Inquisitions and Liberations [AoG, juzt, jedi] – {Boz Pity}

[Mara]

(((Per plot discussion thread here…
So sorry for the delay… And I hope the setup at the end is all right with you. Otherwise, I can edit/add on…)))


[…from Into Thin Air – Part One]

“Ahh, Dr. Icharus, looking fine as ever, I see…” came a syrupy masculine chuckle as a tall and shadowy being entered through the door on the far side of the dimly lit chamber. Devoid of any extraneous trappings, the rectangular duracrete-walled room had only a couple of simple plasteel chairs set against one wall and a similarly-made long table shoved against another with various nasty-looking tools and machines piled atop it. All three pieces were also bolted to the floor. There were no window openings, and the only light came from a single small glow panel mounted in the center of the ceiling that flickered intermittently.

Before the door slid closed after the being entered, two more came in after him and took positions on either side of the entrance, awkwardly holding shockstaffs. From the brief sliver of bright illumination streaming in from the hall, the two guards could be first discerned as a male and a female of Arkanian origin. But upon closer examination, they were instead a poor representation of the master race: the oft-experimented-upon Offshoots. And indeed, these two had been biologically tampered with. The male’s legs had been surgically changed to bend backwards at the knees, giving him a stilted, jumpy digigrade stride; as well, he had six-fingered hands, and his right eye was cybernetically enhanced with a rudimentary laser. A mechanical whip-like tail attached to the bottom of her spine dragged on the floor behind the female guard, and her hands had been replaced with pincher clamps. Both had been shaved bald to highlight their pointed ears, and they wore simple body armor underneath flowing gray robes.

As the speaker came into the static light and stopped in front of the one occupied chair, he materialized into a gray-furred Caamasi. Though his was an inherently peaceful race, this one had been captured and experimented upon by a Sith Arkanian scientist, twisted to her desires. Outwardly, he appeared not unlike the other members of his race if one took only a cursory look at him. But a longer glance at his eyes would lend one to discover that not all was as expected on the inside. They had a glint to them that betrayed the surgical brain tampering he had undergone as the woman and her minions had tried to discover the inner workings of his natural memnis ability, damaging other areas while doing so.

Slowly, the recipient of the Caamasi’s attention brought his head up from where it had been resting on his chest, and all-white eyes struggled to focus on the figure before him. Dr. Rand Icharus was a true Arkanian, and a scientist as well, but he hadn’t a streak in him even closely resembling evil. He was elderly and the captivity of the past few days—he wasn’t sure anymore exactly how much time had passed since he had been taken from his lab—was taking its toll on him. His hastily bandaged wrist ached dully from where he had broken it during the scuffle with the female Arkanian, whom this Caamasi had told him early on that he was working for. It didn’t help that his arms were strapped to the chair, his legs as well.

Otherwise, he had admitted quietly in his mind within the first day, it could have been worse; Dr. Rand had watched a few holodramas with his daughter and knew that his situation would make others envious. They brought him food and water once a day, and he had a bucket nearby to relieve himself in. All the devices laid out on the table across from him were only for show. Not once had this Caamasi used them on him. He was merely questioned over and over again, sometimes about his research, sometimes about his politician daughter—something the other Arkanian had been interested in as well—sometimes about things completely unrelated. But he took comfort in the knowledge that he had so far revealed very little, about his company or his family. However, he also knew it was just a matter of time until the Caamasi grew tired of the games, and his situation would worsen.

“Now, now… no need to look glum. I know the both of us look forward to our daily conversations.” The Caamasi—he had never revealed his name—glanced meaningfully towards the table and the items arrayed on it before turning his attention back to Dr. Rand, pensively steepling his three-fingered hands in front of him. “So, Doctor…tell me again about your lovely daughter, the Offshoot. How ever did you manage that? A lapse in judgment perhaps? Or get too attached to one of your lab animals?” He paused, watching the man sitting in front of him for any sort of reaction, a weakness to press and exploit. “And she’s a politician, too… on Coruscant of all places. You must be so proud.”

Dr. Rand didn’t let the Caamasi’s words unsettle him now. He had grown used to these sessions over the past days, week even. At first, he had pleaded for his life, offering up anything to be set free. The Arkanian had spoken about his work in as a general a way as possible. But this being, as well as the woman from his lab, seemed most intrigued by the fact he called an Offshoot his daughter, and he had clamped up on the subject. If he had to give up his life to keep her safe, he would do so; he had already lived a full life, but she was just getting started. And so he kept his mouth shut, resolute in protecting Ina, too exhausted to let the Caamasi goad him into revealing anything.

The twisted Caamasi opened his snout and bared his teeth momentarily in a mockery of a wide smile before speaking again, after waiting for a response from the doctor and being greeted with silence instead. “Actually, we have a change of plans today, Doctor. Sorry. We will be entertaining a new guest shortly. I’m sure it will comfort you to know you will have a companion here in your... lovely abode.” He grinned again before a hardness came into his eyes. “Maybe then we can finally move things along here, before you die on me.” With a glance down at an ornate wrist chrono, he added, “I’m off to meet her right now. Sit tight, Doctor. You won’t be lonely much longer.”

Turning his back on Dr. Rand, he headed out of the room, the two mangled Offshoot guards following him through the opening and leaving the old scientist alone with his thoughts. Thoughts that were shot with worry about who this ‘she,’ this ‘guest’ would be. A dread feeling in the pit of his stomach dropped his head back down against his shallow chest. Though there were a host of possibilities, he felt sure that it was his daughter that the psychopath had meant. Somehow these beings, underlings of that evil woman, had gotten to Ina. He began to regret being so elusive with the Caamasi. Perhaps if he had revealed more, said the right things, his daughter would still be safe.A tear fell down his cheek as he realized he had failed.


* * * * *


[…from Into Thin Air – Part Two]

He shuffled quickly along the various passages, his robe swishing around his taloned feet. The Caamasi’s destination was the turbolift that would take him up to the surface. From there, it was on to the small landing pad that serviced this underground base carved into the side of one of Boz Pity’s mountain ranges in order to meet the imminent arrival of their new guests. It was a remote location, even for the desolate graveyard planet; one couldn’t be too careful when hiding secrets from those who would deem them dangerous.

When the female Arkanian Offshoot guard who had been following him joined him inside the lift, he set it in motion. He had left the male behind outside the captive’s door; he hadn’t the patience to wait for the man to hobble behind him. They rode in silence, a pleasant diversion for him. Usually when his mistress was around, she was content to chat him up about various things. But she wasn’t here at the Boz Pity base, and he was in charge for the time being. And he would run things as he saw fit, as long as he still accomplished the Sith’s goals. The Caamasi believed there was more than one way to skin a test subject.

Reaching their stop, they departed the turbolift and walked out into the fresh air of Boz Pity. With the female Offshoot stopping a couple meters from the ‘lift keeping up appearances in her role of guard, the Caamasi moved on towards the landing pad alone. His eyes blinked, unused to the sensation of natural light, and his snout wrinkled in disgust at the smell of the fresh plantlife around him. He would be glad to get back inside the base among the comforting cold and sterile duracrete walls and air-scrubbers, and one of his feet tapped in impatience.

Less than an hour previously, the man whom he had contracted to deliver this newest arrival to the facility had commed in to say he was approaching the planet. The Caamasi had sent him the coordinates of the hidden mountain base, teased the old scientist about what was coming, and then gone on his way to greet the hunter and his prey. He looked up into the sky, his furred ears twitching as he sought the telltale sounds of a ship breaking atmosphere and coming in for a landing. Soon, soon… he would be making some real progress with Dr. Icharus, now that he had some extra incentive on its way. A feral grin spread out his snout.

[Agent of Greystone]

For a while still the gray sky above Boz Pity was undisturbed, from extraterrestrial sources or otherwise. It remained that way for several minutes until a small speck could be seen breaking through the heavy clouds. That speck grew larger, and louder, as it approached the surface of the planet, until it was directly above the semi-hidden landing pad. Landing gear screeched uncomfortably out from the bottom of the rusty old freighter as it puttered down to a halt just in front of the two individuals. After a short rest, pressure began to hiss out of the the ship, and the boarding ramp lowered to the ground.

Two pairs of feet clomped down the metal isle, the first pair belonging to a Weequay who was tall and pale, one who lacked several features commonly seen on his kind, such as long braids and the wrinkled dry skin of those who grew up on desert worlds. The second pair belonged to a Gamorrean, short and heavily muscled, who was carrying the form of a young human woman over his shoulder. The Weequay, Darvek, grimaced as he made his way across the landing pad. K'org the Gamorrean, on the other hand, had a dumb grin spread across his face.

They had been betting on swoop for the past six hours or so, and it had all boiled down to one race, with half of each of their respective shares of the pay on the line. Darvek had been betting on the veteran, while K'org had put his stake on the hot-blooded up and coming rookie.

<Told you Keith win.> K'org said gleefully. <Keith best swoop on Nar Shadaa, Keith always win.>

"He's just lucky, he's really lucky." Darvek grumbled dejectedly, his hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets.

As they made their way over to their customer, both of them took turns eyeing the strange off-shoot standing just a few feet away, who's strange physical modifications gave them both a queasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs. Darvek's gaze was more menacing, while the pig seemed to be just plain confused. In front of the creepy woman stood a short rat-like man who Darvek recognized as the man who had hired them. The tall Weequay stopped short of the Caamasi and loomed over him for a short pause before speaking.

"We got your package boss. As you can see, she is undamaged. But first we get ours." He gestured over his shoulder at the girl who K'org had slung over his shoulder. "Half now, then you get the girl. Then the rest once you're done with whatever you wanted her for."

