Transport Frigate, Blight Leaper (Currently at Bakura)

[Badim Soilding]

Written to Mad World - Gary Jules

I also got the 100th post on The Leaper!

Badim strode back towards the Temple with Tseneca, his face still salted from his tears. His expression was blank and emotionless now, hints of sorrow and anger still dotting it. Tseneca had covered herself with the cloak she had recently received and donned Dex’s goggles as they walked through the streets. Badim saw a gleam at a vender and turned, seeing a collection of blades that hung from the ceiling in display.
Badim walked to a pair of gauntlets, seeing their elegant leather design, their medieval straps and metal architecture gleaming. He gripped it, wrapping one of them around his forearm as Tseneca watched as he found a new weapon.

He slipped a ring around his pinky finger, attached to the gauntlet by a thin metal wire. With a flick of his finger, a blade extended out along the length of his forearm, stopping a hand’s length away from his wrist. Tseneca didn’t fidget, almost expecting as much. Badim took the pair off the wall, then a bottle of black dye from another store to the confusion of Tseneca. He purchased the items, then continued to the Temple in utter silence.

They entered, making their way through it as they made their way to the Hanger The Leaper resided, trying to not encounter the rest of the crew so they could slip away on their coming Journey of Revenge. They entered The Leaper, Badim staring at the hulk of H6. Still powered down in the corner he and Clare had left him in. The hole that had burned through him was from Dorniekke’s self-defense, but was now an attempted cover-up. Badim entered his room, bare of life. Only the remains of Clare’s luggage was left. His cloak sat on the table where Clare had set it.

He picked it up, feeling the flannel shirt, white cloak and the blooded sash that would wrap around his waist. He set the bottle of dye next to, planning on dealing with the two after he and Tseneca had entered Hyperspace. To where, he didn’t know yet. Cato Neimoidia was a possibility, seeing as how Dorniekke would travel there often before he was targeted by Dirod. He had saved his life, and this was how he repaid him, telling a man how to kill Badim‘s Soul and Heart.

He waited as Tseneca closed the gangplank. SAMM was silent, possibly hearing what had happened to Badim and what he and Tseneca were doing now. He stayed quiet to respect them, possibly.

Tseneca caught up to Badim and they strolled to the cockpit, to see the surprise of Kyp in the co-pilot seat.

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

"Hey, who said you could co-pilot?" tseneca asked Kyp even as he sat in the copilots chair.

"Executive descision. And since you both are going awol i thought i should stick around." Kyp replied, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back into his chair.

Tseneca took her seat and fired up the boosters. Badim took a place behind her to work the nav. computers.

Watch it. SAMM said, Badim pulled his hands away from the controls. Then SAMM said Whats going on? are we leaving? Did anyone check for bounty hunters this time?

"No bounty hunters, and no joy ride." tseneca said. "Yet. We may have company later if anyone recognizes the ship coming out of atmo. Work with Badim SAMM, he knows where we're going. I think... Badim?"

"On it." Badim was punching coordinates into the computer, even as the ship exited the hangar and flew up over corouscant. The exited atmo, and breached hyperspace.


Leapers up and away. I'll leave it to you, Orrion, to get us where where going, wherever that is. We are being followed by Sethe, just FYI. There's no way he'd let Tseneca leave. He'll pop in when the crew needs help. He's sneaky like that. I'm letting you guys plot this out cause i don't know what your plan is.

[Badim Soilding]

Badim input the coordinates for Cato Neimoidia, the most likely place Dorniekke would be. It was his homeworld, he would think he would be safe. But he had contributed to murdering the only one he had ever cared for, truly cared for. He never felt the way he did with Clare, now he would never feel it again. He was empty, a hollow shell of destruction now. No one was safe from his wrath.

He watched as The Leaper entered Hyperspace, the white dots extending into infinite lines as they became surrounded by the blue vortex he had marveled so many times in the past. It meant nothing to him now, it only pained him now. He and Clare had stared into it the first night they had slept together, now it was only a grim reminder of her death. He remembered her pleasured and pained smiles, they brought happy thoughts to him, but they didn’t stay long, quickly being followed by images of her death.
He couldn’t flush her out, doing so would disgrace what they had together, what they had experienced together. He stood, taking his leave of the cockpit in silence. He entered his quarters, grabbing his white cloak and the bottle of dye he had bought. He left for the refreshers, taking his cloak and stuffing it into one of the sinks as he ran water over it. Pouring the black dye over the soaked fabrics. He let the dye do it’s work, graying and darkening his outfit with every second that passed as the black liquid found purchase on his clothes.

He emptied the sink, taking the soaked clothing and hanging it up in one of the showers to dry, then cleaned the black mess that had scarred the sink.
He placed his hands on the lip of it, letting his weight settle and rest on it. He stared into the mirror and back at himself. Anger and remorse still flowed within him, he could feel it. For a split second, he didn’t recognize himself because of it. His body had stopped shaking visibly, but he could feel his guts still shivering in shock. He wondered if his life was a mistake, that all he was meant to do was kill no matter how much he tried to get away.
Tseneca might still think she knew him, the new him. But he was falling back to his old ways, killing without emotion. He had already committed his first act of his former self, killing the man that pleaded for his life as he fell over the edge of the landing pad.
Clare wasn’t even dead for fifteen seconds, and he had already fallen to his former self.

