Ask Coruscant Behind the Crimson Ring

[Bast Emblai]

Time training at the shooting range paid off quite well, Bast noticed disconnectedly. The other four men had been taken out quickly by the squad, shot with stun bolts. Hopefully none had heart issues as the electric shock could lead to unintended consequences. Why was she thinking about potential heart failure now? Falynn was the medic. The shots seemed distant, and she felt as if she were floating gently above the recently finished shootout. Corran had run straight in... not quite what she intended, but it had worked. Kriff him for running into danger, though. She liked, no, cared for, the boy. Bast’s wandering and unfocused mind was so far from her body, she had to press the hot muzzle of her blaster to her arm to come back to the moment.The doctors had said this might happen in stressful situations, and she needed to focus or she could end up dead.

Her mind regained clarity none too soon. A low whistle echoed off of the rough streets and grimy buildings. A gang member signaling? It was definitely not a musically inclined passerby. Only a breath after, three shots sounded. With a quick glance at the others the woman took off at a quick jog toward the sound. As she approached, the smell of burning grew stronger, but, oddly, no one had been injured or, seemingly, even targeted. Why waste bolts, she wondered. Was this a trap she had walked into? It was not often Bast barged forward into potentially dangerous and unknown situations, so her previously clouded mind was now on high alert, listening for footsteps, looking for movement, testing the air for cologne.

“We’ve got your frie-end,” came taunting, gravelly voice. The skin on the nape of Bast’s neck prickled and she backed up, looking for cover with the others.

“Come out, and lay down the gun, then get on your knees. I will ask once.” Bast‘s reply was equally cold. Clearly the ‘friend’ was Haji, and she was in no mood for a game of cat-and-mouse when it came to rescuing him. As per usual, the suspect did not find it necessary to comply. Running footfalls were the only response.

Out of the corner of her trained eye, the detective caught a closing door. “He is making a run for it- the Lucky Lekku, I believe.“ And with that, the ranger plunged into the dark hallway.


@TerranSteel @FireSong @Styx

 

[Corran Velt]

The body was heavy as a boulder. It had gone completely limp and the dead weight was practically suffocating. Corran allowed a guttural grunt as he shoved the incapacitated goon off of him. A minute ago, the guy was wailing on the Ranger and only Corran's forearms prevented an outright pummeling. That is, until the thug took a stun round straight to the back. The young man adjusted his neck and dusted himself off before waving a grateful hand at Falynn. "Thanks for the rescue, Ranger Tikarsis. You're as good of shot as you are a medic." Since they first met, Falynn had been a treasure trove of pleasant surprises.

A smattering of blasts echoed around the intersection of alleyways, followed by a ricochet of whistling. A dark, nefarious voice claimed to have their 'friend.' Seems the Rangers made enough of a ruckus for the criminal element to figure out they were coming for Haji. Still, the taunting voice had them dead to rights and didn't snipe at them from the shadows. Something wasn't adding up and Bast seemed to come to the same conclusions.

Ranger Emblai used her authoritative tone to no avail. Shame too; it was pretty intimidating. Likely honed over years in CorSec. She must have managed to catch a glimpse of the cruel man, because she bolted towards the Lucky Lekku. "Bast! Wait!" Corran called out to her. Too late - his partner was already on the move. Picking up his Power 5 blaster, the young man scrambled to follow after Ranger Emblai.

Bursting through the door of the establishment, Corran was greeted by the sights and sounds of a dark, neon-lit bar and exotic dancing combination. Guess that's why they call it the "Lucky" Lekku. An associate, likely a bouncer of some kind, noticed the blasters and came to handle the situation. The male Ranger flashed his badge, causing the bouncer to step back with his hands up peaceably. The club was already getting crowded this time of evening and the music was already going. It would have been easy to get mixed up, distracted, or lost in here.

That is, if someone not as disciplined and professional as Corran wasn't taking point. Half-naked Twi'leks, strobe lights, and cheap shots on trays did little to hide the threatening man who bolted through the bar employee-only area. "Bast, Falynn! He's heading that way!" The Ranger shouted and point to the doorway the scoundrel had passed through. Following up on his own intel, Corran man-handled his way through the crowd and kicked open the door with his foot and blaster at the ready. "Freeze!"

All he got were the startled gasps of dancers and a few servers. The sole of a boot was the only glimpse caught of the fleeing man. Corran would check behind him to see if his partners were making headway to his location before sprinting after their quarry.

@Kestrel @FireSong @Styx

 

[Falynn Tikarsis]

Falynn couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit flattered at Corran’s praise. Her confidence in medical knowledge did not fully extend to her shooting ability, so it was heartening to be assured that her efforts had not been in vain. She thanked the ranger and was about to say more when a whistle echoed down the hall. It was followed by three consecutive blast shots, a rough, male voice, and the sound of distant footfalls. So this man knows where Haji is. Why he hadn’t immediately engaged them was still unclear, especially as it seemed he wished for the rangers to follow him. Falynn would have liked to treat Bast first, or at least make sure she was alright, but with the new threat her injury would have to wait. Ranger Emblai took of without a glance, closely followed by Ranger Velt. Readjusting her bag, Falynn ran after the two straight into the Lucky Lekku.

The bar was poorly lit and packed with Twilek dancers and clients alike. Some crude band drowned out most of the conversation with their music. The bouncer, fortunately, was not in the mood to mess with law enforcement and let the rangers in. Taking in the atmosphere of the bar, Falynn frowned—she had never enjoyed these kinds of establishments—and slowly pushed her way through the crowd. She barely made out Corran’s shout above the din, but managed to move towards the private area he pointed to. By the time she had caught up to the other rangers, the opened door only revealed the sight of shocked employees. Turning the corner, Falynn spotted the back delivery door ajar, leading to an alley and the brief silhouette of a man.

She chased the figure until he disappeared into the shadows. Grinding to a halt, Falynn listened carefully for any sounds of movement. The sound of a crash to her left reverberated down the narrow alleyway. Falynn barely made out the sole of a boot as the man dashed through the door of an abandoned warehouse, leaving a turned canister in his wake. Cautiously opening the door, she peered inside. There was no light source from inside the building. Realizing too late the lamp that shone upon her in the doorway, Falynn drew back only to hear a shot being fired. She felt it graze her upper arm as she was knocked off balance.

“Aughh!” Glancing down at left arm, Falynn could see the area where her jacket had done nothing to protect her arm from the heat of the bolt. It wouldn’t have taken a medic to discern that her wound could not be left untreated. There was no point in hiding the fact that she’d been shot from Bast and Corran, but she also didn‘t wish to shock them. Shifting so her injured arm was angled away from the two, she grimaced and spoke in a rather assured manner for someone who had been shot by a blaster. Only the slight unevenness in her voice gave away the scorching pain that laced through her arm. “Please don’t let my state keep you from pursuing our lead.” Whatever game the man was playing, Falynn was sure that he would once again make an appearance to one of the other rangers. “Someone needs to go after him. My injury shouldn’t be left untreated, but I‘ll be fine once I’m finished.” She hoped they would both leave. It would make the next part less uncomfortable. But, it had been made clear that neither Ranger was the kind of person to do so, which made Falynn add, “If it reassures you, someone can stay within range of me.”


