The Leftovers

[Ysmir]

---

"You know, Macen, many of my people are still very displeased with your kind," Javik stated as he walked alongside the Jedi Knight, hands clasped behind his back.

Macen had tucked himself beneath his robes, his lightsaber fully concealed -- lest anyone take notice of it. "I'm well aware of that, Javik," he replied, turning to face him, "but that doesn't change the fact that I have a job to do. So what if I need to be subtle?"

The Farghul laughed as if hearing some sort of joke, covering his mouth as to not appear impolite. He turned back to Macen. "Subtle is not the word I often use when thinking of you, Macen."

"Yes, well," Macen replied, turning back forward, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Did you find out what I needed to know?"

Javik seemed to ponder that question for a moment as they passed a game of sabacc being played on the street corner. "They are here, but there's many of them -- and they're well armed," Javik began, his feline eyes scanning the cramped streets as though wary of being watched, before turning back to Macen, "perhaps too well armed even for a Jedi. They are a rambunctious bunch, quite comfortable at Jahhnu's largest betting house. They've dumped large sums of credits into the pools to ensure that their stay is undisturbed. They're ferrying the very same cargo that you wished to... repossess, I believe was the word?"

"Confiscate is a bit more accurate," Macen replied, "Archeri biotechnology is contraband. A tidy sum on the black market, but incredibly dangerous. It needs to be brought back to Republic hands."

"Well," Javik began, stepping around a pennyless beggar on the street corner, "I wouldn't know much about that. Priorities are a bit different, you see."

"Just point me in the right direction and I'll figure it out myself, Javik. No need to get yourself involved if we can avoid it," Macen affirmed.

"Ah, yes, that vaunted Jedi altruism. Fine," Javik said with a raise of his hands in mock defense before turning down an alley, looking to Macen as he took a few strides backward, "but don't say I didn't warn you, old friend." And with that, Javik disappeared into the depths of Jahhnu. Macen pressed onward to the Mynock's Crest.

Farrfin was like any other core world -- temperate, rather pleasing to look at. The surface that wasn't dotted with the occasional city or spaceport was instead a rolling grassland filled with all manner of flora and fauna, including tall trees that seemed to scrape the skies when one stood at their base and looked up. It was, all in all, a gorgeous world, one Macen was more than pleased to be assigned to for investigation... were it not for the corruption. It was one of the few worlds that the Republic had never managed to keep a true foothold on, and for that reason it was the undisputed haven for smugglers, traffickers, and all sorts of unsavory types within the core. Normally, the activities here didn't warrant Republic or Jedi intervention, but this was a special case. Macen had been tasked with a momentous undertaking; the apprehension and return of Archeri contraband, smuggled from the atmosphere of Nar Shaddaa after the climatic battle. Remnants of the unifying force had been popping up in black markets the Galaxy over, fetching a steep price at an even steeper cost as per most cases.

It took only an hour or so to reach the center of the capital city, where the largest betting house on the planet resided; the Mynock's Crest, which looked more akin to a casino than your average flophouse. Macen made his way inside with a quick bribe of the doorman, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of depraved and unlucky spacer and smugglers who cheerfully gambled away their illicit earnings. Soon, he reached his goal; a private back room where no average patron was allowed.

But Macen wasn't about to ask.

The moment after the guard realized he had been bypassed was when Macen threw off his robe. His lightsaber flew to hand and ignited after he passed the threshold of the doorway, washing the small hall with a yellow glow as he stood before a group of rather disgruntled looking individuals of all species. Macen smiled.

"I dont suppose you could tell me where your boss is? He and I have an appointment."

The first to stand was also the first to draw his blaster and fire -- but Macen was ready. His smile dropped as his shoulder did, a practiced motion allowing him to position his saber to perfectly deflect the shot back at his attacker. Sympathetic to their cause, the shot only hit the thug's blaster itself, causing it to erupt into electrical pulses in his hand. A volley of more blaster fire came at him from all sides of the private room, but Macen was a whirring display of Form V, redirecting and deflecting each shot while positioning himself more advantageously at the certain of the room.

By now, the commotion had spread outside to the main room of the betting house. Many patrons, in their panic, got up from their seats and fled into the streets rather than get involved with the fight. Others hid beneath their tables, mostly travellers who were less accustom to conflict on such a scale.

Macen had disabled or disarmed all the thugs before thrusting one up against the wall with the use of the Force. The others writhed in pain on the ground, legs, arms, and hands singed by their own perfectly returned blaster fire. Macen tilted his head. The thug seethed in frustration and agony.

"Ook guh ma loktro! Gahhhh!" grunted the male Devaronian, struggling against the wall as an invisible and overwhelming force pinned him to it.

Macen held his hand aloft as he focused on trapping the individual, stepping up to him. "I sense I'm not the person you expected to see. Who are you waiting for?"

Then, Macen felt something -- a presence. His focus faltered for a moment as he looked over his shoulder and dropped the injured Devaronian to the ground. He turned to look at the doorway, where a strangely familiar individual stood. Macen's brows furrowed.

"Who are you?"

[Ash]

It has been a while since Ash had made his way into the core regions, or at least this far into them, since he was in the middle of the Republic and Sith war. Well, technically since he was under the control of the Archeri chorus. The thought made him inwardly shutter, even as he marched on, a brown, very Jedi looking cloak covering him from head to toe. Even his massive sword was wrapped up tightly, hanging on his back like a large package. Overall he looked fairly Jedi.

Fairly inconspicuous around these parts. Farrfin was a planet of scum and villainy, so of course occasionally Jedi would show up and make sure there was nothing... too dangerous making its way towards Coruscant or any other major system in the core.

