Three Musketeers (vexmun, makiro)

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Setting everything up for the next day was not the simplest task when one had a new padawan...the togruta had rediscovered this the previous night. After bringing Makiro back to her room and getting him settled in, she'd made swift work of her packing, then it was time to contact Theron and the transport yards to arrange for their departure the next morning. It might not have taken so long had she been alone, considering she was able to go several days without food if she had to (not that she liked it), but with a padawan (and a boy at that) she decided to head to the dining hall anyway. After that gathering supplies was the next project on the agenda, and that took the longest. Makiro would need to make himself a lightsaber now, and so they needed to gather the materials for that, as well as any food or medical supplies they might need. Only once that was all done did they get the chance to sleep.

The next morning came too soon for the rust skinned woman, but she didn't complain. Sunrises and nights were her favorite times of day, so she welcomed the sun by gazing out the window as it set the cityscape to glittering with new light. Not long after she'd woken Makiro and they'd gathered their things only to set off toward the central hall. She'd not had the time to put on her sash or headdress yet, so as they waited patiently at the doors of the temple for Theron she settled the traditional "Togruta sash" around her waist, followed by the utility belt that nearly all jedi bore. Next came the silvery chain of metal, shells, teeth and stones that she clipped around the base of her montral before running a hand over one of them lightly. A habit that came with living on a bustling planet when one had two hollow horns on their head that tended to echo directly into one's skull.

Keeping one eye on Makiro and the other searching for Theron, she stood serenely against one of the pillars as they waited, the sun already starting to blaze in the front doors and cast the rest of the temple's insides into shadows as it crept along the marble flooring to disperse them slowly.

You have the supplies, Makiro? And your training saber as well, yes?

[Makiro]

Life as a Padawan was, Makiro had decided, like a whirlwhind. Barely one night had passed since Makiro had been accepted as Sihara's apprentice, and already he was feeling washed-out by the constant stream of tasks and duties they'd had to complete before even leaving Coruscant. Leaving Coruscant. What excitement those two words could conjour up in a young boy. Excitement and... trepidation? Anxiety? Fear? Makiro wasn't entirely certain which emotions were working together to cause such turmoil within him. He only knew that they were potent. Sleep hadn't come easily to the young Padawan that first night, nor did he expect it would for many nights to come, away from the security and comfort of the Temple within whose familiar walls he had grown up. But that did nothing to perturb him, for he was a Padawan now, and he would be strong.

The morning brought with it a renewed sense of adventure and excitement, almost completely banishing the nerves of the previous night. As soon as his new Master had woken him, Makiro had leapt out of bed and begun to gather together his things, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. The air had felt positively electric with anticipation and the cool morning breeze that fluttered through the Temple's hallways were like the wings of some ancient Nabooan deity, heralding the arrival of a new dawn, and with it a new era for the young Jedi.

Now waiting in the central hall of the Temple, sitting cross-legged at the feet of his Master, Makiro watched as sunlight erupted into the ancient building, washing it with golden light. Shadows were banished one by one as a glowing aura flooded across the marble floors; a fitting symbol for the beginning of their journey.

You have the supplies, Makiro? And your training saber as well, yes?

Sihara's voice dragged Makiro out of his reverie, causing him to look up at her in surprise.

Oh, sorry... Yes, Master. I took all of the things you asked me to, as well as some extra medical supplies I felt might be necessary. And I have my training sabre.

Makiro glanced down at the training sabre clipped to his belt, seeing for the first time how crude and inefficient it looked. He knew it would perform well in a fight, especially with the power increased to maximum. However, he looked forward to the time when he would be allowed to construct his own lightsabre. Somewhere in the sacred caves of Ilum perhaps?

Taking a deep breath of the morning air, Makiro looked out over the cavernous hallway and sighed. Today he would become a Jedi.

[Vex]

It had been an early morning for Theron as well. He, however, had fallen asleep surprisingly early. His dreams, mercifully, were silent and did not rouse him as they did most nights. He was about to embark upon a hunt...his purpose and place in the universe clearly delineated and defined for him. With that purpose, he was at peace, at least for the moment. A part of him realized that this was, most likely, something not altogether good, but the rest of him was simply too focused on the mission. The mission always came first.

