Dakota
Junior Scholar
Breathe Deep, Read Fast
Posts: 363
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Post by Dakota on Jul 20, 2005 18:21:50 GMT -5
Valos stepped out of the shadows. "I am a friend, and an enemy. You choose."
"What are you doing here?!" Bail Demanded.
"There is a rumor you are trying to rebel."
"You can't believe every rumor in the galaxy."
"I hear you adopted a little girl, Leia is it? I would hate for anything to happen to her." Said Valos igniting his scarlet lightsaber.
"W-what do you want from me?" Asked Bail.
"Why not much, Stay in the Empire encourage others to stay in. If you rebel I will make sure your life will be miserable!"
"Leave before i call security"
"Yes senator"
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SilvanoshiS
Apprentice
flightless and loving it
Posts: 143
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Post by SilvanoshiS on Jul 20, 2005 18:53:01 GMT -5
Jacob stood, almost dumbfounded, as the trooper walked back into the bar. "Not a Jedi, eh?" he spat, "You're bloody good at hiding it, don't even cary a saber, Why not? Bah, that's neither here nor there. Come on, let's get off this ruddy planet, you got anywhere in particular you need to go? I gotta go to Tatooine anyway."
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Post by Christopher on Jul 20, 2005 19:22:01 GMT -5
Riz raised an eyebrow to the bounty hunter's offer. After all, it wasn't very often that someone was nice enough to offer you a lift off of a planet, but senseing no ill will from the man, Riz gratefully accepted.
"Certainly, Tatooine sounds just fine. The sooner we get off this planet, the better."
The bounty hunter nodded in agreement, and started to lead the way to his ship. Riz started to follow the bounty hunter, but stopped. He glimpsed back to an alley, where the evesdropping jedi was hidden, and had a full view of the action, which had unfolded. Though the Jedi order had been a constant thorn in his side, Riz couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them, given recent events.
"Are you coming or not?" The bounty hunter asked impatiently
"Yeah, I'm coming" Riz called back, before turning his back to the Jedi, and following Jacob
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Stouthorn
Junior Scholar
"POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!"
Posts: 341
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Post by Stouthorn on Jul 20, 2005 21:20:26 GMT -5
"The engines are disabled, my friend!"
A voice called out from the shadows. The Devaronian gangster from earlier stepped forward. Soon after, a group of six thugs stepped out of the shadows as well, blasters steady, level.
"Thought you might forget about my boss," the red skinned being said, "I suggest you have a word with her before trying to leave this place again."
* * * Options rang through Iric's mind as he watched. If he acted, he would blow his cover. If he intervened, they would know who he was and that he was there. Bounties would be posted. Stormtroopers would swarm the streets searching for him. He had to get to the bottom of things, had to find out what he could do to save the surviving Jedi, if any existed. He could not show himself. He bit his lip and realized that there was nothing at all he could do. He turned his back and walked down the alley, away from the ship and the two strange men. He heard the voices in the alleyway fade.
But he was a Jedi.
Iric rolled his eyes, spun on his heels and darted towards the landing platform, regretting it even as he ran. He left his lightsaber concealed, for the moment -- one of the men on the landing ramp was a gambler, a card player: he'd understand the value of not showing one's hand. * * * Senator Organa watched the Guangan depart through an open window. He did not move, at first, but then made his way to the window -- the being was nowhere to be found.
Clearly he had been unaccustomed to making threats. Bail, as a high powered politician and a member of the Alderaan royal family, was no stranger to stalkers and death threats. Still, even the most amateur of whackos got lucky, time to time.
He had had a lightsaber. A red one, a color Bail had never seen a Jedi use before. Accounts of fallen Jedi aiding the CIS during the war crept into Bail's head, and he fought them away, shuddering at the thought of someone with all the powers of a Jedi threatening him, threatening his family.
He shut the window.
He had been threatened by the being in the name of the Empire. Why would a Dark Jedi serve the New Order, when they had fought on the side of the Separatists, when anyone found with a lightsaber was likely to be executed? Perhaps they were granted amnesty if they served Palpatine.
Or perhaps something else was going on entirely.
