Warlord Awareness Day

[jamessour]

There was an electricity in the air. An energy that oft was not. At a temple that Jedi tended to move slow, with thoughtfulness and meaning, their were Jedi moving quickly, with purpose and minds outside of the temple walls. Perhaps the whole galaxy was beginning to feel this way. There had be a delusional hope and peace for quite some time, but now evil had begun to spring up everywhere. Even on the peaceful planet of Lothal.

Reports had come in that Stoneville, a village only ten minutes away from the temple, was being extorted by a local bully. While the Sith had forced the hand of the Jedi to start becoming more aggressive, it was important this close to home to remain peaceful. Jedi were still Jedi.
Tarnit had received orders to be part of this mission. The bully in Stoneville was known to be violent, and several Jedi were being dispatched to deal with it.

Tarnit stood outside the temple next to a jedi ground speeder. He was waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. Tarnit was first, but that was nothing new to Tarnit - he was always early. He had been mentally preparing for this assignment since the night before, and had awoken early to focus his mind on the task at hand.

Running a hand slowly through his hair, Tarnit realized that he was anxious. It had been awhile since he had been on an actual assignment outside temple walls. More than anxious, he realized he was excited. He was ready. He was... still alone. He had arrived two hours early. He sighed, his partners would arrive any moment.

________
@SoB @Aodán Sidal @Cameron Foster @Elijah Brockway

 

[Andrewza]

Jake all ways enjoyed spending time on lothal. It was very peaceful. But it seems some one decided to abuse that peace by preying on a nearby village. The Jedi order could not let this act go unanswered. A small task force was being assembled to go and bring the accused to justice.

Walking out side to the meeting point Jake got admired the clear blue sky, Arriving he saw one of the Jedi knights that would be going o the mission. "Good morning master" Jake said happily has he joined in on waiting for the rest to arrive

 

[Aodán Sidal]

Aodán hadn't been on world very long and most of what he had seen of the planet came from the area around the Jedi temple. The rural world seemed to be quite the peaceful place to the young Echani male. Far removed from the politics and strife of many of the core worlds and those worlds bordering the Sith space Lothal had a charming quality that he was slowly growing to appreciate. Whether this was due to the influence of the Jedi or not Aodán couldn't quite say but he did appreciate the time he was able to spend on world. It was partly why when he heard some stories of a village not to far out dealing with oppressors he jumped at the opportunity to help out. The people on the planet had been good to the jedi, and it only seemed right to repay that kindness in turn by assisting them. Granted the Echani's reasons weren't purely altruistic and in fact an equally large reason why he signed up for the mission was a means of testing his skills. For Aodán was always striving to prove himself, to better his form and blade as many warriors were often one to do. Growing up in a warrior culture certainly didn't help with this mindset and being among the more militant jedi only honed the desire further.

So here he was making his way outside of the temple to meet his fellows who had decided to take up the mission with him. The young echani's snow white hair and skin basked in the warm rays of the sun's light the moment he stepped out to greet the day. Aodán was dressed in a simple grey pants and tunic the later of which was trimmed in teal and gold, the colors of his families house. Resting upon his left arm was a small band of the same teal and gold coloring strapped to a singular white device to hold it steady upon his person. Then of course strapped upon his hip was the classic weapon of the Jedi, a blade he had inherited from his mother. Its twin resting with his sister who happened to be off somewhere in the galaxy serving the cause of the Jedi order. Striking out to the others who had gathered Aodán's silver eyes glanced between the two. His calm features seemed almost a stark contrast to the young Jake's jovial expression, "Master Tarnit I presume? I am padawan Aodán Sidal. I look forward to working with you on this mission." The youth stated in an equally calm and steady tone of voice rather typical of an Echani. The race wasn't well known for their emotional states or really being talkers. Yes they could wax poetic and speak with a great fire and passion as any one could. But this was a culture who communicated primarily through combat and held little value in actual words when they could understand so much more through their fists.