@Kestrel
@TerranSteel
@Styx

 

[Haji Sigidi]

Water roiled and bubbled below surface pressure, above rushing hydrothermal vents. His lungs seized, denied oxygen. His lips puckered tight and eyes flexed wide in surprise of his new yet familiar surroundings. His hands and feet naturally paddled with resistance at the warm flurry of bubbles. And he searched the blue and white for reprieve from this violent stirring. Haji swam.

The top of his head knocked against the ice shield, unable to breach. His body ached and he struggled to breathe. His palms pressed against the ice, unable to find an opening, or even a weakness. Next they patted down his belts for his lightsaber, but nothing was there. Ink-black swirls enveloped the waters. A light poured in from above.

A large palm touched the surface from the other side. Haji focused on the palm's silhouette, then made out two dark feet. Instinct fired all pistons to panic, but a muffled voice came from above. He could hear her in his mind. Peace. Focus. Rest.

He could feel her, like he was there. Ilum's ice crystals pulsed from every catacomb like a neural network. Frozen steel cylinders hummed in the icy winds. Beams of light rebounded through massive crystals strung by chain. And the ghosts of great spirits chorused their chants in the shadowed reaches of fractured fissures. He stalled his movements, floating into a sinking stillness and taking it all in. His eyes focused on the palm above, light all around it, as he drifted deeper and deeper. Everything fed him, all around him, as he withdrew into a cocoon of meditation enveloped by glowing orange bubbles in a sea of blue. Finally, he closed his eyes.

"Yeah, well I'll take your precious Hal Hammond collectable out of the box and bend it so the joints are all stretched and it'll be worthless and... hello? Whistler? Ahhh!" Benjamin nearly threw the comm device across the floor, before remembering where he'd left off with the Jedi. "Oh. Yes. Well, since you're so quiet over there, since you just refuse to engage in genial conversation, I suppose I must make the decision on my own. I believe I will cut off your arm, yes I'll cut it off and inject it with my own personal formula and - UGHHHHH!"

Benjamin's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he seized with a desperate gasp into a contorted cringe, lifting off his heels and gnashing his teeth. He saw a flurry of bubbles, hot and overwhelming. Behind it, there was a face: a boy's. The eyes opened.

Benjamin choked, then collapsed to the floor unconscious. The fab to Haji's cuffs bounced and rolled roundabout, settling next to Benjamin.

Haji shuttered in a sweat, still lying on the floor amidst his six felled victims, seven now that Benjamin joined them. Still curled on his side, blood leaked from Haji's nose and ran over the side of his mouth. Saliva strung from his cheek. And his brow squeezed tight. In likeness to his master, another name mirrored hers in his mind. It repeated over and over with a cry for help, hoping to reach its destination. But it didn't feel like it connected. A strain on his overburdened mind made him wince with pain, but it continued to repeat despite his focus on Benjamin. Bast. Bast. Bast.

___________________________________________________________________________​

"Whewww," his lips whined with delight at the effortless shot carelessly flung back over his shoulder from behind a pillar in the dark. Pearly whites shined in a wide blue-mouthed frame of a grin as he withdrew into the darkness. His visor adjusted to the lack of light and when the door completely shut out the light, telegraphing that his pursuer had recoiled outside, he took off once more. "Come and get me!"

Covering his crossing, he fired another triple spread shot in a diagonal line up the door that Falynn rested beside. It taunted his pursuers with injury or wild aggression without tactical purpose of death, but also beckoned them after him with just a moment's head start. The three holes hinted at the direction he fled in, and also let three small beams of light in. His peddling feet kicked up a trail of dust off to the door as he regulated his breathing and huffed with a shoulder bash into the next corridor and out into a walled off alley.

So far so good. Whistler started loosing himself to a giggle as he shouldered in through another door, ducked a yellow lamp light that hung right in the path of his head, and barreled down a slew of steps. With any more luck, one of his pursuers might rush after him and take a smack to the face or even take a tumble.

Whistler hacked his knife down over the turn-handle, using his fist, and pulled open the knife-scarred-door to the cries of a crowd. Carefully crossing the catwalk as fast as he could, two massive beasts battled it out in an open-topped cage fight below. The catwalk shook with every bloody clash of muscle and claw, powerful jaws biting down on each other to the roar of the crowd. And beams of neon lights crisscrossed and slashed over the crowd and into the catwalk, blinding and hot. He hoped that he'd stalled his pursuers just enough to gain a head start over the catwalk, but not lose them entirely. And once they found the catwalk, he'd snipe another shot from across it just like in the warehouse to wound them further.

After that, he would almost be there. He'd come out a door in the hallway of the row of holding cells where they'd held Haji and the others. There were no guards at the moment to impede his sprint past the set up card table. Haji's robe hung over the back of one of the chairs and his things sat in an open locker just above it. And other prisoners still groaned in their cells.

But Whistler kept going through the next door and toward the restaurant. There was no way they'd get lost now. Maybe one or two more turns, maybe one or two more shots to weaken them and he'd have them right where he wanted them: starring down the bossman, his scapegoat. Then he'd have the perfect shot, right in the back of their heads. And he'd smile with those pearly whites again, lips pursing for that end whistle to signal game's end.

@Kestrel @TerranSteel @FireSong

 

[Bast Emblai]

The dark hallway opened up into a dimly lit establishment, strobe lights pulsing to the beat of poorly played music. A haze of smoke and other chemical vapor hung heavy in the air, scenting it with a sickly fruity odor. Patrons, mostly the ragged-looking type ogled dancers in various states of undecent dress. The whole affair made Bast uneasy. She wondered if any of the workers had been imported by the very group they were attempting to find. The others caught up with ease and took the lead. Her recent surgery meant the detective was far from a fast runner. To their credit, neither the vivacious blonde male nor the more subdued medic were distracted by the spectacle. If only every ranger held themselves to the same degree of focused professionalism.

Suddenly, Corran’s clear, cutting voice sounded above the catcalls and music. She sprinted after Falynn, her exospine doing it’s familiar rhythmic, quiet clanking. They were headed to a warehouse and no sooner had Bast caught up than she heard a shot ringing off the corrugated metal walls. The other woman was stumbling, but impressively, she managed to remain upright. Falynn as putting on a brave face as she shifted her wound from sight, but as Bast approached, heedless of her own pain, she could tell her partner was badly hurt.

“Ranger Tikarsis, everything will be okay. Sit down. I trust you can treat yourself, but Corran, would you keep her in sight?” Ideally, Bast would have sent him ahead but something stopped her, despite his status as the only uninjured ranger. Her pride stopped her. She was the senior officer, not something that particularly mattered to her, except for the fact she would feel guilty for shirking responsibility. There was something else. Who was to say Corran wouldn’t rush straight into danger again. She could not let that happen on her watch. With a meaningful look at him, she took a deep breath and continued through the next door.

A sudden pounding in Bast’s chest made her feel lightheaded. She had run straight onto a catwalk. A dizzying glance down allowed the deduction this was a pit fighting ring. Bloodthirsty crowds sat, breath baited, in the stands. A high pitched whine sounded and a red bolt disappeared in a shower of sparks a foot away from the woman’s boots. Someone had aimed a shot at her. Whistler. Adrenaline racing, Bast backed up for cover. Right into a burly man. His voice was a low growl and his hands gripped her shoulders hard. There would be bruises later.

“Ya here to watch wi’out a ticket? Ya think you’re so clever, not having to pay? I’ll make ya pay!” The man, who smelled slightly of musty spice, pinned her against a wall, knocking the wind out of her.