[Mara]

(((My deepest apologies; anyway, months later, here we go, haha, hopefully without further delays…
Also, I took brief control, sort of, of Darvek and K’org, just to move things along, if it’s OK.
Which is also why this is kind of... long and maybe disjointed, lol. But hey, I got something up, right? ;p)))


Quiet but fidgety, the Caamasi had watched the drab Boz Pity sky and waited for the arrival of his interrogation incentive. The furred, snouted alien was eager to make some progress on the captive before his mistress returned, eager to ingratiate himself in the doctor’s vision and perhaps even establish himself with higher authority within the hierarchy. His Sith mistress seemed entirely focused on the scientist’s Offshoot daughter and regarded her father as just a means to an end. Entirely understandable—it was an unusual circumstance for one of her lower caste to reach as far as she had. However, he also knew that the man himself had access to classified information, not to mention whatever research he had been working on. So he was planning to accomplish both goals in one fell swoop, an act he hoped destined himself for greater things with the Sith woman.

Soon after departing the secret base, he had spotted something darker amid the clouds and smiled to himself with satisfaction. Anxiously he had tapped a taloned foot against the duracrete, willing the mercenary he had hired to move faster. It was all about to come to fruition; he could almost smell it, if it weren’t for the dread aromas coming from all the flora around him masking it. The Caamasi pushed away the sensations the best he could, knowing he would be back inside the block-walled rooms with its stale and refreshing air before he knew it.

As the scrap yard-worthy freighter finally had descended and come in for its landing, the Caamasi had taken a couple self-conscious steps back though he had already been well outside the designated area and out of the zone of danger. A few minutes later he saw the hatch open up and the ramp descend. He saw the one he had hired depart first, alone, and briefly his heart clenched, wondering where the girl was, if something had gone wrong, if the mercenary had lied to him. But before his fright could morph into rage at the Weequay, another being came out of the ship. Short and stout, he recognized the green fleshy form of a Gamorrean carrying what looked to be the desired being. With a breath of calm, he stood still and relaxed, his features reverting back to their normal cold and calculating visage in preparation for the beginning of the exchange.

When the duo stopped before him, the Caamasi Sith underling nodded, his ears flicking, before responding. “Yes, yes, I can see that. Very good.” His thickly sweet voice was almost a purr as he only had eyes for the unconscious Offshoot Arkanian senator curled over the Gamorrean’s shoulder. He stared at her a moment, cursorily going over what he could see of her body to double-check the alien’s promise. But knowing the business deal had yet to be completed and that time was of the essence in this matter, he made himself tear his attention away and turn back to the two before him. “If you’ll follow me,” he gestured behind him casually at the turbolift door, “I have your credits inside.”

Without a further word, he headed back the way he came, robe swirling around him as he changed directions. At a signal, the mangled Offshoot woman experiment, with a switch of her metal tail, went through the opening first, the Caamasi walking closely behind her. He had no doubt that the two thugs would soon follow into the ‘lift shaft, knowing the promise of a hefty payday would be incentive enough to duck inside the cavern base. The foursome—five with the new prisoner—rode down to the proper level and then debarked the turbolift. Then the female Offshoot guard and the Caamasi led the others through the maze of hallways until they reached the desired room where the other failed experiment still stood guard outside, resting unsteadily on his digigrade legs.

“A moment…” The Caamasi moved down across the corridor and disappeared through a doorway. Then he came back and rejoined the group, a couple of cloth pouches in his three-fingered hands. One of them he tossed to the Weequay, carrying with it a telltale jingle; the other, he stuffed inside his robe to keep it handy for later on. “Count it if you’d like, but it’s all there, half of what you were promised, plus a bit extra for your timely discretion. My mistress thanks you for your service to the cause,” he said a bit shortly with a slight but patronizing bow.

“Now…” He clasped his hands together, an almost reddish glint in his eyes and a giddiness in his body language. “The fun begins, for all of us. Or, at least for me.” A feral grin. The Caamasi waved a hand at the female guard then, and she moved to open the door to the indicated room and to lead the way inside. After all were within the confines of the rectangular duracrete-walled space, the male Offshoot experiment came in behind slowly in his stilted bouncy gait and shut the door behind him, taking up his post beside the door.

In a hurried shuffle, the Caamasi moved into the center of the windowless room under the malfunctioning glow panel and between the bolted-down chairs and table, the tailed guard shadowing him and positioning herself near the unoccupied chair against the wall. He looked towards the mercenaries and pointed to it with a request written on his long face. “If you would, please...” After the Gamorrean, with the Weequay’s help, had dropped their captive into the empty seat and moved back away, the female experiment came forward and snapped her Offshoot counterpart into the bindings, an excruciatingly slow task with her modified ‘hands.’ Along with her arms and legs, the head was also strapped upright so that she couldn’t move it. Task finished, the guard peeled away to join the other at her station.

Dr. Rand had come to awareness upon hearing the door to the chamber open. The Caamasi had returned as promised, his new prisoner in tow, along with the poor modified Offshoots and a couple beings he hadn’t seen before—likely those he had hired to fetch his ‘guest.’ Despite a sick feeling earlier that the companion the furred being had mentioned would end up being his daughter, upon seeing her a few meters from him, he was filled immediately with remorse and surprise. He strained against his bonds, though the elderly Arkanian knew there was no shot of releasing himself to help Ina. All throughout her arrival and subsequent restraining in the chair next to his, he pleaded, tears running down his face. “Please, no! No! Don’t hurt her. You can do anything you want to me. I’ll tell you anything. Just, please, let her go! Please…”

The doctor’s entreaties fell on un-listening ears. Already, the Caamai’s focus had tunneled, and he gone to stand by the table of torture instruments, muttering to himself as he decided on what to use first. As Dr. Rand’s voice slipped into muffled murmurings, he heard a moan. Next to him, Ina was waking up from her last stun blast, jostled to consciousness from all the recent commotion and traveling. Blue eyes blinking open, she slowly came aware to her surroundings. With a start, she remembered the abduction and tried to move but was caught against her restraints. All she could manage under the circumstances was to look around and wiggle her hands. Out of the corner of her eye she recognized someone—her father. A scared look came on her face, and her gaze darted around the rest of the room.

Ina’s father looked sad and dejected as he saw his daughter’s eyes on him, the realization of the current situation coming to her mind. He wanted to reassure her, tell her everything would be all right. But he couldn’t. With his hands clamped down to the chair, he couldn’t sign anything to her, the only language she understand. Any spoken words would fall uselessly on her dear ears. Dr. Rand took some solace in the fact that at least they would be together. They were both utterly alone and destined for tragedy, and neither of them could do anything about it. Unless… a detail that the doctor had completely forgotten about surfaced in his mind. There was perhaps one chance… but he had to keep the possibility of hope from showing on his face. Otherwise, the calculating Caamasi might think something was up.

In fact, the Caamasi was coming towards them now, a metal tool in his hand as he stopped in front of Ina. “Please, no. Don’t hurt her. Please, just let her go. I’ll stay. Do whatever you want with me. I don’t care. Just spare my daughter.” Dr. Rand took up his petition once again. He hoped he sounded scared enough, though it wasn’t much of an acting job on his part. The chance of rescue was slim, but if he knew his daughter’s droid friend well enough, Ofi would be doing everything in her power to come after Ina. The scientist just prayed it would be in time.

This time, the furred being acknowledged his captive. “Oh, that is sweet, Doctor. But I’m sorry. This had been preordained. My mistress desires information. I desire information, from both of you. And I’m going to get it, one way or another.” He lifted the instrument closer to Ina, his snout twisted in a sneer. “One way or another…” There was a click as the Caamasi pressed something on the device he was holding, and the end started whirring and buzzing, causing Ina’s eyes to widen in fear. “I’m so glad you woke up, my dear. This works so much better when you’re aware…”

[Agent of Greystone]

The two aliens looked to each other in discomfort as their slimy little employer beckoned them down into his pit. Slowly they boarded the lift which lead down into the depths of the base. K'org stood straighter and more narrow than Darvek had ever seen from a Gamorrean, obviously he was spooked by the presence of the Cyborg whom he had been forced to squeeze next to, and who's "hands" were now pressing into his leg. "Just think about the money." Darvek whispered to him. Despite his efforts though, it didn't appear as if K'org was thinking about the money at all.

The four individuals departed the lift and set off down the long corridors of the fort, the rodent and the cyborg led the way while the two bounty hunters(and the unconscious female) straggled behind a few steps, because all three of them agreed on the fact that their hosts were really creepy (being sure that the girl would agree). They followed a long way though the maze of dank hallways until they found themselves stopped at a room where another of the strange Arkanian cyborgs stood guard. The rat had them stop with the two guards as he left for a moment. Hopefully, Darvek was thinking, for our payment and not a stab in the back. He looked over at the male Offshoot, still standing at his post. Darvek had never seen anything quite like these two, but his best guess was that they had been designed that way for combat reasons. If so, then in a fight they would probably have the upper hand, he had no idea what kind of tricks they could have hiding up their sleeves. They would need to be careful here.

The Weequay silently breathed a sigh of relief as the small form of the rat returned with several cloth bags in tow. Darvek took one and opened it. Their employer offered to them to count them, and Darvek was more than happy to oblige him, though it was a halfhearted attempt really. He knew there was too much there to count without them standing there all day, but he knew that if he made it look like he would, and the rat was lying, it would probably get a rise out of him. When he didn't flinch, Darvek stopped and turned to K'org. Silently they traded packages, the Gammorhean took the bags while Darvek took the girl from off of the Pig's shoulder. He opted to carry her a bit more humanely than he compatriot had. While K'org had thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, Darvek held her with one arm under her legs and the other, her shoulders. As they continued down the passageway, Darvek's eyes felt drawn down to the girl who he was basically carrying to her doom. It was an unconscious action, and he would flick his eyes away right away, but seeing her there gave him a weird feeling in his gut. He had never felt overtly guilty for any of the things he had done over the years, you couldn't allow it in this line of work, but still he felt...uncomfortable.

