I drew in a little breath and settled a bit more comfortably in my seat, watching as the jedi handed the comm unit back to Lt. Jetiis'ad, and waited to see how she would react. She did, after all, seem to have such a streak of mistrust within her; would she accept this disembodied voice as the grandfather she had apparently thought dead? If indeed he really was her grandfather.

Aye, and therein lay the rub...

[ 11-18-2010 10:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

--------------------

Kani had a million things she wanted to say, a million things she wanted to ask. Questions about how Kyan was still alive, or if the man on the other end was really her grandfather at all. She felt all eyes on her as she accepted the comm link from Shawn, especially from Thoran who at her mention of being the daughter of a Jedi Master seemed to peak his interests. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the satisfaction from the General at how this entire situation put her on edge, she reminded herself that everything she said was going to be recorded and analyzed for later. What could she say, silently she pulled the comm link to her mouth and depressed the transmit button.

“Ba’buir,” stammered Kani.

She had to pause to remember what her mother had taught her long ago for in case Kyan or anyone else from their clan ever returned or needed help, it didn’t take her long to remember the pass-phrase drilled into her head from the age of two.

“Skirata Aliit ori'shya tal'din,” said Kani.
(((OCC: Message Cross-posted in Where Will You Go? in this same forum.)))

“ Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la.”

(((OOC:The following message Kyan is speaking in Concordian)))

“Die proud ba’buir’ika,” answered Kani.

She took the comm link and held it out to Tarnus.

I didn't say a word but merely studied her for a long moment, my hand palm up to accept the comm, hers outstretched yet holding on to it. For a second that seemed to stretch into oblivion we remained as such, my eyes drilling holes into the enigmatic lens of her Mandalorian helm, even as the eyes of others had likewise stared into that of my own, time after countless time.

Then the strange moment was broken as the tiny comm unit fell lightly into my hand. I gave her another appraising look, and then raised it to my lips.

"This is Lt. General Tarnus," I said succinctly and fell silent, letting the strange inner chill building against what I just knew was somehow changing the Twi'lek be squelched before it grew any larger, still boring holes into the T-shaped lens behind which I knew lay a pair of eyes filled with sudden fortitude and determination.

Giving her just an iota of an approving nod, I turned my attention fully to the comm unit, waiting for a reply to come through.

[ 11-20-2010 10:52 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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"Your words intrique me, Master Jedi Jetii-- that is, Kyan," I said simply, now leaning back against my seat. The rich leather creaked comfortingly against my weight, welcoming me; suddenly irritated that it wasn't my greatly-longed-for Mandalorian armor I drew in a breath and continued, my eyes never leaving the lieutenant's form, watching her for any reactions as closely as a sandcat watches its prey.

She remained perfectly still, like the proverbial womprat, which I suddenly found in and of itself the most irritating thing of all.

Misaligned apprehensions, General--?

The sly words came from nowhere, everywhere; with a little start I realized they had come from somewhere within me. I tightened my casual grip on the edges of my desk, and went on, suddenly careful.

Hadn't he said something about... something personal?

"Perhaps you might wish to divulge just a tad bit of what this information you hold actually is, Kyan. A mere announcement of such, as stated, is vague at the very least, and is certainly not enough in and of itself to have me running to your beck and call.

"Even if your --"

What was the word that I thought I'd heard him say in that garble of Mandalorian that had passed between them? Something similar to the word she had first called him, ba-boor or something, the jedi had used the term as well; perhaps that meant Granddaddy...

"Boor--?? is here, not to mention being a full lieutenant in our Imperial troops. Undoubtedly the two of you wish heartily to be reunited."

I paused but a hair's breadth longer.

"I can make this happen."

[ 11-25-2010 10:06 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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"Yeah, that's him!

"And yes, Sorben. It's me."

--------------------

"Yes, I recognize your voice. I assumed you would be there with, let's see, it's Terrin, isn't it?

"How wonderful; perhaps we can all get together for a little joint family reunion; however, now is not the time.

"As you were saying, Kyan..." I ended with a gentle prod toward him, and a quite obvious snub toward my fiery little ex.

