Asa Green Asa hid a smile when Xelas was sent off by Alain, his pedantic smile faded however when Alain adressed them all. Asa withstood Alain's thundering gaze with his own watery blue eyes. He was reminded again why the Jedi were so renowned, their leaders were strong willed people, true leaders. He swallowed down a gulp and focused on the hologram in front of him. Many questions battered against the barricades of his mind, what had Luke been after? Asa knew the force was a reliable source of intuition, whatever hunch Luke might have had, it had surely been accurate. Fear began to trickle into him, even though he didn't show it. If Luke had been wiped off the map by something, or someone, then what kind of odds were they against? If you do not wish to be here, then don't. Am I clear? "Yes Master," Asa replied. He rested his chin in the cup of his hand, his eyes flicked to the side then back again. "Why us?" Asa was proud of his own skills but if he, the shy Tauntaun, the annoying Bith and that mysterious girl were the best jedi, then the odds were stacked against them indeed. "I know I can trust myself with a lightsaber but...," he glanced around the table, "well, are we the best you have?" A tingle of uncertainity began to bottle up in his chest, surely they'd be lended some form of support. "I'll be blunt, I can not imagine her," he nudged towards Taura, "holding a lightsaber properly. I can not imagine him," he gestured towards Xelas, "to have any control over the force with his temper. And she," he motioned towards the bronze-skinned girl, "well she has been awfully quiet. Master, if this is for our trials, I'd rather go alone."
Alain Root "This is not for your trials," Alain said to Asa. "This is a real emergency. If we succeed, I suppose all of you will be promoted from Padawans to Jedi Knight status. But that is if we are successful and if we survive." This was the first time he mentioned that there might be danger. He sighed. "I guess you should all know your lives will probably be at risk. But that is a part of the job, is it not? Being a Jedi means fighting for the greater good and sacrificing yourself in the process if necessary. There is no place for fear or defeatism on this team. And there is definitely no place for ego." Alain Root walked over to the door and held it open with his hand. "As for whether you are the best that we have, that is yet to be seen. You quibble when left to your own devices, some of you are too bold and not humble enough, and some of you are too humble and not bold enough." His eyes flickered to the TaunTaun, but the edge of his mouth twitched in a smile, showing that he wasn't mad. "Now, let us go. A ship is waiting for us on the landing balcony. There is no time to lose -- we depart on our mission immediately." The Jedi filed out of the conference room and followed Master Root down the hall. They turned into a wider corridor with columns and floor-to-ceiling windows that spilled buttery yellow light into the spacious chamber. Outside the window they could see the landing balcony and a huge, sleek silver ship that reflected its surroundings like a chameleon. It was a new model called Whisper X. It was out-fitted with laser terrets on the wingtips and two more mounted over the cockpit. Its gentle curves and medium size said that it was built for speed and agility, and it's reflective surface gave it the added bonus of stealth. "That is our ship, it's a Whisper," Alain said, smiling dreamily. "I requested one from Han Solo and he graciously provided it. It is made from a special metal found only on a small moon that orbits..." He trailed off as they were approached by a troop of soldiers wearing the black and gray armor with red wiring that was standard issue Government Trooper uniform. They were also joined by two men with lightsabers who wore head-to-toe red with metallic black badges over their chests. They were the Elite Guard, Force-sensitives who were trained in the Jedi way, but used their skills for one purpose: to protect and serve the Galactic President. They were known to be ruthless and generally un-Jedi-like in their point of view. Elite Guards were a controversial subject for true Jedi who would never serve a single person. All of the guard detail could only mean one thing. At the center of the marching Troopers was President Leia, a petite woman wearing a flowing white robe and gold armbands, as well as a shiny gold waistband. Her luscious chestnut hair was braided around her head in a crown, a touch of gray at her roots. She was still as beautiful as ever, even though the faint tattle-tale crow's feet were at the edges of her eyes when she squinted, and the lines that appeared around her mouth when she frowned too hard, which was often. Her cocoa brown eyes sparkled with a keen intelligence. "Alright, alright! Back off, for the Force's sake! I can take care of myself!" President Leia shouted, pushing aside the Elite Guards that had closed ranks in front of her. "But, ma'am--", one of them started to protest. "Oh, put a sock in it," Leia sniped, elbowing him out of the way ungracefully. "President Leia, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Alain Root stammered. "Yes, I know." Leia glowered at the Elite Guards and tugged at her wide sleeves smartly. Then she smiled and all the stress drained from her body. She almost seemed to glow with a pure white aura. "I wanted to bid you farewell in person." "It was against our wishes," one of the Elite Guards said, the one with a beard. "Too many risks in this place," the one with a hooked nose said with a scowl. "That's enough from you two," President Leia barked. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them, the Elite Guards were both frozen like statues. The Troopers looked unsettled and they murmured amongst themselves, but they didn't break rank. "I just Force Stunned them," Leia explained in a dry tone. "They can get too over-protective sometimes. They don't understand that I can take care of my own self." She patted something hard and metal that was hidden in the folds of her dressage that was roughly the shape of a lightsaber. Everyone in the galaxy knew by now that Leia could use the Force and that her brother had been giving her regular private lessons for the last couple years. The way she casually froze her guards, though, was something new. Not even Alain had known she had talent enough to do that. It was bone-chilling and awesome to behold at the same time. Alain wondered briefly if Leia was more powerful than even her twin brother, Luke. "Well, Padawans," Alain Root said, snapping out of his reverie. "Meet Grand Master Luke's sister and our Galactic President for nearly eleven years, Leia Skywalker." He stepped aside so the Jedi students could address President Leia.