Finally they came upon their destination, a small windowless room with two chairs, one occupied, one unoccupied. When it became apparent that they would have to put her in the second chair themselves, Darvek handed the girl back his companion while he removed his leather duster and set it down along with the money. Together they put her down in the chair and backed away so that she could be restrained. The Weequay questioned the idea of letting the cyborg with the claw-hands do the job that required fine, delicate motor functions, and by the look on the rat's face, he was too. While the Offshoot guard continued to struggle to fasten the now semi-conscious girl into place, Darvek was able to get a good look at the man restrained in the other chair.

The man who sat there, tears welling up in his eyes, didn't particularly resemble the girl in any way, leaving Darvek to believe that he must have been some relation, a friend of the family maybe. He looked upon the girl in such a fatherly expression, Darvek decided he must have been her caretaker, whether it be a godfather or a stepfather. Either way, it didn't leave Darvek, a man deprived of two of the men he looked up to as fathers in a rather quick succession, feel any more comfortable.

The rat reacted to the man's pleas to spare his daughter with a sick face that led Darvek to believe that he might be getting a little off on it.

"Oh, that is sweet, Doctor. But I’m sorry. This had been preordained. My mistress desires information. I desire information, from both of you. And I’m going to get it, one way or another."

He approached the waking woman with a weapon of whirring metal, bringing it closer before the young captive's widening eyes.

“I’m so glad you woke up, my dear. This works so much better when you’re-"

He would never know if it had been mere coincidental timing or an involuntary movement of his body, but at that moment, the clip that held together the holster of his heavy pistol on the base of his back came undone. The heavy metal piece fell to the ground and made such a disturbing clatter, that at least Darvek and K'org both winced in surprise and took a step away. Darvek made a toothy, apologetic grin after the commotion, and after leaning down to retrieve his fallen weapon he asked,

"I'm very sorry about that, damned thing must've come undone. Listen I don't mean to interrupt, but you wouldn't happen to have a restroom around here would you?"

[Mara]

(((I was going to move this a lot farther ahead so we could get this wrapped up, but the Jedi thread isn't quite down yet, and I wasn't sure what you had planned and didn't want to get too ahead...)))


Thunk! Rattle, rattle...

Startled, the twisted Caamasi jerked, and the hand holding the buzzing tool jumped forward, cutting a swath along the young Offshoot's left cheek with a loud thrum. Immediately, a thin red line welled up in stark contrast to her porcelain white skin. Surprised, the Sith's eyes widened, and he stared as the blood dripped from the new wound and from the device he was holding. For a moment, it was if time stopped, sound ended. But then realization rushed back to him.

He whirled around, his robe swishing around his feet, outraged at the distraction and the interruption of his procedure. His gaze went directly to the mercenaries, and he jabbed the tool in the air in their direction. "You!" he bellowed, as he watched the taller of the two pick up a blaster from the duracrete. However, as slowly as his anger rose, it ebbed down to a simmer. The gray-furred being waved off the Weequay's apology. "Just don't let it happen again," growled the Caamasi.

About to turn around and back to his task, he registered that the Weequay had asked him a question. He hadn't noticed it right away, so intent he was at reprimanding them. Things clicked into place, and the Caamasi looked at the mercenary. With a finger, he pointed towards the door. "Refresher's down the hall, on the right." His speech was that of someone already occupied with something new, and giving directions was just an afterthought, a nuisance.

While this little confrontation had been going on, Dr. Rand Icharus was still murmuring pleadings towards the Caamasi. "Oh, no, no, no..." Though he couldn't really turn his head, he had seen out of the corner of his all-white eyes that something had happened to his daughter. Something that was probably inevitable the longer they stayed under this evil being's care. He just wished he could do something, but he settled for hoping that Ina hadn't been harmed too seriously  by that whirring torture device he had seen buck towards his daughter's face when the one being had dropped his weapon.

Ina, on the other hand, was frightened into extreme stillness, heart pounding in her chest. She had seen the tool coming for her, all full of fierce intent, and had braced herself for contact. However, it had come much sooner than she, or probably the Caamasi for that matter, had anticipated. A sharp moaning cry had escaped from her lips as soon as the device touched her skin. The Offshoot Arkanian had no idea how severe of an injury it was. Along with the pain, all she knew was she smelled the copper taint of blood, and she felt it trickling down her face.

Over by the doorway, the male Offshoot experiment shuffled jauntily and opened the door, holding it for the mercenaries as they made they way over. The Caamasi, satisfied that all interruptions had ceased, walked back over to his two guests, sitting strapped in their chairs. He grinned, seeing the look of horror in their eyes. First, he stepped to Ina, but then changed his mind and moved in front of Dr. Rand. "Perhaps it's time to see what secrets are hiding within that brilliant mind of yours, Doctor. And how willing you are to give them up."

[Agent of Greystone]

Darvek stood tall as he and K’org exited the musty chamber out into the hallway. Once the door had shut they continued to walk for a ways before stopping around a corner, definitely out of sight and out of earshot of their employer and his grotesque assistants. The large Weequay slouched against the wall, relaxing himself, and took a deep breath. He hadn’t realized how excited his body had become during the prior events; his mind had been so focused on the task at hand, delivering the girl to this rotten planet and collecting the bounty, that he never found the time to feel his own feelings, to analyze his wellbeing properly. Even during those few hours he spent on the ship in transit his guard had been up and he had not found any time to relax himself. He tapped the toe of his boot on the ground, feeling the light pain of a minor sprain he incurred during his battle with the bird droid. He lightly rubbed the splint on his left middle finger, an injury he had sustained from jumping out a window and falling several stories into K’org’s car. Both were minor, yet still bothersome.

The Gamorrean by his side shuffled awkwardly in the middle of the hallway, thinking how lucky they were that there was no one nearby to see them in their current state. <Y-you okay? I know hard to watch, but still, not the first time you've been in torture chamber.>

The Pig was right; it wasn't the first time he’d been in a torture chamber before, far from it actually. If the rat had ordered him to participate as part of the job it wouldn't have been his first time playing the role of interrogator either. However something was still bugging him about this job and he couldn't figure out what it had been. “Maybe because...that was the first time I've ever kidnapped a person? Yeah, that's probably it.” His body seemed to relax a little more after this realization, as if there had been a wound on it that Darvek couldn't find until now, and he had realized that it wasn’t as serious as he had thought.
He chuckled as he pushed himself back to his feet. “I guess I don’t like that job. Probably won’t be doing it again any time soon.” Still, somewhere in his mind he knew that wasn't the real issue. He knew that the sight of the red welling up from the cut on that young woman's face bothered him, hearkening back to the words of his father and his uncle. How the strength that they had helped him achieve was his to challenge the powerful, not to strongarm the weak. Somehow, he felt he may have done wrong by his ancestors.
K’org, still cradling the money as if it were a newborn piglet, rolled his eyes at his companion. <So if you are killing a man there is no problem, but simply kidnapping him from his home is too much for you?> Darvek glared back at him as they began to walk. “At least if they’re dead, I don’t have to think about what’s happening to them once I’m done with the job.” Darvek made a face like he smelled something rancid. Gee, I haven't thought that through properly... They began to walk back through the dank, musty halls, half off of memory from when they had come in before, and half because truthfully they were a little lost at this point. Finally they made it back to their destination, the lift that would take them back up to the surface. For once, the Weequay was thankful at this world’s seemingly constantly gloomy disposition, because he didn't need to wait long for his eyes to readjust to the cloudy gray ceiling that awaited him on the surface. They made their way back up onto the rusty tub of a freighter that they had used as transport for the job; K’org went down the first hallway in to dump their shares of the loot in their own respective lockboxes, while Darvek continued straight to the cockpit.

Once inside, Darvek began throwing switches, almost instinctively without looking, preparing the ship for departure. Something was making a quick, and rather annoying, beeping noise on the other side of the two-seat panel, but Darvek thought nothing of it. There wasn’t much left to take care of, but there were still a few things to he had left to discuss with the little rat before they left, and Darvek wanted to be ready to leave this creepy planet as soon as he was able. The beeping of the console finally got to him and, being unfamiliar with the layout of this particular ship, marched over to the other side to see what all the fuss was about. Suddenly he froze, staring down at the radar. Slowly he reached behind himself and lifted up his heavy metallic suitcase, the key ring of collected lightsabers at the top rattling about as he did so. He had already decided they couldn't leave just yet, because with the marked Jedi vehicle only a hours away, things were just beginning to get interesting.

[Mara]

[...from A Call to Arms]

The Jedi-acquisitioned transport and its passengers had finally made it to its eventual destination, far from where it had originated on Coruscant and towards the outskirts of the galaxy. After several hours, nearing a day, and a couple of brief delays out of lightspeed to do minor jumps and course corrections, the signal it had been following was now no longer moving. It had been stationary since before they had departed hyperspace the last time and entered their current system. Faint, the tracker was showing up ahead on the planet of Boz Pity in an area nowhere near the sparse settlements and inhabitants.

Ofi, an avian-like droid, was in the cockpit, once again perched on the seat back of the captain's chair, watching through the forward port as the planet swelled into view and soon blocked out the stars. Reiko Shae, a Wroonian Jedi, was the ship's pilot, keeping their approach cautious but steady. In the adjacent seat sat the Echani, the Jedi Chias Nero, keeping an eye on the sensors. Just in case they encountered security measures as they flew closer to Boz Pity and slipped beneath its atmosphere on their way to where the tracker was transmitting. The former was taut with excitement, while the latter seemed to be containing extreme worry. But Ofi was neither; she was completely focused on the task ahead.

