Ask Chandrila Happenstance

[Leon Baudelaire]

Beedu's Bodega
Hana City || Chandrilla

Had Leon put in a request to go to Chandrilla under the pretense of studying the planet’s rich history? Yes. Had he also heard about an air show that would be showcasing super rare starfighters? Also, yes. And, finally, had The Padawan requested the only Jedi Knight he knew to chaperone this little adventure? Ding-ding-ding! This was going to rock.

Leon stepped off the transport with plenty of enthusiasm. He hadn’t been on a proper planet for months. It was nice to be back around civilization. He was dressed in his usual gear, blue blastvest, white tunic, and utility belt with his training shoto clipped to it. He missed the weight of his blastsword, but he needed to let go of the past. He decided to ignore the pain in his heart by talking to Hera.

“Thanks again for coming, Honestly, I figured you’d decline,” he laughed. “Uh, question, do you think we could swing by Henna Plaza?” he asked doing his best not to get his hopes up. There was a very good chance she’d say no.

Before she could say no Leon said, “Great!” he looked to the left and spotted a bodega, “Oh! I’ll be right back, I’m gonna grab a drink, you want anything?”

If she didn’t have time to say no that meant yes right?

BING-BONG, chimed the door as Leon entered. He came to an abrupt halt as a blaster was shoved in his face.

“Get in here and sit down!” barked a gotal. Grabbing Leon by the vest and shoving him into the store. Three thugs had guns drawn and two hostages were contained by the sports drinks while he was ushered next to an ATM. The store clerk blubbered, “P-p-p-please, don’t do this, just take what you want but leave my credit box.”

The leader of the group aimed a nasty-looking blaster in the clerk’s face, “I. WANT. THE. MONEY!”

Holy shit, thought Leon. What are the odds a Jedi Padawan would walk in on a robbery?

@Black Noise @Tulos

 

[Koemi]

”Fuck!”

Well, this settled it. Chandrila was not the world she had hoped it would be. Save for a few select instances of excitement, Koemi had found herself disappointed. The world had started boring but as of today, right now, she wanted nothing more than to be somewhere, anywhere other than here.

All she wanted was a drink. All she wanted was to spend the not-so-hard earned coin she had lifted from some cabbie after ditching on her fare. All she wanted was to rent some shit room in some shit tavern and get much needed rest in a real bed yet like the rest of her life, she was presented with a situation that was beyond her control. Said situation? Being held at gun point by a group of thugs as they robbed the barman. If she wasn’t caught up in the opposite side of things then perhaps she would have admired what they were pulling but no one liked playing the role of the victim.

”Empty the till and transfer the creds, sleemo!” one man growled as Koemi was caught off guard with the side of her face pushed into the wall, the sticky surface clinging to her cheek and the strands of hair caught between them. Maybe with more warning, she would have grabbed the dirty fork from the patron beside her to sink into the man’s thigh but all she could do now was panic.

”Get in here and sit down!” another man cried as the door to the bar slid shut. Another victim.

“P-p-p-please, don’t do this, just take what you want but leave my credit box.”

"I. WANT. THE. MONEY!"

”I-I-I…” the barman stuttered, hands raised.

”The manager just cleared the till!” Koemi blurted out, partly out of fear and partly out of instinct. She couldn’t care less if the place was ransacked for every bit of coin in the place. So long as she could get the blaster barrel off the back of her head and she could make it out of the building, she wouldn’t even think back on this. All he had to do was take her word for it…

”Shut it, blondie,” the leader barked before his partner pulled the blaster back only long enough to deliver a back hand to the back of her head.

”Fuck this place…” she thought, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

@Zay @Black Noise​

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera blinked absently at the lights around her, the Jedi Knight's mind finally catching up to what exactly she had signed up for. The memories came back to her slowly as Leon rapidly fired off 'questions' at her. 'Baudelaire,' she thought, ]Chandrila, history, study. Padawan needs a chaperone. Hera was free- I was free? What? Where even was Chandrila? Did I just follow my star chart blindly when I flew to this world? Have I disassociated the whole time?!?' The thoughts swirled around Hera's mind faster and faster until finally, it all hit her.

The Jedi had been running herself ragged around the galaxy. So when Leon asked to go to Chandrila to 'study,' the Knight saw it as an excellent opportunity to get a little bit of rest in. She thought this would be an easy, laid-back time, and now- 'Now Leon is gone.' She thought... Then her eyes widened and she practically shouted aloud, "Leon is gone! Kriff! Leon!"

