And Justice For All...{Postman}

[vallen]

It was about time.

It was unlike Vallen to be in the mood he was--in a manner of speaking he was rather flustered. It had only been a few days since his arrival onto the planet, leaving Vallen to wander how one thrived on a planet so inexpicably horrid. His thoughts wouldn't delve into the details, as because despite the fact this taxed his mind--he found solace in the midst of opportunity. Through the art of mingling, Vallen had inquired information about certain entities capable of getting men that didn't want to raise any alerts without issue. It was an isolated planet but one could never be too careful.

Maybe it was his dark red skin, or the fact he wasn't quite use to it, but every ray of heat that pranced upon his skin seemed to extract energy from him as well--it was something he wasn't use to. On top of that, sweating had become a normalcy within the short time he was there, leaving himself a bit more pungent than he would have liked. As he turned into an alleyway, the cover of the building's shadows intersecting to create a canopy of relief gave him hope as he was nearing his destination. Upon arrival, the rhodian's unsightly visage was peering at Vallen even from a distance. He greeted him, as the Rhodian did him, and they entered thereafter.

The devaronian felt as though the encumbering effects of the heat had been lifted form him upon entree, perhaps guiding the emotion of appreciation through his thoughts briefly about how intellectual existence had some things they perhaps took for granted--though this thought was whisked by the situation leaving it a thought vacant of attention. Behind him was the Rhodian, standing right before the automated metal doors as they slid back together with a light "swish". He information Vallen that the other would soon be here and that he should wait, and so Vallen took his seat on the table at the opposite side of the door so that he may peer towards it.

As he did, he contemplated if this would be the last planet he would have to hitch a ride at before arriving at Korriban. While it allowed him to get some experience of life, and a stronger perception of the universe in which he lived in, although the young man's mind was youthful and perhaps lacking in patience..He could not divert from empowering himself with the real Sith teachings. He would have perhaps been entranced with contemplation, although a feeling bellowed within him as to beckon his attention. Something was wrong, although that perhaps was the feeling of being out of one's element--he did not know. Needless to say, he stayed aware and vigilant.

[Postman]

Kaalsa had been sent on a mission by the counsel to find a devaronian that might have been involved in the deaths of Jedi knights, but finding him was not as easy as it sounded. It felted like he had searched every scum-filled bar and cantina in the galaxy, but there wasn't much to find. After searching for quite some time, Kaalsa finally found a Rhodian who had a connection to the devaronian and, after some persuasion from the Force, agreed to set up a meeting with him under the ruse that Kaalsa would give him transport. The Rhodian told Kaalsa that he would meet Vallen, the devaronian, in Mos Eisley.

Well, here he was, sitting on some backwater planet in another scummy cantina. He had already forgotten the name of the place, all he could focus on was the hope that the Rhodian would actually come through for him; Rhodians were crafty at the least and Kaalsa knew it. Irritation was creeping in on him due to the obnoxious heat and the absurd amount of time he had been waiting, not to mention the fact that he was wearing civilian clothes instead of the usual Jedi robes which were stowed in his starship. His thoughts turned to his spaceship and Kaalsa also hoped that it would be convincing enough to persuade, he took a moment to recall the name, Vallen, that was it, to actually board the thing. It was an old transport ship he bought with the funds that the counsel had given him for the mission; it was old, but it looked solid and Kaalsa hoped that it would be enough to convince Vallen.

After a few more minutes had passed Kaalsa noticed the door open and the Rhodian and another figure stepped inside. The devaronian sat down at a table which faced the door but also allowed him to view the rest of the bar. He's smart, Kaalsa thought, I'll have to be mindful of him. As he stood to walk over to the table Kaalsa noticed a strange sensation pulsing through the Force, it was dark and it had been some time since he had felt darkness like that. Kaalsa wondered if Vallen was capable of using the darkside of the Force and checked that his lightsaber was still tucked away inside his pilot's suit.

Reaching the table he stood in front of Vallen and asked, "So you must be the devaronian my Rhodian associate was talking about. Name's Kal. Where you headed?"

