Movie Night at the Oracle
The Oracle,
Recreation Room
"So Javik, anything you want to say about what we're about to watch."
"Nah, nothing much. You'll see some of it, I'm sure, but I don't think
all of it is going to come just from the Raid."
"How'd you do?"
"I survived."
"Not willing to toot your own horns, eh Javik?"
"Fuck off, Ronolek!"
Javik D'rul, a tan Devaronian, scowls at what's probably another agent as the wiseass moves into the rec room. Our group ignores the few chuckles and the other noises filling the room. It's packed today with the only real clear space being in the middle where a holoprojector is being set up. The Dejarik boards have been lowered while the Sabaac and Pazaak tables have been pushed aside. The bar though is untouched.
No one touches the bar. Crowded as the space has become, people are still able to mill back and forth from where the nondescript blonde bartender is taking orders. My eyes narrow but then I shake my head.
Nah. No way.
Our normal Sabaac group – Nisskal Epsken's squad, Javik, Martem, Dani, and then I - has taken the side nearest to the entrance so we have to also deal with the other late comers like Ronolek. Ronolek's smile disappears when he sees our unentertained expressions. Especially Sarrin's flashing teeth and Dani's golden eyes. To my side, Dani smirks and leans back when Ronolek shivers and walks away.
I look at Javik and nod my head at the asshole moving away.
I ask, "A friend of yours?"
Javik snorts and sits down. He shakes his head.
"Nah. He's a new apprentice. We all usually think we're hot stuff when we're pulled out for Agent training."
Dani purses her lips and hums. She says, "His ego will be beat down soon enough."
Olvia grins and quips, "Was yours missed or something?"
Dani gives her a stink eye but Javik answers for her.
"Whenever it got too big, yeah."
Epsken raises an eye scale and asks, "Really?"
Dani rolls her eyes but nods.
"Yeah. Tyro's said that when training, 'ego is the first thing to go.' From my short experience when starting out and now training some myself, it typically pops up during basics like meditation. Sitting still for hours at a time doesn't sit well for most hot-blooded individuals. If you're able to contain yourself, then you're nearly certain to be accepted. It's actually a part of the Agent vetting process."
Sarrin asks, "Sitting?"
With disbelief, Martem asks, "Hours?"
Javik grimaces and both he and Dani blandly say, "Yes."
I snort and smile a little.
"'Beating down someone's ego' and sitting still for hours. That sounds like something Xruk would have the new guys go through. Not Tyro."
Dani shrugs her shoulders and smiles at me.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that's who he got it from."
I see curiosity flash across Martem's face. He turns to me and asks, "What happened to that sadistic bastard anyway?"
Sarrin actually
growls and says, "Hopefully thrown off a cliff."
Nisskal looks askance at Sarrin while Olvia, Issah, and Javik also look confused.
Issah tilts her head and asks, "Who's Xruk?"
Dani and Martem raise an eyebrow while Sarrin and I just sigh. I feel an elbow hit me and look to see Dani smirking. She nods at me and says, "Well old-timer, I'm sure you know the story the most."
I shake my head and ask, "37 is old, huh?"
Issah to my left chirps, "Yup."
I sigh again and as the group breaks out into soft laughter. Dani wraps an arm around me and playfully consoles me.
"Don't worry Cün," she says, "maybe with that age comes experience."
I flatly stare at her while she waggles her eyebrows. I can't help but join in the laughter this time. I calm down and then nod my head.
"Right, Xruk. I'm honestly surprised all of you Guardians haven't suffered from him but apparently you guys joined up after Grevious' talking down."
The whole group is focused on me now. Even a few others who have been silently eavesdropping are focusing in more obviously.
"See, back when the Watchers were still a gang on Coruscant, he was hired to make us actually competent."
Issah and Olvia giggle while snickers can be heard around us. One outside soul is even brave enough to butt in and jokes, "Back in my day."
That brings in more laughter even if it kills off the giggles within the group. Martem frowns and Dani's eyes flash but I shrug it off and continue.
"Anyway. Pretty much anybody in the gang at that time was either a coward and or a poor shot. Ciaran didn't like this so she discreetly sent out word that anyone who could pass a test and then teach us to actually be intimidating would be paid. Training anyone, especially people who were pretty much thugs, is not very appetizing for most individuals. Sadly for us all, Xruk is not like most individuals. He comes in, out shoots me, and then proceeds to shout his tiny little lungs out by telling us we're all shit and 'should be fed to his mother's pupae.'"
