These Shattered Stars -- Logs

It is seven days later that a message arrives at the dormitory room, from Kell. It informs Freyja that the courier from Balmorra is on final approach to Coruscant, and that she will be arriving at the apartment shortly after.

About an hour later, the courier does arrive. Piper Ridomr, a Human who grew up with Freyja and Syf, wearing the livery of the Rigg estate, is outside the door, grinning faintly. "Faith, but it's good to see you again, Freyja! I mean, Milady Freyja."

Freyja brightens noticeably, swinging the door wide for the girl to enter, "Kuras Piper! Oh, I'm glad to see you!" She grins ruefully, "I was braced for one of Father's more, um... well, you know." She rolls her eyes and laughs, then waves to the others as she closes the door behind the daughter of Magnussen, "Kuras Piper, this is my brother Padawan Zero Satau, and my huskarl Vakkal."

Zero gives the Kuras a little halfhearted salute as he enters, toweling sweat from his forehead. He's had quite a bit of time to make use of the Temple's practice facilities and he's been making good use of it. "Ma'am."

Piper snickers softly. "Aye, some o' them are sticks in th' mud. I had to clobber two or three other retainers to get this run, but I'm glad thot I did." She nods politely and friendily to Vakkal. "Pleased tae be meetin' ye. Piper Ridomr, at yer service. M' father's lookin' forward tae meetin' ye, Huskarl Vakkal." Her eyes light up a little as Zero is introduced. "Brother, aye? I'm certainly approving. How're ye doing, Zero Satau?"

Zero says, "Quite well, given the circumstances of our arrival, thanks. Pleasure to meet you."

Freyja grins, watching Piper. She'd always been faintly envious of the girl's skill at deflecting dire threats from either her father, Magnussen, or Baron Rigg. Freyja knows Piper's considered a bit of a loose cannon, but she likes her anyway. Being a courier for the family lets Piper at least fulfil the family obligation of service to the Riggs as a retainer, while letting her satisfy her wanderlust -- she was always going missing, but it didn't take long before the family realized that any time that occured she could be found in the ship hangars, learning all she could about small starships.

She laughs in spite of herself at Piper's 'clobbering,' then adds, "Well, I'm grateful you did, believe me. This way at least I can stay in comfortable clothes until we arrive."

Piper nods to Zero, "Aye, from what we 'eard on Balmorra, 'twould ha' been th' second comin' o' Xim hisself right on Marnaas. Ye'r a padawan as well like th' Lady Freyja?"

She grins to Freyja, and nods, "Aye, I know how much ye hate those formal wears. 'Twould give a Kaminoan a sore throat, they're so tight!"

Zero says, "It seems so. I hadn't thought I'd any talent for it until Marnaas. So I suppose some small good came of that mess."

Piper says, "Aye? Well, I'm glad that Lady Freyja's got someone o' th' likes o' ye... and Huskarl Vakkal, o' course... with her. What were ye doin' afore you got th' Second Sight -- er, th' Force, that is?"

Freyja blinks, then raises an interested eyebrow at news of the gossip on Balmorra concerning Marnaas. She hopes Father's not managed to twist the news somehow into some new disaster of her supposed construction... she smiles a little tiredly at Piper's comment, "Well... it's not that they're so tight or awful... as that I hate getting forced into layers upon embroidered layers... then stuck in stiflingly hot formal parties." She sighs softly, then says firmly, "And we're not there yet... so unless you object, Piper, let's correct my initial twitchiness, and stay informal until we have to be formal, all right?"

She uh-ohs softly, glancing at the furred dog Sith, "It's... going to be the middle of the most crushing heat of summertime there when we arrive, too, isn't it..." She sighs again, then smiles wryly, "Ah, lovely flat Balmorra. If you're not freezing from the icy winds sweeping down the plain from the poles... you're baking in the sun." She grins, her mood lightening, "Well... at least we have a few weeks more to enjoy ourselves before we leave."

The girl -- she's not really too much younger than Freyja -- grins and nods. "I'd like that, Freyja, thankee. Th' court o' th' Baron is stifling enough as it is."

Vakkal shakes his head. "Oh, that's quite all right, Freyja. If it's too hot, I'll just shed my undercoat."

Piper looks half-mortified. "Nae aboard m'courier, ye doan't! I jus' cleaned oot th' bloomin' t'ing!" There is a grin upon her lips that takes any harshness from her words.

Freyja smiles and nods ruefully at Piper... then blinks at Vakkal and, a moment later, has to cough to cover the laugh!

Zero mms and throws the towel over his shoulders. "I soldiered, mostly. Always work for someone who can fight, even in the Republic."

Freyja giggles at the image of Vakkal cheerfully shedding his undercoat in the Baron's court, "Oh, my. That should be amusing! Um... do we need to get you anything, Vakkal, to help with that? If you're at all like Master Roakkana, I take it you have what we consider industrial strength grooming equipment?" She settles comfortably cross-legged on the couch, making room for everyone else to settle also, and listens interestedly to Piper and Zero. She's still not sure what Zero did between Sedrak and the Senator... but if he's willing to talk about it now she's certainly quite willing to listen.

Vakkal grins, "I'll be able to manage, I think, but thank you. Normally, a couple hours a day, a bath, and a heavy comb, and I'm fine. I won't be shedding all over the place.

Piper nods to Zero, grimacing. "Aye, is true. Faith, but I'm hoping that there's none o' the unpleasantness goin' on while ye're on Balmorra. I can only imagine what 'orror stories Freyja's told ye about it, but th' truth is, if ye're not one o' the nobs, 'tis not a bad place tae be, 'till lately. There's been all sorts o' tension from since we alearned thot the Sith be havin' some Balmorran war-droids of late."

Freyja grins at Vakkal, then gives the other Human girl a worried look, "What do you mean, Piper?"

Zero says, "Balmorran. That's worth more than a share of tension..."

Freyja says firmly, "Father would not sell to the Sith!" A small, cynical voice inside her murmurs quietly, Directly, at least... no. Father wouldn't. He does have honor.

I... I think he does...? I... don't really know him that well...

Piper shakes her head. "Och, I know 'e wouldn't, Freyja. I'd never suggest 'e would! Ye know thot yer father's company dinna make any sort o' war-droids. Some o' the other corps on Balmorra, though, they 'ave. Mostly f'r th' Guard, but Corellia an' Alderran an' Kuat, an' a few other worlds, they've contracts with those companies. Ev'ry so often, one o' those other companies tries tae get 'proof' of some sorta illicit sale from th' other. Push comes tae shove, tensions rise 'igh, next thing ye know, a company o' battledroids from, say, Autonomous Arms is knockin' on th' side door o' their longtime rival Brish-kal Digimation. There's not yet been any real fightin', fortunately, an' it's all low-grade, non-sentient droids that're doin' any fighting, but it's makin' f'r some tense moments.

"Fortunately, yer father's arranged for a sorta cease-fire while th' betrothal ceremony's goin' on. 'Tis a mark o' yer father's influence on th' moot o' Balmorran nobs thot th' other companies agreed, provided nothin' serious 'appens.""

Freyja nods quietly, although she's still feeling vaguely disturbed. So she politely changes the subject, "All right. So... have you met the boy yet? -er, wait. Man, I suppose -- he is a decade my senior, after all."

Zero says, "That doesn't always matter..."

Freyja nods amusedly at Zero, "True... I was just trying to stick to polite. I mean... well, he might not be ghastly. No need to antagonize someone until they're irrevocably rude to you, hai?"

Zero says, "I guess we'll see soon enough."

Piper laughs a little. "Aye, I did. 'E visited, 'bout two weeks afore I came 'ere. Not tae bad a lad, but y' know thot I kinda go f'r the light-framed an' active type." She doesn't quite look over at Zero as she says that. "Pa -- m'father, that is -- offered 'im a friendly fencing challenge. This Fafnir lad, 'e didn't win, o' course, Pa's a soldier o' thirty years, but Pa said Fafnir 'ad some good moves 'e 'adn't expected. Somethin' about adaptin' some thousand-year-old sword style or somethin', I think."

Freyja nods, "Well, hopefully he lost gracefully." She grins quietly at the almost-glance at Zero, then adds, "Well. We've got at least 2 weeks before we can leave... so... would you all like to go shopping? I want to pick up some good combat gloves, so I can try practicing with them."

"Two weeks? Oh, aye. Waitin' for Mast'r Roakkana tae come by. An' then there's some sort o' inquiry into thot Marnaas business, aye?" She grins. "If we're lucky, Freyja, ye'll be on Coruscant an' away from Balmorra f'r quite a while, I'm thinkin'."

If Zero noticed the look, he doesn't give any indication. He continues to methodically towel off his head. "I can tell you where some decent places to buy arms are. Despite the ban on weapons here, it's still the best place to find them. And I've got my Class A License still... so buying them should be easy enough."

Freyja laughs softly, "Quite. I'm not too bothered, though... it's a nice chance to relax and do a lot of practicing, instead of dealing with the tension of, ah... well. Anyway, so I'm vaguely hoping all the official parties and stuff will be mostly over by the time we arrive... and we can get away again quickly and quietly." She sighs softly again, then says ruefully, "Well. Enough of that." She looks up at Zero thoughtfully, "Sure, let's try for combat gloves there, then, if you think they'd be good quality there. If either of you need anything you can pick that up too... and I should get another charge pack or two for my blaster, just in case."

Piper grins. "Well, a bit o' shoppin' sounds like a fine idea. Pa did ask me tae see if Huskarl Vakkal was needin' any type o' special grips f'r blasters and conc-guns, but I'm thinkin' he handles th' standard grips jus' fine?"

Vakkal nods, "I can use Human and Gal-standard grips easily, thank you."

The shopping trip begins well enough. It is a relatively pleasant afternoon -- the local air processor is back up and running and to cool things down a bit some rain is planned for later in the day. Weather Engineering is making the announcement on the public address system and is assuring people that there won't be any runaway lightning storms like a few days ago, which damaged the plant in the first place.

The nearest shopping district is actually moderately discrete, a series of catwalks and platforms some three hundred feet above one of the lower residential areas, but unfortunately close to a waste launch silo. Every couple of hours, there's a titanic roar, and a container holding a few tons of tightly-packed, non-recyclable detrius is thrown into orbit. The presence of the silo makes this an unpopular place to shop, but that means the prices here are lower than elsewhere for the same quality, and it's for that very reason that Zero brings them here.

Throughout the trip, Vakkal remains quietly and alertly behind Freyja, keeping his lightsabre tucked away and also keeping an eye out for anything untoward. Piper doesn't quite keep up a running line of chatter, but at some point she picks up on some undertone of conversation and stops trying her best to drop bigger and bigger hints in Zero's direction.

A brief shadow passes over the sun; a light cruiser inbound for the local drydocks drifts serenely overhead, before stopping at the military docking tower some three kilometers away.

Freyja smiles a bit ruefully at Piper, but doesn't say anything. She's not really quite sure herself any more how guys react. She used to know -- they all drooled after Syf -- but... that particular standard appears to be taking some hits, at least in her limited experience.

Zero looks up suddenly at the shadow, watching the cruiser pass overhead. He pauses awhile, watching it go. He catches himself, blinking, then offers Piper a grin and a rueful shake of the head. "Sorry... I was somewhere else a moment. We're here."

Freyja walks in, looking around with interest. Her weaponry needs are modest... but she can certainly appreciate fine craftsmanship.

The store is not quite a hole in the wall -- but it pretty clearly caters to a select clientele, as evidenced by the lack of a sign or placard outside, no window, and only the Coruscant Authority Merchant's License tucked discretely into a panel beside the door anunciator. As Zero walks in, the Besalisk rumbles a deep and throaty greeting to Zero. "Hoi, Satau! I was wondering when you'd walk into my store again!" He gives what could probably be called a bow in the language of his corpulent race. "And you've brought friends. Any friend of Satau's is welcome in my store. Please, come in, have a look around!"

Inside, it's a completely different place. While it doesn't exactly glorify the weapons-maker's trade, it does make for a startling indicator of diversity. The vast majority of the wares are antique wave-guns, which is clearly how Staster, the proprietor of the shop, maintains his presence despite the (slightly vague) weapons ban. As one moves to the back of the shop, though, one sees more exotic, and just as capable, weapons, mostly exotic melee arms such as vibroblades. A clearly reproduction Jedi sword is actually on the wall.

The nature of the store becomes readilly apparent when one sees that the weapon on the back counter which Staster is working on is most assuredly not an antique, but a high-tech blaster carbine, stripped down for cleaning and plugged into a diagnostic bench.

Freyja smiles and nods politely to the Besalisk, bringing her loosely closed right fist up to lightly touch over her heart, in a traditional Balmorran greeting-salute, "Hai, and thank you. Do you carry combat gloves in medium size, with palm plates as well as plates on the back of the hand?"

Staster rumbles a little. "Combat gloves... ah, kind of like cestus, eh? I think I have something back here...." He waddles back into the store room, rummaging around a bit. "So, what gives, Zero? I haven't even heard any word on the streets about you lately."

Freyja gives Zero an interested and curious look... they talk about him on the streets? Huh... she'd not realized he was that well known.

Zero grins, "Still in business, hey? So much for the weapons ban. Glad to see you're still keeping above water. Me? Oh... not much. Moved to a different market, you could say." He smiles, "Hey, don't worry, all that means is my tastes are getting weirder. More for you, right?"

Freyja covers a snicker.

Zero grins. "I promise I'll be bringing you some exotic orders you can feel free to charge me a lung for."

Freyja gives Zero another curious glance, wondering what he's got in mind.

The Besalisk laughs deeply and richly. "Heh! Oh, tryin' to. Ironic, Coruscant's the one place I get the best business, at least for 'hide-an'-go-blast' pieces. Seems some senator or government flunky is always looking for hardware. I even get one or two jumptroopers in here now and then, looking for something to give them an edge on a godling-forsaken backwater world."

He comes back out, with a (relatively) small pair of combat gloves. "Here you are, little lady." It's clear that 'little', to him, is not so much a derogatory statement as it is just about everyone else in the galaxy. "Corellian make, good workmanship. New from the factory. If you want anything 'special' installed in 'em, it'll take a couple of days.

He laughs again. "Oh, yeah, I like your wierd tastes. And you know me, Satau, exotics are my specialty. That vibro you asked me to order special for you was only the start, I imagine. You still have that with you?"

Freyja ahs, brightening as she accepts the gloves, "Thank you!" She tries them on, thoughtfully closing her fists, working the gloves as she moves her hands, fingers, and wrists around to test the comfort, flexibility, and wear of the gloves.

Zero smiles. "Sooner give up my arm, friend. I based my opinion of you on that blade, you know." He gives the Besalisk a lopsided grin. "Couldn't have done my job without it."

Freyja frowns thoughtfully, looking around for something edged but small enough to control, so she can carefully test the plates on the gloves... ah! Just the thing. "Vakkal, could you loan me a claw for a moment? Just test the plate gently; let me know what you think?" She holds out a gloved hand.

Staster brightens (she thinks) with what is probably a smile. "You're welcome! Let me know if they're suitable, or if you want something more specific -- bigger, smaller, heavier, lighter, whatever!"