“I will ask once. Let me go. I was only passing through and have no interest in your sick sport.” Bast’s demand was a slight bluff. He could overpower her with sheer strength, so her only option was to stun him. He pressed harder, moving close enough she could feel his breath. The blaster was just at her cold fingertips. A click confirmed she had drawn it. The grunt’s hands let her shoulders go to grab the gun. He braced a forearm across her neck. A single shot the railing of the catwalk, it missed, but was enough to distract the thug, who had been about knee her in the gut. A firm kick against the wall sent them both toppling and Bast scrambled before she could be pinned again. “Hands up, now. Where did the other man go? The one who whistled?”

@TerranSteel
@FireSong
@Styx

 

[Corran Velt]

By the time Corran caught up to Falynn, she had already been wounded. The medic had made an effort to conceal the injury so it was difficult to tell how severe it was. Three bolts immediately blasted through the door nearest Falynn, in a well-spaced diagonal line. Instinctively, Corran ducked but no further fire came. The aim on the shots was too accurate to be wild or even lethal - they were a taunt. The male Ranger was ready to give pursuit, but Bast commanded him to stay with Ranger Tikarsis while she conducted first aid before going after the gunmen herself.

Corran opened his mouth to protest but restrained himself. Ranger Emblai was the senior Ranger of the situation and her orders were to be followed. Even if he personally disagreed with them, the chain of command was absolute. Anything less would be anarchy. Besides, Bast was tough as nails and Corran knew that she could handle herself. The male Ranger got to one knee near Falynn, taking cover behind the warehouse door, and kept his Power 5 blaster securely in both hands. He looked around in steady motions, alert to any possible threat and be able to respond. Eventually Corran glanced back over his shoulder, "How bad is it?"

Despite the worry about Bast proceeding ahead alone, the young man felt a similar concern for his wounded comrade. Corran didn't know Falynn's field work record. Combat can be scary and being left alone in such a scenario makes it even worse. A friend nearby talking calmly helped him, so he felt like he'd give it a try. "Is that your first wound?" Corran asked, facing away from her, "If so, you're doing a lot better than I did."

That was the truth. Corran took a mere graze in his first field operation and nearly froze in the face of danger. That wasn't exactly comforting, but it was the best, reassuring thing he could think of off the top of his head. Periodically, Corran would stop his perimeter scanning and glance back at the wounded Falynn to check on her. Once ready, the male Ranger would follow Bast's trail.

Kicking through a door, ducking under a low-hanging light, and crossing through an alleyway, Corran came upon Bast pointing her blaster, at close range, at a huge, hairy man. "Are you alright? Is this the Whistler?" The newly arrived Ranger asked. That seemed almost impossible. The fugitive seemed light on their feet. This being before the Rangers was huge.

"Whis'ler? Oh you mean... Eh' went across the catwalk," the big man offered up while pointing to it. A few moments passed and Corran glanced to the thin, metal railing that went across a horrific bloodsport arena. That's when the enormous man tried to make his move, "But ya won't get to 'im!"

A blaster shot rang out. A meaty thud echoed it. Before he could do anymore harm, Corran had stunned him right in the neck. The sounds of clash and gore below prevented the stun round from being heard. The huge being wouldn't be getting up until they were long gone. Corran kicked the unconscious body just to double check. Finally, he leaned down next to Bast, "Take a minute if you need to, ma'am. I'll scout ahead."

That was the nice way of saying Corran wanted to spring any traps up ahead. The Ranger tested the catwalk carefully, checking if it would give out under his weight. Satisfied, he methodically took one step after another across the metal scaffolding and only glanced down when it began to shake after a particularly nasty bout ended in a kill. Once across, Corran took the opportunity to secure the scaffolding with some metal cables that were connected to a winch-system. It would be much more stable to cross.

@Kestrel @FireSong @Styx

 

[Falynn Tikarsis]

Three shots fired at the door beside Falynn, making her flinch. The man was toying with them yet again. Once Bast discovered Falynn had been injured she, unsurprisingly, did not leave Falynn by herself. Corran was to stay behind with her. Being left alone would have ideally meant she wouldn’t have someone staring at her vulnerable state, but in truth Falynn didn’t mind the company.

“How bad is it?” Falynn could hear the concern in his voice even though she saw that Corran had wanted to go ahead. Easing herself into a more comfortable position, she removed her jacket to examine the wound. Admittedly, that area of her arm looked fairly damaged. The bolt had effectively cauterized the area so although there was no bleeding, her skin had been badly burned. It was quite fortunate that the blast hadn’t hit her dominant arm. Among other things, Falynn noted that a searing pain still emanated from the injury, proving that the nerve endings in the area hadn’t been severely damaged. “Well, the injury isn’t terrible. I’ll be able to stabilize it with what resources I have here.” Removing the medkit from her bag, Falynn began to take out some bacta spray and burn dressings.

Corran’s next question made her look up from where she was sitting. Instead of finding him staring back at her, he spoke while turned away. It provided the illusion of privacy, and for that she was grateful. Somehow, having a person with her was not as bad as she thought it might be. His conversation was even welcome. Falynn was silent as she thought about his question. No, it wasn’t the first time she’d been wounded. Ironically, her time internship and time serving as a doctor on Coruscant had not come without injury. Nor was it the first time she’d been shot at, but, “It’s the first time I’ve been wounded as a Ranger.” Falynn didn’t mention it was also the first time she’d been hurt this severely.

Once the burn had been disinfected and securely wrapped, Falynn packed up and got ready to leave. A quick rotation of the arm told her she still had full mobility of it and though painful, would be able to use it in combat. Rising, she walked over to where Corran was standing. “Thank you for staying with me. I...I appreciate it.” And she did. The full truth of those words surprised her.

Following behind Ranger Velt, Falynn found herself before a precarious catwalk overlooking a pit fight. A broad-shouldered man now lay unconscious at Bast’s feet. She waited for Corran to finish reinforcing the bridge before crossing. While on the walkway, a cry rose from below and Falynn shook her head, disgusted by the vicious sight. Reaching the end, she cautiously opened the door and entered right into the syndicate’s cell area.

No guards were in sight. Falynn made her way down the hall searching for Haji, but he wasn’t there. Instead, she found other captives sitting in dank, filthy cells. While she may have been expecting to find young adults, it was hard to believe just how young the ones sitting in front of her were. They were practically kids. Many of them shrank back as Falynn drew closer, fear present in their demeanor. Apart from the cells, something hanging over a chair caught her eye. “Haji’s not here. They must have moved him elsewhere, but that’s his robe,” she gestured towards the card table. “And I believe some of his other belongings are in the locker above.” The guards seemed to have left in a hurry, as evidenced by the set of key cards Falynn noticed lying around. “The Whistler isn’t here either. I’d say there’s a good chance that if we find him, we find Haji.”


@Kestrel
@TerranSteel
@Styx

 

[Haji Sigidi]

"Wheww," sang the whistled lament for his missed shot. Carefree, only excited to the pulsing of adrenaline, Whistler kept to his plan despite the swinging of scaffolding that altered his aim and foiled his latest attempt at ambush. Sprinting, he turned this corner and that until barreling through the door to the restaurant.

"Oof," he stumbled over a body and fell flat on his face, plunging into a watery abyss. His finger accidentally squeezed the trigger but it did not fire under water. A triple-beep alarmed Whistler to an empty cartridge, as well as pulling him out of the delusion of what felt like deep ocean water. And he winced to a pain in his chest.

What in the ten hells was that? Did he just imagine falling into water?

