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Nov 13, 2010 18:59:10 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Nov 13, 2010 18:59:10 GMT -5
As if it hadn’t been difficult enough having to deal with re-immersing herself in the Order after her extended time on Haruun Kal, now she had been sent after her own brother to attempt to retrieve him or retrieve his lightsaber. It would never work (and she knew it), but she was bound by her vows and her honor to do as the council wished…even if she didn’t like it. Ryn had offered to go with her, under the excuse that he had a ship and had also known Latus, but after some short time at the temple he had vanished once more…declared missing, if not dead, after his ship was reported to have crashed on the way to one of his own missions. She’d been on Haruun Kal once again when this had happened, and the stigma the planet had in her mind only worsened with the news upon her return to the temple. So she had been sent out on what was supposed to have been an easy enough mission. After all, if anyone could convince the man one way or another, it would be her.
That was the idea, anyway.
The trip had been quiet enough, and it was certainly a relief to be alone again. It allowed her to reflect openly on her recent past and the possibilities of the future. But that posed the question…how do you get in contact with someone running from, well, everyone? She could attempt to simply press out her presence and hope he came to her, or she could attempt to find him the ‘usual ways’…or she could attempt to find the village that they’d been born in and hope there might be clues there. The problem was, she wasn’t certain which course she should take.
This series of thoughts had been running round in her mind for some time, and it was just about that final point, where he mind was coming back around to the fact that that question applied to her brother, and so it likely wouldn’t be simple at all, that the landing ramp lowered, revealing the beautiful green lands of Cerea…once you got past the cramped, dirty and overpopulated areas of the citadel, anway. She’d had to land in one of the Outsider Citadels to keep from attracting trouble, but that didn’t matter over much to her, even as she stepped down the ramp and gazed around at the surroundings, the silver beads around her face and throughout her hair shifting and glinting in the sun with her movement. From there the search had begun in earnest.
Through the citadel she’d hunted, chasing the shadows of a Shadow that simply…wasn’t there. She did, however, find two people she hadn’t expected to see. Locke and his padawan, Jazen. To say that the three were…baffled…upon meeting each other there was a fairly mild understatement, but in light of all the other commotion that began to work itself up around them, that bafflement was easily pushed aside. Sith…Tal hadn’t felt them directly, but she’d caught their shadows lengthening around every corner the longer she’d continued her hunt. Now, upon meeting Locke and Jazen, she’d warned them about her suspicions. Just to be safe, she’d offered them her assistance in their duties…and it had the pleasant side effect of postponing her own.
It was a good thing she had offered since, lo and behold, thar be Sith in dem dere waters…or lands, as the case may have been. What displeased her most, however, was the fact that another Rilan was involved…one she’d met, and fought, on Subterrel not so very long ago. Shandari. Like usual, whenever sith and jedi are in the same place at the same time (or at least such close proximity to each other) there was violence in the end. Both parties managed to escape with their lives intact, but it seemed that (at least for now) Cerea was clean of the vermin. In return for her assistance, Locke and Jazen offered to help her search for Latus, and so they found themselves outside the citadel.
With a smile, Talau turned to the view of tall grasses, trees and mountains, taking a deep breath of the clear air and feeling the movement of the force in this place. There was so much life…so much healthy, natural, life…that she couldn’t help but submerge herself in it like clear cool water. It was a refreshing change, especially after dealing with Shandari and her minions. ”This place is wonderful…it’s a shame I’ve not been out here before for any extended amount of time…I mean, when I could remember it.” The comment wasn’t meant for anyone in particular, a simple musing out loud, but it hardly bothered her that Locke or Jazen heard it. Why hide it from them, anyway? There was no point in hiding the fact that they’d been born here, and she doubted that they wouldn’t notice the change in her demeanor as she ensconced herself in the waves of living force around them. Finally, as she started walking in the direction the Cerean head of this Citadel had said the village was in, Talau decided it was time to fill Locke and Jazen in a bit more.
”We were born here, Latus and I. I don’t know all of the details of our birth, but from what the Council said, after much prying, was that our parents had been forced to give us up to different people. I was brought directly to the temple, while Latus was first taken in by a human family. The village we were born in seemed about as good a starting place as any after the Citadel fell through, so…” Their family had escaped the Morequai long ago and over the course of generations their parents had come here with the guardian of her family…the priestess that had accompanied them. She’d only had one chance to return here, and even then she’d only hopped from citadel to citadel. She’d never had the chance to visit the village of her birth for any reason…but now she was here and had the opportunity, it was bittersweet. The planet was beautiful…everything the archives and Cerean masters said it was (and more), but she was here for a most unpleasant reason. Why had Latus left? When? Had he even come here? She didn’t know…but she intended to find out…she had to find out. Hopefully she could bring him back to the Order as she had done with Ryn…actually bring HIM back and not just his lightsaber. With that thought to spur her on, those senses expanded outward, actively seeking others.
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Jazen
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Nov 15, 2010 18:37:23 GMT -5
Post by Jazen on Nov 15, 2010 18:37:23 GMT -5
For the first time since landing on Cerea, Jazen was able to get up from his bed and not have to worry about some Sith threat lingering in the shadows. No, instead he was able to focus on the beauty of the planet and the calm, peaceful nature of the natives.
It had been a few days since Jazen, Locke and Talau had managed to drive off(or at least that's what it looked like on the outside) the Sith warriors that had come to Cerea seeking their own agenda. Originally, Locke and Jazen had come to Cerea to look into a series of terrorist attacks. Those behind them appeared to be a group of Cereans who wanted to advance their planet technologically, claiming that by remaining the way they were was preventing the growth of their race. The attacks had been made to show others the power technology brought with it and to sway more followers to their cause. Those opposed to them, which was the majority of the government, had put in a call to the Jedi when they were unable to find the perpetrators of the attacks. And of course, Locke and Jazen had been around when the mission came down, so they soon found themselves on their way here.
When they had first arrived, Jazen had been stunned by the planet itself. It's beauty was astounding and the Outsider Citadels they had visited during their investigation had sent his young mind racing as he pondered how such things were built. Sadly, he didn't get much time to admire the planet after that, as he and Locke's investigation soon uncovered a much greater threat; the Sith. Whatever they had planned for Cerea, however, Locke and Jazen had put a stop to. Although, things might have gone much differently had Talau not arrived on Cerea on a mission of her own. Up till that point, Jazen and Locke had been outnumbered three to two; Tal's arrival balanced the odds in their favor. Both he and Locke had been surprised when Tal suddenly stepped around a corner, almost running headfirst into them. The shock didn't last long, as their duty soon devoured their surprise and the three of them turned into a unit with a single goal. Still, even with the evened odds, it had not been an easy fight against them; Jazen still bore several sores and bandages from his fight with the Sith woman Looma.
For the first time since his adventures with Locke had began, Jazen had run into a foe that was roughly his age and didn't completely overpower him. In fact, Jazen had not only managed to hold his own against Looma, but he had at times felt he had the advantage. The fight was not easy despite that and although he gave her his best and a good beating, she had done so in kind. Every time he shrugged his way into his robes, his shoulder gave him a painful reminder of how close he had come to being fertilizer for the rich earth below. Luckily, some kind of being was watching out for him and Jazen managed to avoid losing his head...or anything else for that matter. Both parties had retreated after a certain point, though Jazen was weary to believe they had truly fled. But for now at least, Cerea had peace and Jazen could turn his attention to his new task. Tal had offered her assistance to them all right; and it was only logical that they return the favor by assisting her with her mission. To Jazen's surprise, that mission involved finding her lost brother, Latus I'tan.
And as such, Jazen found himself standing with Tal and Locke before one of the Outsider Citadels, taking in the planet before starting their search. Tal and Locke were admiring the landscape, while Jazen had squatted to observe a small creature skittering around the ground. Even though he knew he should have stayed focused on the task at hand(and directing the Force to mend his still aching body), he found it impossible to resist letting himself drop into the every flowing current of the Force to take in the power of the life on this planet. It was simply....so pure. Like Mustafar and Naboo, the planet was just teeming with life, not just people wise, but in trees, plants, native creatures and the simple lack of technology. Sure there was some but no where near as much as some planets had by far. Lost as he was in the grand flow of life, Jazen was not so far gone to miss Tal's comment about not having spent longer time here. He had to silently agree. Pulling the Force back towards him(although he still let it linger around him to continue enjoying the peace), Jazen hopped to his feet to follow behind Locke and Tal.
”We were born here, Latus and I. I don’t know all of the details of our birth, but from what the Council said, after much prying, was that our parents had been forced to give us up to different people. I was brought directly to the temple, while Latus was first taken in by a human family. The village we were born in seemed about as good a starting place as any after the Citadel fell through, so…”
Jazen quirked an eyebrow at her when she said she had been born here. He hadn't expected that; he had assumed she had been born on Rilia, the home world of her people, the Rilan. Of course, Jazen had only heard bits and pieces about the place and from what he heard, it wasn't completely out there that Rilan could have been born elsewhere; those that managed to escape before the Morequai locked down the planet continuing their family line. Jazen had his questions about why it was so important to find him, aside from Tal's own personal reasons of course and what made Cerea the best place to start aside from the fact that it was their birth home. But he had opened his mouth at the wrong time before, chose the wrong words which only made the situation worse. So he chose the simplest questions and the calmest words he could think of instead; answers for his other one's would likely come in time.
"Would there be a reason he would come back here, aside from being attached to his home? I missed out on your conversation with the village head, but did he remember anything about him or knew someone we could speak to?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Nov 20, 2010 1:29:48 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Nov 20, 2010 1:29:48 GMT -5
{Yeah, I got nothing. I'd honestly tell y'all to skip me if it wasn't the first round >_>}
Locke sighed as he looked around him, at the trees and the life that grew so plentifully on Cerea. It was beautiful, as all the stories of the world held. While he himself was a man of the city, preferred to marvel at things built by living hands rather than by nature, he very much understood and respected the grandeur of the natural world. After all, it was Cerea's environment that had spawned the conflict that brought them to the world--the conflict that spiraled ever larger, until eventually, the Jedi found themselves facing off against Sith.