He grins back to Zero. "Always glad to hear of a satisfied customer, Satau. Hey... you know that Uri Sava? The Nikto who works with you? He came by here yesterday, asking if I'd seen you. Funny thing -- a little while later some guys came in asking where you and Uri were."

Vakkal blinks, and reaches over with one extended claw. "Er, what would you like me to do, Freyja?" he asks, lightly tapping the plates on the gloves. "It seems pretty solid."

Staster grins wider. "'Course it's solid. Corellians don't make pretty, they make stuff that works. Those'll be pretty much proof against anything short of a bowcaster or molecular disruption drill. 'Course, I should warn you, if you've seen those 'masters of Teras Kasi' chop-socky holovids, not to try swatting blaster bolts with them. Those vids use a lot of special effects. The only folks I know who can do that for real are Jedi."

Zero says, "Both of us, mm? They look familiar to you?"

Freyja nods thoughtfully at Staster, "Good point. A pragmatic culture, as I recall... hm. I need to do a bit of research on them, in fact." She gently braces Vakkal's hand with her free one, and drags the plate lightly across the claw. She's careful -- all she wants to test is that the plate isn't made of cheap and easily scarring material, not make Vakkal wince with a 'claws on the chalkboard' effect. She smiles, looking up at the Besalisk quietly, "Actually, that's exactly what I intend to try with them." She looks over at Zero's thoughtful tone, then falls silent. Sounds like he really wants that information... she shouldn't distract his informant.

"Naaah, they didn't. S'why I didn't tell them anything. Hope things aren't getting sour between you and your boss, Satau." He blinks a bit at Freyja's comment. "Eh? Well, now. If you're a Jedi, gotta admit, the first Jedi that's come in here." His gaze drifts down a little, finally spotting the lightsabre at the waist of the girl in tan and beige robes. He nods to himself, a little wryly, then glances to Zero. "Just how 'exotic' are these orders you're talking about? I can't get anything from the Sith yet, you know."

The material is not so easilly scratched, and it's clearly of good-quality plasteel. Vakkal's claw doesn't even scuff the surface of it.

Freyja looks pleased, and murmurs quietly to Vakkal, "Thank you," as she releases his hand... although she does pause long enough to fascinatedly watch as the claw slips neatly back into its sheath -- neat! She grins at Vakkal, then looks around to pick up two heavy blaster charge packs, setting them on the counter. She glances at the big dog Sith and the other Human female, "Either of you need anything too?"

Freyja wonders quietly just how... 'pragmatic' things are, despite the war, when a weapons dealer on the capital world of Coruscant -- the center of the Republic itself! -- says that he can't get Sith weaponry... yet

Zero smiles and shakes his head. "Nah. Not sour. Not bad sour like you're thinking. I think this is just old business, long time in coming, you know? Uri's... well, Uri. Y'know. It was gonna happen eventually." He looks up and grins, "Nah, nothing too exotic. If I want something from the Sith I can always get it the old-fashioned way, right? Actually, I need another hardcase. For a heavier blade... about a meter."

Freyja glances around thoughtfully, her mind continuing to work on the things she's hearing... Uri Sava... isn't that one of the other gentlefolk working for Senator Kalatis? Now why would this Sava person be looking for Zero, and others looking for both of them... perhaps Sava is looking for backup against them? But... why would bodyguards squabble amongst each other? Isn't that inefficient, financially speaking?

Vakkal and Piper both shake their heads. "Nothin' for me, thanks," she says, grinning. "I've got a little hold-out that m'Pa told me t' carry, an' a vibro, an' that's all I'll need."

Staster nods. "All right, then. Sorry to hear things are that way." He starts digging around in the back. "Yeah, Uri's Uri. So damn far from home, an' most of the Nikto in indentured servitude to the Hutts.... Here we are...." He comes out with three hard cases, of varying sizes and capacity. "Without seein' the blade, I can't customize a case for it. Heavier than your blade, 'bout a meter... doesn't sound like a vibro, but any one of these should do. Take your pick."

Freyja nods to her friends, then starts carefully taping up her wrists over the gloves, making sure they're comfortable, as she waits and thinks.

Zero examines each case, checking out the padding and the heft. "Oh, I wouldn't say sorry, Staster. I think it'll all be resolved for the best before long." He raps his knuckles on one of the cases, a black one bound at the corners with steel and a strong latch. "Is this pawned, Staster? Someone's mark is on this one." He indicates an inset crest or device on one of the long faces. "Some kind of animal?" He smiles, "This one's old-fashioned... didn't think you dealt in antiques."

Freyja continues to wonder idly... could Uri the Nikto be in indentured servitude to the Senator? She's not sure if that's illegal or not, here... but she's met the Senator, and he must be a basically good man, or he'd not be senator, right? -nor would Zero have worked for a bad person, she reasons. She lays her cred chip on the counter once she's done... then looks over with interest at the crest. "The Balmorran and Alderaanian noble houses still use those, I think?" She knows her family does... the symbol's discreetly displayed on Piper's clothing, in fact.

Freyja's eyes are striking, a thoughtful and disconcertingly direct ice blue. Her serene face is framed by a thick, soft brown mane cropped pragmatically short but for one long, thin braid in the back. Long legs and well-tanned shoulders and arms reveal the strong, supple musculature of an athlete. The sturdily practical clothing on her tall, eye-catching form consists of snug breeches, a cropped athlete's top, the lightly armored, taped combat gloves of a swordswoman, and well-worn, sure-footed, soft leather boots.

Staster ehs? and leans over. "Pawned? Yeah, actually, that one is. I deal in pawned items, but not weapons." He chortles a bit. "Look around the store, Satau, the only reason I'm where I am now is because half this stuff is antiques. But, now that you mention it, that is kind of a traditional case." He leans closer. "Huhn. Looks like a Kashyyykan katarn. Thought it was a manufactuer's logo, but it could be a crest." He smiles and nods to Freyja. "Probably, but I doubt this belonged to a Wookiee prelate once. I'd have had a visit from a dozen angry Wookiees by now, looking for it."

Freyja grins at the big Besalisk, then leans to look curiously at the crest itself, wondering if she can identify it at all.

Zero grins a little, thinking. "Hmmm. Tell you what, Staster. You did me a favor, telling me about your recent business, Uri and his tails... so. Feel up to filling out an exotic order for me?"

Staster gives a quiet chortle. "Just helping out repeat customers, Satau. All right, what can I try to get for you?"

Freyja straightens from examining the crest. It's of no noble family she's ever seen... she's not even sure it's a crest. A personal sigil, maybe? She raises an inquiring eyebrow at Vakkal -- would he like to look too?

Vakkal glances at it curiously for a moment, then shakes his head to Freyja, grinning a little; he doesn't recognize it, either.

Freyja smiles ruefully and shrugs slightly. It was a long shot. She leans relaxedly against the counter, waiting, and wondering idly what Zero considers an 'exotic' order.

Zero grins, "I'll take this one. Get me another like it... and one little modification." He picks up a pad off Staster's counter; it has lettering in six different languages with an ad for take-out sliders. He scratches something on it. "I'd like another crest. Something like this." The design is a strange ideogram, many short, sweeping strokes, that blends into a stylized bird with the leading feathers and beak of a bird of prey. "Money's no object," he smirks, "Yesterday was payday."

Staster leans over the counter, watching as Zero draws out the design. "Huh. I can get that done, no problem. Thragidian that I know a block down does that sort of work. If he's not booked solid doing some senator's luggage, I can have the case, logo and all, ready for you in two days."

Zero smiles, "I knew you would." He lays down a credit chip on the counter. "Here's for this case and an advance on the second. If you can see to have a blade cleaning kit for me by then as well, I'll throw another weird one at you... and some more for the trouble. Feel like a challenge?"

Freyja grins lazily from where she's leaning against the counter. She finds the friendly bantering interesting to watch... most folks won't do that with her once they know who she is. She's also keenly aware how terribly non streetwise she is, as a consequence.

The Besalisk laughs again. "Always am, Satau. You'll have the stuff, no problem."

Zero grins. "Knew I could count on you. I'll see you in two days, friend."

"Until then, Satau. Hey, watch your back!"

Freyja murmurs quietly, "We will."

Zero nods. "Always, Staster. Until then."

Freyja walks out with her friends, after paying for her purchases and tucking the charge packs into a belt compartment. She's not carrying the blaster currently, since heavy blasters require permits she doesn't have currently. She flexes her hands thoughtfully, getting used to the feel and give of the leather. "Think I'll need to do a good cleaning on these, so they soften up and fit more snugly... like my boots."

Zero says, "They'll break in. I used to know guys that all but slept in them."

Freyja laughs quietly, "I think I'll pass on that... but wearing them constantly for a while will probably help, hai." She smiles, looking around, "So, where to next?"

Zero says, "I haven't really got any more business to do while I'm here... I think I've done everything I need to. I'll probably spend at least part of the evening back at the Temple. I don't often get a chance to practice that thoroughly."

Freyja blinks, her head coming up at a sudden jarring in the Force -- danger! Someone's about to attack them! With a quick, "Heads up -- attack!" she yanks Piper abruptly to the side with her, her free hand going for her blast- dammit! No blaster! -lightsaber handle. What's after them?

Zero instinctively throws himself to the side, trying to get his back to a wall, and reaching for his lightsabre.

Vakkal perks at Freyja's words, and immediately leaps to the side. Piper is also pulled out of the way as the midday calm is shattered by the buzzsaw roar of concussion blasts that pockmark the ground where the four had been standing.

Suddenly, the calm is replaced by screaming people, running people, cowering people, shouting people.

Freyja murmurs softly, "Holy sheisse!" as she looks around startledly for the attackers. Anyone that would shoot into a crowded- later, focus, girl! Unfortunately the screaming crowd is a very effective camouflage for whomever is after them.

Zero presses back into the wall, as much for cover as to avoid the crush of people, as he unlimbers his lightsabre. "Uri!" He snarls to himself, "Have you lost your mind?!"

Freyja keeps searching visually for wherever their attackers are. She can't really do anything until she can find them... she strains to notice anyone that's walking calmly in the midst of the screaming panicky crush.

Vakkal tries hard not to block Freyja's line of sight while at the same time being close enough to possibly protect her.

Zero takes a deep, calming breath, still looking in the direction he thinks the fire came from, and lets the chaos of the crowd pass over and around him. He lets himself feel the Force flowing through him instead, and finds the center. You can make yourself invincible... no one can force weakness in you but yourself. By the time he's completed his long breath, he is ready to fight... he keeps his eyes just beyond the crowd. Somewhere back there, his opponent must be waiting.

All is quiet for a few moments. Then a single concussion blast erupts out of the roof of a nearby building. Though the shot goes wide and misses the group, it marks the position of at least one of the gunners.

Freyja crouches slightly, her eyes narrowing at the blast. She's quite frankly astonished -- who in the midrealms could possibly want them dead this badly?! Then she shakes her head at herself. That doesn't matter right now -- what matters is staying alive. She murmurs to the others, "We should move, before we're targeted -- want to hit that building?"

Vakkal nods sharply, his eyes focussed intently on the building, though he looks around for fire coming form anywhere else. "That is best," he mutters, pulling out his own lightsabre and igniting it. Piper mutters, "Soun's fahn t' me, Freyja. Blast and damnation, I don't have m' gun on me...."

Freyja nods without looking at Piper, still searching carefully visually, "Is fine... just stay close to me, hai?" She waits until her friends are ready -- then murmurs quietly, "Now!" and heads, in a crouching, weaving run, for the building.

Vakkal is already moving, keeping pace with Freyja. Piper is just a little slower, but she manages to keep up.

Zero pushes off the wall, and dives into the crowd, rolling through the shifting mass of people. He unrolls himself and springs off as he hits the sidewalk, into a full sprint as he passes the doorway. "Better let me take the point," he says in passing as he moves past the others, leaving the thrum-hiss of his igniting lightsabre in his wake.

As Zero moves, then, there is a staccato blast from a concussion gun, craters chasing him to the building.

But they miss him cleanly before he reaches it.

Zero says, "Bastards...!"

The four find themselves in the upper-level foyer of an apartment building. The building extends upward for three more stories from this walkway. Currently, the foyer is empty, though there are a number of apartment doors here, and a stairway in the corner.

Freyja nods once at Zero's words as the Human whisks swiftly by. She winces at the concussion blasts, then glances around to be sure Piper is with her as she heads through the door after Zero and Vakkal. With deliberate calm she pulls Piper to the second nearest cover, trusting the battle-tested dog Sith to be able to take care of himself. She's so not willing to lose a childhood friend, or one of her people, to these mad attackers -- once she can spot them. She looks at Vakkal, wondering how good his sense of smell is -- then discards that thought. Too much debris and dust in the air by now. She tries to logically interpolate where the shooter must be, from the concussion blasts, still searching visually for clues to their attackers. She estimates that the gunners, or at least one of them, from what she estimated about the shot she actually witnessed, came from a window about two flights up. She nods once to herself, then quietly passes on that information to her friends, "One about two flights up, one may still be on the roof. Upwards." She makes sure Piper's with her, then makes the next dash. She keeps herself and Piper to the side of the stairs, so the more swiftly moving among her friends won't be blocked by them. Vakkal and Piper continue to move with them, making it all the way to the stairway.

Zero sprints up the stairs taking several at a time. He keeps his sabre on the ready; Never liked house to house fighting.

Freyja pauses long enough to be sure there's no one else there -- then continues on up.

It's the third floor she's expecting trouble on.

As Zero comes up onto the third floor, there is a shout in Huttee from down the corridor, from a Rodian leaning out the doorway. The gunman drops his carbine into a firing position and lets loose a ripping blast at Zero. Zero tumbles out of the way of the concussion blast, twisting his body over it as it passes.

Freyja, heading up the stairs, sees the bolt pockmark the wall behind Zero. She murmurs, "Piper, stay back in the stairwell out of sight. Vakkal, with me." Her quiet words are highlighted by the soft, slightly hissing hum of her lightsaber igniting. She is moving swiftly as she hits the floor, and her stride lengthens into a run, to reach the Rodian and destroy his weapon. She swings the lightsaber at the Rodian, unsurprised that it squeals and dodges the deadly, shining arc.

The Rodian scrambles backwards, shouting in Huttee above the thrum of the lightsabre that just barely misses him-- and then Freyja hears a surprised grunt from within the apartment, and a shouted invective or reply, also in Huttee.

"Bantha fodder! It's the girl-Jedi!" "Eh? What -- oh HELL!"

Freyja falls smoothly into defensive pose, and says calmly to the Rodian, "You may surrender." That, of course, is the best translation Freyja can figure. Or at least the most polite translation.

Zero sees that Freyja and Vakkal will be able to control this room and consequently secure his back; he presses the attack, moving toward the door the Rodian had been leaning from. As he reaches the doorframe he turns another tumble, cartwheeling without his hands over the stumbling Rodian and into the room beyond. His feet hit the ground and his sabre comes to the ready almost at the same time.

