Ask Escort Duty

[Arctus Friers]

Spoiler: Mission Brief

Going Home
As the Empire split and went into a state of decline, it could no longer hold its territory. Dantooine, known for its consistent pushback against Imperial rule, did not hesitate at the Empire's offer of freedom. Jedi had long fought for Dantooine. It would not be an easy thing to return and rebuild relationships and trust, but its the right thing. Over the millennia, many Jedi have called Dantooine home. Its time to go home.

Escort Duty
Synopsis: No one likes escort duty, but the supplies are needed to rebuild the Temple structure. It should be easy. What could go wrong?

It had only been a week since Arctus' promotion as a Knight. Truth be told he was expecting to get thrust into either more dangerous or numerous missions, and while one expectation was met more than the other he still felt as if... he wasn't doing enough. Maybe he just hadn't fully adjusted with his promotion yet regardless of him actually looking forward to it. He didn't know- it was a feeling he still couldn't put into words.

He was not complaining, heavens, no. He was just being, well... himself, he guessed.

When word about missions to reclaim Dantooine reached him, the Corellian wasted no time into signing up. Although he had no personal experiences on the planet, one of the people he loved had met a few but cruel misfortunes there. Memories of Clove opening up to him and Ruzaan surfaced to the forefront of the newly-minted Knight's mind. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to set foot on the planet anymore, but he felt compelled to win it back for the Order partly for her, the other half for the citizens of the planet and the Jedi Order.

The ship carrying the needed supplies necessary for rebuilding the Temple jumped out of hyperspace, Dantooine coming into view as a slowly growing blue and green orb. Sitting on the floor on the corner of the bridge, Arctus idly stroked his Anooba's head with one hand and the snoozing Arkanian Dragon with the other. Selene was growing rapidly, now almost as big as Nibs, and it gave the still juvenile dragon all the more reason to bully the affectionate canid. Arctus' guidance and strict training were the only things that often spared Nibs from being the winged reptile's prey, but even then she knew not to push around too much in the Knight's presence. The Corellian had even threatened her today that he would withdraw from showering her with affection if she didn't behave around the crew and the other Jedi he was working with on this mission, something Selene seemed to take too seriously. As such, the Arkanian Dragon had opted to spend the rest of the trip to Dantooine asleep.

Escort duty seemed innocuous enough, but given how unstable the leadership in Dantooine was at the moment, Arctus knew not to rule out threats of insurrection and even sabotage against the current leader as well as the return of the Jedi on the planet. As such, the Order had seen fit to assign him and Knight Ozon Jast on this mission. Still, the Corellian hoped that nothing could go wrong today as Dantooine loomed ever closer into view.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon was aware of the jedi’s extensive history on Dantooine. So, he appreciated the importance of re-establishing the jedi order on the planet. He had been assigned to escort some supplies to the planet and he would be joined by knight Arctus Friers. He hadn’t had much of a chance to interact with his fellow jedi. Ozon had recently acquired some historical documents and he had become so engrossed in reading them that he hadn’t left his quarters. By the time he had snapped out of the document induced trance he had entered, they were almost at Dantooine. Oh dear. Ozon’s thoughts immediately turned to his fellow jedi knight. He knew it was terribly inconsiderate of him to spend the journey shut up in his room. Filing away the documents, he then dashed towards the bridge.

When the bridge doors slid open, Ozon was greeted by the sight of his fellow jedi sat on the floor with his two travel companions. The dragon seemed to be asleep and the Anooba appeared comfortable as it sat having its head stroked by Arctus. “Hello my friend. I apologise for my lack of courtesy. I should have come to the bridge sooner.” The Muun’s small mouth curled into a smile. Ozon hadn’t had much time to tidy himself up, so he appeared dishevelled. His brown robes were scruffy and his cloak was rumpled.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

As the vessel drew nearer on the planet, nervous, hushed chatter began on the bridge. From what little Arctus could hear from his position, it seemed that a few small ships had jumped out of hyperspace leagues behind them. His brows furrowed, curious and a little concerned. If this was coincidental, surely the ships wouldn’t be tailing after their transport. But one of the crew confirmed that their vessel was indeed being followed, though their shadows appear to be maintaining distance for now. One of the communications officers hailed the other ships but none identified themselves nor responded with anything.

Oh, well. There went hoping that nothing could go wrong today.

The Corellian carefully rose from his seat after gently repositioning Selene’s head on the floor. It was at this moment that fellow Knight Jast had finally appeared, the Muun’s clothing rather dishevelled. Arctus returned the older gentleman’s smile with a brief one before his expression turned a little somber.

”Hey, don’t worry about it, bud,” he assured Ozon then jerked a thumb at the assembled crew ahead. ”We’re almost on the planet, but the thing is… seems we got company.”

Just as he had relayed what little he still knew, one of the crew approached the pair of Jedi with a report.

”Masters Jedi, we have a situation.” The young man cleared his throat a little anxiously before continuing. ”We have just confirmed the presence of three light freighters following behind us. Continuous attempts at communication are currently being ignored, and they are slowly but steadily approaching us. How should we proceed?”

Arctus crossed his arms over his broad chest, a thoughtful frown on his face.

”You’re certain they’re following us?”

The mousy-haired man nodded in affirmative. ”They have to be,” he added. ”And as they refused to respond and identify themselves, we have to assume that the reasons for them following our ship are not innocuous.”

The bearded Knight pursed his lips and nodded once. ”There’s talks of instability in the new government, and with the Sith Imperials gone there’s no doubt pirates are thinking that ships traveling to the planet are a free for all.” He shifted where he stood and regarded his colleague. ”What should we-”

”They’re accelerating!” one of the crew warned loudly.

