Ask Detention Mission: Tython Edition

[Connor Vance]

Tython l Death Enabled​

Connor gazed at the corpse of the Sith Champion. One moment she had been telling them about cookies given to her directly from Master Karys, the next she was bleeding from her eyes, ears, and mouth. Then she was dead. Now Connor was frozen in place, his mouth still open and the cookie still in his hand. He slowly put it down on the counter and looked over at Nash.

“How does this keep happening to us?” He asked.

The trio were in hyperspace, on their way to Tython, a Jedi controlled planet. But it was the birth place of both their Orders and some bookish Sith was interested in learning about the Exiles from artifacts. New artifacts. So a work order had been sent to the academy, it was to be filled by a detention mission. Thus, Nash and Connor’s predicament.

“What’re we gonna do with her?” Connor asked. “We have ten more hours until we get to Tython.” He pointed out. “Shove her in the pantry?” He asked with a quirked eyebrow.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Why would Master Karys poison another Sith? Poisoning didn’t seem like his style. However, she vaguely remember him talking about how his husband often left poisons in the kitchen. Did Karys actually make normal cookies without realizing? Or did Arcanos bake them and this was a regift since the Sith Lord probably couldn’t bake worth shit? Nash stared vacantly at the body, her face betraying that she was spiraling internally. It took a few seconds for her to register that Connor asked her a question. She scowled at him.

“Are you fucked in the head?” Nash asked him, “Can you imagine the smell?” She said as she walked over to grab the dead Champion, “We’re gonna space her, obviously,” Nash said with a scoff. She didn’t even need Connor’s help, she simply tossed the dainty girl over her shoulder and walked towards the back of the ship.

“This is bullshit,” Nash called out as she walked, the girl’s head thudding against practically every door and ledge on the way, “Being a Champion sounds like an occupational hazard even worse than just being Sith,” She said as she finally dumped the body in the airlock and closed the doors. Nash looked through the window, “We say goodbye to…whatsherface…may she find peace...in pieces... among the stars,” Nash said, “Ayo, that was actually kinda poetic, wasn’t it?” She said excitedly as she punched the button to jettison the body out of the airlock and into hyperspace. The external doors closed again and they no longer had a body to worry about.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor’s ears dipped slightly at Nash’s response. He’d intended to practice animating the dead Champion’s body. Did that make him fucked up?

NAH! That was a perfectly reasonable and resourceful thought process.

Despite this, Connor didn’t argue with Nash. Instead he simply plucked up the tin of cookies and threw them in his bag. They were headed to a jedi controlled world. Maybe they’d need to poison some Jedi, who knows.

He’d follow Nash towards the airlock as she vented her views before she vented a body. Perfectly reasonable given their situation. “Maybe the detention missions aren’t meant to kill the Acolytes…” Connor muttered. This was the second dead Champion on a detention mission, it wasn’t quite a pattern but definitely concerning.

The Champion’s corpse was unceremoniously tossed into the airlock. Connor bowed his head to pay respects while Nash gave her a eulogy. Then they both excitedly watched as she was sucked into the vacuum of hyperspace…

Or she would have been but instead she was almost immediately ripped apart after leaving the airlock.

“Holy fuck!” Connor exclaimed. “Did you see that shit?” He asked, glancing at Nash. Then a thought occurred. “Maybe we should have taken her lightsaber.”

Connor would walk back to the dining room of the ship, idly chatting about mainly the new incantations he’d been practicing. “Oh, I nabbed the cookies, they might come in handy behind Jedi lines.” He offered with a shrug. “Outside of ‘find Exile artifacts’ what do we know?” Connor asked Nash. “Do we have disguises or anything?”

He knew the answer to that already. No, they didn’t have disguises. They were effectively on their own now. And they’d need to improvise and work together to get through this.

