Even the Youngest of These

[LaPurple]

When the ship had exited hyperspace, they were arriving to a planet that was still in the wee hours of the morning. Shade covered the nearest part of the planet, giving off a surreal yet ominous feel. At least they made good time in their journey to Saleucami.

This was no leisure trip for the jedi however, by any means. It was a matter utmost haste. The Order had dispatched these jedi because of their close proximity to the planet. A young Weequay child on the planet, is believed to be strong with the Force. The child's father, a farmer outside the capital city, fears that his son's strength in the Force has also been noticed by more sinister forces. Letting another Child of the Force slip into the hands of darkness was not an option.

Jedi Knight, Kaa Gila had been near the system working aboard a Republic Corvette. He and its crew had just finished vaccinating impoverished children on the world of Ringo Vinda. The jedi did not often find himself returning to the temple which made him in ideal candidate for missions that take place so far beyond the temples. In his mind, there was too much to be done in this galaxy for him to waste time always going home. This is why a couple of weeks ago, a jedi by the name of Braedon Vallen was sent to Kaa from the jedi enclave on Dantooine. Knight Gila had been instructed to allow the Thyrsian to shadow his activities in the Outer Rim.

While the Kel Dor often preferred to distance himself from the Order, it had been some weeks since he had seen another jedi and had enjoyed conversing with someone of a similar mindset even if his knowledge of the jedi was limited for the time being.

Kaa and Braedon were not the only jedi assigned to bring this child in to the Order though. He was given the name of a jedi knight; Maliel Ascondt.

Maliel had come aboard the ship a short time ago although Kaa hadn't yet found the time for an introduction. He had been studying virus samples from one of his recent endeavors. The knight finally brought himself away from his experimenting to find the other two jedi aboard the craft. Braedon, fortunately for him, had not been forced to endure to monotonous testing with Kaa. He had been elsewhere on the ship at the time. They would be departing for the planet soon though and Gila figured he should at least know where his fellow jedi were.

His brown boots wrapped on the hard metallic floor as he paced heel to toe down the silver reflective halls of the corvette. On board the ship, Kaa did not wear his outer robe. The ship's crew tended to keep the temperature on the higher side and so his ordinary cream robes were sufficient garb.

There had been an announcement on the intercom from the captain that the jedi team's shuttle was prepped for launch. Knight Gila figured that was the best place for them to meet.

Turning the final corner, the Kel Dor strode out into the hangar as the steel doors in front of his slid open just in time for him. He made out who he thought to be his fellow jedi. One, a female with some of the lightest hair he had ever seen. The other, he was certain was Braedon. Dark in complexion and looming in stature, no one else aboard matched such a description.

As a man of few words, it was no surprise that all Kaa said was "Greetings." His word was loud from across the hangar and was certainly heard by anyone even remotely near them.

 

[Jinan B]

Even though the corvette was supposed to be moving at speeds faster than light itself, it may as well have been going at a crawl considering how much Braedon wished that it could move more quickly. He knelt in his chambers, frantically disassembling and reassembling Lamentation as he tried to calm the chaos within his mind. Normally the man's meditations would be a calming sight in itself, as his Lightsaber would slowly and steadily take itself apart in front of his hunched over figure, before just as slowly putting itself back together. Every single movement would have a purpose, and would be acted out with an elegant simplicity that epitomized effectiveness of movement. The process would be disciplined, just as the man's own mind normally was.

Today, however, the parts shook almost imperceptibly, reflecting the frustration that was Braedon's desire to finally make their landing. In one moment, the focusing crystal of the saber dropped half an inch, as clear a sign of the man's failure as anything. Almost cursing under his breath, he quickly finished putting his weapon back into one piece before giving up on his attempts entirely. Luckily enough it wouldn't be long an announcement came over the intercom for the Jedi to meet in the hanger bay. Not a moment too soon.

The Thysian had been in his chaotic state of mind ever since the message had come in that they were to make their way to Saleucami. No sooner had he become aware that they had been tasked to bring a young force sensitive child back to the Jedi Order, and more importantly, to do it before the Sith found him, than Braedon found mental images imprinting themselves into his vision. Imperius, the man who had taken him from his own home in much the same manner. Korriban, where they had tried to force him to become like they were. Raxus, where they had come to close to succeeding. No child deserved such a fate, and if he couldn't stop them from taking the Weequay... The man would not be able to forgive himself for his failure.