A few outsiders go "ooh" while Olvia scoffs. She asks, "And this guy's face wasn't immediately broken in?"
Martem groans and says, "We tried."
I nod and say, "He has a knack for pissing off people stronger than him and yet getting away from any punishment every single time. Now, since he's the only one to pass muster and then not be chased out or run, he gets the job. So every day we're on the clock but not doing jobs, we're being tortured. So we start shooting until our fingers cramp or we get a perfect score and running through obstacle filled streets and abandoned buildings while getting shot at, among other crazy things."
I see a few grimaces in the audiences but even more nodding heads. Even for how hated he is, his brand of insanity is still known and taught.
"At this point, he was a necessary evil. Even if we were never the most aggressive gang, we likely wouldn't have survived without the good kick in the groin he provided. So for the first few years, he trained us and trained us and …"
I have to stop for a second and think. It's long enough some of the audience is looking at me weird. I end up laughing.
"And honestly nothing much else. The most action we had was stealing from the Black Sun during their
first collapse. The first decade was actually pretty quiet for the gang. We did more intelligence gathering than thugging."
Martem smiles and says, "Which is probably why most of the old enforcers became Seekers, huh?"
I smile as well and nod. I focus back on the story and continue.
"Now back to Xruk. Because of the gang's, and then mercenary business', early phase focus on intelligence work and simple guarding, Xruk wasn't important."
Sarrin here grumbles, "He was never important."
Olvia giggles and I smile as well.
I nod but say, "Maybe, but he provided discipline during the early years to a lower city gang which had, without it and Ciaran's vision: no money, no skills, no services, and no future. "
I get a few stares at that. Martem shuffles in his seat and has an uncomfortable look on his face. Like me, he's one of the rare few originals and so knows what I'm talking about. I don't know about any others. Some left. Some have fallen. Others were silenced. I never bothered to dig. The place is quiet.
Damn. Way to kill the mood. Anything … ah, yeah!
I smirk and say, "But Xruk's sadism is eventually blunted by Grievous proportions."
A moment of silence and then Nisskal breaks into a groan. This sets off a chain reaction of mutual pun disdain. Dani elbows me but I ignore her. I decide to finish up.
"So last I heard, Xruk is still 'officially', " I emphasize how unofficially he isn't with finger quotes, "an advisor on the great council but is rarely seen giving actual organization level advice. His current responsibilities now are solely to plan and lead the training of the Guardians. Much to the continuing grief of all of the trainees."
Grumbles all around point to that truth. People begin talking again but someone in the center claps and gets all our attention. To my surprise it's Gulan.
Wait. Where did he come from?
He looks around and nods.
"Alright germs and lice, while story time with old man Barnas was fun, I do believe you've come here to see a few videos, right?"
A cheer goes across the room. Dani leans into me and says, "I told you, you were old."
I roll my eyes and say, "Dick."
I can almost feel the wide smirk as Dani replies, "Sorry. My plumbing happens to be internal, not external."
All I can do in response is laugh while holding my face in a hand. The lights darken as I collect myself and then the projector starts up. Four rectangular screens make up the sides of a cube. They hover in the center of the room. Soon enough, the video starts.
<Black Screen>
<Static-cut to helmet-cam footage of the devastated horizon of Metalorn. Smoke slowly wafts up and the distant sky is lit up in red.>
Grievous: "I have been told that in times past they were meant to be set loose on the galaxy to slay all those who would stand before its masters."
<Cut to a dark hallway where another squad of Kaleesh is following a squad of Wookiees.>
Blasterfire erupts from in front. The Wookiees take to cover to reveal a squad of exterminator droids.
Grievous: "They are supposedly the most dangerous!"
<Slide-transition to helmet-cam footage of an agent ducking in cover alongside a squad of BX droids.>
Agent: "Point squad three in heavy contact!" *Audible Breathing* "Suppressed! Unable to continue momentum!"
Grievous: "Perhaps that is the truth."
<Cut to footage of a squad of Wookiees being suppressed and unable to advance against unseen adversaries. One roars but quickly ducks back.>
Grievous: "Perhaps their reputation is accurate."