Rapidly, she chased after her Padawan, no, 'the' Padawan. He wasn't her's, not yet at least. That was a decision Leon would need to make on his own. Thankfully, the Padawan had not gone far before running into trouble. She could sense the heightened emotions and panic before she even approached the robbery in progress. Rather than run into the front door, as Leon had done, Hera allowed the Force to push her muscles further and further to get to the back door.

”Shut it, blondie,” Hera heard as she entered the backdoor. The pizza place wasn't very big and if she took just a few steps then Hera would be almost face-to-face with the gunman holding up the barman. There were a million ways Hera could have taken this interaction, a million ways she could have stopped this as safely as possible with as little violence as possible. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Hera was too burnt out to think of any of those ways.

The Jedi Knight barreled out from the backdoor like a green streaking bat out of hell. Screaming as her Force-imbued body slammed into the gunman at the counter, one armored gauntlet knocked aside the blaster while the other gauntlet slammed into the gunman's face. The force of the blow impacted hard enough that the man's face broke loudly before he even hit the ground. Now, as the 'grand distraction' entered the bar, Leon would have a chance to take down another man before Hera moved again.

@Zay @Tulos

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Things were escalating quickly as the point man started getting jumpy. Leon could feel his emotions all over the place. Fear, hurt, and desperation coalesced into rage as the man started to pace the space in front of the bar. Leon’s eyes swept the space already looking for egress as well as advantage. If he’d learned anything from his training on Kashyyyk it was to keep his head on a swivel and his eyes open. The Force would provide the answer.

Leon opened himself to the preternatural power. Relaxing his body and focusing his mind. He let himself be a vessel as he felt the raw power of the force gathered in the palms of his hands.

“Shut it, Blondie!” growled the gunman as he backhanded a hostage that had spoken up. Leon’s eyes settled on the gunman. Determination overcame anger as a plan started to form in his mind. Then just over the gunman’s shoulder peeking out of an employee-only door, Leon saw Hera. A small smile pulled at the corner of his lip.

“Oh, man you’re real tough with a gun, buddy!” scoffed Leon. The Gunman whipped around away from Hera’s hiding place.
“Who said that!” barked the robber.
Leon raised his hand with a self-satisfied little smirk. Before the Gunman could do anything Hera hit him.

Leon didn’t wait, he trusted Hera to handle the boss, and the force to help him with the other two.

The Gotal that had welcome Leon flinched as his boss was hit from behind, Leon capitalized on the shock. He reached out with the force and snatched the blaster from The Gotal’s hands. It landed in Leon’s he switched it to stun and shot the third member in the chest. The man flew backward into a soda fridge and sent glass and carbonated beverages spraying across the ground. Leon turned the weapon back to the Gotal who managed a scared bleat before the jedi shot him.

The Padawan removed the battery pack from the blaster and pocketed it before tossing the weapon to the ground. To Hera he said, “The scream was a nice touch. I think you nearly gave us all a heart attack.”

Then he stepped over to the young woman who’d been hit, “That was a nasty hit, you okay?”

@Black Noise @Tulos

 

[Koemi]

Koemi didn’t even have an opportunity to react as all hell had suddenly broken lose in the room. Seemingly from nowhere, a crimson haired woman fiercely barged in and slammed her shoulder into the ‘leader’ of this little group of thugs. A sharp scream, a couple rounds fired off and then… it was all over. Save for the two heroes of the night, everyone else within the parlor were too stunned to speak immediately and Koemi was no exception.

There was something… odd, about what had transpired. A certain electricity in the air, and not that which is normally partnered with adrenaline. Koemi was no stranger to that sort of sensation. No, this was vastly different and somehow… comforting. As Leon addressed her, she quickly shook it off with dismissal.

”I can’t tell if my head is ringing from the smack or the blaster fire,” Blue eyes swivelled to the new woman, a pained smile offered in unison. ”- or if it was all the screaming,” she teased, rubbing around the spot on the back of her head to ease the pain. ”I suppose I should say thanks,”

Now with the opportunity to look over the pair, it wasn’t hard for Koemi to establish that they weren’t from Chandrila. Of course neither was she but she had been here long enough to tell the difference between natives of the planet and off worlders’. Maybe they were the excitement she was searching for?