Caeleck Caeleck nodded at President Leia, just barely acknowledging her as she tried to shield herself from all the negative energy the rest of the Padawan's were giving off. Ever since she arrived all she has ever heard was squabbling, nitpicking, and disrespect. She had a strong urge to go around and cuff all their ears, and instead waited until she had an opportunity to answer the question Master Root had directed at her and the TaunTaun. With everyone standing in awe of the President, Caeleck managed to rebuild the rest of her mind shields. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed a bit then turned to the President, "President Leia, welcome are you. I believe I speak for all of us here when I say we will do everything within and without our power to find your brother," Caeleck then turned back to Master Root, "Master Root, to answer your previous question, I agree with Taura," she made sure to use the TaunTaun's name, to show the others she viewed her as an equal. "Accidents happen. Some for the better," she nodded at Taura,"And some for the worse, like Master Luke's disappearance. The Force is not only a tool to be used by the Jedi and the Sith, it is also a being of great power. A god, if you will. The Force connects us and influences us all in ways that not even the Miraleck can see," she paused a moment to see if she had everyone's attention. Satisfied that she had as much as she was going to get, she continued. "To answer your question more clearly, Master Root, I do not think Luke is in hiding. If he was, traces of his influence in the Force could be seen. They are not. Instead, all of us have felt distinct unease. I have not the power to See exactly where, what, or even who this unease is coming from. All I know, as I can See it outlining us all,is that it does not bode well. This unease is not normal, it is tinged with red. Master, I sense dire things to come. The Force is again at war with itself. The Jedi reborn may perhaps face the rebirth of it's greatest enemy. I have no fear for my life. I only wish to clean the red stain from the rest of the Force." And now children must become adults, Cealeck thought.
Sevren's Late Arrival Padawan and Master walked down the pillared corridor, passing holographic effigies of great Jedi who had come before them. The pair trailed along the rich crimson carpeting with arms behind their back, deep in yet another discussion. “I don’t understand Master – you requested me to accompany you on your diplomatic mission to Bespin. But now… that has changed?” Sevren asked. “Well something more pressing requires your attention my young Padawan.” Master Jan’bo began. “Surely you must sense it too?” Sevren was quiet for a moment, uneasy about his feelings. He had sensed a vast emptiness in the Force for weeks now, something almost all Jedi in the Order shared. It had only grown larger as time went on and now Master Luke had gone missing trying to find the source. “Master Alain has enough students to choose from, I am sure one less will not hinder the objective.” Sevren said hiding his eyes under the hood of his robe. “Why do you fight this Sevren? You have been calling for something to test you, to challenge you for months now and when something finally comes along, you shy from it?” “But you always said that only a foolish Jedi actively seeks out danger.” “Oh now you are just making excuses.” Master Jan’bo said with a smile. “I did say that, yes. But something strange is trying to disrupt the balance of the Force and as Jedi it is our duty to investigate.” The pair of them stopped in front of a particular Jedi hologram. A Draethos male stood tall with his cloak bellowing in the virtual wind, while his hands flashed this way and that, manipulating tiny holographic objects. He looked like a large grey lizard but with a human body and shiny golden armour. “If nothing else Sevren, you must remember what this great master once wrote. Who is it?” Jan’bo asked. Sevren pointed to the hologram. “The plaque says his name right the-“ “I said who is it, not point at the plaque. You know better than to question my methods.” “Sorry Master. It is Master Odan-Urr.” “Correct. And Master Odan-Urr wrote what?” “The Jedi Code.” Sevren replied. “Which goes?” “There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.” “Very good.” Master Jan’bo said, patting a hand on Sevren’s shoulder before restarting their walk. “These are the true reasons that you must go.” “But the students do not trust me Master, nor I them.” Sevren confessed. Thanks to his shady history he had been treated as an outcast by all, students and masters alike. Not only that but many of the students were a lot younger than him and less mature. The only person he truly trusted in the Order was Master Jan’bo, the blue squid looking Nautolan that now stood before him. There was a time when Sevren had stared into his large black eyes with hatred, only looking to murder his future Master. Now he trusted him more than anyone in the universe. “The others do not see me as Jedi. They see me as Sith.” “Ex-Sith.” Jan’bo remarked. “Granted, you have a dark past Sevren – but that has only helped to shape your bright future. The others may treat you like an outsider, but that is simply because they fear you. Silly really, because we all know where fear leads you…” “To the dark side.” Sevren finished. “Exactly. Their scepticism is well placed though, I mean you are the only Sith anyone has seen in over fifteen years.” Master Jan’bo jibed. “Ex-Sith.” “Haha very good. It pleases me that you put your trust in the right person. Yourself.” Sevren had not noticed that their usual walk had taken a deviation and now the pair stood outside in the Alpha hangar bay, with lots of chatter humming by a large silver Whisper. “It would appear that you are late. Go on now.” Jan’bo nudged his head towards the group of students. “Thank you Master. It will feel odd not fighting by your side.” Jan’bo placed a reassuring hand on his Padawan’s arm. “Trust me. It will be stranger for me.” And with that he retired, leaving Sevren to slide quietly into the back of the group.
