Blood-Borne Prospect

[Lamper]

[beebox3=500]

[ PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE AND AMENABLE. THIS IS A PROGRESSION OF A CHARACTER ARC. ]​

[/beebox3]

__The music video reflected plunging hot colors over his glassy-eyed spheres. They glowed in the shadow of night. Glued to the mounted screen in the half-empty Nar Shaddaa subway car at three-something in the morning, Cappi reposed his lackadaisical trust in abandon upon the faded bare-bones window seat. Left sneaker hiked up, knee to chest. Shoddy jeans. Legs crassly agape. Generic black sweatshirt. Hood over head. Elbow pinned against the window-lining, fist curled to cheek. Pale. Brown beard. Lifeless.

A week and a day had passed since the incident on Wroonia. His wounds were healing. Well, the physical ones at least. He hadn't slept more than a few hours the last few days. He craved depressants for the first time in years. Sedatives. Hallucinogens. Anything to kill this misery. Guilt pawed at the back of his neck endlessly. He'd grown accustomed to it. No longer itched at it. The bags under his eyes were just as heavy. The only prospect, the eventuality of this tram ride; taking him back to Pops after too long a separation. Zia. Mancer. Family. He needed them now. Battered body begging for their embrace. So many lives. The blood on his hands wouldn't wash out. He hadn't told anybody. He felt baked. Couldn't remember how different dopes felt. Dried out.

The metro slowed to a stop. Doors opened. He got off. Two got on. Doors closed. The metro pulled away, leaving the red-light district behind. His frame wobbled without a crutch. Standing there. Lifeless.

Soon he would reach them. Imagining his first night's sleep in the comfort of a compassionate home. Soon he would make it to the end of this journey.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer was on the slim ball of the planet since the young man was becoming mature an needed to do something that would be productive, already shutting down a few drug shops the young man used the force to sense everything around him which was hard given the fact that the entire planet was full of people with issues and pain an that seriously effect the Jedi's ability to sense around him. That was usually the reason people come here to hide even if your pursuers are force sensitive it is nearly impossible to find someone here with the force.

But it seemed the force was kind to him sensing a familiar presence in the force it was a weak signal because of all the interference but the young man was able to chase after it using the force to speed him up hoping to find his friend the young man would find the near lifeless jedi an instantly grew concerned for the older jedis well being. Running next to him the young man's cloak flattered behind him making him look like a assassin that is chasing its target, but once the young man was next to his fellow Jedi, all thoughts Jaleer had previously was gone an the only thing that he was worried about now was helping Cappi.

"Hey Cappi whats wrong?" Jaleer asked trying to get straight to the point seeing as he was worried about his friends health and that was his major concern, placing a hand on the man's shoulder the young man wanted to do everything he could to help his friend.

 

[Lamper]

A color cooled a fringe of his fragile cloud. Sapphire. And his eyes drifted upwards to the distant stimuli. A presence in the Force fast approaching. Nearby. In the end, all he accomplished was a depressing ogle of the opposing boarder wall. Until words came at him, like floating bubbles touching the shell of an ocean's surface. Cappi blinked, near unresponsive at first. Then he finally dragged his longing pupils further towards the source. A familiar face came into focus.

"Hood," was the first word of endearment that came to mind when he recognized Jaleer, the cool hooded Padawan with a non-existing skin condition and designated wingman; Cappi pointing a wobbly finger up to Jaleer's hood. He didn't mean to be funny, though that was the quality that had most defined him up till now. But innocence oozed from his weak voice instead, no thought filters in place at a time like this.

Cappi nearly broke into tears immediately thereafter under Jaleer's compassionate shoulder grip, looking into his eyes. But didn't. A false alarm, holding it together after a momentary wince of emotional pain. Cappi tried to speak again, more hiccuping short breaths of failed attempts to break passed that intermittent lump amassing in his throat again.

His mouth opened. He wheezed a breath. But he couldn't say it. And he shook his head to telegraph that failed effort. Even though he felt he could tell Jaleer just about anything, one of the few people who'd seen him in one of his previous slumps; which hardly compared to his current low. Cappi's head fell. He just couldn't say what he'd done out loud. So he got an idea.

As much as he didn't want to see it again, Cappi knew it'd be there. He looked for a news-stand nearby. Saw a terminal. And shuffled over towards it. His finger touched the black screen, currently displaying a live feed of a high speed chase, then dragged up an index and scrolled to a specific section. He found the article with unfortunate ease, still recent, and pulled it up. And it played.

The news reporter spoke of a small terrorist attack on Wroonia, where hostages were rounded up in a space port terminal by a group claiming to be Rebels. Their demands were simple: three hours to join us or these people die. Threaten us in any way, and these people die. And indeed most of them had.

