Private Where Have You Been Hiding?

[Jamie Pyne]

244Core
Reid Brimarch
​

Dusk approached, the plumes of smoke from stacks stretching up into the golden sky faded beneath the darkness as night fell over the planet. Jamie had spent six months here thus far. It was an ideal location to step away from the galaxy at large. A corporate haven, albeit corrupt as can be, but nonetheless relatively safe for someone like her to disappear within the denizens. No Sith, no Jedi, no governments warring with one another. That's not to say it wasn't without its dangers. Crime was abundant, and went relatively unregulated. Gangs, smugglers, traffickers, all were present on 244Core. Truthfully Jamie felt safer among those types than any Force user. She still bared the scars of her time fighting wars that were not her own.

As she walked the streets, one would never take her for what she was, the former Jedi Queen of Naboo. Out here, this isolated, the chances anyone could possibly identify her were so marginally slim that you could declare it impossible. It gave her a freedom unlike anything she had in years. That freedom was everything to her now. She loved her home, Naboo, but she was pleasantly relieved to no longer be responsible for the planet. She had performed her duty, and had done so with dignity. That was all anyone could ask of her. The planet rested in another set of hands now.

Jamie no longer dressed the part of a politician, a noble, or a Jedi for that matter. She donned civilian's clothes, unassuming black breeches, a simple white top with a black vest and ordinary brown boots. Her lightsaber she still carried with her, though cautiously hidden at all times within a hidden pocket under her vest. Its use was always a final resort. Its reveal always caused rumor mills to stir, and the last thing she needed was unwanted attention being brought upon her or the planet she was residing in. Her apartment was modest, nestled two floors above the streets below. She kept precious few belongings within, only what she needed to get by in the event she needed to someday make herself disappear once more.

Sapphire eyes lifted from the ground as she walked to the street corner just a few meters away. She had been working some weeks now on uncovering what she believed to be plans to sabotage a building in the area, though what exactly those plans were she still was unsure. Information was scarce, but with enough listening one could connect the dots. The person of interest she had been watching was about to cross the street, still having not picked up on the woman's eyes upon him. He was heading to the same meeting place she had been watching for days. She hoped this time to learn something more precise.

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

The life of an investigator was a varied one.

You got to see places, at least.

Alderaan to Dromund Kaas, Annaj to Voss. Plenty of chit a Jedi Shadow could and should investigate. The Galaxy was a cesspit of corruption. Shaw Vynos loved every single moment of it. 244Core was corrupted wrapped in a corporate package. Cogged corpos who ruled over the ironworks like their own little fiefdoms. That's what happens when a nation had ruled over it for decades, then disappeared, but nothing else returned in its wake to maintain some kind of status quo.

At first Shaw had been here for a different matter.

Tracked down an artifact-runner, locked him up tight and dropped him off at a safe location. Some of his order would pick him up in a few days. They'd have to smuggle him out, but kark the government here. There would be no justice and the slime ball smuggling Ruusan artifacts to the Sith? Well, he deserved a metric ton of justice slamming down on him.

Now? He noticed a little plot brewing. Just been chowing on his noodles, when his hand briefly strayed over a piece of paper. Always sucked when the memories forcibly ran itself into your skull, but that's what the gloves were for.

Apparently these jokers were planning on bringing down a building. Refugee complex- it had a rival ganger in it, holed up and hiding away from some gang retribution. Well, see, Shaw didn't mind having some thugs off themselves on the streets, but when innocents came into play? Well, that was when things had to be corrected.

Just simple ethics, dig?

Him being followed by Pyne was missed at first. Very eager to get to the warehouse. Until that spot between his shoulder blades started itching. A glance over his shoulder... and their eyes met in that moment. Tension. Then it snapped as Vynos started running.

Pyne better keep up.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Oh no you don't.

Well, the subtlety of the pursuit was lost now. No sense trying to hide it further only to let this guy get away. Only thing left to do now was to nab this guy and find out what he knew. Shake him down for information with the promise of safety and release with his cooperation, not that she'd look to harm him regardless, but there had to be something tangible to offer a criminal in exchange for their cooperation. It's just the way these things worked.