Well before dawn he'd been up, going through his forms...limbering himself up. After a good session to prepare himself for the day and keep him sharp, he showered and began to prepare for the trip. He had his gear, his robes, his belt and his saber. He'd packed a satchel as well. Anything that he could possibly need was either in the belt or in the satchel. He had a few spare sets of robes, another set of boots, some survival gear in there...nothing beyond the absolute necessities. He was a creature of very Spartan habit.

A quick meal to sate him for a while and he would check his gear one last time. With everything checked off mentally, he slipped the belt around his waist. Taking up his saber, he disconnected it and clipped it to his belt. The satchel was slung over his shoulder. Stepping out the door, he waved a hand at the Lum switch, killing the lights as he left. He didn't bother locking it, not here in the Temple. Besides, there was nothing there that was irreplaceable anyway.

He made his way towards the main entrance at the central hall. He would emerge from the shadows of that side hall, easily coming into her view. With the light of the new day reflecting in hi eyes, they seemed to burn with an inner crimson light...quite a contrast to that dark, indigo skin and demeanor.

His steps were light, however, given the anticipation of a new hunt. He would stop near them, inclining his head to her. "Sihara..." Quirking a brow, he'd appraise her newly received Padawan with a critical gaze. Finally, he gave a minute nod to him as well. "Padawan."

Looking out toward vast cityscape of Coruscant, he'd query lightly. "Are we ready to depart....the ship arrangements are in order?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

((urk....forgot to warn you about the evil blue text....sorry Makiro...but yay that we have a Theron post!))

Sihara gave a small nod to Makiro's reply, a pleased smile gracing her face. The boy had been in his own little world, pensive in his introspection, which was fine for the moment, but the horned woman had remained alert allowing the force to bring her tidings of the world around her that she couldn't see. The churning, unsettled, emotions from her padawan broke against her like the waved of a lake that was beginning to churn with a storm moving in. He was uncertain, nervous and anxious and excited...Kain had been much the same way when he'd first started out. A pang of sadness stabbed at her heart, but it was swiftly accepted then brushed away. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on the past any longer.

Makiro, there's no need to be so unsettled. The day comes eventually when all birds must leave the safety of the nest to learn how to fly. It can be frightening and sometimes it can hurt, but the experience and the feeling of self-worth that follows is worth it.

She reached down and rested her hand on his head for a moment before standing straight again. That new ripple in the force as Theron drew closer did not go unnoticed. Looking over at the chiss as he emerged from the shadows, his eyes glinted an eerie red in the new sun. Sihara blinked at the sight once before giving him a mild smile. As he paused before them and greeted her, she gave him a graceful dip of her head and montral, the front lekku coming away from their resting places against her shoulders slightly with the movement. As he studied Makiro in turn, golden eyes glinting with flecks of green as she watched placidly.

Theron, this is Makiro...Makiro, this is Theron.

Pausing, for half a heartbeat she nodded to his question.

We are, and everything is prepared...it's a public transport for now, until we have a better idea of where they might be going or until we need to search someplace out of the way.

With that, she turned and took a few paces in the direction of the air speeder parking and waited for Makiro to join her before moving again.

[Makiro]

((OOC: How could you?! Sorry the post's a little... awful :S))

Makiro smiled at Sihara's words, though truthfully a sense of anxiety still hung over him. The warmth of his new master's hand on his head was soothing, and for the few moments it was left there, Makiro felt at peace. Seeing the mysterious, blue-skinned figure emerge from the darkness, however, brought all his anticipation - all his fear - crashing back. Getting quickly to his feet, Makiro looked upon the brooding Jedi Knight with a sense of forboding, remembering once more the danger into which he was about to throw himself. This was a man with a history. A man whose dark blue skin, and fiery red eyes masked a turmoil of memories and emotions. Even Makiro, as a Padawan, could feel it. Suddenly, a life in the AgriCorps did not seem like such a terrible thing.

