Surrender and Escape

Tyrone Dooku, Jedi Knight of the Order, entered the compound with the three padawans trailing after him. Tyrone took the moment to take in the surroundings of the base headquarters for the Glorious Fist. It was a decent sized base, not as small and shabby as Tyrone had expected the pirates to have and yet it wasn't as heavily guarded as some that Tyrone had seen. The Glorious Fist had a decent security systems, in which their speeders had been picked up long before they reached the base, even as the speeders were rusty in color, and as far as Tyrone could tell could use a good paint job but other than that they seemed fine.

Tyrone parked his and waited on the padawans, flexing his hand in reflex, as some of his blood had seeped through the bandages. Tyrone examined his medpack, and as he waited on the padawans he rebandaged his hand tossing a sharp look at the half-Sith as he did so. He rifled through his medpack noting the bacta, bandages, rebreather, and stimulants in contained.

Tyrone had learned from Master Yoda to expect the unexpected, to always be prepared, as Tyrone had told his padawan, Forearmed was forewarned. A Jedi had to always be prepared for the unexpected, and he had been right. The medpack had already been useful, though he wouldn't have needed it had the half-Sith not attacked him. Tyrone looked on as he reached the entrance to the compound, even though their speeders had arrived; they weren't out of the woods yet, so to speak. This would be their first test on the mission, if they could get past the Rodian who had hailed them down. "Hey you," he said. "Hold up."

Tyrone turned to look at him with disdain; Rodians were near the bottom of the social ladder as far as he was concerned. Tyrone briefly considered a mind trick, though Jedi were often discouraged from performing them, except in dire emergencies, and really a simple trick with the Force and a Jedi could disregard both irrelevant questions and needless death, which would the Council prefer? Tyrone had often witnessed as Master Yoda performed the very same trick, sometimes just to get out of paying costly fees that would deplete his funds. "I don't remember ordering any shipments today, what base are you from?" Tyrone nearly rolled his eyes as the Rodian looked down at his datapad, tapping it impatiently.

"A-7," answered the Korun padawan.

"Code Name?" the Rodian persisted, and knowing that the padawans would not be able to come up with the answer for that, though they should. It was really quite simple as Tyrone felt the Force surround him linking him to the Rodian's mind, he plucked the answer from his mind, and then severed the connection that had existed between them. Tyrone had felt his worry, he cared for his leader, the leader had done some kind of favor, saving his family from slavery, Tyrone wondered briefly at that as the connection was lost.

"Hombara," Tyrone spoke confidently, as he sensed disappointment coming from the Rodian. The Rodian's shoulder slumped, his whole body giving away his disappointment at having to do extra work.

"And here I was hoping you'd have to leave and get the code from someone else," the Rodian complained, "Lazy, forgetful scum," the Rodian muttered before continuing, attempting to seem professional, "Well, that's the Code. Here's your clearance key, go deliver the supplies," he said gruffly, "But if I catch you nabbing anything….well…we have a hungry acklay that could use a good meal."

"I'm sure you do. We understand, we will just be getting out of your way," Padawan Mace Windu said as he was tossed the clearance key. Tyrone, with Mace, Sora, and Nioman behind him headed in the direction of the head quarters, for Tyrone had read the plans from the Rodian's mind so he knew where he was going.

"How in the Force did you know that?" Padawan Sora Bulq asked as his eyes lit up, focusing on Tyrone. Tyrone stopped his fast pace in the direction of the leader of this group of rough pirates and spoke, after all it was a fair question, and it deserved an answer, but it was an answer only the Jedi should hear.

"Simple," Tyrone said with a hint of a smile, he really couldn't wait until he could begin showing Qui-Gon such tricks, but for now, it was important to explain to the padawans, "his mind was an open door, all I had to do was walk in. He already knew what he wanted to hear so all I had to do was grab the code and close the door," Tyrone's smile widened as he saw understanding dawn on two of the three padawans.