Bail inclined his head against the cold transparisteel window, closing his eyes and breathing in the ozone tang the lightsaber left in the air. He opened his eyes once more and stared out across Coruscant, the center of the galaxy. The sky was darkening even as the city below it began to luminesce, the jewel necklace traffic lanes criss crossing and passing into infinity. Above, starships shot off into the night to visit other worlds, worlds that would sleep more peacefully tonight, worlds that had not yet felt the grasp of Palpatine's New Order. Small, black, triangular in the still pink horizon, a Star Destroyer passed through space.
Bail crossed his arms behind his back and looked up into the night, searching. There. A small point of light in a sea of blue black. Few stars were able to defy the city-lights that polluted the heavens above Coruscant, but there were those few close enough to do so. Bail stared across the lightyears at the star that cradled Alderaan in its gravitic embrace.
Leia.
He could not risk her coming to harm. Not without him there.
Bail crossed his darkened office to activate the comm at his desk. He ordered that security be stepped up in his apartments and in the palace back home, with special attention paid to the search for covert spy devices. he ordered that his associates in the senate, those that met with him regularly, be notified that Bail had reason to worry. Finally, he ordered that Captain Antilles ready the Tantive IV, and that his speeder be prepared for an immediate departure.
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SilvanoshiS
Apprentice
flightless and loving it
Posts: 143
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Post by SilvanoshiS on Jul 21, 2005 8:48:22 GMT -5
"You touched her? You touched her engines?!?" thought Jacob. He wanted to mutalate them where they stood, but knew that Black Sun had been itching to place a bounty on since that last weapons run. If he killed them now, they would have their reason.
Woah, waoh, woah. Let's not get carried away. I just came here to pick up a few things before I went to meet your boss." As Jacob said this he watched Riz slightly roll his eyes, but then look off to the edge of the platform. Someone was running towards them. "Oh, great. Now what?" he thought. Just then an idea occured to him.
"Oi, over here! I was wondering where you got off to!" shouted Jacob at the running figure. This made everyone turn and look at the running man who had slowed down in confusion.
When the Devaronian turned back around he found a blaster up his nose. "Now, I will go to your boss. I will be nice. But if you so much as lay a finger on Mistress again, I will kill you."
The Devaronian, knowing he was, for the moment beaten said, "Fine," and stalked off with his thugs.
Jacob then walked up to the man who had so graciously provided a distraction for him. "Thanks," said Jacob "even if you were just running through, these guy's would've eaten you for lunch. Probably literaly, they're sick like that."
***
Jacob had left the two men at his ship, probably not the best idea, but it was all he could do. Walking into a seedy looking building containing the "boss" of which the Devaronian spoke of. When he walked in, sure enough, there was the Devaronian kissing his boss' ass. Pathetic.
"So, you wanted me?" said Jacob cooly.
"No, just your head, but I guess I get for what I pay for with bounty hunters." He glared at the Devaronian to make it clear that he wasn't off the hook for not killing me. "Since you're here, I have a job. As you know, Palpatine has just assumed the senate's head seat. We could benifit from bringing in a new system or two. We need you to convince two Outer Rim worlds to join the Senate who will proclaim Black Sun's greatness."
"Fine. I take it there's no pay since you just tried to have me killed?" said Jacob.
"No."
"Fine. Oh, one more thing. May I?" Jacob gestured at the Devaronian, and the boss nodded. Before anyone knew what was going on the Devaronian was dead.
"Let that be a lesson to those who would fail me. Within a year bounty hunter," the boss said as Jacob stalked out of the bar.
***
Back at his ship he found it in working order again, thanks to the two men he had picked up. "Well, are we ready?"
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Stouthorn
Junior Scholar
"POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!"
Posts: 341
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Post by Stouthorn on Jul 21, 2005 10:43:13 GMT -5
"For what?" Iric grinned. "Oh, you think I'm going with you. Don't assume, things. I was guarding your ship."
"So you're not coming?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then what exactly did you say?"
Iric didn't respond. He stared off at the cityscape. "What's your job?"
