[FLASHBACK] [1,023 ABY] The Needle in the Haystack

[Ush]

Ryloss felt the end of his roll-up burn his fingers. Closing his eyes, he focused on the pain. The light went out, snuffed by the Force. Ryloss knew he was in a public place with any number of people around, and yet, he didn't care. Ryloss had consumed enough alcohol to kill most humans. That was just enough to make a zeltron extremely drunk. And Ryloss was a nasty drunk. The first person to try to attack him would find decades of pent-up viciousness and spite released all at once. Let the Hunters come. He'd deal with them as he had the others: With tooth, elbow, nail and lightsaber, if it came to that. Right now, the weapon was concealed in one of Ryloss' deep pockets and he had no intention of taking it out.
Stumbling away from the bar, Ryloss was aware that he had forgotten where he had left his ship. Not for the first time. Cursing, the zeltron stumbled off down the street.

He surfaced back to consciousness some time later with a squashed-nosed human grabbing him by the collar. Ah. Well, Ryloss knew he had three options. One, to kill the man. Two, to hurt him. And three, try to figure out what was going on.
"You've got a problem with me, ya pink bastard?"
Ryloss blinked once, slowly. He was still quite drunk.
"Wut?" was all he could muster. This obviously didn't satisfy the human. The first punch knocked Ryloss' head back. The second to the ground. The third smashed his head against the floor, followed by the kicked. This kept going for a few seconds before Ryloss grabbed hold of the leg and wrenched it away. The human fell hard and winded himself. He found the Ryloss was suddenly on top of him and pulling him to his feet. The first punch knocked him out cold.
Ryloss touched his hand to his lips. They came away bloody. Swearing, the zeltron gave the man another good kick. No reaction. Of course not. If Ryloss wasn't so godsdammed angry he'd have checked to see if the guy was still breathing. Snarling, he continued down the street.

The next time he came to, he was in a very nasty part of Taris. Two men were standing over him, both with small batons. Ryloss watched one of them bring their's back and smash him in the stomach. The pain was immediate and he felt anger follow. Shooting up, Ryloss punched both of them in the jaws. Both stumbled back, stunned. Ryloss grabbed the one that had hit him by the shoulder and spun him around, shattering his nose with a punch. A scream and he was out of the fight. Ryloss spun around himself, catching the second man in the back of the head with his fist. Another knock-out punch. And once more, Ryloss stumbled off.

He awoke the next day in a drain on the side of the rode. Everything hurt. Literally everything. Swearing, Ryloss dragged himself up. His shirt was bloody, his right eye felt swollen, he had bitten the inside of his mouth... Wow, he'd really taken a beating. Well, the upside was he could now remember where his ship was.
On his walk over, Ryloss tried to remember what had made him drink so much. He couldn't quite remember. Oh, wait. The Jedi.
For two weeks he had searched for them, mostly with his mind. So far, nothing. In fact, so much nothing that he had been depressed by his search for his old 'family'. Someday.

He cleaned himself up and took a long, long walk. It wasn't long before the crushing loneliness, depression and sense of futility found him. Why could he have found the Jedi? He'd never gotten anything right before, had he? And if it had taken the Sith this long to find them, how the absolute kriff would he? How? Ryloss let out a small growl of frustration. He also let out a small burst of Force energy, which he immediately regretted. Anyone could find him now. Ah, what the hell did it matter? He was screwed anyway...

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre enjoyed lush worlds rich with wild flora and flauna, places where one could go to forget about technology, politics, and war, and begin to understand the true balance of nature. That was why Ze'kyre had asked to be dropped off upon the planet of Galtea, marooning himself deep within its wilderness with nothing but a flute to keep himself entertained, and his lightsaber in order to practice the Form he had been developing over the last few years. More than a local month he had spent within the wilds, over half of it in the ruins of an indigenous people, meditating, experimenting, exhausting himself, and reconstructing his lightsaber. It was only when he emerged that he had been greeted by the descendants of the people who had built the ruins. They greeted him with much ceremony and helped him recover his strength. Having fast befriended the tribe, he was asked to take one with him when he returned to his Order.

And now they were on Taris. Ze'kyre, having spent all of his time amongst the exiled Jedi, knew that making his way back would be tricky. He would need to take great care, think through each stride with precaution. They had quickly stopped to port on nearly a half dozen worlds before finding themselves stranded on Taris. Route foiled, it fell to Ze'kyre to find a new path home.

The Imperium was everywhere, so to avoid arousing suspicion, Ze'kyre directed the Jedi Hopeful, from the space port. The simple brown cloaks they had acquired helped to keep the echani and his new lightsaber hidden. It was hard for him to blend into a crowd with the whiteness of his features and the oddness of his irises, but the hood would certainly help. The two descended the steps from the space port. They were levels above the planet floor, and Ze'kyre wondered if Nakoma felt the same unease he always did when he was so far from actual ground. No matter, as a Jedi she would grow accustomed to such civilization, at least in a few ways.

The area was not very densely populated at the moment, and only a few people passed by. However when he got to the bottom of the steps, he saw a particularly beat up looking man about to head up the other side. The way he limped defiantly, slouched, the look on his face. He's had a little more than a rough night, Ze'kyre thought to himself before continuing to lead the Hopeful to a nearby Cantina, where perhaps they could enlist the aid of a smuggler.

