The Desert's Test

[Sreeya]

Lana watched the woman whisper something into Jhon's ear. Whatever it was, it visibly made his emotion flare for just a moment, barely enough for her to notice. Outside of that, he had a calm, cool exterior. It was the efficiency of a deadly warrior. However, as she looked to the woman, she could see this woman was no fool or untrained being. Even though Lana couldn't sense her at all in the Force, it only left her to wonder exactly what she was capable of. Jhon's answer, however, did not satisfy her.

"Jhon you are going against what you've taught me so far."

She lowered her voice, sighing.

"Please stop..whatever she did, it's not on you to decide her fate. Please let her go."

Lana looked around, a decent portion of the cantina now with their attention trained on them. This wasn't what she had in mind. There was a hushed silence in this corner of the cantina, and it appeared that both Jhon and the Remy woman were frozen in place, refusing to yield. Whatever she had done, whatever had caused Jhon to act this way, Lana was afraid to learn the truth. She simply looked at Jhon, the kind man that she had come to see as her father. The man that taught her so much, told her so many things, showed her so many things. Yet today, she was looking at someone else. At a man she didn't know. She did not know his past, she did not know his involvement in the galaxy before he had found her. She did not know about her own origins. Lana slowly stepped back and walked over to sit back down next to Cassus, highly troubled. There was so much he had hidden from her, and she was just grazing the tip of the iceberg. It both upset and enraged her, but outwards she simply appeared defeated.

 

[Rev]

"I could ask you the same question.."

She paused to let the answer soak into the man's mind for a moment longer than she was sure he'd like. Aÿisha knew Jhon was a man of action, and testing his patience was a foolish mistake to make; but he had far more to worry about than the nightmare of his past. Keeping her hands locked against the wall she'd finally give a true answer.

"I've made enemies over the years, I don't have any here. Well I didn't."

Glancing down at the blade she'd return a cold stare before elaborating.

"Darix Talohn fell to the hands of a Sith Lord, I'm sure this is old news to you. I witnessed this and brought the fallen Battlemaster's mask to my Padawan, Haloburner Lamb. To put it simple that Sith Lord didn't take too kindly to that and I've had to keep hidden or running ever since."

She'd offer Cordatus an actual smile for the first time since she'd been a Jedi.

"..I'd heard you were dead."

Giving his handicapped leg a soft tap with her own foot she'd continue.

"Though it looks like you've seen better days."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Jhon nearly stumbled from the tap on the leg, pain shooting through it as he fought to maintain his composure. Though he may have fallen, it would’ve been worse for Aiysha. Who knows where his lightsaber would have fallen? Perhaps right through her. But now, Jhon could see the terror in Lana’s face. She was right, this was what he had taught her against, but what she didn’t know was that she was more susceptible to the dark side than he was. It was a double standard, but only because the same standards could not be applied to both of them, yet she didn’t know that. He had to set the example for her, otherwise she would think what he was doing was acceptable for her to do.

The Jedi Master turned off his lightsaber and let go of Aiysha, stepping back away and walking backward towards the bar. Keeping his eyes on her, he said, “This isn’t the first time I’ve heard you say you were running away from something you’d done. I made the mistake of trusting you once before, and hundreds of people died. Why should I trust you now?”

 

[RollingThunder]

Hannibal watched this entire ordeal go down before finally deciding to take a approached what he guessed was the older Jedi's padawan. He remembered them from the road, and he was surprised the older one could move so well considering he had a substantial limp when he last saw him.

He took a seat across from the young woman and the gentleman in the dark clothing, setting his blaster rifle down on his lap. You never know when you'd need it.

"I don't figure you both are from around here?" he said, grinning.

 

[Rev]

The man buckling under her almost gentle tap had surprised her. She nearly gripped his arms in aid but against resisted temptation, this time not for herself but for him. Deep down she wondered how much longer the Jedi Master had, he had been a legend when she was but a girl and that was too long ago. It was now she could sense the conflict in him most, she could sense his desire to finish her off in that instant, but it was Lana's innocence that would save Aÿisha's life not Jhon passiveness. When the blade finally dissipated Remy's arms would fall to her side that sense of relaxation never actually coming, but never really having left. The question Jhon poised would only bring a smile to traitors face.