Asa Green Asa looked up at Leia in awe. Without even the slightest sign of movement she had just disabled two Elite guards. Asa, though confident in his own skills, wasn't sure if he could even handle one. Awestricken he looked up at her. Her size was certainly deceiving, how so much power could be contained in such a small body was beyond him. Then the girl stepped up, in the golden mid-day sun he finally recognized her as Caeleck, the Caeleck. Her name certainly preceded her in Asa's mind, but he couldn't decide if that worried or comforted him. She looked beautiful though, something Asa was quick to attribute to the golden glow of the sun instead of admitting to his feelings. He wasn't sure if she'd be able to see him stare at her but decided against taking the risk and tore his gaze away from her. He wondered what he looked like through her eyes, he much desired to know if his force had reddened beyond redemption. He cracked his knuckles silently, he couldn't allow himself to think like that. Surely the other Jedi had the same dark thoughts as him at times, the desire for power, the eagerness to unveil the full potential of the force. He wondered if he was the only one that wanted to know what the Sith had been like. After all, wasn't history written by the victors? Perhaps they hadn't been so bad after all... He noticed a shadow looming over him and turned around. A man, with a clean shaven face and a scar running down his left eye, stood beside him. An ice cold wave shot through him as he realized who the man was. Everybody knew who he was, and many -or so Asa at heard- distanced themselves from him because of it. But not Asa. As much as he had doubted the capabilities of his company before, he was now much reassured by Sevren's presence. If there was one man still alive who could tell him about the Sith, it would be him. Only just did he manage to withold himself from assaulting Sevren with questions, he would have to approach him carefully and tactically. Asa's eyes fluttered for a moment as he tapped into the force. It was a strange sensation, much like flying over a motionless ocean; cool, effortless, yet easily blown off course by the unpredictable wind of emotions. Asa sensed a hot tingle, as if the air between him and Sevren had electrified and was buzzing with activity. There was definitely some undercurrent of the dark side present in Serven, but Asa was unable to tell if it was contained. "Asa," he whispered as he turned around and offered Sevren his hand. "You are Sevren, the ex-sith, aren't you?"
Xelas Fretna The others had all left while Xelas was cleaning up his mess. Xelas is no fool. He knows that knowledge is in discipline, so he finishes cleaning up his mess. "I don't know what came over me." He mutters. "I lost control and I do not deserve to be part of this, but Root knows best. Asa doesn't seem to deserve it either. He chose me and Asa and I am still learning to improve myself. I hope that Asa is as well. At least I am not home..." The Bith jogs out towards where Master Root had gone. It is a strange sight to see a Bith jogging. Head resembling a squashed melon, Xelas made his way. Picking a spot near Taura, he scans the crowd. There is an unfamiliar face that is soon recognized as the ex-sith guy. He has gumption. In the front of the crowd, however, is an even bigger surprise. President Leia stands proud next to two elite guards standing still as statues. The Bith never actually voted, nor did he pay attention to politics, but he knows of Leia. He knows that she made a reckless decision in coming out here. He is unsure of whether he respects that or the opposite. The simplest solution is to stand respectfully and show no doubt. He has made enough of a scene today. "Taura, what is going on?" He whispers. "I am a little late because- well, you know."
Asa Green & Xelas Fretna A slumped figure caught Asa's attention, whilst everyone was drooling over Leia, Xelas had caught up. He stood close to Taura, muttering a few inaudible words. Seeing Leia had instilled some sense into Asa, he stepped next to Xelas and poked him in his side. If they were going to survive, they would need to have each other's backs, even Asa could see that, “This mission is real, as are the dangers involved. We’ll need to work together, I am sorry if I offended you,” Asa whispered, though he was unable to judge his own sincerity. Xelas looked up at Asa, he was taken aback by the human one’s apology. “I am glad to hear your apology, very Jedi-like. I should apologize too, I suppose. I was merely surprised to hear about Luke’s disappearance and handled it poorly,” Xelas said. “I don’t think Master Root is taking it well either.” His black eyes settled on Asa, “You should apologize to Taura for snickering at her,” he added. His voice was sincere now that he had swallowed down his pride. Asa lowered his voice, “Why should I apologize to her?” He sighed, Xelas might as well have asked him to jump of the edge of the Jedi Temple. "She is just an animal, she won't understand..." She looked out of place to him, she didn't fit in. Why would he need to apologize for what everyone was thinking in the privacy of their minds? Wasn't it better to voice his opinion out loud rather than talk about Taura behind her back? He looked back up at Xelas and surrendered to his steady gaze, “I’ll try,” Asa said, but he doubted that he would. He offered his hand to the Bith, “We'll likely disagree in the future, but we might as well make peace before we do,” he said with a chuckle. Xelas chuckled too, but didn’t shake Asa’s hand. “Have I misjudged you maturity? Taura is right there, if she heard you she’d be crushed. She may not be humanoid but she has feelings, and she is very strong.” Xelas sensed the insincerity in Asa’s voice, this human could grow to be dangerous. “Apologize to Taura,” he said, offering his hand alongside the demand. Asa clicked his tongue, anger burst into flame inside of him, setting his veins ablaze. He couldn’t be the only one to look at Taura with contempt. “Pity,” he said, he withdrew his hand and savored in the hot taste of anger rushing through him. “She is unnatural,” Asa said. “Is any wielder of the force ‘natural’? We are greater beings! We can be strong, but only together. We can’t have a war amongst ourselves,” Xelas persisted. “You’re a fool if you can’t let go of your pride.” Asa froze, Xelas had made a good point. There was nothing natural about any of them. His anger turned on him, he was becoming just like his father, hot tempered and arrogant. He knew were those qualities would lead him and shivered at the thought. His eyes rested cooly on the Bith, “If I want to talk to her, I’ll do so myself. We’re both Padawans, that’s were our similarities end.” “We are much different,” Xelas acknowledged, “I trust your judgement. Know that i'll save you if I must, do we have an agreement?” Xelas’s black eyes remained blank, shrouding his thoughts. “We have a mutual understanding,” Asa returned. The hate and contempt almost cracked into his skin, he dogded Xelas’s big, black eyes. It had required the utmost of his abilities with the force to hide everything stirring inside of him from the others, he couldn’t allow himself to snap now. "You avoid eye contact, padawan. You hide a lot, but the eyes never tell lies. Mine are black and blank. Much like my patience with ignorance. Do you know what I am saying?" Xelas made himself clear. "I do not know of your past, but I can see the horrible outcome of it. The council doesn’t tolerate the intolerant. I sensed a Jedi in you once, now it’s clouded. Do we have a 'mutual understanding?'" Xelas said, his gaze never faltering. “Maybe,” Asa replied, then turned his back on the Bith. His knuckles white with anger.
