Stuck Here (Neo)

[Kaelan]

Peace. It was strange for such a feeling to arise from a place that deep down, was anything but peaceful. Maybe the fact that the desires of most of the people around here had been met, at least the most basic ones, was the explanation for such a pleasant sensation in the air. No one wanted to hurt anyone else, it seemed as something illogical. There was only love, something that became rarer in the Galaxy as time went by.

At first, Kaelan had wanted to stay on this planet for as little time as possible, fearing his resolution and control would be tested beyond of his capabilities. It wouldn’t have been surprising if the handsome Jedi had fallen victim to the charms of his surrounding, and specially its people. But Kael had managed to impress himself by displaying a level focus and maturity that was new to him. The thought made him look up to the sky while thinking of his former Master, now with the Force, or rotting in the ground. Who knows? The young Jedi Knight wondered if she would be proud of him, if she was watching him now and smiling. He touched his wrist, trying to reach the bracelet she had given to him all those years ago. It had been instinctive action, and destined to failure, since the simple object around his wrist was covered by his white armor.

The sound of “Seven” moving next to him managed to bring him back from the unpleasant memories. The short astromech was advancing next to its Master, calmly scanning its surroundings. Lights of all colors adorned the street they were currently in, matching the also colorful people of many races that were around the Jedi and his robotic companion. Kael had been to many impressive places during his last year of missions and travelling under the Order’s commands, but this one was unique, to say the least. He was supposed to be on his way to Coruscant already, coming back from another successful assignment, but that wouldn’t be happing any time soon. His transport was going through repairs, for Force knows how long, and he was stuck here.

He rubbed the back of his neck while thinking of how many turns and twists the initial mission had taken. It started off as a simple mission overseeing negotiations, but he ended having to escort the infamous pirate Lexo “Eight Fingers” to his home planet of Zeltros, since this was the procedure according to Republic laws regarding Zeltron criminals. Lexo wasn’t exactly the kind of person you want to make such a long trip with. He was annoying, sure, but more importantly, a very resourceful and sneaky bastard, who almost escaped twice. But that was water under the bridge now. The mission was over, and Kaelan had received the offer to stay for a month in “paradise” for the service he had provided. Apparently the Zeltron despised when one of their own took up a life of crime and brought dishonor to the peaceful and loving species. The Jedi had of course turned down this reward, but it seemed he would be staying for a while, one way or the other.

[Neology]

They said you couldn't truly know someone until you saw where they came from. Darth Novus rather disagreed; obnoxiously curious by nature, she usually learned whatever she needed straight from the individual in question's surface thoughts. This was different. She needed Dr. Rase Hyul to work for her and his talents were not easily replaced.

Besides, no one turned down a trip to Zeltros. Not even the Dark Lady of the Sith, though of course she traveled under a different name. Though nominally independent, Zeltros was still deep in the Inner Rim.

It was a disappointment, over all. Glitter and order where the tourists might see, poverty in the backwaters. Low on violent crime, but what of it there was almost never lead to a conviction. Exports listed exclusively luxury goods and civilian tech. Feely vids for the galaxy's pornography enthusiasts. Artwork. Interesting perfumes. Useless as far as the Empire's interests went, though she kept an open mind. It was, if nothing else, a good place to hide.

Novus stepped out into the humid night air, the mingled scents of smoke and liquor clinging uncomfortably to the fabric of her dress, to her hair and to her skin. The casino loomed behind her, a neon lit juggernaut. Her winnings were modest when set against the scale of that establishment's dealings. A few thousand credits, stowed safely away on a untraceable credstick in her purse. Hardly worth killing over. Unfortunately, her opponent had disagreed. She'd read it in his thoughts, just as clear as his sabacc hand moments before.

She melded into the crowd as best she could, her white hair and fair complexion still irritatingly distinct among the natives. The lean young man from the casino followed, the muzzle of a scatter gun just barely discernible beneath the folds of his unseasonably heavy coat. Novus walked faster, ruby corset heels (a match to the dress) clicking rhythmically against the sidewalk.

[Kaelan]

The street was slowly getting more crowded as the duo continued along their path. Kaelan didn’t really have a specific destination, but walking around seemed like a good way to learn from this place and its inhabitants. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge, after all. He already knew plenty from holo-books and such, but it might be interesting to see the source with his own eyes. His eyes shifted from one spot to the other, trying to make sense of the relentless mix of lights and images. Crowded places didn’t normally make him uncomfortable, but the smells were mostly new to him, as well as the overwhelming wave of sounds emerging from the shops and attractions. The Jedi quickly lowered his head, a very faint blush adorning his cheeks as he looked at the ground.

Kaelan certainly wasn’t the shy type, but seeing a video like that, in such a public place, caused a strange feeling to arise in his stomach. It wasn’t long before the Jedi got a hold of himself. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, trying to focus on the task at hand. They finally reached what looked like a park, bustling with exotic plant life and the occasional insect. Kael then told “Seven” to project the map of the district they were currently in, while he sat down on a bench. The Jedi moved his finger along the holographic streets and buildings, attempting to settle for a location to visit, and calculating the route they should take. He smiled and nodded, standing up while “Seven” shut off the hologram -“I need you to check on the ship”- Said Kaelan, kneeling on the floor in front of his droid, as if he wanted them to be on even ground. His statement was followed by a sequence of beeps, bloops, buzzes, chirps, whines, and whistles that reflected the droid’s reluctance to follow its master’s orders. After so much time together, Kaelan had learned how to understand Binary most of the time, though of course he couldn’t synthesize it.

It took the Jedi around five minutes to convince his rebellious droid to return to the Spaceport to inspect how the repairs were going. Kael doubted someone would try to steal him, but even if they did, “Seven” wouldn’t make it easy. His innocent blue eyes widened as he gazed upon the gigantic casino in front of him, so bright that it seemed as if it wanted to blind him. It was the first time he had even seen something like that, and the emotions surrounding it were equally impressive. Greed, anger, excitement, lust, fear, remorse, guilt, hate, love. It was all there.