"Because you still have something to lose."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Damn you, Andraste, he thought. For years, Jhon had been under the assumption that Lana was too painful a subject for Andraste to think about, let alone talk about. He never would have suspected that Andraste would tell anyone anything about her long-lost daughter, but it was clear that Aiysha knew the basics. There was only one way that she could have known who Lana was, and that was Lana’s red eyes. They were the eyes of Darth Exodeus, the eyes the Emperor passed to his daughter, and the eyes that Jhon had always been afraid would lead people to figuring out who she was and putting her in danger. Aiysha, unfortunately, was the first to do so.

“Alright, you got me,” he admitted, his tone defeated. “What do you want?”

He also turned to Hannibal, saying, “I do apologize for the commotion, and for ignoring you. This is an old friend of mine, from off-world.”

 

[Nor'baal]

''Watch it Foth, don't get caught up in something we cannot win.'' growled the voice of Amelleous through Hoths earpiece.

Walking forwards, his hand steady on his weapon Amelleous spoke, his voice deep and gruff like that of a Military Commander. ''Both of you, back down. If you want to tear each other to shreds do it some-place else.''

He gestured towards the lightsaber's around the two men's waists before he spoke again ''Whip them out, and me and mine open up. At this range, you will be torn apart. Back down, both of you.''

Amelleous, completely unaware he was potentially telling one of the most powerful force users in the Galaxy, Jhon Cordatus to effectively 'calm down' maintained an steady tone as he said he final statement ''Sith or Jedi, I don't care. Out here, there is no Empire, no Republic, just a group of people trying to survive, and that won't be helped by you two stabbing each other.''

 

[RollingThunder]

"No worries."

He looked to the Jedi's friend. He looked a little long in the tooth to be hanging out with someone her age. Hannibal took a large pull of his drink and smiled. He had a habit of grinning a lot, in a way that leads people to take him for some kind of simpleton. Some find it unsettling.

"Friends are good."

Hannibal looked to Amelleous, who had been quite during the whole ordeal. He nodded at him, giving him a silent rodger that.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

“If you’re just interested in survival, I would strongly encourage you to step away.”

He wasn’t entirely sincere. Jhon himself wouldn’t strike out against anyone here. These were innocent civilians, and his concern was more about what Jason had said earlier, that there could be collateral damage from whatever might happen between Jhon and Remy. Given what was already happening, what Remy was threatening to expose, Jhon didn’t need anything else on his conscience.

 

[RollingThunder]

Things were tense. You could cut the air with a knife.

That's when Hannibal whistled for the bartender.

"BARKEEP! I got the first round!"

He looked to everyone, "beer sound good?"

 

[Nor'baal]

''You whip that saber out in here Sir, every single person in this room will die.'' came the hushed reply of Amelleous. He stood close to Jhon now as he spoke ''You know this. Look at the room. The door is blocked by those new arrivals, they will be idiots and start shooting if they see a saber. Nobody will be able to get out.''

To the total amazement of everyone in the room, Amelleous did the unthinkable. Reaching up and taking of his helmet, revealing a face seemingly made tired by years of war, he looked directly at Jhon.

''I have seen countless people die, many of them friends stranger. Do you want the deaths of these people on your conscience?'' he asked ''Please, think about this. Turn away.''

 

[Rev]

The former Sith Lord of illusions could see the frustration not only physically on Jhon, but emotionally. Every bit of this man was invested in Lana and she couldn't understand why. Andraste had only spoken of Jhon in brief, but now it was apparent just how much faith she had in him. It was enough to put her only daughter's life in the hands of the man who failed her once and it must have been his promise to never do so again. Giving a glance to the innocent Padawan, Aÿisha, could only look back at Jhon coldy.

"Why is it you think I want something?"

Pausing for that brief moment she'd allow the confusion of her words to twist about within the Jedi's mind.

"I made a promise to an old friend that I'd look after her if she could not and we both know she cant."

The woman's sharp features would only intensify as her eyes narrowed, that gaze holding an apparent darkness to them. Motioning towards the bar and away from Lana's ears as well as any other interested parties Aÿisha would lean against the bar near a Selkath she'd known to not understand basic.

"Where is it exactly you're taking her? I don't need to tell you what she's worth, especially in Hutt space."

 

[Darth Tak]

“If you’re just interested in survival, I would strongly encourage you to step away.”