But before he took another step, he felt it. The burst in energy, coming right from the man before him. What had that been? Was he using some sort of technique to feel out for Jedi? Was he some sort of bounty hunter? Cautiously, Ze'kyre's consciousness came out from behind its defences, and he briefly sought to feel out the man before they all came another step closer. With Nakoma on his right side, and the man passing by his left, he mentally prepared for all hell to break loose, dichromatic gaze locking with the eyes of the Zeltron, and squinting ever so slightly with a brief glare of awareness.

But suddenly, he realized that this was no Imperial agent, or at least the man had no severe interest in the two of them. Unbeknownst to Ze'kyre, the Zeltron did actually seek the Jedi, just not in the way he feared. He briefly motioned for Nakoma to stop before catching the attention of the Zeltron by holding up his other hand. Ze'kyre did not like the idea of trusting random Force adepts, and so he hoped to use the man while keeping him at arms length. If they could make one more stop, he would be able to contact and arrange to be picked up by a Jedi transport and taken to the new enclave on Arbra.

"Excuse me sir. By the looks of it you don't intend to stay on the planet long. My friend here and I would like to leave Taris too, before we encounter the people you angered," he chuckled lightheartedly, testing the water of the red-skinned man's demeanour quite delicately. "We just need to reach the next quadrant of the Outer Rim, I can reward you handsomely." Of course, the Jedi Knight had but a few credits, but that was something he kept to himself.

 

[Wolf]

In the day of the trouble of our people
When those that bring destruction have arrived,
The Great Wind will bring to us a hope
When daylight shines at midnight.
When twenty times the Tree of Sorrow
Casts her leaves upon the ground,
A visitor from the stars will come
To take the child.
She is our hope,
A great warrior that will someday
Return to us our peace.
___________________________________________​

Nakoma was now face to face with her destiny. She had dreamed of this "visitor from the stars" since she was old enough to understand the expectation that rested upon her shoulders. It had all happened so fast. Before she knew it, she was saying her final goodbyes to family and friends and leaving everything familiar behind. She had never traveled outside of the safety of the woodlands and knew very little of the universe. In fact, her people stayed so well secluded that she had never encountered anyone outside of her tribe. Her eyes were wide with wonder as her journey began.

Though the pair had briefly stopped on several planets since departing Galtea, the novelty of the fact that there were other worlds aside from her own had yet to wear off. Nakoma took in every sight and smell around her. She had always relied upon feeling her surroundings and now her senses were on overload. She had never imagined so many people all gathered at once. There were so many conversations happening simultaneously within her mind that it was almost deafening.

Then she saw him.

"What is that?!" she wondered to herself as her eyes fixed themselves upon the disheveled man. She began to feel quite uneasy as Ze'kyre approached him and spoke. "He looks like he needs help, but are you sure we should trust him?" she questioned the Jedi with her mind. Nakoma could not hide the worry on her face as she moved a step closer to Ze'kyre. Then something deep within Nakoma's spirit felt at peace in that moment as she waited for direction from the Jedi. He was easy to trust and he exuded what she perceived as a natural confidence. The young woman that just days ago knew nothing of other people or other worlds was quickly beginning to accept that this was going to be her new way of life.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss' head snapped towards the human who spoke to him. No, not human. Not pureblooded at any rate. The hair marked him as an Echani in the same way Ryloss' skin marked him as a zeltron. At least an Echani could shave. Ryloss glared at him for a moment, making sure he wasn't a threat. Eventually, he decided he wasn't. No, actually, that wasn't right. He decided he wasn't an immediate threat. Not now, at least. The girl beside him looked startled at Ryloss' appearance (this was a bit of a blow to his already deflated ego) and she looked at the Echani as if... As if she was talking to him... Ah. Ah, very good. Using the Force, Ryloss sensed the end of the her message.
"-you sure we should trust him?
Ryloss immediately cut in, sending a message to both of their minds.
"And here I was thinking 'trust no one' was the code of survival for anyone who didn't label themselves 'Sith' out here."
He glared at both of them, but mostly the girl.
"If you won't use voices, at least learn to hide your thoughts."
He withdrew as soon as he had entered, closing his mind off to their attempted communications, should they come. Ryloss then stepped back onto his heel, crossing his arms. He now spoke in level, even tones and had a raised eyebrow.
"Now then, where exactly do you two need to go?"
Were they Jedi? Ryloss wasn't sure. Looking at their minds from afar, only seeing the light and dark, they both had overwhelmingly light minds compared to Ryloss' own. He knew it would have potentially warded off a more experienced or warier Jedi, or any Force-Sensitive, but these two... Well, they needed help. They'd last hours against the Sith, alone. Ryloss had been running and fighting them for years. He could get them out, easily... But could they get him to where he wanted to go? Was it worth the risk? Ryloss balanced it out in his head as they replied.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

The red man's aura was slightly aggressive, but for the time being seemed nothing to cause too much worry. He heard Nakoma's question, and if it surprised him when the Zeltron interrupted telepathically it did not stumble across his face. He allowed Nakoma's presence in his mind, having grown familiar with her signature in the Force, but erected a focused defence - solidified by hours of daily meditation - to outside presences such as Ryloss. To look within Ze'kyre's mind, for the stranger, would be to meet with a wall of diamond, reflecting the gaze of his mind eye upon itself in kaleidoscopic fashion. However, Nakoma, would see the thought. Help those in need when you can, for you may be the only one who ever does. Abundance only existed in realms where generousity was held high. She knew this, she came from such a realm. But she could not yet understand how some people were not so lucky, despite all of their technology and 'advances' in civilization.