”I’d offer to buy you both a slice of pizza but, well…” Scanning the unconscious bodies of the would-be robbers, her hand finally fell from the back of her head. ”I’d really rather not be here when security shows up to clean this place of the trash,” she added with a pained smirk. ”You’re clearly not from here so why not let me show you two around? I know of a food stand a few blocks from her that sell some of the best street tacos money can buy,” She was lying, of course. The tacos were shit but they were at least within her price range. ”I’m Koemi, by the way,”

@Black Noise @Zay​

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Leon and Hera had been a whirlwind, taking down thugs and saving the day. Classic Jedi work, right? Standing up off the unconscious body of the thug she had tackled, gauntlet knuckles dripping blood, Hera turned towards what her exhausted mild believed was the manager. Barely listening as Leon complimented her earlier maddened scream, the Knight handed him a few credits and apologized for the mess they would be leaving.

Turning to Leon, she opened her mouth to begin going off on the Padawan before noticing him helping a young woman up. Holding her tongue, Hera responded to the woman while placing a firm and bloody gauntlet hand on Leon's shoulder. "We would love to come with you, as we would also not like to stick around long enough to be identified." Her smile unfortunately did not hide the annoyance at the Padawan's propensity to immediately find trouble.

But Hera's anger quickly died, her training allowing her to relax and let go as she followed the young woman out of the pizza bar and towards, what, a street taco shop? It suddenly occurred to Hera that she had never had a 'street taco' before, and that thought consumed her. Releasing Leon and speaking to the girl, who named herself Koemi, Hera asked, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Koemi, I apologize I did not introduce myself earlier. I am Hera. Do you live around here, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

@Zay @Tulos

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon chuckled, “No need, I wasn’t thrilled to become a hostage.”

The Padawan reached just behind Koemi and plucked a sports drink from the fridge. He popped the top and took a swig as she kept talking. He could tell she was anxious, but wasn’t sure what was spurring her anxiety, that was, until Hera’s gore splattered gauntlet gripped his shoulder.

“Ew-Ow!” He whined and yelped. A distinct sense of “I’ve screwed up tremendously,” crawled up his spine as he chanced a sheepish apologetic grin at the fuming Jedi Knight. She wasn’t buying it. The smile on her face didn’t reach her eyes and Leon could feel a pit forming in his stomach.

Luckily, the new girl mentioned Tacos and Hera seemed to totally forget he existed. He made a mental note of this exact moment just in case he ever found himself at the wrong end of Hera’s anger. Food was the way to her heart.

The Padawan decided to keep his mouth shut even though he was super interested in what the new chick had to say. Hera introduced herself and Leon threw his name out while dodging dangerous glares. He was generally curious about the Koemi and hoped she’d share her story, but he also hoped she’d wait until they had some chips and salsa.

 

[Koemi]

Koemi’s nose would turn up in disgust as she finally witnessed the blood that was soaked against the gloves on Hera’s hand but she quickly waved it off. After all, cracking skulls in such a manner was going to do some damage. Even so, it did turn her stomach slightly at the sight. As they made their way out into the street, sirens could be heard in the distance and she knew that it was high time to find another gear.

”C’mon, this way!” the young woman ordered, instinctively reaching back and taking the hand of the man she now knew as Leon, pulling him with Hera in tow down the street whilst laughing all the while. For a moment she was actually able to forget the pain radiating across the back of her skull, likely attributed to the adrenaline of fleeing a crime scene. Once they were a few blocks away, she would slow and released Leon’s hand before spinning and stepping backwards to address both of these newcomers.

”Live here?” the girl laughed before spinning forward again. ”I guess you could say that. Just thought I’d check things out on my way Coreward but I haven’t been able to scrape together enough to get on to my next stop,” Spotting the aforementioned taco cart and the rather large and greasy looking Rodian who manned it, Koemi motioned for the two to stop and wait.

She had a pocketful of credits, sure. But they were hers and had more worth than being spent on tacos for two strangers. Still, she had a debt to settle so as she made her way up to the cart she would subtly move off into a small surge of the crowd and circle up behind the Rodian as he peppered one taco with shredded cheese. Moving quickly whilst those who had covered her approach moved past the man’s back, she reached one hand out and gave the side of his apron a solid tug but never missing a step with the pack of others. As he turned to investigate, she would step out from the group and collect three prepared tacos before slipping back in with the others, leaving the rodian scratching his head as he turned back and saw that the meals had vanished.

