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Jedi Padawan Quest (Star Wars)

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Mostly-Canon Omake: Care
  • Sidestory
    • Care
    [Wounds]



    The Jedi Temple.

    A symbol.

    A thousand generations of Jedi had passed through these halls. Learned here, from the youngest of younglings, to the ancient masters.

    It was empty.

    Hollow.

    As he walked from the landing pad, he could almost hear the wind flowing through the great halls. Whispering through the enormous columns, burrowing into empty alcoves.

    Where have they gone? it whispered.

    WHERE HAVE THEY GONE?, it howled.

    No one answered - they were gone.

    His guards stayed behind, letting him proceed unaccompanied into the temple. Here, of course, he was safe. Safe from the war. Safe from the omnipresent strikes of Grievous. The Jedi would protect him.

    The massive doorway - fit to land a starcruiser dwarfed the single human there to receive him.

    A Master, lean, long-haired, and scarred. Perhaps an insult, or a snub, to have him there to meet him. The Jedi bowed, deferentially, murmuring a greeting. The Master received a courteous nod in turn, but his stride did not slow.

    "We received your holo-comm, but the Council -"

    A Council member would have been more appropriate to greet him, but he took the tacit disapproval of the Temple's Battlemaster in stride.

    "I understand their reluctance," he interrupted, "But this is but a small favor, and one of personal importance to me."

    "Very well, Supreme Chancellor," the Jedi said, following him.

    "Thank you, Master Jedi. I am here but to serve."

    The Jedi didn't respond, but matched his pace, staying a step behind him.

    There were no remarks that he already knew the way to the infirmary. Down massive entry halls, past fountains, through nooks where Jedi had once sat and meditated. To turbolifts, shooting into the belly of the temple. The lift doors opened, and he saw the Jedi.

    Here in the infirmary, Jedi rested, convalescing, and healed. An older master was talking with a healer, his eye scarred shut. Healers, med droids, and wounded alike passed through the sterile white halls, all maintaining a calm appearance.

    The slow, subtle stinking rot of despair hung over them.

    As he passed by doorways, he could see beds. Occupied. But with a sheet pulled over their occupant. The machines in the room silent, the bed cold. Others with Jedi, wounded, grievously, never to walk, never to talk, never to fight again.

    Finally, his silent journey ended. A closed door.

    His escort stopped at it, but he continued through as it opened, and shut behind him.

    The room's occupant looked up from his thoughts. His face, twisted in pain, surprise, and then recognition and gratitude.

    "Supreme Chancellor," Anakin Skywalker said, voice light. "What are you doing here?"

    The room was small, and spartan. Bright color contrasted with the occupant's mood, and with the mood of the Temple.

    "I'm here for you," he said, and sat down.

    Why, he could almost hear Anakin say. Why are you here for me?

    Anakin was bandaged up, and looking pitiful. Bedraggled and exhausted. His body drooped, tired and soft, but open. Revealing himself to Palpatine.

    "Because, my boy, you are my friend. And friends help their friends. What troubles you?" he asked.

    Anakin didn't say anything for a long moment. But Palpatine waited. A galaxy waited on him, of course, but this. This right here. This was the most important thing in the galaxy. This was the future.

    "... I feel weak. And I don't know if that is a bad thing. I can't… always be strong", he said.

    "I don't understand," Sheev admitted. "You are the strongest man I know."

    "I'm not," Anakin said, forcefully. "I'm not. I'm… I failed. I failed again."

    "Again, Anakin?" he asked. "Jabiim was a tragedy, yes. And one I feel enormous guilt over, my boy. I cannot but take the blame for you being there."

    "Chancellor - " Anakin started.

    "No, Anakin," he interrupted, raising a hand to forestall any protests. "I ask a lot of you. The Republic asks a lot of you. I will not be blind to your suffering in our service."

    "It's that… my troopers. And.." he trailed off.

    "What is it Anakin?"

    Palpatine sighed, and leaned forward.

    "How long have we known each other, Anakin?" Sheev asked, rhetorically.

    "... Years." Anakin murmured, glancing at Sheev. His voice was low, soft.

    "Years," Palpatine repeated. "Years. I've watched your grow into a man the Republic is proud of. A man I'm proud of. A friend I'm proud of."

    Anakin looked away again. He kept silent, but Sheev could feel his turmoil. Guilt, shame, fear gnawing at him, eating him away. His will was splintered. Not broken, but weakened.

    "And have I ever wanted anything but the best for you? Teaching you politics, even?" Sheev retorted.

    Anakin's mouth twitched. "I don't know how much stuck."

    "Yes, and I wished you'd listened. But I have always been your friend, Anakin. No matter what it is, I will always be your friend. You can tell me. Tell me what has happened to you," Sheev pleaded, softly.