 

[jamessour]

As Jake approached, Tarnit smiled. He had met Jake earlier on Tython and admired the boy's youth and innocence. "Good morning Jake."
Next Aodan appeared and walked up. This young jedi had quite an imposing person. Echani typically threw Tarnit off - their warrior mindset seemingly the antithesis of Tarnit's "combat as a last resort" mindset. Nevertheless, Aodan was being polite, and Tarnit would respond accordingly: "Greetings Aodan." Tarnit smiled warmly at both Padawans, he was excited to be going on this mission with younger jedi - typically they were more open to guidance than the older, more stubborn type.

"I'm sure you both have been briefed, but as a reminder: we are going to Stoneville to aid the people. We must end the menace that is threatening the villagers." Tarnit looked now directly at Aodan, with eyes of a caring, yet stern father, "Remember, we must not kill anyone. In fact, we should try and keep violence to an absolute minimum." He then turned back to Jake, "Any questions?"



@SoB @Aodán Sidal

 

[Andrewza]

Jake twidled his fingers as he waited but when the knight spoke he was once again alert. "No questions master, i understand. No killing of people." Jake liked the idea that they would not have to kill any one. It seemed uncivilized and un jedi like to kill.

 

[Aodán Sidal]

Aodán wasn't sure why the master ended up looking to him when he mentioned not killing anyone. Honestly he understood trying to keep the violence to a minimum far more than the idea of killing folks. Their goal was to win the people over, bodies on the ground very rarely seemed to help with that. "I understand. It shouldn't be a big problem if things go well."

 

[jamessour]

Tarnit nodded his head in approval and motioned for the group to mount the land speeder that was directly behind him. Tarnit then turned and sat in the drivers chair and waited for the two padawans to join him. Tarnit wasn't the best driver, but hot-shot piloting wasn't necessary to take the three jedi only ten minutes away. He settled in and activated the speeder.

If they joined him, he would then drive the speeder the very short distance to outskirts of Stoneville, and then would stop the vehicle.

 

[Aodán Sidal]

Aodán gave a curt nod of his head as well and with that he made his way into the vehicle with the other two in tow. His thoughts wandered as the young man's mind remained upon the mission and silently he steeled himself for the possibility of what could come.

 

[Elijah Brockway]

"You know this won't work out for you at all, Rukel. The Jedi aren't even four-hundred kilometers away - they'll be here to deal with you in no ti--!"

The man's voice dissolved into more of a surprised yelp as a blaster shot burned a hole in the wall near his head, singing the tips of some of his auburn hairs. The possessor of the blaster - a veritable hulk of a man, with the scars of multiple battles running across his corded arms - stepped forwards, leaning down next to the man who he'd just cowed into silence. "I'm not particularly concerned with whatever you think the Jedi will do," he replied, his smooth heldentenor voice coming out in a measured whisper. "Remember when pirates touched down about forty kilometers away and the Jedi didn't help you get rid of them? When that bounty hunter tried to take your worthless son's head, and the only person around to fend him off was me? How about when those idiots from the Exchange decided to come down and try to burn your crops and enslave every last person here under the age of thirty? The Jedi have never done a thing for you, and they've never been here except to make sure that their recruits come up to snuff. What makes you think they'll do a damn bit of good for you now?" Rukel stood, glaring down at the man who was tied to a chair in front of him, with the rest of his immediate family and coworkers in a similar state in the room.

"You owe me, and you haven't paid up in a while - and, just a tip: It's not a good idea to try and run off the person you've been relying on to keep you safe for the last four and a half years."

* * * * *
​

The city (well, town, anymore) of Stoneville had gotten its name for an important reason. For the most part, the city had been carved into the face of the mountain behind it, though eventually it had spread out further into the box canyon that it was situated within. As such, this made it a naturally defensible position, something that Rukel's underlings could use well. There was only one good entrance into the canyon if you came by ground, and the structure of the old city was strong enough that it would take dedicated bomber aircraft to make any significant effect. As such, that was why the Jedi landspeeder that was rapidly approaching the town of Stoneville was also rapidly noticed.

"Hey, Rukel, there's a landspeeder coming in," the man who had noticed the Jedi replied, watching through his macrobinoculars. "Looks like Jedi."

"What are you waiting for, then?" came the garbled reply over the commlink, the transmission hampered slightly by trying to force its way through multiple layers of rock. "Take a couple shots at them, and make them stop moving long enough that I can get a transmission sent through. Try to avoid actually hitting them, though." The commlink cut out, and the one grunt shrugged and sighed, grabbing an R-8R blaster rifle and taking aim.

