Cheeks and Antiques (Open to all)

[Cirith An'Gol]

(From Rising Tides about 3 weeks later)

Location: Veno's Corner in the Uscru Entertainment District

Tey Shaak sat on a stool at the bar, watching and remembering the last time he was in this particular cantina. He was accompanied by two Jedi Council members then, Masters Kaiven Te'baas an Echani and Mon'vueem a Kaminoan. The Togruta had taken great pains to not draw any attention from the Masters in the Temple, this cantina wasn't exactly the type of place that would bolster the Order's reputation after all. The cantina was situated along the winding street to a small and dingy looking café that appeared to have been squished between two large and brightly lit gambling establishments.

The neon blue sign outside read “Veno’s Corner” and the “o” in “Corner” kept flickering out from time to time. The little café looked like it had been there long before the rest of the buildings around it and its once shiny chrome walls were now dingy and dull in the meager light from the sign. Blaster marks scorched here and there across the building’s façade and the windows were covered with heavy slats of metal that were, for the time being at least, tilted open to allow what light there was to pervade the inside, which wasn't much. All in all the place looked exactly the same as it had the first time he'd been introduced to the place.

Luckily though the streets were a might quieter than they were the last time he was here. He smiled at the memory. Yeah, last time I was here I was being hit upon by the local hookers. Some it was flattering... there were others though that wasn't so... Tey shuddered just thinking about it, unable to complete the thought due to the images.

Today was different though, he'd forced himself to come here. It wasn't always easy to remember the reality that everyone else saw, this place, this section of Coruscant was that reality. It wasn't the usual place the Jedi Knight usually visited but, his and Mon'vueem's words rang in his ears. He remembered them like the conversation had happened only yesterday.

How can people live in such a polluted and run down environment? Tey Shaak had thought in a Force message to the Kaminoan. He remembered her reply clear as crystal

"What is it that you see here, Tey? As you look around, know that this is a lesson for you, one all Jedi would do well to hear. Many who live here do so because they have no other choice. Life has been unkind to them, circumstance has stolen their hope. The city above gleams and we live in a world of clean lines and calm thoughts but THIS is the world most of Coruscant sees. These are her real people. As you travel the galaxy, young Knight, do not forget them" Mon'vueem had replied and he hadn't.

He hoped that by inviting an old friend to this place, he could open his friend's eyes more clearly and clear his mind of his recent past. Help him focus on the bigger issues. Past was past. Today was what mattered. The actions of the here and now and how the knowledge of your past affected those actions.

Tey Shaak had left a simple message in the room of a fellow Jedi Knight, Elav Ilarith. The note had read "I have something I want to show you. Meet me at Veno's Corner in the Escru Entertainment District" he'd sighned the note with his name. Looking at the chronometer above the bar counter he drank down the rest of his Jawa Juice and stood up. "Aww, you ain't leaving yet are you Tey? I'm just about done fixing your meal" Veno said from the kitchen noticing his movement.

"No, I'm just going to check and make sure that my friend arrives safely" Tey Shaak said with a smile. Veno smiled and nodded "Ok but, don't keep the food waiting or it'll get cold. Then I'll hafta whip you up something else. Gotta put some meat on those bones of yours. I'm suprised you haven't withered away already!" Tey Shaak smiled, this was another reason he'd come here, he'd missed Veno. She was probably the closest thing the Togruta had to a grandmother these days. The fact that she doted on him like a grandmother was something that he didn't mind either.

Tey Shaak strode through the busy establishment, noticing but, not reacting to the stares, whether heated, cold or otherwise, and stepped out onto the sidewalk and walked to the corner where the Air Taxi would no doubt land to deposit it's passenger and waited patiently for him to arrive.

[{ Lasky }]

Bee-ba-leep!~[/url]

Elav retrieved his 'pad from his belt out of reflex, looking down at it only after he had pulled it up under his nose. IT-43, the utility droid assigned to Elav now that he was a Jedi Investigator, had found a note left in his quarters back at the Temple.

^[[ I have something I want
to show you. Meet me at
Veno's Corner in the Uscru
Entertainment District.