Acegik was insuring his empire by going around, looking cute and getting people to like him. Or Atleast that's what his mother said he was doing. He honestly had no idea. He overheard a small crowd. His general idea was to look cute near crowds.

He had his hoverchair and his guards, making sure nothing happened. He simply looked cute... infront of one of the most powerful sentient beings in the galaxy.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Jhon followed Ayisha to the bar, out of earshot of Lana and anyone else who might have been listening, but he would still be vague. Not only to keep information from those around them, especially the other patrons he elected to ignore for now, but from Remy as well. There was no way Jhon would trust her, not after what he knew she had twelve years ago at the Jedi Temple, but something about her seemed sincere. He knew nothing about her relationship with Andraste, but Remy’s words about her struck Jhon as being true. What that promise was or what intention Remy had with Lana wasn’t clear, and he knew that, despite whatever sincerity there might have been, Remy could not be told the truth. Jhon could sense conflict within her; there was no telling whose side she was on.

“Where I take her is my business,” Jhon said, his voice intensely resolute. “I have raised her as my own for the last ten years. You’re not the only one who made a promise to a friend.”

 

[Rev]

Her hand would reach into the deep cloak pocket before extracting a credit chip and laying it down for the barkeep to take. Looking at Jhon before the bar keep she'd glance at his leg before ordering two Darkoma's. It'd only take a few seconds and the rich brown liquor was poured into two separate glasses then placed in front of them. She would give the drink a long stare before smelling it. She knew how good it was, but deep down she'd of wished it was from a cleanlier cantina. Taking a short sip off it she could taste the strength behind it; the smoothness followed with a sharp burn which faded just as slowly. Smiling with pleasure at its taste she was pleasantly surprised with its offering.

"I only hope you do not plan to bring her to Andraste."

Her eyes wouldn't reach his when she spoke those words, her gaze instead staring blankly off into the distance. Aÿisha's face had gone pale in that moment, a darkness rushing over her sight that even a candle would fail to light. Feeling the cold sweat run down her neck, back, and face she'd snap from that blank dream the brash sounds of a cantina erupting around her. It was then she realized it was no dream, but an unwelcome memory.

"..she's lost. No.. gone."

With that final word she'd finish the rest of the drink and slam the empty glass down with a thud before pushing it away and signaling for a second.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

That’s not something Jhon needed to be told. He had seen what Andraste became firsthand on Coruscant, as he watched her prepare for the final attack against the planet, as well as its aftermath when he rescued her son - a son that even Ayisha likely knew nothing about. What Andraste had become was the monster that she always feared would take over her, the darkness that had always been a black pit in her soul. It’s why Jhon had Lana now.

“It’s no accident that the girl is with me,” Jhon whispered. “Before she was lost, Andraste asked me - no, begged me to take Lana from her. Andraste knew what I always tried to ignore, that there was a monster inside of her, the monster that Exodeus created. She wanted Lana away from her and from him. The Emperor knew, as we did, that if Andraste were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him... and to her, just as she would surely be a threat to them."

Jhon also took the final sip of his drink, before setting it down on the bar and saying, “That’s why Lana remains in my care. It’s why I still won’t trust you, and why I’d even kill you right now if I had to.”

 

[Silver Cutlass]

Nev had a fairly good seat to watch all this mess unfold. It started with these two people that entered into the Cantina, an older Human man and a younger girl, and it seemed to snowball from there. Everyone and their mother poured into the place and suddenly took interest in the pair, crowding around the end of the bar. First it was two people, then four people, then six, and more just kept coming after these two. Were they celebrities? The Nautolan Pirate was not one for pop culture, so it was a possibility. But then again, why would two glamorous figures from the Core come to a scummy backworld like Tatooine?

Soon, their little meet-and-greet turned violent, somewhat. A good-looking Human female approached the older man, and judging by his reaction they weren't the best of friends. He bolted out of his stool and confronted her, exchanging a few words, but none Nev could hear. By that point in time, when it seemed tension was thickest, a lot of people in the place got quiet. Everyone stopped talking, the only noise still heard in the bar was the Cantina Band. It stayed that way for a little bit until calmer heads prevailed, and the the old man cooled off. With that little bit of ruckus finished, the Cantina went back to normal, with patrons drinking and talking, but several people were now keeping an eye on the group at the end of the bar, including Nev.