She didn't shout, nor did she curse. Breaking into a full tilt sprint she simply chased after the man. Weaving between bodies that inadvertently blocked her path she maintained her sights on him. Down an alleyway, then another, up and over a small chained fence that separated two blocks. He was fast, that was for sure. More so than the ordinary gang punk.

This wasn't part of her plan, but then again she hadn't much of a plan to begin with. She had precious little information thus far, and all she had to go on was this man. If she lost him now, chances are her hopes of stopping whatever was going to happen would too be gone. Jamie refused to let that happen.

You can't run forever...

 

[Reid Brimarch]

As a matter of fact she was right.

He couldn't.

Mostly because Shaw didn't know this area very well and he didn't want to get too far away from the warehouse. Still a job to do, even if he had to figure out what blondie was tracking him for. So, he started slowing down. Not noticeably so. But letting her actually gain on him slowly, steadily. Like Shaw was getting tired and winded from the pursuit.

Then it happened.

Right as she would gain even more on him?

He suddenly froze up, dropping to the floor in a ball. If Shaw had timed it correctly she would barrel straight against and over him. If not... then he'd look kinda ridiculous, but there were advantages to that too.

Jamie Pyne

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Gotcha.

She could see him slowing as they rounded the next corner. A bit further and she'd have hands on him. Just. A. Bit. Further.

Wha-?

Just as Jamie nearly had him he tumbled down to the ground, a tactic she was not at all prepared to slow herself down to avoid. Her arm had already outstretched and her balance was pushed forward in anticipation of latching onto the collar of his shirt. No longer was that an option though, and instead her left foot caught his now prone body, which then tripped up her right. Her footing was thrown for a loop and instead of a proclamation of GOTCHA she muttered out a series of awkward sounding grumbles and groans as she fell forward.

Hands outstretched she braced for the fall half a meter away from her target that had outmaneuvered her with a rather silly tactic. Jamie however wasn't the most graceful human in the galaxy. As her hands scraped against the duracrete she snapped her neck to the side to see her target. Icy blue eyes sharply glared at him. She swore he was wearing a smirk as wide as a bantha.

Rude.

It took her a moment to realize that in her fall her lightsaber had become dislodged, until the clank of metal on the ground beside her rang out in the alley. Immediately she reached to snatch it back up. Hopefully he was ignorant as to what exactly it was, otherwise this may have just become a lot more complicated of a situation.

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

At first that wide arse chit-eating grin, sure.

Then?

Flicker of surprise, before his hand lashed out and tugged in the air. The Force moved around them, making an instant connection between his hand, the air and the lightsaber dropped to the ground. Just before Pyne could snatch it to safety, it was already flying into his stretched out hand. Only there did the Jedi Knight rise himself from that ridiculous ball position.

"This... is not a toy." He murmured, waggling it in the air, as if it was a toy. "And it is quite dangerous to have this. Especially around here..."

A step forward towards her.

Very curious about this person who a moment ago had been pursuing him.

"Why don't you tell me who you are, then we will take it from there?"

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Bright blue eyes widened as her weapon cut through the air and landed in the palm of her target. For a moment she simply laid there staring at him, both baffled and shocked. The pounding of her heart could be heard in her own head. It took her a moment to comprehend what had just happened. She had been so distanced from Force users for so long that the mere thought of one being on 244Core with her was almost unbelievable.

What? Chit.

Jamie stood slowly from the ground, brushing her hands off on her pants as she looked over at him. Not a good look. Stupid.

Clearly he knew what it was. Clearly he stood on some line with the Force. That made him inherently dangerous to her. He also had her lightsaber to boot. That put her in a rather awkward and difficult position. "You're right. And it's also not yours. So how about you just return what doesn't belong to you and then we'll talk, hm?"

She stretched out her hand as if expecting him to just give it back to her. If he looked at the hilt of Rominaria he would see the inscriptions written in Futhork, Naboo's native language. The namesake of both the weapon and a family surname of Pyne etched into it, as well as a Rominaria flower encased within; A common flower found within the Royal Palace gardens.

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

"Well, it's like they say, possession is nine-tenths of the law, eh?"