    The small infirmary room was silent, but for the faint hum of machinery.

    "The last time I felt strong - I -"

    Anakin gulped. He looked at Sheev, with fear, and then closed his eyes.

    "My mother - there are raiders on Tatooine. Tusken Raiders. They… took her."

    "Took her," Palpatine repeated, "Did the Jedi not take her when you were freed?"

    "No, they only won me - but - she was freed," Anakin said, voice strained. "She was freed and married again. And I dreamed of her. I found her."

    Anakin didn't say anything more, but Palpatine could hear the servos in the his mechanical hand whine as they flexed, back and forth.

    "Anakin," he said. "I will not think less of you. Whether you tell me, or not."

    "I… I killed them," Anakin whispered, hoarsely.

    "Killed them? The raiders?" Palpatine asked, voice carefully kept neutral, soft, reassuring.

    "I killed them all. I butchered them. They killed her. Tortured her, murdered her!" he ground out, voice barely restrained from a shout. "I could've protected her!"

    He gasped, handing coming over his mouth. "My boy… I am sorry. So incredibly sorry."

    "You didn't - I." Anakin paused. "I couldn't have saved her. I didn't matter how strong I was -"

    Palpatine stood, and took his cold, metal hand in his own.

    "Anakin," he interrupted.

    The durasteel tightened around his hand.

    "Anakin. You are not to blame for this. Not any part of you."

    It relaxed.

    "Anakin. Do you know that I look up to you? That your strength, your willpower, your nobility inspires me?"

    "You think I'm strong?" Anakin asked, disbelief clouding his tone.

    Sheev nodded at him, and took a seat in the small chair. He smoothed his robes down, and sighed.

    "My boy. I know you do not like to hear it… but you [/i]are[/i] the Hero With No Fear. The Hero we all look up to. Because you are strong."

    Anakin shook his head, locks of hair shaken loose over his eyes. He gripped the sheet in his hands, twisting it about. Durasteel and flesh combined to nearly tear it apart. He didn't say a word.

    "You are. You don't like to hear it, but you are a good man. A loyal man. A strong man. A man who protects his friends, and the Republic."

    In the bed, Anakin shifted, worry and fear creasing his face. He murmured, "I'm not - what I did - I -"

    "You did what you had to do, Anakin." Sheev interrupted. Anakin shook his head, but didn't say a word, and Palpatine sighed.

    "Anakin. Do you think what we do - what I do - is easy?" He asked, and didn't wait for Anakin to respond. "We make decisions that result in the deaths of millions. Billions. We fight a war for the Republic to live. I would do anything to bring peace back to the galaxy. But that requires strength."

    "We don't massacre entire villages!" Anakin hissed, frustration filling his voice. He blushed, and turned away, looking at the cold, immobile form of a powered down medical droid.

    "Sometimes… Sometimes we have to do things that we find distasteful, to protect the ones we love, Anakin." Sheev said, calmly, not reacting to Anakin's obvious embarrassment.

    "A Jedi should allow the things they love to pass out of their lives. Treasure, yet let pass." Anakin replied, repeating as if from a book. From canon, from teaching. There was no force behind it, no indication the words had meaning to him.

    "Do you love the Republic, Anakin? Do you want it to pass as well?" He queried.

    "No - I..." Anakin fumbled over his words, turning back to him. "I didn't do what was right, Chancellor. I wasn't a Jedi."

    Palpatine shook his head.

    Anakin continued, voice cracking, "I can't stop thinking about it. I dream of it. What Obi-Wan would say? If he found out about what I've done?"

    "He's not here, Anakin. I am. And I say that I am very proud of your accomplishments as a Jedi. How many people will not be raided by these 'Raiders'? How many mothers will live?"

    "Does that mean what I did was right?" Anakin asked.

    "Yes, and no, Anakin," he responded.

    "You protected innocent citizens, no matter how far removed from the Republic, from a threat they had lived under for their entire lives."

    He pointed at Anakin.

    "And you did that. Anakin. Were they more effective, better ways? Yes. But you still did a good thing. The rightful thing." Palpatine continued. "That is what strength is - protecting those you care about. You need to be strong - for those you love."

    Silence reigned once more, and Sheev waited. Calmly, patient, but with a kernel of eager anticipation buried deep.

    "I don't know," Anakin whispered. "I don't know, I can't stop thinking about it. About how it felt. That it almost felt - "

    The word right nearly fell from his lips. Palpatine brushed past it.

    "Anakin, in all the years we have been friends, have I ever asked you to do anything even the slightest bit against your conscience?"

    "No, Chancellor," he said, shaking his head, "You never have."

    "And I never will, my dear boy. Think on this. Meditate on what you did - both the good and the bad. On what you felt. On what you accomplished. On what you protected with your own strength."

    "Thank you Chancellor," Anakin said, and Sheev knew it was time to go.