Things were quiet again though, and while Locke had had more than his fill of Cerea, he'd agreed to help Talau in her search for her missing brother, Latus. And so here they were, looking for him.
”We were born here, Latus and I. I don’t know all of the details of our birth, but from what the Council said, after much prying, was that our parents had been forced to give us up to different people. I was brought directly to the temple, while Latus was first taken in by a human family. The village we were born in seemed about as good a starting place as any after the Citadel fell through, so…”
Locke had bent over while she spoke, plucking a piece of the tall grass from the ground and sticking it in his mouth, stem first with the head bobbing out in front of him, as if the thing was an overly-long cigar. "Well," he said, talking around it, "I guess we ought to get to it, then, eh? He might be around here somewhere..."
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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Nov 21, 2010 0:57:19 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Nov 21, 2010 0:57:19 GMT -5
So it was over, eh?
To think that after all this time it would have ended, come down to this. A sigh was let slip, just slightly louder than intended but not out of character. The situation between the two primary factions within this planet's ruling system consisted of the conservative technophobic government versus some underground revolution of technophiles; the names gave away their intentions right from the off. Cerea was, to a word, archaic. Any outside tech was limited to citadels and even then the classiest room was only three by three by six.
Whispers had brought him the news both through conventional and unconventional channels regarding the political goings on, the end of an interesting story to be sure. Not only that but there was an increased number of both whites and blacks walking around, the whites more obvious of course though not through inactivity on their part. Frell, the blacks were impossible to spot but information was never in short supply.
Nothing was invisible if you could see a little differently. In this little debacle the proper side had come out on top.
An eye glanced across the crowded street. This is what he lived for. Hiding in plain sight, exploiting the harmful, exploiting the harmless but in a more friendly way; it was the thrill of the hunt. Two years ago he never thought he would get this far. The target was finally within his grasp!
Figuratively speaking.
"Spare a few creds, would ya? Just a chit... Help a starving man. Force, bless yer heart!"
Every now and then the immigrants and emigrants would toss him a chit. Not much but enough. To blend in with a society you had to take on a role. Play the role right and no one would look twice at you. Long shaggy hair, an unkempt beard, tattered clothes, dirt and grime, a strip of cloth, and an old mattress; all free. The chits payed for food and made him known around the area as a beggar; street dweller. He'd sat the same corner for weeks without fail. Ideally most would think of him as trash from the space lanes, a stowaway perhaps. No one thought twice about him and that's exactly what the beggar wanted.
If only they knew better.
At every port it was a new mask, a new set of clothes; sometimes ragged, sometimes posh, sometimes depressing, sometimes uplifting. Oh by the stars could he act. His minds eye beheld a smile, brown, rotten teeth and all.
The bastard was incredibly slippery, complexly clever. Nearly three dozen star systems over two years, some back tracking, cities old and new. Then there were dry spells, lost leads, frustration, gnashing of teeth; ah but the so-and-so had slipped up this time. The beggar wondered if the ragged clothes and lack of food were finally getting to him, making him crazy, for lack of a better term. In his minds eye he shook his head.
Nope. Already crazy.
So there he sat, begging for chits, keeping an eye out for one man. In a city of thousands, hundreds of thousands, he was looking for one man. Was it THE man? No. Would it assuredly lead him to THE man? Probably not. Then again, just maybe. With the situation between the whites and blacks no longer interfering with his attention or that of backrooms everywhere things might be able to get back to "normal."
The beggar, visibly frustrated by the many long minutes of dry palming in the empty sun sat back against a trash bin just off the main thoroughfare. People both poor and affluent walked hither and thither but few looked at the beggar as he settled in for his mid-morning "nap." Many a person familiar with the street would attest, this was nothing special.
Gradually he extended his mental fingers, very subtle tendrils of thought slipping and slithering away in every possible direction. Not once did he touch a mind, not a single foot or hair or fiber of clothing; no, he was searching for a "scent." Out over the slums his feelers extended, crossing in every direction as they landed on rooftops, probed alleyways, and brushed by speeders as they soared past. Finally when he thought his mind could extend no further did he catch the feeling, the air of the man, the arrogant rippling in the air of his "gallant" stroll. In an instant all feelers were withdrawn save the one following the target and... one more.
It had caught on something, a white by the feel of it. The sensation was refreshing, like a soft rain followed by a strong wind. Again he never attempted to touch consciousness only hovered, feeling the rise and fall of the surrounding energy. For a moment he even thought it felt... familiar? His mind's eye turned to the citadel wall several blocks away. He couldn't see this white or feel it as he would with a true connection through the force but he wasn't going to break cover on a hunch.
Too risky. For a flat instant the beggar had a name again, Latus I'tan, Shadow of the Republic. Jedi.
Then he was gone again, force withdrawn back into himself save the lone tendril following his target. This was not the time to dwell or think about the past. The target was several city blocks away, walking his way albeit on a roundabout route.
His mind's eye sharpened.
The beggar snored.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 7, 2010 19:00:39 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 7, 2010 19:00:39 GMT -5
At Jazen’s questions she could only shake her head slightly and sigh a bit. ”I don’t know…I don’t believe so. He’s never really gotten attached to places, not that I know of anyway…and he never leaves unfinished business, so I can’t really believe there would be any other places he might have gone either. This was the best place I could think of starting since the trail elsewhere has gone cold, if there was a trail to begin with. Latus is likely better than me at blending in…he can be a real ghost when he wants to be.” That was one reason she’d been having such a difficult time with all of this. Any rumors she might hear inevitably turned up dead ends, another jedi, or another dark jedi…everything and everyone but her brother. ”And the Citadel’s governor couldn’t tell me any more than where the village was…but that wasn’t surprising, really.”
Nodding to Locke, she smiled slightly and started in the direction of the village. She hadn’t gone more than a dozen steps, however, when she hesitated, turning and looking back in the direction of the citadel. There was that feeling of being watched again; that sort of feeling she got in the force when something (or someone) was paying attention to her without actually honing in on her…without getting close enough for her to get a grip on what it might be. For a moment those eyes threaded through with a wary orange as flickers of gold danced against the shades of brown that had taken the majority of her irises over, the combination looking very much like flames dancing before a cave wall. In that moment of hesitation, she attempted (once again) to get a hold on whatever consciousness might be poking around her, but she just…couldn’t.
For an instant her mind entertained the thought that it might have been her brother but…she just couldn’t be sure, and she’d scoured the citadel from top to bottom for him, finding nothing but ghosts and shadows and odd sensations like this one. Running one hand over her face, she shook the feeling off and turned back to the direction they’d been going originally, continuing on. Maybe she was just hoping too hard to find him here that she was imagining things. She couldn’t just keep chasing ghosts in that citadel, not until she’d exhausted her other options on the planet first.
The village they arrived in was, indeed, quite small. Nestled in the narrow valley created by a small grouping of hills, the people there led quiet lives with small herds of animals, or tending small farms, or as craftsmen. That, however, wasn’t the odd part of their arrival. Because they were outsiders, many of the children had come up to get a better look at the three, often asking a slew of questions in Cerean…again, this was nothing horribly unusual, but what was unusual were the feelings Talau got from some of the older members of the village. Feelings of something akin to startled recognition, followed by denial, and (once they got closer, or passed, the people feeling these things) either relief, confusion, or disappointment mixed with an intense curiosity.
”Well, there’s already several people we can question just by how they feel…but the best idea might be going to the leader of the village, if we can find him or her…”
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Jazen
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Dec 8, 2010 18:45:29 GMT -5
Post by Jazen on Dec 8, 2010 18:45:29 GMT -5
Jazen listened quietly to Tal's answer, his young mind absorbing every word and placing the knowledge they instilled to work against his own rational thinking. The fact that her brother didn't get attached to places meant he could easily pick up and leave should the need arise, unless he became attached to something that wasn't a place instead. The fact that he never left unfinished business was a positive; as remote as the chance was that such a thing existed here, it was still a chance. And one that would aid their search if he had left something undone here. And logically, this was the best place to look. When a trail ran cold, the best course of action was to backtrack to the beginning, take the knowledge you had now compared to then and apply it this time around. With any luck, doing such would reveal something you had missed the first time when your view was not as broad.
Still, despite the positives to searching from the beginning, this was easily looking like a wild goose chase. The fact that her brother was better at being a shadow than she was(a thought that made Jazen wince, having seen briefly how good she was at it) meant that unless they found something concrete, this would be trying to track a bird that never landed. No tracks, no traces, no direction to even begin looking in. Well, all birds have to nest somewhere. And usually, that's a place they know well enough to feel safe. True, Latus was no bird but the concept still roughly applied. It was better than anything else Jazen could think up at the moment. So as Locke had said; best to get straight to it instead of spending time dawdling around. They had a starting point to work from and that was something at least.
He nodded in agreement to the plan, falling into line beside Locke as they started off for the village. Not more than twenty steps into their journey were they when Jazen noticed that he and Locke were the only ones moving. Stopping himself, he turned back to look at Talau, who had stopped a few feet back. She had turned back to face the citadel and when Jazen trotted back over to see why she had stopped, he noticed her eyes were focused intently in that direction. Those eyes of hers danced with several colors whose meanings were unknown to Jazen; a wary orange with gold sparks on a brown backdrop had taken the place of her normal green and golden eyes. He'd have to inquire later what the color changes meant; he was pretty sure he'd never been told that before.