“Well we got ten hours…movie marathon?” He asked as he pointed to the ship’s holo terminal. “Maybe this Champion has something good to watch?” He doubted the blonde human whose personality was boobs and I am Nova Guard royalty would. But it was worth a shot.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash snickered at his comment about the cookies, “Gonna set up shop like the girl scouts to sell poison cookies?” She asked before her face looked more serious. What if they used this tactic in Hutt space? Even if Hutts were resistant to a lot of poisons, their lackeys would probably happily munch on some cookies. Most of them didn’t look like they ate very well. Nash rubbed her chin in thought, filing it away for a future mission.

“We have some fake IDs that pass us off as students, but that’s about it,” Nash said, having actually read the mission brief. She was trying not to be an idiot at all times these days, “I think we’ll figure it out as we go.. As usual,” Nash shrugged, “It’s not like they set us up for success with these things.”

When he suggested a movie marathon, Nash shook her head, “Dude, you’re awesome, but I’m getting tired of just movie marathons. Come on,” She said as she led the way towards the cargo hold. Nash threw off her hoodie so she was in a tank top and sweatpants, “Let’s spar,” She said with a grin.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

When Nash asked if he was gonna sell poisoned cookies like a Girl Scout, he cocked an eyebrow. He was more thinking of giving them to some smuck Jedi they needed to bump off. But selling murder cookies wasn’t a bad idea either. Connor thought on the credits he could make back on Umbara. His ears flicked a little as he mused on the idea a little more.

It was a thought process that he had to break to think on the mission. And so he pulled Nash out of her thoughts too with his questions. When Nash brought up the fake IDs, Connor’s brow furrowed slightly. “I’ll see if I can’t improve on those IDs, get us some actual clearances.” Connor replied. If it made this easier that’s all that really mattered. “The quicker this is the less we gotta worry about.”

When Nash shook her head at his suggestion, Connor couldn’t really blame her. The suggestion was her made out of boredom. He had been exploring her movie collection when Nash said no, he found a ton of adult movies. With scarily similar plots, aloof assholes fucking a female character that had blonde hair and bi-

Connor burst out laughing.

“Dead girl DEFINITELY had a type!” Connor wheezed as he stood up and shook his head.

He tossed the porno back into the movie cabinet that was filled with more of its kind along with some romance flicks. He followed Nash as she led him towards the cargo bay. “Dude, I am not sitting or sleeping on that couch.” He commented once he realized that she kept porn in the living room and what that likely meant.

Then when they entered the Cargo Bay, Nash tossed off her hoodie. Connor paused for a second confused by her grin. True to his nature, Connor’s eyes didn’t leave Nash’s, he’d never checked her out unless she invited it. He wouldn’t start here. Before he could speak and question what she was thinking, Nash said two words that explained it all. Normally, Connor would have said no and walked away but this was Nash and she could talk him into just about anything.

“Alright, you know you’re gonna beat my ass right?” He replied, his ears twitching slightly. Connor’s fighting style was next to non-existent, block with cybernetic and punch while they are stunned from hitting solid metal. But Nash was a trained fighter and it likely wouldn’t work that way. “I’ll just have to pay attention and learn while on my ass.” Connor told her before he cracked his neck. “Come on, let’s do this.” Connor lifted his hands into a really poor guard that spoke of his inexperience.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash shrugged, “I don’t kink shame,” She said simply at Connor’s reaction over the dead champion’s porno collection. In fact, who didn’t like the stoic broody types that could toss you around like a toy? She was probably going to watch those videos when Connor’s judgy ass was asleep later. Not on that couch though, she could agree that was rank as fuck. She quickly returned to reality when she remembered she was preparing for a spar.

“How’re you gonna learn if you don’t get your ass beat a few times?” Nash asked with a smirk, “Gotta get you to be more useful in close quarters than throwing your EZPhone at someone,” She teased as she simply stood there, “Take a swing at me and we’ll go from there,” Nash said simply after she cracked her joints and stretched her arms out. She had a glint in her eye that suggested she was entirely too excited about this.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor glanced back at Nash, his eyebrow quirked at her reaction. Then he remembered when she’d told him to carry her to the bedroom after the heist. Ah. Connor didn’t say a word about it though.