    He stood, and walked to Anakin's bed, looking down at bandages, healing wounds. Anakin's body was damaged, but he'd be out of the Halls of Healing in days. Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, smiled, kindly, and placed a fatherly hand on Anakin's shoulder. He squeezed, gently, easing off the pressure to not hurt Anakin.

    "Of course, Anakin,"

    Anakin looked up at him. His eyes were clear, and there was no doubt in them. The Force sang with his intentions, a bright, blossoming nova of emotion.

    Resolve.

    "I will always be your friend," Sidious said.
     
  • Sidestory
    • That Palpatine fellow is such a nice fellow, nothing shady about him at all.

    [X] Ahsoka had a phrase she kept on using in her letters: "Spring the trap." Follow the path they're being herded into, to see just what Scout has planned for her team.

     
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    XVII: Games, Part 2
  • Threadmarks
    • XVII: Games, Part 2

    [] Go against the grain. Even if it's slow, the only way to find Scout's team and the traps they've been setting is to go against the grain, no matter that dangers.

    Nima remembered Ahsoka's advice. It was apparently how Obi-Wan and Anakin operated, leaping into a trap just to find their weak point and fight their way out. So it couldn't be the worst idea, but it relied on it being Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. A skilled duelist and two of the more dangerous and skilled (and famous) Jedi in the war.

    She wasn't any of them. If she sprang a trap, it'd end horribly. "We're going after Scout," Nima said.

    "Yeah," Aydan said. He wanted to, would have argued with her about anything else. He wanted to beat her, to prove that Scout was what he thought. The emotion wasn't thrumming as viciously as it might have a year ago, it was restrained, contained, cut back like a forest grown out of control being at last put in hand.

    But forests could grow again: dams could burst.

    As long as that was true, she knew she couldn't entirely trust him. But she was sure he'd not want to mess this up. He wanted to win: so did she.

    <I don't… know.> Yarua was hesitant, leery. He had too much respect for the traps Scout had laid down, as too sure that getting through them would be too difficult. It was all very understandable.

    But there was a majority, if she cared. She didn't, and carefully she said, "I think they expect it least."

    Every moment they spent standing there, trying to work out the next move, was another chance for Scout to get away. The air was thick with what felt, in the Force, like possibilities. Like chances.

    She just had to sink down into it. She just had to listen to them.

    For a moment, for a second, this wasn't a game. Not just a game.

    *******

    In the Force, the chase that followed had a strange ebb and flow. They had to move through room after room to chase Scout and her team, who were likely split up at the moment. Some rooms were dark, some so bright it was blinding, and each of them was laid out so differently that it had to be the results of weeks, maybe even months, of work to get it like this. She wondered at that, how the Temple could be so vast that entire corners of it could be put to other uses.

    For the first time in years, the Temple seemed far too large. And it was only growing larger, in its way, as Jedi left it. It was built for something larger, it was made to expand. Twenty-thousand Jedi, in peacetime, could have fit in the Temple snugly, a little crowded in, a little bit tight. Not even counting the separate academies, the ships to ferry students around.

    She didn't know why she was thinking about it. She dismissed it, and then sank down into the Force. It was easier than it'd ever been, it was as natural as breathing. But Jedi's instincts weren't natural, they merely had to become natural. She'd heard that, or something like it, from Mace Windu himself when she'd been looking at mission logs with Hannah. Somehow she fell into it, deeper and deeper until thought wasn't necessary, until she just acted and it was right. Until she planned without any of the steps between planning, her movements graceful and quick.

    The journey became simple snapshots, then.

    She saw: herself, grim faced, leaping between two traps and landing on the floor, a pad designed to collapse under its weight. But she sprang up, her arms not even aching, spinning around. Her foot met the edge of the wall, just above yet another of the traps--and they were cleverly placed, once you got past how blatant they were, sometimes there were so many that one of them remained hidden by the size of all other threats--and pushed off as she slid past a set of entangling ropes to land on the other side.

    Lark had stared, and said, "Y'know, we're gonna have to disarm these ones. I ain't gonna do that, just so you know, ma'am." But she could feel the warm affection of his emotions, the astonishment that Aydan felt. She could feel it all, and if she had to think she'd have been thinking: Fy Tor Ana set them on harder puzzles than that.

    She had waited patiently, knowing that Lark was right.

    She saw: Yarua groaning and trying to get the strange, sticky syrup out of his fur. But rubbing at it only made it worse.

    "You're the one who stepped into an obvious trap," Aydan said. "Don't worry, big guy. I bet there's a way to get that all out." He was fond, tilting his head and looking at Yarua.

    "Well, she's creative," Lark said. "You have to give her that. I'm pretty sure that's her work, but it could be Goggles."

    Elevens frowned. "I'm not an expert, but it feels like a Scout configuration. Maybe?"