Dragging himself from her eyes, he looked towards the citadel she was so fixated on, trying to figure out what was drawing her attention so. He didn't feel anything in the Force coming from the place....though there was a strange feeling in the air. For the learner that Jazen was, he couldn't even feel anything odd in the Force. But his sixth sense said something was strange, though he didn't press the matter. Tal soon snapped back to her senses and with a shake of her head, started back off the way they had been going. Jazen was quick to follow in the wake of the two knights, stealing one last glance at the citadel behind him before turning to the road ahead for good.
The trip to the village was short and quick and Jazen's eyes were soon staring at what looked to be a small backwater home. The village was located in a valley that a series of hills on all sides created and as they had been told, the village itself was tiny compared to the vast city they had journeyed from. Many of the people out and about tended to various tasks, most often involving the care of the small animal herds or simple farming. Jazen even spotted a few folks practicing the art of craftsmanship as the trio walked past. So focused was he on looking at the village itself that he almost stumbled over one of the many kids that had come running up to them to get a better look, Cerean words flying from their inquisitive mouths as fast as any repeatable rifle Jazen had seen. Apologizing to the child and giving him a friendly smile, he turned hi attention back to the others, who were busy sweeping the faces all around them. He didn't miss the feelings in the Force this time, especially the ones that occurred when the older folks saw Talau. Had they caught a break already?
"Perhaps me and Locke could see to finding the village leader while you take a better look around Master Talau. If I'm reading what the Force is telling me correctly, then some of these people have a sense of familiarity with you, or at least your appearance. Perhaps that means they have seen someone who looks like you.....does Latus look like you?"
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
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Dec 12, 2010 20:54:23 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Dec 12, 2010 20:54:23 GMT -5
After watching them for so long it was a wonder that he didn't know more about them. For so many weeks the beggar watched them go. Hundreds of them staggering, striding, strolling, slouching, stalking, swalking... swalking isn't a word. Heh. Sentient beings going about their business as usual. He knew what he was, what his place in the universe was, but he doubted that fact among these drones. There was always something buried deep; something sweet, something sinister.
The beggar sighed, shaking his head. Nothing was that simple; nothing black or white. Maybe next time he would concentrate on their goings on, simple life. But for now he had a tendril to follow.
And follow it he did.
For the next hour or so his posterior proceeded to ache as he mentally followed his target. The man was a courier. Made several stops during the day. Today he carried a particular package, more specifically a particular message that held the location of the beggars primary target; designation Moriarty. M. Whats more this courier had dealings with M, close dealings at that. The message wasn't even being delivered. M had contacted this courier about unrelated business and the foolish man chose not to use a secure line. The data itself was on the man's datapad.
Spare a chit for a starving man?
Theres always someone listening. Latus' mind's eye smiled. Everything now revolved around him obtaining that data. M no longer had a head start, no proxy or decoy; after two full years he had made his first and last error. And the courier? Latus would try not to hurt the man more than he had to.
From his seat the beggar watched the courier come closer, first in his mind's eye then with open eyes as the thin man dressed in a traveler's tunic passed through his field of vision.
Please, help a starving man...
The courier payed him no mind. For a moment after his passing beggar didn't move. The target's final delivery was a small village several miles outside of the citadel grounds and, if memory served, the courier enjoyed the run. For once speed meant little to the beggar as the disguise was now unnecessary. As his target passed beyond visible range, the haggard form stood, gathered his chits laden hat, and returned to his home, his box.
There were a few things he had to do first.
Minutes later, ragged clothing replaced by traveling robes the reborn form of Latus slipped beyond the citadel walls and out into the sprawling expanse of Cerean green. He was scruffy, unshaven but his hair was combed out and almost straight. He looked mostly like a jedi while the beggar still lingered over him. Anyone who knew him from the street corner would pass the similarity off as nothing; it made him smile. As he gazed at length at the surrounding greenery he forced deep breaths, energizing breaths that charged his lungs, his legs.
I'm coming, M. It will be great to meet you after all these years.
Stepping down the steps of the raised entrance the man nodded at the handful of passerby on their way up. When his feet touched the soft earth he released his restraint on the force directing them into his steps, the soles of his feet.
The wind tugged at his sudden acceleration and the world blurred at the edges of his sight, massive trees rushing foreword to greet him with open branches. His feet fell on rough bark, hard stone, soft loam his head rotating and tilting at his passing along the most expedient surfaces.He saw everything for several hundred feet though his eyes could not, trees as dull flashes, small animals as starbursts. For the first time in months he felt everything in a new way, a new mind. The senses of a jedi. He felt the air, the sun, the life...
He felt the courier.
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Dec 20, 2010 16:53:10 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 20, 2010 16:53:10 GMT -5
Pausing, she knelt down to get closer to eye-to-eye with the children that were excitedly hovering about them. She could only string together a few phrases in Cerean, but she hoped it would be enough to get her point across. Before she could ask anything, however, Jazen spoke up. Blinking up at him, she pondered what he said. ”That might be useful, yes. You aren’t the only one who noticed some of these people seem to recognize me, or how I look anyway…but they’re more confused than anything else. I can almost feel a sense of denial in them as well. It may be because of my parents. I…can’t say yet.” She shrugged a little and sighed. ”Well, there are familial similarities, but I'm not certain they would be enough to cause this sort of reaction, and he’s been gone long enough that…well, there may have been any number of things that have changed his appearance, especially if he’s been injured at any point.”
Beckoning one of the children she looked up at the brave soul that approached her. <<You speak basic?>> The boy nodded slightly and she sighed. <<No one speak basic? Do not speak Cerean well.>> He looked back at the others who shook their heads more or less, except for a girl of around 12 who spoke up. <<I speak a little basic>> Smiling, Talau waved her forward.
<<I am Knight Talau Firians, he is Knight Locke Nemsee, and he is Padawan Jazen Solari. We need the>> Village leader…” Swiftly she rifled through her vocabulary, attempting to select something more appropriate in Cerean, but she was at a loss. The girl tilted her head a bit to the side and thought, trying to figure out what the three needed. << Is it a person?>> Thank the force for the ability it granted to comprehend others, or they might have hit the language barrier hard. Instead she nodded swiftly.
<<Yes…important person here.>>
Thank the force for being able to pick useful words out of her limited vocabulary as well. The girl pondered a moment before consulting her companions. Somewhere in the back of the crowd the words “village elder” emerged, then echoed through the little group in a sort of “ah-hah!” way. Grinning, she nodded again. <<Yes! Good! Please…need talk with Village Elder. Have questions.>> The girl, obviously proud of herself for helping and them guessing what the jedi needed correctly, nodded and smiled.
<<Do you want to go see him? I can show you where he is…>>
Holding up one finger to the girl, Tal stood and looked at the others. Her senses in the force were prickling, telling of the swift approach of someone…or was it two someones? Looking back, she eyed the coalescing ‘thread’ that lead into the trees in the direction they’d come from. For a moment her eyes flickered a mild and wary orange, but she pried her eyes away to look at Rugs and Jazen instead. ”Do you two still want to go with her? It may be beneficial if we split up, as Jazen said. We can at least cover more ground that way and…” her words trailed off as she caught sight of the brown and yellow aura flickering through the trees…but the courier wasn’t what she was so interested in, it was rather the ‘thread’ that connected the two of them.
Why would she have anything to do with whoever it was that was jogging this way, even if it was only a vague connection?
As the man neared as she could see his details through the misty light around him, she felt an odd sort of ‘tug’ at her to slow or stop him. ”I don’t know what this man has to do with me, but I'm 80% certain he’s important to this whole mess, Locke.” She didn’t make a move, only looking back down to the girl beside her. <<You know him?>> The girl peeked around the gathering of jedi and nodded a few times.
<<He’s a courier. He comes here sometimes with messages. Why?>>
Nodding, Tal smiled a bit, though her eyes had shifted even more into a wary orange than before. <<Thank you. Curious.>> Glancing back at the man, she caught the vague shimmer of some other ‘thread’ in the force, but it flickered in and out of her sight as if it weren’t really there. Latus…? Could this courier somehow been connected to her brother? If so…how? ”If we’re very lucky, Locke, Jazen, we may have another lead on my brother…”
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Jazen
Beelzaboot
1,617 posts
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Rocking from the Great White North
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Master
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Dec 21, 2010 1:40:19 GMT -5
Post by Jazen on Dec 21, 2010 1:40:19 GMT -5
Jazen listened in silence as Tal answered his suggestions, his eyes watching a small Cerean girl who was standing near him. The girl had been staring at him since they had arrived, her eyes mirroring what Jazen felt in the Force when he reached out to her. Curiosity, excitement and fear, mixed into one, though the former two were quickly overpowering the latter. Outsiders, he thought to himself, must have been a rare sight indeed if they...if he was considered interesting. The other Cerean children around them were much the same in that regard; they were curious and excited about the new arrivals to their village and that outweighed their caution regarding them. The caution was still there but it only showed in their slight reluctance to come within a certain distance to the trio. And that distance was slowly shortening by the second.
Chuckling to himself at the thought that he could be admired or feared for any reason, Jazen turned back to focus on Tal, who was knelling to put herself on a level playing ground with the children. "It's hard not to notice. You don't need the Force to know these people see something about you that strikes a memory nerve. Still, without proper information, that could just be like you said, something regarding your parents. But it's a better lead than nothing at all." He tried, when she told him that there were facial similarities between her and her brother, to imagine what a male looking Tal would look like. He immediately shut down that idea; they weren't twins after all, so he probably looked very different, minus some key features like maybe a similar jaw shape or forehead. "Is there a base image of what he looks like that we can run off of? Otherwise, Master Locke and myself could walk by him without even knowing its him."
Having let his thoughts be known again, he dropped back to stand beside Locke as Tal turned her attention on the Cerean children. Within moments, she was speaking to the kids in their native language, though she slowed at points, likely to remember the words she needed to convey her needs to the small pack of kids that had gathered. He himself was not familiar with the language, though he was able to pick out words that tended to remain the same no matter what language they were spoken in. He couldn't figure out the context of the first first sentences she gave, despite hearing Cerean among the words.
