You Want to go Home and Rethink Your Life [JEDI MISSION]

[DeathToll]

The Jedi Temple, here on Coruscant, was truly a sight to behold. Such a work of architecture and glorious majesty at the center of so many skyscrapers and a network of air traffic. Some, more than others, really took the time to appreciate this Temple. Some, more than others, really did their worst to sully what it stood for. It is to be expected, and fought off; but when the very ones who call this pace home, move to disrupt the magnetic flow of others and their purpose within... there was then a problem...

Corruption... Joss worried, as he stood there along side a Jedi Knight, how deep this problem could be rooted and why anyone would choose to taint their physical being when given such talent in the Force. A young Padawan sat before the two, slouched and only sorry for being caught. He had been smoking deathsticks and had thus called for a raised seriousness to the subject. Deathsticks were being smuggled into the Temple and dampening young one's abilities to the Force.

This Jedi beside Joss seemed only bent on watching and caring for this detoxing Padawan, as both awaited the other Jedi assigned to this matter. Joss, having recently discovered his personal desire and need to uphold and protect the Jedi way, jumped on this opportunity to serve. He was still very much within his shell, though wished to begin finding his way in the Force to manifest in his life. He wished to protect the protectors of the galaxy.

In this room within the great Temple Joss had known for most of his life, the three of them were silent. Joss was always silent, but the others were bent on their own thoughts; the Knight staring at the Padawan and the Padawan staring at the floor. Even Joss felt a bit anxious in this heavy atmosphere...

Joss had his own issues, and wasn't exactly working on them; but felt better as he had taken on more missions as a distraction from his inward bombardments of himself. His struggles seemed so far off and unobtainable that the more he brought others' issues closer to him, the better he felt about his own neglected pains and nightmares. Speaking of which, Joss' eyes carried quite the bags from last night's long sleep-deprived eight hour stalemate. This day would carry quite the load upon his back, and he hoped it would help take his mind off of things.

 

[Saint]

Kidd couldn't believe that one of the padawans he had -just met- only days prior, was caught smoking a death stick. A Death Stick!! Really? Of ALL things to be caught doing... He shook his head gently from side to side as he made his way towards where the young one had been sat down for further questioning and who knows what else... probably some mandatory daily meditation and a 'buddy' who would be assigned to him, the two never leaving each other's sight, just to keep him honest. It would be a little demeaning, yes, but definitely a whole lot better than expulsion from the order... or an early tomb.

Smoking death sticks was just such a foreign concept to Kidd. He'd heard about different spices and such, their effects, addictiveness, perks, negatives, all that, but death sticks was just one thing he -really- couldn't understand. They absolutely sucked years off of the end of your life. YEARS!! Why would you want to short change yourself like that? There were enough bad people out there willing to end your life if they could, and here you were just going to give up and do it yourself? He pushed the thoughts from his head, soon making entry into the room where three Jedi sat.

He noted the young man who had been caught, staring shamefully at the floor while another, a Jedi Knight, kept a firm and unwavering gaze upon him. A third was another Padawan who was sitting alongside the Knight. Most likely, he was the Knight's Padawan-learner. Moving to the opposite side of the Knight from where Joss was sitting (whose name Kidd didn't know just yet), Kidd took a seat and initially settled his gaze on the young man who had been caught with the death sticks; then he turned his gaze to the Jedi Knight in the middle.

Not knowing if it was his place to speak up and break the silence, Kidd decided to anyway. He'd been summoned here and kind of felt the need to at least report. Bowing his head lightly, he stated, "Padawan Kidd Vegas reporting Jedi." His tone was polite enough, as was the dip of his forehead as he closed his eyes momentarily. Before the Knight responded, Kidd turned his gaze briefly towards Joss and gave only a small, partial dip of his forehead, attempting to keep his gaze locked with Joss' (assuming he was looking). A friendly enough smile rested on his face as he whispered softly, "Good morning there."

 

[Brand]

Temptation.

It gripped one's soul, tearing it apart and holding it hostage. Elk had had first hand experience with that, coming close and tasting the Dark side after his master's death. He knew what it took to ward off insurrection, and he easily see how death sticks within the Temple could cause devastating results.