And so his strides were heavy as he made his way towards the hanger, equipment secured to his belt and mask in hand. He refused to make his new superiors wait even for a second. As a result he was the first of the three to arrive, before long noticing the other Knight that had been sent to assist himself and Master Kaa making her own way into the area. "Master Maliel? Braedon Vallen." He bowed to the women, clearly acknowledging her as his better in the situation. "It is an honor to meet you."

It wasn't long before the Kel Dor himself would arrive as well, who's presence Braedon would also meet with a bow. "Master Kaa." He addressed the man who he was most familiar with out the two of the Knight's just as formally as he had Maliel. "Shall we be on our way then?" He asked, making sure that no time would be wasted. No matter how things played out, he would not let the Sith take the child.

@Proleptic

 

[Proleptic]

There are times when simple words cannot suffice to express how one feels. There are times when words cannot possibly capture the depth of emotions, just as there are times when emotions are too insignificant to have applicable words. Everyone has experienced the feeling of being at a loss for words, or being in such deep confusion or surprise that they simply can't fathom a response. If anyone had come seeking Maliel Ascondt today, they would find just such a time.

Maliel was laid back, hair loose and thoughts astray. She laid on the deck of the ship, just in the cargo hold, behind a stack of meiloorun shipment crates. She had been in this exact position for far too long now, which is to say since they departed from the last planet, wherever that was. She had been far too busy in her own thoughts to even know where she was being sent. The second she heard that she was going to prevent the kidnapping of a force-sensitive child, her brain had tuned out of that conversation, and tuned right into the same ethical dilemma she had been pondering for nearly three weeks now.

Talking to Kira for the past week had proved to be an enlightening experience, in the worst and best ways possible. Having been very certain of her beliefs of good and evil, Mal had been quite pleased to believe the Sith to be the evil in the galaxy. After all, the Sith followed the dark side, and the dark side was the very thing that had bred the destruction of the Tython temple, and therein the death of her master, as well as so many other Jedi. How could something that caused so much death be followed by anyone who could be considered to have even the slightest modicum of decency? That was the question she had used to explain away the Sith as evil, but now that was all done for.

Kira had changed all of that in one fell swing, or rather, by not swinging when she could have. Maliel honestly didn't know what to believe going into this mission. Of course, she would believe the Jedi to be a wonderful home for a force-sensitive child. Despite the struggles she faced while heading into adolescence, she believed wholeheartedly that the Jedi was a positive place for a child to be raised. The values and the experiences that one gained from the training were invaluable, at least to Maliel. What happened after the child's youth was entirely another story, but that was a chore to be tackled at the appropriate time.

Looking beyond that, however, she couldn't help but see her own bias in this situation. Despite her newfound knowledge that the Sith aren't all bad, she still believed them to be irrevocably flawed in their mindset, particularly the way that they rely on hatred and anger as such a prevalent source of power. Passion was something at the very heart of one's being. That was ingrained into almost every individual in the galaxy. Everyone has passion for something. That being said, taking that extra step towards embracing negative emotions as a source of power seemed a poor way of viewing life, to Maliel. Her short dip into the dark side had been unpleasant, to say the least. Such an experience was not one she longed for again.

While she believed that embracing those emotions was not an ideal way to live, she couldn't say for sure that it was inherently wrong. After all, it isn't your emotions and feelings that decide what kind of person you are, it is your actions that matter. To embrace passion in positive ways, or sometimes even to use your anger in order to do what is right, is hardly a bad thing. That had always been one of Maliel's biggest issues with the Jedi mindset. Even still, she could say with absolute certainty that having a child raised in Sith could not be a positive environment. Maliel just didn't know if she believed the Jedi have the way to peace. The Sith most certainly don't, but at least they don't preach against emotions.

Maliel felt a tap on her shoulder, bringing her out of her deep concentration. One of the officers stood above her, poking her apprehensively in the shoulder, as if she were some cargo to be approached with care. "I'm up. I'm up." She said quickly, waving off his hand. "Where are we, exactly?" She asked. The man looked at her curiously, probably thinking her insane. "Saleucami, madame." He said respectfully, with just a slight undertone of condescension. She nodded an affirmative and rolled to her feet. She stretched, shaking out her muscles and reached up to ruffle her hair. She gained her bearings and made her way for the ramp to the hangar.

