Force user or no, she decided perhaps she'd misjudged him, thinking him wise. Perhaps she was losing her touch at profiling.

She followed him again as he reached the table where the two sultry females waited. "If you change your mind," she whispered somewhat annoyed, and handed him a card. On it was the bay number where her cruiser was docked, bay AK356, awaiting necessary repairs to lift off. "I'll be there another 24," she announced, trying to keep her voice from wavering in disappointment. Turning on her heel, her shoulder-length hair tossed on his cheek and she headed for the door.
Why is this bothering me so much? He's just a stupid guy, and there's plenty more people on this rock I could seek out.

But at the moment, she just wanted to get some fresh air and maybe another shot of Corellian Whiskey. She stopped at the bar to order the drink, hoping it wouldn't take too long.
Dammit Striker... what did you do to me?

[ 11-13-2002 06:17 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jazelle Corona ]

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She let a pregnant moment swell between them, and somehow in that moment the noise and banter and smoke and cries of the cantina fell away before a strange communing connection, which came from nowhere to accrete them together in a solid connection that ignored all others. Then the noises returned with a rush, and she blinked slowly.

"Hi," the word rolled musically from her throat, born upon the rich alto of her voice. It carried just the correct amount of tremolo; swallowing heavily, IllaAnda allowed the single word to choke to a stop, as though sticking in her throat and thus preventing others from following.

A single tear trickled down her cheek, and she dropped her head, her vision sweeping down the jedi's form and stopping as though drawn there where his hand was toying about the butt of his blaster. True, IllaAnda couldn't actually see it hovering there, nor could she forcefully sense it. But it didn't take a Force user, nor a rocket scientist, to clearly see the incongruity of the situation.

A man coming to the apparent aid of a lady in distress comes with his hands bared in hopeful support and friendship, not hidden beneath a concealing cloak. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence knew that, as would any warrior....

She sighed, pushed her drink away and sat back. Raising her eyes to Paul's, she nodded her head toward that portion of his anatomy where a hovering hand would be playing with a concealed weapon.

"You might just as well draw that and kill me now," she breathed in a mournful tone of voice. "Whatever it is. Then perhaps you'd better attend to your lady friend; she has left your table, and thus perhaps, you."

She fell silent then, swallowing heavily yet again, and let her eyes freely fill with tears. Her full and sensuous bottom lip began to tremble....

She slammed her shot glass on the bar as if to shatter it, but it held it's form without cracking. Scanning the crowd with eyes like the Corellian sky at midnight, Jaz searched for other prospects that might need some information gathering or transport. Everyone looked seedy and not in a hurry to leave the cantina so early.

Suddenly large, strong, greenish hands grabbed both her upper arms just below the shoulers, their owner a Rodian standing behind her. He began to drag her from her place at the bar. "You have an appointment with Grakko," he insisted.

Jaz resisted, shrugging his hands off and turning to face the creature. "What does he want? I thought our agreement was settled. I thought I had a week to repay!"

"That was before the mech-droid installing your new hyperdrive generator let him know you didn't have any cargo in that ship to deal with, thus no contraband to bargain and pay for the parts. Grakko thinks you were just going to skip out on his deal."

Jaz was stunned despite the dulling of her senses after three strong drinks. They searched my ship? "No... wait... let's discuss this!" The Rodian wasn't listening, instead he grabbed the back of her flighsuit collar and began dragging her to the exit.

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it took all her will power to keep herself from emmiting a mixture of laughter, and sorrowfull morning at her own bordom...

She slowly turned pleading eyes upon the man, and speaking in little more then a whimper pleaded with him. "p-please! Dont hurt my sister! you have to help her... She's... She's been through a lot... She needs a good friend... Someone to talk to! Please! thats all i ask... Is that to much?"

her hand reached slowly out to take hold of his robes, now standing up and wrapping her arms about him. "p-pl-EASE! J...ju-s-st a little conversation! Sh... She's been through so much..."

She then sat down slowly, looking as though through the entire room, voice suddenly Hollow... "No one deserves what has happened to her...No one deserves... To be.. Alone..."

Her now blank and hollow eyes looked upward into pauls. "Please... Just for a little while... Give her something to live for... I beg of you..."

As she spoke she noted the strange scene happening over with that other woman... Her eyes darted for a split second to paul, before unconciously she reached out into the rodians mind, planting a small idea in his head.