So guess where Ash wound up in his long trek to take down Archeri sympathizers? It was one thing to be like him, an unwilling person dragged into their hivemind like chorus, but it was entire different to sill warship them like the gods they were not, or worse.

And where these people hid, the boogeyman was sure to fallow. Ash had made a small reputation in the outer rim territories, but lately he had been on the hunt for a large group of people selling off things from the past war... things they should not have. And that made them enemies to Ash.

The man walked the streets calmly, fallowing his senses, which had yet to fail him when tracking anything when it came to Archeri. And talking to people.

The Mynocks Crest looked like some sort of place he would see in the underworld or outer rim, and looked like a flashy casino from the outside. Ash was making his way to the front door when his danger sense went off. An instant later, blaster fire could be heard inside. Ash moved in, fallowing the door guard who was rushing inside with a blaster out. Ash caught him in a force grasp, pulling the guard to him and disarming him quickly enough. Ash grabbed the man by his tunic and threw him at the wall, knocking him out.

By now, patrons were running out of the doorway, which the former Jedi widened with a burst of the force, allowing more than one or two people to squeeze out at a time. Ash moved inside, not bothering to unsling his heavy weapon. He sensed that most of the danger has passed, and his own force and unarmed skills would be able to clean anything up if he needed. Fallowing his senses, we wandered into the back room, where a force user was holding a Devaronian up against the wall with the force. Ash kept his hood up, keeping his face mostly hidden, however his stubble covered chin could be seen. The force user looked towards Ash as he entered. Then he spoke, dropping the Devaronian to the ground.

"I am the man searching for these... smugglers, as well as the contraband they have. You beat me to it."

No more important way than that. Ash didn't trust this Jedi. Not yet.

[Ysmir]

Perhaps Javik was correct in his assumption. Macen didn't often do subtle well.

As Macen's eyes washed over the figure, many things were made apparent; his stance, his walk, were undeniably that of a Jedi. Macen could sense the troubled nature of his aura eminating through the area in waves, an eery and familiar undertone to it; the Archeri. This man had been touched by the Chorus, once upon a time, and though free of their influence he most certainly carried the echoes with him. It had become routine to identify those that had been indoctrinated, whether or fully or not, for Macen. It was part of his job, after all. But for as much as he could sense this inner darkness that the individual sought to eradicate, Macen similarly sensed no threat. Only distrust.

Which was fair enough. The Galaxy was in a precarious state of late, with very few people capable of reliably discerning friend from foe if they weren't firmly on one side or the other. As the Devaronian inched across the ground toward his fallen blaster, Macen outstretched a hand. The blaster flew from the floor and into the Knight's grasp, though he never took his eyes off of the individual. "Well, sorry to take all the fun out of this little engagement. But this is only the beginning." Macen gestured to the Devaronian, who looked between him and the stranger with a measure of anger and healthy respect -- or fear, it was hard to tell.

"This one knows more than he lets on," Macen stated plainly, beginning to walk about the room in a slow and measured way. Finally pulling his eyes from the hooded figure, Macen stepped between and over the unconscious or writhing bodies of the smugglers he had disabled prior, scanning each table in the backroom. Sifting through credits and calling cards, it seemed like he was searching for something. "The smugglers wanted to pawn their wares off, but they got it all from somewhere else. Somewhere also on the planet, hidden in plain sight. The true enemy."

The sympathizers. Psuedo-religious, fanatic cultists who unabashedly and unquestionably viewed the Archeri as the galaxy's one last hope for peace. An undeniable saving grace. Their devotion was their strength, but also what made them dangerous. These thugs were simply looking for a payday. But if he could question their leader, he could trace back where the cultists originated from... and put an end to their worship.

Macen pulled his eyes up to the figure again. "I'm Macen. Macen Oran. What causes a former Jedi to seek out vengeance against common thugs on Farrfin, of all places? You must have a more specific reason for being here."

Macen suspected it was the same reason as his own, given the man's clear history with the Archeri. But he had to know for certain.

[Ash]

This man was watching Ash even as Ash was watching, bot assessing one another even if they may both be on the same side. Ash stretched out with the force, getting glimpses into everyone and everything around him. Macen... He didn't know why the Jedi was here, for that was the only thing he could be. Tracking Archeri? That had to be it.

Ash didn't want to assume too much. Ash had his own way of tracking anything Archeri by sensing the echos of anything that was about them. It could have been the same way Ash had been, but the former Jedi didn't think that was the case. More than likely an information chain. With informants who were like Ash.

Ash's eyes flicked to the Devaronian as he tried to go for a blaster, before Macen tugged at it with the force, sending it into his hand. The Devaronian looked between the two force users, emotions going crazy. Ash simply looked at him, eyes unseen under his hood.

"Yes, product is coming in from the outer rim coming heading corward."

Ash spoke calmly, letting the force continue to flow through him and into him. Macen's words started something within the Devaronian; Ash could feel the minor flux in the force. He had fear in him because the two force users found him and knew what he was about.

"I fear that who we find running this place wont be the end."

It never was. Otherwise Ash would still be off in the outer rim rather than tracking this huge smuggling line this far into the core. Ash looked towards Macen as the Jedi spoke his name. Ash waited for a heartbeat before he pulled his hood back, bright blue eyes showing between thick locks of dark hair.

"Ash Valeros. I have been tracking this smuggling chain from Nar Shaddaa this way. These smugglers are but a pawn in the greater picture. They can be given to the local law enforcement, but first... Who are you selling the goods to?"

Ash was a former master and instructor, as well as being able to use a few very rare force abilities. His history was currently unimportant as the former Jedi took a few steps closer to the Devaronian. The force began to swirl around Ash, collecting towards his open hand but it wasn't quite visible yet. Still, some wind could be felt and it was clear that Ash wasn't information sooner rather than later.