Alain Root listened to Caeleck's speech and rubbed his chin stubble thoughtfully. His blue eyes turned dark as he considered her words carefully. "I believe you may be right," he told Caeleck, nodding slowly. "The Force is with you, indeed, young Caeleck." "Indeed," President Leia added, giving Caeleck a beautiful smile, her white teeth glowing. When Sevren tried to join the group inconspicuously, Leia noticed him and gave Alain a quizzical look. Alain saw Sevren and smirked. "I suppose you are Sevren," Master Root said. "Welcome to the group. This is President Leia, she is here to give us her blessing." Unaware of Asa's and Xelas' heated discussion, President Leia continued to give them her best wishes. She was promising them awards and honors when they completed their mission to save Luke Skywalker, when a deep rumbling filled the entire corridor. A huge shadow fell on all of them as something hovered into view outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a black ship, a bounty hunter's ship, it's hull marred by laser blasts from hard-fought battles. Through the tinted gray windows they could vaguely make out a male bounty hunter wearing a large round helmet that obscured his face. The bounty hunter saluted them mockingly and then pressed a button on his control board. "NOOO!!" Alain Root screamed. At the same time he took out his lightsaber and ignited the blue-white blade, but it was useless. The ship fired a missile to break the glass and Alain Root was knocked back by the force of the explosion, as were most of the Troopers and the Elite Guards. President Leia used the Force to Ground herself and didn't move an inch. She had her lightsaber out in a flash, an emerald green saber blazing out of the hilt. "Protect the President!" one of the Elite Guards cried as he pulled himself up, but it was obvious one of his legs was broken. The other Elite Guard was unconcious and the Troopers were scrambling to arm themselves. And all at once, the hovering ship outside the window started firing lasers on them.
Asa turned to face Leia and listen to her. Pride began to rise in his chest, they had been chosen to go after Luke, the most important person in the Galaxy. Not even the honorary titles and vast amounts of money that the president was promising them now. There was a shift in the force, small, subtle, but senseable. The air cracked and the low hum of stabililzer engines hit his ears. A large, battered ship blocked out the sun, it's shadow loomed over everyone. Glass shattered, sending hundreds of lethal shards spinning into the air. Master Root screamed, Asa ducked to the floor. He flashed out his lightsaber, the eerie blue blade hummed impatiently. "Protect the President!" With his saber in his right hand, Asa leaped forward through the settling smoke. His feet crunched the glass underneath him. Lasers came blasting towards him, most missed, but Asa had to deflect a few shots with his saber. One small red bolt scorched his shoulder. Blinded by the thick smoke, Asa simply sprinted towards the green saber of Leia, he jumped to her side, blocking as much of the incoming fire as he could. "Get out of here!" He shouted over the thundering chaos.
Sevren “You are Sevren, the ex-Sith, aren’t you?” Before Sevren had even the slightest chance to respond the Padawan had disappeared into the crowd, darting between the gaps of many brown robes. It would have been a wasted effort to chase him down, so Sevren decided to stay inconspicuous at the back of the group. He crossed his arms and bowed his head, clearing his mind of all consciousness and attuning himself to the many conversations on the docks. He could sense two dock workers refuelling the Whisper who were squabbling over spilt petrol, there was the Tauntaun listening intently to President Leia’s speeches and demonstrations of Force, and finally the Bith and Human were conversing through gritted teeth, their contempt for each other clouding their judgement. Something irked him though. A desolate void had entered his consciousness, something that didn’t belong. Whipping out his bright orange lightsaber he gazed up just in time to see a bounty hunter ship shadow out the sun. Sevren was prepared. But he hadn’t expected the missile. BOOM! The explosion knocked him into the wall with his arm taking the brunt. He was shaken, but he slowly picked himself up onto his feet. With the ship still floating mid-air, Sevren pushed his free hand swiftly towards the ship and concentrated all his thought. All he could see was the ship. In that moment nothing else existed. With a strained arm pointed out, he slowly began to pull the ship closer to the ground.
