Open [Rafa IV] The Fool

[Lance Decker]

Spoiler: Music

Song

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This was Lance's first time visiting Rafa IV. The horizon of the capital city Teguta Lusat was a sight to behold and he took the time to appreciate it. The two gigantic planet spanning structures sat on either side of his view and the rest of his vision was taken up by the criss-crossing boardwalks and bridges that spanned the space between the ancient ruins.

The man was not here to investigate the five sided plastic pyramids or study the ancient reserved people. Instead, today he was investigating a lead on a supply of dangerous misleadingly named Rafa life-crystals. Potentially someone either had come into a massive horde of the crystals, they were being synthesized or were being harvest naturally. Lance was willing to bet on the first two. The last option seemed highly unlikely.

He took out his EZpods that had been playing an audio version of the Calrissian Chronicles. It was epic and probably more exaggeration than truth but the Knight found it entertaining none-the-less. The planet had come a long way since Imperial occupation or the events that Lando Calrissian recounted, if they were to be believed.

The first stop he would be making would be the penal colony at the edge of town. Crystals historically needed manual labor to be harvested and due to its properties nobody wanted to collect them. There were plenty of people willing to stoop to slavery. There were also the inovators that might use droids. Regardless, the Knight needed to investigate and his search would have to start somewhere.


@TheDudeMike

 

[Derium Vark]

Derium laughed as the fellow criminal planted a devastating jab into his gut. Even as the blows rained down on him, Derium continued to laugh like a maniac. The 'gang' continued to their beat down, kicking at the prostrated man in trying to get him to shut up, but Derium only continued to laugh.

There was a lull in the blows. The degenerate low-life criminals had tired themselves out enough to give the madman a chance to stand up. Coughing a fit of blood, Derium reached up and wiped his face. The criminals looked surprised.

"What kind of stuff you on you freak?!" One of the the criminals, a bothan, shouted. He had started the fight. Derium had unceremoniously bumped shoulders with him, and demanded an apology, and Derium, the chaotic being he was, spouted something about being unworhty for an apology.

Derium looked at the Bothan, his own bleeding gums, writhe figure and heated breath in the numbing cold making a gruesome sight.

"Nothing my friend..." Derium panted as he adjusted his hood. "Nothing but what the twin spirits give me!"

Full of revelry, Derium shouted lashed out at the convicts. Without his weapon, he was relying on his bare hands, but he didn't seem to mind. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the feeling of the Bothan's nose breaking under his knuckles. There was purity in the pain of the hands. There was a connection in the pain he inflicted on both himself and these idiots. There was a connection to perfection.

With renewed rigor, the other three criminals tried to help their leader, grabbing Derium and throwing him backwards. Derium roared as his blows became less precise. The nearby guards watched, taking bets and letting the 'battle' continue. Derium had been sentenced to the penal colony about a year now, and he had proven to be quite troublesome and annoying. They secretly hoped this beating from the fellow inmates would knock some sense into the madman.

Derium was quickly overwhelmed again as the Bothan's underlings got the upperhand. The Bothan layed on the ground nursing his wounds while shouting at the others to 'Kriff this idiot and get his stash'. There was a good chance that if the guards did not intervene, Derium would either perish from the blows or have to reveal what the Shapers of Kro Var taught him.

@Darasuum

 

[Natalie Hope]

What a busy girl she was! It seems like only yesterday she was forced to teach lightsaber techniques in a class room to a bunch of Padawan, and now she was running around every which way with Jedi she'd never seen before. And of course she would be blasted by the cold air of the winter climate. Why, in all the years she had been a Jedi, could it never be somewhere WARM. She lifted the hood of her warm, fuzzy, poncho as she followed the behemoth of a man she'd come with.

Honestly, what were the Jedi putting in the food now!? Vanya, Zana, and Natalie were all relatively small, yet the dudes were all tall and made of 100% Kashyyykian beef. Natalie sighed just before the man removed his EZPod. "So what exactly are we here for again?" She asked, hoping to spur some sort of interaction. She was pretty sure the only interaction they had on the way over was meeting and learning their names. Natalie was perfectly content with Lance taking the reigns on this mission, while she looked at cute lothkittens on her EZPhone.

@Darasuum @Narzen

 

[Lance Decker]

Lance was glad to not be alone today. The Knight was accompanied by a peer of the same rank in the Jedi Order. Natalie was a more well known face but that was mainly because she was actually seen by the rest of the Jedi. Lance on the other hand had not been home in years. Still, he had asked for the Knight out of a few other options and was granted his request.

"Life-crystals." He answered simply at first but continued. With each word his let out a puff of warm breath that mixed with the cold surrounding air. "They're used for medicinal purposes or at least sold as such. Really they sap the intelligence of those they're in close proximity with." There were all sorts of devious purposes for the life crystals that Lance did not feel like going over now but none of them were cheerful. "We're here to find out why life crystals have started popping up on the black market. My sources indicate a shipment that was sold had previously come from this planet." He might have been able to stop that past transaction. But now he was closer to the source of the crystals and could put it out of commission for good rather than just some mid-level broker. This was a multi-million credit operation and possibly connected to more.