One thing she'd notice is that holding her lightsaber? Shaw Vynos did not look anxious, lacking in comfort or about to throw up. Which probably gave her enough hints to his alignment. Not the Darkside. Now, that didn't actually mean as much these days. Plenty of arsehole Lightsiders around, who believed they were doing The Right Thing all day long.

Didn't mean they were Good with a capital G.

Just that they were light. That's right, small letter l.

For a moment his thumb was running against that switch. Thinking about turning it on and off again. But that was too big of a risk, right now. They were in an alleyway, sure, but this was 244Core. There could be someone watching at any moment.

"So, if not your name, then at least why you are following me." That's when his thumb hit that engraving. Eyes tracked down. Which left her unattended for the moment. Eyebrows rose up. "Pyne..." He muttered, why did that sound so familiar? Oh, yeah, Jamie Pyne had been Jedi Queen of Naboo, but that was some time ago.

So many wars, thrones passing from one place to another.

No wonder it didn't ring a bell immediately.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Ice blue eyes stared towards Shaw as his hand toyed with her lightsaber. It had been a long time since she’d lost a weapon to someone. That last someone being a darksider of the First Order. She had been extremely careful never to make that mistake again, yet here she was.

“You’re worth watching.” She said vaguely. The woman cast her eyes up and down Shaw, gauging him. “And you ran from me the instant you saw me, so clearly I was right in that theorization. Oh, and that whole bit of snatching up my lightsaber with the Force? Not exactly typical for this part of the galaxy.”

Jamie smiled, hand still outstretched. “Now, if you’d kindly return that?”

The last thing she was about to do was just announce to some random Force wielder that she was who she was. That sort of thing got her into trouble. And even though Shaw remained calm holding her weapon, it hardly meant they held the same beliefs.

In her time she had met plenty of lightsiders claiming to be Jedi that towed the line a little too closely towards immorality for her comfort. As he quietly spoke her family name she took the opportunity to try and reclaim her property. With a thrust and draw of her hand she pulled on the Force to try and wrestle free the hilt from Shaw’s hand.

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

"Mm, that I did, since you seemed like a woman worth leading on a chase."

Grin broke open again at that, but his attention was still on the lightsaber. Where was that name from? Pyne. Pyneeee. He knew it from something, it was just nagging at his brain and that was very frustrating. "Oh, I have specialized training in frustrating people, that's all." Murmured further, evasive, because while the saber felt like the Lightside... that didn't always mean mu-

Suddenly the saber was yanked out of his hands.

A blink.

Then a wider grin her way.

"So, ya didn't just find it on a scrapyard and figure it was a nice toy to wave around." He pushed his jacket open. Out came a lightsaber, clipped currently onto his belt. There his palm rested as he sized her up. "I'd prefer to keep on mah mission, but I cannae do that while having Pyne running around after me, dig?"

Maybe that sounded dumb. It could very well be that 'Pyne' was the name of the lightsaber.

Then again... if someone named their lightsaber Pyne, they had much worse problems going on.

"Why don't you stand aside, do you while I do me?"

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

So he has one of his own. Perfect.

Nothing was ever simple. Not back home, not in the core, not even here. Jamie sighed, her sapphire irises looking toward Shaw’s lightsaber. Whatever was about to happen was surely not going to be subtle. Her time here was surely at a close. Her isolation was now compromised by this person. Still, she fully intended on stopping whatever he was a part of before innocent people were caught up in this.

“I can’t do that.” She shook her head, thumb resting against the activator switch of her own lightsaber. “Too dangerous to let you just go about whatever it is you’re thinking of doing.” The last time she required the use of her lightsaber it was a situation she simply could not otherwise peacefully resolve. Blasters spoke on behalf of words. It seemed this time would be similar.

“But you are welcome to turn yourself over and come with me. I give you my word that you will not be harmed.”

Perhaps there was still a chance...

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

A soft sigh there himself.

He really didn't want to do this, but then again neither did her heart seem to be much in it herself. There weren't a lot of alternatives laying around however and that was problematic. The job had to get done, but could he trust her with telling what it was about? What if she was part of it? How many lightsiders with clear training did you find on one planet in the Unknown Regions?

