Kidnapped! [Jedi Mission]

[Jaqen H'ghar]

Mikal Korath had just arrived planet side on Taris, the gleaming city scape so mirrored coruscant it was almost like a twin. The large Cathar was wearing some "civi" clothes, rather than the jedi robes he was so used to, his lightsaber tucked into his tunic, not as easy to reach as he would like but it would do. Looking around he waited for the other Jedi that was supposed to meet him at the local cantina at the starport to discuss the plan of attack before meeting with the parents of the kidnapped child.

He brought a hand up scratching his mane of hair as his tail flicked back and forth, taking a moment before picking a direction as he looked up at the big map that was just in front of him directing him towards his destination. Once arrived he took a seat and ordered some food while he waited on his companions...

 

[Rev]

Caed had stood outside the Cantina, almost acting as a look-out. He found himself also clad in civilian clothes, they felt foreign to him. A ribbed jacket that almost hugged his body too loosely, it felt like a cloak only it hindered his movement more than he'd like. The pants he wore were also generic civilian denim, uncomfortable, but again it sold his appearance. Finally atop his head was a racer visor, the light hat more than concealing his face.

Then the Cathar came into view, it was rare to see one of the feline creatures so he immediately knew who it was. Huffing in a short breath, Caed would reach into the inner webbing of his jacket to reassure the position of the double bladed lightsaber he so treasured. Releasing his grasp on the metallic cylinder he'd watch his fellow Knight walk past and into the somewhat crowded bar. Checking the alley once more before giving the main walk-way a final glance he'd turn on his heel and slip into the cantina.

Caed's eyes would follow a waiter leaving Mikal's table and he'd make his subtle approach. Sitting down across from the much larger Cathar he gave the feline a nod before tucking further into the booth. He glanced at Mikal once then looked over the bar. Caed was always being searched for; the Bogan more than wanting his head he was sure of it. Relaxing into the more than broken in booth he'd speak in but a whisper.

"..Come to a planet for a kidnapped girl.. This hive should be torched and the losses cut.."

He'd look around at the bar that was filled with drunks. It was always a sight to step out of the Temple and into the real "universe."

"..I have no ill-will towards a planet or people.. but one that steals from their own would be better bombed..."

He'd sigh and wonder where their other accomplice was, finally shutting up on the subject. It was rare he interacted with anyone, let alone Jedi. Caed had preferred his solitude, but it was now that he hoped to turn over a new leaf and better himself.

 

[Wit]

Aden Vaal walked slowly towards the cantina where he was supposed to meet his fellow Jedi, cutting an almost straight path through the side of the road to his destination. He was dressed simply, a tunic along with a long coat pulled over his shoulders, and a pair of tough, durable trousers below. On his feet were a pair of leather boots, much more worn out than the rest of his clothes. His lightsaber was tucked into an inner pocket of the long coat, along with his comlink and other pieces of Jedi equipment that normally resided within the utility belt on his waist. He walked leaning on a staff, something that drew people's attention until they noticed the bandages on his eyes, at which point most of them quickly averted their eyes, giving him a wide berth as he walked slowly, moving around him in their haste.

Suddenly a young child came up from one of the side alleys and caught his arm, "Let me help you Mister, where do you need to go?" Aden looked down at the child, a young human girl, with a look of apparent surprise on his face, "Why that would be very kind of you sweetheart. The closest cantina would do." Nodding the girl began to walk on before she realized that a blind man could not have noticed her nod, "Alright, its pretty close by."

As they reached the cantina she pushed open the door, pulling him inside. "Thanks, I'll be fine from here. Here, get yourself something to eat." He passed the girl a few cred coins, enough to fill her stomach for a few days. She beamed up at him and ran off, leaving him standing alone in the cantina. He slowly made his way to the booth where he sensed the other two Jedi were seated, slipping in silently next to the cathar, nodding to them both. "Good evening my friends. I hope I haven't kept you waiting for too long."

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

"It's our duty to protect these people you would like to see burned." Mikal said, a slight growl unable to be kept from his voice as he addressed the former Bogan. "Obviously no one is perfect, not even a jedi...but they have a right to try and learn to fix their mistakes." He said voice trailing off as he noticed the third in the group approaching. "No, not at all, just placed an order for some food actually." he said addressing Aden. "Mikal Korath, good to meet you both...I'm guessing I was just the easiest to find." He said with a slight grin, the large Cathar tended to stick out in a crowd.

 

[Rev]

Caed simply nodded to the newcomer, he wasn't late, but none of them were exactly early. Taking in a breath of the bitter air he'd grimace at the cup of "water" that was put before him. It hardly looked healthy, the taste on the other hand said otherwise; refreshing. Sliding the cup away from himself he ignored the Cathar's comment, they were each entitled their own opinion.