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SilvanoshiS
Apprentice
flightless and loving it
Posts: 143
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Post by SilvanoshiS on Jul 22, 2005 22:28:53 GMT -5
Jacob pulled his goggles down over his eyes, he always wore them when he flew, they helped him link the guns to the cockpit and fly solo in a two person ship. "You seem smart enough, what do you think?" said Jacob.
"A hunted hunter." said the man enigmatically.
"Yes, I am a bounty hunter, and yes, I'm this close to having a bounty on my head by Black Sun." He gestured dramatically as he said this. "Now, I can tell that you're not naieve, but you aren't a spacer in any way. In fact, I'd bet the smallest self sufficent craft you've ever flown was a VSD ((OOC VicStar for the confused)). You won't like it, being on a smaller ship, I mean. You can, however come if you want. Oh, and Jedi, don't try to control me, it's not worked yet."
Jacob never really liked the Jedi, he didn't hunt them, but they were more trouble than they were worth. Always doing what is right, and that generally ment not doing his job. He saw the confued look at the Jedi and then it was his turn to look out over the city, or so it appeared. "The preflight systems check is almost complete, you have till the engines fire up decide whether or not you want to come."
He walked back to the ship, but turned slowly and said to the Jedi, "How'd I know? You ran into me in the alley and I felt it, for one. Also, you might want to conseal that a little better when you run, you are hunted now after all." He turned and went up the ramp, waiting to see if either of the force users would follow him.
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Post by Christopher on Jul 23, 2005 0:39:36 GMT -5
Of course Riz followed the bounty hunter into his ship. He took the seat adjacent to his host, and kept quiet, as the bounty hunter started to fire up the engines to his ship. Finally, when the hunter was waiting for the ship to warm up, Riz spoke.
"Force sensitivity"
"What?" Jacob questioned
"You said you sensed that he was a Jedi...what did you sense, exactly? Something within him, may haps? Something you sense within all users of the force?"
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SilvanoshiS
Apprentice
flightless and loving it
Posts: 143
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Post by SilvanoshiS on Jul 23, 2005 10:41:51 GMT -5
"Felt the force? Oh no, I was just messing with him. I felt his lightsaber. I just didn't want him to see all my cards just yet, you know how it is, you're a card player." said Jacob
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Post by Christopher on Jul 23, 2005 15:53:03 GMT -5
"Clever, your the first to think of that analogy...today..."
Riz leaned back in his seat, and let the pilot continue his work on the ship, and waited for the Jedi to board the ship. Even if he didn't like to travel with a bounty hunter, and a rouge force user, he would surely know it was better than staying on this planet. Tatooine was much better for force users at this point in time.
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Stouthorn
Junior Scholar
"POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!"
Posts: 341
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Post by Stouthorn on Jul 26, 2005 14:28:38 GMT -5
The weight of the Dark Side was delicious. The Emperor could barely contain the broad smile that treatened to creep across his face. He had triumphed! And with this here on the table before him, he ensured his legacy. He ensured his future, and the future of the Sith.
The room was dark, and cold. Medical droids scuttled to and fro, insectlike. The facility was rarely used, anymore, but continued to occassionally serve as a hospital for the forces of the Grand Army. Few patients were brought up into the spire, where the Rehabilitation Center was located, for clones were expendable, and neither the Republic nor the Empire had any use for a recovering clone when a new, unharmed one lay ready. But what lay on the operating table now was precious, without equal.
Palpatine was startled out of his reverie by the electronic voice of a medical droid: "My Lord, the construction is finished...he lives."
With that, the operating table began to tilt upwards, and Palpatine took in the beauty of his creation. Tall, black, sleek, efficient. A masterpiece, and a magnificent victory for the Sith. He listened to the breathing of the beast before him, and matched it with his own breath.
At last, when he could no longer take the suspense, he spoke: "Lord Vader, can you hear me?"
There was a brief pause in which Palpatine could feel the Force gathering around his apprentice's shell. And finally, gloriously, the Sith spoke, his voice deep and strong: "Yes, My Master." The Dark Side continued to swirl about Lord Vader's awakening mind as he scanned the room briefly, still getting his bearings. "Where is Padme? Is she safe? Is she alright?"