The phrases with their names in it was easier to figure out. She was introducing them to the kids; that was the proper thing to do after all. The last words she spoke of that sentence were in Basic, either by design or because she did not know what the Cerean term for Village Elder was. Still, if the small girl before her knew just even a little Basic, enough to understand at least Elder, then the chances were high that she would be able to put two and two together. Please be an wise child, please be a wise child. It would be a shame to be stalled her because of a simple phrase.... Jazen discreetly crossed his fingers at his side, letting his eyes flutter to the other kids while they waited. Maybe one of them understood......
Luck favored them today though, as the girl suddenly posed a question to Tal(at least, he thought it was a question based on her body language when she said it), which Tal quickly responded to with renewed vigor. The girl, a pondering look upon her face, turned to her fellows for aid, which stirred the motionless pack into a bouncing bundle of joy in the Force. Since they all spoke in Cerean, it mostly just went in one ear and out the other for Jazen, until the words "village elder" came through clearly in Basic from the back. The words quickly spread among the small group, all of them chanting the words in Basic and with what he hoped to be the Cerean equivalent. The girl spoke once again in Cerean, a feeling of accomplishment wafting off her in the Force. She clearly knew where they wanted to go now, but Tal held a finger to the girl, a sign to wait a moment, before she turned back to Jazen and Locke.
"We certainty can cover more ground, but if the Elder or none of his staff know how to speak Basic, we may be at a loss here. I mean, its likely at least one of them knows and can translate for us. If not well.....I can't speak for Master Locke, but my Cerean is rusty. Like never been used rusty. We should probably find that out before we.......Master?"
Jazen's words trailed into nothing, much like Tal's, as her eyes fluttered to some point in the distance once again. Looking to Locke with a look of confusion for a moment, he turned his eyes towards where Tal was watching. There was nothing there, save for the woods that surrounded the village; but Jazen knew that Tal would not just be looking with her eyes. Spreading his touch with the Force wide, he directed his senses in that direction, past the thick trees, past the dense shadows, past the life that flew to him from the ecosystem of beings. He wasn't able to reach as far as Tal, but something finally came within reach of his senses, something that contrasted the natural life of the woods. Someone was approaching....a single man by the feel of it.....and yet.....something was off. Just like before, when they had been leaving for this village, something tickled at Jazen in the Force, an oddity that he could not understand nor find a reason for. Maybe it was just his after mission jitters or a lingering feeling of danger from the Sith; either way, it was something that he wouldn't be answering on his own.
Turning to Tal when she spoke again, Jazen again donned the mask of confusion, a barely suppressed "I'm the only one confused here, aren't I?" tugging at the corners of this mouth. He looked to Locke again and shrugged his shoulders before turning back to let Tal speak. After a few moments of conversing with the girl and eying the approaching presence again, Tal smiled a little and turned to the two of them. Her words made Jazen gape his mouth a little in surprise; did the galaxy's biggest goose hunt just turn into anything but that? A probable clue....and it had literally walked into their lap. Maybe there was some justice in the galaxy after all.
"80% is good......100% would be better but with nothing else to go on, its the best start we could hope for. And if he's the clue....might we stop him before he moves on? We can always visit the Elder after we talk with him. What do you think Master Locke?"
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Dec 21, 2010 15:58:49 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Dec 21, 2010 15:58:49 GMT -5
[sorry, this has been giving me fits :/]
Locke had been silent for most of their time in the village, quietly observing the people that passed them by. He listened to Jazen and Tal as he idly fiddled with the long piece of grass in his mouth, nodding every now and then when he felt it appropriate.
He listened to the conversation between Talau and the children, but didn't contribute anything; Cerean was a language he could understand through Comprehension, but it was not one that it spoke. Tal seemed to have it well enough in hand anyway. In the mean time, he continued to ponder, looking about for signals that might lead them to the missing Jedi.
He glanced over at the vague feeling in the Force that seemed to catch the attention of all of them at once. When the courier came, he looked to Tal, lifting a brow in way that asked 'how do you feel about this?' When she answered, he nodded and glanced back after the man, the wheels in his mind slowly turning. Perhaps this might not be so hard.
Or perhaps not. Time would tell.
He shrugged slightly at Jazen's question. "Can't say. But, if you feel that this man may be of importance, then let's see what there is to find out about him."
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
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Dec 21, 2010 18:23:33 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Dec 21, 2010 18:23:33 GMT -5
Moving along the well worn trail the courier panted hard as he finally came to the entrance of the far off village; the final stop of his trip for the day. All that remained was his run back and he could go have a drink with his mates at the citadel cantina. Though he enjoyed the run he was still suppressing a feeling of anger at the client, a young woman who wanted a simple letter passed to her family; she did the same thing every few weeks. He wished the cereans would move out of the dark ages and embrace technology like the rest of the bloody galaxy. At least there was a silver lining; it was good exercise and the pay was decent for a short jog in the vast forests surrounding the new-age citadels. Moving toward the valley-built settlement proper he skirted the edge of the town and came to the entrance of the village as no one he recognized seemed to be standing beyond the outer ring. Finally stepping in his eyes did caught the bulk of the local cereans gathered around several newcomers of whom seemed to be causing some commotion. The courier, a man of anti-jedi sentiments, paused when he saw the reason for the commotion; three distinct people, obviously not part of the cerean congregation. He swallowed as he thought of the cortosis-weave vibrodagger on his hip. They were probably not jedi but he was feeling mighty skittish all of a sudden; there were things there he wanted no one to find out about. Taking a deep breath he mustered his courage and withdrew the old-fashioned letter from his pack. He finally caught sight of his delivery; a male cerean wearing simple slacks and a tunic. As he moved closer in his hand subtly moved to his belt, ready in case they did something hostile. A slight breeze ruffled his hair and the man paused. He realized that the breezes only move in one direction through this particular village. He let the letter fall from his grasp. ************* An impact that rang like metal on metal vibrated throughout the village. The pale light of his saber illuminated the fear and hatred that the shadow thought he had sensed days ago, the surface thoughts of the courier easier to read than a neon billboard. A smile crawled over Latus' face as he felt the dagger slide along the plasma-blade of his saber mere inches from his face. The argent blade was vertical and had sprung to life just in time to save the shadow from being eviscerated by a very good looking weapon. He had anticipated the counter attack but not the quality of the weapon. Cortosis. Good choice!Nothing was spared within his attention on surroundings, just the target in hand. With a push both physical and mental he drove the courier back and off balance. The other man, one obviously skilled in the use of a dagger used the shift in balance to follow through and wildly bring the blade around again causing sparks to fly as it scraped the edge of the silver blade. The swing left the man open and Latus brought his knee up to connect with the sternum of his target, breath leaving in a violent rush. The courier, skilled but not a fighter floundered a moment too long recovering from the blow allowing Latus ample time to drive the hilt of his saber into the base of the man's skull. The courier went limp with a sharp cry, a moan; he'd be out for a few hours at least, a day at most. A strong arm slid beneath the form as his knees buckled, holding him so no further harm was done. Nodding the Shadow took a knee over the limp form and quickly flipped a pocket on the traveling vest open to reveal a compact data pad. With a smile he slipped it free, pulled out the data chip from it's bay, discarded the pad, and pocketted the chip. With a single gesture he willed the courier's dropped letter to his hand. There was someone who still had a delivery... <<Greetings. Is there a Mr. Lich'zuir here today?>>Allowing his mastery of the force to flow wild he searched the entire gathered populace with both his eyes and the force. He felt the familiar riff from earlier that day, the distinct sensation of a white; that would be handled after. A cerean male hesitantly raised his hand and Latus, all smiles, approached the hesitant man, offering the letter. <<There you are. Also, you may inform your honorable village elders that this man is wanted by the republic. They will correlate, sorry for the disturbance.>>Nodding in assurance that his deed was done he turned back toward the entrance. His confident stride made it several long strides before he paused mid-stride and turned toward the three figures that stood out against the village-dwelling cereans. <<Greetings,>> Talau Firians. Its an oddity running into you, here of all places. Its been, what? Two, three years?He strode with the same confidence until he was amid a few of the remaining cereans who had moved to inspect the body of the courier; the three he intended the basic toward standing as near to the center of the throng as possible. He quickly glanced over to the two others accompanying her. One was older and looked more refined, the other looked younger and with shorter... whiter hair. Padawan and master? Hmm, not to do but guess. If they are in her company its probably closer than not. Not than closer... nope, first way. Probably here from the initial hullabaloo.And <<greetings>> to you, <<honorable>> Master Jedi, and you, padawan learner. He nodded to them in turn before looking back at the lone woman amongst the four of them. I see you found me.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Jan 4, 2011 17:42:58 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Jan 4, 2011 17:42:58 GMT -5
Jazen certainly had a lot of questions. Valid ones, but a lot of them, and at the moment she was more interested in focusing on her broken Cerean and getting some information from the little girl before her. He’d just have to forgive her for not answering immediately…after all, it was taking her a lot of memory wracking and concentration to use what Cerean she knew. As she stood and watched the approach of the courier she’d half started formulating a reply to Jazen when the force, and the thread between herself and the courier, skewed and darkened…the ‘thread’ ‘vibrating’ dangerously. The thumb of one hand subtly flipped open a pouch on her belt as she slipped outside of the ring of children with two easy steps, her hands gently nudging them aside and back toward Locke and Jazen. An immediate reaction to the subtle danger she felt radiating from the man…there was no mistaking that his attention was on them and she wanted to keep that possible threat from including them if possible.
She needn’t have bothered.