[Ysmir]

Macen wasn't entirely certain what to make of the man.

There was a darkness in him, and an uncommon command over the Force that seemed to radiate from him like an aura. But opposing that darkness was a light that desperately wanted to shine through, though was unfortunately being restricted by something. Guilt? Stubbornness? Defiance? It was difficult to say for sure. But Macen was sure if this man wished him any harm, he would have tried something quite some time ago. More than that, he was fully capable of catching the Watchman off guard if he so chose. There was nothing to fear on the out and out, even if Macen was wary by nature.

"It only makes sense. Hutt Space has never been more out of sorts than it is now," Macen began as he found a card on the table with some local script on it. Translating the words through the Force, he pulled it closer to his eyes and read it over. "All manner of things are bound to slip through the cracks and find their way to places where they really shouldn't be. That's where I come in."

Briefly, Macen flicked his eyes over to the man. "Or we, I should say."

It was a presumptious statement, but it was clear as the day is long that the two would get far more accomplished together rather than apart.

Ash Valeros. It all clicked into place in a fashionable way. A former Jedi, as Macen predicted -- a Master, no less. He'd seen his name on the list of missing individuals after the battle of Nar Shaddaa once in passing. It seemed he was missing by choice. Hardly a surprise, given the circumstance of his conflicted soul. Such turmoil often prevented one from thinking clearly, but Macen suspected that this was more of a case of self-imposed exile than any true punishment on the Council's part. Whatever one had to do to heal their mind was their business and theirs alone. Who was Macen to judge?

The Devaronian stared at Ash's hand as he stomped toward the figure. The horned male scurried back across the floor until his back bumped against the wall, staring fearfully into the former Jedi's eyes.

I-I don't know! Not... e-entirely at least," the Devaronian stuttered out in Basic, which he was clearly fluent in.

"Seems fear is a fantastic memory-jogger," Macen quipped as he crossed his arms, watching Ash work his magic.

"The boss... he meets these people way out in the jungle plains -- big, wide, open area. Paranoid about ambushes, he is. Anyway.." the Devaronian began, pushing himself to his feet while using the wall as support, "I-I can show you on a nav where the place is. I can even, uh... lend you my speeder, if you want. If I can go free."

The Devaronian removed a sonic imprint sensor, a sort of vocal pair of keys for his code-locked speeder. He looked at Ash with a degree of uncertainty. "Deal?"

Macen would take those odds himself. But he decided to let Mr. Valeros make the call; he already the information he needed in his hand, this would merely serve as a test of character.

[Ash]

Seems as if the good cop, slightly not so good but not evil cop routine was working magic. Fear was indeed working against the horned alien man. The Devaronian man began to speak quickly and with a stutter in perfect basic, showing some aptitude for it. This was much easier than having to physically beat the information out, or use the force to get what he needed.

Speaking of which...

Ash let the force cool from where it was swirling around his hand, the energy dissipating and flowing away as if Ash wasn't ready to do anything with it.

"Through the jungle and some big wide open plains. Over the mountains and through the woods if you will."

Ash pulled a cheaper datapad out of a pocket of his brown cloak, once again showing part of the thick, dark armor he was wearing under it. He tossed it down to the man, who was now standing on his feet. Good.

"But the nav point on that. Your speeder is also appreciated. As long as there are no traps. We can check it over. After that, you get to your ship, leave this planet, and never deal with anything to do with the Archeri again, otherwise you will be meeting me again, and I am quite certain I will find you again, no matter what rock you hide under."

Ash took the datapad back once the Devaronian was through with it.

"Thank you. Now go."

The Devaronian took off like a rocket, not looking back at them. When he was gone and Macen and Ash were left relatively alone, save what bodies were laying around, Ash let out a sigh before he began to walk towards the door. He looked over his shoulder to the Jedi.

"You coming Macen? We can talk on the way to this nav point."

[Ysmir]

He meant business, that was for certain.

The Devaronian wasted little precious time in carrying out the commands Ash handed to him. He swiped the datapad from the former Jedi's hands and began scanning through a local area map of the plains outside the city, muttering in some unknown language to himself as he struggled to remember the specifics of where his boss sold the scavenged contraband. Meanwhile, Macen retrieved the card to take another look.

Axel. Don't ask for specifics. 100k Creds/salvageable piece of Archeri biotech. Look for the boys in blue.

- Phoros

One hundred thousand? Quite the market trend for the fungal invaders these days, Macen quipped in his own mind. To engage in these acts smack in the middle of Republic space was no small feat, but it appeared to be a strategically sound decision; the Republic was so engaged with the ongoings of the aftermath of Nar Shaddaa, they were unlikely to look to their own worlds when it came to matters of piracy and smuggling. He slipped the card back into his vest.

The Devaronian hastily handed the datapad back to Ash. Marked on the nav was a remote location far outside the city limits, through a few miles of jungle thicket that eventually opened up into a wide, exeedingly flat field. The moment he was released, the Devaronian released his thanks as a sigh of relief, stood, and scurried from the backroom to the exit.

As Ash began to leave, Macen nodded his head. "No time like the present." He stepped over a groaning man who clutched his burned hand to his chest.

---

The speeder was identified by the Devronian as a Tystel model, a two-seater with a flashy green paintjob. When they went into the garage of the gambling den, it wasn't hard to spot. A simple click of the sonic imprint sensor and the engines roared to life, much to Macen's surprise; it seemed the Devaronian hadn't been leading them astray this far, at least. Macen took the driver's seat, waiting for Ash to climb aboard before exiting the garage. Hooking the datapad into the onboard navigation console highlighted the most optimal route to their location, though the maps were slightly dated. It didn't seem like it would be a huge issue.