The sort of generousity Ze'kyre thought he may be able to give this man, however, did not rely on some form of charity. Perhaps what this one needed was guidance. Sure, he was old to begin the practices of a Padawan, but never too old. The Jedi could use more tough guys, and by the looks of him he had seen as brutal a brawl as anyone - perhaps just last night. Ze'kyre's head tilted slightly, but his smile did not recede.

"My friend, if you can only take us so far, we will still be grateful." His tone was lower now. The place was not too populated at the moment, but you could never be too careful these days, not as a Jedi. Stepping closer, he said "Please, why don' we go to your ship? You do fly a ship... correct?" Ze'kyre's smile faded just somewhat as concern flashed across his eyes.

"We can discuss it more once we are alone." His smile returned as he gave the man a slight bow of his head.

Don't worry, he may be going where we are. If worse comes to worst, perhaps I can pilot his ship. The thought was accompanied with a feeling of reassurance. The potential fight did not worry Ze'kyre, however he disliked piloting, and was not incredibly talented at it, only doing it when absolutely necessary. Of course, his strict mental defences ensured that the Zeltron would no longer be reading the thoughts in his head, whether they were his own, or placed there by his companion.

 

[Wolf]

The biting words of the stranger took Nakoma by surprise. "He was right! There are others that speak as we do" she thought, remembering the first conversation she held with Ze'kyre just a few days ago. She was taken back however, by the rough demeanor in which Ryloss carried himself. Nakoma came from a very honorable people that sought to put the needs of another ahead of their own. She had never encountered such a rude comment in her life and it took her a moment to understand what was happening in this exchange.

As the two men spoke by mouth, the young woman listened with her mind as her eyes moved nervously about their surroundings. Ze'kyre's words reassured her once again however, and she focused in on Ryloss. She wondered what his true intentions were but her heart believed that at the core of every being was something inherently good. She looked on him with pity as she could only imagine the kind of life that would lead someone to be in this man's current position.

A gentle smile appeared on Nakoma's lips as her eyes met those of the stranger. With all of the peace that she could send with her words, she spoke a simple plea from her mind to his, "we would be grateful for any kindness that you may have to offer us." Even if he refused to listen, she hoped that the peace she projected his way would penetrate that goodness she knew resided somewhere within him. She was uncertain of the outcome of this exchange but held onto a hope that the Great Wind would only direct her in the way which she was meant to go.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss felt the mental wall go up, and he started to check for weaknesses. Finding none, he allowed his lips to curve to one side in a small half-smile. Better. Yes, he could work with that. And by work, he meant walk beside him without feeling paranoid. Ryloss' own defenses were nothing so strong but possibly as effective. They were weak, but they allowed Ryloss to tell who was attacking him and retaliate, usually to a better success rate due to the information the initial defense gave him. Probably a Jedi, then. To the point that Ryloss was telling himself he finally had a way home. If these two were what they seemed, he could join the Order again. He wondered if they'd take him back. His mind was crushingly negative and dark, but the small beacon of hope that nestled at it's core could easily be sustained. In fact, Ryloss felt it grow. Smiling fully now, although his eyes still betrayed a certain darkness, he spoke.
"Shouldn't be too difficult. And yes, of course, we shall speak more in private. I do fly a ship. It isn't large or fast, but it'll hold the three of us and it can tear a hole in most others."
It was true. Although old, the Landba class shuttles still packed a powerful punch. And in the hands of a skilled pilot they could fight entire squadrons of fighters off. Ryloss had seen it happen, although it wasn't his ship. Five small A-wing pirate ships attacked it. The first was hit when it got too close by a turret, the glass warped and shattered, leaving the pilot to die. The second was hit by the main canons, instantly gone. The third lost it's engines and the other two had to drag it to safety. The ship itself didn't sustain any expensive damage. And that was why Ryloss still flew his.
When the girl spoke to him, he looked her in her eyes. She had an innocence that reminded him of someone. The simple refusal to believe that people would still do bad things if they could profit out of it. The innocent look of a child on the body of one too old. Ryloss had met her kind before, but not in years. They died or left for greener pastures. Ryloss held her gaze and spoke to her privately.
"One day, you might look upon your life and see only loss and death. Ignore it, because it's the curse of all of us."
By our kind, he meant the Jedi. And it was true. Ryloss could look back and see only anger and regret. He had done nothing with his life. But maybe this window could provide him with something... More.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre bowed his head once more. "Please sir, lead the way."

The journey to the ship was short and quiet. The Lambda-class shuttle was sturdy, and once the three of them found themselves safely inside with the ramp sealing behind him, Ze'kyre walked into the middle of the ship. He quickly took stock of his surroundings. It was an open concept with plenty of seating. Looking at the refresher in the far corner, he noticed the space in the adjacent corner, and thought it would serve Nakoma well if the next phase went too far out of hand. Turning around, he faced the two of them. His hands met in front of his solar plexus. One a fist, the other curled around it tenderly.

Ze'kyre bowed deeper this time and extended the symbol of strength and compassion to the man who took them in. "We are very grateful, sir. As I said, we do have much to discuss, but first..." The monk looked up at the man from under his hood.

The corner, now.