”Ready the shields in case they begin firing!” ordered the captain as his men approached their battle stations, his command quickly complied with. Alarms were also raised, causing the sleeping dragon to awaken with an irritated trill.

As soon as the ship entered Dantooine’s atmosphere, the first shot was fired by one of the pursuing light freighters.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon was put at ease by his fellow jedi’s friendly response, but Arctus did seem troubled. The reason soon became clear. An officer, a young human, approached them and provided an update on the situation. Ozon listened to the conversation, attempting the adjust his robes at the same time. Arctus’ hypothesis that the ships belonged to pirates was reasonable. They were prevalent throughout the galaxy. Before Arctus had a chance to address Ozon, he was cut off by a member of the crew. Ozon had hoped that things would go smoothly, but he had also appreciated that it wasn’t likely. His immediate concern was for the crew. A jedi could expect to find themselves in danger; it seemed wrong that the crew be put at risk.

Alarms blared throughout the ship as it began its descent. The surface of the planet soon came into sight. A large forest area could be seen, and lush green plains stretched out into the distance; not that there was time to enjoy the view. A shot impacted the rear deflector shields, shaking the ship violently. Ozon was thrown off his feet. Checking around to ensure the others were ok, he then dashed over to the pilot. “Can those shields hold for long?” The pilot, another human, was struggling to keep their composure. “No. This ship was never designed for combat. We can’t outrun them either.” The three freighters all opened fire, the impact from the attack juddering the ship. “Captain, shields at ten percent!” Ozon held onto the back of the pilot’s chair, to keep his balance. The previous barrage of fire from the enemy ships was quickly followed by more fire. Breaking through the shields, the shots impacted on the ship. Explosions tore through the engines and the left wing, causing the ship to veer downwards. “We’re going down!” The attack had been swift. Another officer called out, amidst the chaos. “I’ve tried to signal for assistance, but they’re jamming communications.” Ozon turned to look out of the front window. The forest canopy loomed ever closer.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

The ship rocked violently, a curse escaping Arctus loudly. Instinctively he swept a hand at Ozon, the gesture not meant for the Muun but at the Anooba that previously sat behind the Knight. Nibs leapt into action, standing – clawed paws firmly planted on the floor – behind the Muun Jedi and acting as support before the older gentleman could be fully thrown off his feet. Selene was quick to act as well in support of Arctus, neck slightly coiling around the Corellian's middle. As Ozon rushed over to the pilot, Arctus looked at Nibs and jerked his head at the Muun's direction, expressing his intent to the canid through their Bond. The Anooba trotted towards Ozon, acting as the Jedi's backup and support.

Arctus gritted his teeth when all three freighters open fired, hands finding purchase on Selene's back for support. The Arkanian Dragon was getting angry for having her sleep interrupted rather than frightened at their current predicament, and the Corellian's training kept the Anooba on guard. Both companions stuck to their respective Jedi, and as the ship began to descend, all Arctus could think at the moment was a very irritated,

Oh, shit, it gets worse!

Arctus made a proverbial coin flip, trusting both fate and Force that their attackers were indeed pirates. If that was their identity then he knew that it wouldn't be on their best interests to shoot down the cargo vessel to kingdom come. They would need their loot, and the descending ship was filled with it, if not to the brim. The assumed pirates only needed to decommission the ship, board it when it was down, and loot the whole thing. And maybe kill the crew if they refused to hand the supplies over.

Arctus was an almost criminal in the past, so he was confident to predict what the assumed pirates would do.

"Captain, prepare for a rough landing if you can manage," he called out. Then, to the crew, he added, "Arm yourselves. If they're actual pirates, you know why they're attacking us."

---

Arctus' gamble had paid off as the three freighters stopped shooting at once the moment the cargo vessel closed the distance between sky and ground. At the helm of the lead freighter, a crew of five cheered raucously as the cargo vessel landed roughly on the forest.

"Boys, prepare for landing!" the leader, a scarred Tiefling, called out to the other two freighters. "And for boarding! That ship and its contents are ours!"

---

The ship shuddered and groaned as it made impact, the landing as rough as Arctus had expected but the pilot delivered, the man's efforts not wasted. As the crew checked one another for injuries and prepared arms, the Corellian's gaze found the object of his ire. The three freighters sped ahead to land their ships on the plains not far from where the cargo vessel landed in the forest.

None of them obviously know how many pirates were there in total, but Arctus wouldn't put the crew in any more danger than they had already gone through. Their express desire to help the Jedi rebuild the temple here on Dantooine was more than enough for the Corellian to want to protect them from further harm. Turning to the crew, he shot each of them an encouraging grin.

"They're gonna be boarding this ship soon. In case someone slips past us," he gestured at himself, his loyal companions, and his fellow Jedi, "you gotta defend yourselves first. The supplies we're carrying are replaceable, you, lot, ain't."

Turning to Ozon, he added, "Nay-nay– I mean, Selene and I will attempt to waylay those thugs. If you're coming, you can instruct Nibs–" the Anooba wagged his tail energetically at the mentiom of his name "–to help ya in any way you want."

The Corellian, a pissed off Arkanian Dragon beside him, then headed down the cargo bay to exit the ship. Should Ozon come with him, Arctus would gladly accept the Muun's presence and skills. Should Ozon decide to stay with the crew, however, and preferred to defend the ship and protect the crew, the former smuggler wouldn't hold it against him, and would appreciate the Muun's decision.

Both Jedi and dragon disembarked moments later. One of Arctus' hands hovered over his lightsaber, the other on the blaster on his hip. He glanced at his Arkanian Dragon with a grin.

"You ready to party, my bug-eyed lady?"