It took only a few minutes to find themselves on the city limits, exiting the bustling den of thievery and trickery onto a dusty dirt path that directed itself into a dense jungle. Skyscraping trees surrounded the duo as the lone speeder hummed through the forest, the high afternoon sun blotted out by the upper canopy. Besides the oppressive humidity, Macen found it quite beautiful and peaceful. Eventually, he looked to his passenger.

"So," he began, "call me nosey, but I can't help but find myself wondering about your history with the Order."

[Ash]

Ash handed the datapad over to Macen to allow the information. There was no reason for Ash to hoard it and both him and Macen would have their own thoughts and opinions on the matter after reading it. Shortly after both left, stepping over bodies and heading away from the group of bodies on the floor. Ash nearly spaced on some of them because of how they just... sat there absently.

Ash and Macen had a plan: Take whatever speeder the Devaronian had, go to the correct spot, and take down the person behind the Archeri smuggling on this planet. If that was actually them. Shouldn't be too hard to do.

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

Green.... it had to be a green speeder. Ash nearly thought about going back for his because of how flashy and bright the color was. It looked fast, especially with only two seats, but all that could have been was the abhorrent paint scheme on it. Ash closed his eyes, shaking his head momentarily before he removed his very large sword from his back and climbed into the passenger seat. The sword he stuck in next to him, half holding it in place as Macen got the speeder going out of the city.

There were a few minutes of silence as they drove down the dirt path. Well, hovered more than drove, dust kicking up behind them. Ash rode in silence, but as the trees and jungle thickened, such as the force quietness of conversation, Macen decided to ask a question.

Ash let it sit for a few heartbeats, mentally compiling his thoughts and think of the best way to answer. His life in and after the order, up until the recent wars, weren't much of a secret.

"I was a former Master and combat instructor between both Coruscant and Dantooine, occasionally leaving to go on more dangerous strike missions requiring some extra skills than lightsaber combat or general force abilities. Former Padawan of Master Aric. Former Master of Jedi Alphonse Nito."

Nice and simple explanation of his life as a Knight and Master leading up to his leaving the order about 10 years ago. There was no reason he didn't need to share, as Macen would probably go through the archives after this mission. Ash knew he would if he was in the same position.

"What took you to this area of the woods? I rarely see any Jedi active anywhere with the mess the Archeri did on the galaxy."

One question for one question. This would be a good way to pass the time until they reached the target location.

[Ysmir]

Ash Valeros; now Macen was certain he'd heard the name before.

A classic case of one of their own absorbed by war. In and of itself, this wasn't always a bad thing, merely a consequence of the many paths in life members of their Order could take. But Macen recognized now exactly why he had the stench of the Archeri hanging over his aura; he had been at Nar Shaddaa. Macen was completely understanding of why he chose not to disclose that information, especially since it didn't seem pertinent to his reasons for leaving the Order. However, it did explain precisely why he decided to undertake such an operation on his own shoulders. It seemed he had something to prove, or at least felt he did, and who was Macen to tell him otherwise?

When Ash asked a question in turn, Macen glanced at him briefly, the speeder cruising through a bit of open space in the jungle that revealed some grazing beasts to their left, all of whom lifted their heads slightly as the duo passed them by rapidly. It was only fair to give him an honest answer in return.

"Simple; it's necessary," Macen answered with a light shrug of his shoulders. "The Core's my area of watch more than anything, but I've also been given special orders to make sure Archeri contraband is seized and returned to its proper place. Farrfin just so happens to knock on both those categories, so it wasn't a hard choice to find my way here when time permitted."

The speeder returned to the thicket of the jungle which whizzed by them at breakneck pace, though the speeder's construction meant that the two passengers barely felt the effects of its speed. The navigator buzzed, and Macen drew his eyes down to it. They were approaching a particularly dense portion of jungle that would eventually open up into the field that the Devaronian had mentioned before. Macen took this opportunity to reach within his vest and remove the card, handing it over to Ash. Assuming he took it, Macen replaced his hands on the controls.

"Axel. Boys in blue. Things to keep in mind," Macen reiterated what the makeshift business card relayed. "I'm guessing those are the smugglers' contacts, the ones buying up all the contraband. From the looks of things back at the den, they were gearing up to make a sale pretty soon, so we should expect some resistance. I'd say our best bet's to find this Axel and take him captive, see if we can squeeze their base of operations out of him."

Macen titled his head to the side. "Or the sale's already been made and we've got some tracks to follow. Personally, I hope it's the first one. Lot less work involved."

As the nav had notified, the speeder soon squeezed through a path enclosed on either side by dense jungle thicket that gave way to little light, forcing Macen to take things a bit slower, lest he risk a potentially nasty accident. Thankfully, the pathway soon ended, and they emerged from the thicket into a wide open plain that appeared to be artifically made, the result of years upon years of extensive deforestation to try and make surface travel for merchants and others a bit easier. Macen pulled the speeder up onto a plateau that offered a grandiose view of the surrounding area. Far off in the north-western distance, a small encampment could just barely be made out; every tent was blue. Macen looked to Ash.

"What's the play? Camp out here and spring an ambush when they try to move, or take the fight to them?"

[Ash]

A nice, easy answer to Ash's answer, and he really didn't expect much more than that. Macen wasin the area on a job and that was about it. A little simpler reason to being here than Ash was. Archeri goodies and the force is what brought these two together in this little adventure. Ash nodded in response.

The continued on, the jungle rolling by them at an incredible pace. This speeder hauled some serious ass, which was good. They could get to where they needed to quickly enough. The Jedi handed Ash the card they collected earlier, and Ash canned it once more.