"Isn't that abusing your powers of mental manipulation?" came the prickly voice of the half-Sith, "Jedi are only supposed to do that in the event that it's absolutely necessary, and even then it's frowned upon. The smile on Tyrone's face froze.

"And what would you have me do?" Tyrone hissed, "Use my lightsaber and cut off the Rodian's head. We are Jedi, and anything is preferable to death," Tyrone explained. "Besides, padawan, I must insist that you cease your constant moaning. I am the senior member on this mission, I am the Knight here. You will trust my judgment, and you will learn your place, padawan."

Tyrone once again began walking with the now silent padawans following behind him. Tyrone looked around trying to find the corridor that he had seen in the Rodian's mind. Finally, Tyrone turned down the right corridor, he knew that the Troublesome Trio was wondering how he knew where to go, never once making a wrong turn or mistake, but he didn't bother to explain it.

When pirates had noticed them, Tyrone had sent them away with a quick connection of the Force in which he sent them to the fresher or to do anything else. He had instructed the padawans on how to do the same and it wasn't long before Mace and Sora were practicing the technique. Nioman seemed to have been ignoring him, and likewise, Tyrone ignored the padawan that brought back the unpleasant memories from the cavern.

Eventually, Tyrone came upon the doors of the leader, and leaned on the door, feeling with the Force. He was brought out of his thoughts by Padawan Sora Bulq who questioned the plan, to which Tyrone explained that sparing their lives was the plan, but if they refused, he would do what he must, do what he had to as a Jedi. Nioman, as was his way, questioned Tyrone again on his actions, not wanting to spare the lives of the pirates, and Tyrone wondered just how the half-Sith had made it as a Jedi for so long. Jedi were taught as younglings to respect life, all forms of life, and Nioman seemed to quickly resolve to kill them. A Jedi should never chose death over life, whether that be their own death on the death of any sentient. Reverence for life was taught among the Jedi.

Their mission was important but Tyrone was confident that they could complete their mission AND spare their lives. It was the Jedi way, and there was no sense in needless death, that was a path to the Dark Side, causing and leaving death and destruction in their wake. Tyrone would not succumb to the half-Sith's suggestions. He would complete this mission in the Jedi Way.

Tyrone was focused on the presence of the Glorious Fist's leader, Samo Agravo, but not so much that he didn't notice the yellow lightsaber that beheaded the guards at the door. Tyrone palmed and ignited his green blade, the only green blade in the group, even as he noticed that besides the half-Sith's yellow lightsaber the other two padawan's carried the blade of a Jedi Guardian. Tyrone deflected blaster bolts from Agravo's comrades as he fell into Ataru which was better at deflection than his own form. He saw that Samo was just watching with thoughtful eyes and approached him, a hair of a second after Nioman and he pointed his emerald blade at his throat, watching Nioman careful to make sure he didn't behead their prisoner.

"By Order of the Jedi Council, and the Senate, you are under arrest. Do you know what your crimes are?" Tyrone asked the pirate. Samo didn't respond so Tyrone filled him in. "You are to be taken to Coruscant on the charge in addition to piracy, attacking cargo ships, as well as diplomatic ships, and the attack of Jedi," Tyrone said with a frown, he hated not knowing the fates of the Jedi Masters. "You are protected under Sections Five and Thirteen of the laws of the Republic and have the right to a fair and speedy trial; do you accept the terms of your surrender?"

"Fine, fine, I give up," Samo said turning his hands over in a show of surrender. "You Jedi are tougher than I thought," he said, and it almost sounded like a compliment.

"I, as a Jedi Knight of the Order, accept your surrender. You are now a prisoner of the Republic," Tyrone said as he disengaged his lightsaber, as Nioman had his own lightsaber ignited and still pointed at the pirate. Tyrone gave him a sharp look before reaching for the stun cuffs. Tyrone felt slower, more sluggish, an after-effect due to the Sith powers the half-Sith had used on him, once in a while his body would spasm, so far the padawans hadn't noticed, and Tyrone hoped he could keep it that way.