Coming back to Hera and Leon, she would offer them both a smile as well as a pair of hot tacos in one hand before taking a bite from her own.

”Anyway, where was I? Oh right,” she paused to chew and swallow. ”Don’t know where I’m going next but where ever it is has got to be more exciting than this place,” Giving herself a moment to wipe some grease from the corner of her lip, Koemi then looked back and forth between Leon and Hera before asking the same of them. ”What about you? Chandrila isn’t usually this exciting so what brought you two here?”

@Black Noise @Zay​

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

The instant their fingers touched Leon could feel it. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a chance to say anything to Hera before Koemi pulled him toward the door. The Padawan shook the surprise from his head and jogged off after her, happy to be away from the incoming sirens and his chaperone's full attention.

Once they were a few blocks away their pace slowed. Koemi seemed satisfied they’d escaped and took the time to answer Hera’s questions. She let go of his hand and the beacon-like presence of raw force connection winked out like a light being turned off. No doubt about it, he had to tell Hera.

"I'm Leon, nice to meet you Koemi," he said with a smile.

As Koemi told her story, Leon kept wondering where her parents were in all of this. Who was her guardian, who was watching out for her? He realized she never mentioned them. He tried to remember Brighthome’s current trajectory, if they were passing through the core maybe they could give her a lift? Dang, he needed a second to talk to Hera. Then the force provided the opportunity.

As Koemi motioned for them to stop, Leon tugged on Hera’s sleeve sending her a mental nudge in the force. As the young girl slipped away into the crowd Leon said, “Okay, I feel like I have to say this fast so don’t yell at me yet, She’s force sensitive and I think we should help her because I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have any family and the hit she took on the back ofherheadlooskprettybadand—” he shut up when he saw her reemerge from the crowd.

Leon looked down at the taco and his stomach sang the song of it’s people. His eyebrows rose in shock mingled with a little embarrassment, but he powered through the awkward moment and took a bite of the taco. Koemi picked up right where she’d left off mid-convo before snagging the tacos and Leon had to admit that was pretty impressive. Most days his ADD couldn’t hold on to a single thought longer than a monkeylizard could stifle a laugh.

Komie asked why they were on Chandrilla and Leon nudged Hera to take the lead, she was the boss after all would be really weird if he had to tell this girl she was a space wizard and that she should come with them.

@Black Noise @Tulos

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera wasn't the most experienced Jedi in the order when it came to things that most people felt were natural. When she wasn't running a thousand and one missions, she spent most of her days holed up in her quarters practicing with her lightsabers or working on droids. She didn't experience the same things every else did, not like they did anyway. She went to her first paintball game to chaperone a bunch of Padawans just a little while ago. In twenty-seven years of life, she never knew people would shoot paint at each other for fun; the possibility hadn't even crossed her mind.

But that didn't mean she was blind. She could deduce from the way the girl spoke and moved that she was a drifter. A refugee of some forgotten conflict that sent a young person careening into making their own way in the galaxy by any means necessary. On top of that, it looked to Hera as though Leon was forming a little bit of a crush. She made a mental note to talk about it as Koemi moved away to retrieve the food.

Then Leon spoke, and Hera's mindset changed. Nodding along with Leon's word vomit, the quiet Justicar picked up a few napkins off a nearby table and sat down. Wiping the blood and filth from her gauntlet as Leon shut up and Koemi approached with their food, Hera began to smile. Her mind was racing, the adrenaline from the fight finally pushing her body into a more mindful state again, Hera listened to the young woman and set the 'food'? she was handed to the side.

At Leon's nudging, Hera responded to Koemi, "We are Jedi." The words came naturally, stated in such a matter-of-fact manner that it was indistinguishable from if Hera had described their hair color or the color of the sky. Quickly, she held up a hand to try and keep the situation calm, "Do not be alarmed, we aren't here to arrest anyone or cause any trouble. You see, I am a Jedi Knight and Leon is my padawan. He wanted to know more about this planet's rich history, or so he says, I think he just wanted to get out and about."

