[19 BBY]
[Private Deck of Captain-General Stormcrow, Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Outrider, In Orbit Terminus, Terminus System, Kallea Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"Are you going to sleep your day away?" Bariss hummed to me, foot kicking at my right leg as I yawned, opening my eyes to see her propped up on her left elbow, hand against her cheek. At least till I reached over, giving a little shove and she 'collapsed' and her head plopped down onto the pillow, black hair spilling out behind her as she gave me a shove "Hey!"
"That's for waking me! You fiend!" I muttered back, then resting back and gazing at the starry void of the ceiling as the real-time footage of the stars outside the ship only barely illuminated my room, and the very attractive Miralian moving to rest her head on my arm. Her elbow pressed into my chest gently as she gave an annoyed huff, then rested on her back up against me, and staring up at the ceiling like was. The Force swirled softly around us, and I was relaxed, a rare thing of late as we just enjoyed each other's company and pretend the galaxy wasn't aflame and a complete shit-show.
"Why the live-feed as a ceiling?"
I hummed in thought "I wanted to see the stars, you can almost pretend you're lying on the ground and staring up at them from planet-side. It's...relaxing, and I've made sure the programme doesn't show the sun or other bright things to help with that"
Bariss gave a little laugh at that "Of course you did, Force its so different than the Temple"
"Well, I rather like my nice big comfortable bed, in large spacious room, over the cleaning closet those wonderful cells we had. Credits well spent in my humble view"
She elbowed me again "Humble? You are far from humble, mister opulent rooms and fancy armour"
"It won over your cold emotionless Jedi heart didn't it?"
Bariss chuckled again, rolling unto her side and bringing her arm over my chest "Did it now? Maybe it was the galaxy falling apart? Maybe I'm a secret Sith sent to seduce you hmmm?"
I gave a snort of amusement "You do know we grew up together Oh Dark Lady Prim and Proper, though I'm certainly not adverse to the seducing part as I'm sure you've noticed"
"Heh, might have missed that part and perhaps needs more investigation..." she hummed back, then sighing into my chest "...whatever shall I tell Master Luminara"
"That, I think...depends on what you want to come next Bariss..." I responded seriously bringing my hand up and running fingers through her hair "...as I know what she and Knight Secura will say. I know what I want, a relationship ya'know, but that's...if you want to be Jedi like Master Unduli..."
"I don't think I do anymore..." she whispered into me, arm hugging me tightly "...I...I, don't know what I want anymore Daron"
I held her back in response "I'll not decide for you Bariss, nor force you into anything...you are very much an attachment to me after all"
"Heh, seems I'm a bad Jedi. Made a Knight and failed my vows already"
"No, you're not Bariss. You're one of the best I've ever known, it's the Order that was wrong not you..." I replied letting out a sigh "...as it's not attachments that are wrong, it's how we react when they are broken that tempts us to Fall. So, I'm here for Bariss, whatever path you wish to walk..."
I patted her butt "Though I hope it's the one beside me"
She laughed at least, the momentary tension leaving her body as quickly as it came "Force Daron!"
"Well you did seduce me you know?"
"Hmmm...mayyybbee" she retorted looking me in the eyes "...but, only I'm allowed too!" then sighed "Please do not fight Master Luminara"
"I...wasn't planning on doing so"
"Good, as I think I know the path I want to walk..."
--
[19 BBY]
[Landing Bay, The Prism, Diab VI, Diab System, Wild Space]
The rains fell hard alongside the cold howling winds Sora Bulq found as he stepped off the ramp of his shuttle, six commando droids walking behind him disguised and armed as Clone Commandoes, seemingly escorting a pod between them. Master Taya Aludra came out into the storm to greet him, three Warden droids following behind as an escort, and Sora held his calm as the Force sang of her mild confusion, and some small relief, at his approach.
"Greetings! Master! I had not expected your arrival, but it is most welcome!" the human female with the scarred face shouted over the winds, waving a hand "Comms have been annoyingly silent of late, but it looks as if you have another prisoner for us? Am I to be relieved of this duty?"
"Yes Master Aludra!" he greeted back as she neared, clasping her wrist in a hand-to-wrist greeting grip, other hand gesturing at the pod as he shifted her forward to look at it as it let out a hiss, readying to open "A most important prisoner for me to guard going forward"
The commando droids were silent, moving into position while looking at ease as the pod started to open, and Master Aludra gave a relieved look "Ah, that is a relief, I have been out here too long. Now, let us get your prisoner out of the pod and into the..."
"Into the pod you mean" he shouted back, free hand moving, stabbing into her side to inject the drugs and deliver a powerful electric shock. The three Warden Droids went down seconds later under a barrage of blaster bolts from the Commando droids and from the defensive weapons on the shuttle. It wasn't much of a fight as the Warden droids had no time to respond as one exploded from a shot, while the other two merely staggered back, smoking despite the rain, as they fell inactive to the durasteel walkway.
He ignored them, outside of the Force's warnings as the pod opened and staggered human trembled, trying to stay conscious as she fell against the pod, hand grasping for balance. But that was only for moments as it opened fully and her grip and consciousness weakened; within seconds he had used the Force to secure her within the prisoner transport, sealing her within.
