Open Plot Nar Shaddaa Scouting for the Site

[Juniper]

It is better to ask forgiveness than for permission.​

She wasn't sure where she'd heard that before, but the sentence was running through Nara's mind as she stepped down the murky, grimy street. The air was thick with nostalgia... as well as engine oil, smoke, and effluence. The bright, flickering signs above her and the dark, shadowy corners and alleyways around her. She just soaked it in for a few seconds, the place she'd called home for most of her life. Though the businesses had changed hands and there were new scorch marks and burns in the walls, she recognised where she was instantly.

But Nara was far from the sneaky little rat-thief she'd been as a young teen. Now, she was a Jedi Knight. She'd spent the last four years travelling across the Galaxy, training herself in the Force and helping others where she could. Feeling listless and frustrated of late, she wondered what she could do that didn't involve another temple. Something that would make a difference... and would hopefully involve less Sith, flinging lightning at her. Then it'd hit her.

A clinic on Nar Shaddaa.

Nara stepped down towards the empty building. The faded sign above the window showed it'd been a cheap booze house. Now there wasn't much but a few dusty, empty containers inside and a whole lot of litter and dust. She peered inside and saw its stretched out a good ways back, wondering how she could get it all to work. How she'd portion it out, or change it. Most importantly, she wondered who the heck owned the building and how she could possibly afford the lease on a Jedi Knight's fictional salary. She stood contemplating all this as the street around her grew busier. A lone, young woman stood thinking, arms folded, as Nar Shaddaa continued on around her.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach marched quickly through the packed streets of Nar Shaddaa. Correction Jedi Knight Fiach Dubh was doing the walking. Her unassuming features and nondescript brown cloak allowed her to blend easily into the crowd. And her Jedi sense of premonition plus heightened reflexes meant she managed to avoid every shoulder that would have bumped the average citizen travelling at her brisk pace.

The Hutt-controlled moon was a landscape of unfettered urban sprawl, marked by towering skytowers crammed too close together and gaudy, glowing billboards that dominated the horizon as far as the eye could see in every direction. Sometimes called Little Coruscant, it was hard to accept Nar Shaddaa as a true homage to the former Republic’s capital world. Maybe it was named in a sarcastic sense? Fiach still didn’t understand irony. To her, the moon was akin to a grotesque parody of the other ecumenopolis.

Whereas Coruscant had been designed with an eye to aesthetics: there was a pleasing flow to the cityscape and a consistent and complementary style to the architecture – at least in the upper levels. The city had been divided into various districts, making it easy to navigate. The pedestrian walks were crowded but clean, the endless stream of airspeeders overhead stayed within the designated traffic lanes. On Coruscant, there was an unmistakable sense of order and purpose. Fiach found that reassuring.

Here on the Smugglers’ Moon, however, it was a glorious free-for-all. Run-down residential buildings were scattered haphazardly among seedy-looking commercial structures; factories abutted restaurants and clubs, with no regard for the toxic clouds of filth spilling out over the patrons. With no traffic rules in force, airspeeders and swoop bikes darted and dived in seemingly random directions, sometimes flying so low the pedestrians ducked and covered their heads.

So why was she here? The truth was, she had an affinity to the place – or rather the mother and daughter she’d once saved from both a zombie horde and a local Hutt crime lord. So, every now and then, she returned to check in on them.

Fiach found the ambience a challenge to her senses. Everything was a chaotic mishmash of bright, flashing colours. A constant assault from an army of pink, purple, green, and blue signs and billboards. Fortunately (or was that unfortunately) the intensity of the inescapable neon was muted by the layer of grime that clung to every surface—a reminder of the unchecked pollution in the atmosphere that would no doubt one day transform Nar Shaddaa into an uninhabitable wasteland.

But as she walked, she sensed something familiar. No…someone familiar and so she changed direction to follow her senses.

@Charndley

 

[Juniper]

Nara closed her eyes and breathed in again. There was nothing quite like a lungful of Nar Shaddaa air. Oh sure, it was horrifically bad for you and probably took years off your life just by standing there, but no other world quite had that familiar scent to it. Just the merest hint of it in her nostrils brought her back to running through the vents, or trading old scraps from weapons for bites of food, or gazing up at the speeders as the moisture fell from the pipes above...