~Tey Shaak _]]

[/i][/center]

Four-Three had been kind enough to provide longitude and latitude coordinates, not that it meant a whole heck of a lot to Elav, but maybe he could give the information to the Taxi driver he would be needing in a few minutes, if he was unfortunate enough to get a rookie. In any case, he was familiar enough with the cityscape to know how to get to the Uscru Entertainment District, and as long as the driver could get him close, he could walk the rest of the way. Of course, traversing the undercity on foot and alone was dangerous, but Elav preferred to have a chance to get a feel for his surroundings. And the best way to do that was to get out in it yourself, not let someone else chauffeur you around. On that note, Elav looked to Detective Monroe: "I'll leave you to it then. I've got a rendezvous to make." Liam raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "Official Jedi-business I presume." the silver-haired man said with a touch of playful sarcasm. Elav grinned, "Something like that," he said. The Investigator had only just made it past the rows of desks in the room, halfway to the turbolift, when the compulsion to remind the seasoned Detective that he could be contacted by comlink at any time should any developments take place. The CorSec Officer waved him off however, just as the Twi'lek turned back around. "We'll contact you via 'pad or comlink should anything happen. Now scram, you're getting to be as much of a workaholic as I am, and you're far too young for that." Again, Elav couldn't help but grin. He raised a hand in farewell just and the turbolift arrived with its distinctive ding!~

Minutes later, Elav exited the Air Taxi a full two blocks away from the... estab-lishment called Veno's Corner. The pilot had been friendly and well-informed, and definitely not a rookie. Jedi Knight Ilarith had questioned the Wroonian woman about the Uscru Entertainment District, and she had assured him that the region's rep -utation was well deserved. She had also filled him in on the dinky little cantina he was headed to. It had sounded a lot like some of the places he had started having to frequent more often, now that he was working leads with local law enforcement.
Elav drifted through the dim streets of the undercity, his dusty black coat and ashen complexion serving as excellent camouflage. He surprised more than one Coruscanti citizen (some of them legal, some of them not) as he rounded corners and slipped through crowds formed by a myriad of alien species from across the galaxy. Hands in his pockets, the Jedi felt his 'pad vibrate, letting him know that he had a new message. Knowing it was safer to stay on the move and check it later, Elav kept his eyes on his surroundings and continued to keep tabs on the emotional state of the beings around him via the Force.

And that's when he felt it. Fear. Pure, animal fear and desperation. Elav stopped at the next street corner, pausing just long enough to get a fix on where it was coming from. And then he charged off down the alleyway, knowing he really ought to calm down. But he couldn't help it, and the fire of the avenger burned in his heart once more, bringing ghastly images to his mind, which seemed to him to be more parts nightmare than memory. Elav pressed the button near his collarbone and lifted the paramilitary comlink to his chin. He hoped Tey would have his comlink set to the same channel he had it on the last time they had met. "Tey, this is Elav. Sorry, but I might be late... I hope you're receiving this..." The Jedi Knight tried to intensify his aura in the Force, a veritable beacon for Tey Shaak to lock on to.

Let's just hope I'm not too late...[/i] he thought.

[Cirith An'Gol]

Tey waited for a few minutes at the corner of the block, an air taxi's lights cut through the haze a few blocks away. The Togruta didn't think anything of it, plenty of unruly types came down here for various reasons. Tey stretched out his senses in the Force and searched for his Twi'lek friend. The feel of the Force gathering about his person was almost soothing as it wrapped him in a warm embrace. A harsh crackle from his personal comlink though destroyed his attempts at concentration and the feeling evaporated. Tey switched frequencies immediately, thinking that someone might be trying to contact him. "-this is Elav. Sorry, but I might be late...I hope you're recieving this..." he heard his friends voice come from over the comlink before it cut out again. Tey stretched out his senses again, letting the warmth from the Force wrap him in a comfortable cacoon. He searched for his friend's signature in the force and found it easily enough. Starting off immediatly in his friend's direction Tey clicked his comlink "Elav, this is Tey Shaak. I read you and I'm headed in your direction. What's the situation?"

Tey felt through the Force, trying to ascertain the reason for Elav's delay, once he was about a block away from where Elav's signature was coming from he felt the reason. Pure primal fear and desperation. Tey stepped up his pace to a light jog, using the force not only to follow his friend but to guide him past the inhabitants of the Uscru Entertainment District without bumping into them or stumbling over their feet. The foggy haze that seemed to stay whatever the weather above, made it particularly difficult to see in. Tey Shaak arrived at the alleyway his friend had darted down, Tey gingerly fingered his lightsaber into his hand. "Elav, this is Tey. Is everything ok?" the Togruta sent to his friend via the force before gingerly stepping around the corner.