    "Did she charm everyone here but me?" Aydan asked, sounding a little frustrated.

    "Yes," Nima said, her words feeling as if they came from far off. "But we're going to beat her."

    She saw: Lark instructing Aydan and everyone else about how to take apart traps, his movements delicate, his emotions slipping into him as soon as he started instructing. There was a smile on Elevens face, a little bit wry, and she thought he was thinking about whether or not they'd soon be learning how to pull pranks, too.

    She saw: Scout was in the next room, with her team.

    That's when she felt the submersion begin, in small ways, to unravel, when she felt Scout and held up her hands. "Don't go in hot. I think she's going to do something unexpected," Nima said, quietly. "Please."

    Aydan crossed his arms and drew his lightsaber, and they went through the door…

    Another cafe, this one even more crowded, the tables all lined up to create barriers. The barriers wouldn't stand up to blasters as well when they were on their real settings, but that didn't much matter.

    "Scout," Nima said, and she almost felt like her voice should echo, because the words came from somewhere else. "I know you're there. I can sense you."

    Aydan's lightsaber was thrumming. Yarua stepped forward, stinking of the strange glue that was still all over his chest.

    The clones, efficient and cool, didn't start firing.

    Goggles was there, and so was Oh Seven Sixteen, Scout, Amada, and… Tristan. The last boy Nima knew very, very little about. They moved in different circles, mostly, other than math. They were all in a good position to defend themselves. Taking them down would be hard work, but in that moment Nima felt sure they could do it together.

    "Yes. I am. And I'd like to offer you a deal, a chance to team up."

    "Is that even allowed by the rules?" Lark asked, in a slightly mocking sing-song voice. As if he cared.

    "Nobody ever told me a rule against it," Scout said. She sounded confident in that way she sometimes was, where her confidence was in her ability to trick and bluster her way through problems. She knew, just like Nima did, that she'd probably lose the fight. Only Nima suspected that in Scout's mind there wasn't even a probably. "It's simple. I was going to try to lure you into attacking and finishing off the team with the speeder. Then, we'd attack you after that."

    The words rang true, and truth had this oddly bitter taste. It wasn't personal, Nima knew. She could tell herself that a thousand times, but everything felt personal to Nima. The emotions others felt, the emotions she felt, they were personal. They couldn't help but be. She was slipping out of that state where everything was so easy, where the Force hummed whispered.

    "And instead?" Nima asked.

    "You're listening to her?" Aydan asked.

    "Closely," Nima said.

    "I swear this is on the up and up. I come from the left door, you from the right. Together we overwhelm the other team. They're holed up in a single room, that they've turned into their own sort of fortress. So, we take them out, and that's all of our problems."

    Lying. Not lying.

    It was tangled, Nima thought. Very, very tangled. But there was one element…

    "What about Arka?"

    "Arka?" Scout asked, sounding almost innocent.

    "I don't know if you know where they are, but I do know you knew about the fight."

    "They're not that much of a threat," Scout said.

    "Neither are you," Aydan said with a snort. "Until you get sneaky and start to cheat. We shouldn't listen to her, we can totally beat her. It won't even be hard."

    "It'll be harder than you think," Scout said. "Lark, has he been like this the whole time?" She was at ease, and Nima wondered if she really didn't know where Arka was. If she'd had the comms open, she would have known.

    Wait. That was something.

    "We could take down our comms jamming, to see if Arka shows up somewhere," Nima said. "And if we have a special frequency, I bet they won't find it. And if they do… well. We don't need to say much to coordinate, do we?"

    "Huh. That's a pretty good idea. Let's do it. I think this partnership will work out very well for both of us," Scout said. "The point of the test is to survive as long as you can and do as well as you can. Winning's fun, but--"

    "Learning the value of negotiation is better?" Lark asked, with a tilt of his head. "Aggressive negotiations. You know we have grenades. Just saying."

    "Yes. This wouldn't stop you for that long. The trip-mines, on the other hand…" Scout said.

    Nima smiled a little at that. Scout always had tricks up her sleeve. She thought she needed them, and maybe sometimes she was right. But she should have more confidence in herself. She should…

    There were a lot of things to say.

    "Okay. Speaking of. Give us a few traps, please," Nima said. "We'll need them for Arka. If I were them, I'd--"

    "Of course. Wait for their chance. That's what I was doing, after all," Scout said. She laughed, and it was a rich, fascinating sort of laugh. Nima needed to not let her friend put her off her guard.

    It was a very careful operation, the way Scout threw out some traps, a few sensors, that sort of thing. If they all stood out in the open, what if there was betrayal? This was just a game, but she could tell that none of them were treating it all that lightly. They wanted to do their best, and Aydan looked like he wanted an excuse to turn against Scout early.

    Scout didn't, knew better.