After peering in the window a little more, Nara stepped towards the door. It looked old. Somehow rusted. She wasn't sure if it was locked or just completely broken. Not that she'd tried to get inside, of course. A Jedi would never break into somewhere unless they absolutely, definitely, 100% had to. She was almost daring herself to do it, willing herself up to force it open and check it out. It didn't look like it was being used... so what was the harm?

Probably not a good idea. Definitely not a good idea.

I'm probably still going to do it.

She was distracted when she felt a presence coming close. It was definitely nearby, to be felt over the general screaming rush of Nar Shaddaa. Nothing hostile either. A pleasant, familiar presence. She stepped a little away from the building, looking down the street to see Fiach.

"Hey!" Nara called out, waving warmly at her. "I heard someone was finally knighted. Congratulations! Wouldn't expect to find you here of all places, though."

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

The criminal classes and extensive underground networks were famous across the galaxy, with lowlifes probably counted by the tens of thousands flocking there in search of ill-gotten fortunes. Although dwarfed by noisome Nal Hutta, the large planet it orbited, it outshone every other world in the Y'Toub system in every conceivable spectrum. Dozens of different species called it home. Even more classes of reprobates and felons made it their home.

As she mused how many types of criminal she must have walked past to get here, she heard a familiar voice call her name. Her ubiquitous smile was not removed by the grime of the moon and she gave a cheery wave as she approached Nara.

“Thanks,” she said, “I still feel that thing called imposter-syndrome from time to time. But I’m growing into the title…I think.”

“And as for being here, I suppose I could ask the same question. For me, it’s an obligation. My Master and I saved some people and I like to check in on them every now and then, to make sure they’re OK.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly indicating it was Nara’s turn to share.

@Charndley

 

[Juniper]

Nara smiled back, glad to see a friendly face amongst the usual Nar Shaddaa riff-raff.

"You'll be fine. You're already more dedicated than most of the Knights I met. It's about time you had a little acknowledgement." She didn't mention that she included herself in that summation. Nara wished she had the energy and focus that Fiach had, sometimes.

"Hm? Oh. I grew up here," she said, waving around at the street. "This sector specifically. Up until I was sixteen, when the Jedi found me. I used to run with a gang around here... feels like forever ago." She spoke wistfully with a half-smile, thinking about it. "I don't really come back very often but... I don't know." She sighed, looking back towards the building.

"You ever feel like you're at a loss what to do next?" Nara asked Fiach, folding her arms. "I've been trying to think what to do next. And I keep coming back to here. I want to do something to make things better around here. Well, as better as anything is gonna get on Nar Shaddaa." She shrugged because it was a battle she could only ever lose.

"I thought about a clinic. But uh... I'm wondering how to get the space. Not like I can just rent anything out privately. We're not exactly rolling in credits, are we?"

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

If Fiach was dispossessed to blush, she would be a shade of crimson right now. Rightly, or wrongly, she simply didn’t get emotional, and so saw and reacted to Nara’s words with an entirely objective and dispassionate perspective.

“I had two great Masters and some wonderful role models,” she replied, “and I trust in the Force. I think that’s all any Padawan can do. I simply strive to be the best Jedi I can be. Not the best Jedi, just the best version of me. And in a strange way, I though the Knighting ceremony would be a weight lifted from my shoulders. But no sooner had I lost my braid than the prospect of progressing to become a Master became my new goal. Possibly even more daunting. Taking the lead, training a Padawan.” She shivered involuntarily. “A tough ask.”

Aware she’d talked about herself too much already, she focused on Nara. It seemed almost alien to consider anyone grew up here. But, as she thought about it for the first time, it made sense. It was a planet after all – like any other urban sprawl.