He looked down at the syringe. Was that still there? He pulled it out, thinking he was tripping on too much stim, then looked up at the scene around him in disbelief. Between this strange feeling and the state of the room, not a peep escaped his hung open mouth. Speechless, for once, he pushed up to a stand, popped out the cartridge and jammed in another as he cautiously back-peddled diagonally until his back collided with the wall next to the door. When he hit it, a flurry of bubbles flashed around him out of the corners of his eyes and he froze.

He looked around, seeing all was normal, then found the kid laying there on the floor. Then he saw Benjamin. An image of Benjamin mutedly screaming bubbles and pounding his fists against an ice wall flashed in his mind. Whoa. What had happened since he left? And what was wrong with this room? He'd been drinking, that much was clear from the spilled martini glass. Whistler wondered if he had had something to drink earlier that made him feel this way. What was this sinking feeling? And this pressure, is the air unit broken? But he was sure he could hear it, or was that the sounds of trickling water?

Collecting his thoughts amongst the sea of bodies, he deduced this was as good a distraction as any within the confines of limited time. No doubt any who entered after him would be as shocked as he was. So he readied himself with just enough space from the door so as not to be obstructed or immediately spotted. He slid down and rolled to his side, emulating the rest of the dead or dying men littering the floor. If anything, laying down helped ease the eerie feeling of unbalance that disturbed his equilibrium. And so he waited as one of them, playing dead, ready to spring his trap.

After his pursuers entered, hopefully walking into the center of the room and toward the Jedi, he would wait for the opportune moment to shoot them in their backs and call it a day.


Flickering. Flashing. Shimmering.


Water rippled away from Benjamin's thrashing. He cried spewed bubbles. His leg caught in a tangle of seaweed. Then he heard the boy's voice.

"Peace."

He caught a glimpse of the boy, in a dormant state hovering beyond the obstruction of bubbles and ribbons of dark green. His eyes were closed. Wide eyes white flashed nightmarishly and then were gone. But the boy remained dormant and shut off. And soon Benjamin had forgotten that he needed to breath.

"Are you... that Jedi, boy?"
"I am ...me."
"Where is this place?"
"..."
"Where am I?"
"You are here."
"What have you done to me?"
"I have done nothing."
"But look at me. Look at this place."
"Then I have opened your eyes."
"What do you want? I'll give you whatever you want, just let me go back."
"I want nothing from you."
"But I can give you anything."
"You have nothing I want."
"I'll let your friends go. I'll call off Whistler and you can all go."
"They're my friends? Why do you say that?"
"Well they came after you didn't they? They're trying to rescue you... Aren't they?"
"They came ...for you."
"Yes but. You don't think they care about you?"
"Does that trouble you?"
"I don't know. I guess. I guess I would want somebody to care about me. Don't you?"
"You needn't let it trouble you. It is my emotions you are feeling, not your own."
"But, I do want someone to care about me."
"You're referring to the Twi'lek dancer. You bring her tuna fish every Wednesday afternoon."
"How did you?"
"She is kind to you. She talks to you about your mother. She keeps a stash of credits for the day she can smuggle herself off-world."
"What? She's leaving? Without me? She never mentioned anything about leaving."
"Everyone leaves us. It is inevitable."
"Well, yeah but not right away. I care about Irie. I can give her a good life."
"It does not matter. We are all alone, connected but alone."
"You're afraid they won't like you. Ha! This whole celestial omnipotence act and it all comes down to a popularity contest."
"Bast is kind. She worries for my safety. Falynn is selfless. She cares for all life and asks for nothing in return. Corran is..."
"He's what?"
"Corran ...is just. He fights for a better world."
"So. So what about all that. What do they think about you?"
"It does not matter. We are all alone, connected but alone."
"Come on. Don't dodge the question and tell me what they really think."
"I'm afraid of what they think."
"Everyone is. But that doesn't mean you just wall up inside and cut people off."
"Attachment leads to jealousy."
"Forget that. To care about someone means to open yourself up to heartache."
"You speak from experience."
"..."
"Someone hurt you. You lecture me of becoming cloistered and now you seal yourself shut."
"You think that they might. They might actually matter to you and that's what scares you."
"...I would like to know them. I would like to be their friends. Bast?"


Water rushing. Bubbles. Pressure. Emptiness...


"Behind you."

@Kestrel @TerranSteel @FireSong

 

[Bast Emblai]

A wave of relief washed over Bast as soon as Corran appeared. As much as she was self-sufficient, the woman appreciated backup. His familiar face also did a little to slow her racing mind. It also meant she was no longer the sole target for the brawny man. Just as he lunged towards her partner, a stun bolt stuck him down and he dropped like a sack of bricks. An irrational, angry part of Bast wanted to shove him into the ring and feed the animals. The detective quickly shoved away the intrusive thought, but felt slightly guilty. She would never do such a thing, but had she been so shaken by the encounter?

"Take a minute if you need to, ma'am. I'll scout ahead." The words were kind, but there was a subtext- ‘let me go ahead and make sure its safe’. Bast doubted she could stop him, and besides, she had ordered him to stay back earlier. Reluctantly, she nodded. Nevertheless, she turned over his words in her head. He had called her ma’am, a formality left behind after their first mission, now used mainly in public as an indication of respect. The choice was puzzling to say the least, but perhaps it was all part of the frill for his polite demand to go ahead.

“Yes, go on. Ah, I am glad you are recovered Ranger Tikarsis.” The medic had just stepped onto the catwalk. Bast spotted her quick glance down, as well as her disturbed reaction. Pit fighting was far from pretty. By the end of the night, the sawdust was soaked with blood and the screams of wounded animals echoed in the stadium. Rather than offering reassurance, for there was none, she used a measured tone. “Continue, Tikarsis. I will watch your six.” The lack of title was not intended as disrespectful, but rather a more casual yet professional address. It would have to suffice until they were on a first name basis.

The three Sector Rangers, once again in close quarters, moved into the next building. The three pairs of boots echoed loudly on a duracrete floor which slanted slightly towards a drain. A foul smell rose from the grate and a few flies buzzed about. Their quiet hums were echoed in the louder buzzing of flickering lights, dimmed with an accumulation of dirt and grease. Falynn spoke softly, solemnly, reporting the young Jedi’s conspicuous absence. It did not seem a place for normal conversation or humor. Children, some looking as young as eight standard years, were locked in cramped cells. One young Mirilan boy stood shaking the door and crying for his sister. Two cells over, a teenaged girl crouched in a corner, tears streaking her face. Two twi’lek twins were playing an imaginary game with sticks to distract themselves. The detective wanted to look away, but felt as if it would be wrong to do so. This syndicate needed to be shutdown. The sheer amount of evil, of abuse and exploitation, in the galaxy seemed to be never ending.

At the sight of Haji’s cloak, the woman’s heart lurched. Sweeping it up, Bast exited into a long corridor. It was the only was out, barring the way they had entered and a lift. After what seemed an eternity later, they reached a cold metal door. She wasn’t sure she was ready to see what was inside. The detective had seen crime scenes of brutal murder, had spent time identifying bodies that were long gone, but the young boy had touched her heart. Perhaps it was his healing through the force.

A screech announced the entrance of the three lawmen. Haji was in shock cuffs, eyes closed, slouched against a wall. Without hesitation, Bast sprinted to him and knelt down. “Bast.” The voice was Haji’s, but it had not been emitted verbally. The sensation was difficult to explain. The air seemed to ripple and there was a static pressure building up behind her ears.