Within the room, turning, and with a concussion gun carbine in it's hands, is a burly Gammorean, already snarling and taking aim at Zero. "O-ta chu-ta!" it snarls.

Zero hits the floor running and throws himself to one side as he nears the Gammorean, then jerks back in the other direction, his lightsabre cutting across as he moves. "Yeah, same to you."

The Gammorean doesn't have the time to react; the sabre cuts cleanly through the carbine, touching off the chargepac and making a minor explosion in the person's hands. The Gammorean staggers backwards, yowling, before tumbling onto his back several meters away, trying to push himself up.

Zero freezes there, his sabre still extended far out to the side at the terminus of the strike. He turns his head and says to the Gammorean, "You should give up now."

The Rodian glances into the apartment, seeing what happened to his compatriot, and starts bubbling incoherently, dropping the carbine to the side. The Gammorean doesn't even bother to get up, just giving a kind of groan.

"Not bad at all."

Freyja kicks the carbine away from the Rodian, then steps to the side and looks back towards the stairwell. She's expecting Piper to be caught as hostage, considering the voice came from the stairwell.

Vakkal is about at the top of the stairs, already turned to face the stairwell; Freyja can see that odd light in his eyes, perhaps the Sith equivalent of the traditional Jedi battlemind, making him look ready to not only pounce and attack, but also cleave to-and-fro and gnaw on his target's leg a bit, too. Piper for her part, is peering over the edge of the stairwell as well, looking surprised. At the bottom of the stairs heading up to the roof, standing casually, his hands held up and empty in a gesture of "I'm not shooting," is a Nikto in a log coat. The faint scent of armudu spice and tabacc comes from him.

Freyja sighs softly, internally, in relief at not having to face having failed her responsibilities to Piper. Instead she simply says, "Come down, carefully." Without looking away from the Nikto she adds, "Piper, here with us, please."

Piper scrambles up the steps, glancing at the Nikto as she moves towards Freyja, staying near the wall. The Nikto makes utterly no movement. Vakkal doesn't either, not ceasing watching the person.

Zero takes a few steps out of the room, toward the stairwell, staring up at the Nikto. "Uri." His voice is even, but even the supernal calm of the Jedi battlement can't keep the faint edge of malice out of his voice. Exposing civilians to damage like this was never part of the job... Uri's crossed the line now.

The Nikto glances over to the apartment doorway, and nods. "Zero. 'Ey. The Hell, guy, I told you to get off of Coruscant, find an asteroid and hide in it. That was days ago, you should've been halfway to the Mid Rim by now."

Zero says, "I suppose you had nothing to do with this."

Freyja leaves watching the Nikto to Vakkal and Zero, who apparently knows him. She turns to cover the other two attackers, murmuring quietly to Piper, "Take my medpac; knock them both out." She steps to the Rodian first, lightsaber leveled at it, and says quietly, "I suggest you not try anything."

Piper grins merrilly as she accepts the medpac. "Nary a problem, Freyja." She goes next to the Rodian. "Night-night, boy," she says, and a moment later the Rodian is limp upon the floor.

The Nikto pauses for a moment, then rolls his eyes. "Why am I thinkin' you're not going to believe me? Hells no, Zero. I told you, I didn't want to gank you."

Freyja nods in approval to her accomplice, then moves equally carefully to the downed Gamorrean, covering it for Piper. The Gammorean makes no movement to resist Piper and the medpac, though he watches her with wide eyes and gives a bit of a squealing sigh."

Zero says, "No? You certainly have been checking up on me a lot. For my own best interests, right?" He can't keep his irritation down. It breaks up his battlemind and his voice regains its usual timbre and volume. He lets out a mildly frustrated breath.

"How do you think I felt, after tellin' you to get your lekku outta here, when I get told that you're still in the Borruda Block Jedi dorms? Knew it was only a matter of time before Kalatis sent some guns after you." He leans over to the side to look at the Rodian, and huhs. "Guess he didn't send the best he could get this time. Odd, that. Damn odd."

Zero says, "Fine. Then let me ask you; what did you do to Kalatis?"

Freyja smiles at Piper, "Thank you, Piper. Could you bind them and search them for weapons? If they give you any hassle, feel free to yell and stick them." She tucks the medpac back on her belt, then moves to the doorway, looking upwards. "Hello. You must be Uri Savas. Does the Senator usually hire from the Huttee?"

Uri blinks. "Do? What do you mean, 'do to Kalatis?'" He narrows his eyes a little at Freyja's question, and shakes his head. "An' you must be Freyja Rigg. Nah, usually just hires expatriates, people running from the Hutts for whatever reason. Usually they got skills."

Zero says, "I mean, Uri, what did you do to irritate him? You don't strike me as the quitting type. You have a change of heart? Are you out of the game?"

Freyja hms, considering... then says to Zero, "I see two possibilities. First, we have someone else that is hunting us as well. Second, the Nikto is stalling for someone else to escape."

Zero says, "He's not stalling, Freyja..." He sighs. "They're just after me."

Freyja tilts her head curiously at Zero, "Really? Why?"

Zero says, "Because I... because I know some things. Things that would make life difficult for some important persons if they got out."

Freyja gives Zero a thoughtful look... then looks back up at the Nikto. Quietly she says, "May I ask what your job title is, Kuras Savas? I assume that used to be Zero's job title also?"

"Oh, that kind of 'do.' You wanna know? I gave a damn about you, Satau, which is probably the biggest damn mistake of my life. You were right, you wanted out while you still had a life ahead of you. 'Let him go, he won't do anything,' I told him. 'Rein in the boys.' No joy. He didn't think I'd gank you, after all, so a couple days ago I find a Gran waiting for me at home. Normally I'm not adverse to finding an armed lady in my apartment but she's gotta be my species and not waiting to put a bowcaster bolt through my skull.

"Gods below." Turning back to Uri, he says, "He even tried to get me to kill you myself, Uri."

Zero says, "And I was about to do it. Uri... I can't leave, yet. You've got to get out."

Freyja shrugs mentally... looks like a private conversation. She steps back into the room to see how Piper's doing, and to call security to come pick up the two unconscious attackers.

Uri glances to Freyja, and frowns. "'Troubleshooter.' 'Catspaw.' I didn't have any other titles. Neither did Zero."

Freyja glances back out and murmurs dryly, "Don't let me interrupt. We should have visitors soon."

Zero frowns. "No, that's not perfectly true. We had one other. I think the word we're looking for is 'killer'." He glances up to Uri, "Unless you know a more eloquent one.

"I owe you a long explanation, Freyja."

Freyja watches the two of them thoughtfully... and wonders how someone can get to that point. She nods to Zero, then says quietly, "For what it's worth he appears to be telling the truth."

Zero takes a long, unhappy breath. "Well... now that I've gone and cocked up everyone's lives for the moment, we should all be gone from here as soon as we can."

Freyja says, "You should. I will stay and try to make sure these unfortunates are not killed before security arrives. Unfortunately after that I'm afraid they're on their own."

Zero says, "Uri... don't put yourself at risk for me any more, please. Just get gone. I have an obligation here, I've got to stay. Something big's at stake now."

Freyja looks up curiously at the Nikto again, then says thoughtfully, "Zero changed professions, Kuras Savas. You might consider it also?"

Uri shakes his head. "I'm not surprised the Rodian tried to pull something like that. He must have suspected something even then." He mutters something in Huttee, which Freyja can't immeidately translate. Over that, in the distance, can be heard the sirens of the Coruscant police. The Nikto grimaces. "The Greys. Damn...." He looks to Freyja, and his jaw works a little. Finally he nods. "Yeah... yeah, that might be a good idea. Get out of the business before... well. Yeah. I think that's a damn good idea, Rigg. Thanks.

"Frack. All right. Look. Staster's incorruptible. He has to be. I'll keep in touch with him. You need me, tell him, an' he'll get hold of me, somehow. I'm gonna head out to the Outer Rim, maybe Ansion or Ord Mantell, away from this dingusbait of a job."

Zero grins a little. "I'm glad to hear that, Uri. Now blow. And if you see Phelan... tell him to just keep chasing that girl of his. I think it's time all of us grew up."

Freyja murmurs quietly, "Good fortune and the Force accompany you, Kuras Savas." She smiles, glancing at Vakkal and Zero, then adds to the Nikto, "Second chances don't happen just in stories." She looks inquiringly at Zero, "Staying or going?"

Zero looks at Freyja, then up the stairs, and back... "Damn it. I'd better go. Vakkal, you wanna come with? Might not do to have the Greys asking questions about you..."

Freyja's lightsaber hisses quietly as she turns it off, "Take Piper with you, Zero, and keep her safe. I'll meet you at the apartments."

Uri grins a little, the expression a little odd on his Nikto face. "Yeah. Second chances. I'm out of here. You two take care." He glances again at the Rodian, and frowns. "Damn, damn odd...." He mutters, before flying up the stairs. The door to the roof opens... and a moment later he flys down outside the window, his coat flapping behind him, falling... before a small repulsorchute buoys him a little, and he lands in the midst of the milling crowds, far below on the lower levels.

Freyja turns and uses the medpac to awaken the bound Rodian, asking, "Piper, did you find anything on them?"

Vakkal turns off his lightsabre as well, and steps forward to the group. Piper shakes her head. "Jus' a coupla credit chits. Someone's paid these two a pretty penny, I'm reckonin'.

Freyja nods, "All right, thank you, Piper. Go with Zero, please."

Vakkal shakes his head. "No, Zero. My place is with Freyja." He actually sounds proud of that, despite the fact that he's about to face Coruscant police. Piper, for her part, looks momentarilly torn, but when told directly by Freyja to go, she nods, and puts a hand lightly on the noble's arm. "Ye take care, now, Freyja." She grins. "Doubt th' gendarms'll mess wit' ye much!" She heads out quickly with Zero.

Zero nods. "They won't question a Jedi too much. Just fall back on it being business of the Order if it comes to that. And, Freyja, I... I'm sorry, I will explain this." He shepherds Piper down to street level and toward the lower levels; easier to move there. He can't suppress a wry grin at Uri's exit. "Never could resist making a big exit."

Freyja smiles quietly at Zero's words, but doesn't comment. Instead she asks the groggy Rodian, "Who hired you? What were you hired to do?"

The Rodian is roused, and he blinks groggilly, looing around. "E... e chu tah?" he burbles.

Freyja smiles reassuringly at Piper, then waits until Zero and the girl are gone to murmur quietly to Vakkal, "Thank you, Vakkal." She takes a breath, then snarls in Huttee the phrase she'd been framing, to get it correct, "Who hired you!? What were you hired to do?!"

The Rodian blinks up at Freyja, but at her snarl he actually recoils. "Ahhhhh! Vabbota! Vabbota! It was Aaron, Aaron Deno! Wanted that Zero Satau guy killed, said he was subcontracting it out! Said you'd be with him! PLEASE DON'T EAT ME!"

Freyja is internally startled, then makes a pleased mental note to remember that inflection... astonishingly useful, that! She just nods, then snarls again, "If you survive, you forget you ever heard of me or mine! If you don't..." She laughs, slow and deep and unpleasant as she can manage, her eyes icy cold, then stands, as if she's lost interest in him, as being beneath her notice. She moves to the door so she can call to the security people and let them know it's clear up to the third floor, sure that Vakkal will keep the Rodian from wriggling free.

The Rodian squeals like the Gammorean, and cringes, bobbing his head. "Yes! Yes! I'll forget, honest!"

Freyja bits her lip while her back is to the Rodian, standing by the door. It's... weird to her to be feared -- she has trouble taking it seriously! She's never been regarded as impressive, after all. Laughing again, however, would either be unkind or destroy the illusion.

Shortly, the grey-uniformed and -cloaked Coruscant law enforcement officers arrive in a number of heavilly-armored speeder and secure the area, an armored squad charging into the building. As soon as the first element sees Freyja and Vakkal, they drop to firing positions; the decksweeper concussion guns come up to firing positions. "FREEZE!" the Duros in the lead shouts. "Drop your weapons! Hands where we can see them! Identify yourselves!"

Freyja is in full Balmorran noble persona by then, with Vakkal neatly tucked out of initial sight in the room. She raises an eyebrow, not moving. Her hands are obviously empty as she says crisply, "I am Lady Freyja Rigg of Balmorra, Padawan to Master Roakkana of Kashyyk, and my bodyguard is within, guarding the prisoners." Sweetly she adds, "If I might move, I have paperwork for us both."

The tactical squad comes up carefully, their weapons at the ready. The Duros, apparently the squad leader, nods. "Do so, please, madam. And slowly, if you would. Please do not make us stun you."

Meanwhile, down at the lower levels, Piper glances up at the crowd of activity. "Faith, looks like bees attracted tae honey up there, with all the Greys' 'speeders flittin' about."

Freyja smiles calmly, producing the paperwork with a minimum of hand movement, "Of course not. This is my paperwork, and this is for my bodyguard. One of the criminals is awake, and the other was injured, so I knocked him unconscious with my medpac."

Shortly, the paperwork is confirmed, and the Duros' manners improve dramatically, though he addresses her as 'Lady Rigg.' He informs her that she is free to go, and that if Coruscant Police need her, they will contact her through the Jedi Temple. He thanks her for her cooperation and her work in subduing the two criminals.

Zero frowns. "Yeah... c'mon, let's keep moving. I dunno about you, but I hate being stunned and I suspect you will too."

Piper grins wryly, and says deadpan, "Benn there, lad, and nae, I dinna like it, nary one bit."

Freyja smiles and politely thanks him for his courtesy and speed in answering her call, and wishes them luck in their investigation. A moment later she's heading out with Vakkal, nodding politely as she passes Greys.

On the way back to the dorms, Freyja walks quietly and surely with Vakkal flanking, still in noble 'mask' mode for several blocks away from the building. However, once she's quite sure they're away from the Greys she relaxes a bit, sighing softly... and as they turn into the dorm building she looks up at Vakkal and smiles, her eyes bright with some undefineable emotion. She murmurs quietly, "You stayed... thank you." She says no more, just heading for the lift.

Vakkal smiles quietly. "I could do nothing less, Freyja. And I would do nothing less."

Freyja doesn't know how else to explain her happiness at that particular expression of trust in her ability to get him away safely from the Greys... but it means a lot to her. It's been an odd day... she's never been feared, or trusted that way, before.

The four meet again in the dorm. Piper has been rather sober since leaving the scene, and has not been as chatty as she was earlier. However, Freyja's safe return brings a wide(r) smile to her face. "Thank th' Maker, Freyja, ye're all right! Th' Greys dinna give ye any trouble did they?"

Freyja laughs, hugging Piper gently, "Oh, don't worry so, Piper -- they're security forces; they love a polite person!"

Zero is sitting on the windowsill, looking grim-faced as ever, but he smiles when he sees everyone's returned in one piece. She smiles quietly at Zero, but doesn't say anything. He may feel he has a lot of explaining to do... but she would rather he do it when he's ready.

Piper returns the hug warmly, and nods, "Aye, I kin imagine, Frey! Who in th' blazes were they? They were babbling Huttee like 'twas goin' out a' fashion... if 'twas even ever in fashion!" She shakes her head. "For what 'tis worth, I'll nary mention this tae either yer Pa nor mine if ye doan wanna m' tae. Th' two ha' more than enough tae worry about wi' us."