Connor’s ears dipped slightly at her question. “You’re entirely too excited about this.” Connor replied, his voice completely neutral. When she brought up the EZPhone incident, Connor’s lips turned up slightly. “It worked didn’t it?”

When Nash told him to take a swing at her, Connor did it without really thinking. His biological fist was thrown in a straight line jab towards her gorgeous face. His cybernetic arm was kept in something that roughly looked like a defensive position. Connor was certain that she’d evade it or counter it.

Here come the lessons he really wasn’t expecting to get, straight from the school of hard knocks.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

As the fist came for her face, she abruptly ducked, letting his fist fly towards where her head had been. With that arm up and extended, his flank was exposed. Nash jabbed him with a punch towards his ribs, her other arm up for any attacks from him that may rain down. As she did so, she pivoted in concert outside of his guard, sweeping him with her foot to make him drop on his ass.

"Yank your punch back quick. The recoil packs more power and protects you from overextending," Nash called out.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Nash ducked Connor’s fist and in the opening he’d provided to her, she slammed her own jab into his ribs. He felt the wind leave him as he doubled over onto her strike. Before he could even begin recovering, he felt her foot curl behind his and knock him clean off his feet. Connor landed on the flat of his back, his head bounced off the durasteel of the cargo bay. He saw stars.

It wasn’t as bad as on the way to Manaan or on Glee, but Connor still saw the room spin for a few seconds. All this while trying to get a breath in, after being completely winded. Eventually, he managed to get his breath and laid his head back against the cool cargo bay floor for just a second. He listened to Nash’s advice, she was right, he knew that but he was annoyed. This was the third time he was getting his ass beat by her. And he loved her. Was this a kink? Nahh, that’d be weird.

“Aight then,” Connor replied. “Round two!” He continued in a his best Immortal Combat announcer voice.

Connor sat up onto his elbows and blinked a few times, reorienting himself. Then, he pushed himself up and off his ass onto his feet. He’d take Nash’s advice, altering the guard of his cybernetic to be more prepared to protect either side of his body. He adjusted his footing just a little to have a stronger stance. And then he threw his jab, he aimed more for her sternum this time, quickly retracting the punch once it had traveled the distance. He felt a little more ready to react to her this time, or at least he hoped he was.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

The subsequent rounds went much better than the first. Nash still dropped Connor on his ass several more times, but he managed to land a few hits as well. He found out real quick that actually landing a punch on her felt like punching a solid, brick wall. Even his cybernetic would rattle and feel the impact which carried all the way through to the stump. Nash remained unfazed, clearly used to taking plenty of hits in the underground fighting pits in Hutt space.

“Now you’ve got it!” Nash said cheerfully, licking off the faint blood from her slightly busted lip, “I better not see you freeze up next time we get a close quarters crisis,” She said with a laugh before walking back towards her room, “I’m gonna hop in the shower and then we can do some movies!” She called out.

The rest of the journey was relaxed and uneventful. Both of them would sport bruises from their spar, but nothing that wouldn’t heal in a few hours. Nash changed clothes and was back in the cockpit when the alarms for a hyperspace exit began to resound.

“I’ll land us,” She said as she took control, smoothly navigating their way down.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor always knew Nash was tough, she was solid, she was built for fighting. He’d figured hitting her would probably only marginally suck less than being hit by her. He was right. Nash could take a punch like it was nothing, in fact Connor was fairly certain she actually didn’t feel anything a few times.

By the time they were done, Connor was out of breath. He glanced up as Nash wiped blood from a busted lip. His ears flicked slightly at her cheerful tone. While his expression was muted, it still read as a what the fuck? Quite clearly. Connor was beginning to remember why he always just shot scrappers instead of trying to box them, made it a lot easier.