Once back on Coruscant, he would have to see a healer. Tyrone put those thoughts aside as the pirate leader grabbed the table that stood in front of him and pushed it at Tyrone, momentarily knocking the Jedi Knight off balance. In that instant of weakness Samo pushed passed Tyrone and headed towards the exit, hurling a thermal detonator at the wayward padawans. The table, Tyrone, had thought had been securely bolted to the floor, how had it been flung so quickly? Was there something about the table he was missing? Had it only appeared to have been bolted down? It was a wise move, for a pirate, Tyrone acknowledged, as it separated him from the Jedi. He should have sensed it through the Force, Tyrone thought as he looked sharply at Nioman, unable to see him. He could feel the heat from the thermal detonator behind him as well as the loud explosion that accompanied it. Tyrone had dived toward Samo, but had been rewarded for that with the firing of a blaster. Rule One, Tyrone thought ruefully, disarm your prisoner.

Samo was firing multiple blasts at Tyrone, who deflected them easily, even as he spoke in low, even tones. "I will not hold this against you, if you lower your weapon and surrender now. If you continue to evade us, I cannot help you," Tyrone said, reluctantly. "You will have a fair trial; think about the consequences of your actions."

"Nice try, Jedi," Samo was saying, "Don't give me any Jedi platitudes, I have seen the Jedi for what they really are. Traitors."

"Samo, I would think about what I was saying if I were you," Tyrone said even as Samo continued to fire at him and Tyrone continued to deflect, before Tyrone could reach him a ray shield sprung to life. "Blast it!" Tyrone said, frowning and wondering if the failure was his, or a result of his earlier fight with Nioman. He would not forsake his earlier Jedi teachings. "We've got to get those shields down!"

Tyrone felt a weak whisper from the Force and looked up as the vents began emitting some kind of toxic poison or gas. Tyrone reached for his medpack and took out his rebreather fastening it to his face. He noticed the shocked expressions of the padawans as he attached it to his face. Nioman, for once made himself scarce, probably, Tyrone thought searching for a way out, or he thought he could escape the mist by going into the bedroom or refresher. Tyrone could now breathe as the rebreather transmitted the gases in the air into breathable air for the human Knight. Tyrone glanced over at Sora and Mace who were covering their faces in the arms of their robes, trying not to breathe the harsh substance. The ventilation system, it was an old trick, one Tyrone had encountered before, still, he had to hand it to the pirates, sometimes the oldest tricks were the best.

Tyrone closed his eyes and tried to meditate but was constantly interrupted by Padawans Bulq and Windu.

"How did you know to bring a rebreather?" Sora asked him.

"I didn't," Tyrone replied, opening one eye and focusing on the Wee-Quay. "A Jedi Knight is always prepared."

"There was no reason to bring them," Sora continued.

"A Jedi is always prepared for any situation."

"But there was no reason to bring them, we didn't need them."

Tyrone arched an eyebrow, "I beg to differ, as I am now safe from whatever toxins are in the air. You should always prepare for the unexpected, something I learned from Master Yoda, you would be surprised at how many missions turn out just like this," Tyrone explained casually. "Besides, I always keep my medpack stocked, and I restocked it right before the mission. It wouldn't hurt you two to prepare for any situation."

"Why in the Force would we need them?" Sora asked, obviously in a bad mood due to the toxins he was struggling around. Tyrone was weak too, and shuddered as he felt his body spasm again as he covered it with a cough as he smiled.

"Bet you wish you had them now."

"But we shouldn't have needed them," the Wee-Quay continued.

"I have to agree with Sora, while they would have been handy here, we shouldn't have needed them," Padawan Windu said with a frown.

"We are dealing with pirates, expect the unexpected. I hope you have learned from this mist-" Tyrone began, but was rudely interrupted by Nioman returning.