Elk strode through the crowded halls of the Coruscant temple, after having just disembarked from the shuttle that dropped him off. His grey cloak flowed behind him, his lightsabers clinking against his thighs. Dumaw wore light combat armor. His Ithorian face was unconcealed, his cowl thrown back. He walked confidently and with purpose, headed to the chambers where the Padawans had been sent to detox. Elk, along with two other Padawans, had been assigned to crack the case of the mysterious smuggling.

Dumaw would not let justice slip away.

The Ithorian ducked inside the chamber, greeted by the sick Padawans, a Knight, and two standing Padawans. Both were humans, and he could see one had just arrived and was in the middle of their greetings. He stepped forward, his giant frame casting a large shadow throughout the room.

"Padawan Elk Dumaw, reporting in," he rumbled, his deep voice strong in the quiet room. Elk bowed to the Knight and inclined his head with respect to the two Padawans. He glanced around, taking in the sick teenagers. "This is disgusting. To think that Force users would be seduced by a drug..." Elk shook his head.

"It must be stopped."

 

[DeathToll]

Attempting to look back at Kidd Vegas with eyes that lifted and lowered a good five times just so he could reach eye contact, Joss inched a squeeze of the lips that resembled a smile back.

"Hey..."

He wished only to break free of his usual shy self right off the bat when meeting someone, and that poor example was Joss being outgoing comparatively. His fingers dove up into his long hair and tossed a good portion over the left side of his face. He was always sensitive, when meeting new people, about the birthmark across his face.

But before he could get too worked up about himself, another Padawan interrupted Joss' thoughts. He turned around, with a bent arm over his chair, to see the Ithorian; Joss' head down, as if he were the one who'd done something wrong. Lifting a hand without waving, Joss thought it necessary to give his name as the others had.

"...Joss"

"Good. You're all here."

The Jedi Knight stood to allow these three Padawans close access to the detoxing teen.

"You may begin whenever you like. I'll be right over here."

The Knight stepped off into the corner, the detoxing teen cowered still, and Joss sat there awaiting the other Padawans to begin the questioning. This was their first lead as to where they would begin following the chain back to its source. It could get messy. It could be just a couple of new business entrepreneurs trying to make a name for themselves. Or it could be an elaborate plot, rooted deeper than these three could imagine...

 

[Saint]

Once the Knight spoke and stepped away, Kidd went ahead and introduced himself to the towering Ithorian, with a cordial enough smile, he gave a light dip of his forehead, "Well-met Elk. Name's Kidd. Kidd Vegas." Turning towards the detox teen, Kidd heaved a sigh as he let his gaze rest solely on the young man. With a bit of a squint, he studied him for a moment before asking the straight forward question, "So... where'd you get the deathsticks?"

The question of why was irrelevant to Kidd. They had been tasked with finding out who and stopping it. These young padawans knew better than to use those krath-damn deathsticks. Someone was preying on them, probably for some dark purpose other than just making a few credits. You didn't sell deathsticks to Jedi padawans to turn some quick cred. There were better venues for such outside of the Jedi Temple.

Nope, whoever was getting these deathsticks to these kids was behind something bigger... something darker... Kidd was just -sure- of it. Was this some kind of twisted tactic employed in a round-about way by the Bogan to further strike out at the Jedi Order? Was it some dark cult who hated force users all around and was doing whatever they could to hurt them? Was it really just someone trying to turn a cred? Were they targeting the Jedi at all and it was actually these padawans going out to get them? Was it a padawan on the inside secretly working for.... Krath... the possibilities seemed endless. Maybe it would be a good idea to ask this kid WHY he had decided to smoke deathsticks... Didn't hurt to ask a question like that anyway. May as well. If neither of the other investigating Padawans would, then Kidd would himself when he had the opportunity.

 

[DeathToll]

((keeping this alive))

The Padawan, Sogha Cho'ruun, could not lift his head, and even refused ...or rather was unable to bring himself to answer Kidd. His head shifted, seeming to want to answer but still had yet to speak a word. The silence in the room between words was like liquid metal, the air streaming in and out of his nostrils was clearly audible.

