In the Garden of Sinners

[Apillis]

Despite her role within the Jedi Order being that of a Jedi Instructor, and somewhat secondarily as a Jedi Artisan. Still because of her decades of experience as a Jedi Peacekeeper, Aeia during unique circumstances called in not necessarily to fulfill that role, but more along the lines of a consultant rather than anything martial. And since the events when the Sith Order chose to really make their presence felt during an assassination attempt on the Supreme Chancellor's life--law and order within Druckenwell has been shaky. Some say it is merely criminal elements feeling more bolder there since then, some say it is Sith influence. Perhaps it is even a bit of both, but who can say really without further investigation.

Aeia herself rather leave that to Jedi Investigators, Shadows, and Peacekeepers, these days she is happy merely being an instructor to new generations of Jedi. But again, she does not mind helping on a consulting level from time to time. And Druckenwell's case given what had a occurred there fits the bill for being a 'unique circumstance' in her mind.

Anything to further a cause of justice and maintain law has been something of a passion for Aeia, though. A firm believer in the primary duty of society as a whole is justice, and the most powerful shield to protect the weak and inflicted is law. Thus lending advice and counsel to places in situations such as Druckenwell, Aeia was willing to oblige. Though, she find it a little odd that they requested her to go there personally, but it was not something all that out of the ordinary, so with a some reluctance for taking a little bit time from teaching classes, she agreed.

On the way there Aeia explained to Jia the various duties of what a Jedi Peacekeeper does, and their purpose for maintaining law and order within society and how a large part of the job of a Jedi Peacekeeper is to quell violence in the civil sector before it has a chance to unleash. Albeit, much of the explanation was tied up in Aeia's own perspective of law and order, stating so long as injustice has not stopped its fight against what is just, renewing the fight with its polar over and over again in the affairs of all sentient beings, that they must be willing when the need arises to do battle with the unjust. To do nothing while knowing of the evil the unjust with inflict upon the powerless, is an evil of its own kind as Aeia saw it.

But it was only shortly after landing within the Il Avali spaceport that Aeia begun to sense something was... not right. What it was she had no clue, her perceptions through the Force had never been anything beyond mediocre. However, to turn back now would arise only suspicion, and more so--likely shift whatever the foreboding she feels onto someone else. And shifting labor onto another had never been something Aeia felt right about.

The moment they exited from their shuttle, she and Jia were being approached by a slim built man in a formal Republic Security uniform...

((Edit: Fix'd typo))

[Dee]

Jia was relieved to be out of the Temple and doing something with herself again. She'd missed this feeling of doing something important to help others.

She was accompanying Aeia to Druckenwell, where the High Council member's presence had been specifically requested to consult the Republic security forces there. From what she had been told on the trip there her new master had been a Peacekeeper for many years, and the reputation she gained stuck with her despite having retired from the role years ago. When the chance came to help bring some peace to a suffering planet, Aeia was more than willing to take it.

It was good that she was, and Jia herself was glad to be helping her. The Padawan enjoyed helping to protect peace, especially when it involved as little violence as possible. She understood that sometimes they had to fight, and she would without hesitation to defend others. But if they could protect people, make their lives easier, and keep the peace without ever lifting their lightsabers... Well. If only every situation went so smoothly.

The second their shuttle landed the girl felt... uneasy. Something tugged at her senses constantly, as if trying to alert her of something... but she couldn't make sense of what it could be. It wasn't exactly full blown fear, but this sense of nervousness in her, the feeling that something was off, something was wrong. She couldn't put her finger on what it could mean, and it bothered her.

Maybe it was just her nerves. After all, it had been weeks since she left the Temple, and was her first important assignment with her new master. Maybe she was just worried about not showing Aeia a good first impression, or that she would do something to hurt their efforts here. She knew this meeting was important. From what she had heard, Druckenwell had this unstable feel to it, ever since the Sith's assassination attempt on the Chancellor's life that had happened a while ago. What they did here could either help relieve that, or make it even worse. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for something that caused the latter.