Suddenly, his left foot shot forward, and the sign of strength and unity he was presenting exploded forth while his center of gravity lowered. The hard palm of his left hand headed straight for Ryloss' diaphragm as his right hand lifted to his own neck level, waiting for a martial response from the Zeltron. The monk's intuition saw to the core of the man, past the darkness in his eyes and way of life. But the Echani knew better than to trust someone without fighting them first.

And so he sent the palm forth with a shocking fluidity. The power generated from his stance and coursing down the length of his arm was more than enough to knock the Zeltron onto his ass if he was not careful. He kept his weight on the balls of his toes. Now he would learn of Ryloss' truths, using a form of communication that no soul could lie through.

 

[Wolf]

As the trio boarded the ship, Nakoma let the troubling words that Ryloss spoke seep into her mind. Was it really possible that he was right or was he speaking from a lifetime of personal grief? She sensed that he had been wounded far beyond the physical sense of the word. Still unable to read his intentions, the young woman followed the lead of Ze'kyre.

She watched his body language and the motion of his eyes around the space that they would occupy on this journey. She also took notice of a corner that would provide minimal safety if the situation became chaotic. Just when the young woman was beginning to relax ever so slightly, the Jedi's words pierced her mind like a slap to the face. Urgency accompanied the very serious tone behind the simple command and the Laku'na was in the corner within seconds. What then began to unfold before her eyes was beyond unexpected.

The physical prowess of her companion was impressive. The fluidity of his movements was like a beautiful dance. Nakoma felt her jaw drop ever so slightly as her eyes widened to take in the strange turn of events. "What is he doing?" the question coursed through her mind. She closed her mouth quickly but continued watching in awe. She wondered what Ze'kyre was thinking and why he would begin a fight with the man that was just about to give them a ride to their destination!

Though Nakoma did not understand this, she realized that there were a lot of things that she did not understand and so, she continued to trust Ze'kyre. She watched him closely, waiting for a command that could come at any moment.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss had had this ship for something like twelve years now, and he didn't regret a single one. He'd never had to fly it in a combat situation, thankfully, but he knew how to. Quite well, too. This ship could last him fifty years, and he intended to get all of them out of it. It was an inheritance from a woman he had once planned to marry. And now, it serves as his lodgings and transport.
"Break anything and you'll pay for it."
He turned from the Echani, intending to immediately take off. But he sensed something new in the air. Something that he could remember all too well. He immediately opened an emotional link with both of the people behind him, checking to see what it was. Hostility was his first guess. That was followed by a shock of fear through Ryloss' body, that first sudden pull of unconscious terror like that a person felt when falling from a roof top. Ryloss was well used to it. He got the same feeling when he saw someone in Sith armor walking towards him, or when he heard blaster fire. It wasn't as much fear for himself. It was fear for anyone nearby, the person attacking him and anyone stupid enough to intervene.
It had been years since Ryloss had lost a fight. Sure, he was cocky, but it was a well-earned cockiness stemmed from the blood of a dozen bounty hunters thinking that because he was a Zeltron he'd be soft. But it turned out the other way, really. Zeltrons were not only stronger than humans, they were faster and could even predict and alter a person's next move slightly with their pheromones, which he immediately started to produce, and emotional connection, which he began to establish between himself and the Echani. This would allow him to possibly predict the next move - although Ryloss felt he was forgetting something important about the race.
He turned just in time to see the hand shoot out. He instinctively ducked straight down, crouching to less than half his six foot in height, and exploded up like a spring. Ryloss fought like someone who had been thought the basics by a master (which he had been) and then spent the next decade boxing in back alleys (which he had, coupled with a bit of light wrestling with Imperial Stormtroopers) and combined the pair into a sort of brutal bastardization of the Echani art.
And at that thought, Ryloss realized his mistake. He was fighting an Echani. This art was developed by them and for them. He could well be a master of it. In fact, he was probably above-average at the least. Dammit. All this came to Ryloss as he jumped at the man's underarm, his right arm going over it and his left arm reaching around and grabbing at the shoulder as her slammed towards his rib-cage, the eventual plan to wrap himself around the Echani and use his strength to get him off his feet before smashing him down. For now, though, he would knock him down and do his utmost to kick the seven shades of shit out of him.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre's mismatched eyes betrayed nothing, his face showing neither aggression nor strain. The Zeltron ducked quite quickly, but his dichromatic watch followed expertly. The link the Zeltron tried to establish met once more with nothing readable - the willpower of echani was legendary, nearly as revered as their sense for combat, for the two were surely linked. The sheer sense of focus and free-flowing expression left no time for thought, their was nothing to be read within his mind, no moves to be predicted. Thought was the enemy of action, something he had been taught at a young age. His nostrils widened as air began to fill his lungs, filling his core rapidly as it twisted in a wave like fashion. The motion trailed down the length of his arm, as his right foot stepped forward.

His wrist, circling from the motion, batted away and twisted from the red hand of Ryloss. Simultaneously, his right foot lifted forward and outward, his center of gravity pivoting about the foot closer to the Zeltron so that Ryloss could not get around him. When his left hand found Ze'kyre's shoulder, the monk's right hand caught it immediately, having been waiting. He was very knowledgeable of pressure points, and had been trained to snatch them out of the air like a toad does insects. He sought the one on the inside of the wrist, it would be easy to use just the right amount of pressure with two fingers and his thumb to ensure his cloak could not be gripped. When [or if] successful, he yanked it outwards, twisting the wrist so that both his right and the Zeltron's left palm would face upwards. He kept twisting, turning Ryloss' palm backwards and forcing him to yield much of his anatomical control to Ze'kyre. He was attempting extend the Zeltron's left collar as he sprung forth and found a place to put his momentum.