Down near the Jedi, a couple blaster bolts started to pepper the ground a fair distance in front of them, though the meaning was obvious: they weren't supposed to come any closer, or the shots would start actually hitting targets. At about the same time as they saw the dirt flying up from where the blaster bolts hit, they'd notice a hologram transmission coming through on the landspeeder's holographic receiver.

"Jedi. I'll have you know that you have no reason to be here."

* * * * *
​

Rukel turned to look at Stoneville's mayor and police chief specifically, before he spoke up again. "This matter is purely a business dispute that has gotten slightly out of hand, and does not concern you. I personally recommend you go back to your temple and allow us to settle our differences in peace, rather than causing undue harm."

 

[Andrewza]

Jake gone in the speeder has it sped off. On reaching the out skirts of the town Jake got out. Before he could speak a number of blaster shots impacted infront of them. Far enough away to not be a threat but close enough to be noticed. It was soon followed by a man telling them to go away. "Master i dont think this is a business dispute."

 

[jamessour]

As the bolts rained down in front of the vehicle, Tarnit slowed the craft to stop. "I believe you are correct, Jake," He then flipped on the communicator to respond.
"Perhaps that's true, perhaps not. We are here to make sure you business dispute happens peacefully. There is no need for more blaster fire. Just words. There is no reason for any harm. I suggest you let us come and speak to you and the mayor. Let us mediate between you."

Tarnit then muted the channel again turning to the two jedi "Be ready for anything."

 

[Aodán Sidal]

Aodán watched as the blaster bolts came raining down at the area before the speeder. Warning shots, either that or they were dealing with incredibly poor marksmen. Who knows if they were lucky then it might have even been both. For now it seemed that there was little to do except not the direction in which the shots had come from. Hopefully they wouldn't need the information, and hopefully it could all be settled peacefully. Yet if that were the case then there would be little reason to call three of them when one Knight would be good enough to handle the situation. All in all it sat oddly with Aodán, but the Echani had little need to voice his opinion when Jake had done it for him. As such he looked to the leader of their expedition and waited to see just what might come of his attempt at diplomacy. The young Echani's hand sliding over from across his chest to brush along his arm band and the compact shield generator he wore for an occasion such as this. The old girl might not hold a charge as she used to, but she could still take a few bolts before giving out. Sometimes that was all that was needed to make up for the padawan's lack of skill in Shien.

"Hopefully this goes over smoothly." He offered, if only to possibly acknowledge that should it not be he was in fact more than ready to do as was needed. Aodán's silver colored gaze then flicked over to his younger companion and truly hoped that was the same for him as well.

 

[Elijah Brockway]

"No mediation will be necessary," came Rukel's reply, his voice quite unamused. "This isn't a matter that requires Jedi intervention, considering that the entire group of us here have done quite well while the Jedi completely ignored us for the last few years. Turn around and return to your own duties, and leave us to fix that which is ours to fix." He muted his own channel for a moment, sending a quick message to his three fellows: Grab your weapons and be ready to shoot at the Jedi if necessary. Stun for now.

The three men who Rukel had hired as his allies quickly complied, two of them taking position alongside the third who had already been out at the guard posts of the city's old walls, blaster rifles in hand with vibroswords at their belts. While they were doing that, Rukel started to speak to the Jedi again. "I really would rather this doesn't have to turn violent, but there are a good few of us here who don't take kindly to you deciding to start interfering in our lives when before we all had to fend for ourselves. You are not needed, and it would be very wise of you to recognize that. Come no closer to the city, and we won't have any problems." That said, he terminated the transmission, leaving the Jedi to figure out their course of action from there.

 

[Andrewza]

"master we gain nothing from talking over the communicator, we should talk face to face."

 

[jamessour]

"You're quite right, Jake. I think it's time to act." Tarnit observed the men on the wall. Chances are they were quite good shots, but luckily there weren't terribly many of them.

"Jake, can you drive a speeder?"

@Andrewza

 

[Andrewza]

Jake still stood facing the wall with his blade drawn and did not turn his back when he answered Tarnit "yes master, but why must I drive a speeder"

@Elijah Brockway I assume