"Shut up! I found something," came the half-Sith's voice, rudely cutting into Tyrone's conversation. Tyrone stared at the half-Sith flabbergasted. The padawan was nervy, he would give him that. He was lucky he had made it so far in the Order, and hadn't been shipped out with the Agri-Corps with an attitude like that. Tyrone blinked for a few seconds, unsure if even a half-Sith would react like that, would speak like that. Tyrone wouldn't have even spoken to a fellow knight, or even an initiate in such disrespectful tones. Tyrone's lips tightened into a thin, white line. Nioman was really so crass, so undignified, so ungrateful. He couldn't believe that anyone could be as unrefined as Nioman was proving to be.

"You will learn your place padawan. You do not interrupt a Jedi with superior-" Tyrone began, remembering the familiar lecture from his time around Master Yoda and many members of the Council, only he was interrupted once again. Tyrone shot him a sharp look, as he worked to keep the weariness from showing.

"Did you even hear what I said? I found a way out, now let's move unless you would rather die of poisoning here," the half-Sith said, and Tyrone couldn't help but flash-back to being shot with Sith lightning.

"Well it wouldn't be the first time today," Tyrone huffed as he followed after the wayward padawan. Tyrone looked at the exit that had been discovered in disgust. He saw what the padawan had decided. Nioman had decided that they would head toward the sewer lines, and Tyrone gulped as the stench overpowered him, and that was before he made the jump first, mind you, into the sewers. This was appalling, it was distasteful, and it was beneath him. Tyrone was the son of the Count and Countess of Serenno, he was a Jedi Knight, former padawan to Grandmaster Yoda, and he was expected to deal with the sewers of Tartania.

Still, Tyrone was the leader of this little operation, so he closed his eyes and jumped, or, rather, fell into the sewers landing on his feet. He took off his rebreather and deposited back into his medpack. Tyrone threw a disgusted look at Nioman, the ungrateful padawan would pick the worst way to escape that could ever be invented and while Tyrone had his rebreather and was in no real danger to the toxins, he didn't care to have to answer for the deaths of his companions.

Tyrone stepped in something and looked down at his boots that had once been polished to perfection, the brown boots were now coated in feces, and he wondered how he would ever get that out. The pungent odor was bad enough but now there was actual feces coating his once-polished boots. Tyrone felt a little green just thinking of having to get them out. He would have to ask for a stipend and charge a new pair of boots.

Tyrone was heading forward almost blind, as the pain from earlier seemed to rush back with a passion, leaving Tyrone barely erect as he concentrated on not doubling over in pain. He would not give the half-Sith the satisfaction. To cover up his pain, he took charge. "Everybody stop, we need a plan."

"I'm sure you, as the fearless leader of this little operation already have a brilliant plan just waiting to be unleashed on our eagerly awaiting ears," Nioman said with more than a touch of sarcasm, that drew Tyrone out of his worries as he quirked an eyebrow at him and his frown deepened, as his lips nearly disappeared within the frown. He didn't care much for the lip. Tyrone closed his eyes momentarily as he released his frustrations into the Force; he took a deep breath and reopened his eyes, calmer than he had been.

"Believe me when I say you will be punished for your impetuosity, however, I do not have time for this now. But I will speak with your master upon our return. I cannot believe even Master Doliq would allow such disrespect in her own padawan," Tyrone said, more to himself than anyone else.

"Speak to her on her return?" the half-Sith snarled, and it may have been a trick of the light, but for an instant Tyrone could have sworn the erratic padawan's eyes had changed from their normal dark color to a slight amber, but it was gone so quickly Tyrone wasn't sure if he had seen it or not. "She's dead, Dooku, so are the rest of them! Because you didn't let me save them, how dare you bring my master into this!"

Tyrone cleared his throat, "You don't know that," he said, "And besides we were given an Order, if you honor your master you would listen and try to honor their life and death with respecting their ideals, of which you are currently not doing."