"Get out of here!" "Not without my men!", President Leia shouted back at Asa. Her green blade was a blur as she blocked and deflected the rain of laser bolts. While she continued twirling her lightsaber with one hand, she took out a gun as long as her forearm and started shooting at the bounty hunter's ship. Her hair was come partially un-done and it lashed around her face, her mouth a hard line and her eyes sharp and brilliant. She was clearly in her element. Sevren managed to stand and tried to Pull the ship down. The bounty hunter's craft shuddered, but the pilot just transferred more power to the jets, which blazed with sapphire blue energy. The bounty hunter toggled his controls and sent another missile in Sevren's direction. It keened with a high-pitched whistle as it honed in on him. Alain Root was back on his feet, but he staggered and nearly fell back down. He had hit his head and he was disoriented. He barely raised his lightsaber in time to deflect a laser bolt that was aimed at his head. Out of all twenty of the Troopers, twelve were dead and the others were making a run for President Leia. The Elite Guard that was still conscious was leaning against the wall, his broken leg as limp as a noodle, as he blocked laser bolts with his sickly-yellow lightsaber. It was truly a desperate situation. "We need to take down that ship, NOW!" the Elite Guard's voice boomed above the chaos.
"Not without my men!" "You won't ha-" A red bolt whizzed just inches past his ear, Asa flicked his blade upward just in time to counter the volley. The air shook again and Asa almost lost his balance. He shot a glance over his shoulder, Sevren was trying to bring the ship down. For a moment the lasers came in at odd angles, until the pilot leveled the ship back into place. "You won't have any left if-" Asa jumped to the side, "-we don't move!" He searched desperately for a piece of cover, but the corridor didn't provide any. The situation was spinning out of control quickly, Asa could barely keep up with the amount of incoming lasers, shots whizzed just inches past him, some even blasted holes in his cape. The mercenaries were pushing forward. "We need to take down that ship, NOW!" He saw the few remaining guards rush forward to protect the president, she would be safe, and she seemed quite capable of handling herself regardless. Asa rushed forward diagonally, most fire seemed to be focused on Leia. He sprinted through the barrage of fire, the shots cracked through the air, his saber was merely a strobe as he countered the fire. The window was close now. He slid to his knees, smashing his kneecaps into the thick, stone ridge that had held the window in place. It provided just enough cover for him to hide behind. "Sevren!" He called, motioning for the ex-Sith to help him out. Perhaps they could pull it down together, but they needed a distraction. Now would be a good time for the Tauntaun to start a row, Asa thought.
Sevren His attempts to bring the ship down came to no avail as the thrusters powered to maximum. Suddenly another missile surged from its pod whistling through the air towards him. Sevren tried to prepare himself but it was too quick. The missile fizzled right towards him and it was all he could do to Force push it away. The warhead burst into the wall, separating the corridor from the Jedi Temple. The explosion threw Sevren out into the Coruscant sky, plummeting to certain death. Scrambling for anything to hold onto, his hands latched around a loose tube of wiring and he shuddered to a halt, dangling in the air. “Phew. That was close.” Without warning the dark ship swooped down lower, hoping to finish off some easy prey. The cruiser faced him with menace and unleashed a deadly volley of bolts. Sink or swim. Die or drop. He let go of the wiring falling backwards into the cool evening air, watching the red bolts barely miss his head. Thud. Sevren had timed his drop perfectly, landing on a passing trash dump ship. Though a little winded he got back to his feet and watched as the trash ship past just underneath the cruiser. With mere seconds to go Sevren latched onto a ladder rung on the belly of the dark ship and held on as the bounty hunter swooped it back above the corridor. Sevren held on tight, swaying the way and that with lightsaber in hand. He began to cut above him, but the pilot realised quickly, jerking the controls to try and shake the Jedi off. “A litt… a little help… would be appreciated!”
Asa Green Asa waited for Sevren to join him when the ex-Sith was propelled into the sky. His body reacted faster than his mind. His feet grinded the glass to dust as he sprinted towards the edge. A gust of wind blew his hair, the others would have to do the fighting. He peered over the edge, just in time to see Serven plummet towards the ground and crash into a trash transport. If it hadn't been for his Jedi reflexes, Asa would've surely been killed by the volley of red-hot bolts that whirled towards him. He jumped back and deflected another set of bolts. The cruiser came back into view, once again leveling itself with the battered corridor. He saw Serven clutching onto ship with one hand, swaying dangerously from one side to the other as the pilot attempted to shake him off. Asa tapped deep into the motionless calm of the force. Every fibre in his body tingled, quietly humming in harmony. He couldn't hope to push the ship like Sevren had done, using the force wasn't his strongest point. Instead, he crushed the glass of the cockpit, then pushed it towards the crew, forcing them away from their controls. "Get inside, quick!" Asa shouted towards Serven. Another volley was fired at him, accompanied by a large, crackling orb of blue light, fired from one of the board cannons. He crushed one more window, giving as much time to Sevren as possible. The orb hummed like a swarm of angry wasps. Just in time Asa dived to the floor. The orb blasted a crater into the wall beside him and the blasted forced him to roll over. A tiny, pistol-sized bolt hit him in his shoulder, piercing through the soft skin and flesh. Asa cried out in pain, jumped to his feet and stumbled towards cover.