Putting back on her gauntlet and attempting to eat the 'food?' Hera asked, "Would you mind accompanying us a little longer, Koemi? I can compensate you for your time, you seem to know your way around the city better than us, perhaps you could show us something to satisfy Leon's 'curiosity'?" That last word was said with a hint of sarcasm as meat and condiments fell out of the soft taco that Hera failed at putting in her mouth properly. The Justicar didn't know Leon very well, but she learned enough about him from their previous interaction and now that he clearly wasn't interested in a history lesson.

@Zay @Tulos

 

[Koemi]

As her teeth tore through the taco in her hand, Koemi gleefully chewed while stifling a chuckle at the sounds of hunger coming from Leon’s belly. The boy was thin but he didn’t look as though he ever knew what truly going hungry meant. Koemi herself had suffered the sensations of going without a meal throughout numerous nights. Maybe she was wrong, of course. She didn’t know either Leon or Hera for more than a handful of minutes. And yet here she was, stealing food for them that she could have eaten for herself yet as she watched, she felt a degree of… pride, in doing something nice for someone other than herself. Certainly not a habit she wanted to adopt permanently, but she understood now why people did it.

”We are Jedi,”

Koemi nearly coughed the chewed food from her mouth at the revelation. Jedi on Chandrila wasn’t so foreign a concept that it warranted shock but the young girl had never met one before. She had heard little of the various opinions of the Jedi come but even less of what she had heard was good. Fortunately it seemed she had found herself a pair of the good ones or what her naive mind believed a Jedi was supposed to be.

Her eyes flicked back and forth from Leon to Hera. The older woman had that air about her, someone who only colored inside the lines. Whether it be through her training or her natural disposition, she reminded Koemi of the old crones back at the orphanage on Raxus only with fewer miles on the road. Even so, she seemed nice enough. Koemi couldn’t fault her for that. Leon, on the other hand, felt… erratic. Kind, but troublesome. A delinquent of sorts. Someone she could likely vibe with. She smirked at the boy. If these two wanted to see the scenes with her for awhile? She had the time.

”Not if you’re here for some sort of nerdy history lesson. You’ve got the wrong girl for that,” Koemi teased after she swallowed the food. Her eyes flicked once again from Leon to Hera then back. There wasn’t much that she could think of that would come across as intriguing to a pair of Jedi. She didn’t even think they were allowed to have fun, though Hera struck her as that sort of type she supposed though it wasn’t lost on her that even she herself had been bored up until this point. There was the alleyway where the homeless often fought one another for some bottle or another. That was entertaining but hardly appropriate for a Jedi. Going through a strangers handbag and seeing what they could find? Out of the question.

Then she heard it. The sounds of modified speeders roaring through the cityscape as street racer wanna-be teenagers made their way towards the industrial district of Hana City. Playfully smirking at Leon and Hera, the girl spoke before taking another bite from the taco in her hand. ”Wanna go watch some races?” As she chewed, her left hand subtly fell to her pocket as she jangled the credit chips inside softly enough for Leon to hear as she offered him a quick stare.

@Zay @Black Noise​

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon’s heart was racing, why was he so nervous? Hera dropped the bomb, and… and the most Koemi did was choke on her taco. “Huh,” he said absently, while Hera offered to hire the girl as a guide. He lifted the taco and took a bite. Oh, man. It was so much better than temple food.

Nice, the plan was all coming together. He was sure Hera was trying to buy some time in order to reveal the information he told her. Then the sound of a suped-up speeder stole his attention. Komie said what he was thinking and Leon added, “A street race would definitely satisfy my curiosity,” hopefully, but seeing as how they’d just left unexpected excitement, he doubted The Knight would bite.

“Can you tell us about the airshow?”

In all honesty, he didn’t need a guide to find the show. He’d Swoogled it months ago, but this would give them a little more time with Komie, if for some reason Hera didn’t tell Komie about her connection to the force maybe they could at least get her to the next planet.

@Black Noise @Tulos

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera watched the pair closely as they moved and spoke. It took a little thinking on Koemi's part to find something the young woman thought the Jedi would approve of. Truthfully, Hera didn't really care to learn about the history of this place. She came purely because Leon had specifically requested her and the Jedi Knight was someone to never let a Padawan down if she could help it. Then, finally, it seemed that Leon spoke of the real reason he wanted to come here.

The airshow. Hera didn't know much about it but she would've had to have been blind to not notice the posters hung about the city advertising it. Rare starfighters! Exquisite Yachts! A private tour for one lucky couple! Everything a hot blooded young man could dream of, or at least what Hera thought hot blooded young men dreamed of. Smiling at her own thoughts, she looked first to Leon, then Koemi, before replying.