His question was answered by a yellow glare and a challenging hiss. Without any further ado, the pair rushed forward into the trees, determined to follow through their plan.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

The ship continued to hurtle towards the ground. Ozon hadn’t actually been in a ship crash before, but he knew he needed to keep calm and set an example for the crew. His fellow Jedi’s Anooba stuck close to him, and he was grateful for the support. He turned and smiled at the Anooba, hoping to communicate his gratitude. Arctus’ statement that the crew prepare themselves for pirates seemed sensible. Ozon just hoped they would survive the landing.

The ship descended further towards the ground, until it broke through the forest canopy. Branches snapped and cracked as they broke against the ship. The ship landed with a loud crash, and it groaned and creaked as it slid across the forest floor. Holding on tight to the back of the pilot’s chair, Ozon used the force to help keep himself steady and also to stop the Anooba from being thrown across the bridge.

When they finally came to a stop, Ozon took some time to catch his breath. Using the force, as he had, was tiring. Once he had his breath back, he looked around the bridge to check on how everyone was doing. Fortunately, everyone seemed fine. Checking out the front window, he spotted the three ships fly overhead and towards the edge of the forest. We need to do something. Arctus had already sprang into action. He was right about the crew needing to arm themselves, but Ozon knew that the weaponry on board was basic. Only blaster pistols. Ideally, the Jedi would stop the attackers before they reached the ship. Arctus outlined how that was exactly what he wanted to do. Before Ozon could reply, Arctus was already on the move. Ozon didn’t like leaving the crew, but he realised that he and Arctus would have a better chance of stopping the attackers by working as a pair. He addressed the crew. “Ready your defence. We should hopefully be able to stop them before they reach the ship.” The crew were obviously shaken, but there wasn’t much else Ozon could say. “We will keep in contact. May the force be with you.” With that, he unclipped his lightsaber and took off after Arctus. The Anooba followed close behind.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus and Selene continued homing in on their target. With his senses through the Force cast as wide as he could, the Corellian grinned appreciatively when he felt Ozon and Nibs following after the pair. If he was being honest, Arctus wasn’t sure if he could take on the pirates with only Selene aiding him since he had no idea how many they were facing. He was glad for the other Jedi’s presence, but he knew he would have to save his gratitude for later.

Arctus let out a sharp whistle and pointed to the sky when Selene glanced at him. Through their Bond he instructed her to take flight to scout the path ahead. The dragon complied, wings powerfully cutting through the air as she took off like a rocket. Through her eyes, Arctus saw 18 men entering the forest, laughing and hooting wordlessly. He urged Selene forward until she was closing in on the freighters. Letting her focus on one, Arctus sent one instruction through their Bond with as much purpose as he could, knowing how fickle she could be sometimes. While the two of them shared anger for having their ship attacked, their reasons varied greatly.

”Light ‘em up, sweetheart.”

When Selene was a year old, she had struggled producing her own fire. She also tended to ignore most of Arctus’ commands and often looked down at her companion due to his status as a Padawan. The Corellian literally had to earn the spoiled Arkanian Dragon’s respect. He’d suffered cuts, bites, and scratches - even a broken bone or two from training sessions gone awry. Suffice to say, Arctus’ expectations about taking care of a dragon were met and more. She’d tried eating Nibs when he was still a puppy, destroyed Arctus’ things, stolen his and the Anooba’s meals and displayed temper tantrums for being chastised for her behavior and antics.

But when Arctus finally earned her respect, her loyalty, her trust?

With a sharp, guttural shriek Selene rained dragon fire on one of the ships. The pair of watchmen left behind to look after the ships disembark to see who had attacked their transports. One of them was slow enough and exited the ship a little too late, and it was what had saved him from the Arkanian Dragon when it swooped low enough to grab his companion by the shoulders before escaping.

Arctus had promised the crew that he would keep them safe and that the pirates won’t reach them, and he would make sure to deliver.

He was making up distractions on the fly. The Knight continued forward and once he caught sight of the pirates he quickly jumped behind a tree, one hand drawing his lightsaber. The horrified screams of the pirate Selene had snatched soon reached his and the goon’s companions, and all eighteen of the marauders looked up just in time to see one of their mates hurtling down from the sky courtesy of a very pissed off Arkanian Dragon.

”Dra- Dragon!”

”Fuck! There are no dragons in fucking Dantooine!”

”Holy shit, Captain, what do we do?!”

”Open fire!”

Blaster fire shot skywards, aimed at the dragon that flew too high and too fast for the bolts to actually hit. Arctus took the opportunity and drew his blaster as well. Taking careful aim, he began to open fire at the distracted pirates as well with every intention of hitting any one of them where it hurt.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon tried his best to keep up with Arctus, but he wasn’t as quick as he had been in his youth. Abruptly stopping to catch his breath, Ozon leaned against a tree to support himself. Nibs was looking up at him, with what almost appeared to be a look of sympathy. By the time he had caught his breath, he had lost sight of Arctus. “Go on, find him.” Ozon gestured to Nibs to move ahead so that he could follow. Ozon moved as quick as he could, but he paced himself so that he wouldn’t end up sprawled on the floor due to exhaustion. He slowed down when he caught sight of Arctus again. He took a bit of time to calm his breathing. Ozon could sense the hostile presence nearby, though he had no idea of how many there were.

Signalling to Nibs to slow down, Ozon moved forwards towards Arctus’ position. The dragon didn’t seem to be with him. Probably sent them to scout ahead. Without warning, Arctus ducked behind a tree and drew his saber. Ozon crouched down and began to move with more urgency, swiftly moving into cover behind a tree to the left of Arctus. Nibs kept behind Ozon, out of sight. There was a large group of what appeared to be pirates. Ozon wasn’t sure how they would tackle such a large group. A piercing wail cut through the air. Heads snapped upwards at where the sound seemed to be coming from. The dragon. A man being carried through the air by the dragon, was screaming with terror. The dragon swooped down and dropped the man onto the group, causing them to scatter slightly. The unexpected delivery also elicited surprised exclamations from certain individuals in the group. Despite being caught off guard, they were able to respond with a barrage of blaster fire in the direction of the dragon. Fortunately, the dragon seemed to be out of range.

