Ask Downright Bazaar

[Jayna Thorne]

.

From the Core to the far reaches of the Outer Rim, Tirahnn was renowned for its bustling markets and open-air bazaars. The largest of them stretched for miles without end, dwarfing the size and scale of entire cities - and attracting millions in visitors every day of the year. From the most exotic spices to ancient manuscripts, everything and anything could be found amongst the covered stalls and carts.

Jayna had arrived on the Trade-World only a few days prior - attending a charity benefit taking place within the exclusive Height’s district. Tirahnn was an important planet along the Perlemian, and the Heiress knew that networking with its ruling class could eventually work in her favor.

Allowed a window of free time between events, Jayna opted to abandon the ornate skyscrapers and make her way towards the sprawling bazaar’s - a pair of EzPods serving to dampen the oppressive music and ambient noise. For all of her travels, it was one place that the Heiress had yet to properly see for herself.


She was dressed rather casually, leaving her security detail remaining at the penthouse where she was staying for the duration of her time on Tirahnn. With a pair of sunglasses over her silvery eyes, there was hardly anyone who would recognize her off the bat - especially given the sheer volume of people that roamed through the bazaar. The scent of Induparan Spices and exotic goods filled her nostrils, but it was another stall that captured her attention.

Instead, it was the cart decorated in a variety of charms and mystical-looking talisman. The man standing behind the cart gestures to a stack of runic scriptures and books - ancient and almost as decrepit as her great aunt Jamila Altaris. The Thorne was almost certain it was some scam, but ultimately started to gravitate in that direction - if out of curiosity, even if she didn’t plan to purchase anything quite yet.

 

[Darth Arcanos]

The way she walked - from her height, to the way her hips swayed, to the way her chin was held just a bit high, to the way she smelled, it all betrayed her. It took far more than a simple disguise to convince someone perceptive that you were actually poor and just another civilian. Oh no, she had a confidence about her. And he knew that without even seeing her face. No, all he saw was the tall height and a shapely rear. His gaze drifted there for just a moment before it landed somewhere far more worth his attention. Something irresistible to him and also to her to forego it. The one chink in her facade.

He slinked through the crowds, actually accustomed to blending in from knowing to hide in plain sight in the galaxy. He was adorned in a cloak and full covering to hide what he was. Azar moved with the crowd, just another fish caught in a current that was brushing past the woman as she was awed by the merchant behind the cart that was loudly calling for people to come to see his wares.

All she would feel was a light bump of someone, but nothing more. When she looked, she would see nothing but the local crowds. It wasn’t uncommon to have people bumping and shoving against you in this market. Azar kept moving, an expensive bracelet twirling between his fingers under the folds of his cloak. This was going to be a nice payday.

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

“It looks fake.” Jayna said curtly, silver eyes narrowing upon one item in particular. It was an aged-looking talisman brought in what appeared to be gold, runes carved around a single gemstone set in its center. Though she didn’t pay it much regard, the Heiress could hear the salesman prattling about its magical and protective qualities.

“I assure you, my lady, it is nothing of the sort! It is one of a kind - forged by the hands of the secretive Sorcerers of Tund.” He said with some air of wonder, as if the elaborate display would further convince her. “I saw to its acquisition myself,” He said confidently. Jayna merely stared at him in response, her expression unchanging during the entire display.

“I doubt the Sorcerers of Tund mark their wares for carats.” She said casually, glancing at the underside of the golden object. She could practically see the merchant’s eye bulge out of his skull - immediately taking the object for himself. He glanced across its surface, a bit of worry laced into his features. That same worry quickly melted away into confusion.

“There is no mark here,” He said.

During the entire exchange, Jayna felt the brush against the back of her - causing the quarter-Sephi to step forward ever-so-slightly. Her extensive security detail usually kept her perimeter maintained, but this was one of the many occasions where ditching them made trace easier. Fortunately, her brother has figured out the override codes for the Blackwell Droids years ago, and was kind enough to pass on the information. She glanced over her shoulder - just barely catching a glimpse of the hooded figure closest to her before it vanished into the sea of people.

