Unwelcome at Home

[Austin Wolfe]

theme​

It was one thing to be rejected by others on a place like Coruscant, a melting pot for cultures, beliefs, and a vast variety of races and species. Being kicked out of a bar here or there wasn’t too bad if they didn’t serve your kind — drinks could always be poured somewhere else. But being rejected by your own neighbours, shunned and cast aside in your very home was something entirely different. Once again, Austin contacted two Jedi Knights selected to resolve an issue. ”Lucian Volante and Logan Pryce,” he began as they arrived at their destination. ”As you know, these Rakatans see themselves as superior to most others. However, few indeed are actively aggressive against other races. There is a community deep within the city made up of various outsiders that call Rakata Prime their home. We have heard reports that they are under constant assault — raids, vandalism, even rioting in their streets. Though the Order is unsure of the exact details, we have reports that these aggressors are part of an activist group wishing to force these good people out of their homes.”

The doctor paused briefly before his final words to the two Knights. ”These people do not wish to leave their homes and abandon their livelihoods — rightfully so. Your assignment is to put an end to these riots and bring peace to the people. May the Force be with you, Jedi.” The hologram of Master Wolfe fizzled out, and their mission had begun.

@Nefieslab @Dawyn​

 

[Lucian Volante]

Lucian had to admit that he was beginning to get more than a little bit sick of Rakata Prime. The people here were rude and elitist and they seemed determined to do everything within their power to be as uncooperative towards the Jedi as was physically possible. Considering that this mission was to help protect outsiders who lived here, outsiders who seemed to support the Order to the best of their ability?

Well he could get behind that and that was all he would say on the matter.

Glancing at Logan, he paused for a moment as the hologram fizzled out. Once Austin's voice was gone, Lucian reached out with a hand to shake Logan's hand.

"I don't think we've ever met before." he acknowledged with a small smile, "My name is Lucian Volante - it's a pleasure to meet you Logan."

He would shake Logan's hand briefly before getting down to business.

"Right so there's a riot in progress... I have an idea about how we can deal with it." he admitted as he started heading in the direction of the ongoing riot, "You halt their advance and I'll use Calm Mind on them from above - blanket the whole mob with calming thoughts and siphon off their anger. Sound good?"

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce

 

[Logan Pryce]

Good to see you are still alive, Wolfe, Logan thought silently as the Doctor fizzled out in front of the two of them. Though you’re not exactly making it easy for us down here.


Logan, too, had grown frustrated during his time on the planet. Not so much because of their arrogance and refusal to cooperate-he had seem them akin to the slavers who had ruled over much of his own childhood, they were just doing what was in their not so spectacular nature-but because of the fact that they were limited in how they could respond. They were still-for whatever Force-forsaken reason- attempting to gain their favor. It said a lot about the absolute state of the Order these days that they were courting and relying upon the goodwill of the Rakatans of all species.


Then again, it is not your place to make those decisions...yet.


Logan took his compatriot’s hand and gave him a quick nod and a simple answer in return. “Logan Pryce, the same to you.”


As he listened to his fellow Knight’s plan, a frown flitted across his face. The other was currently far more powerful in the Force than he was-that much he could feel-perhaps even above Wolfe himself from what he remembered of the Master’s presence. And yet Logan was the one who was supposed to, alone, stop the advance of a riotous crowd long enough for him to perform whatever he intended to do? Preferably peacefully and without too many casualties or property damage? He was not particularly enthusiastic about that.


Still...since he is far more powerful than you, do you have a right to question him? And it is not like you have any sort of knowledge short of terrifying or beating the rioters into submission that would likely stop them. And that would not be particularly conducive to good relations with the Rakatans.


“It sounds better than any other idea that I have at the moment.” Logan replied, not able to hide his uneasy resignation to the plan from either his voice or his expression. Wouldn’t it have been far easier to infiltrate the Rakatan shipyards and just steal whatever ships the Order needed than to have to deal with these unpleasant amphibians? Perhaps it would not have been the most Jedi way, but certainly far more pleasant.


Pulling up his cloak over his head to conceal his face-if anything went wrong he did not want a clear shot of his face to be put up on the intergalactic bounty boards-he began to follow the other Knight.


“So...how long will I have to hold them off in order for you to placate them?” He asked, trying to conceal the nervousness in his voice. One man in the open against an entire, likely genocidal, mob was not particularly great odds, even for a Jedi.

@Lucian Volante @Nefieslab

 

[Lucian Volante]

Lucian could see the doubt in the other Jedi's expression... and he cheated a bit and felt it through the Force as well. It wasn't exactly a breach of trust or anything but he knew that he had made his acknowledgement rather overt so that his fellow Jedi knew he had checked on how he was feeling about the mission. He paused for a moment, making sure that he stopped and Logan would see that he had.

"Logan... I'm not about to lead us into a nasty situation unless you're comfortable with it, alright?"