Arctus took aim and fired at the group. Sending blaster fire careering towards them. Ozon realised that they probably had no idea that they had just engaged two Jedi in battle. He decided to take advantage of that. Peering out from behind the tree, he focused on the heavy set Weequay at the front of the group. Raising his hand, he calmed his mind and allowed the force to flow through him; imagining the Weequay being lifted off the ground. The Weequay suddenly started to levitate off the ground, gradually moving higher and higher. “What’s happening!” His legs flailed, searching for ground that wasn’t there. Other members of the group stopped, looking up in shock. “Help!” He floated over the group, arms and legs waving desperately. Ozon didn’t intend to do it to cause harm, but it should act as a good distraction. “There must be a Jedi here!”

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus was never one to squander an advantage when it presented itself to him oh so kindly with a cherry on top. He sensed Nibs first, so accustomed to the happy and excitable Anooba, and the canid's presence was more than enough to herald his Jedi counterpart's arrival. With the pirates initially distracted by Selene's gift literally from above, the group of ruffians was understandably even more shocked and confused when their Weequay companion began to levitate as if being pulled by a tractor beam. Those who were checking the previously fallen group member courtesy of the Arkanian Dragon had forgotten about their companion in favor of gaping up at the floating Weequay. Arctus could feel the Force flowing from Ozon to the floating man, and the Muun's action coincided with the Corellian firing his blaster at the group.

One bolt found its mark on an Ishi Tib's shoulder, the alien crying out in pain and surprise as he fell to the ground. As the Weequay hypothesized the identity of the one responsible for him being off the ground, Arctus let out a loud, sharp whistle, then jumped out of his hiding spot.

"Ever heard of updog, losers?" the Knight yelled gleefully at the confused pirates, legs pounding underneath him as he ran for yet another cover when almost half of them open fired at him, surprised by his sudden appearance. Although they numbered greatly against the two Jedi and their animal friends, majority of the group were distracted by the still floating Weequay courtesy of Ozon, Selene circling intimidatingly above the pirates, and the combination of jeers and blaster fire from Arctus. The Corellian, for his part, made a huge show of keeping the hand holding his unignited lightsaber pointed at the floating Weequay to create the illusion that he was the cause of the struggling alien's plight. The bearded Knight also made sure to keep the pirates attention on him and Selene and away from Ozon and Nibs so the latter two could carry out yet another surprise attack.

"He's just one bastard Jedi!" shouted the Tiefling captain, irate at his men's antics and unaware that there were actually two. "Split up! Pieck, take you group and head for our loot. We'll deal with this meddling Forcie-"

"How about no-" Arctus retorted, but was cut off by a blaster bolt that whizzed too close to his head. "Aw, you little-"

Nay-nay, help Ozon and Nibs!

The dragon, torn between coming to her keeper's aid and his command, turned and honed in on the group that began their advance towards the fallen ship and her crew. Selene banked low, out(flying)running the pirates then sharply making a turn to charge at them head on. The winged reptile opened her mouth, first in a guttural shriek, then to launch dragon fire at the pirates in an attempt to halt their advance. She had to back off, however, as the pirates attempted to pelt her with blaster bolts.

While half of the group sans the floating Weequay engaged the dragon - and soon Ozon and Nibs should they launch a counterattack - the other half including the captain chased after Arctus. The Corellian had to think fast, aware that if he kept moving forward towards the treeline that he would be exposing himself. He leapt over a fallen log, catching himself before he could stumble, then came to an abrupt stop. Although he had managed to create ample distance between him and his pursuers, it was only a matter of time for them to catch up to him.

With an almost manic grin, the Knight lifted the hand holding his lightsaber and ignited it. The kyber within, gifted to him by someone he continued to hold precious and dear to his heart, sang joyfully through the Force at the prospect of being used for the man's intended purpose - to serve and protect. The saber's aureate blade sprang forth, and at the first batch of blaster fire aimed to incapacitate him, Arctus laughed and swatted them away with practiced movements. Some bolts found their marks missing completely, while the others were batted back where they came from, causing the chasing pirates to duck for cover.

With the blaster fire coming his way momentarily halting, Arctus himself sought cover before firing his blaster at his chasers' general direction.

What now, what now...

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Arctus took advantage of Ozon’s distraction, as he continued to fire at the group of hostiles. Despite Ozon’s focus being on levitating the large Weequay, he could feel the panic that was setting in amongst the group. Fortunately, they seemed to scare easy. Barely audible above the chorus of blaster fire, a voice called out. It sounded like Arctus. Peering around the tree, Ozon spotted Arctus sprinting through the trees whilst being pursued by intense blaster fire. Fortunately, he was able to dive behind cover before being hit. A fierce exchange of fire ensued, with the pirates unable to land a shot on Arctus. The floating Weequay was still desperately gesturing to the others for help. They were a shambles. Some firing wildly at Arctus, one levitating through the air and others still gawping at their floating ally.