When it came down to it, she would always choose the Jedi over the Sith. Her entire mental dilemma was solely concerning the philosophical nature of the Jedi and Sith mindsets, and whether or not either one of them was truly the best environment for an adolescence to prosper. Inevitably, she didn't believe they were. On one side you were brainwashed, and on the other you were well on your way to becoming a murder machine, craving power and aiming for control. Of course, that was the worst case scenario, but unfortunately it was also the one most commonly found among each faction. It would seem there is no perfect solution in this one. She thought.

As she strolled down the ramp, she walked straight for a man who was staring intently in her direction, and she figured he was probably one of the guys on the team. "Master Maliel? Braedon Vallen." The man said, introducing himself with a bow. She was slightly taken aback by the sign of respect. She was rather incline towards bows as well, but the angle of the man's bow quite clearly indicated his belief that she was somehow elevated. She would be sure to correct that most readily. Maliel smiled lightly at the imposing individual, giving him an up and down inspection in a moment. "Well, you're certainly err....large, aren't you?" She said tactlessly.

She realized a moment later that her intentions to introduce herself as an equal individual were slightly shattered by that sentence, but she quickly recovered. "Oh! My mistake, sir. The honor is all mine." She said, bowing into nearly a right angle, keeping her arms straight at her sides, as was respectful tradition. Such a bow was one given to someone of great authority. As she was raising herself back up, she heard a booming voice echo from across the hanger, and flicked her head over to meet the gaze of their other party member. Maliel found his voice quite comical, for some reason, and couldn't help her reaction in this case.

"Greetings!" She said in a similarly booming voice. She deepened her voice and imitated the dulcet, rich tones of the man's voice. She giggled to herself at her own imitation, finding it quite amusing for whatever reason. "In all seriousness, which is to say in no seriousness whatsoever, you already seem pretty chill." She said to the approaching Kel Dor. "You, on the other hand, seem a bit too high strung, my overly large friend." She said. "Hopefully that won't last long with you being near me."

 

[LaPurple]

Another moment of walking out the jedi right in the midst of his fellow jedi. The jedi was surprised to already be cracking a slight grin underneath his mask. Too long had it been since he smiled. There was little to smile about this close to the Sith domain. Poverty, war, and wreckage were all he had seen in recent months.

So when the zany knight mocked his voice, it was a fresh change of pace. He was certain he couldn't recall any of the ship's crew having done that before.

His distaste for the Jedi Order had quickly slipped away as he continued his introduced, though this time his voice matched his regular, proper self. "Chill you say? I think I can certainly say that is the first time anyone has ever referred to me as such, but none-the-less, it is a pleasure."

After his pleasant greeting the Maliel, he turned to his companion whom had been accompanying him aboard the frigate for a couple weeks now. So far he had enjoyed the man's company. It did feel odd to be teaching someone older than him, but in the Kel Dor's mind, it is never too late to learn about the Force. Such power and serenity balanced by an entity spanning the very length of the galaxy. Truly magnificent. It would be a shame to deny anyone willing of such a thing.

A short moment passed where Kaa simply stood with his head turned to Braedon. Master Gila debated starting small talk with the man and woman, but he decided against it. Rather he gave a nod saying "
"Braedon." He looked back to Maliel so she would know this next comment was geared toward both of the jedi. "I don't mean to cut short our introductions, but might I recommend we continue them aboard the shuttle?" He asked as he gestured toward the craft in the hangar.

With a young child's fate at stake, there was little time to leave for delay. The Sith are relentless in their hunt for power. If the jedi had come to learn of this child's connection to the Force, it wouldn't be long before the Sith and their spies also came into this knowledge. In fact, he would be surprised if they were not on their way already. The way the order had described it to Kaa, was that Saleucami is a planet of fiercely torn allegiances.

So, it was this in mind that he gestured with his orange, taloned hands, for them to occompany him as he continued up the metallic ramp.