All of those feelings were in fact in her... But this tense uneasiness that tugged at her felt like something else entirely. Aeia may have felt it too? What was the Force trying to tell them? As she followed her master out of the shuttle, Jia's eyes swept over their surroundings as if she expected to see something. She didn't, of course... Nothing really seemed out of place. Yet the nagging feeling remained...

The teenager stood next to Aeia and quietly uttered to her, "Master, something doesn't feel right to me...", before her attention was drawn to the Republic Security officer who approached them. She watched the man as he walked toward them, and fell quiet to let Aeia speak to him. But she remained alert, watching their immediate surroundings intently. She had to be ready to react in case her senses warnings were accurate in any way. And if they weren't... well, it never hurt to be prepared.

[Apillis]

As the Republic Security officer approached them, Aeia could tell that Jia it too felt something was off about them being there. Though, Aeia maintained a level of composure, because if she started visibly appearing worried, then how would Jia react to such a sight? Besides, it is never a good sight, seeing a Jedi lose their cool no matter the circumstance.

"Master, something doesn't feel right to me..."

Aeia did not react to Jia's utterance, instead she kept her focus on the Republic security officer approaching them. He greeted them with a smile, "Master Jedi, the Republic Security Force is grateful you both came as timely as you did.", he uttered, "We're having a bit of a struggle here with underground elements acting up. Criminal activity has been... odd... So your aid is greatly appreciated."

Albeit, Aeia held a bit of a detached disposition with him, because something simply was not sitting right with her, "It's not a problem, so long as your superiors understand we're only here for consultation--not investigation", she stated flatly, "Our stay will be brief, we have students to attend to at the temple. If the Republic Security Force here requires more in depth aid from the Jedi Order, I will be quite happy to recommend a list of Jedi Investigators and Peacekeepers."

"Uh, yes, of course, Master Jedi. My superiors understand the situation well.", he chirped as he then requested, "Come right this way, we have another transport awaiting to take you to the Republic Security Force Headquarters of Il Avali."

The stern detachment Aeia seemed to regard the man only appeared to grow more distant and cold. All of was a bit irregular, even beyond just the foreboding she sensed. Why was there only one Republic Security officer there to greet someone as a high-ranking as a Jedi High Council Member, and the most importantly to Aeia, he never introduced himself. Perhaps he was just forgetful, perhaps the Republic Security Force within Druckenwell was severely lax, but coupled with the foreboding that Aeia was able to feel, as well as Jia clearly could, Aeia dismissed such coincidences. Besides, why lead them to another part of the space port, and simply have the transport waiting for them right there when they landed?

It was clear to Aeia what the situation was culminating into.

Yet, knowing what the situation was likely to devolve into, Aeia chose to allow she and Jia to fall victim to the trap as they were lead to the open--deserted area of the spaceport. From cast shadows of large industrial shipping crates not far from where they stood, out stepped four black cloaked figures walking toward them.

"Now, Master Jedi", said the supposed Republic Security officer as he drew his blaster pistol and turned to face Aeia, "you'r--", but before he could finish what he wanted to say Aeia was already right there in front of his face. The weapon he had just drawn he suddenly found the barrel of it pressed under his chin as he still gripped the blaster. As one hand gripped firmly onto his forearm and the other onto his hand with her index finger resting on top of his trigger finger. His eyes went wide in dismay as he grabbed onto Aeia's forearm knowing exactly what was going to happen next and attempted to put at least one last pitiable act to save his own life. But it was too little, too late--Aeia's index finger pressed down on his trigger finger as her hand gripped his own that held the blaster. The blast bolt shot through his head into the cloudy sky. In the next instant his body flopped to the ground lifeless.

The dead supposed Republic Security officer's blaster now in Aeia's hand, she looked at with a nonchalant, unimpressed gaze before tossing it aside like a piece of trash as she uttered, "No grace... no finesse..."