I need to lay off the drinks, this isnt the right woman, She's clearly just some lady who i dont need to bother...

Allaria then reached into the ladies mind and implanet yet another small idea with the force

Why have i stopped? I need to hurey and get to my ship, who knows what those morons are doing to it!

[ 11-14-2002 11:04 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Allaria ]

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"I feel him, he's on the planet, but he seems really far away too. I don't think he is in the city."

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"Your-- your friend needs help more so than I," Illa now whispered, swallowing even as she rose to her feet. Her long velvety black cloak fell gracefully about her, shrouding both her body and Skemmdarvargur from view. The fact that trouble was indeed brewing behind was registering to the whirling jedi even as Illa stepped out from her table and swiftly closed the distance between her and the Rodian.

As she came up the Rodian suddenly paused, letting his hand drop from the woman's collar. She and the almond-eyed alien exchanged glances of what could almost be construed as mutual surprise; then the Rodian let out a disgusted snort, turned, and departed.

Illa came up to Jaz, placing a friendly hand about her shoulders, tilting her head to send her turquoise gaze directly into her blue eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly, even as she led her back to where she had been at the bar. Her empty shot glass still sat where she had placed it; Illa gave Jaz one last searching look before she reached out to that glass, the movement masked from all behind her by her body.

Her slender fist closed about the glass, and crunched it into tiny shards which she allowed to fall to the countertop. A quick flick of her fingers sent the tiny pieces flying to disappear behind the bar, unnoticed by all but her and Jaz. Indeed no one else bothered to look, so jaded were the clientele of this place. She directed a final and slightly more intense gaze into Jaz's face, letting her lips curl in a very slight smile.

"I'm glad he didn't hurt you," she whispered.

Then she let her arm drop, turned, and returned to her table.

"She-- she is fine," she whispered, seating herself gracefully, still cunningly hiding her sword, "and my sister has a tendency toward melodrama. But--"

She sighed, taking another sip of her drink. Then she arrowed her eyes into Paul's again, and allowed them to slowly drift back to their former look of haunting sorrow.

"You have done very well. But now that we know Loban is here, we must gather clues to determine his exact whereabouts, since he does seem rather distant as you have pointed out" Shawn agreed. "And as much as I hate to say it, I think our friend Loban may need yet more time at home before he returns with us, although this is of course is ultimately up to him. The important thing at the moment is that we put forth the effort."

He stood then, taking Thea by the hand. "But for the moment I think now is a good time to get a bite to eat. Hard work burns lots of energy," he added, grinning. Then without further ado they headed towards the main strip on Mos Eisley.

[ 11-14-2002 11:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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He slid a chair out from a nearby empty table and sat in it, facing the 'sister' with sorrow in her eyes.

"Ah...my name is Paul Arrakeen. What is yours, and that of your sister's?" he said. He failed to notice that his stammering had ceased as he spoke.

And his hand seemed to grip the blaster even harder now, though he remains unaware of it.

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The blonde's head began swimming and she realized she had too much to drink in too short a time. Her tolerance for Corellian Whiskey wasn't what it once was. She watched the woman return to the mystery man, who never seemed to notice the altercation with the Rodian at the bar. Odd... she thought. He must not be a real force-user then, to let such a detail miss him.

Shaking her head, she headed for the door, this time with no intention of stopping until she reached her ship. That is, if she didn't pass out on the way.

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Shawn paused mentally for a moment as he realized he was being protective of his young student. He grinned, glancing down at Thea for a moment as they continued to walk onward when, out of the corner of his Jedi-senses, someone in seeming distress grabbed his attention. A dark blonde haired woman, dressed in a pilot's suit, was heading out of the Mos Eisley cantina at a mad pace when she seemed to lose her footing and her senses. Her blue eyes clouded and she went limp, beginning to fall forward.

Shawn couldn't prevent the envitable fall. But he hurried to the woman's side, Thea running triple time to keep up with him. Once he reached her he squatted, keeping Thea close while turning the woman over. She was out cold, but not injured. What she was, however, was drunk.

Shawn frowned. Would be better to let this one suffer the consequences of getting drunk rather than heal her. Maybe next time she'll think about it...