Lance understood if Natalie still had questions. From what he knew about the Jedi, she had recently had transitioned from padawan learner to a fully fledged Jedi Knight. Her track record was what made her a candidate for this mission. But he still wanted to see how she performed first hand. Judging by her clothes, she was non-too happy about the climate. The more muscular Knight on the other hand seemed to be less affected though he too preferred warmer temperatures.

The two Jedi approached the gate that would allow them entrance to the penal colony. Guards along the walls took note of their arrival and one on ground level held out a palm to cause them to halt. "Present your identification and state your reason for arrival." Lance approached and stopped a few meters away from the guard. He stood at least a head taller than him though the Knight's eyes lifted from examining the guard to the walls ahead of them before returning. "I'm Jedi Knight Lance Decker and this is my associate Jedi Knight Natalie Hope. We're here investigating a spice ring that is suspected to be operating out of this penal colony. Please let us in." The man half-lied since he did not want to go into the prison settlement as a convict or let the local staff know what they were really investigating. There was a chance the prison guards were corrupt.

"Um...I'll have to check with my boss." He looked surprised and a bit nervous though Lance could not precisely tell the reason why. His head turned to the side to look at Natalie to see what she thought. After a moment of the guard radioing for confirmation he returned and signaled for the gate to open.

The penal colony was highly secure. The interior was mostly self-run by the inmates who were allowed to run wild as long as they remained inside the colony. The two Jedi would be allowed to join the main population of the criminals though their weapons and equipment would be confiscated and held for safe keeping. No trade of any kind was permitted and aside from the clothes on their backs the Jedi pair were not allowed to bring anything with them. At least it beat having to wear prison uniforms.

Passed the layered obstacles to prevent escape or assault, a tunnel would open up to a field with fences. Beyond one was a group of people having a fight. Inmates seemed to be having it out for one another though the Jedi had no idea what it was about. His eyes flicked to the guards but none of them seemed eager to put a stop to the brawl. There were eyes on the two Jedi as well now from both guards and inmates alike. "Hold on." The Jedi's escort said and began to radio for a sharp shooter. "Sometimes they get rowdy and we stun them to keep them from killing each other." The guard explained.

@TheDudeMike @Narzen

 

[Natalie Hope]

Natalie didn't know much about this Lance guy aside from the fact that he was built like fire-hydrant, was a Jedi Knight, and had stayed in the shadows for a long, long time before coming out. She wondered if she was the first Jedi face he had seen, and in how long. Long enough apparently that openly saying they were Jedi was a thing. Natalie tried to think about all the times where actively outing herself as a Jedi had turned out right, and well, there was reason she wore normal clothes and hid her lightsaber now.

When Lance looked back to see her reaction, he would see a "what the fuck?" expression with her jaw hanging slightly open. Whatever, he was taking the reigns, and the guards were taking her lightsaber. Her "what the fuck" expression turned to a bit of a scowl, to say the least. Lance was a behemoth of a man, but Natalie was five-foot-four and her lightsaber was arguably her greatest asset as a Jedi outside of her mind. She spent most of her life in the cities of Ord Mantell, so she could hold her own in a fist fight, but man did she feel naked without a weapon.

"Not every day I let a man touch my lightsaber," Natalie joked, watching the fight happen across the yard and ignoring the guards. "I'm going to want that back if this goes sideways." She stole a hazel glance toward her fellow Knight before returning to watching the fight. Such wild punches and jabs; it was like there was no form involved at all! Tsk tsk, Ord Mantell would have chewed these guys up and spit them out for breakfast.

@Darasuum

 

[Derium Vark]

More. More. That was the sole thought running through Derium's mind as blow after blow rained upon him. Not that he wasn't fighting back. Balled fists tried to worm the worm out of the situation, but without his weapon, Derium was like any other man.

No... Derium thought as he layed on his back while two of the thugs held him down and a third kneeled over him, dishing out strikes against his head, garenteeing a concussion. Even as his vision began to blur, he could feel something rising within him

Not like any other man! These idiots know nothing of devotion!

Derium screeched. The two holding him down jumped off in startlement as their very gloves felt hot to the touch. Derium felt the spirits resonate in his very soul. The spirits...some of them were passionate souls; followers of the Fanged God himself. These spirits he knew well. He invited them inside long ago, and they granted him powers. Powers over nature. Powers...

Over cleansing fire! Derium grinned sadistically as his hands came up and grabbed the thug's head. Sizzling flesh and boiling blood erupted across the face as the air between Derium's hands and the thug's head increased exponentially. Derium channeled the spirits (The Force) into the very air itself, letting their passions be loosed. The guards, watching from a short distance away, would be unsure how to describe what happened next in their reports. The biggest claim would probably be that Derium pulled some kind of illegal weapon. Maybe the madman had a lighter and some flammable gasses, a powerful igniter stick or even defective blaster.

What was for certain was the thug's hair and upper clothes suddenly erupted into flames.

Screaming, the thug fell off and began to flail in a panic. The other thugs, shocked at what happened, didn't have a moment to react to Derium's follow up attacks. Still on his knees, he grabbed the nearest man's legs, channeling the spirits from his hands into the man's clothes. The man struggled at first as his pants became warmer and dryer, but was unable to get Derium off before his pants erupted into flames and began to burn upward.

