[Jedi Mission] Capturing the Captain

[Wolf]

"So these are your friends, Atton? A girl and a giant?" The pirate's sarcastic sentiment was short lived as he caught an angry look from Khaimov and retreated. Nakoma wanted to smile as an older man took control of the conversation and brought a hush to the room. Nakoma also assumed that this man was at the helm of the mutiny and would likely be the one that the Jedi would need to convince to hand over the Captain. The Padawan's attention shifted to Ze'kyre as he let out a laugh. She should have expected his invitation for someone to hit him, but it still surprised her as it had several times since she first met the Echani.

The young woman swallowed hard as she watched her Master. The movements were swift and the encounter brief. As the room erupted with laughter, a smile tugged at the corners of Nakoma's lips. "We are good at what we do, thank you. I've heard you might have some work for us?" The smirk on Ze'kyre's face seemed to be working as he spoke with the pirates. "Dylon Strider?" Nakoma tossed the name around in her mind and decided that she rather liked the pseudonym. As her master introduced both she and Khaimov, the young woman bowed her head slightly.

"So what do you think about this, Tray-var?" The Padawan took a moment to playfully ask the Bear. She did not dare let her guard down, though for a moment it appeared as though everyone was in good spirits. "What is your name, friend? Have you been to this lovely city before?" Ze'kyre asked with the same smirk upon his face. The older man's smile disappeared as he crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed as they shifted between Khaimov, Nakoma, and the Echani. "We're not friends. Not yet," he said in a rough voice.

The words did not resonate well with with the young woman. She focused her mind away from the noise of the room and narrowed her mind onto the thoughts of those in the group. "Who does this guy think he is?" One of the pirates thought as he stared at Ze'kyre with mistrust in his eyes. "We don't need the help of no outsider." The thoughts of a large man with thick facial hair dominated Nakoma's mind. "Oh for cryin' out loud - they're a band of amatures!" This thought accompanied with irritation resounded from a skinny fellow in the far corner of the room. And then from the man that had been speaking with Ze'kyre, "Hmmm...with some outsiders gettin' mixed up in the killin', it'll take the blame off us."

Nakoma's eyes grew wide as she shot a look up at Khaimov. "I don't think he wants our help...I think he'll try to use us to cover up the mess somehow," the woman's words were heavy with concern as she spoke to the Knight's mind. Her eyes shifted back toward Ze'kyre but did not allow her face to betray the anxiety building within her chest. Whatever the Padawan did, she knew that she could not give away their identities by revealing even an ounce of emotion. The pirates, though not the brightest bunch, did not appear ignorant to the proper responses of true mercenaries. Clenching her jaw, the Laku'na set her face like a stone and resolved to stand firm against the adversity that she felt looming.

 

[Cale]

Khaimov watched impassively as the Echani knight easily dispatched his challenger. Though punching-bag was probably a better term, given their equivalent skills. It had not been a fair fight, or really a test for the talents of the three Jedi. He harrumphed quietly in something approximating approval. Then he turned his gaze on the First Mate matching him stare for stare.

"No. We not friends. Yet. We not enemies either. Yet." The threat was implicit coming from a man that dwarfed everyone else in the room, and given the speed with which Ze'kyre had humiliated one of the pirates, it was a threat that none of the opposing side seemed to want to see actualized. Especially not the First Mate, who could see very clearly that should hostilities break out, he'd be the first target for the giant.

"No. Not enemies. You can't blame us for being suspicious though. All of a sudden, the help that we might want just shows up, out of the blue? Seems rather suspicious to me."

I think that we need to be careful. We do not want a slaughter on our hands. And their suspicions are somewhat founded. Perhaps if we reveal ourselves as bounty hunters, after their captain, they'll be more inclined to trust us. After all, everyone knows that bounty hunters are just in it for the credits, not for morals. And of course he'll use us as an excuse. We're not part of the crew, and thus expendable in his eyes. But we'll deal with him. Once the mutiny is in effect, we'll be in a position to incapacitate all of them. He thought to Nakoma.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

“A wise woman once told me you could be cautious without being ignorant.” It was not the wariness and suspicion that caused Ze’kyre’s mirth to fade from his face, the simple act of withdrawing his unshaken hand left a sour taste in his mouth, one that could be tasted even through his gaze as he looked upon the seated first mate. Khaimov’s thoughts flowed like a steady stream from his own mind to Nakoma’s, who keenly relayed the Bear’s tip to the more lithe Knight.