They had both been recruited by the droid to rescue her friend, the junior senator of Arkania. She and Ofi had been enjoying an afternoon of relaxation the day before when it had been rudely disturbed by the sudden presence of a Weequay. At first his presence at the door had seemed innocuous, but then things had turned deadly, as the intruder's true intentions had become clear. Ofi had fought her hardest but still had failed, and the big alien had escape with Ina. Not wanting to let the kidnapper get too much of a head start, she had immediately gone to the Jedi Temple for help, and the Echani and Wroonian were what she had been able to come up with in so short notice. Perhaps not the ideal Jedi team, but it was certainly better than the droid going on her own.

Using the hidden tracker in the senator's necklace, Ofi had been able to keep tabs on exactly where Ina was, and the other ship had been easy to follow, despite her captor having a couple hours' or more gap on her and the Jedi. They had shadowed it out towards the Corporate sector and past. Towards Hutt occupied-space but swung out to the side. She had gone through her memory banks, searching the area systems for likely targets but nothing had turned up as particularly fruitful. The Weequay could be heading anywhere, and they would have to keep alert,  not knowing what situation they were heading into.

Despite the slapped-together quality of the team, the journey had been thankfully uneventful and quiet for the droid. Any time not spent planning out their route using the signal, Ofi had used to get ready for whatever was waiting for them upon arrival. Distancing herself from the Jedi, she had recharged her reserves, plugging into the ship, because she could not use her solar panels to utilize a sun or star. As well, she had double-checked that her small but powerful holdout blaster was fully armed and functioning properly. Unsheathed her wing tips and gone over the vibroblades hidden there for any dullness. Manufactured for assassin, Ofi was one of Project Familiar's deadliest droids, and she would use all her components to retrieve the senator and bring her home.

Though still not registering at full strength, as they got closer, dipping below the atmosphere, Ofi could further pinpoint the location of the tracker. The base of a mountain off in the distance. "Toward that mountain range, Jedi Shae. The signal originates over there." She instructed the Echani, reluctantly addressing her by her name, a concession she had decided upon for clearer communication among the trio. Ofi could not keep referring to them as 'you' or not at all, hoping they knew who she was referring to.

Just as Ofi's optics made out a landing pad seemingly in the middle of nowhere and a battered freighter sitting upon it--though the Jedi would not yet be able to discern it from the grayness of the rock--the Echani's display lit up, announcing they were in range of said ship. "Land away from that strip," the droid added to Reiko, hoping the Wroonian had enough sense to use caution as she did so and keep the shields up. Then she glanced at Chias, waiting for some kind of report on the other ship. Though this could be none other than the transport used by the Weequay to take Ina here, they could not be sure that it was not some kind of trap or bait.


* * * * *


As the Caamasi had seemingly changed his mind as to his current torture subject, Dr. Rand had swallowed audibly. He forced his gaze away from Ina and her unknown condition and turned his white eyes to look at his attacker, for that was all he could think of the rodent-faced man in standing before him. Though it had been the elderly scientist's deepest desire for this villain to focus on him and leave his daughter alone, he was only just now starting to realize how much that petition could cost him before the day was over. And his earlier bravery had disappeared, and the Arkanian scientist visibly shook behind his bonds in a combination of fear, coldness, and surprisingly, anger at the whole situation.

However, with no other choice, he continued on as he had, anything to buy some more time for Ina and perhaps for a rescue. He grabbed as much calmness and courage as he could manage and found his voice, though shaky. "D-do whatever you w-want to me. I-I already told you I'd tell you any-anything. Just don't hurt my-my daughter. She knows nothing about my-my job. Let her go; keep me. I'll stay. Please. Please, don't h-hurt h-her." His words turned into unintelligible babbling and sobbing, and a tear slipped down his face, out of concern for his daughter and in reaction to the extreme duress his body was under.

With a disgusted sneer as he had noticed he had still been holding the whirring, buzzing tool with the female's blood drying on it, the Caamasi had gone back to his table of instruments and dropped the offending item. Then he hummed tunelessly to himself as a clawed finger tapped various items and he contemplated which would be the most useful. Or the most fun. Almost to himself, he chuckled, "Mother always told me, be careful what you ask for. But since you ask, good doctor..." This last phrase was spoken more clearly as he straightened and turned to face Dr. Rand. "I will be very much pleased to oblige you in this matter. So you're not disappointed." His robe shuffled around his feet as he made his way back over to the chair Dr. Rand was strapped into.

A talon lifted the doctor's sagging chin off his chest so that the Caamasi could look him in the eye. "Come now, doctor. This is so unbecoming of someone of your stature, is it not? A respected research scientist of your tenure? Get a hold of yourself. I just want to... ask a few questions." The Caamasi's snout twisted into a grin. He lifted up the instrument he had chosen so Dr. Rand could inspect it; he held a special tool of his own design, a blend of a small hammer and a pliers, and it shone dully in the light of the single glowpanel up above. "With some incentive, of course. I really despise beings who give in so easily before I can... properly persuade them."

During this whole preliminary exchange between her father and her captor after the two mercenaries had departed, Ina had been feeling the wet drip of blood down her cheek and onto her clothing. But it hadn't lasted long, and she soon had felt the pinch of a drying wound on her face as she contracted the muscles in the area that had suffered the pain of the Caamasi's tool. Perhaps it wasn't so dire as she had originally thought and was only a scratch, if it was already protecting itself in preparation for healing. She knew she had been lucky that the twisted gray-furred being had been distracted momentarily by the Weequay and Gamorrean.

Though she was almost positive her father would not be as lucky as she had been so far, and she turned her eyes as far as she could to watch the proceedings, trying to decipher what was going on without the advantage of hearing. Already the crazed rat-faced being was hovering back over the doctor with something sinister in his claw, all his attention focused on Dr. Rand and no longer on her. She was inwardly torn between gratitude towards her father for baiting the Caamasi away from her and to himself and wanting to divert the Caamasi's concentration back to her, who was younger and more likely to survive whatever their captor had in store for him to turn back to her.

"Now we will see what you are made of, doctor." Without any warning, the Caamasi slapped the thing in his claw down on the doctor's left hand, and the pliers immediately gripped one of his fingers. Dr. Rand winced, more with surprise than with pain, but he braced himself for what was to come; he had had enough experience and training to deduce what this tool might be used for. With a flick of his wrist, the hammer portion of the instrument slammed down, pulverizing Dr. Rand's knuckle. At that, the Arkanian screamed in pain. The Caamasi slid the tool up and proceeded to smash up the rest of the finger amid Dr. Rand's moans and struggles to move his hand away but unable to.

Then the furred being unclamped the tool and stood back. He clicked his tongue in feigned disappointment. "Now, doctor... you did ask me to do... whatever I wanted." Dr. Rand's white eyes were wide as he stared back at the Caamasi, trying to contain any further noises of agony and trying not to look at his damaged finger. "I know you must think me cruel... you only had the four fingers to begin with. And you must need all of them for your work. But... I don't think you will be returning to your lab any time soon.   Not until I get what I want."

Ina had gasped when she had seen their captor do something to her father's hand. It had been hard for her to know what exactly he had done, but whatever it was, it had hurt. Her father's face told the whole story. Part of her wanted to look away, to guard herself against seeing her father in this way. But the stronger part of her could not tear her blue eyes from the horrible scene unfolding in front of her. She felt utterly hopeless, feeling deep inside that whenever the Caamasi was finished with her father, he was coming for her, and she could do absolutely nothing about it but wait and watch the older man be tortured. Tears welled up and washed down her face, the salty water stinging the cut on her cheek.
 

[jedi334]

The journey had been mostly silent as the ship made it’s way through Hyperspace. She knew Rekio could feel her unease as they made their way through Hutt controlled space, out of all the species’ in the known universe Chias’ disliked the Hutts the most.

They were callous and shady and were so embroiled in their own power struggles they cared little for the rest of the galaxy and its troubles and on a more personal note she rumors that Echani were sometimes sold as slaves to fight in their gladiatorial style matches. Thankfully that feeling subsided as they flew out of the sector

Time passed until eventually they arrive at the planet of Boz Pity as the ship began to rumble as they entered the atmosphere and Chias activated the radar system focusing primarily on the ion trail the kidnappers ship to find a location time passed and a blip came as the young Echani perked up and focused in on it.

“From the files you provided it seems this was the ship used transferring the Senator.” She said as she rolled her head and felt as satisfying pop in her neck's vertebrate “As far as I can tell there is no one aboard but we are quite a ways out and will not know for sure until we get…closer.”

She looked at Ofi as she unsheathed viroblade tipped feathers. Clearly this little bird driod was more then just a protocol or assistance model and one of her Master’s first lessons was that nothing was as it seemed…a thought that definitely applied to this slapped together team of rescuers.

She waited for either Ofi or Rekio to make their next move, out of three of them Chias had very limited combat and tactical experience in the field , but knowing Rekio she would want to go with their lightsabers drawn and guns blazing.

Chias would take a more stealthy and quieter approach, engaging who needed to engage and getting the Senator out with little bloodshed as possible, whatever they decided it need to be done quickly…for anymore delay meant failure.

[Juzt]

Reiko for most of the trip had been silent. Both the droid and Chias had been mercifully quiet and so Reiko had reciprocated. Her blue skin had shone in the light of the consoles as her yellow eyes scanned readouts. In truth there was little most pilots had to do once they were in space and flying along hyperspace, except for of course the odd course corrections. The Wroonian Jedi had spent much of her time either staring balefully out of the windows, or thumbing the buttons of her Kloo Horn. She refrained from playing it as she had no wish to disturb Chias.