Derium let go of the coward and looked at the Bothan leader. The Bothan's expression turned to shock, confusion and, most importantly, fear. The other thug tried to help his friends with the consuming fire, letting Derium have a moment alone with the Bothan and his bleeding face.

Shouting. Barking of orders. The guards were rushing forward with their stun batans. Somewhere, a sharpshooter shot the people on fire. Derium didn't have much time. He tackled the fleeing Bothan and the rolled in the snow. Derium's hands ripped and tore at the Bothan's clothes, trying to get closer to the skin. His hairy hide would make for a wonderful pyre, and if he could get the fire to start from the chest...

Derium gasped and let go as his hands grabbed something hard. The two separated, and between them the fist-sized gem. Derium crawled forward and grabbed the gem with both hands, curious.

"What is this pretty little thing?" Derium asked aloud.

Derium didn't get another word out. The guards had arrived, and one of them planted his stun-stick directly into his back. The electricity that coursed through his body deadened all his nerves simultaneously, sending him into numbing unconsciousness. Beaten and with numerous broken ribs and bone fractures from the fight, Derium was unable to resist the effect.

@Darasuum @TheDudeMike

 

[Lance Decker]

Lance returned Natalie's look with one of his own. A simple raising of his eyebrow and the hints of a smug smirk creased a single corner of his jawline. The Jedi Oder and its members still had recognition across the galaxy and were known for being keepers of the peace as well as enders of conflict. People respected them, or at least appeared to in order to maintain a false sense of reverence. It was either go in overtly, or spend possibly days and weeks 'sneaking' in which would likely result in one of them getting incarcerated to some degree even if it was just temporary. That would likely just lead to more problems and Lance did not want to spend that much time on this.

If the Jedi had been declined entrance that would have been fine. That act, in of itself would tell the inquisitive Knight something about the penal colony. But if he was a gambling man he would put his credits on there being a corrupt guard or two. Maybe even more. There was no telling how high and how low this illegal operation went.

Lance had made himself a possible target and that was the idea. If there were enemies present, they would not take too kindly to the Jedi investigating their operations and would make moves to stop them. Such actions would tell Lance more and provoke further responses. They would step out into the light on their own accord or be dragged out one way or another.

The violent display across the open yard continued to draw Lance's attention. He looked at Natalie again as she commented about her lightsaber. Lance made no fuss over handing over his personal items and was not carrying his lightsaber at the moment. But his attention returned to the victim being ganged up on in time to see the cool Rafa IV air ripple with heat waves. The next moment the men around him were ignited one after another.

Lance's eyes darted between the targeted inmates as alarms sounded. Someone called for the guard on the wall with a blaster rifle to take aim. Reports of a possible weapon made them send for another two guards with sniper blasters. Mostly it was a precaution to cover baton wielding guards and to deter any other opportunistic inmates. The screams from the flaming detainees were silence by stun bolts and fire extinguishers brought in by the guards.

The chaotic being, the one who had set the others on fire held something in his hand. But it was not a can of flammable gas or a lighter or any such implement. Instead it was a crystal that look familiar. The Kro Var native was alone and quickly isolated further by the guards. "I want to speak with him." He told his escort as a matter of fact.

"He's headed straight for isolation. He'll probably be there for a week."

"Good. Then we'll have privacy." It was clear that Lance was going to get what he wanted. It was just a matter of how many hoops were they going to make them jump through. He was waiting for the 'You need to speak with the warden' but he had to admit he was surprised that had not happened yet.

As they headed towards the isolation units he would turn to Natalie again. Most jedi disliked going anywhere without their trusty lightsaber. But to Lance it felt like a reliance that had led to many of their number being weakened. "Have you had experience interrogating criminals before?" The fact that they were in a prison and not a battlefield was a change of scenery. But such a place could become one and the same very quickly.

The guard would take them to @Derium Vark who had been taken to isolation and gave them his name along with a brief summary of his stay. His injuries were looked at by a medical droid briefly but seeing as nothing was life threatening they did not even prescribe him any pain medication. As the Jedi deviated further from the outside and the commotion Lance was able to feel more of the subtle shifts in nature around them. They were certainly in the right place and on the right track.

The Knight spoke through the door to Derium after arriving outside. "I saw that fight out there. You seem to be good at making friends." His tone was dry. "How'd you manage to set those guys on fire?" He looked sideways towards the guard as they remained within earshot. Anything that the prisoner or the Jedi said was potentially going to be overheard.

@TheDudeMike @Narzen

 

[Derium Vark]

Conciousness stirred. Derium groaned. His body hurt. And not the good kind. Not the kind that sent jolts of pain throughout his body and made him a vessel for the spirits. This was a dull pain. Joint aches, bruises, soreness...the common aftereffects of rapturous ascension.

Derium's sight did not approve when he opened his eyes. The familiar padded cell of solitary greeted him. True, it wasn't always padded. When he first arrived, the room was no more than a concrete box with bars. But after his first visit to isolation, and his attempt at bashing his own arms against the walls for just an ounce of pain in this boring hell, updates were needed. Padding on the walls, a plasma shield over the window. They even strapped him into a safety smock to make sure he didn't do anything lethal against himself. The idiotic fools. Death was not the goal. He had yet to attain that elusive perfection.

" I saw that fight out there. You seem to be good at making friends."

Derium perked up at the sound of someone. A dry joke? That was new. Someone new to the prison perhaps?