"Yea, thats how it looked to me. I would expect a little resistance as well. With this kind of stuff running around, I would be more concerned if there wasn't anything to shoot back at us. We need to trust that we made it here in time."[/u]

Ash unstrapped himself from the seat, adjusting his sword slightly and rolling his cloak and shoulders under it. They were getting close to the area they needed to be, according to the speeder. As they pulled up to a plateau, they got a nice view of the area. In the distance they made out an unnatural landmark of blue splashed against the greens and browns of the land.

"Ambush, if at all possible. Maybe there is a set of macrobino's in here we can use to check to see if they down there made the trade off yet."

Since they were stopped, Ash hopped out of his seat to look in the back area.

[Ysmir]

Macen clambered out of the speeder but left the engine idle for the time being. He stepped up to the edge of the mesa they stood upon as Ash went around to the speeder's trunk. The Jedi knelt and peered across the open plains to the campsite. He could make out very little from this distance, and even his honed senses through the Force were blockaded by the sheer vivacity of life that teemed through the grasslands all around them. It made picking out individual presences difficult unless they got a bit closer.

Though, his worries were dissuaded when Ash returned with the binoculars. He retrieved them from his companion with a nod and lifted the lenses to his eyes as he refocused on the campsite.

What was before a blurred dot on the horizon was now clear as day as Macen adjusted the magnification on the somewhat rackety macrobinoculars. He smacked the side of the device gently to realign the interior mirror, and the image buzzed for a moment before returning in a more crisp fashion. Activity was plain to see; several men in blue uniforms of an official looking nature were loading several large, unmarked crates into a skiff that seemed dubiously plain on the exterior. Macen doubted it lacked any sort of protection, but he couldn't rule that out. Sacrifices had to be made for the sake of subterfuge, and these men certainly seemed more apt than others to have gone on unobstructed for this long.

"Looks like ten bodies I can see on the outside, may be more in the tents; hard to tell," Macen relayed to Ash, licking his lips as he scanned the lenses over the camp.

His view found the outskirts of the small camp where a singular guard stood with a scoped blaster in hand, staring out across the vista with a bored and aloof expression on his face. Macen doubted that these men ever saw any true combat on a world like Farrfin. Underworld dealings were part and parcel, especially when you were posing as a delivery service like these ones seemed to be.

Macen pulled down the macrobinoculars after surveying the scene, handing them back to Ash. "Unless they're hiding most of their numbers in those tents, I like our odds. Let's get down there, disable them, and find this Axel. He's our ticket to their compound."

With a curt nod, Macen pushed himself up from his kneeling position. He pressed the ignition on the speeder to kill the engine, leaving it hovering idly over the mesa as he pulled up a scarf around his neck to cover the lower half of his face.

---

The walk to the camp seemed shorter than it ought to have been, but Macen supposed time passed differently when you were excited.

It was a trait of his that was generally unwelcome within the ranks of the Jedi Order, but one he also managed to keep a tight leash on at nearly all times. He couldn't deny the rush of adrenaline he felt when anticipating a good battle, and the satisfaction he felt afterward if ever he emerged victorious. It was an affirmation of the trials and tribulations he pushed through to get to where he was today.

But this was work. And he intended to treat it as such.

As they took a position behind a boulder just outside of the camp's limits, it seemed as though the delivery skiff was preparing to leave. They couldn't allow that to happen. Macen looked toward Ash, holding his lightsaber hilt within his grasp.

"Ready. On your go."

[Ash]

Ash found the macrobinoculars quickly enough, but they looked all rickety and old, but they powered on just fine. He handed them off to Macen, letting the Jedi use them first. Ash leaned against the speeder, turning his thoughts inward and preparing himself for a fight. Not that he expected much to happen. After hearing a few taps, Macen began to say what he saw, and probably felt with the force as well.

When the Jedi was through with them, Ash took them, spying the skiff and cargo as well as the guards, if they could be called that. They would see how much of a fight these ten people would put up. Probably not much considering that there were two Jedi Masters here. Well one really, and the other a former, who knew his shit.

"Even if they are hiding their numbers in tents, once we start our game, they will be struggling to get their bearings."

Ash's voice was slightly colder now, more of an edge to it. They had a mission to do.

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

The walk was fast, Ash taking the time to fully center himself within the force, continuing to fully prepare himself for this fight. They would need to strike fast and hard, and despite his armor, Ash was able to do both very well. before they knew it, they were at the camp.

Ash took a few short breaths, pulling the force inwardly, and exhaling it, letting it flow through him. It was a simple, yet effective, exercise that Ash learned years ago, and it got him in the zone for what he needed to do. This was but another way to atone for his recent past. When both he and Macen were ready, Ash began the attack.

Ash was prepared for his opening move, and the force was already condensing to the point of becoming visible in his left hand, forming a orb of swirling blue and purple energy. As soon as he stepped around the corner of the boulder, Ash raised his hand, firing the energy as a beam, the intense bright light lancing out and striking the Skiff, which caused its rear to explode and send it into the dirt.

A half second later, Ash recovered from the use of the attack and bounded forward, his massive blade at the ready in his right hand. Using the force, he charged towards the two nearest guards, who were too stunned by what just happened to have noticed him running up. Planting himself, he spun, his blade hitting them with its flat side, still with enough force to send them flying towards the tent. Ash began to channel more force energy into his left hand and arm again as he made his way for another duo of enemies.

[Ysmir]

Predisposed to battle in all its forms as he was, Macen was no stranger to centering oneself in preparation for what was anticipated to be a large-scale conflict. They had the numbers, but he and his companion had the Force, and that was the most powerful ally of all.