The Emperor stifled a growl. The girl was a distraction. She was insignificant. Could the boy not see the greater power, the greater purpose? Could he not fathom the utter inconsequence of love? The galaxy sat in the palm of his hand, and he had the gall to worry about something so petty as a wife?
No matter. The Senator's life had ceased to pulse in the Force. "I'm afraid she died...it seems, in your anger, you killed her."
The machine-man on the table before him began to writhe against the restraints that held him in place. His rage and confusion crashed against the walls in waves.
"I -- I couldn't have. She was alive! I felt her!"
The strong girders that held the rehab center together began to buckle and snap. One of the medical droids collapsed, its carapace smashed in. Vader struggled against his restraints and, with a mighty pull, wrenched his arms free.
"She was alive! It's impossible!"
His legs came free and he stumbled from the operating table, not yet accustomed to the mechanical legs that had been grafted to the what was left of his human body. Another droid fell. Medical instruments flew about the room, impaling the walls. Fluid containers burst. Darth Vader radiated darkness and pain, confusion and torment, sadness and self-loathing like some perverse star.
And Darth Sidious, smirking, basked in that star's light. A wave of ecstacy rushed over Palpatine as his apprentice let loose a roar of agony and despair.
He was unstoppable.
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Stouthorn
Junior Scholar
"POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!!"
Posts: 341
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Post by Stouthorn on Jul 29, 2005 10:51:54 GMT -5
((OOC: Not yet, anyway. But he had to wake up sometime.))
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Post by Christopher on Jul 31, 2005 0:14:24 GMT -5
Riz sat in a semi-state of meditation. He could sense a large surge of dark energy. It was stronger than any other dark force he had felt before. This feeling was soon shrugged off, it was no concern of his; it was probably just the dark side tempting to walk down an old familiar path. Besides, there were more important matters at hand, like the jedi trying to sneak onto the ship, despite his open invitation.
"What took you so long?" Riz called over his shoulder, to the jedi that had just entered "It shouldn't be that hard of a decision to choose to stay on a planet crawling with clones that want you dead, or fly to a planet that's just out of their control!"
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SilvanoshiS
Apprentice
flightless and loving it
Posts: 143
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Post by SilvanoshiS on Jul 31, 2005 19:29:37 GMT -5
A chill went down Jacob's spine, he saw it go through the man next to him as well. "Something bad's goinna happen soon," thought Jacob. "Ah well, probably more money for me."
The engines whined as the bounty hunter and his companions lifted off. He flipped on the sensor mask and now had a full load of cargo, according to scanners. "Onward, to the patrols." said Jacob.
"Wait, we'll never get off this planet, they'll be watching for multiple people in a ship and search us." Iric said, sounding apprehensive.
"Relax, will you? You two don't exist according to sensors, y'all're cargo." Jacob chuckled a little as he said this as he flipped on his comm. "Nice to speak with you again commander."
"I see you got your cargo Cap'n Mufesto. See you later."
"You too Jack." Jacob motioned to his guests to remain still and quiet till they were out of range of a personal escort craft. "They were following us, making sure I was the only one on the ship, but it's ok now."
"Now, you'll need beds I guess. Let's see what we can drum up. Follow me." He led them to a bedroom filled with weapons. Weapons of every shape size and decription, including a lightsaber or two, he wasn't sure one of them was in pieces on a desk, Iric noticed grimmly. "Here, we'll move these off these beds and onto this onto that bed over there." This seemed to berak Iric's trance. "Alright, all set? off we go, to Tatooine. Don't break anything, or set anything off, while you're in here ok? I'll be up front if you need me," continued Jacob. He left them in the bedroom to fire up the hyperdrive. It would be a few days journey, so they best start promptly.
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Post by Christopher on Jul 31, 2005 21:16:50 GMT -5
Riz sat down on the bed.
"Thanks, pal, appreciate it." He said to the bounty hunter, just as he was leaving the room
'I don't trust him, anymore.' Riz communicated telepathically to the jedi with him, so the hunter would not over hear 'I get the feeling he plans on selling us to the Hutts.'
Without waiting for the Jedi's reply, Riz scooted over to the desk, and started to examine the dismantled lightsaber.
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