"Transmitting codes, all units move to secure the facility" he announced a minute later, glancing at the downed Warden droids, and open blast doors beyond. Above the 'prisoner transport' began to descend thrown the storm, and he gestured at the pod "Secure the prisoner, ensure she remains unconscious but alive"
"Roger, Roger" came back as Sora stood forward towards the prison containing those the Order had felt must be secretly imprisoned. From Dark Jedi, to ranking officers of the Confederacy of Independent Systems...enough for him to secure his new position within that power, free of all the failings and constraints of the Fallen Jedi Order. Vaapad had shown him the way, and all the deaths, the betrayal and pain...
'The Republic has failed, a wretched thing that I have wasted too much time fighting for' he reminded himself entering the facility, lightsaber igniting into crimson light...but encountering nothing but obedience from the Warden droids inside. The Republic had murdered the Jedi, murdered his friend Mace and so many others, and now it would pay for that betrayal. Sora Bulq could admit he had been blind then, by the foolishness...the chains...of the Jedi Code, but now he was free. Now would have power; the power to avenge all that he had lost...
--
[19 BBY]
[Offices of the Senate of the Galactic Republic, formerly Balahara Hotel Complex, Corsec Plaza, Coronet City, Corellia, Corellian System, Corellian Sector, The Core]
Jedi Knight Rachi Sitra preferred to shower and get into a clean set of robes after weeks on the run before dealing with the chaos that seemed to what was left of the Order here on Corellia. The exhaustion was still there, but she could hold it at bay a little longer, till planetary nightfall hopefully, and actually engage with her fellow Jedi a time. A weakness perhaps, however much she wanted to dress it up as wanting to brief them on what she had seen, the simple fact of talking to people not trying to kill her, or hating her, was very much something she desired right now.
"Master Kenobi, Padawan Tano, my apologies for delaying, it has just been some...many days since I have felt clean"
Master Kenobi chuckled "Ah, yes, which is a feeling I think we have all suffered these past dark years. I imagine it was difficult managing to get to Corellia with events as they have been"
Rachi sighed at that as she took a seat. Traditional robes felt strange to her as usual, not like the more mundane garb for exploring, or that when she was on dig-sites, but it felt so much better than the filthy work-clothes she had donned to escape here "Oh, yes, it was harder than I'd have liked, and dressing as a poor down on her luck Twi'lek worker was a terrible mistake. I swear, resisting the urge to lightsaber the idiots wanting my buy my services as a dancer was a Force damned battle"
Padawan Tano made a face, while Master Kenobi's response was more droll "Indeed, we've had our own battle to resist such urges here ourselves"
"I've heard, and in truth I don't give a kriff..." she responded honestly, weariness and contentment over being 'safe' winning out over politeness "...Skywalker's married, has babies. Oh, such horrors! It shall be the end of the Order! Oh, no, wait, that would have been the Republic we served and the Sith Lord Supreme Chancellor they all elected that did that!"
Tano smiled, and perhaps Kenobi did as well, albeit tiredly it seemed to Rachi "Ah, well, that is good to hear, though sadly some of our other arrivals have been less than accepting of the matter. Some seem to actively blame Anakin, as the Chosen One, for the Order's sufferings. Foolish I know, but I fear some of our fellows do not wish to listen to reason"
"Then they're fools" she replied simply rubbing at her lekku, feeling the itchy rash on her purple skin from chemicals in steerage on the latest freighter turned passenger-ship/blockade-runner. Treatment upon arrival had helped, but it still irritated and she was still paler than she'd like "I was on Commenor for a short stopover, nearly got caught there too when the populace rose up in support of the Chancellor against the Military Government"
Kenobi nodded "We had heard"
Rachi shook her head "I doubt you got the whole story. They're calling themselves the Alliance to Restore the Republic now, and you didn't feel the Force during those rallies, and then riots. These people were fully behind the Sith, all while baying for Jedi blood and to overthrow that lot on Coruscant. We had to divert around nearby systems as they were under martial law...and their hunting Jedi who refuse to swear allegiance to one side or another..."
She gave a sad sigh "Not that Correlia seems to be any different beyond the extent of their demands isn't so great, nor are they led by the Sith like nearly everyone else. It was here or Ryloth, and I wasn't running the risk of getting captured and sold to the Hutts taking the long route to Ryloth or Eriadu"
"Master Yoda's on Kashyyyk with a dozen Knights and Masters they're saying, that was an option"
Rachi smiled sadly at the Padawan "Kashyyyk is under siege, and will be for quite some time, so, no. Not in a smuggler's tramp freighter, whose Captain I didn't trust"
Master Kenobi nodded "A wise choice, wiser than some I believe. We've had, unfortunate, news of some of our number that survived the betrayal of the Clones...those Clones here I can assure you have had their chips removed...and, well, they tried to attack the Sith Chancellor. Publicly; what is left of the Holo-net, such as it is as mere propaganda, have shouted it loudly..."
--