Freyja nods quietly, "Please don't? I'll be more careful in the future, I promise, Piper... we'll get you to safety first, then go charging off into conflict!"

"They were nobody," interjects Zero. "Just some low-rent cutters. Guess Kalatis didn't want to invest overmuch in keeping me quiet."

Freyja considers Zero's words, then says to him, "Do you know someone named Aaron Deno?"

Piper snorts a little. "Ye'd better tae be taking me in tae conflict, lass, ere ye'll ne'er 'ear th' last o' it!

Zero looks up, "Where'd you hear that name?"

Freyja laughs quietly at Piper's words, but says firmly, "Only if you have a distance weapon, please. I don't want you going hand to hand with assassins. Hela, I don't want to go hand to hand with them, if I can help it!"

Freyja adds to Zero, "The Rodian. That's their subcontractor to kill you." She gives him a curiously thoughtful look, "So... do you know him?"

Zero says, "Yeah, I know him. He's one of Kalatis'. I guess you could say he's my replacement. But... subcontracting? That's... not the Senator's style at all."

Freyja says, "Apparently it's Deno's." She considers for a moment... then says firmly, "Well, then. Let's see what the Senator has to say about the daughter of his 'close personal friend' Baron Rigg having to interrupt an assassination attempt." She smiles, "We just won't mention we know who they were after, hai?"

Piper blinks over to Zero, frowning in concernation, but nods to Freyja. "If'n ye'll jus' give me a moment or four, I'll be bringing m' c-gun th' next time we go out shoppin', though it'd be a bonny 'ard time convincin th' Greys a courier's got diplomatic permission tae be packin'!" She falls quiet, blinking as she looks between Zero and Freyja. FInally she looks skyward. "I'm nary hearin' a thing o' what ye're sayin. Thot's m'story, an' I'm stikin' tae it, Greys or Pa or th'Baron."

Zero says, "Strange. I wonder... hmm. We never did figure out where Kalatis dug him up. But I suppose it makes sense. If he's getting out of the 'judicious use of force' business and into 'killing the inconvenient', it would make sense to put another layer between himself and the ops."

Freyja grins at Piper, then says helpfully, "Paladins traditionally water the slaypneers at this point in the story?"

Zero scowls. "I'm insulted, frankly. I thought the Senator had more respect for me than that."

Freyja sits down at her little terminal, and places a call to Senator Kalatis. He is, after all, the Senator for her home system. She takes a breath, pulling on the noble's persona again, glancing to make sure neither Vakkal nor Piper are visible from the screen.

Piper has to giggle at that. "Oh, aye, tae keep their virgin ears from 'earing th' cant o' th' low!" Her grin turns a bit wry. "I'm seein' nary a paladin goin' forth t' water th' starships, Frey. Guess that's bodin' ill f'r us if'n we be needin' a paladin anytime soon...."

It takes a few moments, but shortly a Yarkora appears on the screen. "Senator Kalatis's office. Good day, Lady Rigg. Shain Valthor of Commenor. How may I be of service?"

Freyja smiles pleasantly, "Kuras Valthor, greetings. I would like to speak privately to Senator Kalatis, if I may? Perhaps you could assist me in accomplishing this?"

"Oh, dear. I'm afraid that is not currently possible, Lady Rigg. Senator Kalatis is currently at the Rostrum, in a meeting of the Educational Development Subcommittee.

Freyja says, "That's fine. Perhaps you can schedule a suitable time for me, then." She smiles, adding, "We all know how busy the good Senator is, of course."

"Of course. Let's see...." Valthor checks a schedule off-screen. "The Senator is available for a brief holo-conference in two days, at noon, if you wish? Unfortunately his schedule does not permit a meeting in person in the near future."

Freyja says, "That would be lovely, thank you, Kuras Valthor."

"My pleasure, Lady Rigg. Will there be anything else?"

Freyja says, "Thank you, neh." She will confirm the holo-conference schedule, then exchange pleasantries again before signing off. Her smile gets a touch wicked once the screen is no longer sending, "There! Now then... as long as this Deno person keeps their head for two more days, we should be able to get this off our backs." She grins, then says with quiet wonder, "Well, now... who would have thought Mother's lessons would come to be so useful?"

Zero says, "I wouldn't count on it being so easy. Kalatis stands to lose a lot if I should talk."

Freyja smiles, "Oh, we shan't be threatening him or anything. I'll simply play on his charm and gallantry, which he seemed to display a lot of every time I was around him as a child. The daughter of Baron Rigg owing him a favor for making sure the mean old big bad city is safe for her and her friends will probably appeal to him... especially if he gets to score face points on you, Zero, for being wrong in telling me he won't help." She grins, "You haven't said that, but we don't have to tell him that. As my mother is fond of saying, you can catch many more rattatosks with honeyed nuts than with blaster bolts. And if that doesn't work, we'll keep shooting them down and turning them over to the Greys!"

Zero says, "Maybe so. Just remember that under all that charm and gallantry is a very ruthless man with a lot at stake."

Freyja turns her head slowly to look at Zero thoughtfully. A moment later she says quietly, "Hai, I know. Like recognizes like, as they say. He's not stupid. He'll know I know... and that I'm offering him a face-saving way to not have to kill anyone."

Zero says, "Mm. I hope you're right. I'd rather this ended now... better for everyone that way. I wish Argent had the same chance I did."

Freyja watches Zero thoughtfully... she doesn't know who Argent is, but she's rather disturbed by hearing at least three of the Senator's catspaws are dead or fleeing the Senator. She wants to get Zero (relatively) safely off to Zhar as soon as possible.

A couple of days later, at the appointed time, Freyja contacts Senator Kalatis. The Rodian is in, and very shortly he appears above the terminal, seated in his office. "Lady Rigg!" he says, standing and bowing. "It's an honor to hear from you, my dear. I would have contacted you earlier, but as you have no doubt seen, it's been very hectic for me, with the Senate in session and all the subcommittees meeting. I have been told that there was an incident the other day? Are you all right? You were not injured, I hope?"

Freyja beams cheerfully at the Rodian, doing her best glittering Syf imitation, "Greetings, Senator! It's a pleasure to see you again, I must say, and thank you for your concern! Fortunately we weren't injured, neh." Her expression gets a touch more serious, "However, that terrible incident is what I wished to speak to you about, if I may?"

"I'm certainly glad to hear that!" He says, returning to his seat. "Of course, please do. What may I do for you?"

Freyja smiles in relief, "Thank you, Senator. I don't wish to burden you unduly, of course... but as my sector's senator, and a friend of my father's, you were naturally who I turned to first for assistance." She considers, then says slowly, "I'm... afraid for myself and my friends, here on Coruscant. I know I'm not exactly what you'd call 'street-wise'... so I was hoping you could help us stay safe here." She adds with a quiet smile, "One of my friends who was also endangered, Zero Satau, was sure you would not help, and that I should not speak to you about this. I would like to tell him he is wrong."

She gives the Senator an inquiring look, "Is there anything you can do, to help us stay safe here, Senator?"

The Rodian folds his hands before him. "Zero? I hadn't heard from the police report that he was also involved. If he was endangered, however, I will of course do all I can for you both. Zero was an excellent employee of mine, and I owe him a great deal. Would you wish added security, Lady Rigg? I can convince Coruscant security to provide you with a police escort around the clock. As visiting nobility, I am sure they will understand the need for it, especially in light of the incident."

Freyja considers for a moment, then smiles warmly, "Perhaps not a police escort... after all, if you say we'll be safe here, I'm sure we will, Senator, hai? And I wouldn't want to put the police out, for what are probably just girlish worries on my part. You'd know best, I'm sure." She smiles inquiringly at the Senator, interested in his reply.

Kalatis spreads his hands. "The police inform me that they are as yet unsure as to why the attack took place. Since the death of the two gunmen while in captivity yesterday, there have been no leads. However, I will have my office look into it, and we will see what we can do for you. If this was a random incident, I can assure you that such is very rare on Coruscant, and the remainder of your stay will be comfortable. However, if at any time you feel that you need more to ensure your security, I can ask Balin Khoud to provide an escort for you while on Coruscant, or have the police provide protection, or even, if you prefer, my own people."

Freyja brightens, "Really, Senator? Thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kindness in this matter. I'll await your advice, then, after your office has looked into it." She exchanges pleasantries with the Senator, asks after family, reports on hers, and they finally sign off. Once the screen is dead her face goes completely blank... then she wrinkles up her nose and shudders violently, "Ugh! Mother is so much better at this than I!"

Vakkal leans on the desk, arching an brow. "Did he tell you what you needed to hear?"

Freyja shivers again, rubbing her arms roughly and muttering, "Icky..." She chuffs a gusty sigh, then says, "Well... he seemed to be very smoothly telling the truth, even about saying he can convince Security to give us additional protection." Her grin gets wry, "In fact, if he wasn't so carefully wording everything he was saying, you might almost be fooled into thinking he was telling the truth in spirit, as well!" She chuckles dryly.

She smiles, starting to relax into her more usual, comfortable self, "We'll see. He'll need to think about it for a while... weigh the alternatives of shutting Zero up but maybe getting my father on his case unwittingly, or trusting in my ability to be my mother's daughter and really get things done that need doing... that sort of thing."

Vakkal frowns. "So... we're not out of the jungle just yet, then....."

Freyja says gently, "We're never out of the jungle, Vakkal. The predators just look different."

Meanwhile at Staster's "antique weapons shop," the large man pulls out a black case, laying it on the counter for Zero's inspection. "Here you go, Satau," he says cheerfully. "Just got it back from the fellow last night. How's it look?"

The logo does indeed look very well-done, in dark, laser-etched metal on the face of the case; the creature almost looks alive, with the way the light glints from the burnished metal of it's eye.

Zero smiles, running his fingers across it. "Beautiful, Staster. Just like always." He opens the case to examine the inside. "Yeah," he nods, "This is perfect." He looks up to Staster, "Were you able to find the maintenance kit for me?"

The Besalisk rumbles a chortle, and nods, putting a vibroblade cleaning kit on the counter. "Sure did. That was the least of the worries. Hey, what's this case for, anyway? You pick up a new vibro?"

Zero grins. "Perfect." He lays a few credit chips on the counter. "Just like I promised. For the case, and your trouble." He grins a little. "I picked up an antique... an old blade that I plan to use a little. But it's a real beautiful thing, it deserves a better way to travel than wrapped up in an old shirt of mine." He sets his old grey case on the counter. "As long as I'm bringing this back to you... you wanna see?"

Staster's brows rise up. "Heh? Well, now, a case like this is the right way to treat a good old blade properly!" He adjusts his position. "Sure! You know me, Satau, always interested in seeing new antiques." He laughs, perhaps too uproariously, at his own joke.

Zero grins, "That's right... that's why I had you get me this one. The mark here, it's my clan... or rather I should say my family, since our clan numbered about three including myself... it's our mark. The bird's a big predator from the planet I grew up on. Beautiful thing. I thought this relic deserved a dignified ride." He smiles, opening the case. "New antiques. That's actually a good way of putting it." He withdraws the Sith blade from the case, and holds it out to Staster, one hand under the grip and the other under the end of the blade; "Mind the edge," he adds quietly, "This one bites."

Staster nods at the explaination. "I'd figured that. It was either some crest of your own, or someone else's, and the case and blade was going to be a gi-- a gift. Oh, by the Maker...."

Staster is more than gentle as he reaches forward to take the offered blade; he's almost trepidatious. "Damn right it's beautiful! The workmanship... you don't find non-vibro swords made like this anymore, not since the Ossus forges shut down a few thousand years ago." He studies the pommell, the grip, the hilt, the blade slowly, like a connoseur, saying idly, "I heard there's a new wiz of a sword historian at the Jedi Academy, he'd love to see this, I bet." He openly admires the blade for a bit longer. "The metal... Echal steel, damn fine, too. But that's a wierd sheen to it, ain't never seen a sword that had that unless it was oiled...." He frowns, then, and casts a glance to Zero. Very slowly, he hands the blade back. "Where'd you get that from, Satau?" he asks quietly.

Zero very gently places the Sith blade in the new case. It seems strangely at home there nestled in the dark crimson padding. Red and black, Zero supposes, are just natural surroundings for it. "Ah, the historian... yeah, he's, ah... actually he's seen it already." He closes the case after a moment, "As for where I got it... well, the last owner kind of had a change of heart about fighting. I think he's taking up a more scholarly pursuit now... and it's got a better home now. Better with a swordsman than a museum, hey?"

Staster looks rather... odd, actually. He's very quiet for a few moments, fidgeting in his seat. "That's... not like any blade I've ever seen, Satau," he finally says quietly. "It don't... feel right." He laughs a bit; it doesn't sound mirthful. "I work in a store surrounded by weapons and I say one in particular doesn't 'feel right.' Maker, what am I saying." He shakes his head, and stands, lumberingly, to his feet. "I don't know what that blade's capable of, Satau, but there's something not...." He gurgles a rumble, and straightens. "But... if that Jedi had no problems with it, who'm I to argue? Jedi say and do stuff more than I can understand, I guess."

Zero says, "I know it, Staster. This is more like a... study aid, than something I plan on waving around here in town. I know what it's capable of. I don't think she really likes it... but I'm not going to be waving it around her, either. It's just something I need to know a little better, that's all." He brightens, and grins, "Hey... that's what the case is for, right? If I wanted everyone to see it, I'd have one made of glass."

Staster nods slowly. "Just... don't bring it here again, Satau. I know a lot about a lot of types of weapons, and there's such a thing as knowing too much about some kinds, you know? You don't need to know the frequency a vibroblade's initiator resonates the induction bar to get the polymatrical dursteel elements moving fast enough to cut metal. You don't need to know at what freq the blade needs to be humming at to get it to cut bone." He shakes his head. "Anyway. What was the 'exotic' order you'd wanted to have done?"

Zero says, "Alright. I bet you can find all these things here in the city, but I suspect you don't get much call for them. I need a pair of high-grade emitter matrices... no, make that three. And three ring lenses, strong enough to operate at the emitters' tolerances. And if you know where I can find some high-output power cells, I'd really appreciate it."

Staster arches his eyebrow, then chuckles throatilly, regaining some of his humor. "The only reason you'd come to a weapons dealer with a list like that is if you're making either a bowcaster or a lightsabre. An' something tells me it ain't a bowcaster. Sure, I got the matrices and the lenses, but the high-output power cells, the kind you put into a lightsabre? No can do, my friend. Those are hard to find, even here on Coruscant. There's nothing they can do that you can't get better by plugging something into the world power grid. If they were so common that I could get them, every guy with a blaster or conc gun would be coming here asking me to make an near-infinite-ammo gun for him. But I can point you in the right direction: Balmorra. They make 'em locally for their production droides. Some plant managers get paranoid that a power outage will cut into their profitshares, so the union got together enough money to make a local plant there, to make -- you guessed it -- high-output power cells. They can have days-long power outages and their plants'll still pump out droids -- dead, unprogrammed, and energy-less droids, but that stuff is easier to provide at the world of delivery anyway."