“Behind you, Haji.” The female’s voice was clear and gentle. The last thing she wanted to do was startle him. Delicate fingers draped his cloak over his shoulders. Careful to avoid purpling bruises, Bast squeezed his arm in an attempt to wake his from his half-conscious state, then applied a sternum rub. What had they done to him to sedate him so? Furrowing her eyebrows, she continued. “Haji, It’s Bast. Corran and Ranger Tikarsis are here as well. Are you hurt?” With nod of her head, she indicated for Falynn to asses. So preoccupied with Haji was she, that she took no notice of Whistler rising from the floor.

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[Corran Velt]

The hallway of cages could make one sick. Corran gagged and covered his mouth with his jacket sleeve. The smell, the grime, the complete absence of morality. It wasn’t the first time the male Ranger had seen caged beings in horrid conditions. It was the first time he saw children in this nightmare. The trio, he knew, would rescue these kids... and Haji. The only good thing was the lack of guards. Where had they all gone and why? It wasn’t like slavers to leave their prizes unguarded. Falynn was the first to notice Haji’s robe and gear, left in an open locker.

Bast swept it up without a word and made for the door at the end of the hall. Something didn’t seem right about all this. The male Ranger stopped to examine the table near the cages for a moment. The cards laid there as if the players would be back any moment. When Corran entered the room through the door, it was clear no one had gotten a winning hand.

The next room, just beyond the cages, was more akin to the nightlife of high society than the dungeons mere feet away. Except for the corpses littering the floor. There were no injuries of any kind. No blaster holes, no saber wounds. They just looked like they were all strangled to death by some unknown.... force. Corran’s eyes slowly glided over to Bast and the young Jedi she was consoling. Innocent Haji was capable of this? There must be no limit to the immense power of destruction force-users wielded. The male Ranger was so distracted by the dead goons and the implications that he was slow to recognize the live one rising from the floor, weapon in hand.

“Bast!” Corran shouted in alarm. It was all he got out. Whistler swiveled on his hip and fired at him. The bolt was ill-timed and missed Corran’s heart, but still slammed into the right side of his chest. The power of the laser knocked him off his feet. Whistler then swung back to bring his blaster to bear on Bast; cruel intent in his eyes.

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[Falynn Tikarsis]

Bast immediately gathered Haji’s cloak and walked briskly towards the adjoining corridor. Corran followed a moment later, having closely examined the card table. Falynn found it difficult to tear her gaze away from the children, but resolved that if all went according to plan, they would soon be free. Taking a last glance around the room, she entered the long corridor and braced herself for what might be ahead.

The sight before her was simultaneously better and worse than she had expected. Falynn stepped into a lavish dining area as her eyes swept across the room in silent observation. There was Haji, leaning against the wall, eyes closed. He was alive and conscious, but seemed to be in a trance-like state. Bast had rushed over to help him and now motioned for the medic. And then there were the men loosely scattered around him, dead. Falynn narrowed her eyes as she began to examine them more closely. She knew Haji was a force user, but she also knew he was innocent and kindhearted. To commit an act such as this—to murder them—likely meant an event or a person had pushed him too far. That was when she noticed something was off about one man on the floor...he wasn’t dead. The room suddenly erupted into commotion.

Corran yelled a warning to Bast as he realized what Falynn had, but was too late. Falynn watched horrified as Whistler, quick as a serpent, fired upon him. Her only consolation was that the shot had just missed Corran’s heart. Whistler then swung around, aiming directly for Bast. Without thinking Falynn whipped out her blaster and fired, stunning Whistler squarely in the chest. She watched as he collapsed backwards. It seemed quiet in the dining hall, the only sound coming from his blaster hitting the cold floor. Moments later, everything came rushing back. In a matter of seconds, Falynn triaged the three others in the room, deciding that Corran’s injury was the most urgent. Bast had taken a graze beneath her rib cage, but it hadn’t noticeably affected her performance. Haji was bruised in several places and had been bleeding, and that only covered his physical injuries. His condition would also need to be assessed immediately, even if Falynn herself was only a single person.

In her urgency, Falynn dropped formalities and spoke quickly, but calmly. “Bast, could you care for Haji?” She handed the ranger a medpac from her bag. Many Rangers had basic medical training, so it was likely that Bast did as well. “This should contain everything you need to treat him. Look for bruises, abrasions, and any burns around his wrists.” Haji and Bast seemed to share a special connection which made Falynn confident she would be leaving Haji in good hands. “Whistler will be out for a while, so we can deal with him later.” Before she was finished speaking, Falynn raced for Corran and knelt by his side.

A closer evaluation told Falynn that he wasn’t as severely injured a she’d initially believed. The blast vest underneath his jacket had quite literally saved his life. All the same, it would be best to treat the wound now in order to keep it from infection. “So, Corran, I take it this isn’t your first wound?” Forgoing bacta patches in favor of more specialized bandages, Falynn removed what was necessary from her med kit. Bacta spray, burn dressings, medical tape, similar items to what she had used on herself not so long ago. At the same time, she spoke to keep his attention focused on her instead of any pain or discomfort he felt. Once everything was in place, she turned to address the injury. “If you allow me to, I can treat your wound.” She inclined her head toward the items laid out before looking back at Corran. “May I?” With permission, Falynn would then proceed to gently dress his wound, taking care not to apply unneeded pressure. As she worked, she would methodically detail her actions out of habit. Working as a doctor had taught her that conversation often put people at ease in these situations.

Once Falynn was satisfied with Corran’s stable condition, she made her way over to Haji and sat beside him. Whatever he had done, whatever his condition, she would aid him in his recovery. “Haji, how do you feel?”


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[Haji Sigidi]

He stayed still beneath the comfort of his cloak, a familiar presence giving him a gentle arm squeeze and chest rub. Corran's shout, and the exchange of blaster fire, made him frown. He breathed in and out, chest rising and falling calmly. Voices sounded muffled, as though he was inside a fish bowl. Someone was looking down on him. It was Bast, he knew it to be so. His eyes slowly opened, finding hers.

Benjamin desperately gasped for air as soon as Haji's eyes opened, unmistakably timed in unison, turning on his side and coughing up alcohol onto the carpet.

Haji smiled weakly, nestled inside his cloak.

"You found me," he breathed quietly before subtly wincing to the pain in his body. Lost in his relief, he failed to answer her question. "I knew you would."

It didn't matter what was going on. It didn't matter what had happened. Right now, it didn't matter that he was the crack that fractured this image of their story in snapshot. All that mattered was that Bast, that all of them, had come for him. They succeeded where no other had. They had not left him behind. They had seen to his safety. They had met him on Coruscant. The message was real. He was invited to join their mission. He was wanted. It was all confirmed, in this woman's face looking back at him. Her expression started to blur. His eyes were watering up with joy.

"I got your message, Miss Bast."

A tear streamed down the side of his face. Then Falynn appeared, and he smiled at her.

"Hello." He gritted his teeth to some lingering pain, but wouldn't let go of his smile if the Force commanded him to. "I'm ... okay."

He tried to lift his hands and make thumbs-up, but they were slow to rise and slightly trembling. Beneath the binders were burns and bruises. His whole body felt sluggish, both to the physical trauma of the day as well as the residual effects of his Force Stasis. Somehow he'd fallen into the dream-state as a form of protection against the pain of the shock-binders. It had preserved him in a way, and protected him from permanent damage that others might have sustained under similar conditions. Repeated shocks could do serious harm, but to him it had caused only minor injury. Because of this, his more blackened bruises from being kicked and pummeled had made more of an impact than the binders.