--------------------

I closed my eyes briefly, allowing the play of images across my lids, images of a younger, naively inexperienced me holding a squirming furry critter superimposed suddenly by the arrival of a much larger and thoroughly enraged furry critter, then blanked out by the familiar T-shaped lens of what later became my own helm...

I drew in a quiet breath, opened my eyes. Sat up a bit straighter, gave the mono-form provided me a little yank to straighten an imaginary wrinkle. All was very well and good, but now was not the time to traipse down memory lane. And while I yearned for my armor, really did ache inside for it, while another part of me pricked up very interested ears at the thought of a brand-spankin' new set...

I had my duties to adhere to now, didn't I? I could no longer afford the luxury of being as self-indulgent as I had been in my care-free Hunter days.

The vast military array of Imperial troops and weaponry and ships was my armor now.

I blinked, shot Lt. Jetiis'ad a fast glance, then replied.

"Your offer is most generous, Kyan. However, at this time I'm afraid my staff and I are involved in other issues, and cannot be side-tracked by your hints of information the Empire might find use for.

"While I appreciate your offer of mediating between us and your clans, I will not take it on your word alone at this time. For although my young lieutenant here appears to know you, I myself do not."

I paused another moment, gathering up closing words.

"Please feel free to approach my office on the Galactic Home World of Coruscant; I will personally vouch for you and allow you and your... associates entry there.

"General Tarnus, out."

With that I flipped the comm-link closed, and settled into my seat again.

"My courier is due to arrive soon, Lt. Considering the circumstances, and the probability that your ba'- your grandfather will more than likely be seeking you on Coruscant, it appears you will be accompanying me after all.

"Go ready your gear, and meet me in the docking area. Gentlemen--" I gave my attention now to the others. "It is time for you to ready yourselves as well; Jedi, if you wish to travel with us you will be under Imperial protection. But there is most assuredly business to attend to on Coruscant."

With that I rose to my feet, nodded somewhat brusquely to all, and left with the intention of returning to the control room, there to determine the whereabouts and ETA of my courier. Before I left their company, though, I paused a moment at the mess hall door long enough to direct the following over my shoulder:

"I trust you are still coming, Thoran?"

Then, protocol be damned, I opened the door myself and departed.

[ 11-25-2010 10:15 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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Under Imperial guard, just because he was a Jedi. Seems rather familiar...

...as in the days of the Old Republic.

Despite his otherwise calm outer aura, Shawn sighed at these thoughts.

Some things never change despite how a group proves or disproves themselves. As will it be with the Sith unless people can get past their formerly held beliefs.

That thought alone settled Shawn's mind in regards to whether he should go or stay behind and move on elsewhere. Jedi were yet few in number, or even less than that. The ones who needed to hear and see the truth were right here...

...and in the galaxy as a whole.

Pushing these thoughts aside then, Shawn turned to the obstinately silent Thoran, who he didn't believe he'd encountered since he had disappeared on Degobah seemingly months ago. Shawn really wasn't sure if it had even been that long...

...but in the end, this really didn't matter. What did matter was what Thoran was up to at the moment. Or not up to, as it seemed.

Shawn arched an eyebrow at the red-skinned Sith, who still hadn't uttered a word. "Well, fancy meeting you here, of all places," Shawn said then, falling silent.

--------------------

Kani knew she couldn’t trust the Empire, but she also knew she couldn’t trust the Jedi, at least they could still be responsible for her mother’s death, but given the option of who she could better manipulate to serve her needs she would have to side with the Jedi for the moment. She signaled the stormtrooper who carried Shawn’s lightsaber to come to her. Taking the lightsaber she handed it out to Shawn and lowered her mental shields.

“Your lightsaber Jedi,” said Kani. “I trust you won’t carve any holes in the shuttle while we are mid flight.”

Mentally she also reached out to the Shawn, she knew the limits of her abilities and how only those who were very close could exchange thoughts but she was hopping when she tried to send him a message through the Force.

But really, that only scratched the surface.

Shawn cocked his head slightly, and accepted his lightsaber from Kani, replacing it on his weapons belt.

