Blind to the People

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Back when I...used to be on my own a lot, before I joined the Accord, I had experiences dealing with slavers and the underbelly of most worlds..." Hezron said as he planted his lightsaber pike hilt into the ground, grasping it below its emitter and using it as a walking stick. It wasn't obvious as a lightsaber, at least not at first glace, but a keen eye could spot the components if they looked hard enough.

Hezron's attention went towards the marketplace as he narrowed his blue eyes down towards the place, "We either need to keep our eyes out for people looking not to be seen...or our ears peeled for people trying to keep quiet.'

 

[Vosrik]

"Apologies Fang, that wasn't my intent," the doctor replied as the trio made their way down the street. He listened to Hezron as the man recounted some of his previous experience. "Good pointers. We'll keep those in mind..."

As they reached the marketplace, Austin slowed to a halt and looked around aimlessly. His plan didn't go much further than this, so he scanned the crowd a few times. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary whatsoever. Citizens bargained for prices, children played in the middle of the square, there were even some exotic pets being sold in the corner. Overall, it was a completely normal day at the colourful marketplace. Disappointment washed over the doctor - this was going to take some serious digging.

Before he could address his companions for advice, a voice called out over the crowd, "Ohey Doc! Fancy meetin' you here!" Austin looked over in surprise at a particularly outlandish-looking vendor. The Twi'lek in question he recognized as Alpha, a well-known merchant of the Void. Approaching him, the doctor replied, "Well, well, Alpha. How goes business?"

"Absolutely booming on a wonderful day like today. What brings ya all out this way?"

 

[ctrocks307]

As Austin and a strange man talked, Fang walked through the people, keeping his ears peeled for anything that would help them.

((I am so sorry for the short post, I am in the middle of some huge RL stuff and It is expected to be like this for a while. Sorry))

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

Hezron looked towards the man who'd called out for the doctor, seeing alpha and raisng a brow. He was a new member of the accord, so he didn't know every face there. He glanced towards Austin as he saw him give a greeting.

"You know him, I take it?" He asked cautiously, wondering if this would be a good lead for them.

 

[Vosrik]

Austin replied to Hezron, "Ah yes, Hezron this is Alpha. He's one of the more popular and well-known merchants from the Void. I'm assuming he's made a trip here to sell some goods and stock up on others."

Alpha smiled and nodded enthusiastically in response. "That I am! Good to meetcha two. Wanna buy some stim packs while you're at it?"

Austin cringed internally and waved them aside casually. As a doctor, he knew how damaging the overuse of such stimulation injections, and he'd dealt with enough patients over the years that suffered badly from the repercussions of them. "No Alpha, we're unfortunately here on more serious business than simple bartering. Perhaps you'd be able to point us in the right direction."

"I'm...sure you're aware of the slave trade on Ryloth? The leaders are turning a blind eye, and we need to bring them convincing evidence."

Alpha raised his eyebrows. "Ah." Looking around, he beckoned that the trio follow him behind his stall. Once in some privacy, he began, "Well, there's word that this poor fella's family got nabbed and he's around the city somewhere. If ya can get him, that should be some good evidence right there."

Austin nodded in acknowledgement, thinking quietly. "Thank you Alpha, we'll be seeing you again soon I'm sure."

Stepping back out into the busy street, the doctor addressed his companions, "We need to find this man. It's our best hope at getting their attention as soon as we can. You two in favour, or have any other suggestions?"

 

[ctrocks307]

"I have no objections, nor do I need to be told twice what to do," he had been waiting for this moment for over 100 years, finally the victims of Alavert would get some justice.

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

"I've got no problem. Finding this person whoever will surely not be easy." Hezron reasoned as he thought on the task at hand, knowing that it would be difficult to find a single individual in any city, "But its our only lead thus far. So how should we tackle it? Together or split up?"

 

[Vosrik]

Nodding to both his companions, Austin replied, "I appreciate your willingness. However, I feel we should stay together when we look. Whatever rabble might be trying to silence this poor fellow could be very dangerous."

Stepping back out into the marketplace, the doctor scanned the crowd once again for anything out of the ordinary. If anyone wanted to get the attention of his peers, the best place would be to raise one's voice where they could be heard best and by the most people. All they needed to do was wait...

And they did not need to wait long indeed. A murmur rustled through the crowd as a Twi'leki man dressed in dirty, tattered rags broke through and wailed, "My wife, my children! Someone, ANYONE...."

The man ran from citizen to citizen, pleading and begging for someone to save his family. Most tried shrugging him off and ignored the poor Twi'lek, and before long a group of shady-looking individuals grabbed and dragged him down a dark alleyway. The marketplace returned to its semblance of peacefulness and ignorance.

"Look, over there!" Austin pointed at the alley. "That can't be good. Perhaps we can save more than one innocent life today."

With that, he rushed toward where they last saw the struggling Twi'lek father. There, at the end of the alley, were five hooded figures savagely kicking and beating the already downtrodden man.