“I have to admit, I’m overwhelmed with what to do next, so I don’t really know what it feels like. But following your instincts feels a great place to start. Perhaps the Force is playing its part. Bringing you here. So, listen to it, is my advice. And as for making things better, that’s admirable for anyone, especially a Jedi. But what sort of clinic? Medical or something else? I ask, as maybe someone might sponsor the rental. A Jedi presence nearby might be good for trade, a lower crime rate has to be worth something, and it’s not like you’d profit from any help.”

@Charndley

 

[Drow Venn]

"Don't worry. You're safe now." Drow said calmly to the huddled Rodian child before him. He was in a warehouse that was being used by slavers to store their "merchandise." Or at least, it was until Drow had paid a visit that night. But, as the Rodian child's experssion attested, his rescue might not be looked upon as kindly as he would have hoped.

The fear in the child's eyes upset him greatly. Drow had spent the past years hunting down slavers. Originally, it had started out as a noble pursuit - a way to protect the galaxy while also atoning for his past sins. And while he'd never stooped to the level of a slaver, his mission had consumed him. That much was obvious looking at the Rodian boy's horrified face as it took in the slaughtered slaver bodies around them.

"Thank you!" the child's mother said. "But my child is sick! Is there anything you can do?"

Drow Venn looked over the child, healing what cuts and scrapes he could with his Force Healing ability. But looking closer, he could see that the child had "black scale disease" from being cooped up in such close quarters.

"Call the authorities. You're all free now!" Drow advised the freed slaves while motioning the mother and child to follow him. Truthfully, he'd been avoiding most of his Jedi peers of late. His slaver-hunting mission had consumed him to the point where friendships would just get in the way. But his quest was taking a toll on him and it was time he stopped hiding. Besides, this Rodian boy needed help beyond his healing abilities and he knew where it could be found...

A short airtaxi ride later, and the Rodian, his mother, and Drow were standing outside of the potential clinic building where two Jedi were standing conversing. Drow didn't know either of them but on a planet as rough as Nar Shaddaa, someone doing good tends to be the talk of the town. He'd heard the rumors of a Jedi maybe opening up a clinic. Word spreads fast here.

"Hello! If this is the "Jedi clinician" I've heard so much about, I have someone who could use some help!" he called out.

 

[Juniper]

"A master? Already? Wow, ambitious," Nara replied, biting her bottom lip. She couldn't imagine planning that far ahead... but maybe that was why Fiach was a lot more accomplished and diligent than her. She could see it too. Getting assignments and orders from Master Dubh in a good few years. She listened to the advice though, which turned out to be excellent.

"I hadn't considered that. I thought of asking the Order, maybe cornering one of the Masters or something when they're trying to sneak off, and asking for support. But it's not like they have tons of credits floating around and we're stretched pretty thin as it is, with everything going on." Sith sightings, explorations, political intrigues.... the galactic equivalent of running around everywhere, trying to put out fires.

"Definitely medical. I have some healing training, but I was hoping to pull in other, more conventional forms of relief. Anything would be better than what's currently available though." Flexing her fingers as she thought. "I'll try both. The Order and some of the locals. There were always some good people on here with resources. Some." She wouldn't deal with the criminals, as tempting as that was. She had higher standards to uphold and besides, some of them might recognise her scrawny form and want a little payback.

She was interrupted from her thinking aloud by anotherJedi. Nara turned around, a little startled. She hadn't sensed another of the Order around them but she had been busy thinking. Very lax of you. What would Master Oren say? But more importantly, there seemed to be a very disheveled pair of Rodians. They looked like they'd been through a lot, so Nara stepped towards them.

"I guess that's me. Nara Allam, Knight of the Jedi Order." She looked back at Fiach with a nervous smile before approaching the Rodian boy, who looked very unwell. Nara knelt down, carefully approaching the boy. Not wanting to startle him as she checked out the discolouration on his skin, heard his strange, laboured breathing. She took out her datapad from her pack and tapped a few keys.

"Black scale?" she asked the other Jedi, biting her lip as she thought. Another rummage in her pack produced a stim, which she gently pressed into the Rodian boy's arm before taking his hand and concentrating. Closing her eyes and focusing as hard as she could, willing the Force within her. Her face twitched slightly, a vein throbbing. Within the living Force around them all, the echo could be felt of Nara siphoning some of her vitality and energy into the child, taking some of the pain back. The colour drained from her cheeks.