"Of course not," Shawn replied to what she had spoken aloud. "I'd like to make it to Coruscant in one piece too, after all."

He fell silent then, responding mentally to her unvoiced plea for help...

...truthfully taken a bit back by it. He knew he needed to tread carefully.

What is it?

--------------------

“Follow me she landing pad is this way,” said Kani.

She started walking down the corridor with Shawn and Thoran following in her wake with a small escort of stormtroopers. As they walked Kani tried to explain through the Force what she knew, what both the Mandalorians and the Empire told her about her mother’s death, her mother’s supposed after death confession as a Force ghost, and how she thought her grandfather was dead.

Someone has been manipulating me and for the last three years I thought the Jedi had done this to me, but my Ba’buir still being alive changes everything. I can’t trust anyone, but I know that if you are truly a Jedi like my Buir was I can trust you. I need to find my Ba’buir without the Empire using me as a hostage to control him. I know too much that they will never simply let me go. So will you help me.

They had arrived at the outskirts of the landing pad and had only a few minutes until the shuttle touched down. If Shawn was going to help her it the only two chances they would have before they would be stuck on Coruscant was either now or to hijack the shuttle en transit.

“It will only be a few minutes before the shuttle touches down,” Kani said to the group.

Shaking my head a little to myself at this muse I headed toward the small group that was waiting near the gangway of the courier. As I approached it resolved into the forms of Thoran, Lt. Jetiis'ad, and Shawn. I strode up to them and took a pose, hands on my hips.

"There she is; you may board, Lieutenant."

Assured the young officer would follow orders, I then turned to the silent jedi. Smiling, I put a hand palm-up to one side, then let it fist save for one pointing finger.

"There's your ship, Jedi Petrolu," I said, giving the man a small dip of my head.

"As I stated earlier, should you decide to accompany us, you will be under Imperial protection. We are rather far out in the Outer Rim, you know; pirates do haunt these spacelanes."

With that I spoke a curt order into my comm-link, thus assuring that we would be attended by a small squadron of fighters, should there be any reason to use them. Better safe than sorry, I've always said.

Then with a curt nod I turned and boarded the courier, proceeding to the front of the vessel to watch as the pilot begin his departure routines.

[ 03-22-2011 04:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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She was so much more dear to him than she ever realized. She never seemed to grawsp that choices he had to make, while seemingly uncaring on the surface, were some of the hardest for him to make. Faced with helping a single person find his or her way...

...even his own sister...

...or staying and helping out with matters concerning a great many...

...the needs of the many had to outweigh the needs of the few.

Shawn's eyes snapped alert as Tarnus approached.

Now is not the time to run, he thought to Kani, whom he was certain would not understand. I will not allow you to be used as a bargaining chip...

...but I cannot dismiss the need to help prepare others for what could most certainly be a deadly threat to us all. At least, not yet.

Your grandfather knows where you are, who you are with, and that you are safe. Reunion will come in time.

"I will be following to Coruscant," Shawn then said, turning to one of the stormtroopers with a polite nod, then turning and heading for his ship...

...pausing for a moment then to turn to Thoran, who was still standing behind.

"So are you coming too, Thoran, or are you going to just stay behind and hope you can just blend in?"

Thenk withut waiting for an answer, Shawn began heading towards the ship again, assuming that if Thoran was coming, he would take the hint and do so before he was left standing alone on the tarmac.

(((OCC: Sorry if this is lame, it is a late night!)))

--------------------

He glanced over to Shawn as the Jedi boarded his ship. Then he looked over at the sleek shuttle that Tarnus had entered. Again he shot a look towards the Jedi’s ship, then back to the courier. He took a few steps towards it and called up into the still open hatch.

“General!” he said. “I assume that if we were ambushed by some unforeseen ruffians, this is the ship that would be best protected. But as the Jedi is going your way, and I am anxious to catch up on some conversation with him almost as much as I am eager to continue our own discussions, I wonder if you would mind me riding with him? If you prefer otherwise, that is no problem, of course!”

Thoran then backed away a step and waited.

--------------------

Fine Jedi we play it your way.