The worst part about having time was that the brain lent itself to over thinking and consideration. She now regretted brining the bookish Jedi with her. She could sense the fear and uneasiness rolling off the Echani particularly when they passed through Hutt space. Reiko had selected her simply because she was close and had wanted to get on the way with the droid who had insisted on another Jedi. She should have taken her time, and brought someone more experienced. Now that niggling dark worm that squirmed in her head, told her that she was condemning this person whom she barely knew to danger and possibly death. Reiko would do all she could to ensure nothing would happen to her.

Soon though the droid was back buzzing around or clamped on to her chair and her mind turned back to the pursuit. While her eyes could not see it, the ship's scanners detected the ship they had been following landed amongst the rocks not far from a mountain range. The the droid told her to land away, and ordinarily she would have snapped at being ordered around but then her thoughts turned to Chias, and she obeyed silently any advantage they could garner she would try for. So she scanned her eyes about and spotted a small valley not far away and lowered the ship into place. She activated the door release which opened with a hiss and got out of the pilot's chair and wind milled her arm her shoulder cracking a little.

Reiko tentatively placed a hand on Chais' shoulder, her eyes swirled sympathetically in as close as Reiko would ever get to an empathic 'Are you ok?'. She however simply said quietly, “Stick close to me.” She stepped down the ramp way and on to the ground of Boz Pity for the first time, her hand resting on the hip that her lightsaber hung from. The lightsaber was ostentatious like Reiko, a beautiful silver coloured thing with inlays in copper coloured metals to. “Come on lets get this done.”

[Agent of Greystone]

“That damned bird again.”
Darvek peered at his pursuers through the scope of his sniper rifle. He and his Gammorrean partner lay prone at the crest of a steep hill several yards away from their ship and the turbolift leading down into the base. He had his rifle set up on its bipod and was now profiling the Jedi who had arrived after them. “I’m not fighting the bird again. The Pig can have it, hell let’s see that guy with the pincer hands try to catch it, but I ain’t fighting it again. Pain in the ass.” Darvek grumbled to himself while K’org waited impatiently next to him for a turn to see the Jedi. <Are they here?> He asked worriedly. <What they look like? They big? Scary?> It was now that Darvek was remembering how terrified his partner was of the Jedi and their mysterious ways. He had originally volunteered to go in and grab the girl, but then decided to wait in the car on when Darvek made a joke about the off-chance that a Jedi would be in there with her. He didn’t even know if K’org had actually seen a Jedi before.
“Pig, quiet! What, you want to look at the Jedi? Fine, here, take the gun.” The tall Weequay shuffled aside and the pudgy Gammorrean awkwardly wiggled beside him until he was positioned behind the rifle. “Be careful with that, the safety fell off. There, see? They’re totally not what you’re expecting.” Darvek furrowed his hairless brow at his last statement. “Actually, they’re not what I was expecting either.” K’org reached up and, as carefully as he could, adjusted the knobs on the top and side of the scope with the pointy nails of his sausage-like fingers so as to get a closer inspection of them. Slowly he panned down the Wroonian Jedi…then back up the Wroonian Jedi, then down again, then up once more, just to take her in. K’org began to drool a little bit. “I think you’ve seen her plenty, Pig.” Darvek said, seemingly guessing exactly what his partner was doing. “Move on please.”
K’org continued to look on at the other Jedi and the bird droid, but apparently didn’t find either of the two as interesting to look at. <They are not very scary looking.> He grunted in surprise. <Everyone is scared of these?> Darvek almost chuckled, until he realized what K’org was implying about his line of work. “Don’t underestimate them, Pig.” He replied gruffly. “They’ve got their lightsaber swords, and remember they have those mystical powers.” Darvek wiggled his fingers to add to the impression of mysticism. K’org looked at him worriedly. <Should we tell the boss they are here?> Darvek waved his hand dismissively at his comrade. “For what? He’s already paid us. Why put myself in harm’s way for that guy?” He reached over to grab the hilt of the rifle. “Now, gimme back my gun. I put some explosives on the freighter, and when they get up close I’ll blow them sky high!” He announced, a wide grin spreading across his face.
The pig pulled away. <Lemme look a bit more.> He grunted. Darvek furrowed his brow and grabbed the butt of the gun. “K’org, give me my gun I’ve got my trap all set!” K’org oinked, annoyed. <Use your detonator. Why blow up my ship?> Darvek wrenched on the gun. “We’re out of range, my ship’s hidden a few minutes away, gimme my gun already!” They began to kick up dirt as they wrestled back and forth for possession of the gun. Suddenly, a patch of pebbles that was supporting one leg of the bipod gave way, in a panic of reflex; the two of them caught the handle of the gun. There was a loud popping sound, and a red line of plasma was hurled up into the air.
The two men froze and stared at each other, then spun their gaze over at the tiny figures in the distance. Both of their minds went blank for a second, and then in a panic, K’org scrambled to his feet, squeaked <Help!>, and ran faster than his physique gave him credit down the hill to the turbo lift. “Idiot, wait!” Darvek hissed after the Gammorrean, still lying prone. “Don’t leave me all alone!” But he was already out of earshot. The Weequay’s mind raced for an instant that felt like an eternity, then, without a second thought, he grabbed his gun, and threw himself down the slope of the hill away from the base, praying he hadn’t been seen.

[Mara]

(((Many apologies for the wait...
Once again, I'll probably be adding something with Ina's torture, but here's the part you need to respond to...)))


If she had been an organic, Ofi probably would have rolled her eyes and sighed as Chias had spoken. The Echani Jedi had just repeated the droid's own recently computed data, offering up no additional information about the other ship that wasn't already known to Ofi. Despite her many skills and built-in components, the avian mechanical had no delusions about being completely infallible and had thought that the other Jedi could have had deciphered at least something from the ship's console. But no matter; there was no time for reprimands or disgust. She merely performed the equivalent of swallowing her disappointment and instead said in endorsement, "Yes, it is the one. And I do not sense any lifeforms aboard. Still, we must be cautious." At this last part, Ofi glanced towards the Wroonian Jedi Reiko Shae.

The avian droid said nothing more as Reiko stood up, encouraged Chias, and passed out of the cockpit and eventually down the ramp and out into the open air. She waited for the Echani Jedi to follow suit before making her own exit from the Jedi transport, lifting up from her perch. Outside, she quickly indicated to them that she would take point and that Reiko should take up the rear with Chias safely between them. And then, wasting no time to sight-see, she began flying in the direction of the duracrete landing pad seemingly in the middle of nowhere, resting a few dozen meters from a sheer cliff. But the ship the Weequay had used to carry Ina away was berthed there, and unless the big alien had taken his prize away on foot into the forest, she logically assumed a hidden door to be somewhere in the area.

Continually scanning ahead, switching between her regular optics, infrared, and thermal imaging, she searched for any disparities in the landscape ahead nearby the kidnapper's ship. However, something else caught her attention and she cocked her head slightly, trying to hone in on the presences she was sensing. At this distance, she couldn't discern any shape or size, but there was something living at the other end of the valley, atop one of the tall outcroppings that had spawned from the original mountain range. It could be any sort of native fauna, but Ofi applied a tag to it in order to keep tabs on it.

Ofi had just turned her attention back to her team--who were being mercifully quiet as they made their way closer and closer--and the mission at hand when her enhanced audio systems caught something in the distance. Her head snapped up towards the hilltop where she had originally found the lifeform, her photoreceptors zooming in and trying to gain any details about what it was. And then she heard, as well as saw, the telltale signs of a recently fired weapon of some sort emerge from that very same location. No indigenous animal that she knew of was even remotely capable of that.

She stopped in her path, systems on overdrive, analyzing everything in the last few seconds. A greenish brown blur popped up on the horizon below the small cliff and sped towards the side of the mountain. It seemed to be... a Gamorrean... and it was... pounding on the wall of stone? Ofi turned to look at her team members in confusion. But then it all clicked. The hidden entrance! "Jedi Shae, Jedi Nero... it seems this Gamorrean is showing us the way! Hurry!" The avian droid whipped her wings faster and flew at a dizzying pace across the empty plain, soon passing the freighter and wheeling to a stop a meter or so from the bovine being's head.

Hovering there by the Gamorrean, she took time to look over the door that the creatures was standing by. This close to it, it was easy to see in contrast to the mountain side. But it did not appear to be a regular door but perhaps a turbolift door that lead into the mountain to some kind of secret base. A secret base that had to be harboring her friend. This all happened in mere seconds, and Ofi snapped her attention back to the Gamorrean, banging away and grunting. She unhinged the compartment in her breast, unleashing her tiny holdout blaster. "Where is Ina? The senator! Is she inside? Tell me!" The words pouring out without waiting for the Jedi to rejoin her, the droid's brain on a single task.


* * * *


Amid the blinding pain of his smashed finger, Dr. Rand had noticed a reaction from his daughter. This pained his heart even more than the recent physical damage to his digit; he could not imagine the emotional turmoil Ina was going through as a witness to this horrid affair. He wanted to reassure her, tell her he was all right, that everything would be okay, but it would all be falsehoods. She was not stupid and could very well figure out what was going on, even if she couldn't quite see it clearly. All he could do was slide his eyes over towards hers, trying to ignore the fall of tears down her face, and put on a brave smile for her. And hope that help would arrive soon; the Arkanian wasn't sure how much he would be able to last against this Caamasi's torture.