After a moment, Jayna merely handed the talisman back to the merchant. “No, there isn’t.” His reaction had been enough to disprove the tale of acquiring the artifact, and almost guaranteed her suspicions about its authenticity.

Without another word, Jayna turned towards the next stall just adjacent - running her hand across the wooden edge where some spices were being sold. Her own silvery eyes drifted across the mounds of ground herbs in every different color, and quickly sprang to her own wrist. Bare and unadorned - when she knew full well that it should have been.

The diamond and aurodium bracelet was impossible to miss - as it caught the sunlight with every turn and angle. It had been a gift from her father’s, and something she rarely went without. It was perfectly fitted to prevent merely sliding off with the natural movement of her arms, and it left only one possibility in her mind.

Jayna wordlessly pushed off from where she was standing, beginning to walk through the crowds and into the flow of traffic. She had no idea who she was looking for - and even the glimpse of a hood wasn’t enough to rouse her suspicion in such a crowded market. Instead, the quarter-Sephi moved quickly through the stream of people. She was looking for anyone who didn’t seem interested in the bazaar or it’s many wonders - figuring that her thief would be more concerned with making his getaway than hanging around in the area. But with hundreds around her?

Her odds weren’t exactly high.

Nevertheless, Jayna wasn’t about to give up without even looking. Unfortunately, the desperation and attention diverted to the search meant that the Heiress wasn’t really paying attention to much else. She failed to notice the increasing commotion further into the market, nor the distant sounds of blasterfire that echoed across the open air market. Tirahnn was considered by most to be civilized and safe planet, especially during its time with the FWA. What could anyone there possibly have to worry about?

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Arcanos]

He was aware of the commotion, of course. But he knew how to blend into the crowds and pose as just another fleeing civilian. Once again he moved with the current, finding an alley to dip into. Unfortunately for Jayna, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Before long, she was likely recognized by someone that thought to use her as a hostage to score some cash. After all, with the collapse of the Alliance and the New Republic, many planets were reduced to lawlessness.

Jayna was grabbed by two large men and hoisted into an alley. The abrupt nature of it would take her by surprise. They just so happened to tumble into the same alley where Azar was hoping to wait out the commotion. He silently kept to himself as the men attempted to rough her up. If she fought, it only spurred them to be more aggressive.

Azar noticed the expensive earrings she wore and an idea formed in his head. Without warning, he slinked out of the shadows and into view, both men suddenly slammed hard against the wall behind them by the Force. There was a sick crack as their skulls busted open, blood smearing the surface as they slid down.

The pureblood closed the distance, sweeping up near the tall woman, pinning her against the wall with the Force. He effortlessly snatched up her earrings and necklace, to add insult to injury, slipping one of her earrings into one of his own lobe piercings. Azar stepped back, amusement glinting in his exposed eyes before he finally released her and ventured further down the alley and away from the chaos.

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

In almost the blink of an eye, the bazaar devolved into absolute chaos. The screams and shouts of nearby tourists and stall-workers send splitting pain through the quarter-Sephi’s sensitive ears, and she immediately whipped around to search for the source of it all. The sight of a large corvette looming in orbit, coupled with dozens of other Starfighters streaking across the sky, were difficult to miss. Was it some Warlord? The Empire? The collapse of the FWA had resulted in a spike in piracy and unlawful behavior, but even Jayna didn’t suspect it would reach the important planet of Tirahnn.

She was internally kicking herself for not carrying her usual discreet sidearm, but forced herself to immediately scan the area for a way out. She caught a glimpse of the same scam-artist vendor from before getting attacked by the unruly mob, bashing his teeth in before running off with some of his trinkets.

Jayna didn’t have long to react before she was set upon herself. The surprise of the two man grabbing hold of her caught the Thorne Heiress by surprise - forcing her into the alleyway with superior size and strength. After a moment, however, Jayna immediately moved to lash out in response. She’d been trained for precisely these types of scenarios, and had managed to survive three independent kidnapping attempts because of it.