A large Tiefling, clearly frustrated, began barking out instructions, in an effort to bring some order to the group. He directed some of them to head towards the ship. It seemed clear at this point that they were some sort of pirate group. Before they could get too far, the dragon cut off their advance. The dragon’s fire scorched the ground at the pirates’ feet, as they began to scramble back the way they came. A few shots were fired at the dragon, but most seemed too scared to offer much resistance. The other pirates, including the Tiefling, took off in Arctus’ direction. “Don’t leave me!” The floating Weequay called out in vain; his allies didn’t seem interested in trying to help. Releasing his grip, Ozon allowed the Weequay to drop to the ground. Ozon took time to catch his breath whilst he kept an eye on things from his position behind the tree. The other pirates had been herded back into the clearing by the dragon. The dragon flew overhead, keeping the pirates contained. Having caught his breath, Ozon decided it was time to step things up.

“Get up!” A Rodian pirate chastised the Weequay who was curled up on the floor. Ozon peaked out from behind the tree and reached out through the force. The Rodian was thrown off their feet and then dragged across the forest floor. The other pirates jumped out of the way. “What’s happening!” The Rodian came to a sudden stop. “Maybe there is another Jedi.” Without warning, a human pirate’s hat was pulled off their head. The hat rolled up and suddenly began to slap the pirate across the face. Raising his arms to defend himself, he fell backwards and landed with a heavy thud. “What is this?” The Rodian, having now got up, ran over to the hat to make a grab for it. Before he could get there, his jacket was pulled up and over his head. Stumbling around trying to pull it off his face, his blaster dropped to the floor. The blaster flew off the ground and smacked straight into another pirate’s groin. “Ahh!” He collapsed to the ground. The Rodian pulled the jacket off his face. He was breathing heavily. “Let’s get out of here! Back to the ship!” There was a moment of hesitation. “What about the captain? He’ll go ballistic.” The Rodian grabbed hold of the pirate who had been hit in the groin and dragged him to his feet. “Forget him. This isn’t worth the trouble.” The small group took off running, back in the direction of their own ship. Ozon watched, as he steadied his breathing. It had been tiring, but at least his plan had worked. Getting to his feet, Nibs came to his side. “Let’s go and find Arctus.”

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Repeated thoughts of What now was replaced with a thoroughly vexed Ah, beans when the Tiefling's command of surrounding their prey rang within the vicinity. Arctus' grip on his saber tightened, hazel grey eyes darting in search for the next possible cover before he could advance. Running off towards the pirates' ships was a no go since he had no idea how many men were left to guard the frieghters. Although his and Ozon's combined efforts to divide the charging force into two groups, the Corellian knew that it was a gamble he couldn't lose against the odds stacked against him and his companions. Just because they were Jedi didn't mean they were untouchable, after all.

Still, his Bond with his animal companions assured him that the two of them, above all Ozon, were suddenly far from danger. He couldn't borrow Selene's sight through the Force again, his focus demanded by his own pursuers. The Knight huffed an indignant breath at the thought of further training after this mission – he really needed to expand more on his skills through the Force, and besides, wasn't that one of his goals as a Jedi who would walk the path of the Seer?

Shots fired at his hiding spot broke the man from his musings.

"Keep firin'! We'll flush this idiot out in no time!"

Arctus tutted, checked his blaster's ammo, then hazarded a quick glance at the pirates. They seemed to have taken his silence for panic and cowardice as they now advanced swiftly. The Knight looked up at the canopy of trees then channeled the Force upwards, coiling around branches. He clipped the blaster back in its holster then raised his now free hand at those same branches and yanked down, hard. The trees shuddered and groaned, branches snapping angrily before crashing to the ground. The sound startled his pursuers, and that momentary pause was all Arctus needed.

The Knight swiftly emerged from behind the tree he'd taken cover, coiling the Force once again around the branches he had snapped then launched them at the pirates like spears. Unlike Ozon's approach, Arctus' was more along the lines of 'incapacitating the enemy with force'. One pirate, caught off guard, found his leg impaled by a branch. With a cry he crashed down, tripping the one running behind him in the process. The rest had managed to duck and dodge the other branches. It was Arctus' turn to advance, saber ignited and ready to swat any blaster bolt aimed his way.

"Damn Jedi!" raged the Tiefling captain, rising from where he ducked for cover then proceeded to empty his blaster pistol's shots at the incoming Jedi. The Knight bobbed and weaved past the bolts, swatted a few with his lightsaber, then used the Force to grab one of the men and sent them flying towards a pair who attempted to rush out at the Jedi.

"Captain, this isn't worth the trouble anymore!" cried the pirate with the injured, bleeding leg.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon set off in search of Arctus, Nibs following behind him. Selene flew ahead of them, eager to find her Jedi friend. Hopefully he hasn’t gone too far. Fortunately, it soon became clear that he hadn’t wandered too far. Selene had flown back to Ozon and gestured in the direction they were already travelling in, indicating that they were probably on the right path. The sound of distant blaster fire, that soon grew louder, was another indicator that they were heading the right way.

Ozon moved quietly through the trees. The group of pirates came into view, their blasters firing. Ozon hoped that Arctus hadn’t been injured. He ducked behind a tree and unclipped his lightsaber. The pirates hadn’t spotted him yet; he was positioned behind them. As he went to step out from his hiding spot, he noticed something. The branches spread across the floor began to rise off the ground and gather, pointed in the direction of the pirates. It took a split second for Ozon to realise what was about to happen. “Back, quickly.” Ozon pushed Nibs behind the tree, just as the branches were propelled in their direction. The branches moved like arrows, with one impaling the tree that Ozon was hidden behind. One of the pirates wasn’t so lucky. His screams could be heard echoing through the forest.