Limping over to the door's window, Derium pressed his face against the warm plasma that barred him from the outside world. A grin grew on his gaunt face. These were new people.

"Help me, please, I've been imprisoned wrongly!" Derium started. He raised his hands and pressed them against his cheeks, much like a child would try to impress danger to an adult. But with a giggle, Derium dropped the act immediately. "Why don't you ask the guards? Their idiotic brains are better built for nonsensical questions. Or have you come to learn from one on the path to perfection? Bah, I doubt you two swine could understand the perfection in this cell, and I'd never share any secrets in the presence of puny, ignorant nitwits like them."

Derium's bloodshot eyes glanced to the side, to where the guard was in earshot. Then his eyes glanced back towards the two people. For a moment his gaze fell on the younger of the two, and another grin emerged "Of course, secrets can be traded. Come inside, perhaps perfection can be attained by you pitiful plebs."

@TheDudeMike @Darasuum

 

[Natalie Hope]

Natalie shivered in the cold, even with the warm fuzzy all around her. People were on fire now. Well... at least they were warm. The prison went on high alert, guards went every which way and aimed blasters at the guy that had set the others on fire. Natalie rubbed her hands together and blew into them for warmth. He looked like kind of guy you'd see on the side of a major intersection on Corellia or one of those other fancy city places.

Corellia was a fun place, now that Natalie remembered it. She got into some trouble as a Padawan, back when she still wore robes and was all "look at me and my Jedi-ness, am I not perfect!?" Well before she was put into her place as a fighter and strategist by Ezra and Vanya. Now that she was wiser, going to Corellia seemed like a really bad idea. The food was no better than what you could get anywhere else, and the alcohol was no Mantellian bourbon or Tarisian ale.

Finally they were headed inside, and the moment Natalie stepped through those heavenly doors the sting of warmth touched her cheeks and fingers. Sweet. Fucking. Relief. Remind a girl never to go to a winter planet again, sheesh. Natalie turn a shit-eating grin to Lance as he asked if she'd interrogated any criminals before.

"Interrogated? No," she said. "Knocked the fuck out? Yes." All the Force, lightsabers, blasters, and criminal wit in the galaxy were no match for a good pair of phrik knuckles. She really had to get herself a pair of those. Next time on Ord Mantell, for sure. Maybe get some irling legs too. Mmmm with the buttery pepper sauce too? Fuck, now she was hungry. Her stomach growled, and she took a deep breath to clear her mind of food- a task more taxing than pulling a ship out of orbit with the Force, one might say.

The man in isolation blabbed about one thing or the next. Natalie didn't really give a shit about most of us, but she definitely heard the man call them swine. "And here I thought I was a force for good in the galaxy; turns out I'm swine, something that feeds most of the galaxy and provides essential proteins and minerals. Look at me moving up in the galaxy." Despite her sarcasm, she held a hardened expression, her hazel eyes fixed on the man and every move he made.

@Darasuum @Narzen

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

Gram Van Alasdaire, undercover as a security guard, rose to his feet with a pang of disdain. The blaring alarms resonated through the prison complex as he rose from his borrowed office towards the isolation wing.

Clad in a tan cold-weather issue parka over his regular spacer gear, emblazoned with a silver badge displaying two blue roundels.

"Hey, what's going on here?" he barked at a fellow guard, one of the lower enlisted.

The guard, flustered, responded, "Lieutenant. We've got a situation with one of the inmates, Derium. Seems like he's causing a scene with the newcomers."

Gram narrowed his eyes, a flicker of recognition crossing his face as he processed the name. Derium. From what the intake forms had told him, this was a brand new arrival.

Without hesitation, Gram approached the padded cell where Derium's manic energy seemed to captivate the newcomers. He maintained his guard persona, pretending to be just another officer caught in the turmoil.

"Causing trouble again?" Gram demanded, his tone stern. "The prison is locked down. You two best stay put. The Warden is… pissed."

The Vahla had arrived weeks ago, based on a tip left for him by one of his allies. There had been reports of cruel and unusual punishments and happenstances at this penal colony. On paper, there was at least double the amount of guards than stationed. Meant the Warden could pad his bottom line, while understaffing secure wings such as this isolation ward. The uniform had been easy enough to collect - there were hundreds of unused ones in the barracks.

As the visitors conversed with their quarry, Gram discreetly signaled to his fellow guards, silently coordinating to separate the potential threats from the rest. As they did so, he quickly tapped into a nearby wall terminal, looking for the criminal’s history. The part about spontaneous combustion immediately caught his eye.

Searching for any clues that might reveal the inmates past, Gram realized that it was unlikely the event was happenstance. Robed folk usually meant Jedi, chances were they were opting to investigate. If they were force-sensitive, they’d be able to tell Gram was as well. He made zero attempt to hide the fact. His own force sensitivity had manifested itself in flames years ago. This one was perhaps no different.

@Darasuum @Narzen @TheDudeMike

 

[Lance Decker]

The man gave Natalie a grin at hearing her way of answering. Hopefully she also had the stomach for what was needed to get the necessary answers. It was still early.