"Personally, I would love to see this airshow I've heard about. I'm too tired to read any old, dusty tomes right now. Can you lead the way?"

Smiling that same old grin, one of genuine joy just to be alive, Hera began to relax. Leon had pointed out the young woman's Force Sensitivity, and doubtless he wanted to tell her about it as soon as possible, or let Hera say something. But the older Knight kept quiet for now. Dumping that knowledge on someone they just met and asking them to leave everything behind to join a fairly secretive order of 'space wizards' -as she heard the Jedi called- was not something that Hera thought she could pull off productively so soon.

Hera wanted to get to know this young woman a bit first, get her to trust the two of them. Then the knowledge of her abilities would be shared, then the question of joining the order would be asked. Thankfully, Hera also seemed to have an in with the younger woman, as Leon and Koemi seemed to have similar interests.

 

[Koemi]

”The air show?” How had Koemi forgotten about it? She had seen holo-boards and posters all over the city but it had slipped her mind. Perhaps because she held more intrigue for land-based machines than their air-borne counterpart but she couldn’t miss the excited glint in Leon’s eye as he made mention of the event. It was getting late and the airfield was on the other end of the city but if they hurried… ”We might be able to make the hind end of today’s show if we haul ass,” Koemi replied as she was about to take another bite of the mystery-meat taco she held in both hands before a doe-eyed look of concern came to her eyes. ”Sorry,” she added, unsure of Hera and Leon’s opinion of foul language. Didn’t seem very ‘Jedi like’ in her naive mind for them to condone such a thing.

”You guys are pilots too then, huh?” the girl queried as she effortlessly tossed the foil wrapper into a garbage can a short distance away, her attention never diverting from the pair. ”What’s that like? Flying, I mean. Obviously I’ve been on a ship but being behind the controls? It sounds… sketchy. I don’t know if I’d trust myself at speeds like that. It just seems so-” As she came to the realization that she was rambling, Koemi stopped herself with only a slight wave of embarrassment. She hated it when people talked her ear off but for days now she had had little to no social interaction. That had to be it. ”-dangerous,” she concluded.

Waving down a cabbie on the thoroughfare, the trio would watch as a speeder descended to their level and begin hovering at their side. Koemi would let Hera slid in to the seat first before following suit and situating herself between the elder woman and Leon.

”The Chandrilan Air Show, please,” Koemi requested of the driver before a pair of familiar eyes met hers in the rear view mirror.

“Oy! It’s you! You slimy little brat! You rotten thief!”

Now truly and fully flustered, her face a deep red, Koemi stammered in response. It would be the same driver she had not only ditched out on earlier that day but had also relieved him of his own wallet. All she could do was sink away from his reach as he tried to get a hold of her jacket to ensure she didn’t bolt off once again.

@Zay @Black Noise​

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Hera wanted to go to the air show. Before The Knight could change her mind The Padawan seized on the opportunity, “Let’s haul ass!”

He flashed Koemi a grin, “Don’t be sorry, thanks for the tacos.”

Baudelaire followed behind the girl as she led them through the weaving alleyways back toward the main road. Komie asked about flying and Leon lit up. “You think so? I love flying, I got cleared to do the air patrols back at the temple. It’s awesome,” then he added, “I’m still trying to convince Hera to let me fly us home.”

They emerged from the alleyway and Koemi flagged down a taxi, “I’m serious about flying us home!” said Leon with a chuckle as he slid in last. Suddenly, the driver had Koemi by the shirt yelling in her face. Leon reacted without thought, his hand waved in front of the being's face as the pressure of his consciousness came to bare against theirs, “This isn’t the girl you think it is,” His voice sounded alien in his own mind as he added, “You’re going to take us to the air show.”

The driver shook his head like he was about to sneeze then his eyes glazed over and his grip slackened. “You ain’t the girl, I thought you were… I’ll take you to the airshow.”

Leon relaxed he hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath. The cab lifted from the ground and pulled off. He wasn’t sure if he’d done something wrong so he was pretending to be incredibly interested in every speeder that passed by.