"My chest hurts. And my arm."

Benjamin finished coughing and gasping, hunched over on his palms. His elbows quivered. He looked around, shakily.

"Where? Where am I? The Jedi! Get him away from me! Get that freak away!"

Haji's brows barely lifted, brown-grey eyes glistening wide with innocence. Those dark saucers slid over to rest on the man he'd shared so much with in a mere moment. And Benjamin cowered.

"Get out of my head! Plee-hease!"

Haji quietly eased his eyes back to Bast and Falynn, just sitting there with his head against the wall, at peace in complete opposition to Benjamin's frantic fear.

"How are you?"

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[Bast Emblai]

Everything was happening too fast. Haji was still in his trance-like state, unresponsive. Perhaps it would be kinder to leave him unconscious of the pain, but Falynn would have to make the call. Then there was Corran’s voice, panicked, calling her. She whirled around just in time to see him stagger backwards and fall. The all-to-familiar smell of burning wafted towards Bast. The woman was so stunned, she would have been shot as well if not for Falynn. “Corran- Hold on!” Every inch of her yearned to run to his side and do... something. Anything that would help. But she had the young Jedi boy, been ordered to stay with him. Technically, Bast could have ignored Falynn, and the thought crossed her mind, but in this situation, the other woman was the expert. The detective detested the fact, not because she hated the medic- in fact, she had been exceedingly valuable and kind, but because she herself was helpless. Helpless to know what condition her partner was in. Bast hadn’t seen where he’d been shot, but clearly Falynn deemed him in the worst condition. Helpless to aid. She would probably just get in the medic’s way. He was in the best hands, they simply weren’t her’s.

Taking the medpac Falynn had handed her, Bast shut off everything but what training had taught her. No wandering thoughts or worries. No emotion, just analysis, calculation, and treatment. The woman looked down at Haji with a furrowed brow, detachedly assessing for injury. Taupe eyes fluttered open. Someone wretched behind her. Hopefully it wasn’t Corran.

“Of course we found you, Haji. Not only is it my job to keep track of my team, but-“ She took a deep breath to maintain composure, “-you happen to be a good kid.” A tear slipped down his grimy cheek, and she brushed it away with her thumb, her face completely unreadable. “I need you to stay still. I do not know badly you are hurt or if you are in shock. Tell me immediately if you start feeling worse or like you might pass out.” Bast gingerly lifted his bound wrists and grabbed a key to the shock cuffs from the miserable looking man on the floor. The binders were immediately recognizable as contraband, never used in planetary prisons. Underneath was a mess of burned and blistered skin. Taking bacta spray and bandages out, she silently, carefully wrapped his wrists.

With her typical impeccable timing, Falynn appeared and the detective gladly let her take over treatment, but under her breath whispered he might need a psych eval. The ranger’s trained eye had not failed to notice the dead bodies littering the floor, appearing to have been killed by the injured jedi. She had no idea what Haji’s captors had forced upon him, but according to the story told by the carnage, it hadn’t been humane. If it was anything like Outpost Blue, he would be vomiting at the smell of blood, wake up shaking every night, and hate being suddenly touched for fear of being struck. Or worse. That couldn’t happen to the boy. Anger boiled up inside her chest, but the calm and distant facade was still fully in place. There was something whining behind her. The man with the key to the binders. She stunned swiftly and turned him on his side, just in case there was still anything in his stomach.

Bast’s blood ran colder than the snow on Hoth when she saw Corran. He was pale, lying prone on the beautifully tiled floor. A gaping hole penetrated the blast vest Falynn had removed and his shirt was cut to gain access to the now-dressed wound. The woman averted her eyes so as not to make him uncomfortable as she sat. Clenching her jaw, she resisted the urge to brush the golden hair out of his face, and instead settled for gently rubbing his shoulder. She told herself it was partially for the purpose of keeping him conscious, because no words seemed to be able to escape her constricted throat. Finally, a few came. “You’re going to be alright, Corran.” It was a command, a statement that had to be true. A small smile cracked despite her watery eyes. “I really would rather not to have to spend more time in a medbay doing visits.”

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[Corran Velt]

A few blinks welcomed back Corran to the world of the conscious. A raw ache pulsed with each heart-beat in his chest. Another being came into view. The dark hair that flowed into gradual red suggested it was Ranger Tikarsis. The voice confirmed it.
“Second time wounded, actually. This is the worse of the two,” Corran rasped, “way worse.” If Falynn was treating his wounds, the man who shot the male Ranger had been incapacitated.

The field medic began withdrawing things from her bag, providing idle chatter as she did so. The pain in his chest took a back seat to listening to Falynn. Did she always sound this pleasant? He liked hearing her talk. She also was nice to look at. The female Ranger gestured to her laid out medical supplies and asked permission to treat his wounds in a textbook manner. “Permission granted, Ranger Ti- Ranger Tikar- “ each attempt caused Corran to wince as breathing too deeply caused discomfort, “-Falynn.” He finally uttered her first name without honorifics. It was all he could get out. He hoped she wouldn’t hold that against him.

The blast vest was first unzipped and opened. It had taken the lethal brunt of the shot and would clearly need to be replaced. Enough energy had gone deeper and burnt through his shirt and injured the unprotected flesh underneath. To gain easier access to the wound, Falynn cut away the shirt and began applying bacta spray. The male Ranger winced and exhaled slowly, “Oh yeah. That’s a stinger.” Next came wraps and bandages, with the medical describing each detail in a stoic, methodical tone. Every once and awhile, Corran would grimace, inhale through his teeth, and exhale tensely. It was becoming obvious that the Ranger was being a bit of a baby. He would be fine, thanks to Ranger Tikarsis.

The medic, once satisfied with her work, left to check on Haji. Haji. Was he okay? It had all happened so fast that Corran had almost forgotten about who they came here for. Another man rose from the floor, wretched, and seemed completely disoriented. What he was saying didn’t make any sense. Rather suddenly, a blue bolt sent him back into unconscious oblivion.

The one who pulled the trigger appeared kneeling over Corran. Bast laid her hand on his shoulder tenderly. Her face kept a look of confidence, but her watery eyes suggested concern. Was it that bad? It didn’t feel that bad. A free hand from the male Ranger’s uninjured side reached up to hold Bast’s that gripped his shoulder. “I’m alright, Bast...” Corran assured her softly with a kind, but weak grin; his thumb gently rubbing her knuckles, “...I’m alright.” She was always there for him. He didn’t want her to worry.

To ease her mind off his immediate condition, and his own curiosity, Corran asked, “Is Haji okay?” They had come all this way for him and the male Ranger hoped it wasn’t all for naught.

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[Falynn Tikarsis]

Falynn had caught Bast’s whispered words as the other Ranger stepped aside. The same thought had occurred to her moments before. Even though Falynn could evaluate Haji’s physical condition, it would be much more difficult to determine how the trauma had psychologically affected him. Haji had said he was okay, yet that in itself was a vague answer with many meanings. In other instances dealing with trauma, Falynn had always performed what she knew was required first, while keeping an eye out for other conditions as they revealed themselves. This would be no different; she would treat the discernible injuries first.

