The Winds Shape
Chapter 18: Foiled Attack
I own not those situations I borrow from Disney Properties, Lucas, Mechalich or Thomas Benjamin DeMayo. This is a dramatization from my mind on a character created from the meld of table gaming and so on. Special thanks to ideas Drew Karpyshyn and Tim Lebbon fermented. Special thanks to Morihei Ushiba who formed Petre with his wisdom. Like any mind construct this is an exercise and my own work building on other ideas from the past.
This is a Zeison Sha story, set in what is known as the Star Wars EU.
Serreno Bellasavian Sea Coast
Corruscant
2.8 BBA
Jahn while walking to breakfast used the ear interface and his mechu derro to activate the special coms protocol to get his droids getting drones, canines and having the cadavers from last night in position as well as the worms he had brought so six of them "wormed" so humanoid heat signatures would be present on a thorough scan. He sketched the dream and his resolution to the problem on a napkin on his lap, capturing the vision in the mists. By the time everything would be forensically checked, the whole incident would be over.
He ate a light meal eschewing the savory high grease or heavily seasoned offerings instead going for high protein, high carb low bulk foods. In what was essentially a "family banquet hall" with servants, his choices were noticed….
"Is there something wrong with the breakfast offerings Jedidiah?" Adrianna was back in snarky mode asked as they sat in the opulent semi formal dining hall. Jahn, still wearing his goggles much like Kua Wan only had a "food slot" open, Jahn considered the withdrawals she must be suffering making her cranky after she removed artifacts from her person infused with the ancient dark side energies of the twisted Sorzus Syn. After all the woman had essentially created the theology of the order of the Sith. He sighed, remembering Tython, Ashla and Boga and his father's presence that led him to the Breath of Life project there meeting with Sn'Jin Shan. He shook himself to re-enter the present and the question facing him.
"Its not wild fungus, fish, nuts and berries?" Jahn said shrugging causing Leo to burst out laughing showering them with caf.
"I guess good food means something different when the nearest 20 star chef with exotic spices is parsec upon parsecs away!" roared Leo slapping the table in mirth.
"I do like fish and seeds, wonderful in a wrap, deep fried in tuber oil with mushrooms and shoots." Jahn admitted letting his homeland's fare show through thinking "by the time they figure that one out, I will be long gone and the Yanabar reference will still be a head scratcher." He tried to interpret the body language of the group now laughing about him and merely shrugged as he pocketed the incriminating cloth napkin for later.
The rest of the meal had most everyone, well except for him and Kua who was deflecting all conversation as "unprofitable", unless someone shared a secret with him, get to know each other. Jahn had plans in motion which needed precise timing.
The run and route would take them along the mid cliff path where they would be vulnerable from the beach and above. The pair because of its "undulation" refused to choose a different route, even after all four vigorously defended their objection.
Kua Wan took point as Jahn took the rear and the two Mystrals running alongside the celebrities as seaside threat shields as the first leg was selfie and paparazzo filled. The "power couple", beloved by the people hid their weapons (blasters and lightsabers) well before Serreno security forces stopped the further annoyances.
"Just a note for the future, you need to better control your public appearances." Kua Wan began "Remember that is where the first four assassination attempts have come from."
"We belong to the people and plan on ruling with the love and kindness to share." Adrianna responded causing Jahn's eyes to do a double take. Last night? Really? She got OFF on the carnage! Jahn had never before seen people enjoying misery and massacre until then.
The actual run was soothing. The path was well tended, the view was spectacular, the smells wonderful and sounds mesmerizing.
Leo running beside Dunc sensed the trap with a sudden spike of warning in the Force as they were in the apex of the "bay curve". Adrianna, similarly attuned responded at the same time drawing their lightsabers as they then heard a sound like a thousand hungry insects as propeller powered drones hovered into layers between them and the snipers as Kua Wan fired his rocket pack to quickly engage them.
"Where did these come from?" Leo yelled.
"No time initiates! Rise!" Leo heard in the Force as two grapple gun shots fired and a strange but calm and soothing presence was felt swirling around them.
The two adepts reached the top of the cliff using the Force aided jump to begin the sprint toward the snipers when he saw a drone dive bomb the assault team and the telltale sight and reaction of Jedidiah's foam hit the snipers. Then they saw a shape swoop down like a humanoid glider drop actual thermal detonators below then ride a thermal swiftly up to the sniper's nest firing a grapple as an arresting hook to keep from overshooting. The thermal detonators below rocked the cliff just as the two Mystral women reached the top of the cliff to begin running toward the attackers.
"Jedidiah INDEED! The man is a Jedi and this is his trap!" shouted Adrianna feeding a rage and hatred as she ran Force aided toward Kua Wan and Jahn.
The two adepts reached the snipers just as Kua Wan was trying to get information from them. Slave termination explosive charges rocked their bodies blowing out their necks and Jedidiah was firing a shouldered slug thrower at a distant, unseen target upland away from the cliffs. The snap hiss of Adrianna's red double bladed lightsaber caused him to calmly drop his weapon and draw his butterfly blades as his suit electrified. Her assault backed him up one step calmly parrying before he snapped his foot down causing the slug thrower to rise and even though she cut it in half instinctively both parts hit her on the chin, momentarily stunning her and giving him space to switch to his electrostaf.
"KNOCK THIS KAK OFF BIG SIS! MOM SENT ME TO SAVE YOU!" rang inside Leo's head as a realization dawned on him and he interposed his lightsaber blocking her berserk swing.
"Drina calm down and listen!" Leo shouted as the Mystral kept running up and Kua Wan said "See? Told ya! Glue is for fools! Shouda just blown them up like you did for those in the sand!"
"Kua please take the two girls downrange the direction I was firing" and a solitary drone flew that way, "follow the drone I hope I hit him just right." Then "Jedidiah" looked at the wreckage of the slug thrower "That is now over sixty thousand credits you owe your poor wild space little brother big sis." He stated calmly while parrying her slowing attack.
"What did you say?" Adrianna asked her rage fading as her attacks were being blocked smoothly.
"The key phrase is life is immaterial." Jedidiah answered which stopped her attack.
"I have another half brother? As old and battered as she was?" She said in shock.
"She left you a holocron and you remember its lessons? Good! it is a start. We were born to quite the exceptional deceiver. But the Force had one last trick to play upon her redemption, you are looking at him, well somewhat that is. The suit is useful but confining in ways you could relate to eventually." Came the non mechanically aided words from "Jedidiah" in a soft tenor voice with care in it and steel behind it. "We have two hours to get off Serreno, follow the plan and live. Press your luck and I jump back over the cliff, glide to the family spaceport and leave you to your fate." He stated with finality.
"How what where?" She began an emotional confusion.
"Seek your training, calm yourself and follow." Jahn said retreating toward the dead prisoners.
Leo felt no push toward Force suggestion or coercion, something Adrianna's instructing him in the Force had always occurred. "All Force users dominate their surroundings and underlings. Those with weak minds can be led astray so we must protect them even if we must control them." She had said to him many times. His father, had often disagreed, stating that was the fundamental problem with the monolithic Empire.
Here was a person, strong in the Force, trained, but in control of himself letting others to themselves. A wink from Jahn made him realize "My thoughts betray me."