Even so, Shawn figured he should at least wake this person so she could get to a local hotel or something to rest and recuperate from the enivitable hangover she was going to have. So he reached out with the Force, gently nudging her mind to consciousness with his own. At length her blue eyes slowly opened, looking directly into his greeny blues.

Shawn wondered how many versions of he and his young student she was seeing at this moment.

"I'm Jedi Shawn Petrolu," he said to her quietly, as if anything louder might be nothing more than yelling to her dulled senses, "You seem to have had one too many to drink, my friend. Can I get you to a hotel or your ship, Ms...?"

He trailed at that, waiting to see what she might do.

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Her hand crept slowly outward, and was set down gentle, upon the one hand that was not within his cloak, as if to assure him that she truly appriciated his kind heart.

Her eyes slowly came upon her sister, whom simply sat, as if trying to decide if she were significant enough to even have a name to give...

Her pleading gaze came again to the jedi. "I am Allaria Renrical, my sister is called IllaAnda Renrical... Thank you so much for your time Mr. Arrakeen, its... its just so wonderful to see that at least a few beings in this retched universe still hold the compassion to give to a poor woman whom has suffered so much..."

Her hand remained upon his for but a moment longer, before slowly she pulled her hands to herself once more, looking down at her own drink, as if wondering if that liquid could help her get through her own pain at seeing her sister in such a saddened state...

As if in acknoledgment that perhaps it would she brought the glass slowly to her lips, and sipped it almost lovingly, blessing the feeling of release she knew it would grant her...

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"She is so strong," she breathed barely above a whisper. "She's the only thing that has kept--"

Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she cut off the statement with a nearly audible snap, pausing a moment as though in painful reflection before going on in a rush.

"We were-- our father..." she began, then sniffed loudly and drew herself under apparent control.

"There is a Hutt here... his name is Grakko."

Pause. Another quick if tearful glance toward Allaria, who nodded imperceptibly, as if urging her gently onward. She continued.

"There was some... some spice, all these Hutts can think of is spice... and my father... my father, Grakko set him up, he-- he killed him and then possessed our humble home here, and took me and-- and--"

Once again she paused, her eyes once more growing moist, her breast heaving in great gulping sobs.

"He-- he made me... do things... terrible things. If it hadn't been for Allaria..."

Another cut-off. Another grateful glance cast upon her sister, her lips trembling even more. Then she slumped back in her seat.

"But-- but now we are homeless, we have nothing, we can scarcely show our faces... we have to get off this wretched rock, but we just don't know anybody; I mean, anyone who knows us would turn us over to that slimey gangster as soon as look at us, he's probably got a bounty out on us, and I just don't know what we're going to do!"

She paused a final time, swallowing heavily, fighting with herself to keep from breaking down entirely. Then, her voice pleading, she forced herself to continue.

"Can--can you help us? Can you take us away from here? Just anywhere, anywhere that is away from this horrible planet... we can help, we can pull our own weight, we won't be a bother, will we, Allaria?"

She fell into a final silence, turning to look her sister square in the eyes.

she then fell silent, completly confedent that this one would indeed help them, for no one could turn down a damsil in distress, and here, the jedi had two...

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"C-Corona, Jazelle. Thank you... I-I need to get to my ship, yes." She tried to smile despite her feeling sick. Then she noticed the beautiful little girl standing beside him and felt embarrassed that a child had to see a grown adult act so irresponsibly. Then again, this was Mos Eisley... not the best place for children.

"Dock... A... something... 356? Yes, I think... AK356, that's where my ship is. But I'm OK, really." Jaz began to push away from the Jedi and stand on her own, teetering a bit, but managing. The man seemed kind and willing to help, but Jaz thought she'd had enough of force-users for one day, or at least until she sobered up a little. And there was Grakko to worry about...

"Water, yes... that's what I need. Re-hydrate..." She began to walk away, but was clearly moving in the wrong direction, opposite to where the vessel docks were located.

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Then, without waiting for another word from the pilot, he began to direct her towards the docking area, knowing she needed his help whether she was going to admit it or not.

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I thought Grakko only had Ruuka running the spice shipments.

"So...what would you have me do?"

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She blinked soulfully at Paul.