Despite the fact that Makiro trusted his Master would provide her Padawan with the necessary basics, he knew that in the pursuit of a Dark Jedi, the comforts so readily offered by the Temple would be scarce - if not non-existant. With a feeling akin to the washing of an icy wave onto some desolate shore, Makiro realised that this first journey away from the Temple represented the end of the protection and safety to which he had become so accustomed. He also realised that this mission presented to him a real danger of death. No longer would a defeat in combat mean a burn, or perhaps a bad bruise. No, if he made a mistake now, the consequences would have a certain degree of... finality about them.

Makiro inclined his head towards the Chiss Knight, as protocol demanded. For what seemed like an interminable age, the older Jedi stared, almost critically at Makiro. The young Padawan willed his heart beat to slow, and fought hard to keep his cheeks from burning red. His success was limited. Finally, however, the Knight - Theron as it turned out - nodded at him, seemingly accepting him into the partnership - or rather, trio.

Makiro was relieved when Theron turned his attention back to Sihara, and listened attentively to the exchange between the two Knights, trying to work out as much as he could about their plan.

As Sihara started to walk, Makiro hurried to join at her side, pulling his brown cloak around him as he fell into step beside her.

Master? He quested, with his usual timidity. Where exactly are we going?

[Vex]

"Jedi Knight Rrenl'ykaio'sennoc, to be specific. My chosen name is Theron Lykaios. Most find it simpler." He actually allowed a small smile to play over his face. If he was projecting a turmoil of emotions in the Force, then the anxiety, excitement, and multitude of other feeling cascading from the padawan almost threatened to overwhelm. He shook his head, pleased as he heard that everything was in order. He wasn't particularly fond of public transportation, but it would do well enough for now. They did not really need the latitude insofar as travelling was concerned until they started catching up to the fugitives. He already had the feeling that their first stop was just going to be one of many legs as they sought to track down their quarry.

He chose to flank the Padawan's other side as they walked. He wasn't comfortable at all with having the young one around...but he'd speak with her on it later. It was dangerous and foolhardy, especially with one so young. Theron could not guarantee that he could watch the young one all the time. Those that have fallen had no compulsions about killing young pre-teens. The kid seemed to have a spirit that might serve him well, he just had to live long enough to accept that.

Hearing the young man's question, he chose to spoke for Sihara. "At the moment, we are headed to Manaan. That is the first clue...one of many, no doubt, before we find the fugities we are looking for."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

No. Shara wasn't pleased with taking on a padawan at the beginning of a mission so dangerous...she'd fought against it, tried to deny it, but in the end, she'd accepted it. Grudgingly. The force wasn't about to allow her to leave this boy to a fate in the corps. She sighed at the thought as the boy darted up to her and walked behind her slightly. She'd been about to answer Makiro's question when Theron did. With that answered, she felt no need to speak further on the matter, instead she simply focused on the task at hand, sifting through what she knew of the happenings on Manaan. Hopefully the trail wouldn't be too cold.

It didn't take long for her to lead them through the throngs of jedi in the main hall, though her montral were vibrating enough to be seen visually if you stared at them...the minute motions something easily missed by nearly everyone except for herself and other togruta, which there weren't many of around here. The motion of them brought those hands up to trail along the inside curves of them gently before she gained herself a headache. Once out of the main hall, the vibrating eased as the motions around them were considerably less. This new hall brought them to the air taxis where they would then glide across the cityscape of Coruscant, glittering in the sun, to the public transport docks, and from there Manaan.

For now, however, they were simply coming up to the taxis, the woman procuring one for them easily enough. After everything was settle with the driver, she ushered Makiro inside before sitting beside him and smiling, resting one hand on his shoulder lightly.

You are excited?

It was honestly more a statement than a question, and she hardly paused for his answer before she continued on.

I've informed you already that this is going to be dangerous. I will protect you to the best of my abilities, but you must heed what myself and Theron tell you to do. If we say run, you do so and do not ask questions, if we ask you to stay in one place, I need you to do so and trust that we will return for you. By doing this the journey will be easier for all of us, and safer for you.