“But your suspiciouns are not unfounded, I will confess.” Ze’kyre looked about the room, allowing his dichromatic leer to linger upon each man but a moment. It seemed as though he made to only personalize his coming message, but in truth he was once again assessing each man as an individual threat, playing out in his mind what would happen if this did not work. “I’ve not been entirely honest with you lot. We are not just mercenaries…” His eyes returned to the first mate. “We are bounty hunters.

“We seek Captain Kandar Midanyl. Our sources on Eriadu tipped us off to the crews growing distaste for his greed, and we have sought you out so that we may work together. Your intuition serves you well, old man. But you would be foolish to think that we can not help you.” Zekyre could sense his Padawans concern, and he could see the intent in the first mate’s eyes. The Jedi would play along; it did them no harm to be pawns until they decided otherwise.

“We both have a lot to gain by working together, and no more to lose than we did before.”

 

[Wolf]

Nakoma gave Khaimov a knowing glance as he spoke into her mind. Her eyes shifted from the Knight's face to those of the crew as Ze'kyre began to weave the lies a little deeper. Now he was introducing them as bounty hunters. Though the Padawan knew very little of the life of such as these, she realized that there might come a moment when she would need to at least act the part.

As she stood beside the Bear, the woman crossed her arms and set her gaze upon the man whom her Master now addressed. "We both have a lot to gain by working together, and no more to lose than we did before." The words were wise and Nakoma hoped that the pirates agreed with him. "And after we're done with the Captain, I'll have a turn with that pretty little thing." The thoughts flowed forth from not only the mind of the older shot caller, but several in the crew.

"She don't look like no bounty hunter," one the the men contemplated. "Cat got your tongue, sweetheart?" the scrawny one in the corner thought as he looked Nakoma over. The young woman suddenly began to feel something bubbling up from within. She fought her eyes from narrowing lest she give herself away. Truthfully, there was a hint of anger churning in her depths at the continued onslaught of twisted thoughts.

Nakoma clenched her fists as her arms remained crossed. She knew that anger was a precursor to the Dark SIde and so she began reciting the Jedi Code in her mind. Just then, her train of thought was derailed by the words of the man that seemed to be in charge of the uprising. "Bounty hunters, say you?" His eyes moved across the faces of the Jedi before settling back upon Ze'kyre's.

"This could work out better than we thought..." his mental words trailed off. "Ze'kyre, I think the group is getting restless. They need a solution fast." Nakoma spoke into her Master's mind. Her eyes remained upon him as she addressed Khaimov without skipping a beat. "I think they're suspicious of me because I have yet to speak to them. Their thoughts are so...dirty." Her words were accompanied with the discomfort and hint of anger that boiled beneath the surface.

 

[Cale]

The First Mate narrowed his eyes. Bounty Hunters were bad news, as far as he was concerned. He looked over the three of them, obviously considering this new information. The crew was tired of planning and plotting, and they wanted action. If nothing else, these bounty hunters would prove advantageous, as that lot tended to be ruthless in the pursuit of their quarry. So long as the crew weren't included, all would be well. And if accidents were to happen, and the crew claimed the bounty instead, all the better.

"Bounty hunters, say you?" He said, greed tinging the question. "Well then, why aren't you coming after the rest of us?"

"Because you not worth more than fifty credits each." said Khaimov, frowning at the First Mate. "That too close to free. Though if scrawny man keep looking at Dylon like that, we let her have him. He will not enjoy it, but she will." He laughed in an especially cruel manner, and then directed his thoughts to the young padawan.

They are crude men, with crude thoughts. Do not let them drive you to anger, my friend. Seek peace within yourself, and know that no matter what they think, they cannot know you. Thus whatever their opinion, it is wrong. Only you and the Force know who you are inside. Nobody can take that from you.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

Ze'kyre's chuckle was hardly audible as he shook his head. "My friend is right. No body even knows your name, what sum of credits do you really think you're worth." He took a slow, amused breath. "You may not have a lot of time to check the Holonet, but the bounty on your Captain…" Ze'kyre whistled his feigned lust. "We'll have just about enough to put a downpayment on that new freighter, won't we Tray-var? You lot wouldn't earn us enough fuel to find our next mark." Ze'kyre's piercingly mismatched leer remained on the First Mate.