 

[Jinan B]

Braedon had to say that he was a little thrown off by the women's response to his greetings. He had been greeted respectfully before, just as he had been ignored, or mocked (the latter 2 were far more likely than the former among the Sith), but he didn't think that anyone that he had met had ever passed over a greeting in favor of a comment on the man's height. With a women like this serving alongside Master Kaa as his superior, this would be an interesting mission indeed. He could only hope that Master Maliel hid great skill behind her offbeat personality, for the chance of them needing to battle before the child was with them seemed high.

When she moved on to mocking Kaa as well, Braedon could definitely see that this was a women that he would have to avoid taking seriously. It was something that he would have to work on, and the only response that he managed to her comments about how he was too high strung was a soft grunt, almost as if he were too busy choking on his tongue to speak. The circumstances made him ever more glad when Kaa elected to shift their focus back to the task at hand, and the man was all too keen to disengage from the conversation and enter the ship itself. Unless he was spoken too, he couldn't imagine that he would contribute to what he hoped wouldn't be a very lively trip.

Then again, he doubted that Master Maliel would hold any kind of silence, so he imagined that the trip would somehow become very lively. At least it would keep his mind off the chance of the the Sith finding the child before they did.

 

[Proleptic]

Maliel smiled at the two men. They were obviously too serious, but she would loosen them out before the mission was up. One of them, the chill one, suggested that they get to the shuttle, and she couldn't disagree. "Yes, let's go." she agreed, moving to board the shuttle. Heading into this mission, Maliel just had to be sure to keep a calm mind, and not question too much. She needed to just do her job and be on with it. She felt quite certain that this child would be better off with the Jedi than the Sith, but she wasn't sure if she would be better off with the Jedi, or leading a normal life.

Maliel knew that she would never take back her decision to go with the Jedi. She cherished the force more than anything, and she believed that every force-sensitive individual should be given the chance to feel the connection she had. She just didn't know if the Jedi or Sith were the best places to do that. Vague impressions of a separate group of force users flooded her mind as she considered how exciting it might be to create a new sect of force users, devoid of the Jedi constraints, and without the focus on hatred that the Sith run on. That would be something she would have to look into further.

As she walked the boarding ramp to the shuttle, she zoned back into the moment at hand. "So. What are the odds that we can get in and out before the Sith arrive?" she asked plainly. Maliel knew that the Sith were likely going to fight tooth and nail just out of principle, and if they truly wanted the child, it would be even worse.

 

[Jinan B]

...So much for keeping my mind off the odds.

The pilot's seemed to be making good progress towards the planet, and Braedon could see the planet looming ever closer through the pilot's window, but it wasn't as if they were moving quickly enough for him. He wanted to have his feet on the ground, and actually be able to see what lay in wait for them rather than being having to wonder what they were going to face. As far as he knew, they would meet with no resistance whatsoever in their mission to bring this child back to the Jedi.

"Not very good, in all likelihood. If we know about this child, the Sith will as well... And they love to make sure that they have all the potential Sith they can find back on Korriban." A hint of bitterness entered the man's voice as he finished his statement due to his own experiences with the Sith's methods of finding new apprentices. It wasn't something he could keep his mind on though, before long they would make landfall right by the farm of the family that they came to see, and Braedon would need to deal with whatever awaited them. "Even though we were chosen due to being close to Saleucami, this is Sith space. For all we know there were Sith on this world already... They would've had the head start if that were true." The Thrysian could only hope that they wouldn't be too late to even have a chance to save the boy. He paused for a moment, thinking over what would happen once they arrived.

"And Masters. It might be better if... If you were the ones to speak to the child and his parents." The man wouldn't elaborate on why he said what he did, but it would be obvious that he was painfully aware of his tainted appearance. If the family saw the signs of Dark side corruption on the face of a supposed Jedi, they might even think twice before allowing the child into their care at all.

It was a good thing he had brought his Faceplate.

 

[Proleptic]

Maliel sat impatiently on the shuttle as it carried them to the farm of the family in question. The kid was force-sensitive, and that made him a target. Maliel hadn't had to deal with any Sith trying to acquire her when she had been a child, but she knew it wasn't all that rare of an occurrence. It would seem that the Sith and Jedi almost always ended up fighting over the 'possession' of the child, though Jedi didn't think of it as such.