Cappi turned back to face Jaleer, guiltily looked both ways to make sure no one was watching, looked at Jaleer, and then vaguely pointed at himself.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer was shocked to see the state that Cappi was in though the sage had only seen him when he was down but this was different an far worse, sensing his fellow padawan was in far more depressed than what he would considered safe the sage decided it was best to try to stay with Cappi for his safety. Yet the sage could tell that the man was only barely holding it together, an waited patiently with a concerned look for Cappi to speak but it seems that wasn't going to happen an when the man began to walk away the young jedi followed him not letting the two get separated. Jaleer knew that right now the older Jedi wasn't trying to get away from him or Cappi would be running at full speed so the sage figured it was best to just stick right behind him, an when the depressed padawan got to the News-stand the Jedi knew that whatever had happened was big.

When the images about the terrorist attack started showing it was clear to the Jedi that something was off, Cappi wouldn't be upset unless he was involved with this and if he was what part did he plan. As he continued to watch it became apparent to the sage that this wasn't in fact the Rebels the use of force, and the demands were not matching up with the actions the sage came to the conclusion that the Imperium was behind this. If someone looked at it like that it would make sense since this was something no one with half a brain would do since it would just make people fear an hate the rebels than do any actually good like gaining support.

"Cappi what happened here? Was the Imperium behind it? An are you okay?" Jaleer asked stopping himself from asking too many questions, and looked at the older padawan with concern.

 

[Lamper]

"I ki-" he grimaced in cowering failure to answer the first question, shaking his head. i killed them. Too damning to come to terms with. The week that had passed not enough time to mend, if even a decade could be. This was not going away. Not now. Not ever.

"I don't-" he gnashed his teeth angrily, head turning away; eyes swelling tears. i don't know. He'd thought it was strange, sure. But an anger arose in him for those who did this to him. The Rebels. Even should they ever be expunged of this misunderstanding, Cappi would never look at them the same. He distrusted them, to say the least. At worst he hated them, hated their disorganized band of misfits. The way a few could break off from the pack and cause this mayhem. The way he couldn't stop it from happening.

"I-" he started sinking to the ground in the middle of the walkway before the newsstand, knees turned in and spine rounding, knuckles drooping; inanimately melting sadly to Jaleer's feet. i want to die. He wallowed in despair, subdued and humbled in opposition to his normally ostentatious attitude. It felt like he would sink through the ground, endlessly falling lower and lower. Until finally he sadly whispered, chin to chest.

"I'm not."

Cappi thought of home and turned his blurred vision left to the legs and feet walking past. He blinked, batting a bead of tears come breaking out of the black bars withholding them. He was almost there. If only he could make it there on his own two feet, not show such a sorry face and drag in his step to the man who raised him. Who would do anything for him. Who would make it all better. No matter what.

"Pops. Please. Tch... Could? Pops?"

Cappi tried pointing in the plant shop's direction. He could barely see through these watery eyes. He wanted to scream, but couldn't muster the strength; couldn't break through the heaviness over him. He could only point and beg. It wasn't far. And with Jaleer's help and crutch, Cappi could make it home.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer was confused the say the least but the sage knew one thing that his friend was not in a good place probing the slightly older padawans mind the sage only attempted to feel for his emotions, but what he got made him scared it would seem that Cappi was not only in a bad place but that the older Jedi was unable to carry on. Jaleer waited and watch as the older Jedi started to act lifeless and after pointing to a store for some reason the sage took a slight look into Cappis mind and found out that the store was his home. Realizing that Cappi wished to go home the sage took a moment to figure out what was the best way to do it, thinking that it would be best to not delay and to make sure that Cappi could feel better the sage did something he would most likely feel bad about later.

The sage would enter the sad Jedi's mind and would attempt to make him sleep, if successful the sage would strength himself with force valor an body grabbing the sleeping Jedi's clothes before he fell to the ground. The young Jedi would than carry the older Jedi princess style and though Cappi weighed more than Jaleer the force made it so Jaleer didn't really feel the difference, once at the door the sage would force push the door open not strong enough to break it but just enough to show that anyone in the shop needed to leave, an they needed to leave now. Jaleer's eyes became darker an more difficult to see his brown eyes were hard to see when his face was covered by the hood but now it seemed like death was delivering his newest victim to the family, yet the truth was the complete opposite looking around the sage would let his hood fall down using the force to control the air currents to show his features.

The sage would hopefully see a place that he could put Cappi down, it didn't matter if the table or counter had stuff on it the sage would just used the force an move it not gently though seeing as the sage wasn't in a relax mood at all. One of his family members were thinking some dark thoughts and now the innocent people of the shop were about to see how protective and aggressive Jaleer could be over his friends and family if he felt they were in danger to themselves or others. If the sage finds a place to lay Cappi down he would hopefully see whoever Cappi wanted to meet in the shop so that he could get their assistance.

 

[Lamper]

Cappi had indeed been influenced into a dormant state, his mental devices absolutely broken. And when Jaleer announced his entrance to the store, only a few people were inside to be startled. The shop was, unfortunately, never too busy. One shopper was already meandering towards the exit with his bag, now more motivated than ever as he took his leave. Three others were grouped around the register. And their heads turned. A young man. A beautiful young woman. She gasped, dropped a potted plant that broke and scattered, and covered her gaping mouth; eyes wide. An old man peeked out from behind the two, shook under a wave of distress, held his heart, and then brutishly shoved the young man out of the way who stumbled back without a guess as to why.