The coincidence seemed far too appealing.

"Oh, I appreciate that, I dun' like getting harmed after all." Humming softly there. The impression of the saber in his hand hadn't seemed malicious. Sure, gloves on, so he couldn't get a good reading of the memories, but still.

Pure malice was pretty easy to sense.

Time for taking a chance?

"I am here to investigate a potential plot to destroy a refugee center." His hand tightening on his saber now however. Eyeing her reaction to that. If it was the wrong one, Shaw wouldn't give her the opportunity to get away. It would have to be done quick and fast. With as little fuss as possible, before anyone could be tipped off that he was in the know.

"You gonna stop me from handling that?"

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Jamie paused, a half confused look painfully drawn across her face.

Clearly it was anything but the response she had been expecting. All this time spent following him...And I'm just following someone following other people? Brilliant detective work girl. Brilliant. She blew a puff of air between her lips and slipped her lightsaber back into her vest before proceeding to raise and drop her hands to clap against her sides.

"We're looking into the same thing." The tone in which she spoke sounded almost defeated. Based solely on his answer Shaw already knew more than she did about whatever was being planned here. "I thought you were one of them involved, so I've been watching you." Her tense posture lifted, though the bit of embarrassment still clung to her. "Didn't expect to find anyone like you around here. Not quite the planet people like us visit."

Not unless they were looking to hide, or had a very specific reason for being here.

"Jamie." Her left hand extended in offering outwards. "Sorry that I misread you."

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

A blink blink there.

"We... ....are... of course, we are." Was this the work of the Force? What else were the chances? Shaw had never truly subscribed to the Living Force concept all that much. It had always been too metaphysical for his taste. Too abstract. You couldn't feel it, grab hold of it, see it. And he never liked the idea that his actions weren't truly his own.

But it were moments like these that made him doubt.

Just a little bit.

"Yeah, well, I was only passing through hunting for a smuggler helping the Sith, but caught wind of this on accident." Stepping forward and letting go of the lightsaber pommel. It disappeared under his jacket once more. Instead going for that shake.

Gloves on, that is fine, safe.

"Shaw Vynos." A blink during the shake. "Wait. Jamie Pyne. Aren't ya that fancy Jedi Queen over at Naboo?" A lazy glance around them. "Bit less fancy than Naboo, this place."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

He sounded equally surprised.

One crises averted at least.

She would have likely been able to get away with keeping that a secret had he not got a hold of her weapon. Jamie unfortunately had a terrible Sabacc face, and so there was no sense in lying about who she was to Shaw. She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes a moment as their hands separated.

"Yes." She said with a nod, though still holding her face. "Former Queen." Correcting him. "My term as Queen expired. That title is held now by another." And a relief it was to be rid of it. While she did enjoy serving her people, she had developed a poor sleep pattern, found herself constantly under stress and pressure, and always worrying about something. "I came here to get away from the galaxy. To be unrecognizable." And after this she would have to move again.

"Are you some sort of bounty hunter then? You mentioned chasing after a smuggler with Sith ties before stumbling upon this."

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

"Queens have terms?" Head cocked at her, like he was trying to figure out if she was offering him some poodoo while claiming it was gold.

Truth to be told Shaw didn't know much about Naboo.

Not part of his territory, so it wasn't really necessary to know. "That can't be an inspiring journey though. Swanky palace gotta beat this place." Oh, Shaw recognized that hint of relief in her tone, but he couldn't really place it. Couldn't understand. Because when you grow up poor, the idea of letting go of wealth and going into poverty?

That just didn't sound appealing at all.

A snort. "Bounty hunter? No, ma'am. Jedi Knight Vynos, at yar service. Investigator, part of the Alliance Rangers." And a Jedi Shadow, an organization investigating darkside corruption in some of the largest bulwarks of the Light, but she didn't need to know that part.

"So, what have you heard about this conspiracy, miss Pyne?"

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

"Monarchs have terms on Naboo. It's a democratically elected position."

She nodded in affirmation of her own words. "When most think of Kings and Queens it's generally of a monarch chosen and succeeded by heirs to the throne until eventually someone commits a coup d'état and restarts the process." Her people found that rather uncivilized and proven to be a failing system of government.