Tseneca had… Tseneca… This was a mistake in itself, he shouldn’t have agreed to joining her. His dark thirst for revenge was sure to turn her to the Dark Side, no matter how she promised she wouldn‘t when he signed on. He knew her resolve was strong, but it was falling with every day, as Nico’s comment on Emmett burned into her.
He looked into his eyes through the mirror, trying to find something other than sin in them, other than Revenge and Murder. He couldn’t. He found No Compassion. No Care. No Mercy. No Hope… No Love.
He ran the faucet to full and ran water over his face and hair, washing his tears away while he tried to wash away his thirst for vengeance. It flowed over him, but figuratively steamed away at his anger and hate. Vengeance, Revenge and his Lust for Killing were all that kept him going now, he would have surely just committed suicide on the landing pad if it weren’t for them. Aside from Tseneca, Kyp, SAMM and a disabled H6: His only companion was hate.

He looked back at himself, watching the water drip down his face. He saw himself killing Boz Loren five years ago, setting events that would lead to Clare’s death. It was his fault, his problem. And he brought Clare into it unknowingly. He hated not only the man who killed her, he hated himself. In a fit of fury and anger, he threw his fist into the mirror, smashing it into hundreds of pieces, watching them fall into the sink where he would leave them. His blooded hand stretching with no pain. He turned to his cloak, seeing the black, fast acting dye had finished.
He locked the door to the showers and changed his attire for a final time, donning his new clothing as the black fabrics wrapped around him, further deepening his Lust for Jelahan‘s Death. The tip of his hood fell over his face, covering a portion of his face as it had for years, concealing his hazel, anger filled eyes. Only his expressionless mouth was visible from the shadows it cast.

Tseneca, Kyp and Badim are en-route to Cato Neimoidia, we can head straight there, or we can rest/coop/talk a bit before they get there.

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp kept silent during the liftoff. The anger in the cockpit could be cut with a lightsaber. He didn't want to provoke Badim in his time of loss. Kyp rubbed his chin as the Blight Leaper and her reduced crew entered hyperspace. He hoped the hunter after himself and the crew wouldn't follow. He had enough problems as it was. Having to deal with him wasn't on his priority list.

The cockpit was in a eerie silence after Badim had promptly exited. Kyp reached over and enabled the auto-pilot, allowing SAMM to take the reins. Now he could finally speak with Tseneca, who had donned yet another look, perhaps to draw less attention while she was out. "What happened?" Kyp felt bad even asking but he didn't like being clueless

"Clare was shot," she responded somberly.

"Do we know who it was?"

"We do not. But Badim does," Tseneca rubbed her eyes perhaps trying to draw more energy. It had been a long day for everyone.

Kyp hardly knew Clare or for that matter Badim. He was sure he'd learn his fair share during their current trip. Clare had seemed very kind despite her betrayal earlier in the week. That still hung in his mind as he wasn't so quick to forget misdoings. Kyp wished for Badim's sake that this was all a hoax, but rarely did life deal such an easy way out.

Many would suffer for Clare's death. Kyp could for see that already. That was why he had insisted on coming along. He couldn't allow Tseneca to turn and despite her beliefs, it would scar her.

Kyp planned on helping her find a way back but also find herself. Kyp freed the lock holding the box closed and turned in his chair. "Tseneca, this trip will not be for the weak. You, Badim, and myself will have blood on our hands that can not be erased," Kyp put his hand on top of the box but made sure to keep Tseneca's eyes drawn to his own.

"You need to learn how to control yourself and your emotions. No one in this galaxy knows better the consequences of a failure to do so, than myself. I can assure you of that. I will not see you destroy yourself."

Kyp opened the box, with the lid facing Tseneca, and stared down into it. "I am going to teach you the skills you need, but first, no self respecting Jedi can begin training without a-" Kyp turned the box to face Tseneca. "Lightsaber."

Inside the box lay a brushed gun metal hilt, surrounded by velvet colored padding. It was a fairly simple design but more sturdy than the Jedi Temple's walls themselves. When ignited it'd spring fourth a crimson blade, a relic from a time long past in his own life. It was his second lightsaber and he wanted it to be Tseneca's first. Kyp lifted the box with the force and placed it gently on her lap. Perhaps he was giving a future opponent a weapon. However Kyp banished the thought knowing that he would not allow it. A future friend would be more like it, or so he hoped.

"What'cha think?" Kyp said with a grin on his face.

Back in the Saddle

_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

Tseneca felt angry at first. She didn't like to be chastised, and Kyp was treating her like a child. But then he seemed to turn around, instead of patronizing her, he was speaking with her on the level.

"Watcha think?" He asked, grinning in a way that remided her that he hadn't always been a Jedi.

She reached her hand out and played her fingers over the hilt of the lightsaber. She lifted it from its box and held it as if it were made of fine silk or glass. So this was it. She could feel the power inside the hilt, as if it were sending vines up her arm and embedding them into her chest, implanting themselves in her being. The force vibrated through her palm and wrist, too strong to deny, too right. All she'd ever been, everything, was changing in the second she held the blade. She was terrified, but...

She looked at Kyp and matched his grin with a smile. "Just tell me I don't have to call you "master"."