In anger she closed herself off from Shawn and raised her mental shields again. On this flight she couldn’t afford to be distracted, and what she got from Shawn left her even angrier than before.

The needs of the many… that was another way of saying it was for the greater good. Buir would have never taken anyone like him as her apprentice. The greater good was what the dark Jedi who killed Ba’buir’s wife and daughter said he was doing, that’s how he justified killing 7 Jedi and two civilians. All in the hope of turning Ba’buir to the darkside. So they could reshape the galaxy into the greater good.

I wasn't so foolish as to actually believe that, however; now forcing away the slight quirk that wanted to come to my lips I stopped in the yet open hatch. One hand on the frame, I cast a look down upon the enigmatic Sith.

A frown now tugged at my brows and my lips. This would have been a most opportune time to continue where we'd left off. I was yet extremely interested in his hints about these purported Gameplayers, how he was so assured of his facts involving the Darker Realms and a possible connection to the aforementioned Gameplayers...

Not to mention white spiders. He'd mentioned something earlier about white spiders. Now under normal circumstances a spider of any color was nothing but an arachnid to either avoid or squish under one's boot. But for some reason his mention of the ones on Tatooine had sent ripples of unease coursing up and down my back.

I would dearly have loved to discuss this further, and almost called down for him to please accompany us. However, while at first it struck me with equal unease the fact that he wished to travel with the Jedi, perhaps it was his intention to present him with that which he had provided me. Perhaps he saw this as an opportune time to pull the Jedi away from their self-proclaimed positions as being "above the law," and into the embrace of a new one. One in which personal issues were set aside, and everyone joined forces together against a much more dangerous, if unknown, common foe.

Even though I still felt this to be an impossibility, an event of the most extreme Pollyanna-ish idealism ever to try to seek fruition.

But one never knew.

"Very well, Thoran," I agreed, giving him a nod of my head.

"Travel with Petrolu; I will see you on Coruscant."

With that I returned to my position next to the pilot, and continued my earlier perusal of his departure routines. In no time at all, it seemed, a metallic "thunk" alerted me to the fact that the hatch had closed, and an ensuing if somewhat boisterous hisss informed me we were fully pressurized.

After a few seconds, I knew we were off-planet, and on our way.

((OOC: Please follow Sorben Tarnus and those aboard the courier as they head Back Into the Fire in the "Empire/New Republic" forums, thank you.))

--------------------

...and froze, his usual Jedi aplomb melting in a brief moment of apparent humanness as he finally got a good look at the ship he had arrived in:

Or rather, the TIE fighter he had arrived in.

He'd been so caught up in all that was going on that he had simply forgotten about it, hadn't even thought of it in the least...

...and he had no idea in hell how both he and Thoran were going to share the space of the TIE's cockpit for the rather long trip from Tatooine to Coruscant.

"Kriffing hell," Shawn muttered, turning to Thoran. "I was so busy considering all that was going on that I'd somehow forgotten I was not in a ship but instead had arrived here in a fighter."

He paused, scowling a bit...

...then his look lightening a bit as a small squad of stormtroopers arrived nearby, awaiting their move. Shawn turned to the one who appared to be in the lead.

"Since I was not planning for Thoran to accompany me, I am wondering if arrangements can be made for us to travel in something a bit larger than the TIE fighter I arrived in since we will be doing so under Imperial protection anyway?"

(((OCC: Forgive Shawn for seeming stupid, but his idiotic author forgot he travelled to Tatooine in a TIE fighter and this is the only way I could think of to get around that...)))

--------------------

*Shhh-tllk* "I shall seek orders regarding your predicament, sir."

With that he toggled a switch within his helm, contacting the Major now once more in charge of the outpost on this dusty, desert world. Silence reigned a moment longer; then he gave his head a slight tug and turned his attention back to Shawn once again.

"The Lt. General is being notified of this situation, sir," he said tacitly. "You are to remain where you are for the time being."