Looking out from behind the tree, Ozon witnessed Arctus ignite his lightsaber and advance on the pirates. Any blaster fire was effortlessly deflected away. One of the pirates called out to the large Tiefling, who seemed to be the leader, imploring him to give up. “I make the decisions, you worm!” The remaining pirates appeared to be on the verge of defeat. Even the Tiefling looked flustered. Ozon saw this as his opportunity; stepping out from behind the tree, he ignited his lightsaber. “You would be wise to leave.” Ozon and Arctus flanked the group of pirates. Most of the pirates took this as an invitation to flee, quickly running into the forest. The Tiefling looked on as his men retreated, unable to conceal his fury. He turned to face Arctus. “You will regret this! When Lord Barragossa finds out, no Jedi will be safe in this part of the galaxy.” The name he mentioned wasn’t familiar. “Who is this, Lord Barragossa?” The Tiefling turned back to Ozon. “You’ll find out one day, Jedi.” He pulled a vibroblade from his belt, chucking his blaster to the side. “I can take one of you.” The Tiefling spun around and lunged at Arctus, with his blade.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Too focused on the enemies before him, Arctus wouldn't be embarrassed to admit that the appearance of Ozon and Nibs caught him off guard. The Corellian halted his advance abruptly, boots digging on the dirt to steady himself for the second time today. Beside the Muun Jedi, Nibs had completely transformed from his usually goofy self into a snarling, aggressive Anooba. The canid's hackles were raised, body tense like a bowstring and ready to pounce should any of the pirates were stupid enough to try and attack the Jedi beside the oversized dog.

Above them, Selene landed quietly on a tree, barely hidden by the forest canopy. Yellow eyes were fixed upon the object of both Ozon and Arctus' attention as the large Tiefling arrogantly threatened the two Jedi.

Arctus, for his part, kept his mouth shut as Ozon inquired the pirate captain about this so-called Lord Barragossa's identity. The threat about taking on one of the Jedi made the Corellian raise both brows at the pirate with disbelief. He jumped backwards as the Tiefling lunged at him, lightsaber poised to disarm the latter but something– someone, rather, beat the bearded Jedi to it.

Seeing the threat of harm made to her master parent, Selene swooped down from the trees with purpose. With an angry trill the Arkanian Dragon landed atop the Tiefling, one clawed foot curling around the pirate's torso with the intent to crush his ribs. Her head reared back before snapping forward, jaws crushing and dismembering the alien's weapon hand.

"Nay-nay stop!" Arctus warned his dragon, a look of alarm crossing his face. But Arkanian Dragons were known for their stubbornness and overprotective streak. Selene ignored his warning, spitting the Tiefling's arm–

"Selene, enough!"

–then went straight for the kill. The Tiefling went out screaming in terror, and the Arkanian Dragon not even making a meal out of him was a graphic, terrible sight to behold. Still, the Corellian didn't look away, his eyes glued to the winged reptile that answered his gaze with a defiant glare as if to say "I'd kill anyone before they could hurt you".

The staring contest would have gone on forever had Arctus not conceded and was the first to look away. Nibs trotted towards the human Knight, head bumping on the man's arm. The Corellian extinguished his saber and clipped it back to his belt before rewarding the Anooba with several pats and scratches. Hazel gret eyes then found Ozon, the warmth in them returning as he approached his colleague.

Selene continued to tear at the fallen Tiefling, the sound of her snapping jaws earning a wince from her human companion.

"Well, there goes our chance to press for more info about this Barragossa dude," he tried to say lightly, meaning for it to be a joke but the fuming dragon before them made it inappropriate. "Guess the others who ran off will do. You alright, Ozon? Those other thugs gave you trouble?"

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

The Tiefling’s defiance surprised Ozon. Before he could reason with him, the pirate lunged at Arctus. There was no doubt that Arctus could look after himself, but Ozon was still ready to jump in and defend his ally. He didn’t get the chance. Swooping down from the sky, Selene tackled the Tiefling to the ground. With a swift bite, the Tiefling’s hand was torn off by the dragon. Oh dear. Ozon turned away, grimacing. Unfortunately, the pirate’s screams couldn’t be ignored. Ozon kept his gaze fixed on the forest floor, his eyes occasionally darting over to his fellow Jedi. It seemed that Arctus couldn’t call the dragon off. After what felt like an eternity, Arctus made his way over to Ozon. Whilst Ozon usually appreciated levity, listening to someone be torn apart by a dragon made it difficult to joke. “True, very true.” He kept his eyes on Arctus and returned a smile. He was glad to see that his fellow Jedi was ok. “Not too much trouble, thank you. How are you doing?”

Ozon’s commlink began to flash. He unclipped it from his belt and took the call. Hopefully this is something positive.

“This is Jedi knight Ozon Jast. Who is this?”

“Master Jedi, this is Captain Sarn. Are you alright?”

Ozon was relieved. “Yes, thank you captain. Are you and the crew ok?”

“Yes, we’re holding up. We even managed to get a distress signal out to the local security force.”

“Fantastic. Now, listen captain. We’re up against pirates here. They’re in retreat, but I want you to stay where you are. Let me and knight Friers deal with them.”

“No arguments from me. Good luck master Jedi.” With that, the captain ended the communication.

“If we hurry Arctus, we might be able to head the pirates off at their ships.”

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

He didn’t miss the grimace on Ozon’s face as Selene continued to tear at the pirate captain in the background. Arctus knew that he would need to apologize for the dragon’s behavior later, aware that the winged reptile’s current behavior would reflect on him as her caretaker and keeper. Although he decided to pursue the matter for later, he reminded himself not to forget it, and also to make better adjustments with his approach on trying to correct the Arkanian Dragon’s behavior.