As she moved her mind to focus on the mission, she realized that it truly was best to bring the child into the order. Despite her own experiences and conflicts, she knew it was a good place to be raised. It was a good foundation for living, and it was certainly better than the Sith. Maliel became vaguely aware of Braedon talking in the background, and went ahead and tuned herself into his discussion. "And Masters. It might be better if...if you were the ones to speak to the child and his parents," he said. Maliel didn't know them man well, but she could only assume it had something to do with the subtle signs of dark side taint.

Despite his obviously light-sided mindset now, he must have dabbled in the Sith arts at some point or another. Maliel gave him a sympathetic smile, nodding reassuringly. She could remember her quick foray into the dark side, and had refused to even open her eyes when she realized that they had taken on a temporary yellow hue.

"I've got it bud, no worries," Maliel said brightly. They sat in silence for a time before landing, and Maliel rose quickly and made her way to the house to introduce herself to the people of the house. She rang the doorbell, though it would seem rather redundant considering the ship they arrived in was not a quiet one. A man in his mid-to-late thirties opened the door, holding a makeshift spear and looking intensely worried. Apparently he was knowledgeable enough to know that the Sith might come knocking too. The man immediately relaxed upon seeing who it was, and lowered his makeshift weapon while he scratched at his beard.

"Sorry 'bout that, ma'am. I've been rattled e'er since I heard them Sith was comin'," the man said respectfully. Maliel smiled softly at him, pleased to see him ready and willing to protect his family. "You've nothing to apologize for, sir," she began. "And please call me Maliel," she concluded with a slight bow. "I'm at your service, sir."

"Oh, aw righ' then," the man said with a small smile. "Uhh, hows 'bout y'all come on in; there's a couch in here," he said, moving out of the doorway and inviting the Jedi inside. "Just make yerself comfortable." The man moved to stand behind a chair, obviously still a bit restless. Maliel started broadcasting calming waves of force energy to try and help him relax, as well as to just sense anyone else about the establishment.

"Well, sir, as you're probably aware, we are here about your son," she started in an even tone. "We want to make sure he is as safe as possible, particularly from the Sith. We're afraid that they may try to collect him. I know that this may be worrisome, and it is your decision as to whether or not you allow the Jedi to provide him refuge, but it would be in the best interest of both your child and the rest of your family to have him moved to the temple. I can assure you that he would be kept safe and happy, and he would be trained in the ways of the force."

Maliel concluded her mandatory spiel with a slightly bitter taste in her mouth. She felt like a robot, simply repeating a partially-scripted set of lines that was designed to make parents feel good about giving up their children. She knew she was doing the right thing, but she still wished there was a better option.

 

[Jinan B]

Braedon followed the two Knights as they made their way to the house of the Force Sensitive. He trailed slightly, slowing down in order to take his facemask out of the small bad that he had brought with him, as well as put it on. He hoped that the family would not be put off by the mask, but he believed that they would only be put off even more by what lay under it. Were it not for the fact that the arrival of a group of Sith Warriors was still very much in the realm of possibility, Braedon would've questioned why he was here at all.

When the Weequay invited the group of Jedi into his home, Braedon was more than ready to instead remain outside under the pretense of Watching the perimeter. Of course, that idea was ruined when Master Kaa managed to voice the same idea first. The Thrysian wondered briefly if the action was done purposefully to make sure Braedon entered the home, but the man decided that the Kel Dor would not have done something like that. As a result, he entered the farmer's home on his invitation, perching himself on the edge of the seat offered while Master Maliel spoke her piece to the farmer.

The farmer remained silent for a moment, as if he were thinking over his decision to give up his son to the Jedi. "An' if you bring him back to y'alls temple. I guess... I won't be able to see him anymore?" It was clear to the Thrysian that the Weequay had no desire to give his child up to the Jedi Order, much like most parents. If it wasn't for the risk of the Sith, he wondered if the man would've even considered the idea. Somehow, he doubted it.

Either way, Braedon would remain silent. It would be better, in his mind, if Master Maliel spoke to the man without his intervention. It would have been best if he had been the one outside, but he supposed that he couldn't get everything to be perfect. If he could, they wouldn't even be here in the first place.