    This time the way was clear. Scout was clearing their path ahead of them, and this time Nima was pretty sure it wasn't a trap, or at least not a direct one. It took some time to get to the right place, but as long as the other team stayed in place, then things should be fine. Or rather…

    She could sense the other team in the next room over. She'd pulled herself from the stream of the Force, or at least, she was no longer quite so sunk in it. She was able to breathe, and probably make mistakes that she wouldn't make if she was listening to the Force. The stress, and the worry that she was making a mistake here was only strengthening.

    If she was betrayed, then Aydan would never let her hear the end of it.

    Oddly, that thought only reduced the tension and stress. Aydan's bad opinion was meaningless. It was a simple enough lesson, one she and every Jedi had been taught before, but she knew that sometimes she wanted to be liked too much.

    She glanced over at Yarua, and felt the trust--well, trust and annoyance at the gunk on his chest, but he'd given up trying to get that offer--there.

    They could do this.

    ******

    They exploded into the room, grenades tossed like candy to children at a J'krata festival back on Ryloth. The explosions tore at the rocky walls on the right half of the room, the sound a constant, almost rhythmic booming. It was a sort of music.

    The room was a maze of rocky looking walls on one half, with a wide open plain filling the rest of the over-sized room, including a station from which they must have gotten the speeder.

    So not all of the grenades could get to them, but there were enough, and that before Yarua and the two clones laid down their fire, thick as heavy winter rain. Nima could sense the four of them, the enemy team, backing up a little slowly from their positions.

    If that was all, Nima knew, then that the other team would be fine. They'd lost ground, but they could make it up. And Nima and the rest of them would have to push ahead, into their own crossfire, to really win.

    Except the other door opened, a little smoother, and Scout was there, blaster in hand, firing without pause. Her red hair was hanging loose, her whole body framed in the doorway, almost a great target and yet as soon as Nima saw that she was moving, shifting. Fast on her feet, powerful and graceful.

    Nima almost lost track of the battle for a moment, wondering how anyone could have ever made fun of Scout, weak in the Force or no.

    Then there was no time. Nima knew that Jana could drive the speeder in here and start terrorizing everyone. There was only so much time, and the enemy hunkered down, lightsabers flashing as they tried to hold against the tide. Their own shots went towards Nima's team. They were the ones pinning them down, pressing forward.

    But Nima felt almost invincible as she batted aside shot after shot, aware that she was a target, aware that she'd need to be careful. But even with the Force only a whisper in the screaming, chaotic conflict, she knew to follow it.

    Blasters kept on ringing out, but she didn't care, pressing her advantage. One of the clones, Redline stepped forward, and she slammed her larger lightsaber into his hip. He managed to dodge the backswing that would have cut him down, but his own blaster bolt sang off her shoto, launched into the air like a bright signal.

    "Keep on it!" Scout said, through the headphones. They were pressing them from both sides, but Nima realized that Scout was moving slower, more cautiously. Her strategy seemed to involve leaping from one bit of cover to the next, and Nima realized what it was.

    There were kinds of confidence, and kinds of self-doubt. This was pure confidence, trying to make it so that Nima's team were the ones who'd be charging into the enemy. Her muscles ached, and she was tired, thinking of how much clever planning went into this.

    The clone retreated behind one of the walls, but--

    That's when the first blasts from the speeder slammed right next to Nima. If it had hit head on, she'd be 'dead', and she whirled around to see Jana perched on the speeder as if she were born on it. Her ash-grey skin seemed almost bright with life, her short brown hair, in those strange double-ringlets, suddenly drawing more attention to her face. To a thin set of eyes and a wide, sharp smile, and bright, startling green eyes as she kept up the fire, driving Yarua back with a yelp.

    Suddenly the fight didn't seem quite so decided.

    She drove forward, her legs aching a little, pressing against a far wall as she tried to find out how to get forward.

    Thus far none of the teammates on either side were down, but she was pretty sure that was going to change soon. She just needed to figure out how to move forward. And that before she heard Scout yell, "Smoke!"

    It spread, barely visible at the edge of her vision. As if the fight was itself dividing in two, the smoke giving them privacy, and pulling her attention elsewhere.

    Nima turned towards the speeder, hoping to redirect the blasts, but Aydan's grazed as Jana kept up the firing, so loud that she couldn't hear any of the other orders.

    Scout was probably withdrawing a little bit, allowing the enemy to focus on her now that the smoke was there. Betraying Nima, if she was thinking dramatically. And there was--

    No. She wasn't going to allow it. "Back!" she screamed. "Third wall!" Her voice was hoarse, but she amplified it with a sort of tug in the Force for her teammates, as they stumbled past the speeder's fire and behind walls that would put some tricky movements between them and the enemy team.