"..as much as I'd love to.."

He looked at the incoming tray of food that the same waiter carried towards them. The smell more than appetizing, but the look of the poor quality cantina food pushing that appetite away.

"..chow into Taris roadkill..? We have a duty to carry out."

Time was not exactly something they had on their sides, according to the council. However, it wouldn't be the first time they were wrong in assuming a "terrorist" would actually remove their hostage. That brought up the fact that neither side wanted to see it carried out, after all it was an innocent child whom was stolen away.

"Any ideas of where to start? The parents may offer something, but I sense any information that hasn't been already given to the council will be hard to come by."

He'd take a short sip off the water before again pushing it away, awaiting either of the two to offer up any information they might find suitable for the predicament they'd surely soon find themselves in.

 

[Wit]

Aden gave Mikal a nod with a smile on his face, "Aden Vaal, the pleasure is all mine." Turning to face Caed he was about to speak when a waitress came over and placed a cup of coffee in front of him before walking away. "Well what we need is information, and there is more than one way to get it. Word travels on the streets, there is always a chance that there is some talk of this kidnapping. We could find out what, if any, the scuttlebutt about this is."

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

"First thing we'll need is to determine which of the local gangs has the daughter. From there we can find a way to get her back. I feel the easiest way would likely be to ask around some of the junk shops in the lower sections closer to the gangs territory, they like to shake down places like that...or bribe a cantina worker..." He finished with the more obvious, then took a bite of his food which was essentially just a rare slab of meat, the Cathar tore through it easily, his teeth naturally sharp like the rest of his species, obviously evolving from carnivores.

 

[Rev]

Caed listened to the two intently, gathering any information they cared to share. His eyes stared with an almost fascination as the Cathar consumed the meat like it was a mere morsel. Striking his gaze elsewhere it was no time to think of such... half-witted interest. Sipping down the rest of the water he looked towards the doorway, his eyes stopping on one of the few holding a blaster.

"..These, gangs. I sense it best we start there.. I don't foresee these thugs wanting to intervene with a Jedi unless necessary.."

His eyes left the blastered man finally and stopped on Aden.

"Perhaps we act ambassadors to the cause? We suggest negotiation, but hint altercation."

He'd pause for a moment, these Jedi may not feel so strongly about being the aggressors here.

"Thugs acting against Jedi for no reason I sense to be a rare thing... and even if so, we'd be doing this planet a favor."

 

[Wit]

Aden slowly sipped his caf, listening quietly to his companions speak. As Caed finished speaking he put his placed his cup back on the table and turned to address the Cathar, "I agree, locating the correct gang should be the first step we take. If then we can get some information on them we can plan more effectively."

Taking another few sips from his caf, he drained the cup, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest he turned and faced Caed once more, "We need to be careful with these thugs, until we want to risk this girl's life. I agree that we will need to make use of guile on this one. While these thugs might not normally involve themselves in Jedi business, we are the ones intervening in their business this time. They did this for the credits and they will see our involvement as nothing but a hindrance to their cause. Greed is what drove them to such methods and that greed means that they will fight against us if they must."

 

[Zach]

The waitress took the empty tray that held the plates for the Jedi and strutted back over to the bar. She kept an eye over by the trio of men, trying to listen in on what they were saying from afar. She'd overheard them talking about the kidnapped child, but hadn't heard what they were planning to do about it. Narrowing her eyes, she slipped behind the gap in the bar near the wall and grabbed three glasses. She began filling them up for the men at the table so she could catch a bit more of their conversation. If there was anything worth hearing, she'd let Korgal know immediately. He'd know what to do about them if they decided to get too involved.

She walked back over with the alcoholic drinks on the tray and gently set it down in front of them. "On the house," she said, giving the group a smile and shifting over to another table and pretending to clean.

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

It was quiet, as the force often was, but he felt it was time to leave. "No ma'm. Thank you though, I an my friends are on the wagon. One to many drunken brawls I'm afraid." He said with a gruff chuckle. "Besides we need to be leaving, lunch breaks are rarely long enough." He said motioning to the group, hoping they would follow his lead.

 

[Rev]

Caed eyes would linger on the glass of alcohol for some time. It was odd that they as complete strangers would be given alcohol, especially on the house. Relaxing into the booth he offered a blank stare to the woman before letting his gaze fall back onto the liquid. Reaching to the glass he looked it over and gave it a smell as Mikal spoke to the woman. Setting it back to the center of the table he'd begin his exit from his side of the booth. A telepathic message would be shot to both Mikal and Aden as he got to his feet.

"Odd that we are offered drink for no reason..."