The old man came to Jaleer, a saddened curiosity in his stare, no anger to the casualties on the floor that Jaleer had knocked over. Then, only focused on Cappi, the old man's dirty hands and black fingernails hovered over Cappi's chest for a moment; confirming Cappi's chest's rise and fall in his sleep. Those hands floating carefully up to Cappi's face finally curled around his head. And he hugged him hard, cradling Cappi's head into his shoulder. And he rocked in gentle embrace for a time. A strong old man, it would seem out of character to his scruffy image despite his short stature to anyone who judged appearances.

"Where have you been, boy? Where have you been?" Pops mumbled softly, desperately, into Cappi's neck over and over.

A moment of heaviness drifted through dead space. Something was in the air. They acted as if Cappi had been brought back from the grave. But there was something more in their responses that stuck in their throats, like they didn't want to ask what this meant. Like they knew something already themselves. Pretext.

"What happened?" the young woman softly asked Jaleer, her hands settling on her healthy chest.

Cappi groaned, waking up but Pops not letting go.

"Where have you been?!?" Pops suddenly lifted up, violently pulling Cappi up by his shirt and shaking him; things suddenly and unexpectedly even to himself turning sour. "What did you do?! Cappi, what did you do?!?"

Cappi awoke to violent shaking, on his back, lifting his hands in surrender and breaking into tears. Pops couldn't possibly have known what Cappi did. But in this state, Cappi guiltily accepted his misdeed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Pops I'm sorry," he sobbed repeatedly.

The young woman looked afraid of the situation, delicately looking to Jaleer to calm the situation.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer didn't really care about the guy that ran out seeing the small group that was huddling around the casher, sensing their emotions one got his attention a old man seemed to have recognize Cappi instantly an once the old man started to check on Cappi he was sure that the man was the person that Cappi wanted to see. An looked at the woman that asked the question unsure of how to respond since the sage did not know how to answer that himself. Deciding he needed to focus on making sure Cappi got all the attention he needed the sage answered as clearly as possible.

"I do not know ma'am but whatever happened was bad." Jaleer said truthfully knowing right now that was the best he could do, now focusing on the man that was starting to shake Cappi.

Jaleer was worried that the old man was actually going to hurt Cappi an when he started to sound dangerous, an when Cappi began to break down the sage did the only thing he could using force stun to completely stop the man before him. The old man will find that he was completely helpless to the Jedi now, giving the old man a glare that man would not suspect a 16 year old to have.

"Sir calm down you are not helping the situation." Jaleer said in a dangerously calm voice deciding that many the woman could help the sage looked at the young girl though he wasn't angry with the woman his glare only soften when looking at the woman.

"Do you have a quiet place where I can put down my friend?" Jaleer asked hoping to help Cappi, still carrying the older Jedi, the sage began to tighten his grip on the crying Jedi unable to do any more as his attention was being split by holding the old man and by using the force to strength him.

 

[Lamper]

Pops was seething in his stasis, some snot-nosed punk back-talking him in his own home. But he could do nothing to resist the Force's stasis. Whereas the young woman wasn't keen on picking sides at a moment like this. She half didn't even understand how Jaleer was restraining Pops.

"Um. This way. Bring him back here." She modestly waved Jaleer to follow her through the back behind the counter. Incidentally, she turned to the other young man and regrettably turned him away. "Maybe you should come back."

The young man was not at all happy to be turned away, obviously in to the young woman and whatever business he had going on. But she didn't give him or his dismissal a second thought. She held the hinged door open for Jaleer to carry Cappi through. There was a messy, makeshift office with desk and all to the right. A kitchen counter to the left. Ahead was a brown leather couch, torn and rough looking. Stairs lead up to the bedroom and bathroom. Above that a loft. She first considered the desk. Decided against option one and all its affairs. Then she considered the kitchen counter with some small ornaments in place, motioning to that option while clearing off some things if Jaleer was too strained to wait any longer and give his arms a break. But then she realized the couch might have been the best option and also motioned towards that.

"I killed them," Cappi now sobbed repeatedly in Jaleer's arms.

"So he knows," she said to Jaleer as though he understood any of this. Then she realized he might not know anything, in fact, and introduced herself with a feminine handshake; elbow over a hand wrapped around her ribs. She wore a simple white shirt that hung off one shoulder and pants that hugged her petite figure in sandals. She was, and still is, the idol of Cappi's affection.