Zero grins at that. "Balmorra, huh? Okay... I think that sounds like a great place to start. I don't know what I'd do without you, Staster.'

Staster grins toothilly. "Keep thinking that, it makes you a repeat customer! Oh, hey... Uri came by, asked if I'd be a go-between for you. I said sure, so... he's gonna check in every so often while he tries to disappear in the Outer Rim. I don't know what happened... but at least check in with me and pass on a message, askin' how he's doin' every so often. The Outer Rim... it's damn lonely out there, best place to loose your identity... 'cept you might never get another one again."

Zero lays a few more chips on the counter. "For the parts. Oh, and... hey, thank you, for watching out for Uri and I. You don't make a lot of allies doing what we did. Thanks for helping us get out while we're still young enough to appreciate it." He grins lopsidedly. "I'll make sure I keep up with the both of you."

Staster grins again, and nods. "I like you both. I like a lot of the repeat customers who come in here, and I can't say I'm sorry when they choose to stop working for dianogas."

Zero finally lets himself laugh. "Heh! Heh, yeah. Dianogas... always did love your turn of phrase, Staster." He settles the maintenance kit in the case and latches it. "I'll be checking in to hear it again soon. Promise."

Staster nods, giving a wave. "See that you do, Satau! I gotta have an excuse to stock vibros!" He laughs, again uproariously, as he waddles off to the stock room, checking on the workbench.

Zero grins, and has to laugh too, as he leaves, case under his arm.

Zero returns to the dorm and walks to the little pile of things he has accumulated in the corner. A bag, a satchel, and two long cases now. He sets down one case atop the other, and places the bags on top of that... he tosses his jacket over the stack, and sits back on the couch. "Hey... Freyja?"

Freyja winces, looking like she's just bitten into a lemon, as she abruptly feels the dissonance in the Force from the Sith blade. Her voice is flat, "Hello."

Zero says, "I guess I owe you an explanation now."

Freyja looks at Zero, then at the heap of equipment that's giving off the faintly disgusting sense. Her tone is dry, "Trade you an explanation for a blade destruction. Why are you keeping that disgusting thing, anyway? I thought Master Roakkana wanted you to destroy it."

Zero says, "Thought I'd keep it, since I've got to learn to deal with both sides... I don't have anything else to work with the darkside through."

Freyja says, "Sure you do. Ask Vakkal nicely if he'll work with you... he can mute it, and he doesn't make people heal wrong."

Zero says, "That's not precisely what I meant. I have this lightsabre. We both know how to use it as a meditational aid on the light side of the Force... from a personal perspective. A way to manifest your meditation. I don't have any such tool otherwise that I can use for the Dark side. At any rate, I don't plan on hitting anyone with it. It'd take a long time to learn to employ it properly as a weapon."

Freyja just looks at Zero... then simply shakes her head and goes back to her datapad. She murmurs, "That's your choice. Keep it in your room, though, please."

With no messages indicating a delay in arrival, Roakkana's ship is due to arrive within 24 hours. On the morning previous to the Starbird 182's scheduled landing, Freyja makes her way through the streets to Staster's unnamed, discrete store. At her entrance, the burly alien looks up. "Well, now!" he says cheerfully. "If it isn't Zero Satau's friend. Come in, come in! How are the gloves? Working well, I hope? Bounce any c-gun shots with 'em yet?"

Freyja smiles, "Greetings, Kuras Staster. Hai, they're very comfortable, thank you, and neh, I've not had the opportunity to try that yet." She pauses, then says carefully, "I came in to ask a question, if I might...?"

The Besalisk makes an inquiring sound, settling heavilly into a stool behind the counter that creaks faintly with his weight. He leans all four of his arms onto the counter. "A question? Well, if I can answer, I will. What's on your mind, little lady?"

Freyja stands at the counter, her gloved hands resting lightly on it as she considers how to ask. Finally she says slowly, "I suspect you can tell easily I am not what would be called 'streetwise,' and it would be foolish of me to try faking it. However, I would prefer to give fair value for your information, so I am willing to have you guide me in this, if you wish to answer the question." She studies the alien quietly for a moment, her ice blue eyes steady, then says, "I am trying to find out who Aaron Deno is, and if he is likely to again try killing Zero Satau and all those with him. Can you help me with this?"

His eyes widen slightly. "Oooh. So that's what this is about, eh? I was wondering what that commotion was, last week. Aaron Deno.... Doesn't Satau know?"

Freyja says quietly, "He's unhappy with me, since I am unhappy with him for... something he has. I do not want to force the issue with him, until he feels comfortable talking about it... but I also do not want him, myself, or the people with us caught flat-footed if there is a possibility of another attack. But he seems to trust you, and therefore I do also."

Staster thinks for a moment. "Ah. Shoulda known it'd be about that sword. Well. That's a good way to take things. Things gotta come in their own time. Force the issue, and you get problems." He smiles mirthlessly. "Heh. An' that's where Deno comes in, actually." He blinks in surprise. "Trust? Me? I'm flattered, little lady. Well, then. I'll try to live up to that trust." He rummages around on the counter a bit, before flipping a switch. The front door clicks. "There. 'Closed for business.' This is more important." He folds both sets of hands together, and leans forward. "Now, then. Aaron Deno."

Freyja smiles faintly at mention of the sword, although it does not reach her eyes... then murmurs quietly, "Thank you." She remains standing at the counter, her hands still resting in plain sight, as she listens carefully.

Vakkal's ears perk at the door, but he remains standing beside it, quietly and unobtrusively out of earshot.

He rubs his chin a bit. "Deno's new on Coruscant. Don't know if you know about the way most senators work, but most of them, they like having ways to do things that aren't normally possible. Yeah. It sounds scummy, and sometimes it is, but with the bureaucracy the way it is, if a senator went through normal channels, it'd be forever before anything got done. So, most senators have staffs of... expediters.

"I ain't gonna lie to you, little lady. Every senator's a mix of good an' bad. The way I figure it, if the Senate keeps things running fine, and things go well for the people, then they can graft and bribe all they want. Happy senators usually mean a happy Republic, an', hey, they don't harm anyone with their financian messes.

"Senator of Balmorra Sector... he's no different. He's got his own 'stable' of troubleshooters. Like any senator, he does good, and he does not-so-good, and he's got expediters do work for both. The good is usually pretty apparent. A would-be gangster gets ganked, or a possible illegal strike is cut off before it happens. The not-so-good is usually his own business. That's what marks the difference between some guy on the senator's staff who pushes the right buttons, and the ones who go out and knock a few heads together, put pressure on the right people, an' other things. Aaron Deno's one of the newer of the good senator's troubleshooters."

Freyja looks unhappy... but doesn't waste time protesting. She just listens intently, nodding occasionally. The incredibly distasteful idea hits her -- how different are Senators from industrialists? Probably not much at all... all things considered. She takes a slow breath. She's not sure she'd be a good Baron... or even if she wants to ever be... and yet... she's realistic enough to understand that it could well spell ruin for her family if there isn't a ruthlessly pragmatic Baron at the helm when necessary.

Another creepy thought hits her. Her father's not really very subtle... is it Mother who's running this show?

Freyja shakes herself internally. One problem at a time. "How... persistent is this man, do you know? Is... is killing people a matter of honor, or pragmatism, to him? If the Senator told him to stop attacking Zero, would he?"

Staster stretches a little. "Deno's kind of an oddball. Human, from Alderaan, I think. Does things differently. Tries to be a manager. Supposedly has his own 'mini-stable' of thugs and doers. Started out as a small-time thug on Dantooine but, heh, when the Sith came, he left. I figure his type are all the same: want to be a vigo of some big name criminal family someday, stamp his name all accross the underworld, be a Made Being, all that drek. They all usually end up with a vibro in the gut. 'Cept Deno. See, Deno hooked his star onto Kalatis's. He's smart, in that. Knows that a Senator is where the power is at, and as long as he does a good job, he's set."

Freyja looks a bit more unhappy... but continues listening. She wonders if the Senator knows this one has bigger dreams than the previous four catspaws. From the sound of it, Uri, Zero, Argent, and... Phelan, was it? -just want to be left alone, to live. Well... she doesn't know for sure about Argent. She just knows he's (she's?) now dead.

What a mix... bigger dreams, but far less competent. The Senator should be more careful.

Staster snorts a little. "Honor? Well... yeah, a big part of the underworld runs on honor -- has to, there's no other currency that doesn't change hands or become worhtless at the drop of a conc gun. Even Deno's gotta have honor -- a vigo's word is nothing if he's got a rep as a liar and a cheat. But even a vigo can be pragmatic. Don't think 'pragmatism' and 'honor' are separate ideas in the underworld, lady. They're the opposite, they're inseprarable. In the shadow part of the Galaxy, honor means keeping your word, doing what's expected of you or having a damn good reason why not, and... well, that's about it, really.

"Anyway... I guess what I'm sayin' is that Deno's got bigger problems than honor if Kalatis tells him not to gank Zero and he does. Or tries to. And even if he did try, he'd have done it better than that."

Freyja's ice blue gaze is distant as she quietly murmurs a favorite maxim of her mother's, "First rule of business: once you're bought, stay bought." She raises her coolly thoughtful gaze to the Besalisk, "You are saying Deno is more competent than those he hires, or that he did not hire the thugs who attacked us, please?"

He laughs deeply, grinning. "You seem to have gotten the 'first rule' part right. Hrr. Nah, it's different than that. Deno's not a complete idiot -- just stupid-ambitious, but not an idiot. He's gonna be a Made Being, gonna do good things, big things for his boss. You don't screw up in that kind of job, you just don't, at least if you expect to live long.

"So, either he wants to kill Zero himself or Kalatis tells him to 'take care' of Zero. It doesn't matter which. What does he do? He sends a Rodian and a Gammorrean -- a Gammorrean, for the Maker's sake! -- out to gank two Jedi. That's the sort of mistake you only make once, before finding a lightsabre in your... er, mouth." He looks a bit flustered and embarrassed for a moment. "Yeah. Anyway. That's what doesn't make sense. Heh. People were wondering what the hell was up with that sad attempt at a hit."

Freyja smiles at the hasty recovery. She doesn't comment on which gang she learned her maxims from... she simply nods thoughtfully, answering, "As was I. So... has anyone speculated that it was as clumsy as it was, solely to be a warning? It seems frightfully incompetent to be a credible warning, however... if anything, it would seem to make Deno out to be equally incompetent." She frowns, "Am I missing something here which is obvious to someone in the underworld?" She does not mention her internal thought that Deno would indeed find himself with a lightsaber in his... mouth... if he tried sheisse like that again with her friends... and the Senator would get a visit too, although it would be, again, excruciatingly polite. She doesn't care whose lightsaber, either.

"Nah, you're pretty much spot-on little lady. Me, knowing now that it was Deno? Yeah, it's almost more damaging to Deno's rep to be linked to that hit, than it is to be on the receiving end of it." He laughs at some joke somewhere in that sentence, before calming a bit. "I'd say Deno or Kalatis was trying to send a warning of some kind. But warning of what, I don't know. It's gotta be something more than just 'keep quiet,' 'cause 'keeping quiet' is just a given in that line of work."

Freyja nods slowly, then says, "Well... the attackers, ah... died somehow a day after they were apprehended, from what I was told. It is not common knowledge that Aaron Deno hired them. I just... happened to understand Huttee." She adds quietly, "Poor fools." She considers, then says slowly, "They were surprised I was there, though... perhaps that's it. They expected to be facing only one, er... catspaw... not three Fo- uh, fighters."

He nods a little. "Yeah. I'd heard that. Wasn't surprising. Hell, I'd almost consider suicide myself to keep from being linked to that hit, if I'd been the one behind it! But, seriously... a lot of things about that hit were messed up from the word 'go.'" He looks thoughtful for a moment. "You haven't told anyone else that it was Deno behind it, have you?"

Freyja covers a wry smile at the suicide comment. "Neh, aside from my companions. I try to be... cautious with information like that. As I said, Zero trusts you... and so I do also."

Staster nods slowly. "All right. Just be careful who you tell that too, little lady. The entire hit was a personal message from Kalatis and/or Deno, to Zero, and sad to say, but you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And whatever that message is... Zero and you and his other friends've gotta figure it out, before whomever sent the message sends a stronger one."

Freyja sighs quietly, and hopes she correctly deciphered the message... and returned one equally compelling. "Neh, I am never in the wrong place if I can help defend a friend... and thought I am occasionally irritated with him, Zero is my friend and my brother Padawan." Then she nods courteously to the Besalisk, raising her loosely closed right fist to her heart in salute, "Thank you, Kuras Staster. I greatly appreciate your kindness. How may I repay you?"

He chortles again, quietly, touching the control that unlocks the front door, and managing to make a good attempt at returning the salute, though he uses both his right arms. "Heh, don't worry about it. It's helping to get Zero out from working for that mynok-wrangler. That'll be enough pay, I think."

Freyja smiles and says sincerely, "You are too kind. If I can be of assistance, please feel free to call on me." She gestures, "Also, Vakkal is my huskarl, and can be trusted to pass messages on to me, if necessary." She grins, adding with less formality and a touch of mischievousness, "I'll try to keep Zero out of trouble... well, as much as anyone can!"

Staster laughs deeply again. "I'll remember that. You two take care, now...."

The morning of Roakkana's arrival starts warm, but quickly devolves into a sort of half-hearted blend between rain and abject humidity, waves of warmth rolling through the plasteel valleys of this part of Coruscant and carrying with it a desultory shower of water. The two Jedi padawans and the Sith huskarl are waiting at the side of a hovering mid-air landing pad just outside the Temple. (Vakkal has gotten some very evil glances from the Templars, and it was some last-minute arrangements which saw the moving of the master's landing from within the Temple grounds itself to a pad just above the Borudda Block.) They have been there for an hour, ever since they heard that Roakkana's ship had finally left hyperspace and was coming in for a landing.

Eventually, through the water-laden clouds that jealously hoard their moisture, a small Starbird finally pushes it's way through the resilient wisps, and angles about for an approach to land. Almost immediately upon touchdown, the ramp extends, and a tired-looking, but hale and hearty, Wookiee steps down from the ship. "I was hoping I'd be greeted by you three!" he exclaims over the rush of the wind.

Freyja beams, brightening at sight of the Wookie. She darts forward to give him an exuberant hug, "Master Roakkana, it's so good to see you again!"

Zero grins and waits back with Vakkal, a hand up by his eyes to shield them from the spitting moisture. "Good to see you again, Master. Picked a hell of a day to come back. How'd it go?"

Freyja grins, taking the Wookie's hand and gently tugging him towards shelter with her, "C'mon, let's get you some hot tea and towels, hai?"

Roakkana steps down from the ramp, smiling quietly. "And it's good to see you again, as well. Yes, one thing about Coruscant weather, it's either wonderfully mild... or the engineers have messed up horribly again!" His expression sobers. "I'm afraid that it has not gone well. Yes, a fine idea, Freyja; I understand you've lodgings here. Let us go there, there is much to talk about, and I have been granted some time to rest before the Council will ask us their questions."