[vallen]

The feeling developed. It was then he knew something was to occur that would be conflicting his ultimate goal of staying out of trouble, however he could not quite determine if that was a result of the approaching entity to this location. He would wait. And even though he would wait, he wouldn't simply be as though a fish in a battle, therefore he reached out with the force in order to gain some enlightenment somewhere in the fray. Needless to say, nothing between the time he sought such information and the moment Kaalsa entered the room could be derived from the riddles the force provided Vallen.

Yellow eyes narrowed upon the man's entry, their menacing presence clearly adorned. Upon initial examination, he didn't seem much, but being of small stature in a species known to be exceptionally tall--Vallen knew that underneath the veil of physicalities sometimes laid dormant immense power. As such, closer examinations would be pursued as the man approached the table and thereafter spoke to him. The one before him was one attuned with the force, though despite this Vallen did not feel anything dark weaves within the force emitted by the man. That could mean two things: He was a jedi, or he was a force sensitive especially strong in latent potential--Vallen wasn't one to second-guess a gut instinct or tell signs by the force either.

"Dantooine, to meet up with some old relatives that left my home planet many years ago." His lips curled into a smile orchestrated to coax trust from the man, and he leaned back in his chair with either hand in its respective lap. He also noticed the gesturing towards his Kaalsa's belt, something he assumed was a saber. By his estimation, it seemed Vallen was in a bit of trouble.

"What's your price? My family is rather wealthy in those parts." He added, implying that the credits received would be done upon the arrival to the planet. Vallen was rather broke as it stood and he would be once they were in space. But in truth, he knew that the jedi knew who he was, as if the situation was otherwise one would wonder why he was smuggling men off the planet. It was only time before this escalated and Vallen needed to devise a plan to get the man isolated, kill him and take his ship. More difficult things had been accomplished.

[Postman]

Kaalsa could feel Vallen examining him closely and decided that his cover was blown and that he needed to come up with a plan to keep this from boiling over. As it stood right now a fight was sure to break out and though Kaalsa was confident in his ability to handle a lightsaber, his opponent seemed to be quite cunning. Vallen's yellow casually looked him up and down, assessing him quickly and then he answered him saying he had relatives to see; at this point they both knew it was pointless banter, used only to test the other and find weaknesses. In his head he knew this was a chess match full of calculations, unfortunately Kaalsa had never been good at chess.

"I need a down payment if I'm going to Dantooine. It isn't easy smuggling people, you know." and Kaalsa looked him square in his yellow eyes.

Intent to kill poured through the Force as Vallen looked back into Kaalsa's eyes completely unwavering. Kaalsa knew that this was not going to end well and he hoped that there wouldn't be any civilian casualties. After they sat locked in non-verbal combat for a few moments, the Rhodian, who had been completely ignored up to this point, drew two blasters and pointed them in their faces. It was a very unwise decision.

[vallen]

Things were developing though not in the direction which Vallen desired, though still Vallen kept to his thoughts. At this both, they both knew in a general way who the other one was, on the other hand--what were they doing about it? Vallen, based on his own gestures, made a few guesses about the man before him. Where Vallen relied on the force to aid him in this moment, calling upon it, the other man reassured himself by confirming his lightsaber's location on his form. While he couldn't say that it meant the other preferred saber combat, it wasn't unlikely. Needless to say, it didn't matter too much anyway.



Just then his thoughts were vanquished by the current happenings, by then the Rhodian had pulled out his blasters and aimed them at both the force-users. It seemed a little bit messy for his tastes and he didn't want to get caught up in it any further. What the Rhodian didn't know was that pulling out weapons was the last thing he wanted to do. As soon as his hand started to lift, Vallen's hand moved to the right. Utilizing the force, he would beckon both the rhodian's gun and hand towards the direction of the jedi. It would likely be then that the Rhodian would fire off both blasters out of fright (your call on if that happens), and Vallen would push up with his other hand as he backed from the door---pushing the table over, and with the force, towards the jedi then.



He wasn't looking to get caught up in a fight, but....by then he would have his saber in his hand and would be employing measures to ignite it. (Didn't want to do too many actions in one post, I'm not sure how many are acceptable.)

