These Shattered Stars -- Logs

The dawn comes up normally and quietly on the start of a new day. The diplomatic portion of the Planetary Government is up and about already. At a reasonable hour, someone arrives to deliver a datapad from Lord Methel-ssa's staff. It contains all the information available about the damaging attacks on places and people, as well as authorization for use of a hover-van.

Freyja accepts the datapad for the group, and consequently spends a small chunk of time interestedly cross-referencing the attacks with a map of the area, which contains listings of all buildings, ruins, and other potential hiding places. She checks both geographically and temporally for any potential patterns which might help the group locate and rescue poor Colburth.

The attacks seem to happen along one side of the city, all within a reasonable speeder's trip of each other. As a speeder is pretty quick, this does not really put a very small limit on the area, but it gives some direction. They don't circle around any one point obviously or show any pattern too clearly. There are a number of areas marked as "ruins," "cairns," or "off-limits" in the area as well. There are also a number of wrecked industrial areas which have not been repaired since the invasion took place, which could be used to hide.

The attacks seem to be on public infrastructure. The Sith have taken over and are operating all such facilities now, as part of the Unified Planetary Government. Several power plants and a couple of sewage treatment plants have been destroyed, with minor power-relays and communications links damaged. There are reports of the operators of those facilities being killed, all of them civilian engineers on the Sith government's payroll.

The unknown "cairn" or "ruins" sites might be revealing, as well as one in particular of the damaged sets of buildings -- a grain terminal with some large, concrete buildings that appears to be only partly destroyed. With most of the locals dead or relocated, there has been no need to rebuild it.

Freyja makes careful notes, based on the information, of possible locations for a dark, cold, intact prison room with poor light and ventilation. Then she carefully watches the blurry vids taken by the droid before it was obliterated, wondering if she can get anything from them. The video on the datapad shows a number -- impossible to tell quite how many: more than two, less than ten -- of fast-moving shapes converging and attacking. The signal is then lost.

Freyja sighs at the vids, wishing she could somehow see more clearly. She then adds thoughtfully to her friends, "I find it hard to believe Jedi -- even not-quite-Fallen ones -- would knowingly kill innocents manning public infrastructures. That part of the story bothers me. Do you suppose the manuses have captured and imprisoned more than just poor Colburth? From what Fhazil's said and I've seen, I don't think Methel-ssa would make up murders, or have innocent folks killed to vilify the manuses, after all."

Fhazil watches Freyja work. Eventually, he looks at the work too, and says, "Yeah, she seemed concerned about the people. I don't think she'd just slaughter them to blame the Jedi."

Freyja glances curiously at Fhazil, "You know, you didn't sound like you were just being a sycophant either when you were talking to her. You really like her, don't you? Or respect? Admire? Something like that? What's she like?"

Vakkal spends some time getting acquainted with, and learning to wear, the Sith armor taken from Alleine. Freyja wrinkles her nose as Vakkal wanders through in armor, grinning at him, "Phew!"

Fhazil says, "I respect her. While she is not my style -- she so lacks anything like flamboyance or style! -she works hard and never asks more of her staff than she would do herself. She asks a lot... but it's easier to do that for someone who's already doing a lot. Not all Lords are this way."

Freyja giggles at the style comment, then nods thoughtfully. "Hai, I agree. All right, we'll do our best to help her out here some." Slowly she adds, "Wouldn't it be interesting... if Fan turned up and she felt more self-confident...?"

Fhazil says, "What would that show, Freyja?"

Vakkal says, "Is it that bad? I could get rid of it if it's going to bother y'all. It mostly feels odd against fur... kind of squidgy, somehow... and tingles a little."

Freyja grins wryly at Vakkal again, "Well, it does practically scream out 'SITH HERE!' but aside from that... I could get used to it."

Vakkal says, "So does my species in general, and you seem to have gotten used to that..." He grins cheerfully.

Freyja laughs delightedly at Vakkal, then tilts her head thoughtfully at Fhazil, "Did you notice how she seemed utterly unfazed at the thought of just getting rid of Fan? That what stopped her was just lack of power, apparently?"

Fhazil says, "Oh, she must hate the things she's being made to do. I know she'll use a planet-wide tool like this if she feels it is needed, but usually she'll stop or back it off to a local effect once the risk of rioting in the streets has ended. She feels it wrong to waste power so."

Freyja says, "And we all saw how she reacted to the wastefulness of the Oather, and how he didn't care about the people. So..." her grin gets slightly mischievous, "that's why I wondered what would happen if she felt more powerful and confident... and Fan turned up! He's already shown he's thoughtlessly wasteful... and the last Sith lord who was like that around her... is dead!"