"Miss Stryder is quiet, and usually quite polite…" He leaned in just slightly for dramatic effect. "But the last man I saw look at her like that… I believe she still has one of the eyes." He shuddered slightly, implying a viscousness and brutality that just barely sat well with him. "I thought I'd seen it all, but the bits of cranium stuck to the end of his cord of nerves… I didn't eat for hours, but she was right, the eye was very tasty once you get past the texture."

He put the the thought behind him, and stood back straight. "The Antimony Viper is not well-loved on this planet. Most of the people and companies you robbed in this sector have ties to this very city, that is why we were brought here. The law of Eriadu is slow to act, but that is only because the people in charge of this kriff-hole of a city know they might have something to gain from a crew of cooperative, pragmatic pirates. Imagine a years worth of raids where you know the worth and prize of each ship you capture before it even departs from the ports of Eriadu. You could have the routes and manifests of all out-going and many incoming ships, and be given all the information on installed defence measures. Our client, a coalition of some of the most influential men and women on Eriadu, estimate that they can triple your current earnings, that's just in the first month.

"With proper strategy, as outlined by our client, the Viper could be a ghost amongst the stars, no more sloppy work like that of your fearless leader. You do not need a blaster to be ruthless and efficient in your ambition, and these people seek to combine their ambition with yours. You and your crew could feed from the wealth of their competition for years to come before retiring on your own terms. And all you'd have to do in return is have the restraint to not terrorize their own businesses, except for once or twice every now and again. As they say, just for show.

"Oh, and you'll have to give up Midanyl. Our clients are very unhappy with how uncooperative he has been."

 

[Wolf]

"They are crude men, with crude thoughts. Do not let them drive you to anger, my friend. Seek peace within yourself, and know that no matter what they think, they cannot know you. Thus whatever their opinion, it is wrong. Only you and the Force know who you are inside. Nobody can take that from you." Khaimov's words called Nakoma back to her center of peace. She knew that he was right, but having never been subjected to anything of the sort, her mind and heart were racing with thoughts and emotions that she never anticipated feeling.

As the Bear threatened the scrawny man on behalf of Nakoma, she set a steely gaze upon his face. Her arms remained crossed but her head tilted to the side to give the appearance that she was truly sizing up the man. Amidst her own issue with the lot, a brilliant dialogue was unfolding between Khaimov, Ze'kyre, and the first mate. It was clear that they were skeptical, but the way in which the Knights explained away their worry was wise.

Ze'kyre's story about "Dylon" was amusing. Nakoma was somewhat disgusted to think that there really were women like the one that her Master was describing, but part of her wished to laugh about it as well. Maintaining a most serious countenance, the Padawan set her face like a stone as she nodded in agreement with the tale he wove. As he described her eating the eye of the make-believe man, the woman smiled in a way that felt unnatural, but the sadistic appearance seemed to do the trick. The scrawny man averted his eyes to every place in the room that he could, except for Nakoma. Several of the other men followed suit and completely avoided eye contact with her.

"Oh, and you'll have to give up Midanyl. Our clients are very unhappy with how uncooperative he has been." The Padawan searched the face of the man in charge to gauge a reaction. He was in deep thought for quite some time. Nakoma could pick up on several of the thoughts, but there were so many variables and if he changed his mind once, he changed it a hundred times over the course of a minute. "That doesn't sound like a half bad arrangement now..." he spoke while glancing between the faux bounty hunters across from him.

 

[Cale]

"Then we do business." It wasn't a question from the giant. He was enjoying this role, a little. The savagery and simple-mindedness of Tray-var was a refreshing change in a lot of ways. It also horrified him, the way he could simply slip into such a barbarian persona, but he was careful to keep those thoughts trapped behind the veil of the bounty hunter.

"We help, we get Midanyl. You get ship. Everyone happy. Except those nobody care about. Like Midanyl." He grinned toothily. He certainly hoped that the young padawan and her master were ready for what was to come. It would most likely be bloody.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

The smile reappeared on Ze'kyre's face as he watched the agreement spread across the First Mate's own. Ambition shone eagerly within the older man's eyes as thoughts of captaining the Antinomy Viper became all the more real, no longer the mere fascination of a mutinous mind. "You heard the big guy, it sounds like we have a deal." With the sentiment, Ze'kyre extended his hand out once more, and this time the man juxtaposed of him stood to his feet, and took his forearm with a hearty shake.