The knight heard his companion's stomach growl audibly which in turn caused him to give her a glance. A few seconds later his own stomach growled, echoing her hunger. He had rations in his belt and little in the way of credits so would keep both stowed for the time being. Still, he probably had enough for at least something to eat after they got done with this. "I'll get us some lunch....or dinner...later." Arriving on planets and moons always messed his body clock up for the first few days. Especially ones with eighty hour long days.

After they got to the isolated cell and spoke with inmate Lance's brow furrowed as the inmate pressed his face against the energized doorway. It did not seem to be a pleasant thing to do and added to the case of insanity along with the straight-jacket and padded cell. His mood change caused Lance to raise an eyebrow a few millimeters but his expression seemed to remain chiseled out of rock.

​

Lance's eyes looked at the inmate as Natalie spoke, letting her finish before moving in the slightest. The Jedi Knight turned only his head to look at the guard and spoke in a confident but gentle voice. "Do it" The look on the guards face was one of surprise. A moment passed as he looked between the two Jedi. Maybe he thought Lance was joking. But the unarmed man was serious.

Before the guard could unlock the door however they were approached by another guard. "That's okay we have plenty to talk about so I'm going to stick around. You two can go. But tell the Warden they should come down here. I'd like to speak to them too." He jutted his chin towards both of the guards. His eyes studied both their faces and bodies. Everyone that was working as staff at this prison was already under suspicion. The guard escorting the two Jedi was not one of the guards Gram's own operation however and found him just as suspicious as the Jedi. However he did not reveal any of this to the force users and instead played along. "Yes. I'll be back. Holler if you need anything."

The two Jedi and the newly arrived guard stood alone outside Derium's cell. Lance stared at the guard as he examined a wall terminal. The inmate was not going anywhere until a guard opened the door and they had left before doing so. Lances eyes looked towards Natalie as the guard continued to focus on the wall terminal for a few minutes. He seemed to be reading intently. At least he was giving them less attention than the previous guard it seemed.

Meanwhile, said guard was coordinating with a dozen corrupt guards to storm the isolation chambers in full riot gear and mob supressiong equipment. They were in on the take for the crystal smuggling ring. They had suspected Gram for weeks and now with the Jedi arriving it was all too much. When it came time for them to pounce they would take Derium, Gram, Lance and Natalie all in one fell swoop. The inmate would be dealt with last of course. But the three outside of the cell would be the first threat to deal with. Two Jedi would not be easy to take down which was why they had would arrive well prepared.

@Narzen @TheDudeMike @Aurius

 

[Derium Vark]

Derium smiled loosely at the female's response (@TheDudeMike), before looking back at her leader. The term 'Force for good' was revealing. Perhaps she was simply a well meaning authority figure, or perhaps she was one of those idealization zealots known as Jedi, or even those self-declared 'rulers' of the galaxy, those imperials. Either way, she was young, and full of sparks. Something that could be manipulated with correct prodding and prying.

When the guard approached (@Aurius ), Derium made a face at the words. He was so close to having these idiots in the same cell as him.

"Thin-blooded wastrel! Leave me my barb and my rock, and maybe you'll earn some respect from someone who matters!"

Realizing that the guard was no longer going to let the two in, he continued to press his face against the window, trying to study the two newcomers, as well as the new guard. He frowned as his brain began to work overtime.

"Something is off..." Derium voiced his thoughts outloud to the others. "Let me out. The spirits are whispering nasty things to me. Very nasty things. Painful things. Let me out, I want those painful things. Yes let me out, and you may witness my steps towards enlightenment."

@Darasuum

 

[Natalie Hope]

Natalie stole a glance at Lance's stomach when it growled, then looked up at him when he spoke of getting them lunch or possibly dinner. "Why not both? Though, maybe somewhere warm, yeah?" She had to shove the thought of food so far down that it almost sated her stomach then and there. Thoughts of food would only last so much down there though. Eventually she would need the real deal. Maybe something fried. Oooooooh maybe stir fry! Fuck she was hungry.

With the new guard coming around, Natalie turned toward him and kept her eye on him. While the other two guards were far more worried about the Jedi and the inmate, he seemed to only be worried about a wall terminal. If that wasn't suspicious, then Natalie's last name wasn't Hope. She was thankful that Lance addressed him, but she kept her eye on him all the same. With the inmate in the cell, and Lance turned his way, she didn't have to worry much about her back being exposed. If it came down to being a proper Jedi or knocking someone's lights out, she would take the latter if things went south.

"Whatcha reading there, buddy?" she asked, slapping Lance's arm so that he would cover somewhere useful, like her rear. Oh now that was an interes- NO NATALIE! FOCUS! Right. Sus-ass guard, beef-jerky of an inmate talking about painful things that she was pretty sure was just constipation, and not a single other guard in sight. The inmate was right in one sense, something felt off. Without removing her eyes from the suspicious guard, she spoke to Lance.

"Beef Jerky in there is right. Something feels off. There's... intent," she said. She reached out with the Force, trying to sense and feel, and all she got back was a desire to be rid of Jedi. There was no way to pinpoint where, or who, but it was here in the prison for sure. "That lunch and dinner better include a drink." The Force coiled down her arms at the ready. First target would be Sus-Ass by the wall terminal. Then whoever else wanted a piece of a hangry Mantellian.