    Let Scout actually have to fight them, Nima thought, strangely amused by the jockeying back and forth that was going on. It was childish, and yet it felt deadly serious. Perhaps all such things felt that way.

    Without the Force, she wouldn't have an idea of what was going on. And even with the Force she could no more control the fight than she could fly by flapping her arms. Her lekku twitched in tense stress as she turned her focus towards the speeder.

    They fought as a team, but Jana was able to dodge them, weaving around, as Scout was forced to face the bulk of the other team's forces.

    But she seemed to be winning anyways, or at least holding her own as they advanced behind Nima.

    But Jana was just one girl, and finally a blaster bolt slammed into the front spars of the speeder. It was a beautiful looking machine, Nima thought, though she didn't recognize where it came from, just that it didn't look like the ones she'd seen in training videos.

    High end, perhaps, she thought as Jana drove forward, one hand on the throttle, the other on a lightsaber as she slashed down.

    Nima moved out to meet her, blocking the blow but the weight of Jana alone slammed her back into a wall.

    Rather painfully, actually. Nima grunted and rolled back, her shoto coming down just too late to hit Jana.

    Then Jana was among them, firing, and Nima lost track of what Scout was even doing, except it meant even more explosions as Nima dove forward, trying to get in behind Jana.

    Bolts flashed out again and Yarua groaned as the beep declared he was down. That was one of their team members defeated, and Nima knew that Lark and Elevens weren't in great condition either, as far as their readouts went. And Aydan had a hurt leg, technically. He still leapt up anyways, just in time as a few more explosions rocked the room--or seemed to, fake as they were--sword coming down.

    His form was perfect, the lightsaber coming down and almost toppling Jana, who had to shift in her seat, barely keeping it together. They circled her, they attacked and retreated. And yet she kept up her barrage, one hand on the trigger and the other her lightsaber, a wounded beast not easily brought down.

    Nima's blood sang with a strange feeling of camaraderie as they fought. Time slipped away, and Jana was not going to ever give up, but that didn't matter.

    And then it turned out that Scout had at least one more ace up her sleeve.

    She heard the traps first, was able to whirl around, despite Jana right there, and see Arka and Threes stumbling in. Threes was holding some oddly pimiritive electrified net gun, firing it right at Jana.

    Not so oddly effective as it wrapped around the speeder and… didn't shock Jana, but did send her fake vitals buzzing as she crashed.

    Arka was limping a little from the trap, almost buzzing with enthusiasm as they turned to face what remained of Nima's team, exhausted and worn out.

    Scout. Arka was a Verpine, Verpine could communicate through something that almost resembled comms waves. Nima hadn't thought about whether someone could rig a device to pick it up… but she should have. She hadn't known that Arka was involved in this game until it was too late, but no doubt after having their comms jammed, Scout had decided to give it a shot.

    Lark could have told her about that.

    Triumph radiated off Scout, mixed with an odd desperation as the rest of the other team fought on against her, apparently trying to make her pay.

    Nima wanted to laugh, Nima wanted to groan and rage.

    She was very glad that Aydan didn't realize what had happened, as the sonic traps went off behind Arka, driving them forward.

    Hopefully that'd be enough, though Threes was reaching for his blaster, and Arka had another grenade, ready to all but chuck it down someone's throat, from how he was holding it. Instead he threw it in the air, and Nima closed her eyes as Arka leapt back, the blast blinding Aydan enough that he didn't manage to cut Arka down like he'd planned.

    Gadgets. Scout was using tricks, Nima was using teamwork, and Arka was using gadgets.

    At last they saw each other plain.

    And there was Aydan, for that matter, fighting so fast and so hard and so dedicatedly that even a flash of light barely slowed him down for more than a moment, slipping forward.

    The other team knew that Aydan was the biggest threat on the field, and Threes was firing at him alone.

    Nima didn't think, she just acted, springing forward with a cry, aware that at once two battles were coming towards their ends.

    But instead of feeling tired, she felt confident as she strode forward, batting aside several blaster bolts as if they hadn't been there. Arky wasn't falling back, wasn't giving up as he spread his arms wide, throwing what looked like tiny… were those machine parts?


    They seemed to explode in a shocking display of power, and she had to circle around, as a blaster slammed into Aydan's leg, and then another into Nima's arm. She'd been able to swat them all aside a moment earlier, but it seemed as if Threes wasn't going to give up.

    It was frustrating, being wrong. In that moment she could understand it, sweating and panting. Aydan's anger, Aydan's frustration. But she didn't let it control her, she kept on moving, lost in the strange dance that was so easy to get lost in. The flash of sabers crashed into her, and then their hiss, and the odd impossible smell of blasters. It drove her mind almost into the ground. Suddenly it made sense, how hard it could be for Jedi in war. Not just the caring, not just the connection to life, but the very peace and calm was stripped away.