"Take us with you, would you please?" she begged, now reaching a hand out to him almost in supplication. "Let us come with you, wherever it is you are going. Perhaps--"

She cut herself off all of a sudden, pulling back her hand and straightening in her seat, her eyes widening as if being struck by a thought brand-new to her, but one somehow intriguing and altogether too enticing. She let a bit of her warrior's essence flash through her eyes; in fact, it was all she could do to keep it from gaining the upper hand. So she struggled momentarily, looking for all the universe as if she was struggling with an idea that had wormed through nothing but the pure innocence she otherwise portrayed, to beckon her with its evil suggestion.

"Perhaps we can come up with a means of-- of making certain Grakko pays his dues. He owes us...."

Feeling suddenly better, Jaz turned to peer into Shawn's greenish-blue eyes that were too kind for a hostile planet like Tattooine. At that moment, she decided accepting his offer was wise after all. "Thank you, Master Jedi. It's an honor to have your help."

Approaching her ship, Jaz saw the Rodian and a few other thugs standing about, interrogating the tech-droid further. "Um... I have a problem right now," she admitted and pulled his sleeve to stop his steps. She gazed at him and blinked a few times, as if to draw his attention to probe her and verify she was telling him the truth. "I was robbed on the outskirts of the system by pirates, who took my hyperdrive generator and everything else of value I had. I had no choice but to land here and try to find parts to get me back to the Core. Trouble is, the only one willing to credit me for a generator was a Hutt named Drakko." She paused to point at the hench-beings. "Those guys searched my ship and found out I have no cargo, which means no way to earn money to pay Drakko back like I promised. He gave me a week initially, but the droid squealed and now the Hutt thinks I'm going to make a run for it."

Before he could say a word, she predicted what he might say. "I know, I know... I lied and was ready to steal, and that's rotten, but what was I to do? I'm willing to work, do anything to get back, and I need a job anyway. I realize you're probably busy on a mission and didn't come here for my benefit, but are you close to the new rebellion? Do you know anyone who's looking for a few good men that would settle for a woman who's got a great resume on intell, undercover, stake-out work and a little witness protection? That's what I really need right now!"

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"I realize the Hutts aren't the most pleasant beings to deal with, especially not when you owe them money. My suggestion to you would be to get a job here and pay the Hutt what you owe him, and then some. Hutts are slimy but they are highly interested in bargaining when it'll end them up with more than they started out with."

At that he quieted, waiting to see what the woman might say or do next.

[ 11-18-2002 11:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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She smiled sweetly as if to mock the poor fool, then felt like a heel. The guy was sweet, just trying to be helpful, honest, all the things a good Jedi should be.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm a little frustrated being stuck here, and that Rodian over there is waiting for his chance to bring me in front of Grakko who'll do Maker knows what to me. At this point he's not into negotiating or waiting for me to get a job and pay him off. I realize he wants money rather than to kill me... scratch that... he wants money and then kill me, but I don't plan to give him either."

Jaz walked away from him and stormed straight for the Rodian and his pals, grumbling, "Damn it all, I have to do this myself!" She pulled her three-barreled blaster from it's thigh holster and leveled a direct hit to the Rodian's chest, and it wasn't set to stun. The creature fell backward, chest smoking, and the others moved to fire back at Jaz.
Come on... make my day you scum. She didn't see killing the Rodian as murder, but self-preservation. It was going to be him or her, and if not for the crazy witch at the bar, it would've been HER already.

The other sidekicks hesitated and started to back away when they saw the Jedi standing behind her.

Jaz smiled to herself. Well, well... force-boy's good for something.

[ 11-19-2002 12:36 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jazelle Corona ]

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He'd brought her to consciousness back near the cantina. He DIDN'T recall taking care of the effects of her over-imbibing, however.

Shawn tensed the barest of fractions as he sensed the other's unease at his presence, sensing something else entirely from Jazelle. The smugness in her face read Yes, I have a Jedi with me. So what are you gonna do about it?

Shawn's usually calm countanance was marred by a momentary frown. He was a Jedi. Not a pawn to be used to make someone look threatening.

If you are planning on getting out of this, Shawn spoke into her brain so as to bypass the ogling riff-raff in front of her ship, You will not be using THIS particular Jedi to find the easy way out.

With that he turned on his heel, keeping Thea's face somewhat buried in his shoulder as he did so, sincerely hoping she wouldn't see any more gore than she had already.

[ 11-19-2002 01:04 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Mara1Jade ]

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Her mind reached out untill she viewed the seen perfectly through the the eyes... of someone... Ah yes, the female...

she almost let lose and smiled just then, but thank goodness for her great willpower, for she indeed would have been a dead give away for this jedi...