A blur of grey-brown, skin, and black flashed past her, enveloped in a swirl of silver. Her face followed the motion and for a moment everything around her seemed to still, save for the light jingle of the silver beads in her hair as the burst of displaced air from his movement brushed past her. The moment was broken as that silver blade flamed to life in time to intercept a long dagger from the courier.
“Cortosis. Good choice!”
A flicker of a smile came and went along Talau’s face at the comment. She didn’t need her eyes to tell her that this was her brother, she could tell from his voice, even if she still couldn’t quite sense him. Holding up a hand to the other two with her, she kept her eyes on the situation before her, not certain yet if she should be worried about this situation or not. Talon had, almost miraculously, appear in her palm from the pouch on her belt, its black pommel resting there unlit…just in case. For as happy as she was to see her brother, she realized that he had been gone for quite some time now, and who knew what might have happened to him, his demeanor or thinking, in that time. This was why she had been sent after him…why Shadows were often preferred to go after rogue jedi to either bring the wayward souls back, or bring their sabers back instead…they were used to dealing with the fallen and the potentially fallen.
It was a lucky day, it seemed. Latus did little more than knock the man unconscious and search him. Wary orange and brown eyes looked on as he took the courier’s data pad (or rather the chip inside it), and then the letter…which was promptly delivered to the addressee. This struck her as all too well planned, too rehearsed, to be some random act of violence or mania…”What are you playing at, Latus…” she muttered to herself as she watched him approach the Cerean the letter was addressed to. Turning to Locke and Jazen, she nodded after her very…scruffy…looking brother. ”He looks like that. Only typically more…jedi and less…scruffy.”
Her ears perked slightly at the mention of the Republic and that the courier was a wanted man. Some of the orange in her eyes faded to be replaced with more of that light brown as they darted from Latus, to the unconscious courier, and back again. By now the children had either vanished back to their parents, or gathered closer to Locke and Jazen, first frightened by the fighting, then unsure of the new stranger in their village and what he said, and as the man drew closer some of the more timid ones scampered off or shuffled to the back of the group. As he stopped near her, she’d subconsciously grip Talon just a bit more…partly from caution, but mostly because a bit of her wanted to break inside at the oddly formal greeting he gave her. Touches of grey began to seep into her eyes before she cut the feeling off harshly and nodded back to him.
”Hello Latus…Yes, about that long, though I try not to remember. But is it really so odd to you?”
She’d let him greet Locke and Jazen before nodding again to his statement. ”This is Knight Locke Nemsee, and his padawan Jazen Solari.” She paused half a moment, glancing sideways at the two for a brief moment before looking back at Latus. ”You don’t seem surprised that someone was sent after you. I'm not certain if that’s a good sign or not, but yes…we found you. If only by accident. ”What are you doing here, Latus? And don’t try to be clever, give me a straight answer.” Even despite the situation, she couldn’t help a slight smirk ghost onto her features before fading again as she attempted to cut her sibling’s smart-aleck remark off before he could formulate one. Okay…really…she couldn’t help herself either…”I mean aside looking like a bu--…a bum…”
In half a moment her eyes had gone a startled orange and she’d slapped a hand to her forehead. No…no he couldn’t have escaped her (of all people) by hiding in plain sight! Oh, she could just tell he was going to be laughing at this. After a moment she sighed and looked back up at him, folding her arms across her chest. Here was to hoping. ”Please tell me you’ve simply been running around Cerea for a few weeks and just haven’t stopped long enough to clean up yet…”
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Jazen
Beelzaboot
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last online Apr 20, 2022 19:46:47 GMT -5
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Jan 4, 2011 21:27:39 GMT -5
Post by Jazen on Jan 4, 2011 21:27:39 GMT -5
Jazen had been gently fending off a couple of the small children who were a little more overzealous then their peers when he felt the breech in the Force. Like a siren blaring to all those aboard that danger was steadfast approaching, the Force tugged at Jazen's mind, a subtle indication that something was wrong. Or something was about to go wrong. Years of training and, more recently, missions where danger snapped at their heels at every turn, had made him a little more trustworthy of that warning system, even if he had no clue what was causing it. No, that wasn't quite right; his senses may not have been as great as Talau's or Locke's, but even he could sense the nervousness of the courier from here as he the man glanced looks their way as he moved towards the people. And when he felt the Force hiss a much clearer warning at him, he reached down to grip his saber as fast as he could.
Talau was the first to move, quickly moving herself from the children and gently indicating for them to retreat towards him and Locke. While some of the kids looked to be unsure and frightened, the stronger, more courageous members of the group silently started whispering to their fellows, gently helping them to gather at Locke and Jazen's rear. His icy blue saber remained dark, his attention torn between watching both Tal and Locke for a sign that the danger was a danger to them and watching the courier who seemed to be the source of this danger warning. He let his hand drift down ever so closely to his lightsaber's activation switch, but he wouldn't turn it on unless he absolutely had too. They were surrounded by kids after all, kids that were both confused and now scared and turning on his saber for no reason might do more harm than good. So he waited......
.......and watched as someone new suddenly burst onto the scene. Jazen couldn't see much from his initial entrance, as the man was a blur as he rushed the courier, but he was able to pick out some unique features. The man was rather tall, at least near what Locke was. A rather scuffy beard covered most of his lower face and black hair lined his head, his form covered by a decent, if not a little worn, set of robes. What drew Jazen's attention though, was the silver beam of light that extended from a device the man held when he arrived; a lightsaber beyond a shadow of a doubt. A lightsaber that had been pulled out just in time to prevent a small metal dagger from painting a happy face on the unknown man neck. And to his surprise, the dagger wasn't cleaved in two by the lightsaber's touch. Instead, it seemed to hold its ground. He was pondering what could do that when the unknown man answered for him. Cortosis, of course. That stuff is perfect for making anti-saber equipment. Not something a day to day carrier would really need to carry...or have the money to buy.
His body tensed at the sight of combat, his hand gripping around his lightsaber as he rose his other arm to indicate to the kids that they should stay behind them. That wasn't hard; only about half of the kids remained, the rest had managed to scatter back to their parents. The rest leaked fear and yet curiosity at the same time. Tough little folks, weren't they?
He was about to move forward a little more to be closer just in case the battle shifted their way when Talau made a motion with her hand for them to wait. He relaxed his stance a little, mindful now of a pair of hands that were clinging to the back of his robes, but he didn't completely drop his guard yet. His saber still rested firmly in his hand, his finger just waiting to trigger the blade to life at the first sign that this could be trouble. They had children to be mindful of after all,; he wasn't going to take chances.
Luck appeared to favor them though, as the man swiftly dealt with the courier. Jazen had to admit, the man that had descended upoon the courier was good. His first move had knocked the courier off balance, although he used that to mount a small counter attack. That too was evaded with ease, the blade scrapping off the silver saber just enough to deflect the attack. And from there, the courier was done. A swift knee to the gut had the man reeling and before he could regain his form, the stranger slammed the hilt of his saber into the man's forehead. The tensile strength of the man's legs failed as he collapsed to the ground, though the man caught him before he hit, letting him down gently. The man then dug through the courier's pocket's, retrieved what appeared to be the chip from the man's data pad, then took the letter the courier had been holding and personally sought out its owner. While he was doing that, Tal finally turned to them and indicated the man.
The awe and shock Jazen had gotten from watching Latus deal with the courier was replaced by surprise when Tal answered one of his earlier questions, indicating the man over there looked like her brother, though he wasn't usually that scruffy looking. He had to chuckle at that, a light smile gracing his face. They had found him. Or rather, he seemed to have found them, but one didn't look a gift horse in the mouth. What had started as a journey with no clues, no clear path, no real possible hope for success for a very long time had ended in an instant. Well, thank the Force. We couldn't have asked for a better outcome.
The brief words between Latus and the people of the village were lost to Jazen, as it was spoken in Cerean and as such, gibberish to him at this point in time. He looked to Locke as they spoke, asking him politely if he knew what they were saying and if he did, asking if he could tell him what they were saying. He knew Locke knew a fair amount of languages, but he wasn't sure if Cerean was among his vast collection. If not, he could always ask Talau and hope that she would tell him. He hated being in the dark on things, even if they weren't all the important. Note to self, add Cerean to my list of languages to study when I get back. Or here for that matter. Since he couldn't focus on what was being said, he instead focused on the man wandering up to them. Several questions had formed in the young learner's mind, the first and foremost being why he had attacked the courier or why the courier had a high quality weapon like that. But considering this was Talau's first encounter with her brother in what had to be years, he figured they could wait. They would probably come up eventually anyway.
He noticed that Tal gripped her saber a litle tighter as he stood before her, but she made no other action and neither did he. Instead, she answered his question and gave one of her own before turning to look at him and Locke. The elder Jedi greeted them, which Tal quickly followed up with a quick introduction of who he and Locke were. At the mention of his name, Jazen bowed his head respectively, choosing to say a few respectful words to the man. "A pleasure to meet you Mast....Mr Latus. That was a very impressive showing." The fact dawned on him that Latus was no longer a part of the order, therefore Mr was more appropriate than Master at this point in time, which was why he switched mid-word.
He remained silent after that, letting Tal take over the conversation. Indeed, some of the questions on his mind were asked, but at her last comment, Jazen barely managed to keep a chuckle from bursting through his lips. He couldn't be sure of the meaning when Tal called him a bum, then slapped her hand to her head as if suddenly realizing something but if he had to wager a guess...it might have done something with how he had evaded her. And if his guess was right, she was likely silently kicking herself right now, which stayed his laugh. "Likely he kept this appearance in order to avoid attention. Who gives the scruffy old man a second look? It's a good disguise."
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jan 12, 2011 21:34:24 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jan 12, 2011 21:34:24 GMT -5
Locke's attention stretched outward as he stood there. His eyes roamed over the buildings and people that were all around them. His ears heard various bits of conversation, and the Force, being the powerful ally that it was, made sense of those drifting words, turning them into something his ignorant mind could comprehend.