His eyes looked around the bar to any prodding eyes, perhaps it was just a curious woman trying to extract information from strangers. He'd ignore anything that the two Jedi across the table would have to say at his next notion. Reaching into the young woman's mind he tried to find information, instead he'd cast a spell on her through the Force.

"What do you know of a young girl..? She was kidnapped."

The spell would force the question into her mind, if she was weak she'd quickly answer it without hesitation and the group would be on their way. If she was somehow strong enough to ignore such an attack on her mind he'd make sure she passed on the information that was just given to her to no one else; at least while they were on planet. Crossing his arms he prepared to latch hold of her trachea if she tried to run. Caed was a Jedi, but that didn't mean he wouldn't use all his tools to his advantage.

 

[Zach]

The waitress smiled to the man at the table that spoke to her and turned back to the table she was cleaning, a small frown on her face. She leaned over to reach the back of the booth when she suddenly felt a dull prong in the back of her head. Her eyes felt kind of heavy, and she felt her vision fade a little. For some reason she couldn't get the girl that was kidnapped out of her head. What she looked like, how she was taken, and about how Korgal had sent his men to retrieve her. She stood up from the table and paused for a moment. She turned around to the man who'd just slipped out from the booth and left her mouth agape for a moment.

"The girl... Young... Blonde..." she said, taking a moment to swallow the building saliva in her mouth. She took a breath and kept thinking about the girl. "Korgal took her... Sent his men to get her... Blackrock Gang..." The waitress rattled off the information one statement at a time. She wasn't the most resilient of men and women, nor had she had any training against such mental attacks. The sudden penetration of her mind to release the information was unexpected and rougher than what should have been used. The information would be given, but at the quality of a young child or mentally handicapped individual.

 

[Rev]

Caed's eyes narrowed on the woman, she knew a lot more than she was caring to share. As his eyes focused on her, so did the Force; a blanket of energy would envelop the young woman as Caed's own voice would guide her.

"Where do they have her?"

A grin formed at the corner of his lips as he looked to the other two Jedi wondering if they found this type of interrogation as satisfying as he had. They were cutting the kath hound poodoo for once and getting straight to business.

"How many are there?"

 

[Wit]

Not willing to risk getting inebriated while on mission, Aden had refused the drinks outright, he wasn't much of a drinker anyway. But then he sensed the feeling he was getting from Mikal and then the telepathic message from Caed, and also realized that something might be wrong. He was getting too trusting again, something he couldn't afford to do now, not when a little girl's life lay in the balance.

Rising, he began making his way towards the door when he sensed Caed exert himself in the Force. The next very instant he heard him speak, stopping in his tracks to hear the other Jedi out. He realized what Caed was doing, but was also concerned that he might push it too far. So he waited, let him do his thing, but ready to step in if matters got out of hand.

When the girl replied he expected Caed to loosen up a little, but he sensed the Force grown even tighter around the waitress. As Cade continued questioning her, Aden began moving towards them, a grim expression on his face. Reaching out to the the other Jedi's mind he spoke a warning, Careful, my friend. You are treading a fine line here, don't push it.

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

Mikal watched in disapproval at their former bogan friend went to work on the womans head. He found the answers forth coming but when Caed continued to push he growled, something low and fierce then spoke. "You break her mind if you push to much. Leave her be..." He said, physically moving the woman away. He sat her down and placed one of the drinks she had poured in her hand. Quietly he reached out with her in the force, a calming sensation this time, and spoke urging her to forget. "You want to finish this drink, perhaps take the day off and forget this ever happened." he said in his low bass of a voice.

Turning around he motioned for Caed to head toward the door, and would not budge until Caed was safely outside, and he knew the woman was relatively safer.

 

[Zach]

The waitress was about to respond to the question with a forced, "I don't know," but was suddenly cut off when the other Jedi physically moved her away from the man. She didn't know where Korgal had his gang set up, since they'd only ever approached her at the cantina. She'd seen as many as a dozen men with him at once, but she doubted that he would bring everyone with him at once. This much was able to be extracted from her thoughts when the ex-Bogan searched her mind, not quite getting the verbal answer he desired.

The waitress was seated at the table by the Jedi and given a drink, placed directly in front of her. Her sight was still hazy, her thoughts cloudy and unclear. She didn't exactly know what was going on, but she suddenly had the irresistible urge to finish the drink she'd given the Jedi and take the rest of the day off. It was the middle of the afternoon, and she was surely to be reprimanded for her actions, but it was a desire she could not resist. She gently took the mug and lifted it to her chin, taking a light sip. She continued doing this while watching the trio of mysterious men exit the cantina and disappear. Thoughts of the men were pushed from her mind as she continued drinking at the table.