Also, I need you to focus on your surroundings and what the force tells you about them. If you feel that there is danger, you must tell myself or Theron immediately. Chances are we will notice as well, but it is always best to be safe. Stay close, stay alert, and things will be fine.

As she laid down this first set of rules for the padawan, she couldn't help but feel like an overprotective mother. It tickled her, making her smile slightly as she looked down a the boy fondly and lightly rubbed the short hair of his head once before allowing her hand to settle on his shoulder once more.

[Makiro]

((OOC: "If he was projecting a turmoil of emotions in the Force, then the anxiety, excitement, and multitude of other feeling cascading from the padawan almost threatened to overwhelm." Touché, Vex, touché ))

Makiro tried to conceal his shock as his question was answered by Theron. He had not been anticipating the harsher tones of the male Knight's voice, so contrary to the motherly ones of his Master. Still, he was relieved that the Chiss Knight seemed to be accepting his presence on the mission - albeit a little grudgingly.

As the trio walked swiftly in the direction of the speeder bay, Makiro's legs working twice as fast as those of the older Knights, Makiro reviewed all he knew about Manaan. From what he had learnt in his astrography lessons, Manaan was an oceanic world, inhabited by a reclusive species known as the Selkath. Ahto City, the only settlement on the entire planet that was available for use by air-breathers, was a marvel of design and technology, and it was certainly a place Makiro had always hoped to visit. Makiro also vaguely remembered Manaan as being one of the few worlds visited by the Prodigal Knight, Revan, during his search for the Star Forge, a little over four centuries ago. Now that he thought about it, Makiro was really rather excited about visiting such a mysterious, and influential, world.

The journey through the Temple was a swift one, and before long, the unlikely trio had arrived at the airtaxis. Looking around at the sleek speeders, Makiro wondered which one would represent the beginning of their journey, as he watched Sihara organising their passage. After a brief pause, his new Master ushered him into a nearby taxi - a particularly sleek and shiny example, with very little dirt adorning its brightly-painted bodywork.

You are excited? Asked his Master as she sat down beside him. Makiro nodded enthusiastically.

Makiro then listened as Sihara delivered her warning - a stern but fair reminder of what was to come. As she finished, he nodded, and returned her smile. Yes, Master.

As the speeder accelerated away from the Temple, Makiro furrowed his brow in thought.

Theron? He asked suddenly, momentarily abandoning his usually shy nature, What clue are we following?

[Vex]

Theron entered the waiting transport and settled himself in across from the pair. Resting back comfortably, he closed his eyes as he felt the ground pull away from them and they were lifted up. All truth be told, he'd never much liked flying. While being in a ship did not bother him (a good portion of his childhood prior to introduction to the Order was on such star-spanning ships), planet flight, with the gravity to draw upon them, always unsettled him slightly. It wasn't anything to keep him from being able to function, but it was an unwelcomed complication nonetheless.

He relaxed himself by going over what he knew about their quarry. There was plenty about the woman, the former Major Aunna Borgonia. That was all too readily available, both from the trial proceedings and from evaluation reports and testimonials from the military. The one that was a bit harder to figure out was the one known as Vex.

Vex Praetor's origins were not truly known. At least, they had not been released to himself or Sihara. Not much was known of his powers or abilities, save that areas that he'd been in had been noted for having people with their very memory wiped away, at best, and sometimes even found trapped in a prison in their own mind. Once his presence had been made known due to the events on Nar Shaddaa, the investigation had been able to quickly add clues together from Nar Shaddaa, Manaan, Selonia, and even Coruscant. There was never a good eye-witness, save for the Nar Shaddaa incident, but there were, invariably, the bodies.

It was a calling card more gruesome than simply killing them. Stripped as they were, death was a kinder fate for them.

The video recordings from the Republic soldiers on Nar Shaddaa, along with those of the breakout from the prison, had been made available. He'd been studying these extensively in order to get a better view of the man's talents and threat insofar as combat was concerned.