Almost all of it was irrelevant, of course.
But it was still good to listen, to get a feel for these people beyond simply trying to feel out their emotions. Every now and again, his focus would drift back to the conversation Talau was having with the little girl. She seemed to have it well enough in hand. Better than he or Jazen could have, anyway; while the Force could give him understanding of a tongue, it could not make him speak it.
Ah well, he mused, still with that long piece of grass in his mouth, we can take baby steps if we have to.
That was about the moment he felt something. Ripples, disturbing the up-to-then smooth surface of the Force. He turned his head to the source, lifting a brow slightly as he opened himself to the Force's sweet warmth.
There was a man a few paces away from them. He was looking at them, and not in a manner that seemed friendly. The disturbances came from him. Tal moved forward, nudging the two kids back toward him and Jazen. Locke put a hand on a shoulder of either one of them, but beyond that, he made no move. His expression didn't change, staying a mask of dull interest.
The Force stirred around him, though. Steadying, solidifying into a wall that might be hurled if the man tried something...
And then some other fellow came from nowhere and knocked him unconscious.
"Well that works," works, he chimed when it was all done. His hold on the Force fell, and he shifted the stalk of grass from one corner of his mouth to another.
Locke nodded to Latus as he was introduced. "Good to meet you Laus. Glad to find you so quickly. Or should I say that you found us?" He shrugged slightly, turning the grass with his forefinger and thumb and then smiled for a moment. "Whatever it is, glad to see you."
He listened to Tal's questions as she spoke them, chuckling slightly at the bum comment and then nodded. He'd been wondering what Latus might have been doing there himself, but, since the question had been asked, it needed no repeating. So he simply watched and waited.
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jan 18, 2011 0:08:56 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Jan 18, 2011 0:08:56 GMT -5
Though surprise was not the proper word to express how he felt the small group he had discovered seemed like a bonus, a showing that the force sanctioning his actions. Any whites would have been acceptable but it was Talau no less, a woman he had not seen in a very long time. Whats more one that his vision in the force lingered upon. Her voice reminded Latus of something softer, purer, a better time for him before he lost something of himself; something he could never retrieve. He knew, however, that such things were best left for later. As she spoke he allowed himself to drink in the notes and tones as if it were cool clear water albeit a hint of surprise and something else. Concern?
Why, yes it is odd. Coincidence, in fact, for you to arrive today of all days before and to come.
His head tipped to one side as he saw grey in her eyes, knowing full well that they were synonymous with her tone. With a little know how one could speak through her strange eyes. Before long, and as she introduced the other whites in her company even as they both spoke to him, his eyes never once left hers though he nodded to them in turn. Like a shower, he could not help but feel as though he was in dire need of what lay within them. Was it knowledge? Truth? His mind wondered for a moment if he was being rude but it was quickly silenced by a much more powerful force; his heart.
What's this? I do believe I have missed her these long years.
"You don’t seem surprised that someone was sent after you. I'm not certain if that’s a good sign or not, but yes…we found you. What are you doing here, Latus? And don’t try to be clever, give me a straight answer.”
Voice... voice. VOICE!
”I mean aside looking like a bu--…a bum…”
Huh? What? Bum... He blinked several times as if collecting himself. His stare was blank, mouth open a mere micron as his mind clicked and spun. After several awkward moments his mind caught up and grasped on her words, the whole line forcibly buried within his long term memory. Her statement made him blink several times, visibly bringing him out of his stupor.
Someone was sent after me? Now that is alarming. His voice neither rose nor fell, retaining the passive light-hearted tone from a moment before eyes glazing over as if in looking to another world. Were you looking for me? Ah, I suppose it works out for the best then. It would be unpleasant for you to not find me and then have to look and find to look and find me with the walk-walking searching for Latus. Coming for Latus. Oo-la-la. Taking a single breath his eyes regain their solidity and he looks back at the trio ignoring any strange looks. I was merely delivering a letter. <<Mr. Lich'zuir's>> wife sends one every week.
Sighing he took a step back turning in place until he came to face the collapsed courier. With one hand on his chin he guffawed once, his other twirling his long-hilt lightsaber as if it were a coin or a small stick around his waist, back, and shoulders.
Ship-dit had chip-chip with information about the mysterious designation M; In the blink of an eye he had turned on his heel to face them again, both index fingers pointing, thumbs up saber in hand. My target.
At that his eyes came alight looking at the three hands returning to his sides. Their expressions were telling and Latus immediately knew what they told in all; what they thought. Mixed with the fact that Talau seemed to remember his alias the shadow could only smile at his handiwork in both cases. But matter it did not, nothing at that moment save all that mattered mattered; circular thinking again?
As for where, I think a month or two of handling pans is explanation a-plenty. He couldn't tell if he smelled or not, his detection of it died off after a while. Scruffy and unshaven keeps the little people in the dark and me seeing everything there is to see.
And thank you Jasol, he paused to speak to the padawhite that was with them, My skills remain unlike my hygiene. Master, Nemsee, It is a pleasure although my hands remain unwashed and therefor unfit to shake by a white such a you.
As he completes his sentence he slipped his lightsaber onto his belt.
So why are you crazy jedi looking for little old me? Patience, I see, is a virtue that the council is short on. Silently he slipped his blade-hand into his garments and withdraws the small data-chip.With this chip my mission nears completion.
Pausing again he returned to chip to his vestments.
I seek a very dangerous Dark Jedi; no one knows his name simply calling him M, or Moriarty. On it is a decrypted signal of his last known location, one that will not change as the line he sent this one was... Latus gave several hearty chuckles and a pair of air quotes. "Secure."
Sighing to himself he seemed to lose himself for another moment before snapping back, eyes bright and blinking.
Why did you white's come to look for me? I thought the council knew it was going to take time to get to M.
Indeed he thought he told them it would take time, maybe deep cover... or maybe he didn't. His head cocked in a silent "who knows" and he took another step toward them making sure to be well away from them and down-wind.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
Master
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Jan 18, 2011 18:14:25 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Jan 18, 2011 18:14:25 GMT -5
His presence was…turbulent.
Even as she watched the movement in his aura, she felt a sting at her heart. Maybe…maybe she was just worrying too much. Focusing back on him…his words and voice, she at least took some comfort in the fact that she’d found him. Well…that they had run across each other, since really, neither of them had found the other.
“Huh? What? Bum…”
As he gazed at her blankly she took another breath, steadying herself. It was off…wrong…something was wrong. Not once could she recall him acting this way…giving her this look, as if he were attempting to make sense of what she said and failing miserably at it. She could feel it from him…through the force, their bond. Glancing down, she caught sight of the one she was searching for. Parts of that ‘woven cord’ between them seemed to be frayed…damaged and slightly discolored. Looking back up at him, she caught him blinking as if he’d just made sense of –
“Someone was sent after me? Now that is alarming.”
Talau almost dared to breath a sigh of relief…before his eyes seemed to glaze again. A sort of fearful orange crept into her eyes, just barely, threads of the stuff twining through the growing grey as she attempted to deal with the situation internally. As she attempted to make sense of it all, and decide what was to be done…and to cope.
“Were you looking for me?”
”Yes, Lat…I implied as much…”
“Ah, I suppose it works out for the best then. It would be unpleasant for you not to find me and then have to look and find to look and find me with the walk-walking searching for Latus. Coming for Latus. Oo-la-la”
She felt the pit of her stomach drop out, a dull ache tormenting her heart once more.
Have I lost my brother as well?
The thought had that grey and orange completely permeating her eyes though her face was a passive mask of calm. Hidden, buried and cloaked beneath her withdrawn signature, she was hurting and afraid. Another calming breath and she shifted her weight, arms still folded across her chest as she watched his every move. Those eyes of his never once flickered or shifted, but they regained (if only for the moment) their lucidity.
“I was merely delivering a letter. Mr. Lich’zuir’s wife sends one every week.”
When he turned, laughing at the man who lay out on the ground, Talau cast a sidelong glance to Locke and Jazen…the first she had given them in several minutes. Minutes that, to her, felt like an eternity. She could only guess at their thoughts right now…her attention was still far too focused on reading her brother…his intents. That glance, however, didn’t last longer than a moment. Finally, she collected herself…what was left of her anyway…and locked up yet another, newly formed, beast in the darkness of her heart. That vision...the one Locke and Jazen had witnessed...it hurt too much and she denied it vehemently.
Never.
“Ship-dit had chip-chip with information about the mysterious designation M; my target.”
When he turned back to them, Talau stood as resolute as ever, though the hue of her eyes had become a stony grey with only hints of yellow once more. Her weight had been shifted back to center and she waited…Calmly.
Emotionlessly.
”Your target? Latus, what are you…”
But he had already started answering her previous questions and returning Locke and Jazen’s greetings. He was lucid again, and she wondered (for a moment) if he had been toying with all of them. The thought was almost immediately banished from her mind. No, she knew better…this wasn’t right. Was he fully ‘gone’…no…but he wasn’t fully ‘here’ either. When he stopped speaking once more, questioning them as to why they were looking for him, Talau took only a moment to reply, her voice even…superbly calm and collected, perhaps even to the point of gentility.
”Brother, it’s been nearly two years since you last contacted the Council. You were gone before I left to Haruun Kal…and you were still gone when I returned. Not a word to anyone since then. The Council believes that you’ve gone rogue after so long with no contact.”
From the corner of her eyes she saw several of the village officials hurrying toward them and she sighed slightly, rubbing at an itch on her forehead and thinking swiftly. Glancing to Locke she’d make her presence, her mind, known to him.