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp glanced at his old lightsaber, which Tseneca now firmly grasped in her hand. "I am a Jedi Master, a A-Wing Pilot, a former mine worker, and many other things," Kyp paused because he wasn't sure where he was going with it. "You can call me a lot of things, but you do not have to call me Master if you do not wish to. Till the time comes in which you wish to formally join the Jedi Order I'd prefer it if you just called me your friend." Kyp stood up and moved back towards the door. "Or Kyp. The choice is yours." With a simple tug Kyp freed his own lightsaber and motioned to move out of the cockpit where there were sensitive and expensive instruments. "Turn 'er on," he said with a anxious smile. "Try it out."
_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Badim Soilding]

Badim exited the refreshers, heading for his quarters to receive his vibroblade to recite The Way of the Blade in an attempt to calm and clear his mind. He picked the blade up from the rack it was on, staring at the glimmering sword. It’s chrome finish didn’t show marks of blood, but he could feel it inside of it. He looked at his collection of weapons: his vibroknifes, his blasters, his swords. They all held blood on it, no matter how much he cleaned, the blood remained on them and on himself.

He left his room, dragging the tip of the blade on the ground as he made his way to the cargo hold. The sparking and abrasive sounds I made soothed him in a way, feeling the coming death of any number of Loren’s men no matter how they plea.
He entered the hold, standing in the center of the room as he began to close his eyes and began his recital:
“To mold the mind and body.” he stepped forward with one foot and extended his blade towards nothing.
“To cultivate a vigorous spirit,” he swung the blade in a large, over exaggerated arc to the right.
“And through correct and rigid training, To strive for improvement in the Way of the Blade.” he lunged forward, swinging the blade through the air, feeling anger begin to build in him again.
“To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.” he stepped back from the lunge, “To associate with others with sincerity.” he lunged forward again. Swinging in another large arc.
“To forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.” he gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands, feeling the weight it held on him, the burdens it had brought to his life. He lifted the blade over his head, preparing to throw the blade down on an invisible incarnation of Jelahan.

“And to Stay your Blade from the flesh… of the… Innocent.” he dropped to his knees, no long envisioning Jelahan’s coming death, but seeing Clare again. She was innocent, and he brought death on her. It would have happened whether they boarded The Leaper or not, he didn’t blame them for her death. He only blamed himself as he dropped his blade and looked at his palms, figuratively seeing pools of blood on his hands, seeing Boz within. His hands were stained, and they had not only caused the murder of Clare, but himself.

He had jumped through all shades of gray, during his service with Dirod and other contractors. He had thought he had won the battle for freedom, but with Clare’s death, he was loosing face with his own heart. He tried to save the innocent, but What was the price he paid for all the ones he tried to save?
He had paid everything for it, now all he had, was hate.

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

They moved into the common area and Tseneca ignited the lightsaber, and it glowed to life in her hand as if it were alive. She'd seen Lucas with his enough times, but still, wasn't quite sure how to handle the thing.

"Act as if it were an extension of your arm." Kyp instructed. "Its elegant, not clumsy. And if you allow the force to flow through you and into it, you can wield it better than you would a baster or any other weapon."

She took this in mind and closed her eyes, letting the light course through her. She felt powerful, solid. And the weapon in her hand was an extension of that feeling. She gave the lightsaber a wave, flicking her wrist as she'd seen Lucas do. She listened to it hum as it glided in a slow arc over and around her. She was safe from the glowing blade, because it was now nothing more exceptional than a portion of her hand. The force swelled around and she worked with it.

"Now what?" she said.

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp ignited his own blade and held it in his right hand. "You must learn how to hold your lightsaber in a fight," Kyp held his lightsaber low and upright with both hands. "Do as I do." Tseneca grasped the lightsaber in both hands. "Now make sure to keep your back up and arched. Generally speaking, when you hold your lightsaber like so it is intended more as a quick and precise strike. Your depending more on the speed of the strike versus the strength. This stance is a good one to deflect blaster bolts from. Remember that it is merely a resting stance."

Kyp raised his lightsaber up and and to his right, and watched Tseneca do the same. "From this stance you are in the middle. It allows you speed but also strength." Kyp switched between the two, allowing his back to rise and fall according to the style. "The next is for when your looking to cleave someone in half. It is more offensive which is signified by the height of the saber." Kyp raised his lightsaber higher into a stance similar to stick ball when he was a child.

He turned off his lightsaber and moved behind Tseneca. With each style he moved her arms and back into the correct positions. "Fast." Kyp pushed her arms down and her back out slightly. "Medium." Next he pushed her arms to her right and up. "And finally Strong." Kyp pressed the palms of his hands underneath her elbows and positioned her shoulders. "There you go."

Kyp moved back to the other side of the room and looked over Tseneca, finding the weak points in the her stance. It was steady and firm, slightly tense, but nothing experience wouldn't handle. "Imagine my body in six sections." For each section Kyp pointed to a part of his body. "One, is the head of your opponent. Two is the upper right, Three is the Upper Left, Four, is your opponents back, Five is his or her right side below the waist, and Six is the left side." Kyp recapped by touching all the points on his body.

"When you strike, you want to aim for one of the six areas dependent upon where your enemy is defending or not defending." Kyp ignited his own lightsaber again and stepped forward into the outter edge of Tseneca's reach. He touched his blue lightsaber to her red. "Aim for three, in fast stance"

"On you?" she said questioning whether she should attack a Jedi Master.

"I don't see anyone else here," Kyp said as he steadied his own lightsaber and prepared to read Tseneca's movement. Through years of experience Kyp saw Tseneca move forward and bring her lightsaber in quickly as it snapped against his own. "Good, keep your lightsaber low and strike quickly. However you must move with your strike. Step into it like so." Kyp moved back and copied the same move Tseneca had done but stepped into it. "When you strike right, move forward with your right foot, and vice versa." Kyp moved back into position and steadied his lightsaber. "Again."