Ina caught her father looking at her, the hint of a smile breaking through his grimace. She could tell he was in great agony from whatever the Caamasi had done to him, but she forced an encouraging smile in return. Though the whole situation felt entirely hopeless to her--it must only be a matter of time before this evil rat-faced creature finished off her father, perhaps to death, and came after her in the same manner--Ina did not want her father to know her despondency. That she believed they would never be leaving this place. Alive.

The Caamasi then had repositioned his combination pliers/hammer over another one of the doctor's fingers. He sighed dramatically, gesturing vaguely with his free arm. "However, as much as I would like to get every single detail related to your company and your very fascinating research, I must take care of a few loose ends for my mistress. The wonderful woman who brought you here from your lab." He grinned, sharp teeth showing beneath the gray lips of his snout. "Apparently she never got her answer, and she is very much interested in having it.

"So..." He let the hammer of the tool lightly rest on the knuckle of the second finger of Dr. Rand, preparing to flick it so it would come down with force at any sign that the elder Arkanian was not cooperating to the fullest. "Why don't we start talking? You did promise." This was said a bit patronizingly mixed with cloying sweetness. "How does a man such as yourself, a highly regarded scientist at one of Arkania's highly regarding research institutes come to... adopt one of his experimental animals?"

Dr. Rand wanted to glare back at the villain standing over him. For calling his daughter an animal just because she was not a pureblood Arkanian but one of the Offshoots bred for labor. For hurting him. For... everything. But deep down, he was cognizant of the fact that doing so would only make the situation worse and probably even prolong his suffering. Defiance would get him nowhere. So he took in a shuddering breath and let it out, equally ragged, preparing himself to answer, still unsure why that other Arkanian doctor who had attacked him in his lab was so intrigued by the concept of Ina's adoption.

"I simply wanted to give her a better life. I know what goes on in the other laboratories of my departments, what the other scientists call 'experiments.' I wanted to save that helpless little baby from that kind of existence. Why her, why then, when countless others had passed through our doors? I can't rightly say. I suppose it was just a gut feeling. And I had never married, never had my own children. It had felt... right, somehow." Unable to shake his head in response, he merely cast his all-white eyes downward. "I'm not sure how much more I can say... Sir."

"Oh, so very touching," the Caamasi sneered. "So out of your... goodwill you just decided to take on this... girl for yourself, depriving your colleagues of the valuable knowledge they could have gained from... studying her? When you knew you would not be doing the same and instead treating her... as your equal? As a natural-born child? Her kind were not meant for that sort of future. All Arkanians know that." He clicked his tongue; his mistress would be quite proud of him, he was sure. "It's a good story... but it just doesn't... satisfy me." A swift jerk and the tool snapped up then down, crushing the knuckle beneath it and causing Dr. Rand to cry out in pain once again.

[jedi334]

She could feel Reiko’s reassurance as she returned her nod, bringing up the white hood of her robe and unclipping her lighsaber from her belt and gripped it firmly, her slender thumb resting on the switch.

“This is no time to be hesitant or troubled Chias.” She thought to herself with determination “A young girl, a member of the Senate’s life is in your hands, you must do your part to bring her home.” Her blue eyes scanned the land mass and horizons around as they moved; her exposed toes felt the coarse ground as they walked.

She was about suggest the three spread out slightly they explored when her sharp eyes caught brief reddish discharge of a pulse rifle and an shape tumbling down the small cliff that flare came from and landing roughly on the ground.

“By the Force.” She said as she saw Ofi bolt off like humming bird straight toward the shape, eyes going wide as she called after the droid. “Ofi wait!”

She moved passed Rekio and ran quickly across the landscape her natural Echani speed closing the distance between herself and her robotic comrade quickly as she saw that the shape was a member of the Gamorrean race.

She could already hear him squealing as she approached, seeing the droid's weapons drawn from her chest pieces and hearing her demanding wildly of her friend’s locations. The way she was speaking and wielding the blasters so wildly she was going to shoot the mercenary before he could tell her anything.

She knew she had only seconds to stop her so she crouched down and focused the Force to propel her high into the air, maneuvering and turning her body which made her look like a spinning white blossom until she landed nimbly between the two as she unsheathed her blade inches away from the pig’s large throat as it hummed softly, her free hand firmly out in front of the droid.

Her usually shy demeanor was now gone, the face that was now there was a face very few had ever seen, the face of Chias of Clan Nero…the warrior.

“Do. Not. Move.” She said with a firm calmness “We have questions for you.”

The Gamorrean oinked and spat <You do not look like Jedi!> He squealed <You are small, pale and have no shoes! You are not Jedi!>

She shrugged a bit and she rolled her eyes “I am afraid get that reaction a lot.” She said looking to Ofi “As for you, you will calm down and retract your weapons. He is no good to us injured or worse.” She said seeing the droid beginning to reply stopping her gently

“You are worried for your friend, but that worry is making you act rashly and it will only put her and the rest of us in danger.” She said “You will help us find her but for now let Rekio and I handle this.” She saw Ofi began to protest but her look soften slightly as she spoke "Please Ofi, you asked Rekio and I to help you...please let us do that."

She gave a beleaguered sigh “This makes me miss dealing with bickering younglings.” She thought as an idea came to her as she looked back to the pig “I will not hurt you, but if you try to escape I’ll use the Force to freeze you in place and I’ll let little my friend here try and make you talk.” She looked over her shoulder as the Wroonian Jedi walked up to them.

“And if that does not work, there is always Rekio here…” She could not help but smile as she saw the pig’s eyes went wide, it was simple manipulation, makes yourself the only one capable of holding back the two monsters wanting to hurt you so an instant trust is formed, hopefully the trick would work.

[Juzt]

Reiko was satisfied that Chias had taken her thoughts on board. Well there was no reason she should not, Reiko was more often than not right about most things. She had a wisdom beyond her years rivalling that of any master, or at least that is what she thought. However, very quickly events began to develop. It began with the sharp crack of a shot, and they all saw the red light trace across the sky. Reiko swore she could see two figures scuffling, but very quickly Ofi was off. Reiko had to grudgingly admit that the droid was a mechanical wonder capable of great speed and manoeuvrability. She blinked as the droid motored off on its own, she had felt she was the reckless one of the group but in terms of the droid's mistress it seemed she was not even close. She was about to call for caution when a white blur flashed passed her causing her clothing to rustle and her hair to wave. She sighed now the Echani girl was ignoring her advice and rushing headlong into this.

Reiko sighed heavily, did she have to be mother and keep this two in line? Then a little voice piped up in her head. What the hell was she doing so far at the back? These guys were trying to steal her thunder as the most aggressive reckless person around. How dare they! She thought irritably to herself. She took off after the retreating backs of Chias and Ofi. When she caught up she found Chias remonstrating with Ofi. Reiko was rather taken a back that such a timid little thing was now standing up for herself Reiko smiled softly she was coming to rather like the Echani. She had some guts after all. Reiko had her ornate lightsaber, held tightly at her hand in case it would be needed but looking at the pathetic Gamorrean in front of her she rather doubted it would be needed. She grinned evilly, as Chias threatened the Gamorrean with her attentions. “Yes, if you don't answer our questions clearly and carefully we will find out if pigs can indeed fly.” Her yellow eyes flashed. The threat was real, she doubted other Jedi would approve of her words but she did not care.

[Agent of Greystone]

The Pig was in a pickle. That was what Darvek had decided, looking towards the situation below him which continued to escalate. He had decided against just leaving as he still wanted to see how this all turned out, and had once again situated himself at the top of the hill, prone, and with his rifle trained down on the group below. Two Jedi had joined the small bird droid in interrogating his smelly green comrade, and one of them even had their plasma sword drawn and pressed up against his throat like he was the Emperor himself and one word would call down the Royal Guard upon them. "Jeez, he's just one scared pig..." Darvek grumbled to himself. He trained his sight across the two monks, studying them closely. "Well, I guess there is something to be salvaged from this situation…”

From what Darvek could tell at his downward angle, both of the Jedi were roughly the same size, the Wroonian being slightly taller than her Echani companion. More important than their height though was their body language. The Wroonian appeared much more relaxed in their current situation, and while it was true that the Echani was trying to keep her attention and her weapon trained on the Gammorean, she looked extremely tense, and her face read with slight frustration. There was something else about the small Echani that interested Darvek as well, that being the green light coming from her shoulder. “No matter how well made a prosthetic is…” Darvek mumbled to himself, “It will never truly replace the original.” Finding what might be a chink in the armor of even one of the Jedi was good, Jedi came in pairs and toppled like dominoes. One going down could very possibly spell the end for the other. The main thing he was worried about was the droid, a wildcard in the mix.

Content with his scouting, Darvek decided that he had to do something to get his comrade out of his predicament, hopefully alive. Carefully he reached up and turned on the communicator in his ear. “Pig can you hear me?” Below, K’org flinched and let out a surprised squeak. “Shhh-shutup! Quiet! Listen to me I'll talk you out of this and you’ll be just fine. Now, show the Jedi how to open the turbolift.” K’org unconsciously turned his head towards the hill. <I don’t know how to open it!> He replied, seemingly to nothing. “Don’t look at me idiot!” Darvek hissed. K’org quickly shifted his gaze to his feet. <Th-that’s right. I do not know how to open door.> he repeated, nervously attempting to cover for his slip. Darvek began to piece apart his rifle, getting ready to move.“Okay now, listen…and repeat after me…”

<I-if you open door w-with sword, I will bring you to girl.>

[Mara]

Suddenly, though, before the ugly porcine could respond to Ofi's demands, a white blur materialized in between them. Quickly, the droid recognized the Echani Jedi Chias Nero as she unleashed her blade in the Gamorrean's face, a pale hand shoved backwards into the avian's face. Instinctively, she had to wing back a couple feet with a flap of her wings. She couldn't compute what the young woman could be thinking at this moment, interrupting Ofi's interrogation of who could possibly be one of Ina's kidnappers. And she wanted to tell her as much. They were a team, but when it came down to it, she was in charge.