 

[tobographic]

Saleucami had been waking up for the past while, and with it, so was a new fear. Akayla had been briefed about the task at hand, and it's importance. A young child on the planet was at risk of being found by the Sith. A few Jedi had been dispatched to the planet below, to assure the safety of the Weequay, and one of them was her. She was late, of course, but that didn't mean much, considering that a large chunk of the mission had already been completed; getting to the child. All that was left was to get them out, and to safety, which was probably easier said than done.

The young Togruta was a little antsy, of course, this being her first official mission, but she kept herself as calm as she could. As her boots touched the ground of Saleucami, she gave off a long sigh to attempt to settle herself as much as she could. After all, the father of this child probably wouldn't feel very at ease if the Jedi looked as riled up as he probably was. She reached up to tug at the pale blue collar of her shirt, afterwards setting off towards the house in front of her.

As she reached the front door of the house, she stood in place for a few moments as she looked at the area around her, deciding thereafter to enter. The first person she noticed was the Weequay father, who was holding some sort of makeshift spear in his hand. She greeted him with the soft wave of her hand. "My apologies for being late." She spoke aloud.

@Jinan B

 

[Jinan B]

Silence hung over the room for a brief moment, as Maliel seemed to be trying to find an answer to the farmer's clear misery. It wasn't entirely clear to the Thrysian himself, but he could've sworn that he saw a similar hint of sadness in the Jedi. At least he thought he saw some kind of negative emotion being felt by the women, even if he could only guess as to what it was exatcly. As the women started replying to the farmer, however, Braedon's attention was taken by a sound on the other side of the room.

He turned his head and saw a Weequay child that can't have been older than 8 years old perhaps. So this is who we've come for. The boy's head was the only part of his body that Braedon could see, for the rest of it was hidden behind the room's wall. Presumably he had heard the noise of the Jedi's entrance and had come to investigate. Nevertheless, it was clear that he knew why the strangers were here. Braedon saw the same emotions reflected in this child that he had years ago. The confusion that came with not knowing why your parents were so upset, nor why you were leaving with people that you had never met. The fear that came with realizing that you might never be able to see your family again. And there, the hint of anger and bitterness that came from the belief that you had been abandoned. Braedon's heart tore at the sight, but that didn't mean that he could avoid his duty: if the Jedi didn't take the child then the Sith would, and to a fate far worse than what awaited the Weequay now.

The man stood up from the couch and made his way slowly to the boy, cursing that his appearence had to resemble that of a faceless enemy. "Child." He would say gently to the boy, going on one knee so as to now look down on him. "Perhaps it is better if we were to go outside for now." The boy nodded, and so Braedon began to make his way towards the entrance, bowing his head before the farmer so as not to alarm him too greatly. Just as he reached the door a young Togruta made her entrance, another Jedi by the looks of things. Braedon nodded to her, not saying a word but making it clear enough that her presence would be welcome with him and the child. Besides, having someone not as horribly scared as the Thrysian around would probably make reassuring the boy a hell of a lot easier.

They ended far enough away from the local's home so as not to be able to hear their convorsation, but still close enough so as to see them. An old tree hung over the area, which contained enough outdoor furniture to make it clear that meals could be and were eaten there on a regular basis. The child settled quickly into an old swinging chair connected to one of the tree's branches, though the negative emotions still remained as present as ever on his face. Braedon himself tentatively placed himself onto a regular wooden chair that sat at the head of a small table. He looked behind him for a brief moment, so as to see if the Togruta had followed them or not.

 

[tobographic]

When Akayla first entered the small house, the thing that stood out above all else was a looming sense of fear. This emotion clouded very obviously around the two Weequay in the house, though it was unknown which was more afraid than the other. It wasn't like it mattered in any significant way, however, as the very obvious fright was all that needed to be felt. She responded to Braedon's nod with her own gesture of the same kind, quickly turning herself around to make room for her fellow Initiate to exit the building. After they did so, she began to follow after the Jedi and the child.

When they found their way away from the house, the Togruta's first order of business was to lean over, and offer a friendly smile to the Weequay. She felt that, hopefully, she had a presence that was friendly enough so that the boy would not be startled by the Jedi that were preparing to remove him from his home. Though she was, herself, scared, it did not reach the level that Braedon was feeling. However, through all of this, she managed to keep her eye on the task at hand, turning back to the more experienced Jedi and look to him to determine whether or not he would have preferred that she take the lead in talking to the child.