The Corellian quickly assessed himself when Ozon inquired about the younger man’s well-being. ”That’s good to hear. Me, I’m good,” was his honest response. When the Muun’s commlink beeped to life, Arctus took it as a cue to quietly give Nibs several pats and scritches for a job well done in supporting and staying by Ozon’s side. Of course Selene was quick to seek the same validations, but the Knight had given her a few soft but stern words against her behavior in addition to the affection she sought. It was in her nature to be fiercely overprotective, that much Arctus knew, but he wanted to tone it down maybe just a bit if he could. The dragon would also have to learn how to work with others…

The Corellian resumed his focus on his fellow Knight and nodded at Ozon’s words. ”Can’t have ‘em trying to resume their initial plans for our own ship,”he added. The man turned to his animal companions - Nibs, in particular, and told the Anooba, his words laced with both the Force and protective intent, ”Back to the ship, buddy. You’re on scout mode, remember that? Anyone who smells like a threat, you warn the crew, yeah? Gimme a howl.”

The canid let out a sharp, short howl in affirmative, understanding the words ‘scout’ and ‘threat’ the most. With the Anooba familiar with the pirates’ scent by now, he could easily distinguish friend from foe.

”Good boy. Go on, Nibs. Protect crew! Shoo!”

The Anooba took off with a bark, only growing silent the farther he got away from the two Jedi and the Arkanian Dragon.

you’ll be our eyes up there, bug-eyed lady.

The dragon took off to the skies without another peep, seemingly intent on following the Corellian’s command this time. Arctus then turned to Ozon, silently tipping his head towards the pirates’ ships’ direction. Selene’s reappearance in the sky was more than enough to instill fear in the escaping ruffians’ hearts. The Knight honed in on that fear, not revelling in it but only using the emotion as a beacon for each individual pirate. As expected most of them were making a run back for their ships, but the sight of the dragon stalking from above made them hesitate. Arctus only hoped that it would be enough to halt them long enough until he and Ozon headed them off at their ships.

And maybe then the pirates would be less than inclined to fight. As much as possible Arctus didn’t want to use Selene as an intimidation factor, but he and Ozon, despite their status as Jedi Knights, were still outnumbered.

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

The pirates retreated through the forest, desperately trying to get back to their ships.

“Not that thing again.” A frightened pirate pointed upwards at Selene. He should have paid more attention to where he was running. As he turned back to face the way he was going, he ran headfirst into a tree.

Ozon allowed Arctus to lead the way. He seemed to be lighter on his feet. It wasn’t difficult to keep track of where the pirates were. Just listen for the sounds of running footsteps, panicked voices and sporadic blaster fire. Arctus’ dragon had proved to be quite the distraction.

As the two Jedi moved closer to the edge of the forest, the familiar sound of a ship taking off could be heard. One of the ships was beginning its ascent.

-

(Onboard the ship)

“Get us out of here, now!” An older human pirate called out to the one piloting the ship.

“Not yet, I want to take a shot at that dragon.”

“Forget that, let’s go!” The pilot didn’t listen. The green Nautolan was determined to follow through with what he wanted to do.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Arctus was a lucky man for having acquired an Arkanian Dragon with the help of a respected friend and being given the privilege to raise said dragon – along with an Anooba – into a loyal companion.

While Selene continued with her scare tactics and intimidation factor, Ozon and Arctus made it out of the forest just in time to see one of the ships ascending. Unaware of the conversations between the pirates inside the escaping vessel, the Corellian whistled loudly and sharply, directing the dragon to tail the light freighter. The warning from the Force came a little late, however, and Arctus let out an almost breathless, pained gasp when one of the shots from the light laser turret managed to snag the Arkanian Dragon's leg.

Instead of retreating, however, Selene issued a challenge, high-pitched guttural roar piercing the air. With another angry shriek she unleashed a torrent of dragon fire on one of the freighter's thrusters. She didn't stop, taking full advantage of every second spent with the dorsal turret turning to aim at her, and by the time it was facing her Selene ceased and dove out of harm's way. One thruster damaged, it sputtered and exploded, sending the pirates inside scrambling for purchase as the pilot tried his hardest to maneuver the ship.

Although he had managed to somewhat hit the dragon, the green Nautolan didn't feel as lucky as he felt earlier as he gripped the laser turret's triggers for dear life. Wide black eyes frantically searched for any signs of the dragon, wanting to follow through and finish the job.

When Selene reappeared, the dorsal turret was facing the wrong way again, and no one was manning the ion turret. Another stream of dragon fire rained on the light freighter's front that sent the pilot panicking even further, the man eventually losing control of the ship. It didn't make it far, the ship crashing within the two Jedi and the other pirates' sight.

Those watching the two remaining vessels tried to make a mad dash inside, only to be halted by an invisible force. Tight enough to immobilize them but not enough to actually hurt. Both hands thrown forward, Arctus focused on keeping the pirates in stasis, jaw clenched with concentration as he tried to detach himself from his dragon's pain and anger. He yanked one of the pirates towards him and Ozon, sending the Nagai flying and crashing on the grass just shy of the Muun Jedi's feet. The others Arctus kept immobilized as he recalled Selene, his focus unwavering even as the dragon landed a few feet to his left with a loud and forceful thud.

"So! Anyone willing to point us to the direction of Barragossa?"

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon watched as Selene moved to engage the ship. “I’m not sure if this is wise Arctus.” Almost as soon as he finished his sentence, a blast from the ship’s turret glanced off Selene’s leg. Oh no. However, to Ozon’s surprise, the attack seemed to make the dragon more determined. She attacked the ship fiercely, inflicting sufficient damage to force the ship to the ground.

The remaining pirates attempted to retreat to the other ships, only to be stopped by Arctus. Holding people in stasis, by using the force, required great exertion; Ozon realised that the pirates needed to be subdued quickly. Hopefully the local security force would be here soon. He looked down as one of the pirates skidded off the ground, landing near his feet.

The Nagai attempted to pull a blaster out, but Ozon, with a flick of his wrist, used the force to sweep the weapon aside.