Joss changed focus back and forth between faces, following others reactions just as much as the Padawan in question. He himself felt cornered in a sense, empathizing with the poor victim of all this; though too was he in the wrong, and was required of him a level of responsibility. For this, there were consequences.

"Padawan."

The Jedi Knight, a recent transfer to Coruscant and new face to many, standing in the corner gave a stern check to Sogha and he responded with a hiccup of a physical jerk. Still looking down, however, the Padawan answered.

"I got it in the Market District..."

The Padawan withheld a more detailed sentence along his train of thought, but combined with the looks that the Knight was giving him and the guilt he felt - the Padawan added still more vague information, as he did not wish to hang any one else along with him.

"...I was told I could find an Aqualish merchant at mid-day in the west sector under a red tent..."

Joss looked back at Kidd, as if hesitant to join in the questioning and seeming to ask Kidd rather than the Padawan.

"...By who?"

Again the Knight seemed to force an answer out of the Padawan with that leaning stare, and he cracked.

"...Another Padawan... But I-I asked him, because I wanted to go out with them to the bars."

 

[Saint]

Kidd gave a sharp, semi-scoffing exhale upon hearing the response about going out to the bars with other Padawans. Why did it seem that things like that went together? Bars, Alcohol, Spices, Deathsticks... That was something to think on, perhaps even meditate about later; though meditation wasn't exactly a favored past time of his. He refocused his attentions back on the young Padawan, Sogha Cho'ruun.

Quirking an eyebrow, Kidd inquired, "What does smokin' deathsticks have t'do with goin' out to th' bars?" The idea just befuddled him. What? Was this a if we're going to be wrong, then let's be completely wrong type of night? Again, he just didn't understand this train of thought. Just then, it hit him. There was only one padawan sitting before them. Glancing over at the Knight, Kidd further inquired of Sogha, "You -need- to tell us who else was involved with this. And I mean everyone!"

He placed some emphasis on that last word. Running down this trail would be difficult if they couldn't get this padawan to spill the beans. However, it seemed like the Jedi Knight with them was more than capable of drawing the truth out of this young man. Kidd turned his inquisitive gaze back to Sogha as he awaited a response. He just still couldn't believe that he had been smoking Deathsticks... I mean... DEATH... STICKS... HELLO!!!

 

[DeathToll]

"They weren't even gong to bars! I mean, I had it all wrong! I-I.."

Sogha frantically tried to justify and absolve those whom he had tried to join, but in actuality was made a fool of. He had tried to stay silent, he had tried to keep the others out of notice, but he was past the point of lies and deceit.

"I-I only thought they were going out to bars, 'cause I had been following them after dark a few times and they left the Temple grounds ...but I always lost them in the Entertainment District."

"Who?"

Joss blurted out the obvious and already asked question, Sogha's omission of names getting to Joss and probably everyone else in the room; but Joss recoiled, noticing his resemblance to a repetitive bird that only spoke 'who' over and over.

"...Samshos ...Samshos Ban, Wesley Jacobs, and Kavin Gfern... Samshos was the one who told me where to get the death sticks, but I think they were just trying to get rid of me..."

Soghan ended with a defeated drop in tone, humiliated and ashamed. He had indeed smoked the death sticks, and so was guilty; not to mention bringing the drugs into the Temple. But at last the trouble makers had been named.

Joss yawned, by no means board with the situation - but rather still reeling from his lack of sleep last night. But mid yawn, he caught himself to his surprise at the mention of that name.

"I... sparred Samshos Ban not... a week ago. He likes to duel..."

Joss more whispered to himself rather than spoke towards the group, but looked up as he realized he probably had been heard. But Soghan was looking right at Joss, and so Joss cowered from the directness of the situation. Realizing he had spilled the beans about his frequenting to the sparring rooms, Joss folded his hands inbetween his legs and tried to find something to change the subject.