The dance truly kicked off the moment Ash had unleashed his monstrous blast of raw power, the likes of which Macen had hardly seen before. When it seemed his ally had recovered from the display, Macen went around the outside of the camp, taking advantage of the sheer attention Ash and his display had just caught. Rounding the outer fencing, Macen came across two of the guards he had identified from before. Their heads had shot up from their rudimentary game of sabacc; Macen could identify from a quick glance that all of the cards were hand-drawn. Not half-shoddy work, either.

Regardless, the duo had little time to get up and prepare to retaliate; Macen had ignited his lightsaber, and the saffron blade snapped to life with a deep hum that caught their attentions.

"A fucking Jedi?!" exclaimed one of the duo as he nearly fell back out of his chair, scrambling for his blaster.

"Call Ax--!" cried the other, but the words were cut short as a sudden shock ran through his body, keeping him aware but paralyzed entirely as Macen held him in place.

Meanwhile, across the way, the other guard watched with jaw agape as his blaster rifle floated upward into the air before his eyes.

Then accelerated quickly, smacking him right between them.

The guard's head recoiled and he fell back to the ground, lights out. Macen quirked a smile, then looked to the other guard he held in place. Reaching behind his waist, Macen produced a pair of stuncuffs; he latched one end of them onto the paralyzed guard's wrist, then clamped the other to the nearby metallic fence post. He patted the guard on the head.

"Don't go anywhere, okay?" Macen said with a smirk, before crouching down and leaping upward over the outer wall.

Inside the camp was chaos, Ash having quickly roused the remaining six occupants of the camp. Macen noted that two had already fallen victim to the former Jedi's brutish fighting style, though was glad to see that his companion was also willing to spare lives where he could. From afar, Macen took a quick moment to shut his eyes; still unnoticed by the group, he reached out through the Force. In these moments, caught up in the thick of battle and panic, the minds of sentients were more malleable than usual excepting specific training against such slip-ups. He read the surface thoughts of the six guards.

Headshot! Need a headshot!...

Gotta get the boss out!...

... I shoulda went home!...

Gotta get to my speeder...

Macen's eyes opened. His gaze dialed in on a particular smuggler, one who ran away from the source of conflict, rather than toward it. Macen locked in on the man and began running across the open encampment. Two guards took notice of him and turned their attentions his way, but each volley of their shots were deflected expertly by the Form V master without him even looking. One deflected blast redirected straight back into the barrel of the guard's blaster, causing it to explode in his hands. Another clipped the second guard in the thigh, causing him to yelp out in pain and drop his weapon. Leaving only three others in Ash's capable hands, Macen pursued the man he knew must be Axel.

The smuggler panicked as he pressed his hand to the palm reader of his pricey and luxurious speeder.

"Come on you piece of shit!" he exclaimed as he smacked the side of the console.

VOICE ID UNRECOGNIZED

"No! Wait! I didn't!--" he pleaded, but was cut off by a sudden thump from behind.

As he turned, Macen stood atop the back of the speeder, the end of his yellow blade humming and glowing threateningly just in front of the smuggler's chin. A bead of sweat rolled down the man's neck as his eyes flicked between Macen and the lightsaber.

"Leaving so soon? You're a poor host," Macen said with a shake of his head. "You're Axel, right?"

The man's lip quivered, betraying the fear he felt even as he attempted to put on a brave face. "Who wants to fuckin' know?"

Macen smiled as he heard the fighting from behind die down; Ash had finished the job. The man -- who Macen now knew to be Axel -- shared a look of horror as he came to the same realization.

"We're gonna have a chat. You, me, and a friend of mine. That sound good?"

The man swallowed thickly as Macen called back to Ash. "Round them up! I've got who we came for."

[Ash]

Chaos, pure, almost glorious chaos ensued immediately after Ash's attack, and he detonated the skiff and tore through the two guards. It took Ash a moment longer to recover, but he was dancing around again, light on his feet despite wielding his sword in one hand and wearing a full suit of heavy looking armor.

Six more occupants decided to show themselves, blasters at the ready. Well three of them had a blaster at least. Two had vibroswords, and one had some sort of compact rocket launcher. The three with blasters started to shoot at the former Jedi, red light jetting between the three of them, only to impact uselessly against Ash's massive sword. With a burst of the force, Ash closed the distance, getting up on the three of them in a few seconds.

He spun, flicking his sword effortlessly and smacking one of the guys into the other, feeling a shoulder collapse and sent him flying into a second guy and they fell in a heap of tangled limbs.

Ash was shot right in the back.

He barely stumbled forward, the force of the rifle bolt making him take one step forwards before he turned around, staring at the very unfortunate man.

Ash absorbed the force he had been channeling in his left arm, enhancing his body rather than firing it off, and he spartan kicked the man, sending him flying more than 20 feet away towards the ruined skiff. Ash was angry now, the shot in the back pissing him off.

Feeling a tingle in the force, he turned towards the two with the sword and the one with the rocket launcher. The rocket user was taking aim at Macen. Ash threw his sword the blade whistling through the air towards the man, guided by the force, and chopped him in half, going at an angle through his chest. The sword ended up stuck in the ground.

The sword users, thinking they now had the upper hand rushed the now weaponless Ash. Well, he was without a weapon for a moment. Using the force, he called a piece of pipe, nearly 6 feet in length, and spun it around for the moment he had before he worked it like s staff. As a former instructor, he had skills in various weapons, even if he wasn't the best at all of them, but this pipe, enhanced with the force, was more than enough to wipe the floor with these two goons. The last one tried to run before Ash bent the pole in half and chucked it at him, smacking him in the back of the head.