Fifteen minutes later, the waitress had finished her drink and abruptly left the cantina during the middle of her shift. Without a word to anyone, she simply stood and walked out the door. She walked all the way back to her residential apartment, where he baby boy lay sleeping. She walked over to him, kissed him on the head, and drifted to sleep in her bed. The next morning, when she went back to work, she was informed that she was fired, due to leaving unexpectedly during the middle of the busiest time of day. She'd caused hell for the rest of the employees, and was stripped of her employment and sent home. For the next several days, she tried desperately to find work, but with the war between the Hutts and the Republic, the economy was shot, and not a job in the city could be found. She was forced to leave her apartment, living on the streets with her baby boy. She was forced to result to begging at the civilians and police forces that roamed the streets going about their day, but alas, she was unable to sustain herself and her child. The baby boy died of starvation two days later without any food to survive on, and the woman, distraught with the recent events that occurred since her involvement with the Jedi, decided that she had nothing left to live for. That night, she sat atop the edge of the platform that stood tall over the surface of the planet. Hundreds of miles below her was certain death, and one thing she'd always wanted was to fly. If not now, then when? She pushed off from the ledge and plummeted to her death. Perhaps she would be remembered. Perhaps she would be mourned. Then again, who would miss another missing beggar from the streets?

Several days before these events, two men stood and followed the trio of men from the cantina after witnessing what they'd done to the waitress. One was within earshot and thought he'd heard odd commands. No persuasion, no manipulation, just a blunt and direct question as if he was guaranteed an answer. This rose suspicion, and he ordered the third man at their table to report back to Korgal immediately and let him know that something was up. He could have sworn he heard something about the kidnapped girl.

Spoiler: EDIT:

Good work Sheo. Making the universe a better place :CStern

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

((that's the most retarded thing I've ever seen, but whatever so is the fact that a random cantina in the upper city is suddenly the major gang hang out for those located in the lower city, so I take a bit of issue with pretty much the entirity of that post. Be realistic or we'll find someone else to NPC shit, ffs.))

 

[Rev]

((Phew.. and I thought I was the bad guy.. Sheo, ya asshat.))

The concentration of Force Energy that the young Knight was exerting on the defenseless woman was enough to beckon one of his allies to break the focus. Shooting Mikal a glare, Caed, would simply nod and take a step back. They were so close to finding the answers they potentially needed and now that Mikal was making a larger scene by crowding the woman, there was no telling who was watching. Taking a larger step away and towards the door, young Ultor's eyes began to survey the crowd trying to spot anything out of place.

Taking a final step towards the exit vibrations through the Force echoed through Caed's very foundation. It was but a mere whisper through the channel the Force flowed through, but a difference had been made by their interactions; to what degree none of them could truly know. Standing outside the alleyway Caed again looked over the various beings coming to and fro the only cantina around.

Caed would process the little information the poor woman had given them. The only useful knowledge they received was a man's name; Korgal, and the gang associated with the kidnapping; Blackrock Gang. Taking his thoughts outward he'd speak telepathically to his comrades.

"Korgal the woman said, perhaps this Blackrock Gang's leader? We should seek him out..."

The former Bogan would further his distance from the Cantina. Reaching into the jacket pocket he'd extract a cigarra, and with a spark the legal smoke was lit. Placing the monstrosity between his lips he'd take a drag before exhaling the disgusting drug. He'd never liked the things, but they worked in odd ways of calming his nerves and pushed many away from the idea of his being a Jedi; few carried such a habit.

Finally finding a resting spot across the alley from the cantina, Caed would lean against the grime covered wall. His eyes stared directly across at the exit to the building that had once housed him. Caed was waiting rather impatiently for the other two to exit the building, unsure of what their hold-up was he'd close his eyes but briefly to better sense any disturbances the Force gave off..

((Zach, liked the post. I'd say my only complaint about it was that none of us had left the building yet, so can't exactly be tailing us yet :) ))

EDIT: ((Just saw Sheo's post, leaving this up as it should work regardless, but can change if it's needed :) ))

 

[Zach]

((that's the most retarded thing I've ever seen, but whatever so is the fact that a random cantina in the upper city is suddenly the major gang hang out for those located in the lower city, so I take a bit of issue with pretty much the entirity of that post. Be realistic or we'll find someone else to NPC shit, ffs.))

((If you'll recall from the KOTOR games, lower city gang thugs hung out in upper city cantinas as well. They were not limited to preferences, nor were they banned. If you SERIOUSLY have a problem with the post, I advise you to suck it up and deal. I was asked to NPC the mission thread, I'm gonna NPC the mission thread. I'm a Bogan. Can't make the thread TOO easy, can I?

By the way, Sreeya loved the post :CHappy

EDIT: I'll wait till the others post to make my NPC posting, but my apologies for saying the thugs followed you. I misread those last posts, thought you guys left.))