Freyja nods, a faintly worried look crossing her face.

Shortly, the three are in the dormitory room in Borruda Block, and Roakkana is feeling much invigorated by the tea and the lower humidity and temperature. He has asked to speak privately with Freyja and Zero; Piper is in another room happily teaching Vakkal the intricacies of the game of go-dejt. "Ahh," he says, sighing, and lowering the teabucket. "Much better. I feel I can now relate the news of what has occurred on Marnaas since my last communication with you."

Freyja nods interestedly from where she's curled up on the couch.

Roakkana gathers his thoughts for a moment. "First... I feel I must tell you immediately that, unfortunately, Inspector Shang is dead."

Zero blinks. "Dead... she didn't...?"

Freyja's eyes widen in startlement... and then she nods slowly. She shouldn't be surprised, she supposes... no, wait, wasn't it Verg that wanted Shang dead? Her gaze flicks towards Vakkal in spite of herself -- is the Oath of Fire so virulent, then, that the poor inspector was scheduled to die regardless? With a touch of fierceness, she thinks, They can't have Vakkal!

Roakkana grimaces... no, he actually glowers. "She did. But not for the reason that may be apparent to either of you. Master Ryys had arrived that day, and formally took abbotage of the monastery. Jedi Volc was on hand. Though I advised Master Ryys that there were subtlities to the situation on Marnaas, he did not understand what I was trying to say, and the fault is not his own.

"Since I was not in a position of authority anymore, Jedi Volc immedately requested entrance into the monastery and permission to question Inspector Shang. Not expecting anything amiss, Master Ryys agreed, and had Port Security summoned to attend the questioning. Volc approached her beforehand, however, and Ryys simply did not see any reason to deny him that. As soon as he identified himself as a knight-captain of the Order militant, Shang nodded... and collapsed.

"I was already preparing for my departure, unaware that Jedi Volc had already approached Shang, when I felt her passage from the waking world to the netherworld. Though I cannot say for certain, I feel, and receieved the notion from her, that she was seeking to preserve the secret of the Silver Path for a little while longer, for she felt certain that Jedi Volc would insist on a mind probe of her when he learned she had been targeted for assassination, and that she was responsible for bringing the Sith to Marnaas."

Freyja blinks in horror, then whispers, "She... suicided, instead of facing Volc?!" She has to suppress a fierce flare of hot anger at Volc, struggling to control her expression for a moment.

Zero says, "Gods below. This is insane."

Roakkana's head snaps up, to look sharply at Freyja. "Be at ease, child," he says, very gently. "Anger towards Volc will not change anything, least of all Shang's presence in this world. Understand that it did not matter who would approach her with questions; to preserve the secrets she held, she would have done the same. Though Volc is an easy target to direct anger towards, it was not he who killed her, but her own choice. The reasons for it notwithstanding."

Freyja takes a slow breath... then just nods quietly to her Master. Equally softly she says, "I... am beginning to understand... even if we're successful, we're going to be viewed as horrors by some on both sides."

Zero says, "Provided we aren't already." He nods to the door. "Our choice in friends, hey."

Freyja smiles wryly at Zero, "True... but I will stand by my friends, regardless of how fanatics of either side view them."

Zero says, "Good thing. I think our list of friends is going to get shorter before this is over."

Freyja smiles more sincerely, "Perhaps... but those that remain will be all the truer, hai?" She nods, "Go on, Master. Is there more?"

Zero takes a breath, folding his arms behind his head. "One only hopes..."

Freyja grins at Zero. "Trust me on that one."

Roakkana shakes his head, sighing. "I can find no reason to disagree with you, child. But I still have faith that what you are seeking, and what Shang died to preserve in secret for just a little while longer, is important, and might -- might, I say, for I must be honest -- help greatly."

Freyja nods gravely to the Wookie.

"Other news is at least somewhat more pleasant. Marnaas is back to normal, such as it might ever be for that world ever again, though the Billbringi company remains stationed there, and will be so for at least the duration of the war, if events do not drive them off-planet first."

He adds, almost parenthetically, "And though I could not bring them with me since they would not last, a bouquet of flowers was sent to the monastery for you, Freyja. There was no identifier though I would hazard a guess that someone had sliced into the HoloNet to transfer some funds and make suitable arrangements with a florist on Marnaas."

Freyja looks relieved, "Well, at least the people are better off now." She grins at Zero, "Want to tell Master Roakkana about our excitement?"

Zero sighs a bit. "Mm. Yeah, the Senator took the news of my departure just about how I expected him to."

Freyja's quiet smile to Zero is commiserative.

Roakkana looks slowly to Zero for a long moment. "And you're still here?" he asks, slowly and wryly.

Zero shrugs. "He's got some new majordomo bent on killing me. Which is really more insulting than intimidating... given the general skill level involved."

Roakkana shakes his head. "I was concerned about that. Well. Since you are still alive and it has been three weeks, I would say that either you have made suitable arrangements, or have taken care of that problem well enough."

Freyja blinks puzzledly at the Wookie, "Er, wait... what was that about flowers?"

Zero almost groans. "Good lord, Fhazil Taas..."

Freyja blinks at Zero... then laughs in spite of herself. "What?! Are you saying he sent me flowers?!" She gets a startled look, "Wait... he sent me flowers?!" She pauses, considering that... then says slowly, "Goddess. No one's ever sincerely sent flowers to me..."

Roakkana manages a quiet smile, despite his weariness.

Freyja hesitates... then asks shyly, "Um... what kind were they, please?"

Roakkana smiles wider. "I have a holo of them, and asked the apothecary to plant them in the cloisters, since they would not likely survive the trip to Coruscant. They really are very nice, I have to say."

Zero hehs. "I have to admit, he certainly knows how to make an impression."

Freyja brightens in spite of herself, "Ah... that might be nice to see later, once you're rested, Master..." She blushes faintly, then says firmly, "Hai, we think we made suitable arrangements." She adds a little puzzledly, "Although... it was an incredibly clumsy hit..."

Roakkana nods, "Good. I'll appreciate being told more details about what happened. There is a picture starting to be painted but I fear there is yet much that is unseen."

Freyja says, "Would you like to rest first, Master Roakkana?"

Zero nods. "I've cut all my strings on Coruscant, we've managed to put the Council at bay--" He mutters, "For the moment--" Then adds, "And I've got a name and a face to go with the concussion bolts. And there's transport to be had here, in spades. We're as ready as we can be. You may as well rest while we still have the opportunity."

Freyja pulls out the datapad with the 'hush' command on it, and offers it to the Wookie with a grin, "Nothing's happening until you're ready, Master."

Zero says, "Yes... that's right, the Council got quite tight-lipped once they realized Freyja'd not let anyone be questioned without your presence."

Freyja looks a little sheepish, "Well... it seemed wisest...?"

Zero says, "Damned accomodating for people with so little compunction about...." He trails off, paling.

"About... giving out... mind probes... gods below, Balin Khoud!"

Freyja looks curiously at Zero, "About what?" She looks surprised as Zero pales, "What, Zero?"

Roakkana nods, "That might be best, child. To rest, I mean. The Council will be a trial, of sorts, but it shan't be that troublesome....." He blinks and looks to Zero. "Zero? Whatever is wrong?"

Freyja looks puzzled, "Hai, what about him? We'd notice a mind probe."

Zero says, "Balin Khoud was in Kalatis' office... the last two times I spoke to him. What was he doing in there?"

Freyja considers... then looks at the Wookie worriedly, "Would a non-Force user notice a mind probe?"

Zero says, "The attempted attack... it was like it was set up by someone who didn't know anything at all about criminals."

Freyja nods slowly, thinking, "Hai... even Staster commented on that..." She gets a flatly surprised look, "But... surely he wouldn't try to kill us, just to keep quiet about the Templars leaving the Temple?!"

Zero says, "When did you talk to Staster? No, forget it, nevermind... why was Khoud there before and after the Marnaas incident?"

Roakkana folds his hands, resting his chin on them. "I know that the two are close. They claim to be friends. They both organized our mission to Marnaas." He glances to Freyja. "It is... possible, child. Mind probes are generally impossible to miss, especially deep ones."

Freyja murmurs absently to Zero, "Yesterday; wanted to know who Aaron Deno was, since you weren't ready to tell yet." She turns to the Wookie, "So... is it possible to... to force your will on a non-Force user that way?"

Zero says, "We know about the Templars, about the Sith, the Oath, I know enough on just Kalatis to send him to the spice mines for two or three lifetimes."

Freyja takes a slow breath, then says quietly, "Only if you tell, which you've said you will not... or they do a deep mind probe... which Master Roakkana has assured us will not happen, since there is no reason to demand it." She looks at the Wookie, adding hopefully, "Hai?"

Zero says, "Gods below... I think we're running out of places to hide."

Roakkana considers, then shakes his head. "It's... possible. But not for very long. From what we have seen of even Sith powers, for what you speak of is not possible from the Lightside, the Sith Lord must either remain in a trance while he controls the one dominated, or the victim's personality is completely suppressed, and they become little more than an emotiveless automaton."

Freyja thinks, then shakes her head, "The Senator was not emotiveless when he talked to me."

Zero says, "No... he never is. You never get elected that way."

Freyja nods to Zero, "Also true."

Roakkana adds wryly, "And the one dominating will carry with them not insignificant sithstain." He looks to Zero. "Did you feel any stain from Master Balin Khoud when you ran into him last?"

Zero says, "I... no, I don't remember any. But... I mean, he could have been suppressing it, I guess. I don't really know how to look hard for it yet." He sighs, "Grah. This is getting complicated."

Freyja pulls her knees up and rests her arms on them, and her chin on her arms, "Hai. So... is it possible to... to replace someone, and just persuade a 'friend' to do things that he would not ordinarily do?"

Roakkana thinks, and nods, "This is true. Very well. At the very least, there is a link between Balin Khoud and Senator Kalatis, and it is a deeply disturbing one, since I have been informed that Balin Khoud, as the Jedi organizer of the Marnaas operation, is to lead and direct the inquiry into what occurred there."

Freyja gives the Wookie a worried look.

Zero says, "He what? Oh no..."

Roakkana considers, then nods to Freyja. "Jedi, on occasion, may do so as well without fear of taint from the darkside, if the motivation is just. It is called by many the 'mind trick' though the ancient philosophers had much more accurate names for it. However, it only works on weak minds. Senator Kalatis does not seem to me to be weak-minded, but perhaps their friendship would make him susceptible to such.

Zero says, "Damn. We may not have time to get to Zhar... we might already be in the gundark's den."

Freyja thinks, then says slowly, "Well... is Khoud likely to consider it so important to hide what the Templars are doing... that he'd kill Jedi Padawans?"

The Wookiee nods to Zero. "Indeed. In fact it was surprising to me even before I learned of this new wrinkle. I would have though that Khoud would also be facing the inquiry alongside us, since this mission was, if I recall, never even formally recognized by the Republic Military General Staff."

Freyja looks startled, "Wait... are you saying Khoud is not just influencing a Senator... but also the Council?! Or is that more correctly the Republic Military General Staff?"

Zero says, "What is it the Council doesn't want known so badly... surely this can't all be about the origin of the Oath. Is it the Silver Path? Is it Valsha?"

Roakkana looks to Freyja, considering. "Such actions, would be despicable, child, and I cannot think that it would be undertaken by anyone but a darksider. No, I am not intimating that. I am saying that there is something very wrong here and it neither begins nor ends with Balin Khoud."

Freyja looks confused, "So... Khoud is just a puppet in this too? If this is Darkside influence... how are they hiding the stain?"

The Wookiee sighs, "I am beginning to believe it is a mixture of all three, Zero. Perhaps not, child. He may be a puppetteer, but only of the lowest levels of puppetteers. Consider: we are sent to Marnaas. Both the sector senator and a Jedi Master wish it done quietly, without full-scale military involvement. What would they know about Marnaas which would cause them problems? Other than fear of penetration of the normal channels by Sith spies, that is."

Zero sighs at the reply and shakes his head. "That miserable little rock has derailed quite a lot of lives."

Freyja considers, then says slowly, "Valsha? There must be other Silver Pathers around, after all... but there's only one Valsha."

Freyja says, "Unless the Templars were doing something strange there too."

Roakkana nods quietly. "That it has. Marnaas may wish to erase itself from history if this goes on for much longer." He nods to Freyja. "Indeed. What did Marnaas have when we arrived there? Valsha. A Silver Path adept who let two groups of Sith on-world. Sith of the Oath of Fire. Sith of the imperiel mien. An inordinate number of Jedi who converted to Sith. Is there anything else?

Freyja says, "Um... isn't that enough? And a Sith that converted to Jedi turned up soon thereafter. A... revenant. A Templar.

"Wait... what was Colburth doing at the monastery, please? He's a Templar. Why that monastery?"

Zero says, "Maybe they suspected the truth about the Oath. Or Valsha."

Freyja frowns, "And we can't ask him." She updates Master Roakkana on the news about Valsha's ship, in case the Wookie didn't already know.

She blinks, then adds slowly, "You know... if there's more than one type of Sith... um... why couldn't there be more than one type of Jedi too? A secret order of them with their own agenda, like the Oathers had?"

Zero says, "At this point, I could hardly be surprised."

Freyja gives Zero a rueful grin, "At this rate we'll need a flowchart to keep up!"

Zero says, "Though I suspect the Templar may already constitute such a group. Or maybe the Watchers."

"Perhaps it may be enough, yes." Roakkana thinks for a moment, then grimaces, shaking his head. "Such a mess.... Uhm? Oh, yes. Colburth's story was apparently, as best as what I have been able to discern, true: he was en route to two Templar commanderies in the Mid Rim, delivering messages and instructions from the Grand Commander. However, while he receieved no special instructions, his departure from Marnaas was actually scheduled to be significantly later than would be reasonable if his missives held any import."

He takes the news of the capture of Valsha grimly, nodding slowly. "Let us hope that Templar Colburth may at least inform responsible people as to what happened." He blinks, looking to Freyja. "Zero is correct in that. Are you speaking of a group besides the Templars and Watchers, child? Certainly those two groups have ways and means inscrutible to the majority of us."

Freyja gives the Wookie a curious look, "Er... Master Roakkana, how could Colburth inform responsible people as to what occurred... if he was taken too? He's not turned up yet, after all?" She pauses, then notes with startled realization, "Which... would support the theory of a sub-group of Jedi... they'd just keep him, hai?

"Well, if there's a group of Sith dedicated to destroying Jedi... wouldn't it make sense that there might be Jedi so, er... fanatically dedicated to the cause of eradicating the Sith stain as well?"

Roakkana frowns slightly, and nods, "You are right. I had gone with the possibility that they were after little Valsha, and would leave him unmolested. That might not have been the case, however."

He frowns deeper. "To destroy, on such a scale... to cause the utter destruction of an enemy.... It almost borders on heresy... but of course it would not be heresy, since it is the destruction of an enemy who would, presumably, do the same...."

Freyja nods silently, her eyes a little wide.