@Darasuum @Narzen @Aurius

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

Gram could feel the eyes at the back of his head. When he got close enough, the Force embraced him with a sense of calm and collecting. The two newcomers were clearly Jedi - their very presence soothed his mind and soul. He could tell, however, that they were both keeping tabs on his movements.

From his periphery, Gram heard and halfheartedly acknowledged the guardsman who had decided to leave the room, even as the male of the pair told him he wanted to see the Warden. The Vahla seemed intent on replying but though better of it, clutching at the terminal - until the durasteel doors slammed shut.

"Just the intake form for this prisoner..," @TheDudeMike

Gram replied to the female Jedi, with a gentle smile. The spacer had noticed that he was now the only Guard left in the room, turning to the pair. A look of visible confusion, shifting to a cold sense of understanding dawned on the Vahla's face, even as Darium began his mad ramblings. The Force whispered into his ear, even as it did Darium's - much to the Vahla's horror - even as his ears began to ring. His vision began to sharpen, his heart race increasing - this was a warning sign.

"...He's right. Something's wrong." @Narzen

His face paled, even as his cybernetic arm clutched at his chest. The ringing began to increase, so Gram stretched out his own mind, focusing on his surroundings. His senses could pick up hostility, and the feeling of cold dread before a kill. He could feel the male Jedi, so stoic, like a whirlwind in the Force.

And his female companion. Hungry, yet patient, exuding kindness. Until the kindness seemed to fade away, instead an air of tension began to creep over her. The ringing got louder. Hostility. Intent. Derium, he dare not sense - the chaotic cacaphony that represented him was like sirens wailing to the Vahla.

"Kark it- My senses are on fire. Danger," Gram said, breathing heavily, "I'm not a guard. Came here- to investigate the Warden myself." @Darasuum

Lowering his cybernetic left arm, the Vahla flicked his wrist - the bronzium gears rotating to reveal a hidden compartment; ejecting a silver pommel into his palm. He activated it, holding it downwards non-threatningly. The Vahla barely moved, casting the room in an warm olive glow as the plasma blade crackled to life.

"You willing trust me? Seems we're a bit stuck, and running short on options."

 

[Lance Decker]

The prisoner had an interesting way of talking but it was far from polite. There was plenty of pain to go around but Lance did not have a key or access to unlock the door, not that he wanted to free the prisoner. There was still the matter of questioning him and examining the crystal the Lance thought he had seen. The prisoner's words only made sense half the time as far as Lance could put together.

Lance's eyes looked to Natalie when she spoke and then the strange guard when he replied. He would have replied with a sassy remark if it were not for Knight Hope's input. He trusted her information more than either of the other two for obvious reasons. But it did make him even more suspicious of the guard. This was soon confirmed as the man confessed to being in disguise. His true identity was allegedly an investigator himself. That did not immediately excuse him from all suspicions but it was a step better than crystal bootleggers.

The unarmed and imposing figure of a Jedi looked at Natalie with an expression that silently said I knew it was something . Force sensing was something he was alright at but he was nothing special. It usually took meditation and focus for him to best sense accurately. He just felt like he had a slightly weaker sense of hearing only it was represented in the Force in its own weird way. The Knight excelled in other areas, closer to his own body and seeing the truth right before him.

"I'll need a double." He remarked to Natalie's response. The man was reminded that he had little in the way of coin. It was why he had not responded at first when she had mentioned two meals. The Jedi might need to do a side hustle or reach back out to Jedi Order so they could transfer some credits. In the end he would get them some food one way or another and earn some drinks to boot. But that adventure would have to wait until this one finished. (@TheDudeMike )

Lance's body turned to face Gram as he activated the weapon, ready to move if he made any hostile action. But his body language was non threatening. "Give your weapon to Knight Hope and you have yourself a truce. I've got questions. I'll save them for later." Lance's cracked his knuckles as he looked Gram up and down. It was more out of habit and preparation for the invetiable fight rather than to intimidate. "Do you have any other weapons, Mr Investigator?" If so, now was the time to share. (@Aurius )

Regardless of whether or not Gram had additional weapons Lance would address Derium again. He was not exactly going anywhere anytime soon. "The guards here are into some deep poodoo. They'll kill anyone and everyone that gets in their way of making money and remaining in power. You're a loose end. So if they end up taking us out you'll join us in a similar fate soon after. That is of course unless we all make it out of here alive. What do you say to that, Barbie?" His face looked like it had been barbequed and after the display outside it made since he was a grilling type. Maybe he was made of plastic in parts because he it even looked like he appeared to be melted. Lance gazed all the same through the protected surfaces that separated the two of them by multiple centimeters of material. He studied the disfigured man, searching for certainties and intent. (@Narzen

 

[Derium Vark]

Derium snarled at the female's nickname for himself. Jerky?!? Surely this whelp could've come up with something more harming and less childish. Still, it was original. He doubted anyone else would ever call him that in the future.

"At least you are smarter than you look whelp" Derium growled.

Derium raised a confused eyebrow at the fake-guard's confession, and reveal of what looked like a lightsaber hilt. However, he did not ask, seeing that the leader of this little rag-tag group was willing to trust him for now. Derium smiled. If this man was that easily trusting, than perhaps he would be let out soon enough. He had all but confirmed he and his ward were Jedi by calling his subordinate a 'knight'. Whatever this fake guard was, Derium wasn't sure. He wasn't one of those Sith cultists, nor was he dathomirian or Kro Var like himself. He would need watching.