"She is just an animal, she won't understand . . ." Taura didn't appear to notice Xelas and Asa speaking, but inside those words were like a kick to the stomach. Something in her shriveled as well, and her eyes darkened a touch when he said that she was unnatural. Maybe she was, she thought. Maybe she didn't belong here at all. Maybe she should just go, dissapear amongst the millions of Tauntauns and never come back. No one would miss her. But then reality hit her with a pang and a bitter taste filled her mouth, like ashes. That was right, after the accident not even her own kind accepted her. They always ran or attacked outright. She didn't belong anywhere . . . BOOM! Taura bellowed in alarm when the ground trembled beneath her feet, and her body was struck to one side by the explosion. Still, she was heavy enough to keep from being flung away. As her head whipped around to find the source of the commotion, a bright red bolt grazed her horn, and she flinched. Everyone scattered, defending the president or screaming for help, and when a drop of blood hit her paw she looked down, uncomprehending. Then the stench of pain and suffering hit her like a tidal wave, along with the next. Blood. Death. Kill. A deep, menacing voice throbbed in her mind. Instinct had twisted itself around her head, warring against her new intellect as her breaths became deep and loud as a bellows. Tautauns never ran, they fought. It was in their blood. Instinct grabbed at her ability to use the Force, and Taura felt her whole body tense up, head lowering, eyes glazing over . . . Everything moved in slow motion around her as she used Force Run, her body becoming nothing but a grey and brown streak as she shot towards the bounty hunter's craft, angry red lines peppering the air. They lanced just inches past her head, some becoming a dull pain in her shoulders and thick hide, but she took no notice. Wounds could be tended later. Now,s he was like any other Tauntaun, an heavy, enraged beast with lethal horns and a mace-like tail. Releasing a wild bellow, Taura used Force Jump and leapt high into the air, smashing down directly on top of the ship. Her weight made the craft groan and wobble, and animal snarl escaped her jaws before she smashed her horns into it, wrenching her head to one side and satisfied to hear the screech of tearing metal. She paused when a voice pierced her ear: “A litt… a little help… would be appreciated!” Looking at the ex-sith with one eye, Taura flicked her tail in his direction, coiling it around his waist and pulling him closer before lying down awkwardly, hind-legs splayed to further brace him as she kept her other horn firmly planted in the twisted metal. The urge to destroy everything that was causing harm had her breaths coming loudly as she struggled not to simply turn on her ally and gore him, but she held it back. "Cut the wires! If the thrusters shut off i can get us out of here!" she bellowed.
Xelas Fretna: A Good Mood For some reason, Xelas' conversation with Asa put him in a good mood. No, a great mood! He likes to stand up for people when he can and it just makes him feel great. A grin paints itself onto Xelas' face. Then, it is nearly blasted off. A missile has been fired upon the group. It was clearly aimed for Leia, but she is not an easy target. Xelas, still grinning, runs towards Leia. There are soldiers falling everywhere, but Xelas is just filled with joy. He does not like the situation, nor would he like to be in it, but he cannot help himself. Soldiers are being blasted out this way and that. Xelas reaches Leia and holds his hand up, cupped. He focuses his gaze on the ship's missile launcher. "If I can just crush that launcher." Xelas cannot build up his focus though. He is too overjoyed. The force is practically leaking out of him in joy. A soldier that was blasted towards the ship suddenly rises. The Bith, without realizing it, tapped into his healing instead of his crushing. He gazes at the risen soldier. "Are you all set to go?" He shouts.
"Cut the wires! If the thrusters shut off i can get us out of here!" Asa grumbled under his breath, the Tauntaun had a point, her massive body had rocked the ship closer to the corridor. He waited anxiously from behind his cover for the mercenaries to reload. His mind was swirling with anger, the bastards had actually hit him. Cold rushes of adrenaline soared through his veins. One...the board cannon chipped away another part of the wall, two...Leia's soldiers were being slaughtered, three. The volley had stopped for the briefest of moments. Asa leaped towards the edge and jumped, the pilot tried to veer away but Asa grabbed onto the barrel of the board cannon and pulled himself aboard. There were mercenaries everywhere, but he had the advantage of suprise. He gutted the board gunner, a large pink-skinned frozan cladded in metallic armor. He could see the hellish orange of Sevren's light saber cutting through the roof. A red bolt of light shot past him and left a small crater in the hull. Asa spinned around and attacked the mercenary. He force pushed another one out of the shattered cockpit windows, dodged a blow from the left, decapitated another soldier to the right. He was fighting his way to the cockpit, one of the pilots raised his hands in defeat but Asa paid no heed to it and butchered the man. His lightsaber stuck through the man's head like a popstickle. Someone knocked him over from the side, he dropped his lightsaber and crashed into the floor. He managed to dodge another gun shot by rolling over, but he was beginning to run out of tricks. Hurry up, he thought, his eyes flicking over to the Serven's lightsaber sticking through the roof.
To Katgur, life mostly didn't make sense. The force gave everything a second tinge to it, every feeling, every emotion, even every action. What did make sense to him though, was fighting. He had done too much of it as a child growing up, and had lost more fights than he had won, as his scars attested. That made Katgur recognize fights he could and couldn't win. He was at a total loss with this one. A sleek black ship was pouring destruction into the room with Jedi and beasts running amuck parrying lasers. Smoke from explosions made the room hard to see, but Katgur saw two Jedi scrambling into the cockpit of the ship as it began to spin in a slow circle from its lack of piloting. This scene was an interesting thing to look at as he flew the little speeder he had towards the Jedi Temple. These Jedi are more eventful than I expected, thought Katgur. He paused, letting the scene unfold a little more. Should I help? Ahh, I probably should. Katgur drove the speeder above the sleek black ship and popped the top off of his speeder's cockpit. I hope that thing doesn't make a sudden turn or something, he thought as he leapt out, aiming for the cockpit of the ship with a roar. It moved. Oh hell no. Katgur hit the side of the cockpit and scrambled about, clawing at the edge as his fur slid across the smooth glossy metal. He tried to pull himself up but the ship moved even more aggressively about, and Katgur decided on simply holding on for dear life. Roaring at the top of his lungs, of course, but from terror this time around.