"I'm sorry. I don't know if he's told you. I'm Zia Evermire, And you?" she somberly smiled.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer didn't have time to deal with the angry man an was glad to see the woman wasn't over reacting, still carrying Cappi without much problems thanks to the force after walking past the old man the Jedi released Pops when he was close to the door, seeing as using the energy to restrain pops was to much if Jaleer wanted to have some left to both heal Cappi and make sure he wasn't passing out because of how much energy he was using. Jaleer though at the moment felt strong with the force thanks to the fact that his friend was endanger but the young man was still only 16 and a padawan, carrying Cappi though the door the Jedi saw a strange sight it would seem that the owns of the store weren't that well off.

Deciding the couch was the best option the Jedi layed Cappi down on it, hearing the older Jedi say he killed them Jaleer became more worried and scared hoping to figure out what was happening. Lookingto the woman after she introduce herself, giving her a firm handshake not to rough to actually hurt her but as a sign of respect considering to Jaleer she seemed the only one that was holding it together.

"My name is Jaleer Reukli a Jedi, now I would like to know what has happened?" Jaleer asked knowing that giving his identity maybe wasn't the best idea but right now Jaleer was only worried about helping Cappi and with the force the sage knew he was not in danger from the old man and the young woman.

Jaleer looked back at Cappi and than at the woman his arms crossed though the cloak covered most of his body the Jedi knew he most seem strange, but looks didn't matter to the sage at the moment which would explain why he didn't give the woman a second look or cared much about how attractive she might be considering he was already courting someone.

 

[Lamper]

"Bastasi!" Pops exclaimed, stumbling out of stasis. His mouth may have been frozen, but his mind hadn't stopped cursing. "Hey get back here you window-licking monkey-lizard!"

Pops stopped himself from chasing after them, still angry, and turned around mindfully to lock the door and turn off the open sign; protectively insane like a locomotive without brakes, already arguing, in his mind, with Jaleer like he was one of his own children. And he easily resumed his grumpy march straight to the back, grumbling and cursing, to give Jaleer a piece of his mind; knocking over dismantled metal shelves and racks on the way, making a ruckus. Until, that is, he barged through the door and heard Jaleer say he was a Jedi. Like Cappi. And Pops bit his tongue.

"You're ... a Jedi?" Zia asked, the same surprise from her eyes mirrored in Pop's as they looked at each other.

"Ugh," Pops sighed tiredly and slumped a seat onto his desk, folding his arms over his chest as well. "Jaleer, you say? Alright. If you are a Jedi, I suppose I can at least throw you a bone. Cappi here's gotten into some deep bantha sludge, despite all my efforts to keep him out of the muck this life here sticks to your shoes. I got him off this dump. Gave him to you Jedi so he wouldn't come back. That he wouldn't muck up everything I've done for him. But you lot couldn't hold onto him! And now it's all your fault he's gotten into this mess! Got Mancer killed. And three other creeps, like I care. And now some Sith is got this spot marked. Left some message on a wall in blood at Mancer's place. Poor sod. Should'a gotten him out of this heap too when I had the chance. But he wouldn't listen! But he was different. Not like Cappi. Cappi has a future! And you come bringing him back here! Not where he should be! Where he should be safe! Where you damned Jedi promised to keep him!"

Zia walked over to Pops, who'd stood back up but was coughing by the end of his rant. Old age, and a little wear and tear, finally catching up to him. Zia comforted and calmed Pops with a simple hand placement upon his shoulder. And he welcomed her touch like a daughter's.

"I'm sorry. This is a hard time for us. Losing Mancer," Zia started to get emotional. "Like this. It's just difficult. We found them all in an empty warehouse that Mancer used a lot for his ... well his work. He was like a brother, like a son, to us. Family. And when one of the guys from his gang was found running through the streets, ranting about some woman, some Sith woman, we feared the worst. But we never found Cappi. We didn't think he was, he was... We just hoped he had already left. After we saw that scene. All that blood smeared over the wall. It was too much."

"What...?" Cappi started to wake up. "What?!? Dead?? Mancer?!? No! No! No! I! He couldn't have! He was fine when I left him! He told me it was no problem! He can't be dead! He isn't dead! You're wrong! That's not true! No! You're lying! You're lying!"

Cappi had become frenzied, sweating, weakly thrashing in trying to get up.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer could feel how angry this Pops was an knew he was going to have to deal with that, an his guess was correct when he heard the old man start cursing at him with some pretty strange words but the sage didn't care about that he was young but far more mature for his age than most and the sage had seen and do things no one his age should do. Yet the young Jedi knew he was just one of many youths that have been forced to grow up far faster than they should, looking at the older man as he began to give a rather long lecture about the history of Cappi something Jaleer didn't knew about.

Jaleer walked over to the old man deciding that maybe he should help him but the sage sensed it wasn't he could fix and stop walking towards Pops, but hearing about a sith set the sage into a very defensive stance and his eyes became colder worried that he would have to fight a dark sider. Though the sage has practice with that he couldn't risk Cappi's health and would have to leave Cappi here but the sage knew that might not be good either, but it seemed that his friend had a pretty messy past something Jaleer could relate with.