Fhazil says, "Oh." He considers Freyja's words. He finally says, "She'd either be viewed by Fan as a threat, or kill him and eat his liver."

Freyja smiles lazily, "Exactly... and then we'd have one less Sith lord to worry about, and one more person in power who understands power comes from below. Nice how that works out, eh?"

Fhazil gives Freyja an odd look, "Are you... encouraging Lord Methel-ssa to consider assassinating Lord Fan?"

Freyja smiles relaxedly and leans on one elbow, asking casually, "So... if she and Fan were fighting... would you get involved, Fhaziza?"

Fhazil grins, "Depends on who'd be mad at me."

Freyja laughs! "Good answer. Well, this is all just idle speculation, of course." She sits up, "So! I've plotted out some possible routes for us to take in order to pass near the ruins -- close enough to scan for life signs, at least. Want to try it?"

Vakkal tries to bend over to fasten a leg-covering. He says, "Ow," quietly, then glares at one of the overlapping plates. He reaches around to unfasten it. Tufts of fur drift down from the joint.

Freyja smiles ruefully, "Careful, sweetheart. Ask if you need a hand."

Vakkal nods, "Think this is up-side down."

Zero winces slightly. "You know, Vakkal, on Sedrak one generally has a trusted friend help with one's armor. It might hurt less."

Vakkal says to Zero, "Thank you, but not this time. It's part of learning how to wear this. If someone else does it, I won't be as effective." He grins, "Anyway, you don't want to get any on you."

Freyja glances over at Vakkal and shakes her head, "Vakkal, Zeriza's right -- get help putting armor on. It helps you learn how to do it right, and you don't lose any skin -- or fur -- in the process. Faster too, at least initially."

Zero says, "And most importantly... bits of the armor don't fall off afterward." Freyja nods once in firm agreement with Zero.

Manishsha comes over and looks at the plan, then says, "You know, Lord Methel-ssa suggested if we sent a Darksider out they'd get instant notice. While this is true, it sounds stupid and dangerous." He cocks his head and asks, "Do you think a Lightsider out would get the same attention? Particularly on Dark-held Dantooine?"

Freyja says, "I don't know, honored Watcher. They did capture and drug poor Jedi Knight Colburth, after all."

The Kushiban asks, "Was he just looking around, or was he snooping? Was he threatening to reveal them?"

Freyja says, "I'm afraid I don't know that either, Watcher Manishsha... but it's a good bet he was a worry to them. He did leave the Templars, after all. From what I've heard, that's just not done usually, you know?"

Vakkal, having gotten the part adjusted, manages to carefully sit down and say, "Next time, lovers, I promise." He closes his eyes and begins to meditate quietly, aligning the aura of the armor with his in the Force.

Manishsha says, "Right. Maybe we would get their attention with a Light presence, and maybe we could talk to them."

Freyja gets a slightly nauseous look for a moment, then hastily smoothes out her expression before Vakkal can see. She nods to the Watcher, "We could try that first, hai, if you'd like, honored Watcher."

Manishsha says, "I would suggest we get two vehicles and go out, one following the other. Put me in one of them, and I'll not shield my Force-presence. You should all hide yours. Once they're talking to me we can have you all join us or not, depending how skittish they are."

Freyja looks thoughtfully at the Kushiban, "You expect them to listen to reason then, hai?" Zero seems skeptical.

The Kushiban says, "I don't know, Freyja. I know we have to try, and if one of us gets separated it's best if it's me. You can't do some of your special things without each other."

Freyja nods slowly at the Kushiban, personally agreeing with Zero, "Hai, this is true... but we can do them at a distance from each other. If you're off on your own, how will we know if you're in trouble, or want us to come closer, or stay away? You've already said you don't drive."

The Kushiban says, "That's what the comm would be for." He adds, "I hadn't realized you could be apart... that might be most useful. I don't know if it's safe. I don't know if any of it is safe, though."

Freyja grins at that, "I suspect hanging out with theoretical apostates and heretics is never safe, honored Watcher."

The Kushiban grins, "True. I'm safer with you than against you, though. And that bodes badly for them, even if they are a manus. Maybe it would be best to stick together.

Freyja smiles, "Thank you, I'd prefer that, even if most of us stay muted in the Force." She looks at the others, "Sound like a plan, then?"

Fhazil says, "Sounds better to me. Do we all want to stay muted, and just do a reconnaissance pass this time to get the lay of the land, and try to lure them out another day?"

Zero says, "That might be best. Particularly if these ruins turn out to be extensive."

Freyja thinks a bit , then says to Fhazil, "Umm... dunno." She listens to Zero, then nods, "Hai, and also, if we can get a good feel for life signs, we can at least check off the ruins which are truly abandoned." She grins, "Excellent! Let's go, then -- we can even pack a picnic!"