Just as the man dragged her into the alley, Jayna abruptly yanked one of her arms downward and to the side, forcing one of the men to bend forward as a result. Her knee rose up just as he did so, slamming harshly into the center of his stomach to knock the wind from his lungs. The man gasped and coughed, releasing her wrist in the process - and allowing the Heiress to address the other attacker.

Her fist darted forth with a blinding speed, delivering a quick jab to the man’s windpipe. Unfortunately for Jayna, that brief moment of diverted attention was enough for the other man to recover from the knee to the stomach - whirling around to deliver a solid punch to the Heiress’ lower lip.

Just as quickly as the fighting started, Jayna barely had time to register both men sailing into the nearest wall. Her silver eyes darted for a throwable weapon - but Azar was on her within a flash. She felt her body pinned against the wall of the alleyway, limbs straining against the hold of the Force. Even with her Teras Kasi training, there was little that could be done against a sustained grip to her entire body.

Her icy gaze narrowed upon the Pureblood - watching as he looted her necklace and earrings. There was no question he’d snatched her bracelet just as well, but that was the least of her concerns at this point. Curiously, Azar would fail to see the trembling or terror etched into her features - common for anyone of her background. Instead, the Pureblood would find her expression as if chiseled into stone, meeting his exposed eyes without flinching. She regarded every detail of his attire, from the details of his cloak to the shoes he wore. His eyes were the only identifying feature of he opted to abandon his getup, and it was one thing she wouldn’t forget.

As soon as the Force released from her, Jayna’s gaze flicked towards one of the dead men - her expression twisting into a grimace. They deserved every bit of their fate, but that didn’t mean she had a desire to be within the splash zone nevertheless. Without a word, Jayna glanced over their dropped bodies - snatching a hollow piece of pipe that one of them had been carrying to hold her hostage.

Without hesitation, Jayna began to move in the direction that Azar had attempted to flee - silver eyes narrowed in front of her. Leaving the man alone and abandoning jewelry she could have repurchased was the smart decision - and likely what she would’ve done - in any case that didn’t involve the more sentimental bracelet. Instead she forged right ahead, carefully scanning her surroundings to prevent the Pureblood from getting the jump on her again.

While he had something of a lead, Azar would find himself running into a multitude of inconveniences himself. As he stepped out into the street from the alley, the Pureblood would catch a glimpse of blaster fire between pirates and the local security forces - just barely visible through the sea of people, but clearly coming from one direction.

He would have a simple choice. He could attempt to move towards the chaos and destruction, where he was less likely to be pursued. Or he could move away from it - alongside the rest of the civilians, where traffic was dense and volatile.

Either way, whether the Pureblood would expect the ritzy Heiress to be actively pursuing him depended heavily on his own perception amidst the chaos and screaming.

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar saw the commotion on the other side of the alley and he grimaced. He took a few steps back, looking around for ways to climb to higher ground and avoid the commotion entirely. He had just hopped up on top of a dumpster when he saw the rich woman from earlier charging towards the same direction. Instead of running, he remained crouched atop the dumpster, his form limber. Amusement danced in his golden eyes.

Like before, he said nothing, his elbows resting on his knees as he stayed squatting atop that dumpster. He calmly stared at her as if expecting her to do a trick.

Meanwhile, the fighting was slowly inching closer to the alley. He knew he could slink away easily, but could someone as towering and out of place as her make a discreet escape?

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

Jayna could feel her heart pounding faster in her chest - adrenaline pumping through her veins as she sprinted through the alley. She knew that the Force-User had a much easier time slipping out of sight, and had no intention of allowing him to escape without a trace. On the other hand, the Heiress recognized that it was only a matter of time before more people started filtering into the alleyway.

If she’d been recognized by those other two men, word had likely begun to spread to others - all of them looking to make a quick payday off of her name. Whether Azar was aware of her identity remained to be seen. Jayna glanced down at her own EzPhone, checking for signal within the crowded Bazaar. The Thorne knew she had security and a private ship that could see her off to safety, but attempting an extraction - at least here - wasn’t likely. She’d need to get somewhere safer at the least.