Asa Green The ship shook, Asa sensed fear all around him, but wether it were the mercenaries or the large Wookie that was hanging at the side of the cockpit, he couldn't tell. He made instant use of the distraction and grabbed his lightsaber. He scrambled to his feet. Two Jawas attacked him, with sticks raised high into the air, he knocked one out with the back of his saber and force pushed the other aside. A screech rented the air, the Wookie's nails scrachted the plating of the ship. Asa ran towards the cockpit and pulled the furry monster in through the shattered, cockpit window. "Cut the wires, I'll hold them off!" He spinned around on his heels, expecting the entire mercenary crew to descend upon him. He frowned, there were only three mercenaries left inside . Two were armed with short-range blasters and one held onto a fat scattergun. Asa wondered where the other mercenaries had gone but wasn't allowed to meditate on the question for long. The scattergun blasted six green bolts at him, he managed to dodge four and deflect too, but the sheer force of the weapon send him stumbling backwards. It was impossible to be sure through the smoke but Asa thought most mercenaries had abandoned ship a long time ago to head after their prize, the queen. He cursed himself for leaving her side. The scattergun fired again and he was forced to dive behind cover. "Hurry up over there!" He shouted in the direction of the Wookie.
Too slow too slow too slow! Taura snorted as the ship lurched yet again, trying to throw her off. Her thick-furred body gave her no friction, and she slid precariously over the smooth body until she jammed her hind-foot into a broken window. Pain lanced through her leg, but she focused on the problem at hand. "Hang on" she muttered to Sevren, grabbing his tunic with her fore-paws before wrenching her head free. For a split second as she listed back, they dangled in the air, ready to fall to their deaths, but then Taura bellowed and rammed her head downwards, busting through the roof and sneezing as a cloud of smoke got into her face. "Hurry up over there!" Thinking that Asa was yelling at her, Taura snarled and ripped a wider hole into the roof with her horns, drawing out her pale blue-white light saber with one paw and dragging Sevren down with her as she landed on the floor. Setting the ex-Sith down carefully, she glared at the surprised scatter-gun wielder, stepping in front of her allies to shield them. I'll show you unnatural. she thought, then roared. The man squawked and fired at her, but she listed back to her full height, using the new acquired space to whip her light-saber in a protective circle, the beams glancing off harmlessly. The pressure the weapon placed upon her was of no consequence -her weight kept her in once place like a sturdy boulder. And before the man could fire yet again, she spat at him, splattering his face with saliva. The man screamed and jumped back, desperately trying to rub it off. That one moment was what she needed. Charging forwards, Taura swung her head down and up in a devastating blow. The man's torso slammed into her skull, then was pinned between the wall and the force of her attack. There was a sound of ripping flesh and cracking bone, and then the Tauntaun jerked her head to one side, flinging the bloodied top half of the bounty hunter out the window. The legs slumped to the floor, a mess of crimson and internal organs. Taura, panting, didn't bother to look back at her teammates despite the fact that she must have blood all over her head and torso. The man had threatened them. He died for it.
Asa Green The sound of metal being ripped apart sent a shiver down his spine. Then there was a thud as Taura and Sevren plopped down into the ship. Taura's fierce roar made every hair on his body stand on end. He peered over the edge of his cover, just in time to see the Tauntaun take care of the scattergun. She shredded the man apart, casting the remains of his torso out of a broken window. Asa blinked,in an attempt to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. He rose to his feet and stumbled out of cover, "is that the last of them?" He kept his eyes fixed on Taura. She wasn't an animal, she was a beast, a monster. To be ripped apart like that, Asa shivered at the thought. Death by lightsaber couldn't be pleasant either, but at least it was quick and clean. He stepped over what appeared to be the remains of the man's liver and stood as far away from Taura as possible. "I am not sure how many more there are but-" There was a fluttering sound, as if someone let the air flow out of balloon. The ship was badly battered, some of the controls destroyed by blasters, the roof ripped away by Taura. Asa thought they were lucky that it was still in the air at all. The others must have noticed it as well. He tried to sense Leia but failed, wether it was because of his inability to use the force well, or wether something had happened to her, he didn't know. "This won't hold forever. We must protect the president. Let's go!" He hopped out of the ship, his nostrils picked up the scent of smoldered steel and fried rubber. Smoke, ashes and rubble had occupied the corridor. His kneecaps cracked as he landed, his eyes flicked left and right, searching for Leia.