Vakkal says, "That makes sense to me." He looks at the armor and says, "I'll have to mute this too. Hmm."

Zero says, "If it's simply for information gathering, you needn't bring it, Vakkal. We won't engage the enemy today."

Freyja grins at Zero, "Hopefully." She adds to the Watcher, "So you and I are unmuted, and the rest are, hai? Do I have that right?"

Fhazil says, "I would recommend we all go muted. I'd rather not attract their attention today. Let's just go take life scans and look for tracks. Then we can go in and try and engage them on our terms."

Freyja thoughtfully adds, "I think I will take the chrysalis sword along... just in case. I don't want it, um... blossoming? -and having some Sith have a hissy fit and destroy it, or something similar.

Vakkal says, "Okay, that sounds like a plan." He agrees, "Good idea about the sword." Unbuckling, he asks, "Do we leave Alleine here?"

Freyja nods to Vakkal, "Hai, that was our agreement with him."

The vehicle is easily obtained, and brought to the front of the compound for them. It is an enclosed sort of landspeeder, a kind of fast delivery vehicle or personnel transport. It hovers, is fast and agile, and pretty straightforward to drive. Zero nods softly. "I've driven worse. This shouldn't be difficult."

Freyja bounds cheerfully in, settling and saying, "Let's do it!"

The best path goes past two separate cairns, the ancient ruins, the damaged grain terminal, and then the last cairn. The trip out to the edge of town is uneventful, and the first cairn, at full speeder-speed is only a few minutes away.

Freyja has her datapad out, with the map up so everyone can see. The projected path leads by the various ruins and buildings at a discreet distance. To Zero she says, "This should keep us from getting suspiciously close. Once we're within range we'll try scanning for life signs. You keep driving like we're just passing by, all right?"

Vakkal watches and says, "What a lovely place. Look at all the open land." He sighs softly. Freyja nods quietly, her eyes getting a far-away look of their own. In some ways this place reminds her of her homeworld.

The landscape outside of town is quite open. Distance shows some high steppes far off, but mostly what is visible here is long stretches of gently rolling ground, covered in slightly lavender grass. Zero nods softly. "Dantooine is -- was -- very quiet. The perfect place for a Jedi academy -- who would ever bother you," he muses, "on a planet made of grass..."

The first cairn comes up quickly -- they're just notable lumps on the ground. This one is a big pile of stones, with little to differentiate it from the surrounding area other than the fact that it's here and too regular to be accidental. Grass grows in the gaps between the rocks, and the sun shines benignly on it.

Manishsha murmurs, "Odd. I don't sense anything unusual here. I thought we'd get something." He frowns consideringly, then says, "Y'all try." He worries silently the Sith or Sith armor nearby are distracting him.

Freyja obligingly reaches out with her senses, checking to see if there are any unusual life signs or Force sparks around. Then she blinks, looking a bit startled, "How... odd. How can the Force be... I don't know... washed out? Thinned?"

Zero says, "Interesting."

Freyja pauses, her head turning as she scans the area... and then she says in astonishment, "Good goddess! It's the rocks of the cairn -- the Force in this area has been pulled into them! That's why it's not as strong around the cairn, I think... the cairn's full of Force potential." She looks at the Kushiban, adding puzzledly, "Have you ever heard of anything like that before?"

The little Jedi says, "There are all sorts of odd manifestations of the Force, and we often find leftovers of older Force traditions that we don't understand and can't replicate. It's probably why there was a Jedi monastery here -- to try and fathom things like this." He adds, "But this is not an effect I've heard of, myself."

Freyja looks thoughtfully at the rocks, adding quietly, "So... would they act like a battery for you... or leech the Force out of you, I wonder?"

The little Kushiban shrugs and says, "Do you want to stop and find out?"

Freyja smiles, "Neh. Our goal is to rescue Colburth." She waves a hand out at the sunlit lavender hills, "Onwards!"

Time passes, and after a while the gentle roll of the speeding vehicle, and the warmth of the day combine to relax people. Freyja sings softly to the tune of a very old ballad several of the others may actually recognize,
"Away, away -- come away with me...
where the grass grows wild, and the wind blows free...
away, away, come away with me...
and I'll build you a home on the meadow..."

The second stop is another cairn. This one is a different shape, and a little larger. It's a curved wall of stones about six or seven feet high -- you can almost see over it -- and thirty or forty feet across. It makes nearly a complete circle, except for a path leading in.