"I understand-" Jaleer was about to say he understand what it was like to lose a family member when Cappi woke up an heard the fact his friend was dead.

Seeing Cappi thrash about the sage could do only one thing to really help in this situation using the force to put him in a stasis field hopefully that will get him to relax for a moment but Jaleer was starting to feel tired but the Jedi wasn't about to let his friend hurt himself. Entering Cappis mind once again this time just trying to calm him down with putting a calming aura within Cappi's mind. Though Jaleer didn't like to use his mental powers on friends it was just to keep Cappi relaxed an not hurt himself while Jaleer tried to figure things out.

"You mentioned a Sith, tell me do you know where this Sith is?" Jaleer asked hoping to figure out who it was that murdered Cappi's friend.

"I am sorry for your lost I know how it feels to loss a loved one, but placing blame on others won't help now if you cared about Cappi I suggest you go to him and try to help him, yet he felt sad before learning about Mancers death so I feel there is something else that has happened to Cappi that has made him like this." Jaleer knew that Cappi was depressed before for a different reason but with the news of his friends death the sage was worried for Cappi's mental health though the sage's mental health wasn't the best either his condition was becoming more manageable and for some reason the sage thought he could maybe get rid of the others in his head.

 

[Lamper]

Cappi tensed stiff under Jaleer's governing care, fighting it at first, eventually calming until he passed out on the couch from emotional and physical exhaustion.

"We don't," Zia answered, wincing and watching Cappi with difficulty. She didn't handle pain or confrontation well. Especially when it concerned her trifecta: Pops, Cappi, and Mancer. "She hasn't been seen since that night at the casino. Apparently where Cappi met her. I saw him that night before, but that was months ago. I wish he hadn't gone."

"Don't you tell me how to love my boy! I love my boy," Pops barked at Jaleer. "And that doesn't mean she ain't still here," Pops grumpily tagged Zia's reference of time. Though his stern expression eased a bit, seeing Zia's concerned and disagreeing face. Her opinion was clear. If the Sith woman hadn't shown herself in months, hadn't made her move, then it was unlikely that she'd still be waiting here in the shadows.

"I don't get why Mancer got involved," Zia wondered.

"Cappi took her to him. Why the hell anyone would go to that blockhead, gods only know. But Cappi," Pops explained to Jaleer, "Cappi's the only one who would. But he wasn't thinking. Taking a Sith to a couple of grunts like Mance and his crazies? Stupid."

"He trusted Mancer," Zia commended warmly. "We should've given him more of a chance too."

"You know how many chances I gave that pup!? That boy's mine! I don't care about flesh and blood. He had to do it his way. He never listened." Pops banged his chest like a patron ape, speaking truthfully about his child whether to his detriment or love; all mixed into the bag of life.

"Wait," Zia now realized the importance of what Jaleer had said. "What do you mean before? What happened before?"

"You got Cappi tangled up in this war of yours between the Sith?!? That why this woman killed my boy?"
"Pops please. Let's hear him out. Please, Jaleer. Anything you know, however little it may seem, would really help us piece this thing together."

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer was glad to see that Cappi had passed out just meant the sage wouldn't have to worry to much over him but still the young Jedi knew that he would need to speak to Cappi alone and when he felt better to figure everything out. Looking at both the old man and the young woman Jaleer felt his neck hurt as he moved his head side to side to listen to each of them speak, once they were both done the sage was relieved any more of the two talking would have given the tired sage a headache having used a lot of force powers in a short period of time.

"Alright sir calm down, I do not know what has happened it but what I do know is that on the news their was a attack by supposed rebels on a planet and a lot of people got killed but I do not believe it was the Rebels so that would mean most likely that Cappi tried to stop it but failed, but that is all I can truly say an most of it is just guess work." Jaleer said trying to piece together everything himself but Pops anger wasn't helping the sage think and though he was tired he knew that the old man was not a threat to him.

"The Sith would attack anyone I doubt Cappi was looking for the fight besides, he is one of us now a Jedi which means he has a duty to fight the Sith. I am sorry about your boy but getting angry over it won't help, blaming others won't bring them back and our war with the Sith is not something you can blame us about the Sith had been the ones killing millions we took action to prevent more death. Now I think I will try to figure this out right now, please be quiet I will attempt to read Cappi's mind and try to see his memories but it is not easy nor do I want to be in there for long." Jaleer said walking toward the passed out Cappi the sage went down on one knee and placed a hand over Cappi's head.

"Do not interrupt me I do not wish to hurt Cappi and forcing me out might hurt him so please don't talk to loud." Jaleer would say before closing his eyes and entering Cappi's mind to find his memories.

 

[Lamper]

Pops wanted to bite back at Jaleer again, but Zia held his arm gently. So the old man was able to restrain himself as they watched Jaleer do his Jedi thing for Cappi's sake.

Cappi's body instinctively inhaled deeply with the invasion into his mind. And at first came peripheral images.