Eventually, Connor would give her a faint smirk. “I mean, I’d hate to take all the glory.” He teased in reply, his ears perked. He watched as Nash strode off towards the dead champion’s, now her room. He couldn’t help but noticed that she had the swagger of a champion and the punch to back it up too.

Connor would head to the other refresher, he’d wait to start his shower until after the water stopped running. He gave her first dibs on hot water, it didn’t bother him too much if he got hit with a cold shower. He didn’t take long to shower and eventually came back out in sweats and a tee. While the movie ran, Connor would try to work on their ID cards. Not only was he unable to forge new permissions, but his computer spike burnt up as well.

While it sucked to be out his spike, the IDs hadn’t been compromised. It just meant if they had to slice access to something it’s either be through technomancy or a manual slice. It was a set back for sure, but not a soul crushing one. Connor would hand Nash back her ID before taking a seat beside the couch.

“Couldn’t get a code to stick.” He told her simply. “Computer spike burnt out, any slicing is gonna have to be manual or through the Force.” He continued with a shrug, trying his best to hide his annoyance at himself.

He’d watch movies without any further comment on the topic. Instead, he was just happy to have a little downtime. But after the cookies incident, he wasn’t about to touch any of the food or drinks he found on the ship.

Fuck that.

After a few hours the ship would come barreling from hyperspace and into Tython’s system. Connor would be scrambling to get dressed and help Nash land the ship, despite her calling dibs. He slid into the copilots seat and helped her bring the bird down before heading back to get dressed for the part of a Jedi Padawan, training saber included.

“How do they wear these woolen ass robes?” Connor asked as he scratched at his neck. “They had better have stuff worth stealing.” He muttered, his ears dipped a sign of his discomfort and dislike of the situation.

Once they were both completely ready, Connor would punch the button to lower the disembarkation ramp. They’d take their first steps onto the once beautiful world. One that had been blasted in millennia past, by Sith like them.

“So no Dark Side use and if someone tries to make us use the Light Side, we give them a cookie.” Connor stated, a tinge of amusement etched into his voice. He quite liked the idea of a Jedi choking to death on a poisoned cookie.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Nash did not opt to wear Jedi robes because it sounded like a great way to get unwanted attention. She stared blankly at Connor as he complained about the robes, failing to see the logic in his plan. Posing as a Jedi was perhaps the greatest way to attract attention on a planet like this where they were likely seen as heroes.

“If we’re using any obvious powers at all, it means we fucked up bad and gotta get outta dodge,” Nash said. She had been on enough detention trips to not find it fun anymore. She wanted to do the job and get the hell out without additional complications.

As they started to walk, sure enough a few civilians began to glance their way, smiling at spotting a Jedi. As the pair walked towards some local guards around the local Jedi outpost, Nash had an idea. Nash unbuttoned her top just enough to reveal the slave brand on her chest, “Thank you so much for saving my life, Master Jedi!” She said loudly to Connor, “I would still be in shackles if not for you! Are you sure there’s not a place for me to stay for a little bit?” Nash asked, just loud enough for the guards that normally worked with Jedi to hear. With luck, they would get enough context to where the two could access some Jedi grounds.

She only hoped Connor could rapidly adapt to playing his part.

@Apollyon

 

[Connor Vance]

Connor’s emerald eyes flicked to Nash as she spoke, when had she become so focused? He remembered her ramblings, her eagerness to learn how to manipulate technology through the Force, and her near legendary ability to improvise. But there had always been a carefree attitude, a free spirited nature that oozed from her. Now? Some of that had been replaced with determination, with ferocity, and with a focused nature. Maybe Nash was right, maybe the way they used the Force was changing them.

Or maybe it was bringing out who they really were all along.