All of 10, maybe 15 seconds and these stooges were all down. Ash was getting sloppy, but still, the man let himself have a rare smile on his face. He tossed it off when Macen called out to him. Looking towards the Jedi, he saw he had, he assumed, the man they were looking for subdued.

He began walking that way, summoning his sword to his hand with a yank of the force, flicking the blood and gore off of it with his wrist and the force. When he got to the speeder, he sunk his sword into it with enough force to go right through it and pin it to the ground.

"Answer his questions, or else I get to take out some of my anger on you, ok?"

Ash spoke lightly, but one could tell he was in no good mood now. Ash looked to Macen, then turned his blue eyes right on Axel.

[Ysmir]

Macen took the terrified Axel by the collar after Ash's timely arrival, guiding him from the driver's seat of the now-defunct speeder forcefully.

He pulled him over to where the two other thugs were trapped by the stuncuffs, and tossed him against a nearby chair. When Macen was sure he wouldn't try anything funny, the Jedi Knight deactivated his saffron blade, clipping the leather-bound hilt onto his belt and crossing his arms. He had caught a glimpse of the carnage Ash wreaked in just a minute's time; it was truly staggering. Although it pained him, the loss of life, Macen rationalized the necessity of it in his head. What these people were engaging in would hurt millions, if not billions, if left unchecked. Just desserts were being served here. Macen leveled his gaze at Axel.

"This doesn't need to take long. Give us what we came for, and we guarantee your life," Macen stated plainly to the leader in the azure cutoff vest.

The man fidgeted in the camp chair, exchanging a worried glance with his cuffed ally -- still in stasis from Macen's efforts. He turned back to Macen and Ash. "What're you two idiots tryna find? We don't know shit."

Macen frowned. "Really?" he asked incredulously, then turned to look over to the clearing where the cargo truck was. Spilling from the back of the smoking wreckage were dozens of crates of various sizes, all marked with prominent biohazard symbols. Macen turned back to Axel. "Then what will we find if we tear a few of those open? Something tells me it's not red spice."

Axel cursed beneath his breath and looked down at his feet and the grassy ground beneath them. Macen could sense the conflict within the man, torn between his loyalty to his employers and the pickle that the intrepid duo had caught him in. Macen crouched to look him in the eye. "This stuff is better off in the hands of those who know how to properly dispose of it, Axel. What you're encouraging is nothing short of terrorism. If you give us their location, I promise you'll receive a fair trial and protection." Macen tilted his head. "What do you say?"

Axel glanced over at his paralyzed compatriot once more. The thug had a knowing and helpless look in his eye, something that Macen sensed had an effect on Axel. The leader sighed and his shoulders dropped, seemingly giving up on his facade of bravado.

"Fine..." he uttered in a tone of defeat, "fine, I'll tell you. But my boys, they'll all get the same deal, yeah?"

"Everyone present. I'll make sure of it," Macen said with a nod.

Axel reached into his pocket, though Mace sensed no danger from the action. What he produced was a small datapad. He handed it off to the Jedi Knight, who turned it over a few times in his hand as he examined it. Then, on Axel's instruction, he turned the device on. It displayed coordinates further into the jungles of Farrfin where an old mining complex was once established by the Republic, long since abandoned and, until now, completely forgotten about.

"That's where was 'sposed to bring all that junk... thought it was just a salvage job at first," Axel confided in the two, far more loose-lipped now that the secret was out. "But I guess folk don't pay what they were payin' just for salvage."

Macen pocketed the datapad and stood, giving an apologetic look to Axel. "You've saved a lot of lives with this information, I promise you." Macen walked a few paces away as he powered on his communicator, looking to Ash.

"I think you and I are better off handling this on our own. I can have a shuttle down here within the hour to round up the prisoners and the surviving contraband. Could you go bring the speeder down here in the meantime?"

[Ash]

Macen dragged the man from the now ruined speeder to a few of his other allies, who Macen had stunned with the force, their bodies sitting still. Ash pulled his sword back with him, swinging the blade absurdly fast for its size, flinging droplets of blood off of it and stowing it on his back. He fallowed Maces and this man, staying a few feet behind and let the Jedi do his thing. The nice way.

The Jedi way.

Ash resisted a shutter. He couldn't believe he would he once was like this, unwilling to do certain things to get what he needed in a quick and timely manner.

Macen toyed with the man, going easy on him if Ash had a say so, and making deals that they would receive a fair trail and protection. All of them. Ash's eyes narrowed. They would be sentenced to death, or life and live comfortably. His blue eyes flashed across the survivors. They could all be killed so easily after the information is obtained. Stop their evil for good. No... those were thoughts of the darkside. Sure he may not be a Jedi anymore but he wasn't evil. He couldn't simply kill for no reason.

He was brought back when Macen stepped away and spoke to Ash. They would be better off handling this alone. Less people involved the less likely they would be found out.

"I can do that. I will return soon."

Ash needed this and Macen probably sensed it too. Ash needed a chance to cool his head after the fight. And his dark thoughts after. Ash turned and walked off, turning it into a force enhanced job as he made his way back to the speeder and flew that back over to Macen and their captives.

[Ysmir]

Thirty to forty minutes passed after Ash brought back the speeder before a Republic transport had found its way to their position. The shuttle was weathered and worn, painting scarred by countless retrieval missions. Macen wasn't sure who flew the thing, but they were clearly experienced. That was enough for him.

The Archeri contraband was dealt with first by anomalous materials experts wearing full body, hard-sealed environment suits. Preliminary examination dictated that Archeri biomaterial was inert when in its crystal form, but science was known for its variables. They'd take no chances. After the crates were loaded, Republic military police rounded up the smugglers - or, at least, the survivors - and directed them onto the transport. The senior officer, a lieutenant by denomination, stepped up to Ash and Macen.