“How are you?” The question lingered in the air before her. How was she? “I’m relieved we found you Haji, and grateful that you and the other Rangers will be alright.” It was the truth, but there was a lot she left unsaid. Falynn wasn’t quite ready to face her other feelings. This mission had given her a lot to think about, but they weren’t done. Not yet. Continuing to scan Haji’s figure, Falynn’s gaze assessed his overall appearance. He had regained full consciousness from his previous state, but the slight trembling of his hands told her that he was still feeling the affects. As she had suspected, the binders had left electrical burns around his wrists. Apart from those, Haji was covered in contusions, unmistakably dealt by another person. The thought made her chest clench. She had never been bothered by the sight of injuries, but the cause of Haji’s was sickening. “Alright, now I’m going to feel you for any other injuries.” Falynn wasn’t sure how Haji would react to touch and gave a warning accordingly. With that, Falynn would proceed to gently feel his chest for any broken bones or hidden wounds. Finding nothing save a few bruised ribs, she also examined his arm. Aside from applying a bacta patch to a particularly bad hematoma bruise, there wasn’t much else Falynn could do to treat his injuries. Bast had already taken care of the burns, and the bruises would heal naturally. “Well Haji, physically, you’ll make a full recovery. All of your burns and bruises should be completely healed in a few weeks. I’m sorry there isn’t much more I can do for any remaining pain.” While Falynn was confident of his physical healing, she was less sure of how he would heal on a psychological level. Trauma affected everyone in different ways, and she would have liked to do more to help Haji, but also knew her abilities did not lie in psychiatry. “One more thing, I don’t know what you just experienced or how you feel now, but let me know if there’s any other way I can help.”

Falynn stayed a while with Haji before rising to her feet. “I’m going to check up on Ranger Emblai for a moment. Why don’t you stay here and rest a bit.” She looked around for Bast, but saw that she was speaking with Corran and instead headed for the two stunned men laying on the ground. Although she harbored no like for the two people who had intentionally and cruelly injured her allies, Falynn felt obligated to ensure they were in a sufficient condition for transport. Her assessment determined that aside from both being unconscious, they hadn’t sustained any life-threatening injuries. Falynn waited for Ranger Emblai to be finished before approaching her. “Would you like me to take a look at your wound?” She gestured to the blackened part of her armor where a blaster shot had skimmed the area beneath her rib cage. Falynn would treat the wound if that was what Bast wanted, but would also respect her decision to let it be. Once she knew everyone was in an acceptable state to continue, Falynn addressed the entire group. “I’ve done a quick analysis of the syndicate members. They’ll be in a stable enough condition to be transported once they wake.” The four were so close to completing the assignment. She could feel it.


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[Haji Sigidi]

My team. It sounded so sweet, so perfect. The thought warmed him, fed his weak smile. But something felt off. Something started itching in the back of his mind. Something about Bast felt wrong. Despite her kind words, he could sense conflict in her. But it didn't concern him yet. For now, he was home. He was with these people, these three rangers. These were the only people he could picture standing around him, save his master.

He sighed contentedly, managing a nod to Bast's request.

He had winced to the bacta spray, but didn't expect to. He felt numb in a way. But he felt comforted by Bast's resilient presence, even after she left him, and Falynn's compassion. The two of them were very soothing. But then he felt it again, this time in Falynn. He couldn't put his finger on it, too tired to try. Nevertheless, something lingered there in the both of them. He wondered what it was, but didn't dwell upon it.

His eyes innocently fixed on Falynn.

Falynn's response also warmed him. The corners of his mouth spread into his cheeks. He blinked, barely nodding to her warning with full unabashed consent. He didn't expect to feel uncomfortable at all. But as soon as he realized that he was, he tried to conceal it with the discomfort he felt from his bruises and burns. His eyes lowered. And though he frowned and choked up a bit, clenching tight to her inspection, he forced his eyes to smile with gratitude for her efforts and care.

He found it difficult to return his attention to her, a helplessness gripping his heart. But he forced himself to. He wanted to. She saw through him in a way that differed from Bast. Under the circumstances, it made him feel small. But he was grateful regardless. Then she hit the nail on the head, and suddenly he felt a hundred times heavier. His expression dimmed and he found himself eyeing the fob on the floor.

He didn't respond to her last offer, thoughts drifting back in time as recent events began replaying in memory. He could hear the ice shaking in Benjamin's hands, the cold liquid pouring into the glass. It chilled his skin.

When Falynn left him, he felt relief to look up. He noted Benjamin's side-turned body. He traced body to body, recalling each movement and consequence. There was another body, he didn't quite recognize. The extra body made him think of the bodies that were missing. His head swiveled to focus on the door. Those laser blasts echoed in his mind. Bang, bang.

"Pak-" he choked on the whisper.

Haji dragged a hand over and hitched a heel in tight, pushing up against the wall with his shoulder and trying to stand. When that painfully failed with dizzying results, he turned over onto his knees and began to inch toward the door on his knees. His cloak fell off his shoulders and he struggled to reach the door. He didn't know where they were taken. He didn't know how far he'd have to go. But their bodies must still be there. The chef must be there. And the boy, the one he'd promised to save, must still be there. They must be there, he resolved, lost and alone. He needed to see them. He was drawn by the fear to face them. He needed to apologize.

"I'm coming, Paki. I'm coming to get you. It'll all be okay. I'll take care of you."

He made his way to the door, toward the direction of the holding cells. But he wasn't going to get the children that were still alive. He was going to get the dead.

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[Bast Emblai]

The steady, gentle rubbing of Corran’s thumb on the Sector Ranger’s knuckles comforted the woman, brought her back into her shell of professionalism and control. It was both her place of safety and her prison. He had said he’d be alright, and she doubted the boy had it in him to lie. Damned if she wasn’t coming home with everybody. “Haji is okay, although... I don’t know what he’s seen.” Having nothing else to say, Bast sat in silence, hoping her presence would be enough. If only she were gifted with Falynn’s bedside manner or Haji’s ability to bring peace. The adrenaline of the shots, of seeing the children and Haji, of being skimmed with a bolt, was making the detective oddly emotional. Her heart swelled with caring and admiration for Haji, for Falynn, for Corran. So, it was with a weak smile that she greeted Falynn, which quickly faded when her question was asked.

“Thank you Falynn.” The name slipped out as it had been in her thoughts, with no title, just one wounded woman to another. She released Corran’s shoulder, letting her hand fall before getting up and moving away from the two men on the floor, towards the medic. Cringing, Bast pulled her blast vest over her head. The movement of her arms pulled painfully at the burned skin under her lowest rib. The hole in her shirt was about a handsbreadth wide. Hissing through clenched teeth, the ranger pulled back the now-blackened fabric for Falynn to inspect, making sure to turn away from the others. “It is not terribly bad, just lots of exposed nerve endings. It hurt before, but I was moving and was focused, so not nearly as badly. I do say, you are getting quite a Corellian Freighter’s worth of practice with this team. Four out of four wounded will not look particularly good on reports.” The detective hoped the humor would not only distract her, but help the medic feel welcome. It had not been an ideal starting mission, and she had done very well. Much better than Bast’s first. That was a story to be thrown in a garbage compactor and incinerated.

Something rose on the outskirts of the room. Haji! What was he doing? Before Bast could say anything, he swayed and crumpled back onto the floor. Apparently, following orders was never highlighted in his education. A mixture of frustration and worry flooded the woman’s mind, and once Falynn was done, she walked towards the bandaged, crawling figure. The force user was young, but he seemed suddenly small. Slowly, painfully, Haji made his way to the door, cloak slipping off in the effort. Bast did not stop him from whatever quest he had undertaken, but once again picked up the still-warm cloak off the floor and spoke as tenderly as she could.