Tseneca snapped her lightsaber forward and stepped into the strike. "I get it," she replied simply.

"It's the same as anything else in the galaxy. The more you do it, the better you'll get at it. The footwork becomes especially important when you want to swing harder and you are going for a wide strike." Kyp stepped back and swung his lightsaber in a wide horizontal arc. "It gives your swing an extra few inches and power." Kyp stepped back and turned off his lightsaber again, this time clipping it to his belt.

"Lightsaber combat is all about your entire body. It's so much more complicated than a blaster and more difficult than a weighted blade on a vibrosword. All the weight is low and in the hilt. You have to rely on your muscles to do the work and not just the momentum of your weapon."

Kyp eyed his old lightsaber in new hands and felt somewhat proud. He was sure Luke and Zeth would too. "By the way, if you don't want to cut a massive gash into the side of the ship I suggest you lower the power setting."

Tseneca looked at the lightsaber in her hands and twisted the wrong knob. The lightsaber shot out to double it's original length and almost punctured the ceiling. "Wrong one, turn it back down, and use the one below it." The lightsaber shot back down to it's original length and then dulled. "Yeah that's the dual phase control. We'll get into that some other day." Kyp sat down and motioned for her to do the same.

"Till tomorrow I suggest you get used to your new lightsaber. Each lightsaber has the feeling of it's owner. The crystal inside is imbued with the force of that person. Almost like a name tag. Yours will feel much like I do. I was confused, angry, and depressed when I made that lightsaber." Kyp breathed heavily as he recalled long repressed memories.

"There's alot of conflict in that blade. It represents a time in my life when I wasn't sure if I wanted to live or die. Truely it is worse to hate yourself than it is to hate another. That lightsaber," Kyp paused and rubbed his beard. "Is from a lifetime ago. I forsee you doing much good Tseneca, just remember that you're never alone in a fight. You always have two friends, your lightsaber, and the force."

Back in the Saddle

_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Badim Soilding]

Badim walked the streets of Nar Shaddaa, feeling the wind flow around him, enlightening his newfound path of mercy. It was now several months since his final kill, Lodi Celis and his release of Sara Soto. He felt different, calm and collective. Bright and full of compassion for the innocent. He had completed another task, not for Dirod, but for Boz Loren. This was the first mission from him since his bounty with Sheol, and he had released another innocent. A woman with fiery pink hair and of the young age of sixteen was spared. Now he went to Boz to cash in on the Dead price.

He entered the dark room silently, but he seemed to cast a glow, combined with his newfound light and his white cloaks. There in the center of the room sat Boz with two trusted partners. The leaders of Loren’s Dreaded. He had supplied him with missions and credits, credits Dirod wouldn’t dare pay, mostly five-to-ten thousand credits at a time. All of which went to maintaining a now retired Jaalib and Brenna. He had no use for it, he might as well give it to his foster parents who have loved him for so many years.
“Soilding,” Boz spoke aloud in curiosity, “Have you completed the bounty?”

“Yes.” Badim quickly replied, feeling like he had finally won against the corrupt people who put bounties on anyone who even stepped on their feet. It was cheaper than suing. He always felt a victory, he was separating the weak and innocent from the strong and murderous.
“Then you will receive no payment,” Boz said as the thirty year old scratched the tip of his chin, “We only pay when the bounty is killed, or brought to us alive for either payment.”

“And we can’t have a man running around and expecting pay for releasing a bounty,” the man to the left of Boz continued, “And screwing us over by expecting pay.”

“We know you let Jaira Lionne go,” the man to Boz’s right said, “And we can’t let you do it again.”

The doors to the room flung open, and a bounty hunter dragged a kicking and screaming girl in for payment from Boz. The bounty hunter paused next to Badim, snorting in distaste as he looked down at Jaira, the girl he had just released an hour ago was captured by another bounty hunter. He threw her to the ground as she panted and cried for repentance, turning to Badim, matching each other’s stunned looks. He had promised her that she would be able to leave Nar Shaddaa and go into hiding, but here she was, close to death or slavery by whoever placed the bounty.
“Put it on my tab.” the bounty hunter said as he turned and glared at Badim, making his exit and slamming the doors behind him.

Silence fell over the room, Loren’s Dreaded planning on what was going to happen to the two, until Boz raised a blaster to Badim. Badim reacted and pulled his own, only to see Boz had shifted his aim to Jaira, ready to fire and deal with her. The Dead price was much higher than the Alive price on her head. Badim fired first, blasting Boz’s blaster out of his hand. The two at his side drew their own, his left hand man getting shot in the head, the other in the shoulder. Boz stood daringly, before pulling out another blaster and taking a quick shot at Badim.
The wild shot seared past his face, blackening the hood of his cloak slightly. Badim reacted again in self-defense, firing again and hitting Boz in the neck, falling to the ground dead. He holstered his blaster, then extended a hand to Jaira. The sixteen year old took it happily and Badim took her to a transport station and getting her off of Nar Shaddaa, giving her contact information should she need it. But with Boz dead, she wouldn’t have any troubles anymore.