Until Chias addressed her, deigning to give her orders and stunning Ofi into silence. The nerve of the Jedi. If the droid had been an organic instead, her face probably would have reddened in rage, steam pouring out of her ears. She made a close approximation however, her red photoreceptors flashing and her wings slicing the air more erratically. Her metal body fairly thrummed with her annoyance. There was no time to waste; they needed to extract the information from this Gamorrean nuisance and go get the senator. And the Echani wanted her to calm down? Put away her blaster?

She was a mechanical object; she was not capable of acting rashly or making errors. There would have been no fear of her accidentally discharging her weapon and killing the fat pig in front of her. Ofi was in complete control of all her movements, despite what this Jedi might think of her. What might appear to be impulsive behavior to these organics was in actuality the droid's efficient programming. So typical for an organic to press their emotions and feelings onto those of a mechanical sort who weren't built to demonstrate such things.

However, as she analyzed the current situation, taking in Chias's words, the droid conceded to the Jedi with a short nod of her head. At least for the time being, it was logical to let the two Jedi--the Wroonian Reiko had finally caught up to them--carry on the negotiations with this odorous creature. He might respond better to beings he was used to associating with, especially if he had had any sort of interaction with Jedi, instead of the small but intimidating avian droid flying in his face. Ofi kept her beak closed but decided to keep her blaster out in full view; even if she was willing to take a step back, she would not tuck away her weapon, for anyone. If things went sour, she wanted to be ready.

The Gamorrean squeaked then, jumping in place as if he had been poked or jabbed. But Chis and Reiko were still holding their places; neither of them had done anything to him. Ofi cocked her head and studied the short pudgy being as he turned to look up behind him at the cliff where the shot had originated from a few minutes earlier. Something didn't seem right... She opened up her sensors, doing a sweep of the area, and soon Ofi picked up light static of some kind of transmission nearby. And that's when it all clicked into place; the pig wasn't alone. He had a partner somewhere, most likely the Weequay Ofi had battled with in Ina's apartment. Someone of his limited intelligence couldn't be working alone.

Impatient and sensing a trick in the Gamorrean's sudden cooperation--in addition to her suspecting silent communication with an associate--Ofi flew up between the two Jedi. It was time for her to regain control of the situation and hopefully disable any kind of plans the two villains had concocted. "That won't be necessary. I will open it." Ofi went up to the control panel of the turbolift door set into the mountainside, easily visible this close; obviously it had some kind of coded lock, but it would be no trouble for the droid. Unsheathing one wing of vibrobladed feathers, she shredded the panel to bits. The door slid open.

Ofi turned to face the others. "Now, you pig will lead the way, in case this is a trap." She leveled her blaster point blank at the Gamorrean's head. "But first..." The avian droid turned her head towards the top of the nearby rock outcropping where the blaster bolt had come from, and where she suspected at once one more being was hiding out. "I'd ask that your friend come down here where we can see him. And he can join you at the front of the line."


* * * * *


The Caamasi was getting bored. All this foreplay was entertaining and all, but it wasn't quite up to par with what he was really looking forward to getting to do. It was becoming rather tedious, he thought, all this tiptoeing around. But he was finally about to get his chance. He had extracted the information his mistress had wanted from the Arkanian doctor; detestable as it was, he would report back to her once he had completed the rest of his playtime. And now it was time for the main event. His Sith mistress had given him full reign over the two captives, just as long as he kept them alive. No problem for him--living, breathing experiments were so much more enjoyable.

With a flourish, he lifted off his knuckle-smashing tool from the doctor's mangled hand. "Doctor, you've provided me with the data my mistress required." Obviously he could have interrogated the Arkanian much  more thoroughly, but the Sith woman wouldn't know that.  The Caamasi would just plead that the old man was stubborn, and he had barely gotten the information he had. He could not wait any longer to achieve his reward for doing his mistress's bidding. "Now comes the truly fun part." His snout twisted in a leer before he stepped away from the doctor's chair.

Dr. Rand had wanted to defend his position, his choices, but the crazed Caamasi had not let him. But he supposed it was for the best. Anything more he would have said would probably have earned him more broken fingers, or worse. At least now he had a break from the torture. He visibly sank against his bindings, not realizing his muscles and body had been tensed up the entire time the rat-faced being had been standing in front of him. The doctor dared not look towards his bruised and blackening hand; his concern instead was for his daughter. His white eyes slid towards her, trying to encourage her to stay calm.  Maybe he could retain the villain's attention on himself long enough that at least Ina would be rescued... if he was correct in assuming that her droid Ofi was on her way.

Ina had winced instinctively as she had felt the reaction of her father's newest injury. It pained her to see him under so much duress. But there was nothing she could do about it. Her bonds were tight, and she had long ago found out it was useless to strain against them. The young Offshoot could only wish that the fiend would turn his focus to her instead and leave her father alone. He was elderly and would not be able to take much more of this intense stress without major consequences. She was young yet and would have an easier recovery from any prolonged tortured. That is, if she was still around to recover.

At his table of 'pleasure' tools, the Caamasi took his time scanning over them. He wanted to pick something that would both cause pain but also do it slowly. Something that would begin the process he was continuing to perfect. Small dark eyes flicked towards the door where two of his former experiments stood: the mangled Offshoots with failed enhancements. His skills could only get better with practice, and he grinned to himself as he turned his attention back to the array of instruments. Eventually, though, he plucked something, admiring it a moment before slowly moving away from the others.

As his gaze landed back on Dr. Rand, he started in his direction. He knew exactly what he was going to do first. And really, from a certain point of view, he would only be helping the good doctor out. Improving his quality of life. The Caamasi stopped about a meter in front of his captive and lifted the item in his hand; it was a small compact but powerful vibrosaw. For effect, he gently pressed the activation button, inciting a cringing buzz, before removing his clawed finger. "I'm so sorry about your fingers, Doctor. And you know, at your age, they likely will not heal properly. So I recommend a removal of the entire hand; it's really the best thing for you." A grayish lip lifted in a giddy sneer as he slowly stepped forward, the saw held out in front of him.

[jedi334]

Chias gave a small smile as she saw Ofi back away her weapons still drawn, happy the little bird droid was conceding this much at least. She frowned slightly when Reiko threatened further violence against the ignorant lout, she was not sure if her Wroonian comrade was joking or was serious, but Chias choose not to speak against her strategy.

For the moment all three of them were on the same page hopefully it would stay that way for the rest of the mission, her blue eyes went upward when Ofi mentioned the pig’s “friend”, scanning left and right to see a person or rifle mounted on a boulder but seeing neither, Echani eye sight was sharp but she doubted she could compete with Rekio’s vision or Ofi’s enhanced fiber optics

She bit her lower lip and thought, retracting her blade but still holding her hilt tightly as she glanced up at the little droid. “Watch him.” She said with a bit of uncertainty “If he moves…..well…um…oh by the Force just make sure he doesn’t move!”

Feeling a flush going to her cheeks she began to walk away glancing at Rekio who was lightly snickering as she motioned with her free hand to follow. “A word please?” she said as they moved out of ear shot of the Gamorrean, her back to he and Ofi as she gave a sigh looking up slightly at her companion.

“Well the lift is open. I know we should proceed but Ofi seeing a second accomplice worries me. I hate to keep doubting her but you’d think if there was some sort of sniper up there they would have…targeted…“ Her words trailed off as she saw a glowing red dot right between Rekio’s yellow eyes.

All Chias could do was inhale sharply as she used all her strength to push the taller woman down hard on the rocky ground as the shot rang out and she covered Reiko's body from the laser bolt.

She felt an instant impact hit her cybernetic shoulder, giving a painful yelp white hot waves went down her left side of her body as her arm convulsed and spasmed as the wires fused to the muscle tissue connected and disconnected in rapid succession causing the arm to go limp and then jump back to life over and over…all the while indescribable pain went down her arm.

Tears streamed down her face but Chias did not cry…she would not cry. Her only task was staying on top of Reiko and making sure no other shots hit her, a simple thought going through her mind to keep herself from passing out from the pain as her small hand gripped her weapon.

“You will not drop your lightsaber Chias…YOU WILL NOT DROP YOUR LIGHTSABER!!!!”

[Juzt]

Reiko was becoming rather impressed by the other Jedi. She gave of the vibe of being rather shy and nervous but it seemed when the pressure was on she began to gradually take charge. That was fine as far as Rieko was concerned she much preferred hitting things with her lightsaber to using her brains, not that she was stupid. Impetuous would be nearer the mark. She followed Chias, as she beckoned her and inclined her head curiously. Reiko nodded in agreement with the Echani, “True, but a sniper won't just start blasting away, he will wait until he sees a...” She never finnished that sentence as the smaller woman pushed her hard to the ground with surprising strength considering her size. She saw the impact of the blaster shot on the Echani's shoulder, there seemed to be no blood. She wondered if it was prosthetic. However, that thought was soon taken over by annoyance.

After all her work her work on trying to improve her ability to sense, and some nerf herder had just shot another Jedi on her watch. She was defiantly angry, she rolled Chias off her, and stood in front of her lightsaber at the ready to deflect anything that came her way. “Get in cover Chias!”.