It didn’t take long for Jayna to reach the end of the alley - silver eyes flicking across her surroundings. Of course, they immediately landed on Azar - crouched on top of a trashcan like a stray cat, amusement dancing across his features. There was the faintest twitch of the Heiress’ eye, but she otherwise maintained her icy expression - staring back at Azar with an unamused deadpan. Nevertheless, the Pureblood could begun to guess exactly what she was starting to think of him - with those faint pangs of irritation palpable through the Force. Her gaze only broke at the sound of people approaching the alley, her sensitive hearing picking up on the conversations far better than the Acolyte would.

“I think she went that way!”

“She could be our ticket off this rock!”

Jayna immediately drew in a breath, glancing the alley. She spotted a few fire escapes and scaffolding ladders, but none that she’d be able to scale before being spotted. Her silvery gaze then - reluctantly, settled upon the trash can where Azar was perched. Gritting her teeth, Jayna wordlessly threw the pipe she carried at panel at the base of the trashcan - opening its main hatch inside. Unless he was able to quickly vault away, the Pureblood would unceremoniously tumble inside the hatch - landing onto a pile of bagged trash and wares from the Bazaar.

Assuming he did, Jayna would quickly dive inside the trashcan just as well - her eyes narrowed into thin daggers at the mere prospect. But what other option did she have? The sound of footsteps began to echo through the alley, only a few seconds after landing inside.

 

[Darth Arcanos]

He was used to surviving in the wild and he wouldn’t be so easily bested by a dumpster lid. As Jayna threw the pipe, he hopped right off. With her already rushing towards the dumpster, he used the Force to give her a little nudge, tossing her into the filth. He promptly shut the lid and hopped back on to take a seat. His legs were dangling and almost playfully tapping against the dumpster as the thugs looking for Jayna rushed over.

One of the men glared at him, “Did you see a tall rich girl go by?”

Azar simply tapped the dumpster he sat on with his hand, implying she was right there.

“Hand her over.”

The pureblood only grinned, making the universal money gesture with the fingers. Azar would happily sell the girl for a hefty sum of credits. The man’s buddy tried to rush at him but Azar tossed him back with the Force. The original man’s eyes widened.

“Whoa! Whoa! I’m not dealing with a Forcie! Let’s go!”

Of course, from Jayna’s perspective of only hearing the exchange it would sound like the Pureblood defended her and covered for her, chasing those bad men away. Azar was disappointed from the exchange, but he hopped off the dumpster and lifted the lid, the vibrant yellow eyes of her 'hero' peering down to look at her.

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

Jayna was entirely too committed to her running leap into the dumpster - able to hear the footsteps gaining beyond the alley - to anticipate what Azar was going to do. As a result, the Heiress tumbled directly into the pile of filth while the Pureblood sprang upwards, planting his ass into the lid in order to keep the quarter-Sephi trapped inside for the moment.

To her immense displeasure, Jayna was keenly aware of her surroundings. Her nostrils were filled with the scent of trash and rotting food - immediately causing the cracks in her normally non-expressive countenance. She was absolutely disgusted and fuming - a fact which Azar would recognize from the several kicks to the top of the trash can lid. Unfortunately, this only exacerbated her awkward position within the trashcan. Her long legs offered no favors to being confined in tight spaces, and it left the Heiress in some weird scrunched up, fetal position with one heeled foot positioned to kick into the lid.

Of course, those kicks of protest came to a halt as the footsteps grew louder - signaling that others had stepped into the alley. Given that she couldn’t see what was happening, Jayna could only go off the noises that echoed through the alley. From the surface, it sounded like those men had come just to kidnap her, and Azar had fought them off in her defense. It sent pangs of confusion through the quarter-Sephi, her eyes narrowed skeptically into the darkness despite not actually being able to see anything whatsoever.

When Azar finally cracked open the trashcan, Jayna stared up at him for a solid five seconds - greeting the Pureblood with that same, deadpan expression. He’d momentarily saved her from having to deal with would-be kidnappers, and she couldn’t actually deny that he was the hero in the situation. Of course, the Heiress couldn’t help but wonder what the hell his problem was - stealing her jewelry and then coming to her defense. There was quite a bit of thought occuring behind those silver eyes, all as the woman looked like she’d just been flirting with the rotten banana peels nearby.