Badim awoke, seeing the cargo hold in front of his eyes. He was leaned up against a crate, still on his knees from his failed attempt to calm himself during his recital. He heard the sway, clash and hum of lightsabers within the common room, but didn’t bother and returned to his quarters to rest before they arrived at Cato Neimoidia. Before he left the cargo hold, he grabbed the luggage that belonged to both Clare and Badim, flinging them over his shoulders.
He reentered his room, seeing the bare environment was difficult to handle, he hoped to see Clare, sleeping soundly in his bed. But it was crisp and undisturbed. He set the bags down on the ground and began to unpack his items, leaving Clare’s alone and storing them under his bunk. But curiosity got the better of him and he reached inside, pulling out the doll that resembled and belonged to Clare. He bought it for her on Naboo, a replacement for the one she lost when her family was killed.

He placed it genially on the table, next to his unholstered weapons as he went to rest, not bothering with taking his cloak off. He would toss, turn, shout and jump out of bed during the night in shock of Clare’s death as it slowly set in. He feared his nights were going to be like this forever.

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Badim Soilding]

You can’t escape your Past. You can’t escape your Purpose. eerie voices told Badim as he slept, all of his enemies were gathered in his dreams, all of his kills. They spoke in unison as they taunted him as he aimed and clicked an empty blaster as they slowly approached.
You can’t see your Future. You can’t see your Path. Astella and his son told him as they too approached. He saw his friends, standing around him to face the enemies, quickly turning themselves to Badim with sorry faces, then turned away and disappeared. His enemies approached with weapons of every kind, waiting to mutilate Badim. He tried to blend in with the dark surroundings, but suddenly his black cloak shown white and he dropped his blaster.
He flicked his fingers, and his wrist blades shot out, but came loose and fell to the ground and vanished. He reached for every weapon that was on him, but they dissipated into smoke. He primed his fists and they didn’t disappear, but they felt weak, tired and coursing with fear.
His enemies leapt forward into the air and onto Badim. He reacted and brought his arms up over him to protect him. But they all vanished. He looked around the dark room in surprise. A light suddenly came on and blinded him. He squinted and saw Clare, she didn’t speak, she only cried at the path he had taken.

He threw his hand forward as he tried to reach her, but she shook her head and turned away from him as well. She stepped out of the light, then a flash of red appeared that encompassed the entire room. He screamed, being reminded of her death.
You can’t find Companionship. You can only find Death. Badim turned, seeing Urnath Dirod glaring at him with an evil face, then vanished himself.
Badim was alone, walls closing in on him as the dark surrounded him. He curled as the walls pressed against him. His white cloak shown brightly, then faded to black as Badim was encompassed by the darkness.

Badim leapt out of his bed with a brief, panicked scream. He looked around, remembering where he was. He was aboard The Leaper, he was safe from his enemies. He lowered his head and pressed it into the palms of his hands as the shock of Clare’s death set it to it’s climax. He would make them pay. His face could feel the anger and hate towards Jelahan course through his hands.

Tag: Jess, Kyp Jess, you can have Tseneca come in to check on Badim after hearing him scream, if you want

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

Tseneca powered down and held the cylinder looking at it for a moment. She wondered what Lucas would think. What dis it matter, The kid was done with her. After she helped Badim and took them both back to corouscant she'd leave for good. it was the way it was supposed to be, anyway.

"Why are you helping me, Kyp?" She asked, thoughtfull.

The man dropped the proper-Jedi act and looked at her. "Because you need it. I needed help once too. Its not a bad, thing, nothing to be ashamed of. Lucas was right, you have to let go of your pride sometimes and accept help from the people who care about you. If you don't you go further and further toward the darkside. Its as simple as that."

So it came down to this. "I'm not going to the darkside, i fought it out... what do you think i was doing in the infirmary?"

"But Cilghal said the effects were temporary, and you wouldn't have been able to do that without Firi's help. You have to gain control over your emotions... Modern Jedi don't adhere to the old ways, we love and hate and everything in between, but there's a fine line between that and the darkside. You have to learn the difference and gain control."

Tseneca felt irritated, but equally abashed. "Feel the force, beware of the darkside... its all a little old hat, don't you think?"

Kyp sighed and took a seat on one of the benches. "It certainly is... But then again, if it isn't broken, don't fix it. The mantra's work, so we stick to them..."

"What about my visions? The ones where I'm pregnant. They call me... she-demon..."

"Those could just as easily be misinterpreted nightmares. You shouldn't put too much stock in visions, no more than you would a bad dream."

"I should thank you." She said, humbling herself. She was great full. Even though it may not last, even though she would leave, the help she was recieving was invaluable.

There was a yell from the back corridor, Badim's room.

"What the--" Tseneca set the lightsaber on the table and hurried down the hall, rapping on the door once before opening. Badim sat there in bed with his head in his hands.

"Hey." Tseneca said through the cracked door. She let herself in, leaning against the door jamb. "bad dream?"

[Badim Soilding]

Badim probably should have expected someone to check on him from the scream he let out. Tseneca leaned against the doorframe, curiously and worryingly wondering if he had a bad dream. He rubbed his eyes and he pulled back a yawn from his interrupted sleep. His dream came back to him, and he considered the path he had taken. Was this worth it? he thought, trying to understand what his life was, A shadow? Full of gray? No purpose but to kill?
“Well?” Tseneca asked again, having patiently waited long enough for him to answer her the first time.

“No.” Badim said calmly to Tseneca, “I just—I-” he couldn’t utter the lie, he wanted to keep Tseneca calm, but he could even keep himself calm.
“You know about my sparing, how I spare the people who were caught in the crossfire of a gangwar?” Badim asked, Tseneca nodding her head after hearing what he had told her during their stay in the dungeon of Drekka’s Bunko.