[{ Lasky }]

Faster...

The young Twi'lek broke into a Force-enhanced sprint, the leathery hood of his Investigator's robes falling down around his shoulders as his boots pounded the permacrete. The bead in his ear cackled to life, but he heard only static. The device had been commissioned to him several months ago, and it had never once had bad reception. Elav made a mental note to have IT-43 check up on that later as he slowed his progression down to a cautious walk, lightening his steps to make softer footfalls.

The Twi'lek breathed slowly now, still struggling to calm the fires in his heart. Even with his limited experience, Elav knew charging headlong into a dark alley was never a good idea. Zeal had its place, but discretion was the better side of valor. And zeal couldn't deflect blaster bolts. What was I thinking? Rush in like a knight in shining armor and save the day? Maybe I should have stayed in the Temple a little longer, give myself more time to clear my head... Ironically however, having time to clear his head would've involved time spent in meditation and thinking about his recent stint as a puppet for the Sith. For the time being however, delving into his own mind was the last thing he wanted. He wasn't quite sure what to believe. Elav wasn't even sure he even believed in the Dark Side. Either way, the majority of his recent memories were repressed, locked away until the Healers back at the Temple could help him work through it all. Elav's brow furrowed, willing away his thoughts as he caught sight of several humanoid silhouettes ahead. He was glad for his ability to see in the dark better than most, the Force allowing him to make out details that most other beings would have been hard pressed to make out without some sort of advanced optics.

Elav palmed his lightsabers, the curved hilts hidden from view against the inside of his wrists. He was right on top of the disturbance he had sensed. And the fear, that primal emotion that was leaving a bitter taste in his mouth was very close.

It was coming from a child.

[Cirith An'Gol]

Tey Shaak stepped up his speed a little, falling into the rythym of Djem-So easily. He dodged pedestrians left and right, sometimes rolling between couples with their hands clasped to each others, sometimes halting a moment before spinning away gracefully and continuing on, sometimes even bouncing off the nearest building exterior and racing across it's surface as fast as he could, before gravity grabbed hold again and sent him towards the pavement. He always landed gracefully, a benefit to his athletic life, he didn't even think about it most of the time, he just did it and his muscles calculated the rest.

That's the facinating thing about the body, most of the time it knows what to do before even I do Tey Shaak returned his attention to what he was doing and found himself at the corner Elav had turned into. Tey stretched out with his senses and found his friend and the disturbance immediatley. Ofcourse he didn't need to use the force to know that the source of the disturbance was a child, it was still crying after all and could be heard from where he was.

The Togruta relied upon the Force to determine his friends state. So far, as far as Tey could tell, Elav was cautiously tense and ready for anything to happen. The child on the other hand was terrified of something. Pushing his cautionary impulses aside a little Tey Shaak stepped around the corner and snapped his lightsaber into his hand with the assistance from the Force, while he continued to search for the source of the childs terror.

As Tey made his way further into the alley he could barely make out his friends silloutte in the darkness. His eyes however, passed his friend as the sound of voices echoed off the walls of the alley and locked onto several more sillouttes in the distance.
Elav, this is Tey Shaak. I'm right behind you Tey sent a force message to his friend in a courtesy warning, so he wouldn't spook his friend when he came up behind him. The Togruta continued to walk softly, the instincts of his race guiding his steps, before he stopped a few feet behind Elav. It was then he noticed the movements and decerned the words of the sillouttes ahead "C'mon you wench! Give us your money and you and the brat can live!"

"Yeah! That or you could give us some other kind of compensation" another spoke up drawing laughter from the other muggers. Tey Shaak spotted what appeared to be airconditioning units jutting out from the walls, identifying apartment or hotel rooms and smiled. He had an idea but, knew that his friend was now an Investigator and might have a different approach. So Elav, how do you want to handle this? Stroll up to them peacefully and ask what's going on or...I could always jump up onto those airconditioning units and get behind the group of muggers. That'd shake things up. Unless you've got something else in mind ofcourse. You probably know best on how to deal with street rabble now that you're an Investigator. Congradulations by the way. Tey Shaak sent to his friend with a smile.

He looked forward to seeing just how much Elav had grown since the last time he'd seen him.

[{ Lasky }]

[Pendingness!]