When the Jedi addressed Derium, the Kro Var's broken toothed grin widened. He held his hands up in mock surrender

" I'm the one here who hasn't hidden any truths Jedi... Out of everyone here, I'm the most trustworthy. If you want a better chance at survival, you'd be wise to release me than trusting the liar. All I want is my barb, a fight, and my rock that i earned in the right of fight. By the spirits I swear this, I won't hurt you unless you interfere in my glorious exaltation!"

Derium paused before glancing at the lightsaber and then back at the Jedi. "Besides, I know a way out of here with that pretty blade. Walls are thick, but no one secures a padded prison cell for lightsabers, and my door is heavier than most barricades"

@Aurius @Darasuum @TheDudeMike

 

[Natalie Hope]

Lunch, dinner, AND a double? Well if Lance wasn't just a man after her own heart. Food and bourbon were languages that spoke deeply to Natalie. The food because it was delicious, and being active tended to keep her metabolism high. The bourbon was dealing with people like Sus-Ass and Beef Jerky on a day-to-day basis. "A man after my own heart," she said, then shot a glance over her shoulder to Beef Jerky. "Talkin' to you scrawny guy. You may not have muscles that make thunder claps when you flex, but you certainly have a way with words." The sarcasm dripped from her voice, making it clear that he'd have to step up his insult game to get to her.

Of course, the person that didn't need to step up their game anymore was Sus-Ass, who just Dr. Gadgetted a lightsaber out of his own arm. Seriously!? Ezra could yeet Force Light like he a super hero, Vanya could teleport, Lance was built like a freight train, and now this guy who just admitted to not being a guard at all pulls out a lightsaber and ignites it. Natalie was going to need two doubles at this point. Why even waste time on trying to remember the night. Fuck it, go whole hog and black out at the bar. Yup, that'll decompress her from this for sure.

All the same, Natalie kept the Force coiled around her arms, pooling at her hands and ready to unleash in a split second. She extended her hand, palm upward toward Sus-Ass, hoping he would listen to Lance's suggestion. If not, it was no big deal for her- she'd been in plenty of brawls and identified as a Fighter and Strategist. Strategy wouldn't get her very far here, but fighting sure as hell would.

"I'll give it back as soon as I get mine back," she promised with a grin. She even remembered the face of the man that took it; it was a very very punchable face. "Well come on, slow poke, either hand it over or volunteer for human shield duty."

@Darasuum @Narzen @Aurius

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

Gram's demeanor had changed. The entire room seemed to fill with a cold, you could barely hear him breathing. The attitude of these two was... extremely annoying. Clearly, these were newer Knights.

And clearly out on some sort of date. Part of him wanted hold his hand, give them a lesson in humility; but he fought that urge. Nonetheless, he pooled the Force about him as a thin barrier, his eyes locked on the woman that seemed to have hostile intent.

Wordlessly, Gram unclipped his Inquisitor saber from under the rolls of his uniform with a look of exasperation. I guess these two hadn't heard of him. There was a time he had worked with Masters and Knights on the regular. Considering he'd lost more than half of his organic mass defending a Padawan, part of him expected better treatment than this.

"Take the green one. I want it back, short-stack." @TheDudeMike

It was almost laughable how they spent their time commanding him, and joking about, while Gram knew full well there was a real possibility that all four of them would be gunned down in a few minutes. Instead of giving the woman both, he handed her the now-deactivated green saber with a stern look. Both Knights would notice his ardent regret with which he handed it over. It was a gift from family, he'd grown quite attached to it, and would be taking it back when this was over.

"...We'll be having a very in-depth chat after this. Assuming we survive, I have been meaning to speak to your Council for some time." @Darasuum

Activating his old Inquisitor saber, the white blade slashing through the console that held Derium locked up. He didn't have time to debate this with a committee, and saw he was going to get nowhere convincing these two of his good intentions. Actions spoke much louder than words. While they spent their time flirting, gawking oblivious to the danger they faced - the Vahla intended to survive this encounter.

Besides, they could not un-slash the controls.

"...I've seen less aggression in Sith Lords. And more professionalism from Padawan. You two should know better."

Gram paused, looking at the Jedi, as though expecting some sort of higher thought process to win out here. They'd either follow his lead, or argue with him for the sake of leadership or pride. His tone had taken on a much darker hue. If either of them had any level of empathy, they would be able to tell that the warning came from personal experience.

"The maniac can be your meat-shield, Master Jedi. Try any of your barbeque kark, cultist, and you will regret it. It is ill-befitting the Order to allow him to die. They'll kill him, if only to prevent him from revealing the attack on you two." @Narzen

It was almost ironic. Like the majority of his family, Gram was well versed in using the Force to produce telepyrosis. The madman did not realize it, but while the Vahla was present - there was no possible way Derium could roast anybody.

 

[Lance Decker]

"You do look pretty smart, Hope." Lance complimented Natalie after Derium attempted to insult her, turning his comment to the Jedi's favor.

Lance trusted that Derium was unreliable. The inmate was a wildcard but not worthless. The Knight was debating still whether to open the door if he even could. Just because Barbie was not deceiving them did not inherently mean he was safe.