Anticipating the step the Zeltron would have needed to take before jumping and wrapping himself around Ze'kyre's arm for the slam, he realized he knew where the Zeltron would need to land after having his grapple deflected. The Jedi Knight stepped his left foot forward only a little, placing it behind Ryloss leg as soon as his foot landed in order to not let him catch his balance. He torqued at the waist and his left hand once again flattened. The gap in time in which a counter would have come from the other hand - having just missed its opportunity to catch a hold of the Echani's lower arm - would last only the fraction of a second before Ze'kyre's palm rocketed forth once more, this time to the more exposed left side of Ryloss' chest. He would let go of Ryloss' after that however, as holding on could have very possibly dislocated a red-skinned shoulder or collar bone. Whether or not he realized it yet, this was just Ze'kyre's way of getting to know people. He meant no real harm. Still, there were no thoughts posed, he showed no sign that this was the case, his face firm and his silver eye cold.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss cut off his opponent's attack as Ze'kyre's hand went towards his chest. He slammed his head towards the Echani's nose, his neck snapping back at shocking speed and force. He'd been caught in this hold before, and he knew that if you pushed out your shoulder but were dexterous enough to move your back without that (which Ryloss was), you could break it easily (albeit with a bit of a bump on the back of your skull - Ryloss had taken worse) and continue fighting. However, the downside of this was that Ryloss' head was still in agony after the night before, both from the hangover and the knocks he'd received.
If he escaped, he'd stagger to the far end of the ship, by the pilot's seat. He'd create a small barrier right in front of the Echani's chest, as powerful as he could manage but only about one foot in diameter while he bought himself a moment to react. In his moment he used the only thing he could against an opponent who was simply better than him, as this Echani was.
Suddenly, Ryloss would turn and spread both hands towards his opponent, blasting him with the Force. This only affect the Echani, tunnelling towards him and sending him flying towards the end of the ship if it landed. As he moved his hands, Ryloss was immediately aware of the fact he must have pulled something in the arm his opponent manipulated first. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but he felt a sudden stunning pain in his arm. He didn't react but immediately began to use the Force to heal it.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre's eyes followed the man, shifting up and down to examine his body, yet mostly focusing on the Zeltron's own gaze. It was through this that he examined the man's intention. He seemed to not care about dislocating his shoulder, forcing the echani warrior to let go of the red wrist before something was sprained. But as the headbutt came forth, Ze'kyre's left hand was already in place, having been prepared to send itself at the man's chest, it took only a slight shift upwards to redirect the his palm to the man's forehead. The angle would likely intercept the head just under the intended spot used to do damage and protect oneself.

He matched the full force of the earlier intended blow with his palm, using the same methodical positioning and technique to manifest great power. The collision of palm and forehead would daze any man, yet would see no real damage done. Ze'kyre followed through - as the Zeltron had not seemed to notice the foot behind him - but did not push too hard so as to allow Ryloss the opportunity to stay on his feet. When he stumbled back and made his way over the ramp, Ze'kyre followed calmly. His eyes slimmed, barely visible from still under his hood as he waited to see what the next move would be, a crucial moment.

When Ryloss stumbled into the cockpit, Ze'kyre stopped at the edge of the seating area. What he saw in Ryloss' eye was a certain form of acceptance, but not surrender. Still, he did not sense an excess of anger or aggression, but there was a definite fight or flight instinct, and Ze'kyre was not surprised when the Zeltron's hands rose, and kinetic energy welled itself from time and space before being launched at the Jedi Knight.

Ze'kyre's stance widened. His hands weaved about themselves as he took a deep and quick breath. The Zeltron launched the Force Push forward, and Ze'kyre stepped forward, bringing both fists to bare with enough force to break duracrete. He exhaled all of the air at once, grunting powerfully as his muscles exploded forth, and stopped the push dead in its track. The malleable bones in his arms and hands absorbed the shock, keeping his joints safe from injury.

The next moment resulted with Ze'kyre straightening his stance, and parting his lips with a smile. The pearliness of his teeth and the warmth in his indigo eye softened the sharpness his features had just held a second before, and Ze'kyre offered the man a deep bow, before removing his hood. His knuckles seemed unaffected by their collision with the Force. "I'm very sorry," he said in a confident baritone. "I just needed know you, my friend. my name is Ze'kyre Bladedancer, this is my friend Nakoma Gwenelda," he said, motioning for his companion to join as well as sending a thought of reassurance her way. He did not wish to have scared her.

"How is your shoulder? Will that be alright?" Ze'kyre expressed genuine concern through his eyes, yet he did not advance. He did not mean to display any further body language that might be seen as hostile. Although it had been a short session, Ze'kyre had learned plenty from the man before him. "I am very sorry to be discourteous, but am I correct in assuming you are wayward? I noticed there's something hanging from your hip that looks suspiciously like a lightsaber." The echani's meticulous attention to body language helped him to pick up many things opponents may wish to hide, be they emotions or weapons.