In the end, her eyes narrowed only slightly. “I hate you,” She said flatly up at the Pureblood. Whether she actually meant it, or was just infuriated by her current predicament, was up for debate. She probably meant it though. The Heiress gave no consideration to the fact she voluntarily aimed for the trashcan as cover, and was instead focused on the fact that Azar had come out unscathed. She was covered in filth, he wasn’t.

With a huff, Jayna pulled herself out of the trashcan - keeping her eyes on Azar as she did so. Her designer attire was stained with Force only knew what, her lip was bloodied and there was definitely something stuck to her hair. For the moment, though, Jayna merely looked at Azar and then back to the fire escapes from earlier. “They won’t be the only ones who come looking.”

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Azar vacantly stared at her as she declared her hatred for him. In fact, his vacant gaze was impressive to where it could rival even that of the ISC President. Who knew that vibrant yellow eyes could manage the same feat? He didn’t bother helping her out, still wearing her earrings in his lobes. He followed her gaze to the fire escape and gestured for her to climb. If he was going to have to deal with an irritating escape, he was at least going to enjoy the view.

The Pureblood scrambled up after her, deciding she was moving too slow. Without warning, he used the Force to toss her up and over the lip of the roof to where she would unceremoniously land on the other side. He hoisted himself over soon enough, landing in a low crouch so no one from below could see his head. Voices could be heard down below as people discovered the men he took out.

Azar grimaced as he was next to the girl, “You…bad smell..” He said quietly, fighting the urge to gag. Modern trash smelled awful. His people burned or recycled their wastes, leading to far less rot like this. He was not accustomed to such rancid smells.

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

Despite her venomous commentary, Jayna didn’t stay visibly irritated for very long. There was something about Azar’s demeanor that hit close to home - and the Heiress knew from experience that insults and lashing out wasn’t going to get her anywhere productive. It wasn’t within her character to begin with. When she wasn’t covered in filth, anyway.

Jayna didn’t waste any time removing herself from the dumpster - and her own ego would’ve prevented accepting his hand, even if it was offered. She didn’t miss the earrings that still hung from his own lopes, filing that big of information away without saying anything in the moment. Instead, Jayna quickly turned and began to scramble up the fire escape. She made a decision to pointedly ignore the grease and grime that coated the bars. She only made two-thirds of the way before Azar abruptly shoved her with the Force, causing the Heiress to fumble onto the roof in a heap.

Jayna immediately shot him a glare as he jumped onto the rooftop - briefly considering the pros and cons of taking a swing at the Pureblood. She was only motivated otherwise as the sound of voices began to echo from below - far more pronounced to her than Azar. She could easily detect half a dozen or more men who had begun to fill into the alleyway.

“No shit,” Jayna said flatly when Azar suggested that she smelt awful. Internally, the Heiress wanted to scream and gag. Externally, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her crack.

“Loosen the bolts on the fire escape.” The Heiress said with a point of her index finger, expecting the Acolyte to promptly do as told. If he was capable of being cooperative, he’d quickly realize what she was planning to do. There were only so many places they could have gone, after all. If anyone tried to follow them onto the rooftop, she had no qualms with sending them falling to their death.

They weren’t the first would-be kidnappers she’d survived. They wouldn’t be the last.

Assuming Azar did as he was told, Jayna wasted no time progressing along the rooftop - staying crouched low to the ground to avoid being seen. As she reached the other side, the Heiress reached back and grabbed onto Azar’s sleeve, tugging him over to look over the vantage. This, unfortunately, would smear some of the grease and foul-smelling stickiness onto his bathtowel get-up. Which may or may not have been the intention.

“The eastern end of the market will be safer.” She didn’t elaborat that her ship and droid security would be waiting for them on the other side. She glanced down towards the crowds below, still swarming and rioting beneath their feet. Even above the chaos, the chances of still being seen were high.

“We need to cause a distraction so we can cross the rooftops without being seen.”