Cappi sparring with Kade in a small white training room when Kade loses himself to a moment of anger, and Cappi flips onto Kade's massive arm and above his shoulder and blasts two concussive bursts of deafening Force pushes down into his ear to subdue him.

Cappi sitting in a dark room, a library, across from Knight Piper as he lustfully looks into her eyes; hers eventually looking away. A small power cell burning bright red on the floor before his legs.

Cappi cradling a red haired woman tight in his arms wearing a seductive dress in a casino. She then twists away from him and brandishes a red lightsaber with a devilishly playful grin. And she swings her lightsaber around him, cutting down fleeing patrons.

Cappi ripping a radio pack from an officer's belt, jumping down into a crouch in a shopping mall, then tackling a rebel-dressed terrorist to the floor in a hallway. Cappi sneaks through a door.

All of these memories in time, sharing an impression of intensity and a subtle taint of the dark side; whether from Cappi or one of the others he was with.

But then Cappi's chaotic mind shocked Jaleer's presence with a little jolt. And then clearer images unraveled. Dozens of heads watched a news broadcast on a screen. A rebel in conveniently concealing garb addressed the people. He said, we feel that Wroona is not doing enough to help the Rebellion in its fight against the Empire. He said, today we intend to change that. Then he pulled out a blaster pistol and shot a Twi'lek in the head. Suddenly the screen flickered a change of imagery due to the chaos of Cappi's mind. It showed Cappi briskly walking towards the space port terminal laughing next to Knight Cotan. Then the screen switched back to the Rebel terrorist. He continued saying, this is what will happen to every one of the other 328 people who are in this terminal if the government does not announce its allegiance to the Rebellion within the next three hours. He said, we will not hesitate to kill them if we see any police begin making a move on the terminal. He said, if one of them so much as looks in our direction in a way that we deem to be threatening, everyone will die. He repeated, the government has the next three hours to comply.

The screen flickered again, again with an acute sting to Jaleer's mind as long as he stayed here in this depth. This time the screen showed Knight Cotan looking fiercely, square into Cappi's eyes saying, Cappi, we might not be able to change everything, but we can at least make a difference here. He asked, can't you feel the corruption of the Dark Side in the air, here, fuelled by these events? Cotan said, Cappi, this act of terrorism...this is based on fear, and control. He said, this is the very sort of thing our Order is supposed to protect against, fight against, that we are supposed to stop. Cotan said, we have no excuse not to act.

The screen flickered yet again with that same twinge of pain to the viewer. But this time things were getting fuzzy. Layers of memory overlapped now. Audio not synced with the video, and voices to people who weren't shown. Military radio talked over a shaking video feed from Cappi's perspective as he snuck and ran through the space port, at first following Katarn Squad, then branching off and evading a terrorist patrolling the area, and then sneaking into a hallway. Military voices were arguing. And dozens and dozens of blaster sounds started shooting. Cappi snuck along the wall before suddenly rushing into a sprint and tackling two guards, slamming their skulls into the opposing wall. He snuck through the door. And the Terrorist leader turned around, having seen movement. The terrorist leader's voice returned saying, despite our earlier warnings, your foolish regime has attempted to send commandos to stop us. He said, in fact, one of them has come inside and is sitting in the room right now. He said, and he can live with the knowledge that he is responsible for their fate. And despite blaster sounds already firing, now dozens and dozens of terrorists raised their guns and mutedly opened fire in joining with the sounds. And hundreds of hostages, people, were dying; screaming and crying.

The pain to Jaleer would begin amplifying tremendously, the pain to Cappi's psyche burning hotter as nearly all the people were dying. Blaster fire zipping everywhere, the terrorist leader left down a hallway. Cappi chased after him but was tackled by another to the ground. Still seeing things from Cappi's perspective, he looked down and saw his lightsaber sticking through the man's back. He pushed him off. He Force pulled another terrorist from a balcony above whom fell to his death with a crunch. And Cappi deflected one blaster shot for every two that grazed him. And every time an energy bolt grazed his skin, Jaleer would feel its burning sting along with the emotional pain that seared into Jaleer's skull until there was no watching any more.

Zia would grow concerned as she watched Jaleer and, towards the end if not completely after it had all ended, she would voice those concerns.

"Jaleer, are you okay? What did you see?".

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer watched the as the memories played for the sage like a holo movie the young Jedi recognized Kade, but not the other Jedi that Cappi seemed to be trying to seduce, but the next one was the one that really shocked the young man. The beautiful girl was Aubrey a Sith that the young sage had battled before having barely surviving the hotel she tried to use to crush him the young knew that if the fight had continued he would have one. But it did explain what happened to Cappi's friend if it was her than the sage felt he had failed having tried to redeemed the young sith it would seem she had fallen much more than he realized.

The sage could feel the taint of the darkside within Cappi and felt that he needed to do something but for now the young Jedi would wait an see what else Cappi's memories will show him. Feeling the shock the jedi almost lost focus and his physical body will jump slightly but the young sage was able to hang on to the older Jedi's mind and continued to see the events playing out, the pain that Cappi felt was transferred to him an though the sage had been hurt before, like cutting open his stomach for a lesson but that was a story for a different day.