When she let go, she sagged slightly. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, standing up and feeling a strange, hollow headrush. "Right... okay. Okay. I've done what I can for now," she explained to the mother and the newly arrived Jedi, "the stim should perk up his resistances and I gave him some more energy and push to fight it, but his body needs to fight it off itself. Which means, at the very least, regular meals and a warm, comfortable place without many pollutants in the air." Nara took a look around at the general hazy 'stench' of Nar Shaddaa. "We might struggle there."

@Corbeau @Fantasy Liver

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach’s face probably revealed that she was surprised that aspirations of becoming a Master were seen as ambitious. She still believed that most people thought like she did, especially Jedi, and was taken aback that not every Jedi anticipated rising to Master rank.

“Not soon,” she added quickly, “but it’s the path I’m walking for sure.” And she nodded at the concept of a medical clinic. It was a skill Fiach knew the rudiments of, but appreciated she would never be a Healer. She had neither the time to devote, nor the inclination to invest the time over other studies.

“I can do field medic work at a push,” she said, “so I can appreciate the value.” She waved an arm expansively, “Especially in a place like this. Even simple cuts can become a significant health issue if not treated swiftly.”

And, of course, the Force worked in mysterious ways and so, no sooner had the conversation reached a point of conclusion than a first patient presented himself to Nara. Fiach knew enough not to intervene – but remained on hand in case she was needed to assist in any way.

Black scale? Fiach was unsure if Nara was telling her the problem or asking her opinion. Not wishing to sway the Knight in case she was entirely wrong, Fiach remained as straight-faced as she could. As she did, she felt a ripple in the Force and was aware that Nara was channelling it and no doubt into the Rodian boy. She smiled. It was a typically selfless act that would drain Nara at the boy’s benefit.

Fiach fished into one of the pockets of her cloak and pulled out a few ration bars. “Never the tastiest, but each one represents a square meal in terms of nutrition.”

@Charndley @Fantasy Liver

 

[Drow Venn]

"A safe spot to lie down your head is admittedly difficult here." Drow admitted, having frequented Nar Shaddaa many times in his mercenary days. But he couldn't leave these two out in the cold. A lone mother and child would be sure to be picked up by other slavers or worse on a moon like this.

"Are there any positions open in Ajan Kloss?" Drow asked his fellow Jedi, knowing the Jedi base was home to a large amount of civillian workers like custodians, mechanics, nurses, and the like. Maybe the Rodian mother would be able to find a spot there. At the very least, he didn't expect the Jedi to turn them away.

"Or perhaps you know of a place on the moon?"

 

[Juniper]

Nara watched Fiach hand her ration bars over to the mother and child, making her smile. "Thanks! That's a brilliant start." Proper nutrition would help kick the little guy's immune systems into gear and start healing that black scale. That was another immediate problem solved. Now came the issue of where to stay.

The other Jedi made a good suggestion, though Nara wasn't sure how much the two of them wanted to go off world. "I'm not sure, but there's usually more room for workers on Ajan Kloss. We have other outposts too, but they have less capacity." All this was moot for the moment, however. She could bundle them into her ship and take them to Ajan Kloss, try to negotiate with one of the masters in charge of civilian recruitment, find them some lodgings...

Or they could do that after the kid was feeling better. She turned back to look at the empty building she'd been contemplating all day. Well, if needs must.

"Fiach? If anyone asks, you did not see me do this," she said to the other Knight as she marched up to the door. Near instantly, her fingers were rooting through the circuitry box just next to it, carefully weaving through the wiring and connectors. Just like the old days. With a satisfying fizz, she overrode the lock and the door shot open for them.

"I guess I found my clinic," she joked, mainly to herself. She'd worry about the hard stuff later. She knelt down to lift her droid out of her pack, watching him stretch and grumble in droidspeak.