"Very well, Atton. You and your friends are hard to read, but I find that endearing. The name is Krystian Saal." The first mate played it quite cool as he walked around the table to stand adjacent to the echani, patting him on the back as they turned back towards the door. By the shifting of his eyes and the influence of his demeanour, Ze'kyre could tell the man was still going to try and play them as a couple of pawns. The idea amused Ze'kyre, but he did not allow his savviness to betray him. "Drink up fellas, the Viper's repairs are almost finished. Call up yer' mates and tell 'em the Captain won't be setting off with us tomorrow."

There was a cheer across the room, and every drink was lifted in anticipation of the hours to come, but as he pulled Ze'kyre aside, the leader of the mutineers found a moment to question Ze'kyre in private. "So, what ex'ly were the terms of Midanyl's bounty?"

Dead or alive, the question was bound to come up sooner or later. "He's worth twice as much alive," Ze'kyre answered delicately, implying that he did not care himself. It did not require telepathy to read the man's next thoughts, such murderous intent was one of the first things the warrior had been taught to see in another man's eyes.

"Sure," came the reply from the first mate, a less than convincing nod accompanying the lack of sentiment. Ze'kyre grinned with a palpable innocence that belied his nature as a warrior, willing to allow the man across from him the illusion of control.

"Well then, Captain Saal. Lead the way."

 

[Wolf]

Nakoma watched quietly as the verbal exchange was made between her Master and the First Mate. She could still sense a hint of mistrust and other sinister emotions from the man, but the young woman knew that the situation was in the very capable hands of the two Knights. This was a learning experience for the young woman as she paid great attention to the way in which both men carried themselves in these less than diplomatic scenarios.

The Padawan was not convinced by the pirate's response to Ze'kyre's statement about the worth of Midanyl if he were brought in alive. "He wants to spill blood, Ze'kyre. I don't know that he's going to allow the Captain to be taken alive and well." Nakoma's gaze moved to Khaimov's face.

"I'll walk between you and Ze'kyre, if that's okay." Nakoma looked toward her Master and as the First Mate began to lead the way, she followed right behind the Echani and in front of the Bear, hoping that this would not be the blood bath that the tension in the room caused her to believe it would be.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

The pirates all finished their drinks, set down their cups, collected the largest of themselves from the floor, and the group followed their new leader. Ze'kyre was careful to stay near Nakoma throughout the process, but also kept up with Krystian as they exited through the way they originally entered the cantina. Several of the pirates collected weapons and coats from the check, most had their weapons concealed on their person already, but all followed the first mate as he exited the cantina. Despite the single-mindedness of their new friends, Ze'kyre wanted to be sure his Padawan was still cautious. "Be sure to keep your guard up, Nakoma."

---

It was several minutes before the group had come upon the hangar in which the Antimony Viper was being repaired, several minutes during which Ze'kyre could feel an aura rich with anticipation, palpable and anxious, especially from the man he walked beside, Krystian Saal. The doors slid open to reveal the great spaceship, and the group of about a dozen and a half entered, having collected a few more between the cantina and the hangar. "There she is," said Saal as he admired the ship with a satisfied look of ownership. "No doubt that bantha hind is in his quarters getting pissed. Probably drunk as a Corellian skunk by this hour."

Ze'kyre quirked an eyebrow as the group stopped walking, allowing the First Mate and the Three Jedi to face eachother. "You believe he is alone...?"

"Well, not 'zactly. See, two assassin droids are never far from the man. Damned rust-buckets shoot straighter than any soldier I ever seen. Oh, a couple of loyal sailors too, but I doubt they'll die for 'im once they realize this is actually happenin'."

Ze'kyre thought it over, his eyes glancing over Nakoma's and Khaimov's as he telepathically left his mind open for suggestions. But now was not a time to show hesitation, less their new acquaintances should see it as a sign of weakness or something else to be exploited. "Very well, let us climb aboard."

The ramp had been left down for the crew on shore-leave. The hangar had been privatized and secured by a personal corporation, making it safe from most wanderers who may stumble across such a sought after scourge. After allowing the sailors to all climb aboard, Ze'kyre waited with his team of Jedi and found a quick moment of privacy. "This is it. Keep your sabers handy, I suspect we shall need them soon enough."

 

[Cale]

Two assassin droids, a large collection of crew-men, and a drunk captain. This was going to be a tough fight, as far as Khaimov was concerned. Especially given their aim was to capture as many of them alive as possible. His first goal was, as far as he was concerned, the safety of Nakoma and the civilian populace. Secondary to that was the capture of the captain, and lastly was the capture of the rest of the mutinous crew. The fact that the captain was drunk was going to probably prove useful. It would render him mostly incapable, which removed one threat to the group.