Jaleer watched until he got the idea or felt that he was close to understanding what happened an let go of Cappi's mind as the older Jedi memories were about deflecting the blaster bolts something that stung the young man. Rubbing himself though the cloak the Jedi looked at his arms glad to see they weren't burning or anything, getting up and looking at Zia and Pops the sage felt like he should consult them about what he had learned. One of the reasons the Jedi let go of Cappis mind was to stop the pain he was feeling but he wasn't about to tell the two people worried about Cappi that.

"Well good news is that I saw some of Cappi's memories and I think I know what went down but its not a clear picture so I am not sure if it was just a mental projection from Cappi's mind trying to make sense of it or not but if what I saw was correct than, he was hurt pretty badly emotionally." Jaleer was smart enough not to add physically but it was kind of implied.

"Cappi's memories showed me that he was fighting off some people claiming to be Rebels but I have my doubts about how true that is. An during this confrontation a lot of people died it seems, and now Cappi is blaming himself for not being able to save them." Jaleer said hoping to give just enough that the two would be able to understand an not ask more questions since the sage himself wanted to continue looking around not because the young man wanted to test his abilities but because the sage was sure that their was a few details left but the young Jedi planned to talk with Cappi about that privately where he wouldn't be harassed by Pops.

 

[Lamper]

"Oh no," Zia's hands cupped over her mouth distressingly, eyes tearing up; then looking to Pops and back to Jaleer. Her breath quickened. Now she began to realize the full extent of Cappi's woes.

Pop's mouth hung open, speechless. And his eyes caught Zia's before his balding head dropped. He sighed gravely. Fist thumped onto the desk. Then he leaned into Zia, and she thereby leaned into him; his hand now calming her upon her shoulder, patting softly.

"I ... had no idea," Pops somberly admitted to Jaleer, almost apologetically. "It's good that you brought him to us. Thank you."

"I can't believe that was him. I mean he was there. I watched that happen on the news, but I had no idea he was in it," Zia whimpered mumbling into her palms before turning into Pop's shoulder woefully. She cried as though she was somehow at fault for Cappi's pain, as though she could have saved him somehow. But no one had.

"I uh think it's best we let him get some rest. Maybe we can give him some quiet. Jaleer, how about some tea? You like tea? Zia help me make our Jedi friend here some tea, hm? Be so kind and grab me those grounds from the second shelf would you dear? We can steep those with some lemon."

With the softest and gentlest voice and touch he could muster, Pops handled Zia with a care and kindness the likes of which Jaleer hadn't seen today; trying to give her something to do to stay active and get her mind partially out of the deep end. Even addressing Jaleer as a guest for once, Pops was all around more sympathetic to this whole mess. While at first he had just been angry with the pain he and his children felt, resenting anything and anyone who came near the subject with a twenty yard stick, now he provided for and sheltered those under his roof. Pops, with Zia's superficial help, made some herbal tea born of the very plants that were grown in this shop with some sweet mixtures. And eventually they'd move to the second floor so that Cappi could rest where he lay. Pops had some things to tell Jaleer about, some of Cappi's history as a child. The way Cappi followed Mancer around and worshiped the ground he walked on until he was old enough to know better. The first times Cappi started to notice his Force potential and the ways he got caught up in crime and drugs before a Jedi helped him out of it. And even stories that made Zia blush and smile, like how Cappi's had an unspoken crush on her for all his life since the moment he saw her and how everyone knows about it except her. Though she tries to hide it, she admitted that she did know. And Pops told Jaleer how, after hearing so many of Cappi's stories whenever he'd come home often to visit, he thought Cappi was turning his life around and becoming the good man that he knew he was deep down inside. And if Jaleer needed some rest, the loft had a cot upstairs that was offered to him.

...

After a few hours had passed and they'd come in and out of the bedroom/living room on the second floor, Zia returned with a worried look on her face and a hand over her mouth; removed it and announced what she had learned.

"He's gone! Cappi's gone!"

...

A few blocks away, Cappi tiredly stumbled through the front door of a trashy motel; besides the check in counter, the first floor being entirely a cocktail bar and lounge. Some heads turned, mostly cheap looking aliens and grungy couch potatoes watching the news holos and munching on stale nuts and chips; sipping bears from the bottle and collecting them on the dirtied and stained, cheesy red stringy carpet.

First Cappi accidentally knocked over a coat rack, bitter for the rack's rebellious attitude towards him. He may have already had a drink or two from the liquor store on the corner. He surveyed the shack from the eyes of an addict, just like riding a bicycle, and spotted a man who looked like he knew his spice. And Cappi staggered over and slumped onto the old barstool overlooking the man's chair next to him.