"We aren't leaving..." The muscular man answered Derium sternly without looking his way. "Not yet." There was still a matter of putting an end to the life-crystal ring. That was the whole reason Lance had come here and he was not going to leave empty handed.

The unarmed Jedi kept his focus primarily on the disguised investigator. It crossed Lance's mind that the penal colony, especially the perimeter subterranean structures like the one they were in, had surveillance equipment. Thus far Natalie and Lance had mostly been playing the fool. Lance wanted the corrupt guards think they had the jump on the jedi and mistakenly take an open oportunity. But now that there was a lightsaber being flashed around in front of any cameras it would not matter if there was no sound. Any security watching the highly scrutinized isolation rooms would be aware of something amiss. There was no going back now.

Lance wondered if Gram meant that as a threat. A I'll-talk-with-your-parents sort of tone perhaps. "Tell them "hi" for me." The Knight replied casually. The future conversation between him and Gram would not include the Jedi Council.

Lance stepped back as the suspicious investigator drew a second, this time purified, lightsaber. The door controls were then unceremoniously slashed destroying its ability to be unlocked electronically. The Knight gave the stranger a confused look. Did the fake prison guard think that destroying a door panel would unlock a door? That would be a terrible design flaw to have in a prison and made no sense to the Knight which was why he stared with his mouth slightly open. Lance closed his mouth and sighed through his nose which caused his shoulders to rise and fall. "Well now he's stuck over there. You may as well cut a door out now." He made a little circle motion with his finger.

"Decker." He interrupted Gram to correct him when he called him "master jedi." The man preferred to go by his surname and did not use his knight title unless it was for official business and even then he went by Decker. "Just...Decker."

A moment after the sound of numerous boots would reach their ears. Either Gram or Natalie would have to cut through the wall or door to reach Derium since the door controls were now destroyed. But it would be up to the others to hold back the first wave of heavily armored prison guards on the take.

Each of the first wave of guards wielded an active personal shield in one hand and a blaster pistol in the other. Equiped on each of their belts were stun batons.

The first things the corrupt guards did was toss in a pair of concussion grenades. They cleverly had set the devices to activate on impact. If the Jedi had not already been anticipating their arrival he may have been caught off balance. But before the twin flash bangs could connect with any surface they seemed to slow and then fly back up the hallway they had come. The dual non-lethal explosions was followed by the echo of groans. "That won't last long." The effects of the grenades would only give the Jedi and their new associates a few seconds of respite before the guards moved in. At least they would not try throwing grenades again.

What was worse, now the real guards could possibly be brought in to help. "Try to not maim or kill anyone if you can help it. Some of these guards might not be corrupt." As he said that the Jedi was still resolved to use the appropriate amount of violence to stop any threats against himself and Natalie. This was going to be hard enough to explain to the Jedi Council when this was done. Then again the council barely did anything these days so being reprimanded might actually be a change of pace.

@Narzen @Aurius @TheDudeMike

 

[Natalie Hope]

Natalie was definitely not expecting a compliment in this situation. She ignored the burning in her cheeks as the man handed her the lightsaber hilt, and then proceeded to produce another one and ignite it. Natalie may have felt naked without a lightsaber, but she definitely had an issue with how wonton the man was at igniting what lightsabers he did have. She didn't have time to want to deck the guy, though. A confused look marred her expression.

"How long have you been away, man?" she asked. "There is no council. Leadership has been decentralized." Natalie wasn't about spout anything about the Crusaders aside from that. No telling who the man was, who was listening, or what Beef Jerky back there was. The least amount of information given, the better. "But hey, if you think I'm spicy, you should meet my friend Vanya. Can't take that girl anywhere without someone getting stabbed at some point."

She shrugged and made her way toward the door to the corridor, not the prison cell. With lightsaber still unlit in hand, she would take on the responsibilities of human-shield duty. The concussion grenades came in, then went out. Decker's explanation of not maiming or killing anyone if they could help it would take the majority of the time the concussion grenades allowed them to act, so the guards were able to form up again in the door way, shields and all.

It was unfortuate for them that Natalie had the Force ready. She reached out with it, grabbing the leading guard by the ankles and flipping him up horizontally in front of the others. In the confusion and the triggered by movement, almost every single one of the guards fired a blaster bolt into their fellow guard. In their distraction, Natalie used the Force to shut the door in their faces. The Jedi were now trapped in a room with Sus-Ass and Beef Jerky, but they had time. To make sure the door couldn't just be reopened, Natalie ignited the lightsaber at point blank on the terminal, allowing the blade to sever the controls internally and externially on the other side of the wall. A muffled scream came from the other side of the door, apparently she got a few fingers while she was at it. The guards would have to cut their way through, or override the door.

"Anyone that tries to kill me is corrupt," Natalie said, shrugging and disengaging the lightsaber. "We have a few seconds up to a few minutes before they get through the door. Let's figure out what the hell we're doing with Beef Jerky over there." She turned to Decker. "We have a bottle neck, and I've handled more blasters with a lightsaber than that before," she explained. Her mind turned to the time she had to defend Ezra from bandits while he blew pure Force sunshine up an abomination's ass. "If your plan is to fist fight your way out, I can defend you until you get in the thick of them."

@Darasuum @Narzen @Aurius