 

[Ush]

Ryloss kept healing his wound, trying to make sure he definitely wasn't about to be attacked again. Making sure of that, he immediately sagged against the chair behind him and pressed his hand onto his hurt shoulder, pushing into it and moving his arm around, testing to see how bad it was. Not terrible, but maybe a hindrance. He had to admit to himself, though, that he was slightly impressed with how the Echani withstood the attack. Ryloss also gained information from that fight. These two were Jedi.
Ah, and that was it about the Echani! They don't know you until they've fought you! That information came into his mind just before Ze'kyre spoke and that's when all the pieces clicked into place. He kicked off from the chair and walked forwards a bit, towards the pair slightly. He was still going at his shoulder, the muscles screaming but bearable. He returned the bow somewhat and gave a similar one to Nakoma.
"I understand. No, actually, I don't, but I get it."
He meant that as in he knew why they had to fight, but not why it was a cultural trait. In Zeltron culture, you only really knew someone when you slept with them, and that was a helluva lot more fun. He let out a small snort mixed with laughter at the Echani's next words. He took the lightsaber out, the smooth handle fitting into his hand perfectly, and spun it around in the air once before catching it and hiding it again.
"Wayward? You could say that. Eleven or more years have gone by since I thought of myself as a Jedi, and longer than that since I felt like one. But yes, I suppose you could say I'm... Wayward. Only recently I decided I wished to return, but until you two I had no luck. I'll take you wherever you need to go on the condition I can follow. It's time for me to go home, now."
He looked at both of them, starting with Nakoma in the back. Really looked. He used the force to go into under the skin, looking for cybernetics and other things. There was something odd about her head, but apart from that she was clear. The same from her companion, but Ryloss noticed something odd about him as well. Not a single scar. Hmm. Ryloss would have to look into that. Finally, he looked outside the ship and around at the minds of everyone nearby. Someone had gotten a hangnail, but apart from that there was nothing. Their fight hadn't been noticed from the outside, thankfully.
"Sorry about that scan, needed to make sure. Only physical stuff, your minds are safe. From me, anyway. I'd highly recommend we get off Taris. I'm not exactly friendly with the local authorities."
In fact, he was wanted in relation to over a dozen murders and about five cases of robbery by the Imperial Tarisians. He only stayed there because he had a few friends who would tell him if anything went wrong, but it was better not to test faith.

 

[Wolf]

Nakoma stood quite close to Ze'kyre as she still felt a bit nervous about her surroundings. His presence was comforting until Ryloss scanned her. "I don't like the way that he's looking at me..." her thoughts seeped into her companion's mind. She brought her gaze to rest upon the floor, hoping that the stranger would forget that she were there. "How is it that he is a Jedi? I thought that the others would be more like...well, more like how you are" she admitted to Ze'kyre.

As the stranger spoke, Nakoma listened in her mind through the Force, as she had come to learn the Jedi term for the Great Wind. She did not know what to make of this man or his apparent legal issues but knew that things had been going well until now. She hoped that they would soon be off of this planet that seemed to harbor a hostile environment. Nakoma was beginning to realize that her previous way of life could not be lived in most places outside of the Hidden Forest on Galtea. She longed to finally be among the Jedi...at least the Jedi the way that she had perceived them in her mind.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre's strong focus guarded Nakoma's thought as it entered his mind, and his own as it travelled back to her. "Have faith, Nakoma. I will get you back to the Order." If the echani warrior had been concerned with the scan, he did a good job of hiding it. "The Jedi have always been an Order of diversity, both in culture and manner. Eleven years is a long time, and time can do a lot to a man..."

He reflected on what Ryloss was saying. Eleven years sounded about right, the Jedi had lost many of their own during the war with the Imperium, not only to the Force as they were relinquished of life, many had simply given up on the code as the war waged on. They hung up their lightsabers and left the Order, hoping to assimilate into life as simple law-abiding citizens. Clearly that was not Ryloss' exact path.

"So you've decided you want to go back, but do you really feel like you can be a Jedi again?" It was not meant to be a rude question, but Ze'kyre had to wonder if the red skinned man would be accepted by the Jedi Masters. He could not risk bringing back a reject to one of the new hidden enclaves... But perhaps he could take him back to the Light of the Force. The flagship of the New Jedi Order had served as his home for almost ten years now. It was a mobile temple, having had saw to the training of a large portion of the remaining Jedi after Coruscant fell.

"Do you mind if I sit?" He took the copilots seat either way, as he would be able to assist with the take-off while Ryloss mended his wound. He sent a mental note to Nakoma to take the seat behind him, as opposed to behind Ryloss. It had been too short a session to be completely sure of the Zeltron, but after having hurt him Ze'kyre felt discourteous to continue the fight. Well, in truth the man had hurt himself, but the echani monk had learned enough, at least to know that he could subdue him if he needed to, and with Nakoma seated in the Gunnery seat behind him he hoped she would feel safer.

"You still haven't told us your name, brother," he pointed out with a smirk as he prepared the ships engines. It was an old design with a simple interface, and it did not take long for Ze'kyre to have the ship prepared for takeoff. He nodded to the Zeltron, indicating that it was all him.

"Head towards the western quadrant of the Outer Rim. When we are far from Imperial space we can decide what to do from their."