He'd learned that the Dark Jedi had a very eclectic fighting style, leaning on Jar'Kai and Soresu with a defensive posture, the weapons more normally held in a reversed grip. Jar'Kai was not common, but was used often enough by Dark Side wielders. Soresu, however, was not...and that confused him. It was evident Vex relied on speed and volume to overwhelm his foes, but neither battle showed the man using any other type of Force manipulation during the battle. He remained on the ground, for the most part, without any of the more acrobatic flips normally associated with Jedi battle. There was no telekinetic use either. Given the testimonies from the survivors of Nar Shaddaa and what the prison guard had given them, he suspected that the man's strengths relied heavily on the mental aspects of the Force. It fell in line with the way Praetor left his victims.

That left him wondering if the man didn't use much Force during battles out of choice or out of necessity.

He'd found himself much calmer, thinking about the mission at hand and going over details. At the padawan's query, he blinked a bit and turned those crimson eyes over to him. "Manaan is where the former Major and the Dark Jedi interacted for the longest period of time. There are security reports there, information from the Republic post, and possibly something lingering in the Force from their interactions. Either way, it provides the best source of information about them together, as well as give us an idea on where they are likely to head next, if they get off the planet."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Sihara watched from behind golden eyes as Theron settled himself in across from herself and Makiro. As the taxi had lifted off and pulled away from the temple she had felt an odd sensation ripple from him as his eyes closed. Soon enough he was relaxing and she pondered just what it had been that had unsettled him? Perhaps he was airsick? The woman would have tilted her head curiously had it not been for those montral that already touched the top of the taxi, making her keep her head bowed slightly. The woman listened silently as Makiro questioned Theron, receiving his reply in turn.

She gazed out the window as the city passed by, glinting and glittering as the sun reflected in the polished transparisteel windows and sides of the buildings. Even as she watched the cityscape fly by she couldn't escape the gnawing feeling that she had seen that dark jedi before. The question was, why? For all the digging she'd done around the name, very little had come up. He was like a ghost in the world of the jed and dark jedi alike. She'd watched all the footage she could get her hands on, she'd noted saber styles, fighting techniques, movements, expressions (when there were any), she'd heard and felt that scream, noticed the way the man had suddenly appeared on the proverbial map of crime. He'd been so meticulously careful to remain hidden for so long and then he suddenly appeared. What had changed? It was obvious he was no learner, no one new to what he did or wielding the force, he was a knight level at least, so why then had he not shown himself before now?

In contrast, she had also dug into the former Major's past. The woman wasn't exactly a prominent figure on the army's files, but she'd earned enough rank and status to be a hindrance, pest, and threat to those above her. She'd been of noble birth, low ranking as they were, and brought up into a military family held in high regard on Corellia, even being asked to sing at the Crown Prince's wedding. She'd had decent midichlorian counts, but nothing enough to bring her to the temple for training, the same with her brother. She'd joined the Corellian Navy at first before joining the Republic Army and climbing the ranks rather swiftly due, most likely, to her mild force sensitivity. She'd saved quite a few people by going against orders and following her instincts, again the force sensitivity had to be at play. It also seemed that the woman had run up against a dark jedi acolyte named Samael Vorlax, who had been released, and met up with Council Member Rhissai in her search for the man's master. The report had been...interesting to say the least. Something had been wrong about it...like a piece had been missing from it, though it did vouch for her leadership abilities and bravery. The togruta woman wondered just what it was that was missing, however. That had been five years ago it seemed, just after she'd had her lover attack and try to kill her it seemed, and the past two years she'd been tracking down and capturing or killing dark jedi to a relatively successful degree. That was no menial task, even if the dark jedi were the poorly trained ones.

She'd been on Coruscant almost 5 months ago for a joint meeting with the navy and special operations officers, one of which included her brother, as the threat of the Sith Empire grew. From there she'd requested her team be composed of men and women with strong wills and minds, a sudden request it seemed, and she wondered why the sudden changes. One idea had been a run in with a particular force user who, it seemed, had arrived on her next post (Selonia) at the same time she had. She'd reported the battle between herself and the dark jedi who fit the description of Vex Praetor, and had also (in conjunction with other reports) stated that it was he who had dispatched the other dark jedi she had been searching for originally. The holonet reports and Military media reports did not disclose this view, instead congratulating the new Major and giving her a nice desk job on Manaan as a reward and healing position. It had been there that things got fuzzy. It was also there that the dark jedi had truly started to show himself. It was minor things, really, things that she'd caught from the few bread crumbs he'd left in other places....drooling and babbling shells of people, people who's minds had been crushed completely, a very confused top secret courier with his package gone, the camera in the major's hospital room cut in half. Breadcrumbs that he'd not thought to pick up...or had left on purpose...she still wasn't sure.