<Cut to more helmet-cam footage of some Guardians following the Silencer into a room.>
Guns are raised as heavy footsteps can be heard. Suddenly the squad spreads out and points their gun when a Jedi Sentinel jumps into their room. She swings around.
Jedi: "Where is-"
A body is thrown into the room. A quick glance shows a dead Jedi. Deep and throaty laughter is heard.
<Cut to black and silence.>
< Static-Cut once again to helmet-cam footage of a squad of Kaleesh prowling through a forest.>
They stop just before a clearing. In the clearing is a compound
Grievous: "However, I refuse to believe that!
A large explosion occurs behind the compound.
"Hear my words my fellow soldiers! Today we begin our advance!"
<Cut to charging Kaleesh as the defenses of a compound are overrun.>
"We are warriors! We yearn for foes such as them."
<Cut to CB-3 droids emerging out of a hallway carrying heavy weapons.>
"To do battle with them!"
<Cut to a fierce battle with Durge. He's being blasted into by a lot of blasterfire and even grenades but he's noticeably regenerating.>
"To push ourselves to our limits fighting them, and to show ourselves that we are superior as we step over their broken bodies!"
<Cut to a hallway strewn out with hundreds of bits and pieces of broken exterminator droids.>
<Cut to footage of Grievous standing in front of an assembly of droids, Kaleesh, Wookiees, and random humanoids.>
Grievous: "Will you follow me into battle!?"
Nearly everyone but the droids cheer. Grievous lifts his weapon and motions it outward.
Grievous: "Then join me! We shall march into the depths, we shall meet the enemy, and we will crush them beneath our feet as we march forwards to victory!"
<During this line, footage of Durge's end is shown as he's overpowered by disrupter shots and slowly erased.>
<Slide-transition to show the logo of the Abyss Watchers>
Chorus: "WE ARE THE ABYSS WATCHERS! AND WE JUMP! STRAIGHT! IN!"
<Crash to black. End.>
As the video ends, the entire room is quiet. A slow clap begins. A few more join. Like an avalanche, more and more people join until the entire room is eventually cheering.
Dani leans into me and asks, "Were we
supposed to become an action movie?"
I can only shake my head and laugh.
"Alright, alright people! Settle down!"
Gulan's shout is barely heard but everyone manages to quiet down. Gulan squeezes back into the center and fiddles with the projector. He leans down and switches holodisks and then stands back up. With a wide grin he announces what's next.
"Now at the beginning I said
videos. I've got two and you've watched the first. Now the first one was obviously a recruitment video but this second one, to me, is
truly special."
Gulan's grin turns wicked and I immediately become wary. I notice a few others including Olvia fidget in their seats.
"I'm going to show the video and then call up a
lucky winner to receive a prize."
Everyone is curious now. Prizes are serious business. However, Gulan's face says that such a "prize" may be not something anyone would want.
"Now then. Let's start. Who can guess the main individual speaking in this video?"
The projector turns back on and we watch. I feel as if ice has been dumped down my back with the very first words said.
<Helmet footage again of a heavily crowded speeder filled with what appear to be clone troopers.>
The viewer is looking outside through open doors when the helmet radio blares.
Unknown: "We have two minutes so listen up!"
All of the troopers turn to face the front of the speeder. The video shows another trooper in commander gear up front standing in the cockpit doorway. The leader gives orders to Seekers and then Guardians. A particular order to the Guardians is quite shocking.
Commander: "Anything floating needs to hit dirt as soon as possible! I don't even care if the Great Boss herself tries to land in the Oracle! She eats mud!"
(Out of Video: A few startled grunts can be heard from the audience.)
Everything is quiet for a moment except for the speeder when a trooper shouts out.
Unknown Trooper: "Are you mad?"
The Commander visibly shakes his head.
Commander: "No, I just know she can take it."
<Smash cut. End>
When the short video ends, booing can be heard from around the circle. Meanwhile, I'm hunched over with my face in my hands and I can audibly hear Dani and Olvia laughing their guts out. I pull my hand down my face as I look up. Martem is leaning back and has his own hands covering his face too, but he's noticeably smiling and trying to hold back laughter. Javik is staring slack-jawed at me while Nisskal just shakes his head.
He says, "Really?
Really?"
Issah just stares at the floor for a second before turning up to face me. She has a confused look on her face and she cautiously asks, "She- … She can take it?"