Roakkana stands, and actually begins pacing a bit. "This... is extremely, extremely dangerous thinking," he says quietly.

Freyja continues to silently watch her Master pacing, her eyes still a bit wide, with her arms still wrapped around her knees.

Zero rubs his eyes tiredly. "Dangerous. So what else is new," he mutters.

Roakkana stops. "We must hold our thoughts close to us. As ones who are awakened in the Force and trained in it's ways, you will know if your minds are probed, by any but the most subtle and shallow. And I shall watch over you as best as I am able. I think, however, that for the duration of our exposure to the Council, we must do our very best to not consider these thoughs in ways which might reveal them to others.

Freyja nods, then says quietly, "That's why I've been careful to tell Vakkal nothing at all." She sighs softly, "I... was beginning to wonder if I was being too paranoid..." She shakes her head, and falls silent again.

She repeats quietly, "So, Master Roakkana... how can we find out if any of this is true?" She ponders, then says slowly, "Senator Kalatis... if he's been probed, or nudged, or something... would it show to a Jedi Master?"

Roakkana gently places his hand on her shoulder. "Vakkal, I fear, is no more innocent than any of us, considering his sojourn with the Oath of Fire. His knowledge is dangerous, but dangerous in what way, we do not know yet. This is truly a tangled web which has been woven, but there may yet be ways to untangle it." He thinks for a moment, then sighs. "I might be able to tell if Kalatis was subjected to the more crude and direct forms of domination. If it is more subtle, it might be more difficult." He grins. "I may have to feign falling asleep in his office during a meeting."

Freyja giggles quietly, faintly reassured by both the contact and the humor. "Is there anything else we can do to untangle things? Having a plan helps."

Roakkana straightens. "Well. For the next few weeks, we are at the beck and call of the Council. We must answer their questions, though it will be more a matter of me answering their questions and you both confirming or clarifying details. We are in a situation where it is possible that whomever is orchestrating this veil of secrecy will arrange for us to not need to answer to certain details. We must keep our wits about ourselves and make note of this, if it happens. That will go a long way towards helping us determine the identities of the ones fomenting all this misery."

Freyja nods slowly, "I'll warn Piper and Vakkal to be especially wary as well, then."

Roakkana nods. "Thank you, child. Piper might not realize if she is being probed or not."

Freyja says, "She was there for the... oh, dear. I think she knows Aaron Deno organized that hit." She frowns, then says slowly, "If I keep her always close... might I notice an attempted probe?"

Zero says, "Only if she speaks Huttese. We fled out of there before you questioned anyone."

Freyja blinks, thinking... then nods, "Hai, but wasn't she there when I asked you if you recognized the name?"

Zero says, "The name means nothing to her... it's just a name you mentioned."

Freyja nods, "Hope so. All right." She sighs, adding, "I wish there were more we could do, though."

Zero says, "With luck, she won't be dragged into this."

Freyja nods.

Roakkana nods. "Indeed, with some luck. Fortunately, she has not been called by the inquiry, and is unlikely ever to, as she was not on Marnaas." He stretches a little, and yawns slightly. He almost aimlessly wanders a bit towards Zero's room. "Zero, may I talk with you a bit, please? Freyja, I will like to talk with you privately a bit later, as well. We've all things to catch up on."

Freyja nods, "Sure."

Zero says, "Yes, of course, Master."

Roakkana turns and settles himself on the edge of the bed with a release of breath. "Ah. Such a long trip, and only to be put at the mercy of the Council! A Jedi's life," he adds chuckling softly. When Zero enters and closes the door, he looks up mildly to the Human... and lightly touches the tip of his cane on the new sword-case, an eyebrow raised inquiringly.

Zero says, "Thought I could use it as a tool, if not a weapon. If it's gonna be a problem, there's a machine shop with a molecular furnace I can rent time on... but we're left with a block of slightly funky slag."

Roakkana nods a little, and says quietly, "I felt it as soon as I walked into the apartment." He looks down at it, then up to Zero again. "What changed?"

Zero says, "With it? Nothing. With me? ....I have no idea. Honestly, Master... I have no idea what I'm doing at all." He rubs his eyes. "This was a lot simpler when I was directing fire off a battlement in the drybrush. I don't know what a Grey Jedi is, let alone how to be a good one. At least on Marnaas I knew where I stood. ...mostly."

Roakkana shakes his head. "Oh, Zero. I don't mean with you. You've come a long way from the laconic, icy catspaw who went to Marnaas. You've grown more into yourself, more into who you can be. I daresay none of us left that world the same, but at least you did come out of the crucible stronger. That much I can see. No. I meant, what changed with what you said you were going to do with it when you reached Coruscant with it."

He smiles quietly, standing. "It will always be easier with an enemy in front of you and a cause behind you. In this I have to apologize: I pulled you very quickly from that world to the world of the Force-awakened. There are reasons why padawans spend years in the praxaeum before travelling with their master. I didn't give you that, and now I'm afraid there is suffering from that haste. I hope you understand why I did that, though. I could not stand to see you go to the Sith, and yet neither could I stand seeing you subsumed into the boundless Light."

"In this world, the world of those awakened to the Force, there is very rarely such easy decisions. It is harder, sometimes much harder. I knew you had the strength in you to face those challenges, though. I did not know how much the events we encountered would add to those challenges, however."

Zero shakes his head, "No... no, I don't blame you for my being confused, Master. You shouldn't blame yourself, either. It's just been that way all my life, you know? Here's the enemy, the bounty head, the evil crimelord. Here's your sword. Go to it. I haven't had a lot of practice with this conspiracy business... I always left that to Kalatis. That much I can deal with... nothing ever goes the way you expect it to in my line of work. It's the practice. Freyja's depending on me to be this... balance for her. And I haven't a clue what I should be doing for her. Moral challenges I can deal with. It's a damned plan I need. I'm supposed to be both sides for the middle, but... so far all I have is a blade that Freyja can't bear to be around and a lightsabre that isn't mine. I've not exactly made great strides toward unifying the Force."

Roakkana nods quietly. "I know. I wish I'd been here to give you some guidance in that. The path of the 'greysider' or 'shadow-walker' or 'Grey Jedi' or whichever you wish to call it... there is no manual, there is no syllabus. It is a tradition that has gone untaught for millenia. If it was ever even a tradition."

He gestures to the bed. "Come, sit. You're making the mistake," he says as he settles down, "of measuring yourself by goals. It's not all that much of a mistake, I should say. For most people, to live by goals is enough, even to be commended. As you say, here's the enemy, here's your sword. Apply one to the other. Goal achieved. But since becoming awakened, I think you've found that there's more than just the goal, more than just something solid that you can point to and say, 'that is what I want to accomplish.'

"'The journey itself is the goal.' It sounds like a ridiculous koan that Jedi masters blurt out to primary school students visiting the Temple, or something a master of teras kasi would intone on a holovid program, but it is true. You are on the path of the Sabre's Edge, with all the discomfit that implies. You are to provide a balance not only to Freyja's Light, but also the Dark-mantle's... er, Darkness. You will be both Light and Dark.

"Now, Light and Dark are polar -- they cannot exist without one another, but neither can they exist together. Light banishes Dark. Dark absorbs Light. What happens when they are brought together? Shadow. Contrast. Greyness. Here, then, is the first, best lesson I can give to a greysider: Don't think in terms of duality, Zero. That's the mistake the Syncretic Assembly made, fifteen thousand years ago, and now look at their legacy."

He considers for a moment, then asks quietly. "Does Freyja know of your concerns? No; perhaps more importantly, do you feel you can tell her those concerns? You do not have to answer me; you must only answer yourself. Just remember, Zero, and keep in mind I had to remind Freyja of this as well: you are not on this road alone. You are taking a different path, but the journey is the same."

Zero takes a deep breath. "Maybe I'm trying too hard."

The Wookiee smiles quietly. "It's certainly possible. You are trying to understand how to be a Grey Jedi when you know little of what it means to be even a vanilla Jedi." His expression softens. "If it concerns you, then it is nothing you should leap into. For the time being, learn what it means to be awakened to the Force, and what it means to be working alongside Freyja. Little steps. A cub does not climb the Tree of Life the day they are born. Neither does a Jedi gain mastery once they complete their knightly trials."

Zero rubs his eyes a bit, "Maybe so. I suppose it's better to just get better at what I can do now before I strike out into the unknown. So to speak."

Roakkana watches Zero for a moment, then asks, "Allow me to ask you this, Zero. Do you have any idea at all what a Grey Jedi might be?"

Zero looks up at the Wookiee. "I haven't a clue, Master. I've only a general idea of what a Jedi is supposed to be. Out on the Rim they're all wandering mystics. And now I find an entire army of them."

Roakkana nods quietly. "Yes... Jedi don't exactly get out to the Rim much, except when a crisis takes place there. Well, then. What do you hope a Grey Jedi is, then?"

Zero says, "Honestly... I never really even considered it. It's not like I set out wanting to be one. It just seemed assumed that I would be. I'd be perfectly happy just to learn more about my ability and get stronger... I just want to protect the people I've been thrown together with; I owe them. I don't care about unifying the Force or stopping this war... the war's gonna happen no matter what I should do. I just want to be who I am." He shakes his head, "And that seems to change every few months, anymore."

"We're always changing, Zero. I'm not the same person I was a few months ago, either. Don't let that stop you, however." He is quiet for a moment. "You should do what you feel is best, then, for the time being. If you define yourself by the people you are with, be with them more. They... we may be able to help you more than you realize, at least I hope so. You are not the only one feeling lost in a forest of changes. For now... center yourself. Balance yourself. Determine for yourself who you are and what you are. That is a level of training which too many Jedi overlook. And do what is important to you."

Zero says, "I feel the most at home when I'm on the floor training, or fighting. I mean... that's what I'm good at. Maybe I just need to concentrate on improving myself... that's the best way to help the others."

Roakkana shakes his head quietly. "You're already good at that, Zero. And experience will make you better. You do not want to isolate yourself from the ones you wish to protect. There will always be more to your journies than fighting. Even working for Senator Kalatis, I'm sure he had you do more than just... how do they say it... 'bust heads?'"

Zero says, "Well, yes, but... mostly I watched, or waited, or relayed messages. What are you saying, master?"

Roakkana smiles a bit, standing. "I'm saying... don't loose sight of just what you are. We all believe that at some point, we know what we are, and what we're doing. You discovered yourself that you are more than just Kalatis's catspaw. I can see it in you. You are much more than that, must more than just a random fighter. Explore that part of yourself, the part that's been opened up, the part that you can now give lease to, now that you aren't the tool of someone else's ambition. That is all I'm saying."

The Wookiee stretches, and yawns a little; who knew Wookiees had quite so many small, sharp teeth? "Oh, pardon me. The trip must have been harder than I thought. I should talk with Freyja and Vakkal before resting. I would like for us to talk more later, Zero. You are not alone in this, any more than I am. Speaking for myself, I know that I'm certainly grateful for you being here with me in what is to happen. Just learn about yourself, Zero. Do not be trepidatious of what you might find out."

Zero nods. "Yeah... you're right, of course. That's the best thing. Why don't you get some rest, Master, we'll have time to speak again before this is all over."

Roakkana nods quietly. "Oh, we will. Just a few hurdles to cross. See you for dinner, Zero." With that, the Wookiee ambles out of the room.

Zero blows out a breath and lies back on the bed. "Yeah. All the time in the galaxy. At least until the Council gets ahold of us..."

Zero closes his eyes. "Hell."

Roakkana knocks lightly upon Freyja's door, before poking his head in. "Child, do you have a moment?"

Freyja blinks, coming out of trance slowly, "Uh..." She blinks again, then smiles, recognizing the Wookie, "Sure, Master Roakkana."

The Wookiee smiles quietly. "Good. It's been some time since we have talked." He lowers himself to sit on the edge of the bed. "How have your studies been going while you have been here?"

Freyja smiles a bit ruefully, "Well... not as well as I'd hope to report to you, Master." She sighs softly, then explains, "I can contact both Vakkal and Zero mentally... but I'm no better yet at either holding the link, or communicating clearly." She considers, then adds pragmatically, "On the other hand, I think we're getting better at the physical practice. We rarely run into each other any more."

Roakkana smiles quietly. "That is good, at least. You will, I fear, have much practice in running here and there in coming events!" The mirth leaves his eyes, and he sighs a bit. Shaking it off, he asks, "With Piper Ridomr here, has your father made inquiries as to how long you shall be here?"

Freyja grins quietly, then shakes her head at Roakkana's query, "Neh, I was sure to explain the situation clearly to him right away, once I learned of the hold-up. Didn't want him sending increasingly cranky messages to either me or poor Piper."

Roakkana chuckles quietly. "On the other hand, he might start sending them to the Jedi Council!" He sobers a little. "You are progressing quickly through your lessons, Freyja, and are doing very, very well. That much I can see even without quizzing you. Are you still trepidatious about going to Balmorra?"

Freyja brightens at the praise... then considers the question for a long while. Finally she says slowly, "Hai, Master, although for a reason I'd not considered before." She wraps her arms around her knees again, resting her chin on them as she answers, "It was something Vakkal said that made me start wondering. He said no one can serve two masters... was I noble or Jedi?" She looks unhappily at the Wookie, "Master Roakkana... I don't know. I thought it was my family duty both to be noble, and to be the best I could at what I turned my hand to -- in this case, the Jedi Order. So... is it really that binary, Master? Must I abandon all my duty... all my loyalty and my oaths... to one or the other? And if I abandon one... how could the other ever trust me to keep my word, when I proved false once already?"

Roakkana makes a thoughtful sound. "It need not be, though Vakkal is not entirely incorrect. At some point some sort of choice will likely need to be made. First, from a pragmatic point of view, there are mechanisms in place, in both the noble system and the Order, for persons to honorably withdraw from one or the other, with no stigma. That, however, I sense, would be unacceptable to you.

"There is no precedent for Jedi to rule in the Republic. In fact for millenia it has been tradition. Jedi are guardians and protectors, not rulers. There would be too much fear at what we are capable of. To join the Order is, normally, to surrender the right to rule. In recent millenia this has been relaxed, in that the second, and third, and fourth children of nobles who tested well would be accepted into the Order -- a tradition, I understand, not unlike similar ones on pre-industrial Corellia, if such an age ever actually existed," he adds teasingly.

"You are a special case. You are the first child, the inheritor, to the Rigg dynasty, and a Jedi as well. There have not been many like you. Most have learned what they could from the Order, then when the time came to inherit, left the Order and applied what they learned to become good and respected leaders of their people. Others, some very few, of course, turned to the dark side and sought secular power besides by route of their titles and birthrights. That, I think, will most certainly not be you.

"I do not know of any middle ground, though that does not mean it does not exist. In a real sense, I imagine, we have become locked in a series of efforts to find balances between our conflicting natures, or journies, or codes. Each struggle is a symbol for the others. Even I find myself torn, at times, of late: Between my role as a Jedi master and as a proponent of the Balanced Force. Between the serenity of mastery, and the inherent rage that wells up within my people now and again. And between being a master with certain responsibilities and a master with two padawans. At least that last is easy to resolve. Would that the others were as easy!"