"3-B, quit your whining and go check for a generator in there," she told him, shaking her head. The droid peered impetuously up at her for a moment before skittering off into the insides of the building. Nara turned to Drow. "We can bring them inside for now. I've got some basic sleeping bags and such on my ship that I can get."

@Corbeau @Fantasy Liver

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach considered the Jedi’s request. Part of her wanted to be honest – in all truth, she had no idea if there were vacancies for civillians on Ajan Kloss. And another part of her wanted to point out that if they took every waif and stray they came across, Ajan Kloss would be more heavily populated than Coruscant. Better, as the saying goes, to teach them to fish.

But before she could speak, Nara had acted. It was the sort of thing that Fiach admired – the ability to think laterally – something she knew she would have to develop if she were to progress as a Jedi. The site was empty and they did have a need. The ramifications could be discussed later. But it also gave her an idea.

“The clinic will need maintaining. And, given the ease with which it can be broken into,” her eyes avoided Nara’s at this point, “it might benefit from a sitting tenant. A willing pair of hands,” she looked down at the Rodian child now, “and a smaller pair of hands would be most useful too I’m sure. Tidying up, ordering things, making appointments. Maybe even dedicate some of the space to a small soup kitchen?”

@Charndley @Fantasy Liver

 

[Drow Venn]

"What do you say?" Drow asked, personally a big fan of the idea. The Rodian mother nodded in approval and the child looked excited at the thought of having a roof over his head.

"I've never worked at a clinic before. But I'm willing to learn." the mother said.

"I can tie my shoes!" the child added helpfully. This caused Drow to chuckle. He turned to his fellow Jedi.

"Thanks for this. Worst part of hunting down slavers is cleaning up after. You've made that step easy."

 

[Juniper]

Before her very eyes, she suddenly had a sitting tenant to help maintain the clinic and... well, a small and eager little helper too. She couldn't help but chuckle at the kid's comment and shook her head. Bright-eyed children were hard to come by on this moon. She of all people knew that.

Anything that keeps him out of the slaver's grasp. Or away from the gangs.

"I like the soup kitchen idea. Anything that helps out like that is welcome." Just like that, the plan had moved on and the space was now open. Yeah, sure, it needed a lot of work but they were on their way. And the possibilities had opened up in Nara's mind. As if by magic (or the will of the Force), the lights suddenly clicked on behind them, illuminating the empty space up. It stretched back quite far.

"No, thank you for coming to us. If you hadn't brought them, I'd still be staring through the window. I'm glad we could all help." She gave them both a big smile, Fiach and Drow.

"I need to go and get some supplies. Start cleaning. I should've brought a protocol droid or something from Ajan Kloss... and I'm going to have to contact clinicians and healers and..." she started rambling, running through the billion concerns and tasks ahead of her before looking back at Drow.

"I'm sorry, I just realised, I don't think I've ever seen you around on Ajan Kloss. What's your name?" she asked warmly, still smiling at him.

@Corbeau @Fantasy Liver

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach was not known for being innovative or creative. But in her mind, logic was quite good enough when it came to solving problems. The approval from the Jedi and the young Rodian family suggested her idea was not only acceptable but actually a good one.

And the greatest gift, in Fiach’s opinion, you could give to anyone was hope. She’d seen it in her many dealings with slavers – and this moon was in desperate need of any positive news or opportunities the Jedi could provide. Hope was infectious and generated the most unlikely of heroes. Maybe, one day, this young Rodian boy would look back on today as a turning point in his life?

Fiach’s musings were interrupted by the lights somehow activating. “Right,” she offered. “Let me go and check the systems inside. The last thing we want is anything untoward happening. And I’ll look to re-set the entry system.” Her smile appeared slightly wider than usual.

She fished into a pocket of her robes and pulled out a small electronics repair kit. “I never leave home without it,” she said and set to work making sure the systems wouldn’t catch fire or short out any time soon.

@Charndley @Fantasy Liver

 

[Drow Venn]

"Name's Drow Venn. Can't say I've had the pleasure of running into you either. Although by the sounds of things, you're a better Jedi than me. Been a bit caught up with catching slavers recently. Lost my way a bit if I'm going to be honest." Drow introduced himself honestly, looking a bit downcast. He joined the Jedi to redeem himself and help others but his recent quests had him questioning if he could ever really change.