He had served with officers in the military who had acted like that and he couldn't stand it so he didn't see why he was going to have to stand it here when he was considered to be in charge. Running a hand through his hair, he found himself slightly annoyed that it was short again.

"I know this plan puts you upfront and might put you at risk." he admitted quietly, "But if I can quiet the whole crowd then you'll be in almost most danger... and I don't think you can effect the whole crowd like I can."

Their roles could be reverse but there was no point in pretending that Lucian had a greater mastery of the Force than Logan and would be able to effect more people.

"If needs be we can stand together and hold the line - I can try and calm the crowd from the front."

Might work after all - only a fool ever thinks he has a perfect plan.

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Rakatans, for all their technological prowess, had still not mastered the art of public transport. The method of transport Marina had chosen to take to meet up with her fellow Jedi in the lower regions of Rakata Prime, and by the force it seemed she was somewhat late. A mob, forcing others away. Not exactly the neighborly thing, and not the Jedi thing to allow it to happen. If she had learnt anything under her Master it had been that, and he wouldn't back down now to prevent it,

"Lucian, sorry, I took the 601 and I..." she tried to explain to the knight into her comm as she ran through the streets, trying to hurry to the meeting zone. She needn't have worried, the mob was coming to her, and aggressively so. She had to act quick, but from what she'd caught on her travel down it seemed her compatriots had a plan,

"I'll stall them, do what you can Lucian" she added to the comm, before dashing across the alley, finding herself before the crowd,

"Everyone please, stop, whatever your wants there's no need for violence like this" anything else she might have said was quickly cut off by the sudden unexpected appearance of a bottle hurled toward her head.

Clearly this mob wasn't exactly open for discussion.

Psychically she linked herself to Lucian,

"Alright, you're up flyboy"


@Nefieslab

Spoiler: OOC

Hey there! Here to polish this off, let's rock it!

 

[Lucian Volante]

Huh?

Oh right! Marina was supposed to be coming to join them as well... how the hells had he forgotten that? Well, it didn't matter, they still had a mission to do and Marina seemed to be very receptive to taking up the job he had tried to get Logan to take on. She was doing a damned good job of it too!

"Keep it up Marina - you seem to be a magnet for their ire!"

She probably didn't enjoy it but it was going to make his own job much easier.

"Help her out Logan?"

Gathering the Force to himself, Lucian took a large leap up to one of the nearby rooftops. He stalked along the edge of the roof, looking down at those below for a moment. He took a deep breath and centred himself in the Force. Reaching out, he began to touch the minds of as many of the people below as possible, his own mind immersed in the Force.

"Calm."

It was a simple emotion to transmit... and it worked.

Throughout the crowd, people began to stop in their shouting and their aggressive movements, stopping in place as an unmistakeable sense of calm rushed over them. It wasn't perfect and it wouldn't make them leave but it put them in a much better mood to listen to Marina than before.

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce @Nightfall096 @Marina Giulestei

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Even she, not directly affected by Lucian's calming energies, felt the rush of it wash over the crowd, herself even, rippling amongst its members as they drifted to a halt before her. What had been only moments ago quite the mob were now finding themselves faltering, even if it might only be for a moment.

And the secondary effects she felt were enough to make her forgive them for directing that anger at her only moments ago,

"Wait. Wait just for a moment. Think about what you had come here to do, why you came here to do it. Just, just think. If others were to see you now, taking to the streets like this, against these people, would the others respect you? honour you? or is it that you just look weak, frightened by some other. There are better places to direct your energy, I promise you"

For a precious few moments it seemed like they had succeeded, had driven the crowd back. And indeed, a good number of them seemed to drop the arms, stop their chants, and reflect. Some, it seemed, didn't like what they saw. And in an honour culture like the Rakatans such perception stood for a lot. A great deal, under the influence of Lucian and her own words added, seemed to disperse, unwilling to continue for today anyhow. It was a victory, a small one perhaps. Though not all were quite done.

While the majority seemed unwilling now to continue, just over half a dozen remained together, locked, chanting still at those who had come to watch, at the Jedi who intervened. It wasn't quite done. But hopefully with such a small number left their efforts could be more effective on a few than they had initially been on a mob.

@Nefieslab

 

[Lucian Volante]

Seemed to him that they were doing alright - most of the crowd seemed to have moved on between his own efforts and Marina's influence. He took a deep breath, feeling more than a little bit drained from the effort of calming down an entire mob like that. It had been a bit of Force use larger than almost all of the other uses he'd done in the past.

At least it had been worth it.

Naturally, it seemed that there were still some around who wanted to keep arguing - because having nice things was clearly for other people, right? Sighing, he rubbed at the bridge of his nose as he looked down at the seven below.

"Alright... let's try this again."