[Agent of Greystone]

"Oh."
For a man in Darvek's line of work, one of the worst things you could possibly hear through your partner's comm feed is that you had been made. He moved the focus of his scope off of the two Jedi and over to the small droid that was hovering before the Gammorrean. It was small, but he could still make out that the droid had it's head cocked to the side, and that it was staring right up at his position. Panicking a little he turned back to look at the two females, every time he moved his body, he kicked up a little cloud of the dry sediment beneath himself.

It seemed though that the droid was using some kind of scanning technology to pick up his position. When his vision once again rested on them, the two Jedi he watched as they turned to each other and muttered quietly to one another, only letting their eyes wander up in the general area of his position in quick glances. Then something caught the eye of the Echani. She had noticed something, and he had noticed something. He noticed her noticing something, and he zoomed in a little on the Wroonian Jedi to see just what had alarmed her companion, and then to his shock he realized his mistake when he saw the small red dot illuminated on her forehead. Did I forget to turn off the laser pointer?! Hurriedly he reached his arm to the base of the barrel of the gun where the switch for the laser assisted targeting was, but in his haste he kicked up a wave of dust and dirt which rose up around his face. His eyes watered and a sharp pain ran through his nose.

The loud walloping sneeze that erupted from his nose was only overshadowed in force by the explosion that erupted from the barrel of his gun immediately afterwards. When he sneezed, Darvek's hand involuntarily clenched, one of them still around the hilt of his sniper rifle. A bright red spear of energy was flung from the barrel of the gun and slammed into the shoulder of the Echani Jedi, who had pushed her companion out of the way at the last moment. He could hear her cry of pain below, he knew it would be best if he left now. Unfortunately, as he rose to escape, the dry sediment under his foot gave way. "Quay be damned!" He cursed out loud. His rifle clattered down the hill, and only out of instinct did he manage to grab his case before he slid down after it, landing in a painful thud on the ground.

The Pig rubbed his eyes in exasperation. <Foiled!> He oinked.

Darvek wiped snot from his nose as he stumbled back to his feet. "By the hoist of my own petard!" *Sniff*

There was a short stunned silence as he straightened his posture and brushed himself off formally. His hand moved over the shredded hole under the arm of his coat. He pointed at the bird droid, the lightsabers on the keychain around his briefcase clattering about as he moved it. "You owe me a coat!" He grumbled. "But we can settle that later." He put his hands up by his shoulders in a surrendering stance. "Now officers, bird, pig. I know tensions are high, but there's no need for us to settle this with violence..."

[Mara]

"With pleasure," Ofi responded to Chias's request from her position near the open turbolift. Her mechanical female voice, though monotone, seemed to carry a hint of maniacal pleasure but anyone listening carefully would disbelieve this inflection in the avian droid. Keeping a watch over the Gamorrean was one exception where she would allow herself to follow the young Jedi's orders. Though her blaster was already aimed at the porcine creature's head, she moved forward a couple of meters, just in case he got some stupid idea to run. At this distance, her accuracy was unmatched.

Chias moved off then to speak with Reiko, while she guarded the Gamorrean, obviously to make plans regarding the revelation of the pig's partner. If she hadn't been able to amplify nearby sound and hear everything they were discussing, Ofi would have been offended not to be included. Instead, she caught every word they whispered loud and clear as they debated their next move. Stragetizing without her input could only negatively impact how they accomplished the senator's rescue, especially if they ended up acting separating and got in each others' way. But Ofi remained where she was, listening and keeping her watch over the Gamorrean; she would give them a pass this time around. However, if this continued, she would have to reassert her control.

The Gamorrean was trembling under the sharp gaze of her red photoceptors when a serious hydrospanner was thrown into the gears. Apparently the mysterious partner up above--whom Ofi calculated was the Weequay from Coruscant--had not been happy to have his cover blown by her and the Jedi. In the next few seconds, the Echani Jedi was shoving down her Wroonian counterpart as a blaster shot rang out simultaneously. Reiko came away unscathed, but Ofi saw the bolt catch Chias in the shoulder as they both fell to the ground. She couldn't help but think, Told you so.

She remained where she was; an organic probably would have shirked her duty and left behind the Gamorrean to check on the injured Jedi, putting her own life at risk. Her only concession to the evolved situation was to shift her position slightly, still keeping the pig-like creature in her sights while freeing herself up to take a shot at the sniper if need be. However, Ofi understood the situation better than most. Not only did it appear to be a flesh wound, but she had Reiko by her side to attend to anything medical. There was truly nothing Ofi could do for Chias except keep to the current plan as much as she was able.

Especially when another sound caught her attention and forced her to put some of her focus towards the cliff. Dirt, stones, and other debris were pelting down, followed by a large gun and a being. As it stood up in the dissipating cloud of dust, Ofi immediately recognized the Weequay who had been in Ina's apartment, the one she had rumbled with before he got away with his senatorial prize. The droid was conflicted, wishing her maker had installed two blasters inside of her. Hovering in the air, her wings flapping, she twisted back and forth, pointing her weapon at the tall gray alien and the Gamorrean, back and forth. Eventually she settled for the Weequay, prioritizing the danger to him.

"Knight Shae, grab his rifle!" Ofi was in no position to do so herself, needing the Jedi to disarm the Weequay before he got any ideas in picking it up himself. He had kidnapped Ina and shot at them, injuring Knight Nero; he was enemy number one. As the Wroonian followed through, the droid flew herself closer, covering the Jedi with her own blaster. With his boss cornered, she didn't compute the Gamorrean being any trouble. In any case, she decided Chias would be able to handle the pig; even a wounded Jedi was still a Jedi.

Her photoreceptors seemed impossibly to narrow as the Weequay spoke up, addressing her. She probably shouldn't have, but she spoke up. Ofi couldn't believe that this big ugly alien was actually thinking that he deserved compensation for torn clothing. After all that he had already done. And for something that wasn't even the droid's fault. It was infuriating to her core. "I owe you nothing. You will take us to the senator. Now. Or you will have breathed your last." The blaster from the compartment in her chest was unwavering as she kept it pointed at him. Jedi plans be damned; she wanted her friend back, at any cost.

[jedi334]

Chias heard Rekio’s order to get cover as she scrambled to a near by boulder. She dropped lightsaber as her good hand reached in her robe pockets taking out a small injector gun with a syringe of a pain killer cocktail one of the medical droids in the Temple prescribed her a screwed on top.

She popped the cap off and closed her eyes tight, whimpering slightly as she jabbed the needle into the side of her neck and hear the hiss as the liquid was pumped into her blood stream. It was something she rarely used but always had with her, this was not the first time she had been shot at.

It had coast her left shoulder but she had saved the life of a young woman, most of the bone and damaged tissue had been removed and replaced with cybernetic and synthetic parts, this along almost two years physical and rehabilitative therapy had brought her back to health.

The side effects however were uncontrollable muscle spasms and getting so stiff she could barely move her arm along with moderate to severe pain. To combat this her doctor gave this injector, only to be used in the most needed circumstances…and considering what had just happened, it was most definitely needed.

She opened her eyes slowly, feeling the euphoric warmth of the meds flow over her small body. Her head was light and her thoughts slowed for the moment, the searing pain being brought down to a dull throb.

She giggled lightly to herself as the opiates took effect. She felt so warm and safe, it reminded her of her private garden back at the Temple, sure her arm hurt a bit it was all right. All she had to do was stay here and everything would be fine.

Then a thought fought it way through the haze…Rekio and Ofi. They were out there facing a man with a sniper rifle, he was part of the group that kidnapped the Senator and she was here to rescue her.

She could not do that sitting here wandering through drug induced daydream. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, falling back on her training to fight through the fog in her mind and come back to reality.

“Gather your wits and focus Chias Nero, you are needed.” She thought. “Now check the damage.”

She slid the left side of her robe down and looked at her prosthetic, the laser bolt had hit the back part and had left a massive blackened and scorched dent where it had it hit, but must have ricocheted because she saw no exit hole in the front.

She glanced down at the operational light which still was green, it meant that the outer shell had been damaged but she had to be sure. “Remember what Kamali always tells you during your therapy sessions.” She thought “test for nerve damage and flexibility.”

She flexed each of her fingers and clenched her hand into a small fist rolling her wrist around in a small circle feeling little pain as she breathed deeply “So for so good.” She thought as she kept her fist clenched and curled her arm completely upward.

She bit her bottom lip firmly as the dull throb went up to a sharp burn as she came up to her shoulder. She most certainly had muscle tissue damage from the electrical shock due to the impact of the blast, but her saber arm for the most part was usable.

If it was just herself on this mission she would use one of her foot wrappings to make a shift sling and use her other arm to fight with. But considering her right was the weaker of the two she would be useless to Rekio and Ofi.

“I will not become a burden on this mission.” She thought, sliding her robe back on and rising shakily to her feet. “I have five more vials of pain killers with me; if I use them sparingly and do nothing foolish when fighting I will be fine. Just breathe Chias…breathe.”

She knelt and picked up her weapon, reigniting it as she walked out glancing at Rekio who looked concerned but Chias gave a weak smile, trying to mask her discomfort in front of the Wroonian.

“I am fine.” She said shakily, her blue eyes glassy from the meds but focused on the shooter who now stood before them.

From the look of him he looked just as dazed and confused as the rest of them, her face having the look of disgust as he offered up a flag of surrender.

“’No need to settle this with violence’?” she said her small voice rising. “YOU SHOT ME!”

She shrank back a bit, surprised at her loudness and anger, perhaps it was the painkillers making her slip, but she could feel Rekio surprised gaze on her.

Then Chias took in the Weequay’s face, from the way he was speaking, his body language and facial features…he seemed genuinely embarrassed at what he did.

“Wait a moment.” She said slowly and her voice quieting. “Are you saying this was an accident?” She glanced briefly at her companions before refocusing back on him. “Who are you exactly?”