 

[Darth Arcanos]

Her first mistake was outright attempting to boss him around. Even with the patchy translation, her tone and pointing with her finger suggested she simply saw him as yet another creature intended to do her bidding. Kissai had been enslaved for centuries, and it was only within the last few decades that they didn’t live that lifestyle. The simple gesture drew out a glare from him. Initially he did nothing, but soon enough the Force would coil around her neck. She would be physically pulled towards him where he caught her with his fingers around her throat. She had choices to make - she could attempt to lash out at a Sith that expected her to do so and promptly be killed. Or she could choose not to act.

“You not my master,” He growled at her in a low, gruff voice with a thick accent with his face inches from hers, “Remember,” He said sternly as his grip tightened for just a moment before he loosened it, finally releasing her. She could be towering a thousand feet above him, it didn’t matter. She would learn soon enough who was running the show here. Daddy wasn’t here to bail her out.

By then, one of the men from below started to climb the escape. His head barely crested over the edge of the roof before Azar gave a casual wave of his wrist. The man was bodily flung back, screaming as he fell to the alley below with a sickening crunch. Everyone below saw what happened, and it was enough to get the message across - no one else bothered trying to climb.

Azar kept his glare on her for a moment before he slowly walked past her. He knew when it was time to hide and scurry, and when it was time to be loud. He trusted in his abilities to instill enough fear to where no one would give chase. His little show with casually tossing the man caused enough of a panic where they had an opening. The pureblood took the opportunity to leap onto the next roof. He had his trinkets from the woman and he would find his way back into the shadows. He wasn't concerned about leaving her abandoned on that roof.

@Altaris

 

[Jayna Thorne]

Jayna couldn’t help the surprise that briefly flashed across her expression - her entire body going stiff as Azar grasped her with the Force. Out of nothing but instinct, the Heiress brought her own hand up to grasp at the Pureblood’s forearm - tightening her grip where he strangled her. Trained Teras Kasi practitioner or not, she knew that attempting to fight the Acolyte while he already established a grip on her throat was suicide.

The Heiress said nothing when Azar brought his face mere inches from her own - silver eyes narrowed into harsh slits upon his own. While her expression displays little, the Pureblood would still be able to feel the emotions that roiled off of her internally. The adrenaline that pumped through her veins and the ticks of fear that caused the color to drain ever-so-slightly from her complexion. She had miscalculated severely, and it was only in that moment that Jayna realized just how much.

She did nothing until Azar realized her - fingers immediately brushing against the faint marks red at her throat. Her gaze followed as the Pureblood caused enough of a distraction to deal with the men below them in the alley, and continued to track the man as he abruptly vacated from the rooftop where they were standing. She knew that he had no qualms leaving her behind, and there wasn’t a single scenario where Jayna would actively choose to follow him after their exchange.

Instead, the Heiress took one glance down at her EzPhone - frowning at the signal bar that still was too low to make an emergency call. Even then, Jayna couldn’t help but bristle slightly at the prospect of needing to be rescued from the planet. Without much other option, Jayna turned her attention back to another nearby rooftop - and towards a ladder that had been bolted to the side of the building. It was a questionable jump, but perhaps one that Jayna could make by latching onto the same fire escape and using it to finish her climb.

Taking a few steps backward, Jayna gave herself a running start before leaping from the rooftop - careening towards the ladder and adjacent building. Briefly, satisfaction flashed across her features as the Heiress curled her fingers around the bars of the fire escape, holding her half-way up the building and above the chaos occurring nearby.

Unfortunately, it was only just that brief moment.

Before she could begin ascending the ladder, Jayna felt as the entire fire escape began to tilt backwards. It would seem that the few bolts that kept the ladder strapped to the building hadn’t withstood the test of time, and the abrupt addition to Jayna’s bodyweight was enough to finally pull it from the side of the building.

The Heiress could only brace herself as the entire ladder fell backwards, and only avoided being crushed beneath it by releasing at the last second. Just as before, Jayna fell back-first into the mounds of trash and festival debris that littered the alleys of Tirahn, perhaps the only thing that prevented multiple bones breaking or worse upon making impact with the ground.

Unfortunately, the commotion from her fall was almost certainly loud enough to draw attention.