Reunion
They had landed on the pad at Kuat and had paid the landing fee, as they entered the city, eager to stretch their legs.
"It is so vibrant, full of life," Visas whispered as she took in the spectacle of the shimmering of life within the Force.
"Yes," Dante said, "this is one of the few wealthy systems in the Republic. They also seem to be building several Republic cruisers as well."
"Is the Republic going to war?"
"Not with anyone I know—but I have lost contact with the Council," he said. He looked around and then said, "I do feel some apprehensive feelings from the populace."
"Perhaps we will have some of our questions answered soon enough," she replied somewhat cheerfully. She felt odd about this new sensation, however, it seemed that she might have carried it within her always, perhaps it had just awoken.
Both of the Jedi walked through the crowd of humanoids, eager to make their way to a cantina and find the latest in the happenings of the Galaxy. Something didn't feel right and both Jedi knew it just as much as they felt it.
Dante had kept both of his lightsabers hidden within the confines of his coat, while Visas just chose not to carry the lightsaber she had begun to rebuild.
She seemed confident in his abilities, though he essentially defended his way to victory. She would have to ask him later what his fighting form was.
Both Jedi entered the filled room, as they walked towards a booth, only for Visas to pause and turn towards another booth.
"Visas?" Dante asked.
"I feel…someone. Someone familiar."
"Who?"
"A brash and arrogant man." She turned to face Dante, "follow me, I'll introduce you to him. He's someone who might be able to help us." She began to walk towards a booth, as she muttered to herself, "that is, if he is stable right now."
The figure that sat by himself, looked deep into the tumbler before him. In it contained the amber liquid of Tarisian ale.
Gone, he thought, as he picked it up, downing it, and sighing as the warm liquid coursed down his throat. As always, isn't it? It was different with her, he thought. He ran his hand through his black wavy hair, as he looked around. Atton Rand, he thought, you just seem to make the ladies run. He sighed as he waved for another drink.
"I'll buy a round for you," came a voice that caused the man to turn around and refocus his sight.
He saw a figure clad in black in front of him, and beside him, Atton saw a familiar sight. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he slurred.
"Hello Atton, so this is what you've been reduced to," Visas stated. She sat down, and Dante sat beside her. Both Jedi were in front of the drunk man.
"Who's this? Your boyfriend?"
"Actually I'm--,"
"I don't care," Atton said, cutting off the man that sat before him. "Look, are you going to buy me that drink or what?"
"It seems that Theresa's lone journey has made you the worse for wear. Very unbecoming, Atton."
"Look, what do you want?"
"Something--,"
"Are you going to order that drink, Loverboy?"
Dante sighed and waved a waitress over, ordering their drinks. I sense debauchery and loneliness from this one, he thought. I better be careful—he's surprisingly strong in the Force. More so than I.
After a few more moments of silence, she arrived with their drinks and Atton lifted his tumbler in a toast.
"I'd like to make a toast," he said, taking a deep breath. "To the Galaxy: for it is without a sense of irony that the woman I love is gone and that the blind one here is the company I get stuck with."
Dante couldn't help but shake his head. "I'll get straight to the point: my name is Dante Ravenmoon, I am a Jedi Knight. Visas says that you're worth the effort to talk to—if you're like this, then you're wasting our time."
"Whoa, whoa there," Atton began, "you're a Jedi? I have a bone to pick with you. I thought you all were killed or something?"
"Well not all of us were killed," Dante said. "And could you say that just a little louder? I don't think the Tusken Raiders in Tatooine heard that."
"Atton," Visas said, catching his attention, "the Jedi Order needs our help."
"Needs our help? Where were they when we had to fight 'he-who-sleeps-with-vibroblades?' And where were they for Telos? Where were they when Mira died? I say good riddance to the Order, good for nothings."
"Is this what you've truly been reduced to? Attempting to belittle others because of a pain you feel? She left for good reasons, Atton. She had to leave—you're one of the reasons. Do you think this is how she wanted you to act?"
"She just couldn't handle a real man."
Visas' expression maintained stoic. "Atton, if this is being a real man, then she should have left a long time ago."
His expression became hostile. "What do you want?"
"We want you to come with us—Theresa would have wanted it that way."
"Oh, so you think you know her?"
"Do you think she would have wanted to you be like this?" She shot back.
Atton could only sigh. "What, do you want me to rebuild the Order?"
"The Order is slowly building up—but there is still the matter of Atris."
"Atris?"
Now it was Dante's turn to speak. "She's alive—and she's out there, somewhere."
"How do you know about Atris—oh, right." He looked at Visas and then back at him.
Dante sighed. "Look, I will make this clear to you. You help us with the Jedi Order—even hone your training—and you can accompany me to find her and Revan."
This caught his interest, and within moments he sobered up. "You are going to go look for them?"
"Yes—I made a promise to an old friend."
"So how do you expect for find Revan and Theresa? Last I checked, she took the Ebon Hawk, and to top that off, the only other droid—that HK-47—was destroyed. That lousy astromech went with her."