The cloaked individuals numbered in four, and while Aeia's perceptions through the Force were not necessarily anything special, it was obvious to Aeia's senses what they were. But none of them appeared to be of any real experience, each appearing to be anywhere between a few years older than Jia to maybe a decade at most. These boys were minions, not leaders--the consistent foreboding she was feeling, it did not seem to stem from them. It was... something other.

It was with a calm tone that Aeia uttered to Jia, "There isn't anyway around this confrontation. And it will be a difficult battle. But, remember what you have faced and endured and survived. You have stood before two very powerful dark practitioners, powerful enough where even at my very best--I question if I could even survive the encounter one on one. But, notice, I'm not worried now--not one bit. You don't need faith, Jia. You have experience."

Stepping over the corpse of the dead 'Republic Security officer', Aeia took a few paces toward the four cloaked figures that approached them. When she did, they paused in their approach, and the four stood staring down the Jed master and padawan. It was only a question then of who was going to make the first move...

[Dee]

Aeia's demeanor was... different as she spoke to the Republic security officer. Jia would go so far as to describe it as cold. It was a really strange shift... but maybe it was because she could feel that something was off as well. As the man began to escort them elsewhere Jia followed closely behind her master, and didn't allow herself to relax yet.

The feeling became worse. Stronger. It made her extremely uncomfortable and took some effort to hide. As they were led to an abandoned, open area of the spaceport the girl could even physically feel it. It was this tenseness in her body, not unlike the effect that stress or fear would have on someone. "I have a bad feeling about this...", she spoke very quietly, and not exactly directed at anyone in particular.

As if on cue, four dark cloaked figures stepped out from behind some shipping crates. Jia quickly side glanced at Aeia, and saw that she was still completely composed. An example she would try very hard to follow. She looked forward again only to see their escort draw his pistol and begin to turn toward them. "Now, Master Jedi, you'r--" The teenager's hand immediately shot to the hilt of her lightsaber, but she didn't need to react. Aeia was already in front of him and had grabbed his arm and hand, forcing him to point the gun at himself. At this point she could probably disarm him, or... Wait, she wasn't going to--

The sound of the blaster going off caused Jia to startle. As Aeia dropped the now lifeless body of the supposed security officer to the floor, the Padawan could only stare wide eyed in shock. She didn't get much time to analyze what had just happened. The cloaked figures were slowly approaching them and it was increasingly clear that they weren't here for a polite discussion.

"No grace... no finesse..." Her master tossed aside the gun before returning her attention to the men closing the distance. Jia glanced quickly down at the corpse, then to Aeia, and then at the ones across from them as she tried to force the event that had just unfolded out of her mind for now. She and Aeia were outnumbered, and all of them were force sensitives, probably not incredibly strong, but... well, probably stronger than she was. She drew in a deep breath as she tried to calm herself and hold back the anxiety she felt rising inside her.

Aeia spoke again, words of encouragement intended to calm, and maybe inspire the girl. She listened without taking her eyes away from the cloaked men. For all she knew, they could attack at any moment. She did find Aeia's words to be comforting. They didn't completely wipe away all uneasiness in her, but enough to keep her from seeing nothing but the worst of this situation.

Her master was right. She had helped face down and fight two extremely powerful dark side wielders. It was difficult and not without injury, but physically, Rin and Jia had gotten through it. They both got out alive despite everything seeming to fall apart around them. She knew she owed most of that to Rin. If she been been alone, things would have gone much differently... but she wasn't alone this time either, and these men didn't feel like Sith Lords to her. She just had to stay focused, stay calm, and everything would be ok. She had survived then, she would survive now.

Aeia stepped forward and the cloaked figures stopped, and began to stare them both down. After a moment Jia steeled herself and followed her master, taking the few steps forward to stand at her side. Her hand remained rested against her lightsaber, ready to draw it off her belt and use it as soon as she had to. In that tense moment no one moved. There was nothing but staring as all waited to see who would be the first to act. Jia knew it wasn't going to be her, and so, she waited as she silently contemplated to herself; first time out of the Temple in a while, and people were already trying to kill her. The life of a Jedi.