--Keep an eye on my brother. I don’t feel any ill intent from him, but there’s something wrong. At points he just isn’t lucid, though it seems like an act sometimes. I just don’t want to take chances while I deal with the officials. Let him be, but just be mindful…this isn’t typically like him. Inform Jazen, please.--
Looking back to Latus, her eyes would bore into his, making her point clear before she even spoke. ”You stay here. I’ll deal with them, I speak the language enough to at least find out if they speak basic. After that you’re getting cleaned up and we’re going to talk. I need to understand what’s going on.”
This wasn’t an option, it would happen.
And with that she took charge.
Moving over to the Cereans who had just come, she spoke a moment with them in their language, broken though her speaking was. The point was clear enough, so they nodded and things commenced in basic. Again, their surprise at her (and when they glanced over her shoulder at Latus, his) appearance was palpable. More so upon divulging her full name…a thing she rarely (and only grudgingly) did when it was necessary. Stepping back to the others she would transfer the information she had gotten.
”The elder speaks basic, as do they. They’re taking the courier into custody for now and will notify the authorities. In the mean time, we’re to follow them. Latus, they said they have a place you can clean up in and then we’re all to speak to the Elder.”
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Jazen
Beelzaboot
1,617 posts
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Rocking from the Great White North
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last online Apr 20, 2022 19:46:47 GMT -5
Master
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Jan 19, 2011 0:45:53 GMT -5
Post by Jazen on Jan 19, 2011 0:45:53 GMT -5
Jazen knew it was impolite to stare at someone for a long period of time, especially when your look wasn't exactly a nice one. In this case, it was a furrowed brow and a questionable eyebrow raised. But Jazen couldn't help it; the man known as Latus was just so...so.....so random! His entrance had been flawless, appearing from the shadows to stop a potential threat, the air and the grace of a Jedi around him. Even his first introductions had been respectful, clear and precise to the questions posed to him and the situation that had appeared.
It was at that point that Jazen had sighed in relief. What might have been a long wild goose chase had ended faster than anyone of them could have expected....and they had found Talau's brother. But when Latus started spacing out to Talau's next questions, seemingly lost to the world around him for a few moments before realizing that the questions had been posed, Jazen wondered how much of him they had found. He went from glazed eyes and an empty stare into nothing to eyes full of recognition and understanding as if his mind couldn't decide which it wanted to field as the dominant mindset.
And his responses mirrored the changes in his appearance. One minute his responses were lucid and made sense; the next they were as confusing as they were random. It was like watching a holo flim that had been damaged over the years, so bits and pieces of it were faded, lost from the eyes of the viewer. Had Latus lost some of his senses since his journey or had he always been this way? Truthfully, only Talau would know that, so Jazen shifted his eyes from Latus to her, looking for any indication that everything was okay.
It obviously wasn't. When she turned to look back at him and Locke, Jazen noticed her eyes had taken on a mixture of orange and gray; and if he recalled correctly, those colors alone didn't mean great things. Together they made it clear that everything was not right with this situation. Her eyes were the only indication something was up though; the rest of her face was a mask of calm and as always, her presence in the Force was well masked.
After that, she turned her attention back to her brother, as did Jazen. Latus had turned to speak to them by this point, answering the questions they had previously given him, which left Tal's question hanging in the air for a time. Jazen noticeably twitched, both in the Force and physically when Latus called him...what had he said....Jasol?, a frown appearing on his already bunching face. "It's "Ja-zen, Mr Latus, not Ja-sol. Please try to remember that." At least he'd been right about why Latus looked the way he did; who gave the smelly old man resting on the road a second thought? Not many and even if they did, it probably wasn't hard for him to discourage them away.
The man came back to telling them why he was out here, which turned out to be a long term assignment tracking down a Dark Jedi, who went by the alias M, aka, Moriarty. The name went into one ear and out the other with Jazen, which wasn't unexpected. The fact that the Council had sent him on the task, then sent someone to look for him would have been odd. That was, until Talau mentioned that it had been two years since he had embarked on this task, without so much of a word to the Council to confirm he was even alive. That, Jazen supposed, gave them enough reason to send them to seek him out; to confirm if he was dead, alive or gone rouge as Tal suggested. At least it appeared to be the best outcome; alive and still working.
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught Jazen's attention, prompting him to better look upon its source. Several men were approaching and from their attire, they were the people in charge around here. The others noticed them too as far as he could tell, a thought that was reinforced when he felt Locke's voice in the back of his mind. He turned to look at his Master, then back to Latus for a moment before he turned his attention back to Locke, nodding and sending his understanding to Locke via the Force.
--Oh sure, we get to watch a man going in and out of reality. I really hope he's just faking for effect, for all our sakes. I also hope that the wrong feeling in the Force doesn't mean this day is about to turn into another Alderaan; one of those was enough.--
He waited in silence for Tal to return, paying attention to anything said or done between Locke and Latus as they had been instructed. When she returned, bearing information regarding their meeting with the village elders, Jazen silently nodded before lightly chuckling at the comment about Latus getting cleaned up before they were ushered in. "Oh, please do that. I can only stand so much of that smell without gagging and I'm at my limit. And perhaps a shave would be good too; one scruffy looking Jedi is enough." That last comment he knew would be caught by his Master, who he flashed an innocent smile towards. He was only joking of course; something he hoped would ease the tension that was winding its way around the group ever so slowly.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
6,347 posts
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Friendly neighborhood CEO
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last online Jan 12, 2024 11:24:20 GMT -5
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Feb 2, 2011 15:46:37 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Feb 2, 2011 15:46:37 GMT -5
For a few moments as Latus stood there, talking, Locke stoically watched. Clearly, something was wrong with the man. Right? He furrowed his brow as Latus kept talking about.... something. The words drifted in and out of making sense, and often spent time hovering right around weirdville. What's wrong with him? Even if Locke didn't know the guy, he doubted that Latus would normally act so unstably. It just didn't seem fitting for one of the Shadows.
But is this real? Or is he putting on a show? Locke's weight shifted from his left leg to his right and he finally took that long piece of grass from his mouth and let it fall to the ground. It's hard to tell.
His brow furrowed further as he let his gaze drift to Tal, wondering what she was thinking. Surely it must have been odd for her, finally getting to see her brother after so long, but seeing him like... this. He let his mind reach out to her, speaking softly through the Force. "Tal?"
It was then that she turned, looking at him and Jazen with worried eyes and a worried face. The glance was there and gone in an instant, but he picked up the signs; it was something he was used to doing. Something's wrong, then.
Locke stayed in the background as she spoke, not giving any sign that he was aware of any of the goings-on until she reached out to touch his mind with her own. "Understood, Tal. Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on him."
Turning to Jazen, he'd speak again. "Hey Kiddo, Tal's going to talk to the Cereans. We'll stay and keep an eye on Latus." A wary eye shifted back to the strange Shadow, wondering just what was up with him. "Yeah, kid, I hope everything's alright. I want to say this is some kind of act, but it's hard to tell. Something's definitely going on, though"
It didn't take long for Tal to return. They were to meet with the village elder, as well as find a place for Latus to clean off; something that would be a blessing for all of them, no doubt. "Sounds good," he said with a nod. Then he started after the Cereans, following them to wherever it was they might be leading them. "Let's go, then."
As they walked through the village, he stayed quiet, keeping to himself as his thoughts turned. What could be up with Latus? It's all so strange... Two years was a long time to be gone on a mission, certainly, though not unheard of for Shadows and Investigators. Two years without any word back to the Council, though... Again, not completely unheard of, but certainly not something that happened often. Could something have happened to him while he was away? He shook his head slightly. Details. It would be hard to hazard any sort of guess for all of this without details.
The Cereans leading them turned into a large building, relative to the rest of the buildings in the little village. The interior was looked to be a large main hall, with a few doors leading to other rooms. Tables were spread throughout the big hall, and a fire blazed in a large hearth at the far end.
"You may all wait here," one of the Cereans said. "We can have food or drink brought, if you would like any." He turned to Latus. "There is a place for you to clean right this way, if you'd follow me."
Locke watched the Cerean turn to leave, and sat down at one of the tables, leaning his arm back over the back of his chair. He scratched as his beard in idle thought for a moment, still trying to figure out what was going on. "So Tal," he said after a while, looking to her with his stormy grey eyes, "what do you think about all this? You think something might be causing him to act like that?"
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Mar 5, 2011 1:01:49 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Mar 5, 2011 1:01:49 GMT -5
Their responses were as to be expected as his words settled in but the introduction did seem to spark a wave or two between him and the group. The older male had the feel of a white master to him, complete with the stick; seemed to have a good head, though. However, the padawan seemed to have one of those personalities. Glancing over at the padawan his head tilted a few degrees off center and he smiled.
"It's "Ja-zen, Mr Latus, not Ja-sol. Please try to remember that."
It was a nickname! Besides... I like Jasol better.
Righto, Jasol. I'll try my best to remember that but I make no promises.
Through eyes that hid both madness and intelligence the shadow watched the play of the trio that had sought him out. They had obviously not found what they were looking for or something that did not meet their preconceived notions. Their faces gave that much away as he slowly breathed the fresh air and basked in the warm sunlight.
Latus could not help but think of how quaint the place was; so peaceful.
It felt strange, new; as though he was feeling it as a different person. Such was not really true but for every moment he spent in the light he felt himself build just that much more of himself back up.
" ...nearly two years since you last contacted the Council. You were gone before I left to Haruun Kal…and you were still gone when I returned. Not a word to anyone since then. The Council believes that you’ve gone rogue after so long with no contact.”
Impatience, eh? They should have waited longer. As you can see, I've done nothing of the sort and am nearly finished with my mission.
The excitement in the village was markedly calmer now than before and folks moved hither and yon but still giving the small group of Jedi a sizable amount of room. Or maybe it was the smell. The temptation to chuckle was repressed as he glanced this way and that. Off to one side he saw a small group of self important folk moving in and out of the crowd in their direction. Though Latus desperately wanted to make himself scarce his gaze were drawn back to the sole woman white among them.