"Appreciate the assist, Master Jedi. We're pretty spread thin on all accounts, even for the Core," the Lieutenant admitted with a sigh. He then perked up. "I'm Holdo, by the way - Lieutenant Holdo."

"A pleasure, Lieutenant," Macen said with a nod of his head. "I'm Watchman Oran. This is my colleague, Ash."

Macen neglected to identify Ash's prior connection to the Jedi Order, both out of respect and out of pragmatism. Macen wasn't sure if Ash wished that knowledge to be tossed around so idly, and he likewise wasn't sure if Lieutenant Holdo would be accepting of what amounts to a civilian contractor investigating these thefts. Both of these in mind, Macen left the introductions short and sweet.

"I've uploaded a short field report to your on-board systems. We negotiated a plea deal in exchange for the location of their drop-off," Macen said as he checked the datapad given to him by Axel once more, confirming the location. He looked back to Holdo. "Please honor the agreement. They're just pawns."

The Lieutenant looked at the prepped shuttle hesitantly, but sighed and nodded his head. "We'll... do everything we can, Master Jedi. Can't promise more than that."

Macen frowned, but nodded. Bureaucracy and that. "Safe travels, Lieutenant,"

"And you," the Lieutenant added, giving both Macen and Ash a swift salute before marching off toward the shuttle. Once he was on board, and the cargo secure, the loading ramp retracted shortly before the landing gears. With a rush of air, the shuttle took flight once more and disappeared above the clouds in summary manner. Macen looked to Ash with a smile.

"Why don't you drive this time?", he stated, moreso than asked. "I'll navigate us."

Datapad in hand, Macen walked to the nearby speeder and hopped into the passenger's side, plotting out a quick course for the mining complex that hopefully housed the source of their quarry.

[Ash]

By the time Ash returned with the speeder, the Republic transport ship was groundside and was picking up the... people the two force users rounded up. The former Master left his sword in the speeder, not needing to carry it around with him right now and made his way to Macen and those he was talking with, some Republic LT who was probably in charge of this group of soldiers. He did no politely as Macen introduced him in a very simple manner.

Ash let his companion handle the talking, instead standing off to the side. He felt somewhat out of place now, a simple man caught where he shouldn't be. This started to drag up old memories of both his time as a Jedi and as a military contractor during the war. He shook himself mentally back to the present once Macen was though with then hand-off. '

"Sure, I can drive."

Ash still felt out of place. He was doing Jedi work, chasing down culprits in Republic space when he had no reason to. He could simply live out in the outer rim somewhere rather than still do this work.

"Macen, have the order changed much in the last 10 years?"

He spoke before he could stop himself, and nearly berated himself for it. He shook his head slighly before getting the speeder going.

"Nevermind. It doesn't concern me."

[Ysmir]

Strong winds and the threat of rain from impending storm clouds aside, the ride was as nice as before on the open plains of Farrfin. Soon, though, the course took them back into the thicket of the planet's numerous and dense jungles. Towering trees that dwarfed the two justicars blocked out the low golden sunlight of the mid-afternoon. They'd lose light soon, but Macen was counting on it; the lack of daylight would make a stealthy approach more viable and, perhaps, attractive as an option. They'd have no real idea what they're getting into until they arrived.

Macen looked over to Ash when he spoke, lifting a brow. He supposed he didn't blame the man; curiosity was to be expected after you walk away from something that was a large part of your life. So when he vocally berated himself, Macen lifted a hand with a small smile.

"It's okay. It's not a crime to ask simple questions," Macen reassured him. The path they were on was a fairly straight one for many kilometres, so he set the datapad down.

"It... things are tense now. We're guardians of the peace; always have been, and I suspect always will be. But the peace we've had with the Empire all this time is paper thin, and I think it's threatening to tear," Macen admitted, though truly, it was the Galaxy's worst kept secret. "That, coupled with the unrest in the Mandalorian clans, has the Order a bit on edge. No one will outright say it, but you can sense it on the air."

Was he forthcoming with that information? Of course. But Ash had more than shown what kind of man he is in the brief partnership they've established during this time. Macen wasn't worried at all.

"That's not to say I'm afraid," Macen clarified, "we all know what that leads to. Cautious, more than anything. Taking on tasks like this is one of the many ways to remind myself why it is I do what I do, fight for what I fight for. Other than that, the Order's very much the same as you likely remember it. Grandmaster Moho is a wise leader."

[Ash]

Macen didn't seem to mind Ash's rather odd questions. He did give the other man a side eye when Macen spoke initially, then slowed the speeder so he can easily hear and keep up with the conversation. Things have been quite crazy since he chose to leave the order, and especially worse now that the Archeri were defeated. The galaxy haven't even had a chance to heal yet from that before the Mandalorians started to act up... again...

"From an outside perspective, and its nothing against you or anyone else... The Jedi have failed in protecting the peace. You are doing it right, but there are few like you."

The unspoken statement being that those Jedi who stayed holed up and make decisions based on the old beliefs and staying out of everything in the galaxy. They lived here and it was their duty to do what they can to protect it. The Jedi, however much he still respected them and even half wished to return to them, just weren't living up to their expectations.

Especially since they were nearly fundamentally remade more than 1000 years ago. Ash wasn't alive then but all his studying showed that the Jedi were more easy going, more relatable to the greater galaxy, showing themselves to be n better than the average person day to day. Now.... Ash in his readings and studying found they were more like boring sages. At least a good chunk of them Ash did.

"Master Moho is the grandmaster now? Thats good. He always held respect." Now. Another question for you... Would you stay with the Jedi if they prove themselves to be handling the different conflicts incorrectly in your eyes? Or will you try to make a difference on your own?"