The stormtroopers' weapons were not raised but neither were they placed at rest. Nobody moved, or made any indication of doing so in the immediate future. Thus the little rectangle remained where it was, standing on the dusty landing area, while the rest of the Imperials in the vicinity went about their various and sundry duties.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
From the command post:

The Ensign who had passed the message along to the Major remained silent, his eyes pinned on his commander as he waited for his next order to fall from the man's lips. He didn't have to wait for long.

"Contact the General's courier, and inform him of this rather distasteful development." The man couldn't help but sneer a bit as he spoke. His world, after all, was the spit and polish one of the military. His was where order corralled chaos, where routine drill more often than not dictated the outcome of unexpected developments. This, however, was an unexpected development out of the scope of any drill he had experienced; while his gut was screaming at him to toss the jedi and the strange red-skinned being into the brig and have done with them, logic reminded him that the last to be with the pair indeed was the General himself. He was aware that the pair were part of the small group that had just departed Tatooine, and for reasons that seemed altogether too suspicious to him had remained blatantly behind.

Who in all the Galaxy can forget his own ship, after all?

Silent he remained, however, while the Ensign sent out the highly encrypted message to the courier that had fled with its precious cargo on a course back to Coruscant:

"Tatooine Base to courier. Two individuals in your party remain on planet, stating they require a larger ship to depart. They are being detained until we receive your orders. Tatooine Base, out."

((OOC: The encrypted message goes to Sorben Tarnus on his courier in Back Into the Fire in the "Empire/New Republic" forums, thank you.))

[ 03-29-2011 11:45 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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"Provide them with what they need, and send them on their way. I shall look for their arrival on Coruscant.

"Tarnus, out."

--------------------

The smallest vessel availabe on-planet that would hold more than a solitary individual, not to mention have the capability of spaceflight, was an old but heavily modified YT-2400 it was said Jabba the Hutt himself had owned and maintained. The fact that he had modified it to the specifications of the equally old (as well as reknowned) ship Outrider, operated by the smuggler Dash Rendar, made it even more distasteful to the Major to simply hand it over freely. Military grade ion engines, power generators and weapon systems including double laser cannons and two forward-firing concussion missles, were not something the Major would himself give to those under as great a suspicion as he held both Shawn and Thoran.

But orders were orders.

"Allow them access to Spice Eater," he commanded before turning away entirely, by his action alone mentally washing his hands of what he deemed to be an entirely mis-managed affair.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

On the tarmac:

The squad leader blinked in surprise, but otherwise made no comment or gesture to indicate it. He was a soldier after all, and soldiers follow orders, no matter what they thought of them. Period.

*Shh-tllk* "Acknowledged, sir."

With that he waved an order to his men, who then turned as one and proceeded to follow his lead. With no further ado they were before the old, but still operable, Spice-Eater. He raised his hand then, halting his men, and waited while Operations remotely opened the hatch of the venerable YT-2400.

*Shh-tllk* "Here is your ship; you may board and follow standard departure routines."

He then waved another order to his squad, who segued from their rectanglular formation into a line, weapons now held at a brisk parade rest.

[ 03-29-2011 12:39 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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And he couldn't help but noting to himself that the ship they were being provided, while an older model than some, would most certainly have passed the test his sister would have given it. But then, Shawn wasted litle time on such musings, feeling that this was not the time or the place. So he turned to the lead guard with a brief nod. "Thank you, sir," he said simply, turning as the hatch opened and heading for the cabin of the ship, prepping her for take-off and following procedures for departure in a standard manner even as Thoran joined him. He knew that, even as he made the final arrangements to depart, the Imperials were following orders via Sorben to follow them out.

And Shawn realized, for perhaps the first time, that this didn't truly bother him in the least. Reaching out to the communit of the ship then, Shawn transmitted notification that he was ready for take-off, accessed his departure vector, and then simply took to the skies, an escort no doubt following closely on his heels if not already ahead of him.

In a few more standard minutes, though he was not quite the pilot his sister was, Shawn had successfully pulled up and programmed in coordinates for Coruscant and taken the Spice Eater smoothly into hyperspace.

(((OCC: Follow Shawn and Thoran to Back Into the Fire in the Empire/New Republic forums, thank you.)))

[ 03-29-2011 01:11 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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