[Postman]

Kaalsa put out his hand and called on the Force to pull the blaster pointed at him from the Rhodian's hand. Vallen also used to Force, but he aimed the Rhodian's blaster at him instead of disarming Kaalsa while simultaneously throwing the table at him. Kaalsa was able to dodge the blaster bolt but not the table, and with a grunt he was slammed into the wall. With the wind completely knocked out of him he sat breathlessly on the floor; unfortunately, Vallen had activated his saber and stood in a prime position to end Kaalsa's life. A few seconds passed and the Rhodian, now grasping that his double cross had utterly failed, ran towards the door in a panicked run, cursing the whole way out.

Moving quickly Kaalsa shoved the table back at Vallen while the Rhodian made a scene and jumped up igniting his own saber. He hoped that this would be enough of a distraction to level the playing field. I need to be wary of this one , thought Kaalsa, He is strong in the darkside, I can feel it .

[vallen]

(So you stated that a few seconds passed before your character got back onto his feet. You just gave me a chance to check-mate the confrontation, but given that we are not competing, I'm not wanting to do that. When you are fighting, remember your wording can be used against you if someone wants to do so, so be careful.)

Vallen's measures to secure his life for a few seconds more found success; diverting both threads for the briefest of movements before pandemonium would perhaps pursue the sith once more. The table that was utilized as a projectile by Vallen had succeeded in slamming into the jedi, thereafter catapulting the man into the wall and onto the ground finally. And then there was the Rhodian, who by this point had been disarmed and was encumbered with the fear of two force-users enacting vengeance upon a slime-ball like himself. It didn't take much for him to head off, and while Vallen didn't condone his escape, it was a necessary compromise as a threat was before him which would spell his demise if he did not heed attention towards it. With that, he turned.

If not for the power of the force, it's omniscient presence providing insight and it's enriching potency augmenting the physical abilities of one that drew heavily upon it, the table which was slung back towards Vallen might had successfully taken his feet away from the ground. Nevertheless, this scenario was not the case and with a rather swift diagonal slash downward; the table was cut in two and fell to either side of him with two thuds one after the other.

"I have slain force-users far greater than you, Jedi. What makes you, or the Jedi for that matter, think that you would be able to slay me? I killed the man that defeated one of the master jedi within your order," his words were formed in a smooth, slithering fashion, as though constructed to imbue the words with fear and mystery. He could tell the other was formidable and he did not want to unleash the beast without first taming it's mind.

After his words seized, his form would pivot and he would assume something reminiscent of a horse stance, with his blade extended towards the Jedi and downward--his hand aligning with his hip. With that he would strafe, moving slowly one foot at a time towards the window. Despite his movement towards the window, he would turn his back to it and keep his eyes fixed upon the jedi as though his attention was entirely on him. Needless to say, he was positioning himself to escape.

[Postman]

Kaalsa's hope that the table would, at the very least, hinder Vallen were dashed. With an effortless stroke he sliced the table in half, cutting Kaalsa's offense as well. Vallen then demeaned his skills and told him that he was weak, his voice smooth and coated with the influence of the darkside. A wave of doubt washed over Kaalsa as he stood at the ready, waiting for his adversary to make a move. As Vallen spoke he stepped slowly towards the window and Kaalsa worried that he would make his escape at any moment. Mustering the Force he combated the verbal assault with his own.

"It would be foolish of me to take your words as truth, Sith. And, even if what you said is true, I will not allow you to go unpunished for your deeds."

With that he rushed forward arcing his slash from below in an upward motion attempting to dismember the Devaronian's legs. He knew it would be easily blocked, but he had to keep him from escaping or he might never have another opportunity to find him. He couldn't fail this mission; no, he wouldn't fail this mission.

[vallen]

All the while the conversation pursued progress, Vallen's insidious yellow eyes dissected whatever he could from the man, his posture and his being. Having said that, within the fine textures of the voice, within the eyes and the lips which spoke--there was truth that could not be triumphed. He could feel the doubt in the jedi, in his ability, and Vallen would savor this doubt in an endeavor to utilize to his advantage.



The Jedi thrusted forward with a diagonal slash whereupon Vallen drew a minute pool of momentum as he too slid his saber into action to meet the foe's energy blade. Vallen's muscles did not tense, or more accurately remained relaxed throughout the maneuver, as the two sabers met. The clashing of them caused pandemonium at the epicenter of the clash, the violent hiss magnified to Vallen through focus and being within the moment. He did not fight the blade, as his maneuver intended slowly to deter it so his legs could be removed from the projection of the saber's slash.