 

[Ush]

Ryloss said nothing until they were ready to take off. He started pushing buttons and pulling levers, lifting the ship up slightly. After a few seconds he spoke, still piloting.
"Do I feel like I could be a Jedi again?"
Another few moments past before he answered, the ship now at the right altitude to disengage the flight gears, which game up into the ship as the wings sank into the triangular position. Ryloss focused on flying, making it seem like he was almost disinterested.
"A few weeks ago, I was... I had gotten so drunk I could barely walk, and I was passing an Imperial... Inspection. Robbery, that's... That's all it was. I knew the family by sight, but I'd never spoken to them. The Imperials were headed by this evil son of a bitch who I knew only by reputation. They poured all of the contents of the closets and drawers out onto the street. Boxes shattered, the baby screamed and the girl sobbed. That's never a nice thing to see, is it? A crying child. Just six or seven, I'd say. This Imperial, Twi'leki guy, broke one of the boxes and she just screamed louder. I was just watching, hadn't been planning on doing anything. But she ran over to him and tried to pull something out of his hands. He just... He didn't give a warning, he just hit her."
The ship tilted up and they began to gain altitude.
"Her head was knocked back and she fell. She was bleeding, not moving. I was stunned. He was too, but he took the thing anyway. The parents started screaming at them, which made the baby cry louder... And I could do nothing, just stand there as a little girl bled to death at the hands of the Empire. The leader did nothing. Of course he didn't, he didn't care. The parents ran over to her and he laughed."
The final word was spat out, as if Ryloss could hardly dare to grace their ears with the knowledge that people could be like that.
"I lost control for a moment. I sprinted forwards, towards the guy at such speed... I grabbed him by the throat and dragged him over to the railings. You know how Taris is made, sometimes you can fall for five or six minutes if you jump. He tried to fight back until I held him out over it. No one survives those falls, not unless you're force sensitive. Parachuts burn up, jump jets run out of fuel and you'll be starved of oxygen before you hit the ground. His squad aimed rifles at me, but I ignored them. They wouldn't take the chance."
He seemed more and more troubled as he spoke, but he kept going.
"I was planning on dropping him. In fact, I almost did. Tension loosed from my fingers... But I didn't. Because I could just think of that poor, poor little girl lying with her head bashed in the gutter... Instead, I pulled him back up and I flung him at his men. I didn't kill them. A year or more ago, they'd have been dead. But I've come to realize that the Imperium's like and, well, I don't like it. It's a 'two wrongs equal a right' system, that's the excuse for the atrocities they've committed all throughout the ex-Alliance Space. 'The Jedi attacked us first'. That we did. But that doesn't justify the amount of evil they've committed over the years... Nothing would. And I suppose I've decided I want to be on the side that doesn't allow it's men to laugh when one of their subordinates kills an innocent little girl and get away with it."
They were a few thousand feet above Taris now. Not close to the atmosphere, but still quite high.
"So do I feel like I can be a Jedi again? I don't know. But do I feel I have to be a Jedi again? Yes, yes I do."
He was silent for a few seconds afterwards. And then he realized he hadn't answered Ze'kyre's second question.
"My name's Ryloss Narexsus, by the way. Jedi Padawan at the time I left."
He didn't offer to shake either of their hands, as he felt their relationship had gone beyond that point. He was also just leaving the atmosphere, something that needed a lo of concentration. Unlike on other worlds, you could come and go from Taris easily, something he remarked on.
"Taris is great. On any other world I'd be dealing with traffic controllers. As it is, I just have to cross my name on a registry, which I already did. Now then, a journey of this length in this craft could take up to..."
Ryloss shrugged a bit, unsure. He called up a star-map from the dash, a model that highlighted names and routes as he called them out.
"Four, five standard days? Depends on the route. Ways we could go are via Corellia, which I recommend, since it'll put us within reach of all five major trade routes, minus the Perlemian. Here, we're officially in Mandalorian space, as you can see, but the Imperials run the show here. We're sitting on the Hydian Way, which I suggest we follow until we get to Serapin, at which point we cross over and head to Corellia. From there, we follow the Run or the Spire, the best policed routes, to wherever you want to go. What's it going to be, and where exactly? Naboo or Bespin are our best bets, since we can cheaply re-fuel and safely stay for a few days while we plan out exactly where we're heading. Thoughts?"
The systems lit up and faded as he spoke about them, and now 3-D projections of Bespin and Naboo, along with a miniature galactic map in the corner highlighting their routes and locations hung suspended in mid air.

 

[Wolf]

At Ze'kyre's request, Nakoma took the seat directly behind him. With a bit of distance separating her and Ryloss as well as her companion's presence, she felt safer than just moments before. The young woman settled into her seat and watched with wonder as Ryloss ran through a complicated flight sequence. Though she had been on several flights over the past few days, she was still in awe over this technology that she had never seen before leaving Galtea. The holographic maps and diagrams were nothing short of magic to the Laku'na.

As Ryloss began telling his tale, Nakoma focused her mind to catch all of the details. She knew very little of the current happenings outside of her village and did not realize the sick turn that the story would quickly take. Her mouth dropped slightly as she envisioned the events in her head. It was beyond disturbing when he spoke of the child being hit and then lying on the ground as she bled to death.

Tears welled up in Nakoma's eyes and she shut them tightly to avoid the drops from spilling out. It was inevitable however, and the moisture ran down her cheeks without stopping.Her heart broke for these people that she did not know and her mind reeled trying to imagine what would possess anyone to hurt an innocent child. Something deep within Nakoma knew that this was not the only case of such horrible treatment by these men. Shaking the mental images, the young woman opened her tear filled eyes and glanced over at Ryloss. Her heart also broke for him now. Ze'kyre had been right...eleven years could change anyone that withnessed such horror.