"You would think I would know when my own master dies," the half-Sith choked out, looking so forlorn that Tyrone almost felt bad for him. Almost. After the pain he had put both him and Qui-Gon through Tyrone felt conflicted about the padawan. Tyrone only knew that he had felt Qui-Gon feeling his pain, and that no youngling, no padawan at such a tender age should have to feel that. For Force's sake, Qui-Gon had been in the healer's ward thanks to the half-Sith in front of him, even if his master had died, that was no excuse.

"I do have a plan, and I hope for once you have the good sense not to argue," Tyrone said, knowing that he was probably too optimistic in regards to the good sense of Padawan Dokoora. Time and time again the padawan had proven that he did not have the good sense the Force had even given non-Force-sensitives. It was insanity, and it was defiance the way the padawan argued with him, besides they didn't know for sure that any of the masters were dead, and Nioman was way too attached to his master, this would be good for him, Tyrone decided before an image of Qui-Gon as he had been before the tattooed Zabrak made his heart clench briefly.

Tyrone went to describe how the plan was to capture as many alive as possible, for death was not the Jedi way. Nioman argued with him, coming up with an easier plan: to blow up the facility. Tyrone and Padawan Windu objected. Blowing up the facility while easier, would cause needless deaths, perhaps even theirs. Tyrone could not sanction a plan that would result in death without even the chance at life. This plan was massive suicide, it went against everything Tyrone had been taught, it went against the Jedi Code, and his Code. It was not honorable, and even if he had to result to death, it was not an honorable way to go down; the least he could do was give the pirates an honorable death. Where was the honor in a mass explosion?

Tyrone was a Knight of the Order; it was his duty to spare as many lives as possible. "Are you thinking of the possible repercussions?" Tyrone asked the padawan. "This bombing that you are proposing will mean the deaths of most if not all these sentients! We cannot do this. I will not allow it, they must be given a choice, and option. This way of thinking goes directly against the ideals of the Jedi."

"What about wasting our own lives when they refuse? All you will accomplish is causing our own deaths in the process. And we have already given them the chance to surrender. Twice. Once by a master, and once by you," Nioman reminded him.

"They must each be given that choice not just their leader," Tyrone argued. "What about the ideals of the Jedi? What about reverence for live, surely you haven't forgotten that tenet of the Code?" Tyrone asked hotly, "Jedi are to use the Force to protect and defend, never attack," Tyrone quoted.

"I will not follow along with this foolishness," the padawan snapped back. "Do what you want, Tyrone, I'm following my own plan, and I don't need your help." Tyrone frowned; he was supposed to be responsible for the Troublesome Trio. Luckily, the Korun stepped in. Tyrone watched as the three padawans interacted. Hmmm, he thought as the Korun seemed to have some brains inside his head, perhaps, he would make a fine Jedi, someday.

"Nioman, look," Mace Windu said in very even, measured tones, "I know how you feel about this, but you cannot abandon our principles. If we work together we can still salvage the mission but we cannot have you going off and sabotaging our efforts."

"OUR?" Nioman all but screamed, "Are you siding with him now, against your OWN FRIEND?" he said, his voice rising in octave. Tyrone said nothing as he let the padawans work this out for themselves, he knew that his advice would not be appreciated and he felt the currents within their friendship at work here. They were friends, but Nioman was being volatile, and Mace Windu was bound to recognize the danger in such behavior.

"Nioman, please," Mace said in a pained voice. Tyrone felt bad for the Korun, although he could not side with such a merciless plan. If they did then they would be no better than the pilots or anyone else that attacked the Republic. They were Jedi, they were better than this. Or were supposed to be. "I just want to do what is right, what the Council would want." Tyrone watched as the lines were divided and watched as Sora and Nioman left with Mace staring forlornly after them.

"We all have to do what we feel is right," Tyrone told him. "I wish they would come with us, but this is a choice every man, every Jedi must make for themselves."

"I know you are right," Mace said, but he didn't look any happier about it as Tyrone outlined his plan.