Due to Vallen's form, which consisted of a horse stance that was constructed side ways in relation to the jedi he faced. That being said, one could assume that the blade would only reach the front leg and not the back as to the necessary degree to bend would be undoubtedly silly and would end in the jedi's demise. Having said that, the clashing of the blades was simultaneously to the the stepping of his feet that pushed his form back away from the blade.



Once his body was safe, his blade would gave from friction and allowed the other's blade to push it as he drew it away and simply allowed the other's momentum to continue. With his step backwards, he was near enough to the wall that his back was within a few inches of being contingent, so his escape was as secured as it could be. On the other hand, his saber combat skills were less than adequate, and if he needed to move back to dodge another attack--he better be capable of going through the window.



Needless to say, he found the Jedi's quick movement towards violence. While he had not been completely instructed in the way of the jedi, having not ever been part of the jedi and only hearing a few stories told by his old master, he still understood the very basic concept of the Jedi claiming to be peace-keepers. Perhaps this was the way in which peace was served, and if it was, the jedi were more like the sith than Vallen imagined. Vallen wouldn't go without investigating it. So, simultaneous to the movement back, he would also part lips to utter words without disrupting his vigilance to the assault:



"Not only do I see doubt within you, Jedi, but I also feel anger. Nevertheless, I did indeed slay a sith master. Tell me, Jedi, does your jedi code condone such aggressive advances?" Vallen's words slithered out like a serpentine riding the crevices between blades of grass, although the power of the force he willed was much more blatant in it's intention than the words, and with the forward thrust of his palm--his shoulder pushing forward as well if to physically augment the push. With the forward movement of his palm, a blast of force would ignite into existence and stream towards the Jedi. If he didn't create some distance, this would perhaps end negatively for the sith.

[Postman]

As the blades clashed and hissed Kaalsa noticed that Vallen was using his momentum against his own assault. As Vallen did so he felt him using the darkside to mold his words as he spoke. He spoke of Kaalsa's doubt and that his words contained truth. It flustered Kaalsa and his anger began to rise. Digging his boots into the grainy floor he halted quickly and spun around aiming at Vallen's torso. Something was bothering him, though; as he attacked he felt the power of the dark side and its allure. It was unsettling and it worried Kaalsa, and it only enhanced his doubt. Is this the temptation of the darkside, he wondered, and why is it so potent now?

Since Vallen had entered that bar as strange presence had overshadowed him which clouded his mind. He had never felt the darkside so strongly and it concerned him greatly. Anger had never come so quickly to him before but now he was abandoning the core principles the Order was founded upon. Was this truly the way a Jedi was to conduct himself? The doubt began to swirl in his mind and cloud his ability to think even more, and all of this happening in a split second of thought.

Yet, as he swung his blade, the muscle memory from years of practice made his strokes sure and strong. As he torqued his hips to spin and attack he felt the stiffness of his suit rub against his skin and the fluidity of his movement was reassuring. He was fully committed to the stroke; unfortunately, at the last second he felt the Force well up in Vallen and extend through his arm. The push blasted Kaalsa backwards and once again he was slammed into the wall--hard.

By some miracle he was able to hold on to his saber as he hit the floor and, though dazed he new he had to get up quickly or he was going to have his life ended. Quickly standing up he ignited his saber again, but this time he waited. The hit, though painful, had cleared his head and made him realize that Vallen's words, imbued with the darkside, were causing him to think irrationally. Combined with his own fear of failure, he was allowing his emotions to run rampant and compromise his ability to think.

Standing with both hands on his saber, his left leg in front and right behind, Kaalsa angled his torso with his legs making him a smaller target. As he did so he spoke, "You are strong in the Force, and I have underestimated you in my eagerness to fulfill my mission. Though you may be strong in the darkside, and you may have killed powerful enemies, this will not stop me from pursuing you to the ends of the galaxy. My goal is not to kill you but bring you to justice. As a Jedi I am sworn to uphold peace, and peace I will bring, even if it means death. "