"What's the price I pay for all the ones I try to save?"

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

"You're asking the wrong person." She sighed. "I always seem to run from my problems. But if you really are asking, then I'll tell you that the price you pay is equal in weight to the effort you put out. What we risk to love gets taken from us. Its collateral."

She knew she wasn't doing much to help, but her cynicism outweighed her confidence in the way the universe worked. Feel the force, beware the darkside. It was so much more complicated then all that.

"Did Firi ever tell you about Aqaur?" She asked him. "He was a maelibus who abducted her on Iego. She was going to die, and he had a change of heart. The two connected, loved each other, helped each other, gave each other to one another... all in a matter of days. He was brutally murdered by Vera Nico." The story was an example of all one can lose for giving themselves up. But then... "But she learned to love again, you've seen her with Dex. She became stronger in his death, and he lives within her. We all become part of it... the force."

She looked at him straght. "I'm trying to say... Don't give into it. The black. I'm sure I'm one to talk, but its a fact. The hate you sew becomes the hate you reap. Its vicious. Clare wouldn't want that."

[Badim Soilding]

Badim shook his head in disagreement, half of his body and mind wanting to let go of the anger. But another wanted to give in and thank it, he would have committed suicide if it weren’t for hate keeping him alive. Darkness was all he had left now, but light continued to fight against it, outnumbered but it was there. He was going down a dark path, but his dreams… He smirked, He can’t see his path. Could he?
His smirked wiped away, he still lost Clare, she only resided in his memories now. He needed to make Jelahan pay, not for him anymore, but for what he had done to Clare.
“She wouldn’t, would she?” Badim asked his rhetorical question, looking down at his black cloak he still wore. He clung to him, not releasing him. He too held on to it, hate was still at his heart.

He stood, flushing his hate down to his feet, feeling them swell with it. He paced for Tseneca, extending a hand to her saying, “Let’s make a pack, right here, right now,” Badim said, straightening his arm, “You and me will never let hate rule our lives. Never let the Dark Side take us over,” he said, he wasn’t force sensitive, but the reference served them both. But he felt like he was lying to her, it was going to be hard for him to keep away from it. And he feared it was already too late for him, “And that no matter where we are, all of us, we’re a crew of friends.”

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

Tseneca took his hand. "You don't have to ask me twice." She remembered pushing Lucas, remembered fighting off the dark side, remembered being alone in the mainteneca corridor as it seethed within her, remembered being drunk with it. If Cilghal was right and all this was temporary, she'd have to fight harder then ever to fend off its onslaught.

"You should know... After this is over, i'm leaving."

Badim looked at her. She didn't want to burden him with her own problems, but if a case was made, she needed to cop to her own issues.

"You're leaving?"

She nodded. "I have nothing to do with Nico now, so my fight with her is null. I made a mistake with Lucas and I think it might be about time i tried a different tack. I might be going home..."

It was something she'd thought about, but moreover, when she spoke it outloud, it was becoming clearer. Ever since she'd seen her uncles stock reports... Well, if she ran operations out of Thyferra, kept a low profile and spoke with some of the Ashern that her father had worked with, she might be able to keep paces with Dmtir and whatever it was he was doing in the Cartel.

Badim nodded. "That handshake doesn't stop on this ship. A pact is a pact. We help each other wherever needed."

Tseneca smiled. "In that case, lets go kick some ass."

Convictions

Jedi Apprentice

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp grabbed his- Tseneca's lightsaber from the table and followed her to Badim's quarters. Kyp watched in silence as Tseneca consoled Badim after his sleep. He was sure Badim wouldn't call it that quite yet. He had been there of course, but it was so much more sobering to see others who were there as well.

Two had just said something about kicking ass when Kyp interjected by tossing the dark grey cylinder to Tseneca, who caught it in mid-air. "Keep your lightsaber with you at all times," Kyp said in a very serious tone. He wanted it to stick. "Besides, if we're going to take on the underworld, I say we do it with some well applied finesse." Kyp pointed to the lightsaber and then to an blaster on the table in Badim's room. "You won't find that tucked away in there."

I say we move this to the topic to the Colonies or wherever and get to it.

Back in the Saddle

_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Badim Soilding]

Badim stopped, “Lightsaber?” he asked as Tseneca grabbed the weapon from the air, clipping it to her belt as though it were nothing, “Damn, you’re lucky.” he finished jokingly. He certainly would have wanted to use one, but he wasn’t as gifted as the Jedi were

Kyp noted that the only things that would come in handy would be close range weapons, that blaster would attract too much attention.
“Which is why my swords are the only things accompanying me,” he said, then strapping one of his wrist blades to his arm, “And this.”
And with a flick of his finger, his blade shot forth. Gleaming and shining in his room’s light. It’s sharp edges a piercing white from their clean cuts, elegant engravings adorning the blade. On cue, the faint light of hyperspace that flowed down the hall disappeared. Time to kick ass.

Alright, I’m going to bed and might not be able to post until I get back from work tomorrow. Kyp, let me know in the assessment room/PM if you got the plot details I sent you via PM.