“Haji, wait. We must not leave yet. Lie still.”

Heedless of her words, the battered boy continued, mumbling something. "I'm coming, Paki. I'm coming to get you. It'll all be okay. I'll take care of you." The words weren’t directed towards anyone in the room. They carried a sense of loss and denial that was all to familiar.

“Haji...” The door slid open revealing two bodies. Out of habit, and to emotionally distance herself, Bast began her clinical inspection. A man, dressed nicely with an apron stained by food. The stain looked fresh. His shoes were shined, his shirt buttoned to the top. A chef of sorts, likely worked at the restaurant. There was a small hole through his heart. The second body was harder to look at. Children always were. A scruffy boy, street urchin type, in his late teens. His face was streaked with grease and his clothes were torn and filthy. He wore shock binders. Likely the teenager had moved, because the blaster burn was on his neck. Both bodies had been kneeling and fallen backwards, meaning they were shot from the front. Cruel. Unfortunately, not unusual. The death was a straight double homicide. Silently, she closed their eyes, already beginning to glaze over, meaning the death had likely happened about an hour beforehand. Rigor mortis had yet to set in. Clearly Haji had some sort of connection to one of the deceased. Silently, Bast laid his cloak over his shoulders and walked backwards to give him space. Nothing could erase what he’d seen. For Bast, however, the hardest part was yet to come: the living.

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[Corran Velt]

As Bast was being looked over, Corran stared at the multi-colored ceiling. His thumbs gently tapped at his belt. The young man didn't need to lay there, but it was the path of least resistance. It gave Bast and Falynn the privacy they wanted - and he held utmost respect for those women - and allowed the medic's handy work to set in without a high chance of undoing it all. As mission's go... it hadn't been bad. It hadn't been good either. It was by-the-seat-of-their-pants the whole way and all of them were wounded. Not seriously, physically speaking at least. The report would probably require some discussion on methods from higher-ups but their actions were justified. They had put it all on the line for Haji and ended up rescuing a few others as well. Falynn had done exceptionally well for her first field operation with this group. Good aim, kept her head, and great medical talents. Bast displayed great leadership. Corran's mouth twisted a bit in thought. Maybe they all should hang out sometime; you know, with the badge off. Corran didn't have many friends outside the ones he worked with. Do they like star-gazing? He liked star-gazing.

That thought was interrupted by Haji scraping and crawling across the floor, talking about someone. The male Ranger winced as he got up on one elbow to look at what was happening. Bast was already trying to calm the young man when the door slid open. Corran couldn't see details, but it was clearly two corpses. He looked away; both out of respect and for his own conscious. After a few moments, the male Ranger steeled himself and pushed off his elbow to a sitting position. "I'll call it in," he said, devoid of any emotion. With careful movements, he rose to his feet and started up his comm-link. "Hello, Coruscant Constabulary. What is your emergency?" The voice was a bored woman's.

"This is Sector Ranger Corran Velt, badge number..." Corran recited his details as he limped over a few bodies to the bar counter of the establishment. He needed to know where they were. The Ranger reached over the counter and found a datapad with the name of the place, "...We are at the Velvet Parlor. Level 1469. We have three Rangers wounded, stable condition. Several wounded civilians. Several deceased suspects and two suspects apprehended. Yes. Affirmative. Thank you." The woman said help was on the way. The local law enforcement could handle all the details at this point. They had more manpower to do it - and the resources to help all the freed captives as well. With that taken care of, Corran lead on the bar for support and looked upon his team. So much suffering for that Jedi - and the rest of them.

@Kestrel @FireSong @Styx

 

[Falynn Tikarsis]

The sound of Haji straining to stand quickly alerted Falynn that something was wrong. In his current state walking was not advisable, yet he was somehow managing to crawl towards a door. Where was he going? Falynn resisted the urge to stop him when she heard Haji’s mumbled words. Another name was mentioned: Paki. She watched as the door opened, revealing two bodies. An older man and a boy, both who had been fatally shot. One look at the grief in Haji’s expression and Falynn realized one of them must be Paki. She remembered how quiet Haji had been when she was treating him. Something had upset him, and she was only just beginning to understand what it was.

Upon the discovery of the corpses, Corran went ahead and made the call while Bast stepped back from the bodies, leaving Haji to himself. Falynn finished neatly packing up her medical kit in silence, a strange sadness weighing on her. Coruscant’s law enforcement would be here soon to take care of the bodies. Meanwhile, Falynn resolved to preserve the respect and dignity of the deceased before they arrived. It was the least she could do. Searching the ground, Falynn grabbed the key to the binders then walked over to the bar where Corran was. She rummaged a bit behind the counter before finding what she was looking for. There in a container lay extra tablecloths originally for setting the dining hall. They certainly weren’t sheets, but would have to do.

Entering the small room, Falynn could make out finer details about the corpses. Having seen death in its countless forms, she didn’t turn away. Both the older man and the boy had died instantly, minimizing their pain. Kneeling beside the boy, Falynn unlocked the binders still around his wrists before straightening his body and draping the tablecloth over his supine form. Her watchful gaze didn’t miss the burns found beneath the cuffs, almost identical to Haji’s. Repeating the step for the other man, Falynn wondered why she was doing this. No doubt the law enforcement coming would be more than capable of dealing with bodies, likely better than she could. When had these deaths, and not just those but the entire mission, become so...so personal? This wasn’t characteristic of her.

Once she was done Falynn looked up only to find Haji in the doorway. Wordlessly, she wrapped an arm around his shoulders in a side embrace. Where words failed, she hoped her actions could convey every bit of comfort she wanted to give. After a while Falynn rose and headed for the adjoining room where the cells were. “I’m going to check up on the other children and see what I can do while we wait for law enforcement.”


@Kestrel
@TerranSteel
@Styx

 

[Haji Sigidi]

When the door slid open, his knees stopped. He stared at the wall, even a peripheral view of the bodies suddenly too much to handle. His fuzzy head dropped. He started to sob under his breath.

He cried.

It hurt. His body was sore. His knees ached. And their loss wasn't what stung the most. They were one with the Force now. They were at peace. He knew that. Paki was smiling down on him, forgiveness haunting the Jedi, his shame in the spotlight. It was his foolishness and arrogance that was revealed, so obvious now. He had promised Paki that he'd save him, that he could trust him. If he couldn't keep someone's trust, how could he possibly save them? How could he possibly deserve a friend?

He could feel his master's eyes burning into his back. She sentenced him to reflection. She reminded him of his lessons learned and learned again. When would they stick? When would he ever feel like a Jedi Knight? Why does he constantly feel like the Padawan, still stuck at the starting point? When will this hurdle be cleared? Never, he thought he heard.

His cloak covered his shoulders. He could feel the warmth of Bast's concern in it. It drew him back. He became more subdued. They were here with him. Then an arm wrapped around him. And after a moment, he let his head fall to Falynn's side.

His lungs fluttered and he sighed.

When she left him, voicing her intensions, he realized the difference between them. She was so tall. She could make a difference. Those children could trust her. They all could trust her. It was evident to him now, he could sense it in Bast and Corran. They agreed.

He vanished in her long shadow. And to all the eyes watching, then and now, here and thereafter, he concluded, "I'm sorry."

@Kestrel @TerranSteel @FireSong