"Hey. Hey," Cappi abusively tried to get the man's attention, poking his shoulder.
"Scuse me, pal. You buy a drink or you rent a room, or I'll show your butt to the curb," the clerk behind the bar abruptly interjected.
"Scuse you. What. I don't want a beer, I want this guy. I want him, I want his to buy me spice," Cappi rambled depressingly.
"What? I don't have, I don't know what you're talking about man," the junkie defended himself.
"Hey, guy! You hear what I said?? Buy something before you get hurt," the clerk threatened, reaching to grab Cappi's shirt.
"I am hurt!" Cappi yelled, suddenly snatching the clerk's wrist with Force Speed, breaking his wrist, and slamming his head into the counter three times till bloody knockout.

Cappi stumbled back off the stool as the clerk, broken and bloodied, slid down to the floor behind the bar; and the others stood in surprise. A couple left hurriedly, while others just stood there. And Cappi forced himself back onto the stool, stepping up onto the foot bar and reaching over the counter to grab a beer bottle. He popped it open and sat back down onto the stool, taking a sip. Then he saw a woman starring at him, likely the clerk's assistant.

"I changed my mind," Cappi flippantly told her, casually licking his lips and nestling into a comfortable slouch on the bar counter. He saw the news holo reflected in the mirror before him and got caught up in the similar images to his recent memories, sinking into a silent and mellowed despair while the others just looked at him like the crazy person he was behaving as. Then he saw the junkie sneakily sidestepping towards the door behind him and Cappi passively turned his head to his shoulder, lazily holding the beer bottle in two fingers close to his cheek.

"You gonna give me spice or not," Cappi asked him, without a single credit on his person.

 

[Richie B.]

Jaleer knew that right now Zia and Pops needed some time an with Cappi knocked out the sage thought that he should join them just in case, besides the sage realized that helping the old man and young woman relax was something he should do as a Jedi. Accepting their offer the Sage joined them for tea listening to the many stories of Cappi which made Jaleer feel nice a little bit getting to know one of his friends better an it reminded him of how his mother might have acted if their situations were reversed. After a few hours as passed the young Jedi started to get worried the force seemed to be telling him something but the young man wasn't sure what it was, but that was until Zia came back upstairs and said that Cappi was gone, after those words left her mouth a gust of wind blow right past her.

Jaleer had used the force to make him look like a blur going down stairs stopping by the couch than leaving the building, though Jaleer knew he should have said something to the two but the sage was afraid for Cappi and knew he needed to find his friend fast. Using the force to extend his senses trying to find his friends signature it was hard but after a few minutes the young Jedi remembered something about his friend, the man was wild sometimes and a person like that would most likely head to a bar or something similar. Looking around the young man tried to see if their was anything like that near him but once the sage started looking around did he realize that it would be a lot harder than it actually was, it was Nar Shadda after all.

After running around towards several Bars after about 4 bars he passed the young man thought he felt Cappi's presence in a run down motel walking in the young man saw there was a cocktail lounge. After walking in an finding Cappi the young sage took a moment to let the force reenergize him though the young man was still tired from running around with the force and extending his senses noticing that Cappi was near a questionable looking man walking up to Cappi and pulling him by his shoulder the sage knew he needed to take Cappi home or the older Jedi might get into some serious trouble.

"Cappi come on lets go. You shouldn't be out here by yourself." Jaleer was worried that Cappi would get into some trouble an the young man knew that right now a fight would be to risky since the sage didn't want to fight some Jedi hunters while dragging a depressed Cappi.

 

[Lamper]

Cappi wanted to take his anger out on someone. He wanted to pound this guys face in. Or to get so high that he could dull his pain. To get this guys spice and find a corner alley and melt into the shadows. One or the other was about to happen, when Jaleer had found him. And Cappi heard that familiar voice.

When caught, instincts suggest you pretend like nothing happened. And that's exactly what Cappi did. If at first his eyes connected with Jaleer's, they soon looked to the floor in avoidance. And Cappi's aggressive energy cooled to a mild stump on a log. Cappi's head turned away from Jaleer, eyes down. Fingers playing with the beer bottle's mouth. And the junkie behind Cappi looked to Jaleer, hoping he'd reign in Cappi and take him back to wherever he came from.

"Where should I be?" Cappi softly answered depressingly, almost defiantly. In other words, I don't belong anywhere. Cappi wasn't getting up willingly. He was going to make Jaleer move him off that stool.

 

[Richie B.]

(OOC: Sorry for the short post)

Jaleer could feel how angry Cappi was but it seemed to go away which the sage was glad for, so the sage had little choice it seem that he would need to drag Cappi back to the shop before anything happens. Grabbing onto the depressed Jedi's shoulder Jaleer acted quickly and dragged Cappi out of the cocktail lounge since Nar Shadda had plenty of people that would love to get their hands on a few Jedi and with Cappi's situation the sage felt that he would be the one doing most of the fighting.

"You should go to where those that love you are. An that is the shop now lets go." Jaleer said dragging Cappi behind him the sage only hoped nothing stopped the pair but Jaleer knew that the day wasn't close to being over.