Taura sheathed her light saber against her leg, a deathly calm seeming to come over the others as they stared at the remains of what had once been the enemy, and now was just random body parts. "Is that the last of them?" She didn't recognize the voice almost, looking up and meeting Asa's gaze, Taura saw that he was regarding her as a wild animal that needed to be approached very, very carefully. Blinking several times, the Tauntaun watched as he edged away. "This won't hold forever. We must protect the president. Let's go!" he said finally, leaping from the ship to the corridor below. Taura watched the others as they filed out before leaving herself, still in a stupor over what had just happened. She'd killed. Again. What was happening to her? "Nah-ah, yer not goin' anywhere ye bugger-" the bandit snarled, grabbing at her horn. Taura let out a bugle as she felt his heel dig into her side, and her head jerked towards him. She felt blood spatter across her muzzle before she realized she had cracked open his skull with the force of her movement, her horn slicing deep into his skin as she blunt edge of it pounded his skull like a hammer to an egg. Once Tautauns got a taste for blood, they were killed. They would become too dangerous for others to handle, and so were put down before they caused any more deaths. Taura could speak though, and was intelligent compared to the rest of her kind. Would that save her from retribution because she was a Jedi in training and defending her President? Unsure and trembling, she dropped down out of the Bounty hunter ship, the ground shaking when she landed. But not as baldly as she was. The blood had begun to dry on her fur, becoming sticky and uncomfortable, clinging to her with the stench of death. Swaying on her feet, the Tauntaun splayed her hind-legs to stay upright, trying not to breathe in that awful smell. But she knew it would never leave her nose, would never leave her alone. Just another memory added to her haunted thoughts.
Caeleck For someone with the Force, I am very slow, Caeleck thought bitterly, frantically trying to slow her flight before she hit the wall. She was so busy trying to get her point across and shielding her mind from the negative aura's of the other padawans that she failed to notice the bounty hunter ship as it came. Shocked by it's sudden appearance, she had barely escaped the oncoming missile but she did get the full force of the aftershock. Caeleck was flung to a far end of the room, robe flying off as she tumbled through the air. She landed heavily against a wall and slumped to the ground, dazed and all her mind-shields gone. The overload of information from her Sight almost sent her over the edge of consciousness. She cried out in pain as everyone's emotions, pain, and thoughts bombarded her and she curled over onto her side in a futile effort to shut it all out. She Felt as the the Elite broke his leg. She Felt the anger of the other padawans. She Felt the fear. She Felt as the Taura almost lost herself to her beast side. She Felt the impact as the ex-sith fell. What shocked her the most was how keenly she Felt the laser burn through Asa. She screamed and clutched her shoulder, her vision swimming. Never had good pain tolerance, she thought mournfully. After what seemed like a lifetime, the battle had lulled and Caeleck snapped up the opportunity to put her mind-shields back in place. She also tapped into the Force to strengthen her shields even more, so that they would hold even if she was not actively enforcing them. Now that she was disconnected from the rest of the people she was able to see more clearly what had happened as she lay helpless. The ship was damaged, mercenaries lay dead, and the president was gone. Caeleck noticed traces of the president's Force trail, but her mind was still healing from the onslaught she had suffered and couldn't follow it anywhere. The Force trail still burned brightly though, so she knew the president was alive. Asa jumped from the cockpit of the ship and looked around. Cealeck used force jump to propel her forward and landed just in front of him. Without a word she placed her hand directly on his wound and sent Force healing into him. Within moments all his wounds were healed and she Sent tendrils of the Force to heal the other padawans in the cockpit. "Taura did well," she said simply, noticing how the TaunTaun had regained control and had taken out the scattergun. "I am sorry, I was..." she paused and grimaced, "Indisposed. The president is still alive, but I can't sense where she's gone. My Sight has been damaged. I will follow you as we search until my Sight is restored," she paused a moment as she noticed how intently Asa was looking at her. Out of habit she placed a hand to her eyes to see if the blindfold was still in place. Satisfied that it was, she quickly stood up and slightly away from Asa. "Lead on,".
The air shifted, there was a gust of wind and then someone stood before him. Asa flinched at the touch. It was Caeleck. Asa sighed in relief, if she'd been an enemy he'd been dead no doubt. She had utterly caught him by suprise. Cold seeped through his shoulder, stifling it. "What are you doi-" Then a scar near his feet grow cold, and a bruise on his kneecap felt like it had just been dipped in ice water. As quickly as the cold had come, it faded away and Asa was once again unscarred. He rolled his shoulders, easing the just-healed muscles. "Thanks," he muttered. The ground shook and Asa spinned around only to see Taura land behind him. He didn't quite know how to handle her looks. She was covered in blood and her eyes were ablaze. For a moment, Asa thought he saw her sprinting towards him, ready to drive her horns through his gut. "Taura did well," Asa turned again, his lightsaber hanging loosly in his hand. His eyes slid over Caeleck, she was close enough for him to see every fibre in her blindfold. She appeared to gaze straight through him, a favor Asa returned. There was not much hope in trying to conceal his temper from a Miraluka but he tried to hide away as much of his darker self as he could. Wether she'd noticed or not, he couldn't tell. "Lead on," He smiled, "Gladly. Cover me." He whipped up his lightsaber, smirked, and darted into the corridor. "Leia!" he called, "Master Root!"
Taura sighed as someone healed her, nearly slumping to the floor as the aching pain from the laser beams finally cooled off and healed over. But she forced her body to stay upright and padded after Asa, keeping an eye out for any running water she might be able to clean herself off in. Remembering the other man she had killed before she had been able to speak, she turned her head towards the human. "The reason i can speak is because two men threatened my owner and killed him. They tried to grab me, and i killed the first one by accident. The other one hit me with the Force and tried to kill me, but my herd broke loose and trampled him. I woke up, and i was able to speak. I doubt it makes any sense, but that's what happened." she didn't know why she was telling him how she had come able to speak now, but for some reason she felt that she should explain why she had reacted the way she had in the ship. She hadn't protected her owner before he'd been killed, and she felt that it was her responsibility to protect others when in danger. Hence the reason she had killed the man.