 

[Saint]

Looking over to the Knight, not even really paying attention to Joss' admission, Kidd spoke up, "I b'lieve we need to speak to the other Padawans as well." He turned his attention back to the young padawan before them, "And we'll take you out later to identify just who you acquired them from." Pursing his lips, it suddenly hit Kidd, "Where did you get the credits for deathsticks anyway? An' how long have you been on 'em?"

Vegas could care less why this padawan thought the other padawans were just trying to get rid of him, but the point might be addressed later of the other three. If these padawans were sneaking out, getting deathsticks and living it up on the town at night, they most likely weren't doing it in Jedi attire... but still, they had the braids. Regardless, there would most -certainly- be punishments dealt out all around.

Still the question remained unanswered if it was really all this... well, for lack of a better word, innocent... or if there was something else at work here. For the time being, it all seemed like padawan mischief that would soon be dealt with severely. More than likely, those involved being made an example of, starting with Padawan Sogha Cho'ruun here... then the others. Though honestly, they had only uncovered one small piece. Kidd figured there might be a considerable amount more once they questioned the other three.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

 

[DeathToll]

The Jedi Knight, Ma'ar Jotice, finally broke that deadly stare that weighed so heavily onto the Padawan in question, Sogha Cho'ruun, and affirmed a look over to Kidd and then a slight nod; this Knight seeming to be fitted only with a face for punishment. ...probably due to her manly look and unisex short hair and name. Turning her deadly gaze back onto the Padawan, she almost ground the moment into Sogha even further with an added remark.

"...Indeed."

Sogha did all he could to keep his head down now, all the more fidgety when Kidd mentioned their later use for him; and Joss also shared in a bowed mode of silence, only stuck in thought as he had to admit that he did not know how much a death stick cost... or whether or not you could get only one, or if they came in packages?


Sogha hiccuped into near beginnings of sentences a couple times before fully committing to his confession and answer to Kidd's question regarding money.

"...it ...it was... free..."

"Speak up, Padawan."

"...like ...a month or so ago, I was approached by a man... I think he works for a representative in the Senate... and he said he knew my Master, Rogwun Dae, and asked me to run a small package ...it was just a letter really... to a colleague of his. ...Well... when I got there, I waited and waited and there was no one there for almost an hour. So I decided to open it, and there were two rows of twelve ...of twelve death sticks and I-I... I ...I mean, my older brother used to smoke them cuz he said my dad did before he... and, and I just..."

After Ma'ar Jotice's motivating snap shook Sogha into a state of admission, the floodgates broke loose; Joss lifting his eyes to Sogha with a dropped jaw. While what was said was not particularly grand a scheme to justify a jaw dropping moment, Joss began to contemplate the possibilities of what was just said. Shooting a quick glance at Kidd and refocusing on Sogha, Joss couldn't help but think this Padawan was the perfect candidate and victim to fall prey to death sticks...

 

[Saint]

Shaking his head as he began to count off on three fingers, one at a time, Kidd replied, "So let me get this straight. Not only have you been found guilty of possessing -and- sucking down on deathsticks, but you also stole them, and now seem to be further caught in a lie?" Continuing to shake his head ever so slightly, Kidd just held a quiet gaze upon the young padawan, himself finding it hard to believe that he would remain a padawan much longer. The Agricultural branch could probably make use of him.... anyway.

Quirking an eyebrow, he went on, "Did Samshos tell you to check the letter for deathsticks? Why even mention him and his friends names if they had nothing to do with this? Shall I add obstruction of justice to the list of charges against you Sogha?" In truth, Kidd was getting tired of this already. He couldn't -imagine- what the Knight beside him was thinking. She probably already had the whole thing figured out and was just letting the padawans go through it all, learning and developing as they went.

For Kidd, already it had been an eye opener. Of course, he had been teased a bit by his friends for being naive. He'd been at the monastery on Tython for so long... Krath, since he was brought into the Order. Nope, he hadn't really seen anything like this before. And this was all coming from a fellow padawan... His eyes began to open as he thought of how much worse it could be regarding someone else who hadn't been brought up within the Order and taught the ways and Code of the Jedi. The thought was... intriguing and a wee-bit scary.