@Black Noise @Tulos

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera was mentally preparing herself as they followed Koemi towards the airshow, letting Leon do the lion's share of the talking. Her only response to Koemi's question, when she could get a word in edgewise, was simply "All Jedi are trained pilots. Most of us have our own ships, I know I do." If that was something Koemi was interested in, then it was another drop in the bucket for bringing her closer to the Order. Flying a ship was more about the joys of being a pilot, though, it was also about the immense freedom that came with being able to take yourself anywhere in the galaxy.

Hera didn't even flinch as Leon handled the situation with the driver. She could sense his animosity, of course, but Leon moved fast enough to push his mind in a more amicable direction. Hera sat quietly for the rest of the cab ride, waiting until they arrived at the airshow. Dismounting the speeder, she paid the cab driver double fare, remarking to Koemi if she happened to look over, "We also receive a stipend of credits."

Hera, smiling as the trio moved the rest of the way towards the airshow, tried to continue to stay quiet unless Koemi directly asked her a question. The more Leon talked to her, the better, and after this airshow wrapped up Hera believed she would be comfortable asking Koemi to join the Jedi. The only thought that remained in Hera's mind is whether or not Koemi would say yes.

@Zay @Tulos

 

[Koemi]

Koemi found herself eager to continue to query Leon on his fascination with flying. To ask him about this ‘temple’. Or perhaps ask Hera why she was portrayed as hesitant on letting the young man sit at the controls, maybe to tell her about her own ship but that was all forgotten as the hands of the cab driver reached back and took the collar of her shirt in its grasp. Panic set in. Try as she might to sink away and out his grip, he had her beat in the game of strength and even if she could have broken from his grasp, she’d have to climb over either Hera or Leon to escape. No, she was stuck between a rock and a pair of Jedi. Not ideal in the slightest. No, her jaw was probably going to be catching the same hands that had saved her not much earlier.

A soft whimper escaped as she clenched her eyes in hopes that sympathy may be her saving grace but instead, it was the stranger at her side. Leon’s words were spoken so calmly, yet the air popped in her ears with each syllable. It seemed to have a much more noticeable influence on the cab driver however as he soon forgot everything all at once, leaving Koemi in a stunned silence.

This silence would be shared between the three passengers for the duration of the trip. Most of the time Koemi spent trying to rack her mind on what had occurred. How this man she had stolen from simply seemed to… forget? Was that it? How had Leon even done such a thing? Perhaps the stories and fables were true but weren’t Jedi supposed to be… Well, she didn’t know exactly what she expected them to be yet now they had saved her not once but twice. That was a debt she’d never be able to repay.

And then Hera made it worse as she paid the cabbie double the fare! What? Did these two figure they could just put her so deep in their debt that she’d have to spend the next year cleaning the corridors of their ship? She knew these thoughts were her being unreasonable and that the woman only wanted to be helpful, but still…

”Thanks,” she replied meekly as they walked, still awash with embarrassment from the whole situation, when a low flying speeder cut above them in the air. The sounds of it’s engines deafening and enough to shake anyone from their stupor, bringing a smile to her otherwise pursed lips.

@Zay @Black Noise​

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon perked up as they arrived at the sprawling transportation museum. Even before the cabby landed he’d spotted a couple of x-wings and a replica of the Millenium Falcon. Starfighters flew overhead in unison as the crowds below swooned with awe at their aerial acrobatics. As soon as the taxi landed he was out of the speeder.

Hands on his hips and face to the sky, Leon watched with wrapped amazement at a retinue of Mon Cal ships intertwined in a double helix while crossing the sky overhead. He glanced in Hera’s direction as she paid the cabby and when he wasn’t yelled at, assumed he hadn’t done anything wrong. Even still he wasn’t sure how he felt about a power that could alter the will of another. In the future, he’d be more careful. At least that’s what he told himself.

A decked-out speeder flew overhead, it’s repulsors tousling his hair and pulling him out of his introspection. He turned to see Komie and Hera not far behind. The younger woman seemed deep in thought. She probably thought he was some power-hungry psycho, then she thanked them and smiled. Leon returned her smile saying, “Uh, yeah no problem.”

She was off the hook, they weren’t keeping tabs. Whether Komie could accept that was up to her. Leon’s smile widened as he waved them on as excitement flooded him. There was an Adumari exhibit here he was dying to see. It was the closest he’d come to being able to go home. “Hurry up! We don’t have much time right?!” he said half walking half jogging in the direction of the museum’s entrance.