You two can continue on with Tseneca and Kyp on Cato Neimoidia, Badim just splitting up and all. That way you don’t need to be held back as much by me. If you two could sniff around for Dorniekke or, better yet (It would also clear my conscious that I’m not holding you two up) have your own brief adventure, don’t make this just about me now (I have been having too many turns with the plots, so please, chime in and bring on the surprises, Sethe jumping in or Cerrinea showing up would be great! )

Convictions

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

aaaaaaaaaaaaand GO!

http://unity.swrpgs.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=8049#8049

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

Tseneca shut the comm down. Lucas still wasn't really speaking with her. Good riddence then, she didn't need him. It was about making sure the others were safe.

She wasn't selfish like he thought she was. She wanted to go to falucia, wanted to help her friends. but there was no way Badim would go for it...

She wouldn't give him a choice.

"SAMM, put coordinates in for Falucia."

Excuse me?

"Just do it."

She was playing with fire. This new Badim, she didn't know him. He could turn around and hijack her right back.

She'd just have to risk it...

Orrion... don't get mad at me but i had an idea. Why don't we go to falucia, rescue Jonas and then we can all help you get clare back? it would do a few things: Patch things up between Tseneca and Lucas and pull Badim back from his dark hole by letting him know hes part of a team. If you don't wanna do this let me know and i'll re-write this post.

[Badim Soilding]

Badim had watched Dorniekke scurry away in fear, watching him turn the corner to honor his friend’s last request, and to not dare question Badim’s vow to come after him if he ever left Hyperspace. It was a weird feeling, letting Dorniekke go. His fingers swelled with fury, wanting to have released his blades into the Neimoidian’s gray and wrinkly flesh. But he turned to Kyp and Jaira. Kyp nodding to Badim at the choice he had made, and Jaira smiling for the same reason.
Badim’s face was blank, it was hard to deal with not giving Dorniekke what he had deserved for betraying him. But he wasn’t aware of Jelahan’s motives, and Badim sought different punishment for the Neimoidian. Exile.

Badim didn’t realize his fists were still clenched together, feeling the tight grip his had on the air around him. With a heavy breath, his fingers released it’s hold and the anger washed out of him. He was one step closer now to avenging Clare, through a method that she would have wanted: Getting the information he needed without the death of innocents.
Dorniekke might have blurred the line between innocent and guilty, but it was what had to be done. If he was going to continue in this search for revenge and justice, he couldn’t defile the final verse of his way.
And to Stay your Blade from the flesh of the Innocent.

With a nod, the three gathered and returned to The Leaper to reach Badim’s final objective on Ord Mantell, Jelahan Loren.

* * *

The three entered The Leaper, making their way to the cockpit to tell Tseneca where to go. But just as they entered the ship, the gangplank rose and the engines began to roar. Badim calmly paced towards the cockpit while Jaira took what few belongings she had and placed them in an empty room. Kyp followed Badim to where Tseneca was inevitably at.

They entered, seeing Tseneca seated in the cockpit with her hands on her face, wiping down what expression she had on her face as they entered. Badim knew that something was up, it wasn’t like Tseneca to just close the gangplank unless they knew where they were going, so he asked, “Where’re we going?”

“Felucia.” she blankly answered as they felt the ship lift off it’s landing gears.

Badim froze in thought, thinking back to what she had told them in the cantina about her vision. The exotic forests, the chase from unknown creatures, and Jonas falling into a pit of teeth and mouths. Sounded like Felucia.
Tseneca turned to Badim, looking into his eyes to try and read what he was thinking, knowing that the only reason he was here now was to avenge Clare’s Death. But he had the information he needed, and Jelahan would be on Ord Mantell to hide.
“Let’s go.” Badim replied after a moment of silence and thought, then taking a seat next to Tseneca in the co-pilot seat.

Convictions

Haunting of Felucia

Into the Sarlacc

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

"you're not upset?" Tseneca tried. After they had hit lightspeed, an uneasy silence had filled the forward chambers of the ship.

Badim exhaled through his nose. "dissappointed and impatient, but not upset. I suppose its just the way this... family... works."

Tseneca saw a small smile touch the corners of his mouth before falling back into the melancholy state that now became him, a usual now, less surprising.

In truth, she was afraid for Jonas. The young flyboy they'd picked up on Iego was more than innocent, and would meet the hands of fate all to quickly if her vision was wrong. She exhaled and closed her eyes, trying to feel for him...

She could hear the beating of a heart as she met with the force, as she allowed herself to let it flow. The heartbeat was rapid, like a small animal. In and out breath went and the heart beat quicker. Then it slowed, even as air grew stale and blood lowered pace...

And then...

Lucas... She felt Lucas. Distress, anguish, then mild anger and a need for justice. He was fighting, far from where she was, far from Felucia. He was torn between love and justice, and the lines were blurred between the two...

"Lucas" She whispered remembering their friendship and trying to graft it back into place...

She shook her head and the lines of stars before her continued. Back to reality.

Kyp rested a hand on her shoulder. "What did you see?"

She bit her lip. "Human condition."

Tag: alex

jedi apprentice

into the sarlacc

[Badim Soilding]

Tseneca kept blacking out, or more accurately, having either another vision or was stretching out with the Force. He didn’t understand it, only dimly understanding the lines that the Jedi and Sith walked, and the blurred line of the Gray Jedi. Tseneca, he didn’t know where she stood on the matter yet, her motives for finding the one she loves and putting an end to the terrorist Nico, depicted The Light. While most of her actions depicted The Dark.