Jamie herself was still of nobility, and her family were more than well off in terms of fortune and standing, though she was never one to rely on wealth, nor was she so attached to living within the palace walls that letting go of it was at all difficult. "On the contrary, I prefer the freedom to move about as I desire, though yes, the palace admittedly provides more comfortable accommodations than here."

She had seen worse than 244Core though, so that was something to be thankful for.

"Ah." She snapped her fingers at Shaw's mentioning of the Rangers. "The Alliance." The tone indicated she was familiar with them. "I worked with them long ago, or at least a version of them, with my former master, back when I was still a Padawan." That was several years ago now, who knew if they were still operating under the same leadership or if this had become an entirely new iteration, similar only in name and potential goals.

"With regard to the plans here? I'm afraid I know less than you. I suspected you were a part of it, after all. What I know is just that there were plans to demolish a building in this area in the very near future. I didn't know it was a refugee center. But if that's the case, there are only two in this sector. If we can narrow it down further we might be able to stop it from happening."

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

He wanted to ask why it didn't just change into a Federation at that point.

But in all honesty it didn't matter what Naboo did with their political system. It was just weird. Then again. Rich folks were often weird, as far as Shaw could tell. Always looking for complications rather than solutions.

That was alright with him.

"Really? Well, hats off to you, most princesses ... or queens I suppose, would probably be dying to get back into their throne." Part of the tone genuinely impressed, but also perhaps a bit skeptical. He sure as feth wouldn't abandon a nice looking palace for these streets. If it had been in the cards for him in the first place. "Yeah, these folks are different from the good ol' Alliance. Little bit more, what's the word.." Also snapping his fingers, trying to figure out the right word to use.

"Political. Big arse Senate discussing everything and their mothers, I don't know how they get things done."

Somehow they did however.

Lots of decisions coming out of those esteemed halls.

Nodding along there. "Aye, I was on my way to a warehouse I believed was affiliated with them." Gesturing for her to follow him. Back into the winding alleyways and cutting corners. "Accidentally brushed a napkin one of 'em used. Got a hell of a memory trip that led me to said warehouse."

That, combined with the face tats? Oh, yeah, definitely Kiffar.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Reid Brimarch

Perhaps Shaw was right. Plenty of kings and queens on other worlds were tyrants, ruling over their people through fear and force. Naboo was different in that way. The monarchy was seen as an honor, to serve the people for a period of time, and then pass that honor to the next. Jamie felt no such desire to reclaim the throne for herself. She had performed her duty and that was that. After all, she had been a Jedi both before and after her time as Queen. That was still very much a part of who she was inside, even if she chose to isolate herself from the conflicts of both Sith and Jedi.

It was a chance to clear her mind, and to do some good for others outside of Naboo, where people felt forgotten among the stars.

"Politics was an important duty as Queen, one that took up a considerable amount of my time. Another reason I'm grateful to no longer be responsible."

That and she had been the target of several kidnapping and murder attempts by those within other government factions such as the First Order and Sith Empire. Memories that were not so fond.

The blonde followed along beside Shaw as he explained how he happened upon his information.

"Do you know what the inside looks like? Or details about the exterior of the building? We can match it up against the two I know of and figure out where they are planning to strike."

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Jamie Pyne

"Yeah, I will give ya that one, dealing with politics is the absolute worst." Agreeing there simply.

The amount of red tape he had to navigate as part of the Rangers was infuriating sometimes. Forms, regulations, input requests. They even made you fill-in surveys sometimes.

Felt more like a travel agency at times.

"Little bit, aye." Thinking back to that flurry of memories. "Warehouse got an alley at the back. Ladder there. It leads up to the roof, but there is a guard on top of it." They turn another corner, but there Shaw stops them near a trash container. Immediately takes a step back from it however, because it felt like something had crawled into it to die.

Instead stayed right there, while pointing out the ladder at the far-side of the alley.

"The roof should have a door to the interior."

He leaned against the wall there, eyeing her up and down. "Would the former Queen like to assist me with taking these cretins down?"