Suddenly, the breadcrumbs there, the odd occurrences on Manaan, had stopped after the bombing. The Major had been taken during that time...by a Cathar. The fur left behind made that clear, and the eviscerated bodies left inside the building the major had been headed back to had clearly been left by someone wielding a lightsaber. The dark jedi Vex, however, was not a cathar...so why, then, had she been taken, and by whom? The republic had been notified, however, of her disappearance and a team had been sent to find her....the surprise? The one who had made the first contact about the whereabouts of the major had been her brother, a republic admiral turned sith. What was even more curious, he had pinpointed to the secretary of the major that he had reason to believe she would be on Nar Shaddaa. Sure enough, that had been where she had show up...but not before a slaughter had occurred. A slaughter done by both a lightsaber and by mind attacks....a slaughter very similar to the one found in the APC only a day ago here in lower Coruscant. That begged the question, why (if both were done by Vex) did he suddenly decide to leave such a blatant sign of his presence when he was typically so cautious? Also, the reports from the soldiers who had gone to Nar Shaddaa, they too had seen Vex in action, obviously since the Major had proclaimed herself a traitor by saving his life at that time, why would he show himself? What interest did he have in this woman?

Manaan....it all revolved around Manaan...she was sure it started there. Huffing a sigh, she noticed that the taxi had slowed and came to a smooth halt at the ship yards. Opening the door, the bright light of the sun and the warm air of Coruscant greeted the trio. Dipping her head, she allowed herself out moving so the others could escape the relatively cramped space as well. Passengers of all shapes, sizes, and colors milled about. Instantly she was on alert, her senses expanding outward in all directions as she worked to read the force's rippling waves for signs that something lurked beneath it's placid waters.

[Makiro]

((OOC: Sorry about the tardiness - and the randomness of the post for that matter. I've been both ill and busy in equal measure, and haven't had much time to access the computer. Excuses aside, I can only apologise.))

As the air taxi wove its way through Coruscant's myriad skyscrapers, unbound as it was by the otherwise strictly regulated traffic lanes, Makiro gazed out at the sparkling city around him and marvelled at it. All around, countless beings hurried about their business, their speeders reflecting the cold light of the morning sun. Towering buildings shone like ancient beacons amongst a hazy covering of morning mist and a general feel of electric excitement was in the air. The marvellous ecumenopolis truly was a wonder to behold; Makiro couldn't remember the last time he had left the Temple, but he was certainly glad he finally had.

Manoeuvering the speeder expertly towards a colossal edifice of permacrete and transparisteel - the starport that was their destination -, the pilot brought the three Jedi safely down in the speeder docking bay. As the doors opened, fresh, warm air flooded the speeder's passenger compartment, and Makiro found himself taking a deep breath of the comforting stuff; a life spent amongst the cavernous hallways and chambers of the Temple had not prepared him for such cramped conditions.

Following his Master out of the speeder, Makiro looked around him, his eyes wide with excitement. The Temple housed many beings; hundreds, maybe even thousands of different sentients called its network of rooms and corridors home. Still, nothing had prepared him for the millions that now milled around him: each with their own look, their own sound, even their own smell. Makiro couldn't help being in awe at the incredible diversity that now surrounded him. The one thing that really struck him were the clothes. All around him he could see all manner of shirts and breeches, trousers and skirts, dresses and robes. Cloaks, hats, goggles, jewellry, canes. All standing out in stark contrast to the simple brown and beige ensemble favoured by the Jedi Order. Each different being around him wore something that belied his, her or its culture, beliefs and heritage. It was, to say the least, amazing.