As he thought of Tseneca, he couldn’t help but wonder where he stood, his own motives for avenging Clare and bringing Justice to Loren emitted his own light. But the way he had went about it created a dark place he had never ventured. It was alien, interesting and hard to resist. He could possibly understand the struggle Tseneca was having, or what any Jedi would have trouble resisting. Her resolve was strong, stronger than what he had thought before, but he still feared for her turning to the Dark Side because of him, for following him in his search for Jelahan.

Now, however. It wasn’t about him or his thirst for vengeance, it was about the family he had joined. If Tseneca’s vision was correct and his friends were in terrible danger, and Jonas was dead or dying, he wouldn’t have, he didn’t hesitate joining Tseneca to Felucia to save their friends.

While Tseneca and Kyp discussed what she had seen, Badim fidgeted his fingers, extending and retracting his wrist blades in anticipation. He left one of the blades extended, marveling at the elegant features of the hidden weapon. It seemed as though it was hand carved and etched, it’s lines curving and wrapping around the body of the blade, creating artwork. He never noticed how detailed it was, how intricate and small they were.

He stood and left the cockpit, patting Tseneca and Kyp on their shoulders, not leaving it abrupt absence like last time. He paced down the corridor towards his quarters, daring to sleep and face his dream again. But a spark from the cargo bay caught his attention, and brought him to see Jaira, working on H6-32 in an attempt to repair him. Badim rushed forward, grabbing her wrist as she prepared to continue to weld, “Careful,” he said as he released her wrist, “He’s an IG-152 and can be pretty dangerous, seeing as how we don’t have you in his IFF systems yet.”

“Not to mention he’s as annoying as Hell.”

“SAMM…” Badim replied, shaking his head as he found himself enjoying his comments again. He turned back to Jaira as she carefully took a step back from the droid, “Lucas, a Jedi, can repair him again once we meet up with him. But in the meantime, I think we should leave H6 alone.”

Badim turned to leave Jaira to do what she wanted, go to the cockpit and chat with the others or head to her quarters, he didn’t care. He considered her a part of this crew now, so he assumed she had free reign to move around. Of course, Badim hadn’t mentioned Jaira joining to Tseneca yet, so he prepared for the inevitable storm to follow. Lucas’ Droideka caught Badim’s eye, the powered down droid gazing at him with it’s three antenna-like eyes, “And don’t touch Lucas’ droideka, who knows what’ll happen when he activates that thing.”

Convictions

Haunting of Felucia

Into the Sarlacc

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Jaira Lionne]

Jaira stepped into her quarters, placing her vibrosword and two blasters on the small desk, or nightstand as it really was. After inspecting her blasters and sword, making sure they were still in top condition, she inspected her new room. She didn’t know how much freedom there was in owning a ship, in this case riding on one without worry of being hunted for the bounty on her head. 50,000Cs was a generous amount for her death. At least she was among friendly company, and she’d pull as much weight as she could to ensure that she could stay with them.

She left for the cockpit, planning on explaining herself to Tseneca, and hope she didn’t throw her out into Hyperspace for coming aboard. She passed through the different sections of the ship, taking the scenic route to the cockpit as they wandered through hyperspace towards Ord Mantell.
Jaira entered the cockpit, Tseneca and Kyp talking about something. Tseneca turned to Jaira, then jumped to her feet, reaching for the lightsaber attached to her belt, Kyp stopping Tseneca in her tracks before she ignited her lightsaber at the bounty hunter.
“Sorry,” Jaira said, hoping it came off as sincere as she felt, “Just here to explain why I’m here…”

Tseneca paused, looking the pink haired woman in her eyes as she continued, “Badim wants me to help find Jelahan on Ord Mantell. I have a bounty on my own head too: 50,000 Credits. I was just wondering if I could stick around for a while.”

Tseneca put the lightsaber back on her belt, Kyp releasing his grip on her shoulders, “For one,” she replied, “We’re not going to Ord Mantell yet.”

“Where are we going then?” Jaira asked, relaxing from the sudden adrenaline that filled her body, curiously and dangerously wondering if her arms and legs were going to be amputated.

“Felucia, our friends, as in Kyp, Badim and myself, are in trouble.”

Tag: Jess, Kyp Just thought Tseneca would play hardball again

Convictions

Haunting of Felucia

Into the Sarlacc

The new Girl

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp slid out from cockpit leaving Tseneca to her thoughts. It didn't matter whether her visions were correct or not now. They'd soon find out irregardless. The sight of the Sarlacc bothered Kyp however. What most people saw was only the exterior of the beak of the Sarlacc. What laid down below was stuff out of nightmares. If Jonas had been caught by the Sarlacc then he'd be in excruciating pain. He wondered if the young man had the strength of mind to endure the beast's grip.

With the thought resting on the backburner Kyp edged his way into his quarters but kept the airlock door wide open. With his mind still racing at a thousand miles per hour Kyp laid down and closed his eyes. He imagined his homeworld Deyer. He imagined the taste of the wind and the feel of the cool ocean water on his skin. He wanted to see his home once again but time had yet to allow it.

In the time since of his fall and subsequent rise from the Dark Side he had been very selfless. No time had been spent for himself. Over the course of years he earned the trust of officials again but felt he could never escape his past. He had joined the Blight Leaper because he knew that some of the crew needed his help, despite being a road block in his trip to Deyer.

Kyp reached behind his neck and slid the hood of his cloak over his eyes. With a heavy breath Kyp drifted off into his own mind. Here in his mind, alone, he could see the troubles of the future without outside stimuli. As he drifted further away he thought of each of the crew and the struggles they were facing or had yet to face.
_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."