She looked to Paul for a moment, and then to her sister "Im afraid i require a bit of fresh air... My head achs have returned dear sister... Curse this planet..."

She stood slowly and nodded to paul "Please excuse me..."

He hand then came to lie gently upon her temple as she walked away, clearly in distress...

As she stepped through the door her falsness slowly came from her as though some fake skin she had worn durring her conversation, her pupils, once the typical black of human eyes, now shone true the demonic blood within, churning within the confines of her glacial eyes...

She stormed down the streets, her smile dark and sweet... that female wished to see death... Oh indeed allaria, you will show her dead...

She smiled to herself before suddenly stopping, casting her baleful gaze upon an unfortunat being whom had been stupid enough to stare at her in her blissful state...

her gaze suddenly softened, and she approuched the man in a slow manor, smiling sweetly at him. bringing a hand to lay gently upon his cheek "something cought her eye?" she whispered to him softly, leaning forward to bestow upon him a kiss... but in that moment, the poor fool knew pain like never before, allaria reached into his mind and simply froze it in one instant, he would relive the torment of ages for all eternity...

as she walked away the man slummped against a wall, to far gone to even grone at the pain he was feeling...

SHe smiled sweetly to herself once more

As she walked she reached out again into the womans mind, speaking directly. "Death is an ally you must now search and find my dear..."

as she did so she scowered freely through the memories the woman possessed, no longer worried about stealth in her mind, she shred many things to pieces in fact...

"The jedi with you is worthless, leave him now... No, better yet, Hurt him... Shove his kindness back into his face with a heartless vigor... I emplore you... Give into your true desires..."

SHe smiled as she rounded a corner to see the woman clutching her head as though fire raged within... For no mere... Mortal, could withstand her true voice... Insanity was a gift compared to that strange sound...

She then stopped dead in her tracks, she was still well hidden from view, but easily could she now see the jedi... And the child...

She could barely keep herself from emmiting a growl like a stalking cat... A child!

She sneared within the shadows... Innocents that could not be purged... Disgusting...

and at that moment, the skin of innocents which she before shed so willingly, came back about her form in undying splender... her eyes settling so that mortals might not expect anythign, all darkness fading before the glory that was her unending pureness of spirit...

She came about the corner then and approuched the jedi with a small smile.

"Errrr.... Hello... I ... I saw your child... AH... Heh... you were outside the cantina a moment ago right? heh, Im sorry, i just... I get worried about the little kids sometimes... She looks a bit hungry... Ah, Would you like to join me for dinner? I would hate to see either of you starve... Ah... Oh!" she smiled and laughed lightly "im sorry, My name is Allaria, heh, silly me, i seem to forget these sometimes..."

she smiled at the little girl and leaned down, cupping the childs chin in her delicute hand "hello there, what is your name?"

[ 11-19-2002 01:20 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Allaria ]

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Either way, she wasn't going down without a fight. She'd fought with worse odds, but it wasn't going to be easy. Now she felt her nausea returning.

Before one of them could take a shot, Jaz rolled on the ground and skidded for cover behind a cargo crate. She cursed herself for not having any detonators, but the pirates had taken all of her private stock. Looking around the tarmac, she saw a speeder bike parked 50 meters away. 50 meters in the line of fire. 50 meters to run when she wasn't in her best condition.

Still, she went for it, as if nothing to lose. A spray of blue bolts whizzed past her and miraculously missed. Assassins they were not, she decided. Jumping on the bike, she silently praised the Maker for the security system not set and punched the starter.

The bike sprang to life, but only for a second or two, then sputtered out. She tried again... nothing. Now she really felt sick, and started heaving. The shots stopped and the goons were running toward her, laughing. Taking aim at the nearest, Jaz's shot was cut short by a stun blast to her same shoulder, throwing the blaster from her grip and throwing Jaz completely off the bike.

There she lay, unconcious on the pavement. "Hurry... take her to Grakko!" one of the goons ordered.

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He smiled at the woman who had identified herself as Allaria. "I'm Jedi Shawn Petrolu, and this is my student Thea," he said. "If you could lead us in the direction of an eating place with a light atmosphere, we'd be most appreciative..."

He then waited to see what Allaria might say or do in response.

[ 11-19-2002 01:47 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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