"It's been a while since I was a mercenary but I can't help wondering if some things are too hard for people to change"

 

[Juniper]

Nara watched Fiach take out the electronics repair kit and head inside. Already offering to check out the electronics and get everything set up. Nara twitched a little, desperate to be with her too. There were probably miles of ancient circuitry in there that they'd have to rip out and redo. If they were planning to have computer systems, medical machines, maybe even bacta suits one day...

But Drow was there, bearing his uncertainty. She did give him a flummoxed look, though. That was the first time that Nara had ever heard herself referred to as a better Jedi. If that was the case, the Galaxy must have been in a worse state than she thought.

"Catching slavers is never a bad thing, especially here. And, while I'm not an expert on mercenaries, I don't think they go out of their way to help penniless victims get medical care. Be proud of what you've done. That's what I think, anyway," Nara explained, shrugging at the end of it.

"And don't feel like you have to dwell on things alone. There're always people willing to listen and help in the Order, even if you don't wanna waste your time in stuffy temples." She pulled her face at the mention of them, smirking a little more. "You coming inside?" she asked Drow as she turned to head into the newly 'acquired' clinic space, seeing her droid trundle out from the back. He skittered over to Fiach and took a slightly askew glance at her, the lenses in his eyes focusing and zooming a little.

"I think he likes you," Nara joked.

@Corbeau @Fantasy Liver

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach smiled at the droid that had joined her. “OK,” she said, “I think this will call for team-work.” She glanced back at Nara and had one of those uncomfortable moments (for Fiach at least) when she wasn’t sure if someone was joking or being serious. For the young Knight, that was a regular situation. Smiling at her fellow Jedi, she returned her attention back to the droid.

“Can you run a full diagnostic. We need to understand what’s damaged and what’s unsafe – with the latter being what we need to focus on first. Anything that might cause harm needs to be worked on straight away. Once you’ve assessed the situation, we can divide up the work and start making inroads into our to-do list.”

@Fantasy Liver @Charndley

 

[Drow Venn]

"Oh no...I...have other things I have to get to. But I'll be on the moon for a few days. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything." Drow said, remembering the Rodian boy's expression of horror at the violence Drow had enacted. He didn't want to make the Rodian boy any more uncomfortable than he was already by sticking around even though he loved the idea of the clinic. But no, he had his own problems to square with and right now, he'd only be a hindrance to those two real Jedi inside.

 

[Juniper]

Nara gave Drow a soft smile, wondering why he seemed so reluctant. Still, it wasn't her place to pry. "Same to you. If you ever need anything... you know where we are." She waved at Drow as she headed into to the clinic. "May the Force be with you!" she called after him, before having to pause at the doorway to cringe for a second.

Did I really just say that? What is wrong with me lately?

3-B chirruped for Fiach and nodded quickly, his head juddering slightly with the speed. His skinny little legs took off towards an old, half-dirty console by the wall, starting to probe it. Complicated-looking code ran over the small, dusty screen attached to it. For a second, the lights dimmed, and Nara frowned as she looked around.

"Doesn't look like anyone's been using this place seriously for a long time," she said, more thinking aloud than anything. "That's promising. Some bed-space over there, maybe. We can partition off the front and use that as the food station, clinic separated off at the back." Already zooming a million miles ahead of where they were, just pacing in the dusty space as the Rodian woman and her child looked around too.

"Sorry, I'm getting off track. Focus, focus on what we can do now." Within another minute, 3-B came skittering back across the floor, broadcasting a fuzzy holographic plan of the building. Red lines flashed where problem points had occurred. Nara peered in and checked them out.

"'Kay, looks like there's a sealed link to the sewerage and water systems, power is operational but the distributor is fried to hell aaaaand the climate controls are all borked. Well, it's a start." Nara peered through to look at Fiach.

"Thanks again for helping. This is the first thing I've done in forever that feels kinda... worth it."

@Corbeau @Fantasy Liver