“We’re not telling you anything Jedi!” Ozon sighed. “We can’t let you run away from this. If you surrender, this can be resolved peacefully. The security forces are on their way. There is no need for further bloodshed.”

“Forget it!” Ozon hated to use the threat of violence, but it seemed like it might be the only way. “You have all seen the damage our dragon friend can do. If you don’t surrender, I can’t promise that I will be able to contain her.” The pirate on the floor shifted uncomfortably where he sat. The eyes of the pirates held in stasis darted around nervously.

“You can’t run. You either surrender or try to fight us. Your decision.” There was a brief silence. Please make the sensible choice.

“Devaron. The last I heard from Barragossa, he was there.” The Nagai was the one to speak up.

Some of the other pirates started to speak up.

“Let us go! We give up!”

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

Just as Arctus’ focus was beginning to waver, his grip on the pirates through the Force slipping, Ozon had taken action and took the lead in interrogating what remained of the pirates. The Corellian subtly let go of the pirates one after another, capitalizing on their focus on the Muun Jedi who now used the very real threat the Arkanian Dragon had against the ragtag group.

Intimidate, but attack no more, Nay-nay, he commanded Selene through their Bond.

Just as Ozon swore that he could contain the winged reptile, Selene’s mouth curled into a condescending snarl, rows of gleaming, sharp teeth on full display for the pirates to see. She then stalked towards the Muun Jedi and stood behind him, her stance both protective of Ozon and threatening towards the cowering group of thieves. The sight prompted a proud smile from the Corellian Jedi, but he hid it so as not to make his dragon feel overly confident towards the situation.

Girl, that protective pose is makin’ me jealous. You never do that for me!

It was just playful banter between him and the semi-sentient reptile, but it generated results. If Selene could curl around Ozon protectively to reinforce the Muun Jedi’s words, she would. But she didn’t personally know the other man, and it was a miracle that she was willingly playing the part the older Jedi was playing in order to break the pirates’ resolve.

In the end, Arctus didn’t need to add his own threats because Ozon’s persuasions and Selene’s presence were more than enough to make the group relent to the Jedi’s demands. However, the Corellian was forced to speak again when the pirates pleaded to be let go.

”Let you go? So you could continue terrorizing travelers and merchants alike?” he asked the group as a whole, not really needing a response since the pirates were stumped enough by the Jedi’s rhetorical question.

Just as Arctus finished speaking a pair of Hawkbats appeared on the horizon, escorting a trio of RRS-1 Armored Speeders. A quick cursory check through the Force was enough assurance that the newcomers were allies, further driven home when both Arctus and Ozon’s comms beeped to life.

”Masters Jast and Friers,” the captain’s voice crackled through the comms, his tone that of relief. ”Local security forces have secured our location and are offering one of their vehicles to transport our cargo to the Temple. They sent the rest of their men ahead to locate you.”

Arctus grinned thankfully. ”Yeah, we see ‘em. We’ll get back there as soon as we secure these pirates. See ya and the crew, Cap. Er…” he mumbled, remembering his Anooba. ”Has Nibs caused ya’ll any trouble…?”

The captain let out a hearty laugh from his end, and in the background Arctus could hear his Anooba barking excitedly at the sound of the Corellian’s voice.

”He’s been a good boy, Master Jedi, fret not.”

Ending the call on his end, Arctus approached the Nagai at Ozon’s feet and offered the pale man a hand. He shot the pirate and his group with a cheeky but sincere smile.

”I don’t think your boss would appreciate you returning to your base empty-handed, let alone leaderless,” he told the group, drawing on his own experiences as a former smuggler himself. ”Either you risk your safety by trying to make a run for it but getting chased - or worse, maimed or killed - by my bug-eyed, fire-breathing lady over there,” he tipped his head towards Selene for emphasis, and the Arkanian Dragon glared meanly at the pirates, ”or surrender and turn your lives for the better.”

Dantooine’s local forces finally arrived, the Hawkbats hovering on high alert above the group while the armored vehicles surrounded them. The security personnel were understandably cautious about the dragon, but their focus was on the apprehended pirates rather than the winged reptile.

The squad leader, a stocky, broad-shouldered human male, stepped out of the armored vehicle followed by his men. He took one look at the pirates, at the pirates’ ships, the crashed freighter, then saluted at the pair of Jedi.

”I’m Clyde Stargazer. I’m assuming you’re the pair of Jedi the ship captain we helped were talking about?” At the nod of confirmation from Arctus, Clyde’s stern demeanor relaxed, a smile making the older gentleman’s mustache twitch. ”We’ll take it from here, Masters Jedi. Thank you for apprehending these pirates; they were giving us quite a grief before you lot arrived.”

@DMCK

 

[Ozon Jast]

Ozon was relieved that the pirates chose to surrender. Selene had been crucial. He felt even more relieved when the authorities arrived. At last, it’s over. Things quite easily could have gone much worse.

He listened as Arctus spoke to the Nagai. Fortunately, they heeded Arctus’ words and took his hand. The security personnel moved in quickly to arrest the pirates. “You will receive fair trials. Don’t worry.”

The local forces’ leader, a human, approached the two Jedi.

“Thank you, Mr. Stargazer. We’re glad to have helped.”

“No problem. With the Jedi returning to this planet, we hopefully shouldn’t have any more trouble with pirates.”

“The pirates spoke of their leader. Someone called Barragossa. Do you know anything about him?”

“I’ve heard the name before. All I know is that he’s been around for years. I don’t know anything else, sorry. Anyway, I have to make sure things are tidied up here. Thank you again, Jedi.” Stargazer headed back over to his troops and started giving out instructions.

“Well, Arctus, all we know is that he might be on Devaron. It will need to be investigated. Quite a long way from here though.”

@Forsythe Crowholde