    She didn't lean into her frustration, she didn't allow it to quite grip her, but it made more sense. If she was this upset, this wound up in a simple game for no stakes, how much further could a Jedi fall during a battle?

    There was a grunt, and behind Nima she heard a sort of wheezing gasp and the triumph that told Nima that she didn't have any longer to play with the gadgets that Arka was pulling out. Elevens was almost down, and--

    Aydan made this strange, soft, vicious sound. It came from the back of his throat, like the start of a growl, and in the Force she could feel more than that. He was drawing on his anger, he was turning it into its own sort of weapon as he batted aside the blasts and cut Threes down, turning on Arka, who blinked.

    The Verpine seemed baffled at the anger on Aydan's face as he strode forward. But Nima was faster, faster and with a reason to end this now before Aydan could just let out his frustration. Even if the lightsabers did all but no damage, just a slight sting.

    She put Arka down in a single, simple slash to the midsection. Then she rounded on Aydan. "Calm yourself."

    Arka was frowning. "I lost," they muttered, though they didn't seem quite as surprised as they should be.

    "Calm myself? This is your fault, trusting Scout. She's weak and treacherous and now we've lost members and exhausted ourselves for what? For your… friendship with Scout, or whatever it is."

    Nima blinked, a little confused, "I'm sorry if you feel that way, but this isn't the end of the world. She was just using tricks and tactics. And we took down the other team, and we've beaten Arka. Now all that's left is to beat them." Nima took a breath. "But we can't if you let your anger control you on something like this."

    Aydan laughed, "Yeah, Scout ain't worth that."

    That wasn't the lesson Nima had been going for, but Aydan nodded and gestured to Lark, as if he were the one taking charge of this team. Nima followed in his wake as they passed everyone.

    They weren't talking, this time. As if they were faking being dead. Or perhaps they were too tired out. It was amazing what all the running around and stress could do, even when the pain was so minimal.

    They went in blasters blazing and Aydan running ahead of Nima.

    Goggles shot at Lark, while Scout moved forward, her lightsaber matching Aydan's as she pushed him back.

    It was a momentary surge, and she barely ducked the humming blade as it swung back around. Aydan's movements were more controlled, at least, but it felt as if Scout had to have some other plan.

    She was headed right towards Nima, and Nima took a breath and tried to spring forward and join Aydan in the assault.

    Which was right when the mine went off, and Aydan stumbled back, just barely dodging it next to his foot.

    Scout whirled around, "Sorry Nima."

    Nima slashed down with both blades, overhead, aware that the move was reckless but wanting to force Scout to back off. Scout met the blades, and Nima slipped her shoto forward, sliding along as the blades sparked. She stabbed out, almost winning right there, but Scout stepped back, a look of intense determination on her face as she shot forward.

    Normally, Nima didn't stand a chance. Scout was just better than her, even if Nima was getting better. But this time it felt as if she could do no wrong.

    Even with Lark down, they could win this.

    Once, twice, thrice she pushed past Scout's defenses in a matter of seconds.

    Then Scout did the unexpected. She grabbed the shoto and yanked it forward, stabbing at Nima's chest. Nima's arm swung around.

    Two body harnesses beeped as one, and Scout let out a laugh. "Looks like we tied," she said.

    She was sweating, just a little, and it made her look like she was glowing, oddly enough. She licked her lips. "But… not quite."

    "Not quite?" Nima said. "Oh, Aydan's still up. So we won."

    Scout grinned them, reaching out to pat Nima on the shoulder a little fondly. "Guess what you're missing."

    Nima looked around. Four members of Jana's team, including Amada, were sitting on the wall relaxing, talking in low voices.

    Then there were… four members of Scout's team, and--

    Not five. Four.

    "There's not only four of you, are there?" Nima asked.

    "If there was, then this'd be over. Nope."

    "One of them retreated," Amada said. "Ran away."

    Aydan snorted then, walking over to Scout. "Who?"

    "Tristan. He's going to win it for us," Scout said. "I figured it'd be better if he retreated…"

    "You mean, he ran away like a coward. I've heard him talking about leaving the order because he can't cut it," Aydan said. "He should, before someone gets hurt. Not everyone can be a Jedi, after all." He was looking right at Scout as he said it. "Seriously, someone like him going out on a battlefield is… you think I want to read about someone, even someone I don't like, dying?"

    Nima blinked, looking up at Aydan. There was something earnest in his gaze, and yet he was also a bully. It's just that he didn't think he was, or he thought that his reasons justified it. Nima sighed. "Well, you'll have to track him down. I'm technically dead."

    "Don't worry. The only thing he's decent at is using the force to push things. Even then, Yarua's about as good and has all sorts of other things going for him," Aydan said. "I have this handled."

    "Watch out for traps and tricks," Nima said.