"I'm so sorry..." It was all she knew to say to the stranger. She could feel the righteous anger behind his words and felt a twinge of it herself for the first time in her life. This story gave Nakoma a new reason to pursue her destiny. She would be a warrior and would do all she could to put an end to such hatred. She trusted Ze'kyre when he told her that he would indeed get her to the Order...she only wished that it would not take so long. Wiping her eyes, Nakoma continued listening as Ryloss began to make suggestions for routes of travel. Though she herself had never seen anything as terrible as the scene that the stranger had just described, she could not shake it from her mind.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

The long pause before Ryloss' answer did not disturb Ze'kyre. He allowed the zeltron his thoughts as the ship prepared to take off, the wings unfolding, and the slight vibration from the thrusters behind them able to be felt through the old padded seats. When the story began, Ze'kyre soon became lost within the scene which was painted, but he kept his eyes forward as the Taris sky began to inch closer. It was a vivid and horrifying tale, and Ze'kyre could easily understand why such an event would drive someone to want to fight. "…And I suppose I've decided I want to be on the side that doesn't allow it's men to laugh when one of their subordinates kills an innocent little girl and gets away with it."

Ze'kyre could only agree. It seemed to the warrior that even though Ryloss' values had brought him to leave the Order, so too did they bring him back into its fold, a full circle. The white Knight remained silent, reflecting over what had been said. When the zeltron introduced himself as Ryloss Narexsus, Ze'kyre simply nodded, the mood had grown sombre and Ze'kyre did not see the need to press the formalities. "You've seen a lot," he offered in condolence.

He remained silent while their captain charted out the destination, and estimated the time of the travel. As they approached the atmosphere Ryloss continued giving him possible routes. He would have gone with any one of them before, but as he sat there thinking, he began to think that perhaps they should save themselves the time.

"Thoughts?" Ze'kyre remained silent a little bit longer, but turned to the comms panel and entered in the channel through which they would be able to securely reach the Light of the Force. Although the channel was obscure and any messages would be encrypted, he thought it better to wait until they were away from Taris and out of Hutt space.

Finally, he sat back in his seat and said "It is of little import, just get into a Space Lane and we will message the Jedi Flagship to discern their location. But before I bring you back to the Jedi, I need to know you to understand that there is a difference between being just and being vengeful. As Jedi we can not allow our anger to cloud our judgement…"

 

[Ush]

"Thank you. Not all of us follow my path, by the way. Very few, actually. I lost a lot of people at a young age. I was always going to go down the road best left untraveled."
His thoughts sounded even and calm, with just a hint of melancholy.
"And don't think that's the entire Empire. It's easy to see your enemies as evil, but there's good and evil on both sides. You'd be stunned by the things I've seen both sides doing."
And it was true. He'd seen Imperials stand in the way of unbeatable odds to save civilians. He'd seen them jump into burning trains to pull children out... And yet at the same time had seen Galactic Alliance soldiers pillage entire villages. Both sides commit atrocities, and war has no heroes. Only the men and women who don't break when their friends, siblings, allies and leaders are getting shot and still haven't broken when there isn't anyone left to shoot at them. War has no heroes, or victors. Only different levels of defeat. Only 'who's gotten the worst off during all of this?'. Ryloss hadn't fought in the last war except for the final battle, but he knew how bad it had gotten. He'd met a generation of soldiers who'd fought on the loosing side. But that was all for another time. He noticed his expression had grown darker as he was thinking and he immediately blinked it off, just in time to hear Ze'kyre speak.
"The Light of the Force! I haven't seen that ship since... Well, Coruscant."
They were just breaching atmosphere. Thanks to the impressive shields of the shuttle, they felt no turbulence inside. Ryloss let Ze'kyre speak, and he felt almost like laughing. Indeed, a grin came to his lips and in the light he looked slightly malicious.
"Revenge... I've pursued it before and I've decided one thing: If you let yourself be wronged, don't go after them. They're smarter than you. That means that they're better than you. I made the mistake of not believing that. But crimes? Crimes are easy things, stupid things committed by stupid people. The smart ones don't get put into a situation they have to commit them in. The smarter ones do it legally. The stupid ones... If they've committed a crime of some sort, and only a very, very special group of people haven't -" his eyes darted to Nakoma in the back, her aura of innocence not new to him, "- hang the ones who deserve it and go down fighting with the ones who don't when the ones you've wronged without sharing a similar view team up. That's what happened to the Jedi, and by god did we not go easily..."
He spoke that as if from experience, which of course he was. He'd been on Curoscant.
"But I doubt either of you even remember that. How old are you, Ze'kyre? Twenty five? Less? And you, Nakoma..."
He'd figured out she preferred mental communication, and so he switched to it.
"You can't have seen twenty years, can you?"
He switched back to his voice.
"But either way, I've learned the definition of 'justice' through and through. I don't kill people if I can help it and I have an awful habit of seeing their eyes while I'm sleeping when I do."
His eyes closed while he shivered as he finished speaking. He had slept eight hours in the last week. The other forty or so he'd dedicated to sleeping had been spent curled up nearly on the verge of sobbing as he watched faces slide in front of him. He was being propped up by alcohol, pain and Force Hibernation. He felt his arm twinge again as he thought about it. He must have given someone some punch to feel that pain from outstretching his arms. This wasn't the sort of pain from pulling something during a fight, though. It was like he tried to hold up something too heavy for too long... Well, in any circumstance it was highly uncomfortable and somewhat distracting.