It seemed this place had a history of trouble. Most people in this bar probably wouldn't know it, but only 1,023 years ago, this same cantina was host to four people, back then no-bodies, but now they were famous figures in history. Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi came here looking for transport to Alderaan, and who happened to oblige them but Han Solo and his copilot Chewbacca. In fact, unless you had read the detailed holo-books on Skywalker, Kenobi, Solo, or Chewbacca, you wouldn't know it, as most history texts just say 'a Cantina in Mos Eisley' is where they met. Nev himself learned from talking to the owner of the place during a pazaak game he played with the man a few years back.

Just as Nev was about to take back another swig of alcohol, he looked in his glass and saw that it was empty. Grumbling in displeasure, he made sure his blaster was snug in its holster before standing up and out of the booth, and began making his way to the bar. However, as he was crossing past a few tables, one of the men stood up and got in his way, and who else did it but the Devaronian Pirate with an eye patch and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. "Well, if it isn't the Green Gremlin. 'Member me?" He asked, pointing to his eye patch.

Nev gritted his teeth, and stepped a little bit closer to the rival pirate. "I remember you. You feel like calling me a cheater again, or should I go ahead and get rid of the other?" He stated, his tone impatient and annoyed. The Devaronian mumbled something and grabbed at his own hip, going for his blaster. Nev beat him to it, grabbing the Devaronian's wrist and holding it tight. "Just had to go and try it again, didn't you?" He stated, before rearing his right hand back and throwing his fist into the rival pirate's face, knocking him out cold.

When he hit the floor, Nev reached down and pulled the blaster pistol from the unconscious pirate's holster, and walked over the rest of the way to the bar. "Sorry about the ruckus. One Corellian Ale, if you would." He asked the man behind the bar, sliding his way the blaster and a few credit chips. The old, nappy haired man grumbled something about Nev, but took his money, and a minute later returned with a glass of the alcohol he so dearly desired. Taking the glass and nodding in return, Nev returned to his seat in his booth unhindered and took down a sip of the freshly-poured drink.

 

[Nor'baal]

As he watched the feuding due cool down, Amelleous turned to the bar nodding to the barman, who thankfully was a human. He had already done a quick headcount, and it was safe to say at least 30% of the room where of the superior species. He placed his leaflets on the table 'Light of the Galaxy: The Human Path' and leaned on the bar, his rifle slung across his back.

''Two, whiskey. One for me, and one for my friend here.'' he said, gesturing at Hannibal. As he received the drinks, Amelleous passed one to his compatriot and drank his own. Then he saw it. A Nautolan moved, and stood next to him, brushing its arm against him.

Amelleous shuddered ''Filthy Animal.'' he growled, shrugging the Nautolan's arm from his own, before turning away and starting to move towards one of the free tables near the door. ''No respect.'' he said to Hannibal, jerking his thumb toward the Alien and shaking his head.

 

[Rector_Ras]

A lot had happened since Jason had said anything. He had found himself in a booth sometime before the older man had taken out his lightsaber and pinned someone to a wall. It took all of his will power to not get up and prove his point. There was only one more step before it broke out into a battle. Luckily the young girl had made him stop. It was also the first time he had seen her eyes. The red eyes. He knew there was no way they could be natural there had to be something more to this girl then just being a jedi. The fact that the girl had also probable never been around many people also struck him. He assumed she had been kept in total isolation even more then he had where he never left his planet until only a short time ago.

The older man had walked out with another person who he didn't get a great look at but he left the girl alone there. He could tell she was confused on what the older guy had done so he walked over to her again and said in a friendly. "Hey. You seem to have gotten left here for now and they might take a while there. My name is Jason Stryker and could I interest you in a small conversation?"

 

[Sreeya]

A lot had happened in a short span of time. Lana watched Jhon step away to speak to the woman he had threatened to kill just moments prior. It was times like these where she felt like a small child, not wanting to intrude when the grown ups were talking. She turned away and focused on her drink, picking it up and taking a sip. She grimaced instantly, not enjoying her first taste of alcohol in the least. As she was about to take another, the lunatic man that preached about Jedi resulting in deaths came down to sit next to her. Oddly enough, he was calm this time and making polite introductions. Lana quirked an eyebrow, but she knew better than to ask what his earlier ranting was about.

"My name is Lana."

She took a look around, overhearing some people complaining about Jhon and others casting each other sly glances. Lana had a bad feeling about this place.

"Is this place always so uncomfortable?"