    Scout rolled her eyes fondly, and leaned up against the wall a little and allowed herself to sink down to her knees.

    Nima found herself following her as Aydan stalked out, grinning.

    So that was that. She'd won. It felt a little hollow, and she glanced over at Scout. But Scout was all but vibrating with energy and excitement, still. Nima was trying to relax, but Scout's grin was oddly infectious. They slid down, and down, until they were sitting next to each other. Then Nima closed her eyes.

    She could feel the warmth, the heat, coming off of Scout's body. Nima herself was still panting, short of breath, when after counting to five she turned to look at Scout. She really did need to exercise more, because she was still panting a little, and it was hard to catch her breath. "You fought well," Nima muttered, lekku twitching nervously.

    She didn't know why. She was just a bit nervous. That's all. She realized what it was after a moment: the fear that Scout had one last trick.

    She always did. Or she had this whole time.

    "I did. But we're not done," Scout said. "And you shouldn't be embarrassed at being fooled. It's fine. I know it was kinda a jerk move."

    "I'm not embarrassed," Nima insisted.

    "You look it," Scout said, reaching a hand out for a moment, her smile wide and bright. But she paused, and pulled her hand back with a wry shake of her head.

    Nima shook her head, and they sat there for two minutes. Then she felt it.

    "You see, Tristan's not the best fighter, but he's quite good at certain uses of the force. Throwing things around. And we gave him dozens of lightsabers to chuck at anyone who beat us" Scout said, eyes glinting. "Any… moment… now."

    "It already happened," Nima said.

    "Huh," Scout said.

    It didn't feel like much of a loss, Nima thought.

    Perhaps Aydan'd learn a lesson about underestimation. Or maybe he wouldn't.

    ******

    Where is Nima when the attack happens? (Choose one, obviously)

    [] Alone. She's meditating when something strange happens. It's like the dreams, but not.
    [] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
    [] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and something that could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
    [] She was down with Wessen and Jayne, looking at the crack… rather when they shouldn't be there, technically. Technically. But Ahsoka said go for it in a letter, so really… who's to blame here?
    [] Write-in. Seriously, be fun.

    *******
    A/N: So here we go. The Quest continues! Hopefully people still dig this and all.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and something that could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
    Adhoc vote count started by Hexxart on May 22, 2018 at 4:11 PM, finished with 23 posts and 15 votes.
    • [X] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
      [X] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and something that could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
      [X] She was down with Wessen and Jayne, looking at the crack… rather when they shouldn't be there, technically. Technically. But Ahsoka said go for it in a letter, so really… who's to blame here?
      [X] Alone. She's meditating when something strange happens. It's like the dreams, but not.
    Click to expand...
     
    [x] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and something that could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
     
    [X] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
     
    [] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.

    Considering this option as kinda wanna hang out learning to be better with a lightsaber, also Elize is a neat character we haven't hung out with much which is odd considering we know Ahsoka who's a master at Ataru and Anakin one of the best duelists in the order. Would vote for a write-in but a little unsure of what the limits are. Not that I would think of anything interesting, would either vote for hanging out with Ahsoka or Barriss, and whoever else would be there. Neither of them is probably in the temple anyways, or atleast would be heading towards the attack.
     
    [x] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
     
    [x] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.


    Empath accquire meatwalls
     
    Depending on whether or not there are chips the clone squad here could be a major tragedy.

    [x] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and somethingthat could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
     
    [X] She was down with Wessen and Jayne, looking at the crack… rather when they shouldn't be there, technically. Technically. But Ahsoka said go for it in a letter, so really… who's to blame here?

    I'm just interested in the crack. :oops: :p
     
    [x] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
     
    [X] She was down with Wessen and Jayne, looking at the crack… rather when they shouldn't be there, technically. Technically. But Ahsoka said go for it in a letter, so really… who's to blame here?


    Best squidgirl!
     
    [] You've ended up in the same room as Barriss, Ahsoka, Scout, Ayguin, Elize, Jedi Master Tera Sinube who was telling a story about a stolen lightsaber, Hannah and an Astromech named R2-D2 who's recording this. Probably something with conflicting tutoring schedules, it's super awkward. And then an ALARM goes off...

    I doubt this is going to be okay'd, but figure if we're going to be stuck in a room with people the least we can do is have a little fun with the premise. Also to have R2-D2 record the resulting disaster.
     
    [X] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
     
    [X] Walking with her friends, Nima bumped into Hannah, and something that could be an apology and could be a fight started… and then came the attack.
     
    [X] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.
     
    [X] Training with Master Cin Drallig. The games showed her her limits, and so she finds herself with Elize, Aydan, and some of the other best lightsaber fighters when the alarm goes off.

    Well, tried to give a write-in but people are apparently not interested. So going for this, cause kinda want to hang out with Elize.
     
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