - didn't like these Prime folks.


Unfortunately for them, the blue-skinned boy and his vessel were card carrying members of this Prime. So it seemed Norah was up to bat in trying to convince the landing control not blow them out of the sky and let them land. ArThree set up the communication for her and her slight redhead settled into the larger seat. She got comfortable first, going over in her head what she wanted to say.


"Hello? Control. This is Norah Castillon." Some people knew her deceased mother, so Norah shortened her surname in order to hopefully get some results.


"And?"


Okay, no such luck on the last name venture.


"And we have wounded children on board. Little kids."


"We don't accept refugees from Prime territory."

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Théo took the last bite of his sandwich and encouraged Norah onward and upward with a nod of his head. But alas, she did not seem to be getting through to the people in control either. Théo swallowed hard on the last bite.

"Since when does Silver Sanctum not accept refugees? no matter where they come from", Théo said into the communication. He shot a look to Boo, the serpent around his neck getting curious about the two others and Théo is now eye to eye with the creature. However, he continued on. "My name is Théodred Heavenshield, surname ring a bell?".

"Yeah it does, but that name is well known, which means you could be using it to pass our defenses".

Théo facepalmed. "Look, you want to run the risk? I mean if you shoot us down, you want to explain to my Papa and Mama why my body parts are floating in orbit over Voss?".

​

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

This was getting them no where.

The Ranger on the other end of the link could care less about who they were. They were Primeval. Or assumed to be Primeval. An accusation that was sufficient to bring with it a summary judgment. One which could easily condemn all the younglings aboard the ship to a death in the cold of space.

So he needed to give the Rangers something that they would be interested in.

Something they would believe the Primeval to possess.

The blue-skinned youth's head dipped slightly, his mind calculating the risks carefully. "I have information about Padawan [member="Asaak Tey"]," the Pantoran remarked into the open commlink finally. It was the name of a Silver Jedi who had been captured along with a Jedi that the Host Lord had referred to as [member="The Dark Man"].

He knew... because he'd killed her.

Condemned to die, the Host Lord had offered the padawan a fight to the death. And offered up an eleven year old Pantoran as tribute. Neither of them willing participants, and neither of them in a position to refuse.

Her life had allowed Boo to live, or at least offered some promise that he would die another day. Perhaps in some ironic turn of the page, Boo would be able to do the same for the younglings on this ship. "As well as Jedi Mehrk Gorbi and Jorda Ulluto," the youth added, recalling to mind the other executions that had taken place on Bastion. Though he wasn't certain whether or not those had been Silver Jedi or Republic.

"I request to be able to land on Voss so that I may surrender myself."

That at least made the Rangers an offer which they might feel obligated to forward to someone on the Silver Jedi Council.

Which would get them to Master Heavenshield.

And at least Theo could then protect the others.

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

 

[Delila Castillon]

[member="Boo Chiyo"] | [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]


Norah should have thought that Control wouldn't let them allow even when Theo spoke. They could have been hardened criminals with guns placed to the boys head for all Control knew. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to think of a way out of this. Norah wasn't like the Jedi kids aboard, her life had been much more sheltered. Her mother had made sure she didn't grow up too fast, that she had a childhood. Something her mother didn't have in abundance.


It seemed Norah's window of childhood innocence was quickly closing however.


The Pantoran boy spoke again, saying he had information to hand over. While she may have been a sheltered child, she was a highly educated child. Norah was very aware of what the military did to acquire information. One of the 'perks' of having a military mother who had nothing but military friends. One got to hear stories growing up.


Angrily, Norah slammed her hand down on the communications relay, turning off the feed between Control and the vessel.


"You know what they'll do to you? Torture. You want your toenails ripped out? Yes, the kids aboard are important....this isn't our only option. My guardian works for a major corporation, Salacia. They have offices out here, warehouses. We fly there and show up. I ask for my guardian. No one gets the cold cell treatment."

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"There has to be another option. Surrender for what? you have not done anything". Théo looked toward Norah as she spoke and for the first time he grew serious. "The Rangers of the Silver Sanctum might be over protective but they do not torture. They come under the authority of the Sanctum which is run by my father, the grand master of the Silver Jedi, and he would not allow anyone in the Sanctum to torture another .. that would never happen".

"How close are we to Voss?", he asked Boo. "I could try contacting my father directly or if that does not work because he is away, there is another way". Théo is thinking of his connection to Nina, his sister. Over the years of speaking to her via telepathy Théo had become exceptional at this form of communication. If they are close to Voss, he might be able to 'reach' her.

​

[member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"] | [member="Boo Chiyo"]​

 

[Zak Dymo]

Norah terminated the link.

The points she raised were all things that the Pantoran had considered, and summarily dismissed as inconsequential. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. Or the one. It was the quintessential fact or facet that had driven his service to the Primeval. The belief in service above self. Acts done for a greater good. A good defined not by any one individual, but the benefit to a community.

Such beliefs often required that sacrifices be made.

It was young Theo who objected, and the blue-skinned boy was content to let the pair talk through the issue without his input. Instead, the Pantoran turned his attention to the amphistaff -- allowing the serpent to slide down one arm. Slipping, slithering, and sliding, the flexible form of the black snake intertwined the boy's whole arm from shoulder to wrist, before snaking across his body to cross over to the other arm.

"We're still about twelve parsecs from Voss," Boo supplied quietly, in answer to the question asked by young Theo. The Pantoran's arms were locked in the amphistaff's coils as though chained in snake-handcuffs, while the viper-like head of the biot seemed to stare out at the other two passengers.

As he worked to free himself from the biot's coils, the boy finally chimed in on the conversation. "If we contact your guardian, their company, we risk them being accused of aiding the enemy."

The enemy in this case being an eleven year old who just happened to have a particular religious affiliation.

The fact that he was a former Sith slave and acolyte probably didn't help.

"If the Rangers give us passage to Voss, we'll land and someone from the Silver Council will be present to accept my 'surrender'," Boo reasoned aloud, glancing down at Theo as though for some affirmation. "At that point, Theo will be able to explain the situation to someone willing to listen."

That ought to protect the twenty odd younglings on the ship, Norah included.

And Boo?

He was the one. The one whose needs were outweighed by the simple math of it all.

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] | [member="Norah Kitts-Castillon"]​