The hesitant disgust in her voice sends Olvia and Dani into a deeper fit of laughter. Even Sarrin begins to chuckle. During this, Gulan is slowly turning around the room with a deadly smile.
He says, "There is an individual among you who should be shamed due to such statements. Nothing
too harsh for something obviously meant as, and I quote, 'a morale raiser.' But such things do require a response, wouldn't you say?"
The general murmur in the room speaks of agreement. Only a few individuals are frowning in genuine anger. Most have either neutral expressions or have expecting smiles on their face. Gulan finishes his turning and zeroes in on me. His smile grows wider to show his fangs. He waves his hand to get me to stand up.
"Cünuel Barnas! Come on down!"
The entire room focuses on me and I internally scream. I slowly stand up and walk to the center. Martem jokes by saying, "We knew you well."
Sarrin nods his head and mumbles, "Good luck."
I finally get to the center and stand on the other side of the projector from Gulan. I cross my arms and try to act nonchalant. Gulan takes a datapad out and makes a great show of reading it.
He says, "I had so many prizes possible that it was so hard to choose one for you! In the end, I just
couldn't choose. However, we all must be thankful for another special guest who has decided on your equally special gift! Germs and lice, welcome the Galaxy's Finest, Ciaran!"
My eyes shoot wide and I jerk around to the entrance, but she's not coming from there.
How!? We didn't notice her coming in! Where did she- No …
I finally notice Gulan pointing to the bar and I turn to see Ciaran coming from out behind it.
What the fuck? The Bartender?
Ciaran, with her visor now back on her face, is gliding through everyone with the widest smile. In her hands is a covered plate. She arrives in the center and the three of us make an impromptu triangle.
Gulan nods his head and says, "Well my lady. What were your thoughts on this poor soul?"
Ciaran hums and then tilts her head. She says, "Weeellll~. At first I didn't know
what to think. After all, Cünuel has always been such a
serious individual. It was really quite the shock. But then I thought on what he said and I realized something."
She brings up the plate and the lights are turned back on so that everyone can see it. Ciaran's smile grows to its largest size.
She continues, "If Cünuel believes I can 'take it', I want to make sure he knows I can
dish it out just as well."
With a flourish she takes the cover off the plate. I'm immediately confused by its contents. The plate is filled with a wet and brown material. Small darker clusters can be seen and the whole thing is crumbly. It takes a second for me to realize what it is and, before I can say anything, an audience member shouts out the substance's name.
"Mud!"
At that moment, the entire room breaks down into hysterics. Pretty soon a chant starts up and eventually everybody but the three of us are shouting it.
"Take it! Take it! Take it!"
I grimace and look up at Ciaran's face. Her teeth are showing with a sharklike grin. She raises an eyebrow. I close my eyes and sigh.
I mumble, "Didn't say I have to eat it at least."
I grab the dish from Ciaran's hands and take it. Cheers go out and a few then start to chant 'eat it.' Ciaran turns around and waves that one off.
"Now, now. I didn't wind up eating anything so I see no need for Cünuel to do so either. He's got his prize."
She turns back around and says, "But I do so hope he savors it."
Groans and curses come next. Whether from me not having to suffer the taste or from the pun, I don't really care. Ciaran looks to Gulan and nods her head. He nods back and then claps his hands again.
"Okay! Videos have been shown and the prize given out! Get out of here you maniacs!"
Another cheer goes up and the crowd starts to disperse. Ciaran gives a more gentle smile to me and nods her head. I manage to give a crooked smile in return and do the same. I then turn around and walk back to my group. They proceed to give me a few claps on the back. Javik steals a glance at the plate and then asks, "What are you going to do with that?"
I stare at it for a second and then shrug.
"Mud is going into the garbage and the plate into a washer."
Martem snickers and then says, "But it's a prize! You can't just throw it away."
I give him an incredulous look while the rest of us laugh at that. Issah gives a suggestion, "Put some seeds into it and make a plant."
I hum at that and Dani pokes me. I look at her and she winks.
She says, "I'll buy the seed if you buy the pot."
I sigh and then give in.
I say, "Sure, sure."
In the end, our group parts ways. Even with my "prize", I would consider the night to have been fun.
Just another crazy day.
THE FORCE OF THE FUCKING CURRENTS?!?!