Talau's eyes seemed different than he remembered, colder and harder. The distance seemed to have grown between them, her eyes that is. Maybe that was what happened when you grew up, maybe not. Three years was a long time and she had changed from the image of her in his head. Sadly the circumstances could have been better. Latus knew it had been a great deal of time but even if he did not expressly say how long it would take the council should have understood the gravity. What if Talau had given him away; threw him off M's trail.
Irrelevant; you have the chip-chip, it no longer matters.
For the most part the whites just seemed to want to know where he had been for the past two years. Now that an explanation was out of the way he thought he could get back to business.
Sprechening of such I should get...
”You stay here. I’ll deal with them, I speak the language enough to at least find out if they speak basic. After that you’re getting cleaned up and we’re going to talk. I need to understand what’s going on.”
Ooh, the commanding tone; he didn't like that one bit. His light expression darkened as he breathed to keep from bolting then and there. They may be able to catch him but the council would not have been happy with them for hindering his progress when he was so very close... His tenseness softened. After living alone for several years, being told what to do felt like a slap in the face. Before she turned to head off the Cerean villagers he spoke.
Incorrect; you want to understand what is going on. I'll agree to getting tidied up but I've said all I can about my task for the time being.
He scoffed as she left the group and shook his head. For the moment there was nothing to do but wait. A quick glance to Master Locke and Jasol and he smiled. In his mind's eye he felt more than saw the force coalescing around the two whites as as formless clouds that constantly shifted. He did not try to reach out but just observed how their flows shifted and molded. They were most likely talking to each other, wondering what was to happen next. Latus smiled, having been without the force for such a long time made his reconnection with it refreshing, renewing.
This is such a pretty place, is it n...
His eyes glazed as something within his mind sparked. It was not a memory or a feeling, but a hint within the folds of the force that there was something else about this place. However, it passed as quickly as it came and in the next moment Talau had returned and spoke to them but it took a long moment before the shadow could draw his mind away from the strange feeling as his eyes regained intelligence. Jasol even spoke, albiet softly, making his displeasure at the odoriferous shadow well know. This made Latus smile.
Huh? Oh, uh, good. Lead the way.
Taking to his heels he followed the female white as they wound their way through the village. They were ushered into the main hall of one of the larger buildings and soon their little group had split up, Latus quickly being ushered off to have a freshening up. He soaked for longer than he should have in the limited facilities that were offered, but if there was one thing that he missed about the civilized world it centered around hot showers.
A short while later he emerged from their facilities looking, and smelling, a great deal more pleasant. He hardly recognized himself in the mirror after so long. The attending Cereans had done a quick cleaning of his robes and, despite being a bit damp around the edges, they fit like new. Returning to the seating area he found it stocked well with food and drink. Locke, Talau, and Jasol were seated and enjoying themselves, talking amongst each other. Nodding he made his way to the table at which they sat, pulled out the chair, and took his seat. Without saying a word he pulled the serving tray over and filled his plate, tearing into it with the voracity of a man who had not eaten in days. Despite that, he was neat, failing to spill or waste a drop or crumb.
So, what do you need to talk to the elder about? He asked, in between mouthfuls. I cannot afford to waste more time than I have already.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 26, 2011 16:01:51 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Apr 26, 2011 16:01:51 GMT -5
Okay, so tis time to resurrect the sleeping beast and see if we can’t get’er done.
She’d known he wouldn’t like it…not many did, but orders were orders, and she had hers direct from the Council not more than two weeks past. She needed to know what was going on so she could report back to them. It just so happened that their curiosity and her curiosity ran along the same track. Selfish? Perhaps, but at least it got the job done at the same time. There was a saying about two birds and one stone…
”No, brother, need…and not for myself, I have a report to give. However, we can talk about that later.”
Her hard tone of voice belied the fact that she was very much concerned about Latus’ well being. This mission was more than business, it was personal…something she was far from comfortable with it being at the moment. She’d let it drop there, however, going to speak with the Cereans. Something was nagging at her, however…she just…wasn’t sure what. Yet another thing for her already turbulent mind to chew on, she supposed as the Cereans she’d spoken to came up a moment later and beckoned them to follow. A slim hand ran through her hair and she suppressed an annoyed look at Jazen upon his comment. Let Locke sort him out… she reminded herself. The dig at Locke and Latus both being scruffy was one thing, but the first part just seemed…rude…to her. Even if it was true.
It didn’t take them long to reach the building they were being lead to, the interim filled with a sort of pensive silence…for the most part. For her part, Talau couldn’t help but want to bombard her wayward sibling with questions, mostly for the Council…partly for herself. It was difficult not to be selfish when it came to family, she was learning this more and more as time went on. She’d missed him, been worried, had to attempt not to be distracted by thoughts of where he might be or what might have happened to him once she’d returned to the temple after her impromptu vacation on Haruun Kal…she’d wanted to leave and find him on her own. She nearly had a few times, but what good would it have done?
Now that she was here and he was in reach…well, it was difficult to keep to herself…to keep from probing him and trying to figure out just what this was all about. To figure out what his actions were about. He…wasn’t the man she remembered. Not exactly. He certainly wasn’t what she’d expected. Shaking her head slightly at herself, she would sigh and lock her emotions up again. I’ll deal with them later…when I’m alone again.
“You may all wait here, We can have food or drink brought, if you would like any.”
She nodded slightly to the man and offered a small smile and a word of thanks as he turned to Latus and led him off to clean up. Glancing around the hall, she took in the elegantly simple architecture of the place, from the tables to the walls and doors to the fireplace at the end. Some golden-brown seeped into her grey eyes as she looked about, hardly noticing Locke or Jazen for a long moment. This place, it feels…her brow furrowed a moment as several of the seats perched in one corner near the fireplace seemed to hold her spellbound. It was Locke’s voice that finally brought her back out of what felt very much like a vivid daydream. Blinking once she would look back at him, the glint in her eyes almost giving the impression she was looking at him as if seeing him for the first time.
That glint was gone as swiftly as it had appeared.
Sighing, she sat in the chair across from him and pulled her hair around to one side, her hand smoothing over the silky strands and the entwined silver beads for a moment as she pondered how to answer. ”I…I don’t know what to think, Locke. This isn’t how I remember him at all and it worries me. I mean…I know there have been times when knights (particularly) have gotten so entrenched in their duties as a Shadow that they…slip…but he doesn’t feel dark to me.” She’d sigh again and shake her head slightly. ”That doesn’t mean much, however; he keeps himself hidden much like I do. Still…this doesn’t feel…it doesn’t feel like that and I’m trying to find a hint.” Settling back in her seat she’d fall silent again as she felt one of the Cereans coming up from behind her. The woman paused at the end of the table they sat at, a pitcher of water and some glasses on a tray, which she set down and started handing around.
“Here is some water for you, but we have tea or milk or juice if you like…are you hungry at all?”
”I can’t speak for the others but tea would be nice, and I know that my brother will be hungry, at least. He’ll need something proper to eat and anything light you might have around may be good for the rest of us…”
The woman smiled and nodded, waiting for the others to see if they wanted anything different before giving a little bow. “Alright. I’ll be right back,” and with that she bustled off through the same side door she’d appeared through before Talau even had a chance to say thank you. Shrugging it off slightly, she turned back to Locke and Jazen, turning her water cup in her hands.
”I hope that he cooperates…” Her eyes studied the water in the cup as she used the force to make little ripples in it. ”I have little idea of what his mission was exactly, but whatever it is…it feels…well, I’m not sure how to describe how this feels. There’s just something wrong with all of it…like there’s more to it. Maybe he sees more than I do because he knows the mission, but it makes me…uneasy.” That was an understatement. It felt personal, and that had her more than just uneasy with the whole thing. She wanted to think it was because Latus was involved, and while that may well have been part of the reason, it didn’t feel like he was the only reason.
She fell silent then, her eyes fairly distant as she kept her attention focused on the water before her. Something else was bothering her…the reactions of the people here to her and her brother. It sat wrong with her…her instincts telling her that their reactions meant something had happened to burn her family into their memories. The thing was, she couldn’t tell if it was a good or a bad thing. The woman returned with the food, settling a bowl of sliced fruit and a few plates of crackers, cheese and thinly sliced meat on the table before bringing something a bit more…hearty…for the half-starved shadow who had yet to reappear. Of course, not long after the food had been brought Latus returned as if beckoned by the food, settling in and swiftly starting on his meal.
A slight smile formed on her face and she shook her head a bit, her eyes threading thin lines of a happier blue into the dull grey that clouded them. As he spoke all she could do was sigh internally and ponder her reply as she finished her own current bite. ”Well, I didn’t ask to speak with him…he asked to speak with us. I would guess it’s because of the ruckus we’ve caused in his village. While we’re here, though, I have some questions about our past that he may be able to answer.” She shook her head just slightly after that, chocolate color hair slipping back behind her. ”I’m not so concerned with those questions as I am the ones I have for you, Lat…the Council needs my report and that report should include your…status…and preferably you.” Taking a drink of her tea, she would settle it back down on its saucer and lean her forearms on the table, studying him quietly…as objectively as possible.
It wasn’t easy.
”Lat, they want me to bring you back…that’s why I was sent out in the first place. They’re concerned about the fact that you’ve been gone so long with not a word. From what I understand you were supposed to have reported in at least twice by now with updates…if you had…” A light shake of her head was given. He would understand, she hoped...if he had reported in she wouldn’t have been sent out to find him and he could have gone along his merry way unhindered. ”You understand, Latus…but now that I’m here I have to have my orders to bring you back.” Her voice had remained soft, calm…as caring as she could make it while keeping herself cut off from the bulk of her emotions. Some of it still seeped through, though…she was still fallible, after all. The concern was all too obvious in her eyes and expression, and no doubt he would be able to feel vague hints of the inner turmoil she was feeling over the situation as well.
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