Freyja sighs, oddly reassured even though there's no easy path ahead. She's willing to face troubles... but to be forced to decide before she feels ready and prepared -- that smacks too much of home, of being under her father's sarcastic rule, for her to be comfortable with it. Knowing she has time to learn and decide what's best, though... that she can handle.

Freyja adds a bit pragmatically, "I'm going to have to try explaining this to this Fafnir person, aren't I... the poor guy has no idea what's up, really, I bet."

Roakkana says gently, "If you do not mind my saying, child... the fate of the Jedi Order will be decided well before you will need to decide between being a noble's inheritor and being a Jedi." He smiles quietly. "From what I understand, he is a student of history. I think it will not take as much explaining as it would for, say, your father."

Freyja says quietly, "But... I can handle that. Journeys don't scare me... it's making bad decisions too fast that I balk at." She listens, then nods slowly, "Hai, that is true, about the Order's fate, isn't it..." She grins a bit ruefully, "Oh, wolf-feathers... Father will not be pleased, will he." She sighs quietly again and smiles, resting her cheek against her folded arms and glancing sideways at the Wookie, "Thank you, Master Roakkana. I don't know how you do it... but things always look a bit clearer after talking with you." She grins shyly, "Um... if you don't mind, could I, ah... see the flowers?"

The Wookiee smiles quietly. "I'm glad I can provide some insight, child." He chuckles, and digs about in his baldric for a moment. "Certainly. Ah, here we are.... The apothecary has done a remarkable job of getting the flowers to regrow themselves into the ground of the cloister. Master Mynas had already taken to calling it 'Freyja's Cloister.'"

The small, still-life holo depicts the flowers as they arrived at the monastery, a bouquet at least three feet tall in a basket. The flowers are a mixed variety, of azure full-blown Scythian sky-roses, a riot of pink and red of carnatians, a garland of sage , and a blundle of blue violets and wallflowers.

Freyja blinks in startlement at the Wookie, "He... named it after me!?" but then she can't resist, and leans to curiously study the holo of the flowers. She blinks again at the flowers. Finally she says in a small voice, "Oh... they're... so lovely..." She hesitates, then says carefully, "Master Roakkana, are you sure those were for me?"

Roakkana smiles quietly. "I hope you do not mind that they were planted there. They honestly would not have survived the trip to Coruscant aboard a Starbird." He tilts his head to the side. "Child, the delivery card said "Freyja Rigg of Balmorra, Padawan to Master Roakkana, Abbot of the Monastery of Light. I sincerely doubt he could have been more specific had he included a sample of your DNA."

Freyja blushes faintly, and studies the flowers carefully. She's seen more dramatic floral extravaganzas for her sister... but these are the first she's gotten, that were really for her. The urge to defend herself against emotional hurt again due to assuming incorrectly is... rather strong, as a consequence.

She nods quietly, "I... hai, better they stay there. That way others can appreciate them too."

He nods. "I imagine he believed that you would not have had to leave Marnaas so quickly."

Freyja tilts her head, still regarding the flowers with silent wonder. For her... really for her... "Um... Master Roakkana, could I... have a copy? Would that be all right?"

A quiet laugh. "Please, keep that one, Freyja. Perhaps someday, when the name 'Marnaas' no longer fills us with such dread, we may return there and see them for ourselves." He stretches, stanind. "Well.. I think I shall check in with Vakkal, then get some rest. It shall be a long few weeks.

Freyja smiles, accepting the holo and looking way up at her (rather tall) Master. Her voice is quiet, "Thank you, Master Roakkana. I would like that, hai." She pauses, then says softly, "Thank you for coming to Balmorra too. I... can keep my serenity better around Father when you're there... I suspect I'm going to need all the serenity I can muster, this time."

Roakkana grins softly. "You are welcome, Freyja. I think it shall go well, though. If nothing else, be at ease there, and do not fear what events might transpire in the Core." He moves to leave. "You might wish to research the language of flowers, child," he says wryly. "I do not think that Fhazil Taas of Ziost chose those flowers but for their bright colors." And with that, he is gone.

Freyja blinks, looking after the Jedi Master... then in curious fascination pulls up her datapad and inquires -- what do they say?!

Roakkana has gone to sleep; the journey was indeed hard and did not sit at all well with him. He muttered something about 'hyperspace taking it's toll on the aged' but wouldn't go into details. It is later in the day, as Roakkana is napping soundly, that Vakkal pokes his head into Freyja's room. "Are you well, Freyja?"

After Master Roakkana left, Freyja did some research into the language of flowers. She's very curious, and finds it quite fascinating, murmuring her discoveries under her breath to herself as she reads, "Let's see... blue violets are... oh! Faithfulness, oh, my... and wallflowers -- faithfulness in adversity?" She blinks, then hastily continues, "Sage, sage, what's that... esteem, ah, okay... and pink and red carnations." She pauses, her eyes flicking back and forth as she reads, "Woman's love... and 'alas! for my poor heart'... er -- and roses, big blue roses, what are... uh... 'you are beauti-'" She jerks up, her face flushed, at Vakkal's entrance, "What?! Er, pardon..." She takes a breath, collecting herself, and says more carefully, "Hai, Vakkal, come in, I'm well. It's just..." She glances at the holo of the flowers -- and the blush rushes up her cheeks again in spite of herself.

Vakkal slips in, arching an eyebrow as he sees the holo. "Those are the flowers Fhazil sent?"

Freyja looks embarrassed, "I... you knew? Hai, they are. He sent... he sent me... flowers." There's still a faintly wondering tone in her voice when she says the word 'me.'

Vakkal grins quietly, and nods. "He mentioned that he wanted to do something for you like that, after he left. He said he would try to slice into the HoloNet before the Fervor left Republic space and send them to you. I guess he didn't realize we would have left Marnaas so quickly.

Freyja gives Vakkal a ruefully amused look, "I'm torn between 'why didn't you tell me he was going to do that?!' and... realizing it would spoil the surprise, of course..." She rubs her face, studying the holo almost disbelievingly as she murmurs softly, "Master Roakkana told them to go ahead and plant them in the cloister. Master Mynas... is.. calling it 'Freyja's Cloister.' After... me." She takes a slow breath, a small smile on her face. "I... no one's ever felt that strongly about me before... it's... very strange..."

She curls up on the bed, feeling both very nice and somewhat self-conscious. "Um... anyway, I guess that's enough blathering from me." She laughs softly, "What a day... I've never been feared before either!"

Vakkal grins quietly, leaning against the doorway. "So... which is better, to be feared or adored?"

Freyja blushes again, smiling, "I like ado- er, what?! Wait, he doesn't adore me!" She adds a bit uncertainly, "Um... does he?" She sighs, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. Resting her chin on her arms, she mutters, "Men should come with neon signs attached, so you can tell what they're feeling! 'Cause they won't tell!"

Vakkal laughs quietly. "Funny, that. I've heard both genders of a great many species say the same thing about the other gender or genders."

Freyja laughs, relaxing, "So've I, actually... especially about my sister." She grins, settling cross-legged, "How're you doing, Vakkal?" A bit curiously she adds, "Do you... miss your people? Do they take paramours, or... I'm not sure what you call the people you're love-bonded with?"

Vakkal grins, "Actually, you said you were feared today as well. So I asked you the same question you asked me several days ago: which is better, to be feared or adored?"

He thinks quietly. "I do not think about it," he says. "Leaving my people, that is. A lot happened in that. But for the most part, my people tend to mate for as long as the children are raised, with a single person. Since we achieved sentience, recreational coupling betweeen or within genders is not unknown. It's even encouraged prior to mating, so long as proper precautions are taken. Traditionally, coupling with someone outside a mated pair is not done because it confuses the children. Both the mother and the father train the children in the ways of the hunt, of preparing food, of survival. Once the children leave their parents' house, the parents may remain together or go their separate way, as they wish.

Freyja sighs, considering, "That... sounds nice and straightforward." She thinks a bit... then says slowly, "You were willing to trust me enough to come into Republic space, Vakkal. Zero and I must fulfill this quest... but after that, if you wish to return to your home... would you like company to go there? I don't know what's considered proper, but I'll go into Empire space with you so you can see your family again, if you want?"

Vakkal smiles. "I take life one bit at a time, Freyja. I do not yet know what I will do when this is done. I will not, however, be going back to Khar Valos, I don't think."

Freyja nods, "All right. It is but an offer." She considers... then curiously asks, "Vakkal... do you want to conquer a world, too, like Fhazil Taas seems to want?"

Vakkal's brow arches. "I didn't, no. I had... a number of reasons for leaving Khar Valos." He grins quietly. "How did you know Fhazil wants to rule a planet? I don't think that's the sort of thing that comes up in casual conversation."

Freyja says, "It doesn't? Huh... I think it did, actually, with Fhazil Taas." She tilts her head curiously, "So... do you know why he wants to?" She considers again, then adds, "Or wait... I think it was in the little report on him...?"

Vakkal chuckles, and nods. "Yes, actually. We've talked about it sometimes. He feels he can be a good ruler. He has ideas of how a government should be run -- the word he flung about was 'meritocracy.' He feels that the Force can be used to determine worthy candidates, and that a system can be set up whereby corrupt officials and rulers aren't allowed to rule."

Freyja blinks... then laughs softly, "Oh, my. I wish him fortune, then... he's going to need it!" Her tone is quietly wry, "There was a philosopher who wrote about philosopher-kings. Several of his more nobly born or wealthier students tried the experiment... they all were replaced, murdered, or pulled down by their people." She sighs softly, considering, then says quietly, "Pity..." She murmurs dryly, "I'm not even sure I myself am ruthless enough to make a good leader... and I've studied a lot of philosphy about the Force."

Vakkal laughs. "He actually said once, as if quoting, 'The Force shall become my lantern by which I will find honest men!' Of course, he then collapsed onto the table in a drunken stupor, but it had been a long trip, good wine, and pleasant company."

Freyja giggles! "Oh, that's classic, hai." Er, the lantern to find an honest man, that is..." She grins mischievously, her eyes dancing, "I don't know if his being drunk is classic.""

Vakkal makes a quiet sound. "Yes, there is a certain amount of ruthlessness by which a leader must rule. What do you do if someone dear to you is proven to have done something wrong, and must be punished? Any leader will say that they must be punished according to the letter and spirit of the law... but it is still a hard thing."

Freyja nods silently, her gaze distant. She looks thoughtfully at Vakkal, "Is it easier to be told to punish someone dear... or to have to do the telling?"

Vakkal's gaze is distant for a bit, before he makes another quiet sound. "Neither is easy, Freyja. A leader has ultimate responsibility for the carrying out of a sentence, and while someone else might be told to do it, they are responsible for that sentence. A good leader... doesn't forget that, and remembers it no matter wether they give someone a knife to carry out the judgement, or do it themselves...."

Freyja nods, "Hai... it's just I've never been handed the knife, as it were. I either had to tell someone else, or do it myself. So... I wondered." She regards Vakkal quietly, then says, "We can change the subject, if you prefer."

He rouses himself a bit, and smiles a little. "Hai... I mean, yes, please. What are we to be doing next? The Council?"

Freyja grins, and nods, "I think so." A little dryly she adds, "I'm thinking you might want to stay here for that."

Vakkal sighs a bit. "I would rather be by your side, but I suspect that the Templars are already looking at me oddly whenever I escort you to the steps of the Temple."

Freyja smiles, "They look at me oddly too... I can't help but wonder if Colburth has passed on to them my thoughts. I... um... questioned... some of their precepts..." She feels a small flare of happiness that Vakkal feels comfortable around her... then laughs suddenly, "Hey! Did you mean not to answer my question about whether or not your Brother was adoring me?"

"Hmm? No, I clarified it. You seemed confused when I asked you if you now felt which was better, to be feared or adored."

Freyja grins a little self-consciously, "I think I'll stick with adoration, however it's expressed, for now. I suppose a time will come when there will be some people where it's better if they fear... but until then I'd rather stick with love."

Vakkal grins, and nods, "I thought you would say that. I take it the experience of being feared did not sit well with you, then.

Freyja looks embarrassed, "I... had trouble believing it, actually. I think I used the wrong declension in Huttee, so I had this terrible urge to giggle at the Rodian's panicked reaction, since it was so unnecessary. I mean, there was no way I was going to eat him, you know? But... laughing would have been the absolutely wrong response." She shrug, smiling wryly, "I... don't think I know how to be feared yet, if that makes sense."

Vakkal grins, and nods, "I think it does. All in all, it went well, I think.

Freyja says slowly, "You know what bothers me the most, I think? Not being feared... oddly enough, I think I'd do the overly aggressive declension again deliberately, if that would help keep my friends safe. Neh... it's more I don't have a way to thank some of the people that helped."

Vakkal blinks. "You worry about being... intimidating enough? Having a clearly demonstratable power over someone for whatever reason?

Freyja blinks, then says, "Er... I'm not quite sure I understand, Vakkal, what you're asking?"

"Well... you said that the idea of not being feared bothered you. How would you want to be feared?"

Freyja looks puzzled, "Neh, not that. I meant that being feared wasn't important to me -- keeping friends safe and thanking people that help me is."

"Ah, I see! My apologies. Well... that would be a concern of someone who is concerned about the respect and adoration of the people she rules...."

Freyja blinks... then laughs softly, "Oh, my. I wonder why I even worry about this, when I don't know whether or not it's even relevant."

"Oh, it will always be relevant, Freyja. Maybe you won't be a Lord of State, or a Senator, but the precepts of leadership apply to all levels.

Freyja asks curiously, "Do the Sith teach leadership skills to their apprentices?"

Vakkal nods, "Usually, yes. That's the usual goal, at least of War and State: to raise the next generation of leaders.

Freyja looks fascinated, "What'd you learn?"

"Much of what you had related to me. The dichotomy of fear versus respect, though Lord Ghang would always say that we needed to earn respect, in both word and deed. He had a touch of the dramatic streak in him, which I think apppealled to Fhazil. Lord Ghang always came off, to me, as someone who was much more learned than one initially thought, being a Lord of War.

Freyja smiles, "One of my favorite maxims, from Mother, goes... 'courtesy is deserved. Love is given. Respect is earned.' She always used to say respect was the hardest to get, but love was the hardest to deal with." She considers that, then says ruefully, "Darn her... I think she's right."

Vakkal grins quietly. "I would not argue with her, myself."

Freyja grins at Vakkal's comment. She adds thoughtfully, "He sounds like he'd be a very interesting man to talk to." She pauses, then laughs softly, "Er... that is, if he weren't a Sith lord!"

Vakkal laughs. "Oh, he is. You might like him, actually, though you are not likely to see him anytime soon.

Freyja grins ruefully, "Um... if I have any say about it, I've seen all the Sith lords I need to, thanks all the same! I can't imagine coming to their attention would be that healthy, all things considered." She pauses, then says slowly, "Although... if we weren't at war, it might be nice... well..." She smiles and shrugs a bit.

Vakkal nods quietly. "Perhaps after the war."

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Last modified: 2002-Jul-16 16:14:54

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