Reaching out into the Force, Lucian stood on the edge of the roof and centred himself. Reaching out, he touched the minds of the remaining seven - and immediately was rebuffed harshly, causing him to sway on his feet slightly. What the hells?

"Oh yeah... Force sensitives..."

How many?

All of them.

How strong?

Pretty strong.

Kriff.

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce @Nightfall096 @Marina Giulestei

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Those that remained now were clearly more determined than the others, and had managed to resist Lucian's efforts as he'd bathed the crowd in calming energies. That could only mean one thing, they were force sensitives, and fairly powerful at that to be able to unconsciously resist, though from what she could gather now they had no idea why their comrades had give up so easily. Perhaps they themselves still didn't know about their gifts.

Still, they weren't exactly happy about being the only ones left, and eyed Marina with a dangerous eye,

"It's not worth it you know, clearly the others recognised that earlier than you" she said in an almost forgiving tone, as if those who were left were simply confused,

"Go home, there are better solutions than this" if they could stop for a moment, think on another path, perhaps they'd take it now they'd seen their allies scatter from their sides.

It seemed they would.

At first one's shoulders dropped, their arms hitting their sides. The fury was gone from their face, the anger. The others soon followed with sighs, shakes of their heads, grumbles from more than a few. But for now anyhow, it seemed they'd managed to stop the mob.


@Nefieslab

 

[Lucian Volante]

It seemed that Marina had done well in her studies on conflict resolution because the fight was over before it could actually become a fight and he appreciated that. Mainly because his version of such a thing tended to be violence... something he needed to work on that much was for damn sure.

He waited until the others had gone, prepared to fight them if they resisted her, before nodding to himself.

Time to chat with his ally.

Lucian wrapped the Force around himself and stepped off the edge of the building, dropping like a stone and landing in a perfect 'superhero' landing.

And it hurt like hell.

Groaning a little bit, he slowly got to his feet and wandered over to Marina,

"Alright... that went mostly well, right?"

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce @Nightfall096 @Marina Giulestei

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Marina looked over as her ally shuffled over. An impressive drop, sure, but if she didn't know better she could have swore she saw him wince as he dragged himself over to her. That said, his comment gave her a smile,

"Better than I had expected at any rate" she laughed. When they'd got the call to come down to the streets she had hoped for this outcome, but honestly didn't believe it was going to happen. She of little faith perhaps, but her skepticism had served her just fine so far. And didn't seem that Lucian was cut from a particularly different cloth anyhow,

"And what about you, hope your not tuckered out after that display" she added with a wink. In truth his effect over the crowd had been impressive, no doubt things might have gone a far darker route if it had failed. But that last little dive... well, nobody was perfect. Marina offered him a shoulder. They were one ally down it seemed, though she herself didn't have a whole lot of desire to wait around on this planet. If her run in at the shipyards hadn't told her, this day had: the Rakatans were not the friendliest bunch. And certainly not the most straightforward to deal with. She was used to things being just a little more straightforward,

"Still a win though. What do you usually do for down time? Cause I think we might have earned some"


@Nefieslab

 

[Lucian Volante]

Yeah he was happy she was there to lean on a little bit considering just how much his knees hurt like a son of a blaster. Groaning a little bit, he shrugged a little bit. Indeed, he himself hadn't had the best experience with the locals and it had seemed a bit dicey there for a few moments.

Thankfully they had won.

"Yes, the locals do seem to be abnormally resistant to certain ideas. Such as not being terrible people." he joked with a roll of his eyes before smirking slightly, "I'm fine don't worry about me. Hardly the roughest landing I've ever had."

He rolled his eyes a little bit but took her up on her offer, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leaning on her slightly as they began to walk off. Lucian decided he would be honest.

"I'm a pilot and a former military man, Marina." he revealed with a smirk, "When I'm in a port I drink, I sing bad karaoke and try not to spend too much time with pretty women."

Lucian flashed her a grin.

"Want a drink?"

@Dawyn @Logan Pryce @Nightfall096 @Marina Giulestei

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Oh brother. She laughed with a bit of a snort and rolled her eyes right back at Lucian's reply,

"One" she said with a smile as she adjusted her arm and began to move, the orbital stations were a little more... cosmopolitan, perhaps they'd find something there. Though from what she knew the Rakatans weren't know for their spirits, metaphoric or alcoholic,

"Don't think I haven't had similar nights" she shared as they began their trek out of the lower city "I'm a late transition to this life too. Probably know what you're saying better than you might expect. Though on Sahmina we avoided the karaoke. Well, I did. Not got the voice for it"

Though their trip back up was slow, it was fairly unadventurous. Hopefully the bar would reveal a little life in this place that wasn't quite so hostile. Though for now though, Marina was happy enough just to be sharing a word and drink with someone who'd lived a similar life. It'd been too long since she'd shared much from that part of her time, her Jedi training always focused on the future.

Therapeutic, you might say. Though you might also say that about the beer.