As Ze'kyre gave his warning, the mostly taciturn kiffar nodded and then strode up the ramp like a vengeful god, pushing his way through the crowd.

"You. Lead on. Captain first. Pirates tricksome. Have hidden controls in quarters. Prefer not to be caught out."

The First mate blinked in surprise, and then shrugged.

"This way then, friend. The rest of you, spread out. Anybody that's not us, put 'em down. Hard or soft however you like it."

 

[Wolf]

As Ze'kyre warned Nakoma to keep her guard up, she silently locked eyes with him in a motionless an silent form of acknowlegement. This was no time to be distracted or to allow her focus to wander from the task at hand. Things had just become quite serious, if they weren't already. Assassin droids, a drunken captain, and a band of bloodthirsty pirates was not the young woman's idea of an ideal situation to be found in the midst of. Such was the way of the Jedi, she was quickly learning.

As her Master issued his warning to keep their sabers ready, the young woman's mind scrambled. She did not have a real lightsaber. What good would her training weapon do against a real threat? Nakoma refocused her mind however, as she realized that Khaimov and Ze'kyre were on either side of her and they were well equipped to handle the threat at hand. Should a dangerous situation arise, the Padawan was confident in the skills of her fellow Jedi.

The group boarded the ramp and Khaimov pushed his way through, assuming the role that he had been assigned. Nakoma squinted her gaze and furrowed her brows in such a way as to give off the aura of the silent, angry type that could explode in a rage in seconds. It seemed to work for her as most of the men were still avoiding eye contact with her. As Khaimov gave the command, Nakoma stepped a bit closer to Ze'kyre, her eyes searching her surroundings as tension filled the space within the ship. "I have a bad feeling about this..." her words manifested within Ze'kyre's mind almost as quickly as they left her own. Truly, something felt off about the entire situation that the Jedi now found themselves in.

 

[Resolute\\.ZEN]

While Ze'kyre boarded the spacecraft, he inspected the gunship. He had heard of this vessel; the Stathas-class, a ship known for its ability to disguise itself, useful for pirates who stumble across unsuspecting pray. Hopefully there were not many more pirates. The optimal crew for this ship was perhaps larger than the three of them were ready to deal with. This many men? Well he was quite excited, but he only hoped his Padawan was ready for her trial of skill.

His hand reached into his cloak and he withdrew his sheathed sword, the Second Songstress. As he followed the pirates up the ramp, he watched as the Bear took the lead. It was not long before all had boarded, and the crewmen began to spread out throughout the ship.

"I have a bad feeling about this." With a glance to Nakoma, he gave her a reassuring nod.

"Let them handle the loyal crew, most of them might even have a change of heart. They're going to leave the droids for us." He looked about himself, inspecting the pirates that still remained in sight.

"What the hell-" he heard from down the corridor before a blaster stun turned the shout into a groan. Throughout the ship he felt a few presences become more alert, and the sounds of battle began to pick up as he followed down the corridor with his fellow Jedi.

There were a few threats popping up here and there, and Ze'kyre was forced to knock out a pirate who attempted to get the jump on him with the end of his sheath, but when they arrived at the Captain's Quarters, the doors were locked.

"Tie up the resistors. We'll give 'em another chance when they wake up. Once Midanyl is gone I doubt anyone'll feel like getting floated for a lost cause." The first mate chuckled, and the crew went to work rounding up those who had resisted and storing them in the brig. Only one man had been killed in the skirmish, and just over a dozen of the mutineers remained conscious.

"Do you have the code?" Ze'kyre asked the soon to be Captain Saal as he gestured to the keypad beside the door to the captain's quarters. Krystian shook his head. Taking a second to tie his sheath back to hip, he withdrew within his right hand his lightsaber, encased in ivory.

The look on Krystian's face was incredulous as the weapon ignited and the blue blade of light sprung forth. "What are you guys, Jedi or something?"

Looking the first mate in the eye, Ze'kyre cocked an eyebrow. A smirk touched his fair-skinned lips as he shrugged. "Jedi, Sith, what's the difference between the stuffy old religions. They've just given us hard times, for pirates and for lightsaber-adepts alike. We need to get by as well." He thrusted the lightsaber into the door, and began cutting a circle large enough for them all to enter. He knew that Khaimov and Nakoma would watch his back should the first mate decide they weren't needed anymore. But given their slimmed numbers, they were going to need every man. They probably could not afford to attack these lightsaber-wielding bounty hunters anymore.