———​

Dar’jeen Paceel glared down at the museum as if it were a personal affront to his god. He despised each and every ant that marched it’s way into the spectacle. He flicked a cigarra into the open air. His swoop was hidden just behind the cityscape overlooking the museum. Dar’jeen felt his comlink buzz.

“Go ahead,” he answered.
“We’re in place boss,” came a gravelly voice over the line.
“Good, begin,” without waiting for an answer he fired up his swoop and slammed back the throttle as he shot forward toward the building.

———​

BOOOOOM!

Leon slid to a stop, eyes wide, mouth open. The back right corner of the museum had just exploded.

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Sitting beside Leon, Hera caught the emotions young woman who stayed silent the whole ride. Fear, confusion, and a tinge of anger. Beginning to catch on to what she thought the younger woman was thinking, Hera decided to start speaking to her about the Jedi's intentions once they exited the taxi cab. Leon, air-headed as always it seemed, was more fascinated with the ships flittering above them.

Stepping out of the cabbing and nodding in response to the meager 'thanks,' Hera waited until the passing speeder overhead flew by before stepping closer to the young woman. While Leon called them over and started off ahead, Hera leaned towards Koemi and spoke softly, "I will admit, I've not been entirely honest with you about my intentions today. In truth, I was going to ask if you'd like to come with-"

BOOOOOM!

The explosion at the back right corner of the museum interrupted Hera, causing the Jedi to jolt slightly. Sighing, she drew her lightsaber and apologized, "I'm sorry, we can continue speaking after. There's always something, right?" Laughing, Hera allowed a grin to spread across her face as she dashed towards the explosion. Each step took her body a dozen feet as she moved with the Force, igniting one end of her orange dualblade as she did.

Entered in the exploded hole, she scanned the room for combatants and announced "Frankly I'm tired of having my plans interrupted this day, so would you all kindly surrender so this doesn't have to get ugly?"

@Zay @Tulos

 

[Koemi]

Alright, maybe these Jedi weren’t so bad. They seemed more like normal people than she could have anticipated as Leon ran off, brimming with excitement as he absorbed every ounce of the event with child-like wonder. Certainly still embarrassed by what had transpired in the cab, Koemi decided it best to shake it off for the time being. After all, she had been searching for excitement in her otherwise dull story and these two had already provided her with the most exciting day of her life.

Eager to chase after Leon and see what else would come of their evening escapades, Hera quickly interjected with a statement of… wait, come with her where? Confused eyes looked up to the older woman as she waited for her to finish her question only for a deafening explosion to shake the street, screams of confused civilians filling the air as they ran for their lives. Smoke and dust filled the air as Koemi glanced towards where it had come from, her anxieties skyrocketing. For the first time, she regretted wishing for a life of excitement.

”Hey, wait!” Koemi called after Hera as she moved at an impossible pace towards the scene of the… Well, she didn’t know. Maybe a fighter had crashed during its aerial performance? ”Hera! Hera!” she continued to shout, only to be unheard. A scowl formed as she wrestled with what to do. ”The first cool people I meet and they’re fucking insane and suicidal. Great,” Koemi growled before deciding to chase after her, despite her better judgement.

Inside the museum, as Hera scanned the rubble, she would see three men all fitted with cybernetic implants. One with any sort of trauma training could tell that said implants weren’t originally placed as advancements on the human design but rather were upgraded cybernetics based on medical requirements. Likely disgruntled veterans of a war from a bygone time and undoubtedly dangerous.

“Burn it all,” one of the man commanded in a gruff voice as he and his compatriots engaged wrist-mounted flamethrowers, proceeding to torch anything that remained standing. “Detonate area two,” he continued as the wild Jedi soon made her introduction, a clearly unexpected outcome as he gritted the teeth in the remaining half of his mouth before spitting on the floor. “Jedi…” he growled. “Killing you will make this all the more satisfying,” he continued before turning the flamethrower in her direction and unleashing a wild torrent of fiery waves.

As this transpired, Koemi watched from behind a half destroyed wall, struggling to stifle her panic. ”This is what I get for wanting an exciting life,” she thought to herself, unsure of what it was she could do to help or if sitting back was the best thing for everyone. Instinct took over and as the man rained fire on Hera, he would find an apple-sized rock slam into the back of his head, a robotic eye slipping around his unturned head to identify the young blonde woman who had thrown it, stunned by her actions. ”Shit!”

@Zay @Black Noise​