"I have my ways," Dante said, keeping his expression similar to Visas.
"You don't know, huh?" Atton laughed as he shook his head. "Typical Jedi," he muttered. "You're actually different from most Jedi—you're normal. I guess that makes you easier to talk to, I guess. Less cryptic."
"Perhaps. We have a ship, and I think it is time we left," Dante said, as his eyes shifted to a news report on the Holonet.
"Today in the Senate's meeting, a group of Sith led an attack that killed 72 Senators and injured hundreds more. Chancellor Dodonna is expected to give a state of address conference in two hours declaring how the Republic will deal with this threat. The Jedi Civil War ended almost 7 years ago, resulting in the dissolution of the Jedi Order. However, during the attack, several Jedi fought and stopped the attacks. The rebirth of the Jedi Order could mean that another war will be on the horizon, however nothing is sure at this moment. The general populace has had mixed feelings over the Jedi making their appearance in today's horrifying encounter. Director Tamar Gran'gerst made a statement earlier today, after the attacks, saying that they were unprovoked and that the Republic military will respond in kind. It is unknown where the Sith are located, but Director Gran'gerst has made no mention of their whereabouts."
Dante looked at Atton and Visas. "Enough talk, we need to go now." He noticed several figures looking at them as they rose. He tossed the bartender a coin as they began to walk towards the entrance.
Only to be blocked by five figures, all of whom were non-human.
"Going somewhere, Jedi?" One of the figures, a weequay, asked.
"Now what makes you think we're Jedi?" Dante asked, looking at Atton.
"Something about your companion screaming your name out."
Ah, to be intoxicated, Dante thought miserably. "Well, don't worry, we're not Jedi and we don't want any trouble," he said with a casual wave of his hand.
"You're not Jedi and you don't want any trouble," the weequay said monotonously, causing his companions to look at him with puzzling expressions.
"They're Jedi, you poodoo!" One of the figures, an orange-skinned nikto, screamed.
Sith, Dante thought, these ones are clever.
"Uhh, look guys," Atton began, bringing his hands up to his chest, between his rustic colour ribbed jacket, "we don't want any trouble."
"Too late, Jedi," the nikto began.
In a blur, Dante brandished a fully recharged sapphire blade, as he felt Alec Ness' lightsaber fly into the hand of Visas, who ignited a viridian blade, while Atton revealed two sapphire lightsabers from his jacket.
As the group of non-humans brandished blasters, Dante spun his blade counter-clockwise, searing through the hands of the nikto, while Atton flicked his wrists and severed the wrists of the weequay.
Visas slashed through the arms of the aqualish in front of her, as she thrust out at an angle taking a green-skinned rodian in the chest.
Dante and Atton brought their blades and severed the final nikto's hands and blaster that he brandished.
When they were done, they extinguished their blades and Dante tossed another coin towards the bartender. "Sorry for the mess."
Before anything else could happen, the trio made their way to the freighter. As the trio reached the landing pad, in the seemingly clean and austere pad, Atton paused and glanced at the two Jedi.
"You two came in on that thing?"
"Look, you can complain about it when we're on it—for now, let's get moving," Dante exclaimed.
As they boarded the freighter and closed the ramps, Dante climbed into the pilot's chair and cold-started the ship, gunning the engines as the vessel took off.
Atton climbed in the co-pilot's chair and looked to the man and said, "you know how to fly one of these?"
Dante shot him a look. "Are you kidding? I used to fly a Mandalorian gunship."
"Oh." After a moment Atton had to ask. "What happened?"
"I crashed."
Moments later, Dante heard Atton strapping himself in, as they made their way to lightspeed.
After a few more moments of locking the autopilot, Dante and Atton made their way into the main hold, where Visas was sitting.
"Well," Dante said, "the good news is that no one is following us."
"And the bad news?" Atton asked.
"I have to speak to the Council." He turned to Visas. "Do you have a long-range communications system?"
"Yes," she said, as she made her way to the central table and tapped a few keys. "You can make your transmission."
"Thank you." After a few more moments, of inputting a scrambled transmission and sending it through several transmission stations in the Holonet, he gained a clear feed, to reveal the Council room.
"Dante?" The figure of Ash Merrick sat there, along with Cyrin Jace.
"Yes, Master Merrick, it's me. I don't have much time, I am on route to Coruscant—what happened?"
"There was an attack on the Senate," Cyrin stated. "Many Senators were killed."
"We have reason to believe that Director Gran'gerst is partly responsible for this," Ash said.
"The Director? Why?"
"He has not been so forthcoming with some of the things we have witnessed as of late," Len Vizta answered.
"How is the Chancellor?"
"She is fine," Cyrin stated. "Dante, we need you to go to Corellia and bring Director Gran'gerst back to the Temple, so we can interrogate him."
"Yes, Master," Dante replied.
"We do not need to tell you to exercise caution, Master Ravenmoon," Ash warned.
"I know, Ravenmoon out." With that he turned around and looked at his companions. "Looks like we're going to Corellia."
"What's there?" Atton asked.
"Much needed answers."
"Oh."