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

Hezron ran towards the alley after Wolfe, heading towards where the man had been dragged away as he came to a halt. He looked down the alleyway to see the 5 hooded men, Hezron's grip tightening around his weapon as he let out a growl from his throat. His eyes narrowed as he stood there, a force sensitive like wolfe would be capable of sensing a change in their companion, a rise in anger that was quickly stamped out and restrained within the young man.

"Let's go stop some slavers..." He said, his voice as icy and cold as any of his companion had heard him as he walked forward, raising his staff like pike as he let the force flow around him, obscuring him from sight and muffling the sound of his footsteps as he walked down the alleyway. By the time he reached them, he'd been practically undetectable to those who didn't already know he was there, and he gave his staff a twirl before he shoved his staff within the semi-circle of men, catching one of the feet as it was going to hit the twi'lek. He reached out with his free hand to grab one of the men by the shoulder, his touch feeling like it was freezing cold as he spoke.

"It's not right to kick a man when he's down. Did you know that?" He asked in a deathly whisper as he let some of his anger seep into his voice, "If you treat others like that, you're going to have a bad time later on..." He said, making it clear that his words were meant as a threat. "So stop doing it, and let him go."

 

[Vosrik]

The instant Hezron touched the slaver's shoulder, the man gasped at the icy touch and went rigid, terror washing over him. The others, however, were not nearly as convinced.

The biggest one, obviously the leader, let out a guffaw and barked, "Hey look, buddy here thinks he's so high and mighty. He'll make us some good money on the markets - GRAB HIM!"

The other three gave the Twi'lek a final kick for good measure before jumping at Hezron. At this point, Austin had wasted no time approaching them. Pulling out his concealed pistol, the veteran let out two pinpoint shots. The first was aimed and struck true at one of the thug's chests, just below the heart. The second shot hit home on the man's shoulder, right at the jugular. Being a doctor, Austin was not only able to patch up wounds, but also cause them where they would hurt most.

The two slavers dropped like bricks, and Dr. Wolfe held his blaster steady at the thug leader's head. "One move. I've had a particularly frustrating day, don't give me a reason to pull this trigger."

@Cainhurst Crow

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

Hezron had been ready to fight when Austin intervened and shot the two, snapping Hezron out of his fixation with one of the thugs as he quickly made his move, shoving the thug he'd grabbed into a nearby wall. It was a powerful slam that knocked the wind out of him, as hezron released his hold and let the thug lean back a bit. He followed by grabbing him by the back of the head and pushing it hard back into the wall, backing off as he slumped to the floor and crumbled.

The Arkanian Offshoot didn't know about medicine, but he knew how to subdue, as well as kill, with simply his hands. He didn't want to do so however, not unless he absolutely had to. So instead he gave his staff a quick spin to grasp it in both hands, like a quarterstaff, as he approached the thug leader as well.

"Your comrades didn't need to die. I regret that it happened, even as much as they might have deserved it or not..." Hezron said as he looked to wolfe, giving him a nod, and a bit of a sad look before he turned his gaze back towards the thug leader, "But if you resist, you'll need to contend with us both. And my associate has shown, he's more then willing to kill a slaver scum like you...So please, surrender."

 

[Vosrik]

The thug leader spat at the ground, but held up his hands and grumbled silently. "That's right...smart move. You'll be coming with us." Austin replied curtly. Keeping his pistol pointed at the ruffian, the doctor requested more softly, "Hezron, please help up our Twi'lek here. We need both these men."

After exiting the alley, the strange group traveled back up to the council hall, the thug at gunpoint. The security guards rushed out, but the doctor held up his hand, "Do not apprehend me. I have urgent business with your leaders once again."

The slaver fidgeted nervously, but dared not run for fear for his life. Entering the building for the second time that day, they strode up to the large Twi'lek leaders in the large hall. After a few moments of awkward silence, one of them sputtered,

"Well? What is the meaning of this! We ordered that you not return unless--"

"Unless we brought solid proof. Behold, the victim and the slaver." Austin responded, pushing the thug forward with his pistol. The thug began, "Please, I-I'm just makin' a living out here, I'm followin' orders an'..."

"Silence!" the same Twi'lek cried out. "You sir, what's your story?"

The bruised and downtrodden Twi'lek man stepped forward and began speaking rapidly in Ryl. The eyes of the councilors widened in surprise and understanding as he spoke. After a few moments, one of the leaders continued,

"Guards! Take this abomination to the cells. I want him interrogated later. As for you, strangers, you have given us reasonable evidence of this 'slave trade'. What do you propose, then?"

Satisfied, Austin replied, "The Accord formally requests that we have complete authorization to carry out a campaign to eradicate the slave trade from Ryloth. We will do our utmost to protect the people and towns of the planet and bright justice to these criminals."

The obese Twi'leks bobbed their heads in approval. "Permission granted. You may leave us now."

With a smirk splayed across his face, Austin bowed and left the hall with Hezron, eager to begin the liberation of the people of Ryloth.

Finis​