As the ramp lowered, Connor knew it would be too late to change out of his robes. He’d have to play his part, he’d have to make do with acting as a Jedi. He pushed all his other thoughts to the side and focused, just as he always had done on jobs. Connor thought about how Jedi walked on holo-vids and mimicked the even gait and tried his best to copy a calm demeanor. He assumed he looked rather…Jedi-y.

The pair made their way towards their destination, a small checkpoint before entering the untamed wilds of Tython. Connor glanced down to Nash, his eyebrow quirked slightly when she undid her top just low enough expose the brand on her chest. Then she spoke loudly, civilians who had been gazing at the him began to whisper to one another. His ears picked up some of the hushed words, they spoke of another soul saved by a noble Jedi Knight. Connor inwardly smiled to himself, if they only knew the truth.

“You’re welcome!” Connor replied. “I’m just glad I arrived at that auction in time to free you and the other beings that were about to be sold. Now you can finish the research you so desperately needed, isn’t that right Doctor…” His voice trailed off, letting Nash come up with her own cover name. “The Force was with us both after all.”

He felt cheesy as he uttered those last words but he’d heard similar lines in Jedi holo-flicks. Using that type of line here made sense in his eyes, it would ensure his cover to the citizens. Something that could be useful down the line if things went tits up.

As Connor walked with Nash at the even pace, some of the citizens followed them towards the checkpoint. A pair of Jedi Guardians stood vigilant over the ray shielded gate. One, a female Rodian, stood with her arms crossed. She seemed confused and unimpressed as she glanced to her counterpart, a male Wookiee. Between the pair stood a protocol droid, it acted as a translator for the two Jedi.

The Wookiee extended a hand as the pair walked up. He spoke in his native tongue, which sounded like all roars, grunts, and growls to Connor. The protocol droid translated a moment later.

“The honorable Jedi Knight Slobacca and his Padawan Peeta greet their fellow Knight. However, they humbly request to know what business you have with a civilian? Why are you taking her towards Flesh Raider territory?” The droid asked.

“I, in turn, greet Knight Slobacca and his Padawan Peeta.” Connor replied, nodding his head towards both of them. “I am taking this researcher to seek out a certain flower that only grows at the base of an old temple ruins.” Connor replied, bullshitting his excuse completely. “She believes it can be used for medicinal purposes, and if correct could alleviate a flu that plagues the…Klatooninians.” He continued, also lying his ass off. “Isn’t that right?” He asked Nash, glancing over to her.

He hoped to the gods she’d be able to back him up and play a convincing medical researcher. He knew he’d likely get a slug for this later but all he cared about was getting access to those ancient temples and finding what they came for.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

Doctor?

Nash could have kicked Connor balls right then. When he turned to her to offer a name, she tried not to glare, “Dr. Connosux,” She said breezily, her gaze flicking briefly to her friend with an unmistakable look. He could have simply said she was a slave he rescued that needed rehoming and it would have been as simple as that. With a tone of authority, anyone could talk their way into any situation, but no, now she had to pose as some fucking scientist.

She rolled her eyes as Connor once again turned to her, expecting her to save the day as usual, “Yes, I am looking for traces of a plant that’s the cousin of senoti which requires a specific kind of alkaline soil. You see, normally the senoti is native to Endor, however, this variant has proven particularly potent in its medicinal properties because of the filaments-” And she rambled for a while on plant anatomy. The countless detentions she did for Darth Arcanos actually came in clutch because almost all of them were related to collecting herbs and plants, including the one where she met Arak and Vossari for the first time.

“Okay okay..” The Wookiee said, “Proceed.”

Nash smiled politely as they were let through. They walked for a few paces before Nash jabbed Connor on the side with her elbow, “You need to pull your fucking weight,” She glared at him, “We’re in Jedi territory. Stop fucking around, keep our covers simple, and make yourself helpful. I’m not going to do all the work here, got it?” She hissed, actually annoyed. Without a word and in no mood to deal with Connor’s bullshit or any argument, she stormed off towards the temple ruins.

@Apollyon