All the Force users can see the leeching effect happens here also, a little more intensely than before. Manishsha and Freyja can also feel that at the center of this collection of stones there's a strange effect, almost a Force-vortex. The energies there move, but only very slowly. Manishsha says, "I wouldn't go in to the middle of this. While slow-moving, the energy there is very likely near-unstoppable, and you might find your essence swept away in to it. I wonder what these were built for and why?"

Fhazil says, "Strange. Never heard of anything like it."

Zero says, "Very unusual."

Freyja nods, eyeing the odd circle, "Very wyrd-touched. Let's move on!" She's quietly relieved to move away from that vortex. She's almost exhausted herself within the Force enough times through inexperience to not wish to lose herself that way!

The next stop is the old ruins. They are very old and very ruined, hardly more than a suggestion of foundations -- visible only as unnaturally straight lines in the grass. Sunlight plays over them and a light breeze makes this a pleasant and unthreatening place. Manishsha says, "This place is unremarkable, Force-wise. It's a pleasant enough place, but nothing odd is happening here. I don't see any trace of life past the expected wildlife, or any odd behaviors."

Freyja nods, consulting the map, "All right. That's the ruins. Onwards to the wrecked grain terminal, then one last cairn."

Vakkal says, "Too bad. This would be a nice spot for a picnic. I suspect the grain terminal will be less pleasant."

Freyja grins at Vakkal, "Well, want to stop here and eat, then, before we go on? I doubt it's the grain terminal, since the feeling Colburth sent was sort of dank. So it's either the last ruin... or we're on the absolutely wrong track." She thinks about it, then adds, "Well, it could be the grain terminal if it was abandoned due to an underground river welling up, or something similar."

Vakkal says, "Selfish of me, but I'd like to run a bit. This is... idyllic."

Freyja smiles, "Fine with me." She looks at the others, "Want to picnic here?"

Zero says, "We can stop here, certainly."

Fhazil says, "That would be fine. This looks like a nice enough place." Manishsha is happy enough to do so as well.

Freyja beams and bounds lightly out of the speeder, "Yay!" She stretches her arms over her head, rising up on tiptoes in a long golden arc. The breeze delights in her fiery-gold mane, ruffling it gently. A moment later she cheerfully yanks off her boots and trots light-footedly along the line of the ruin, calling to her friends, "Isn't it a simply gorgeous day?"

Fhazil watches Freyja and says, "Yes." Zero wanders off to one side a bit by himself, his cloak blowing, and looks out at the sun over the rolling grass.

Vakkal also stretches, shedding most of his clothes beforehand, and replies, "A beautiful day in a lovely place. Excuse me for a bit!" He then turns away from the ruins and runs off, exulting in the open space. Manishsha watches, "My, he certainly can run."

Freyja giggles, "Hai, that he can -- it takes a riding beast for me to keep up with him!" She does a few cheerful cartwheels just for the pleasure of it. A bit later she settles down, pulling the picnic basket out of the speeder. She spreads a blanket for everyone, setting out food and settling comfortably cross-legged on the ground. "Come eat, all!" She's wearing just a light athlete's top and the shorts she got on Garqi, so she's also very comfortable, almost glowing golden in the sunlight.

Fhazil spends time watching Freyja, and luxuriating in the warm sun. He murmurs, after a light lunch, resting, "I hope Vakkal doesn't get in to any trouble."

Freyja murmurs just as lazily, "Ask him." She sighs, sitting up with a smile, "Neh, we're letting the beauty of the day get to us -- we should carry on." She looks out over the rolling meadows, and the triat can hear her call, Vakiza? Time to go, sweetheart.

Vakkal's reply is, Coming! and in only a few moments he arrives, panting happily and scooping Freyja up into a warmer-than-usual embrace, laughing. Freyja laughs delightedly, hugging him cheerfully in return.

Fhazil grins, "C'mon, Vaki, let's not get too excited." The big canid gives Fhazil a quick glare, but gets dressed again and soon they're off.

Freyja says, "All right, on to the grain terminal!"

The grain terminal is visible long before it's reached. Once there were six huge concrete columns standing up in the air, with some other buildings around them and a long train of conveyor belts and equipment between them, and to-and-from the loading docks in front of them. All that remains are two silos, the other four having been bombed by the invasion attack and remaining collapsed in heaps of rubble and rotting grain.

Freyja tchs, the aristoi part of her shocked at the rotting grain, "What a waste, when the poor people were starving."

Vakkal says, "Probably impossible to get to it right away during the invasion, and once it had begun to rot, impossible to use. A shame, though." He lets his sense of tracking kick in, and says, "There have been people here. There's broken grass."

Freyja nods a bit sadly to Vakkal, murmuring quietly, "Still... the poor people..."

There are about a dozen concrete buildings around the silos, most of one or two stories. Some of the buildings are scarred by old fire, or bombed. The silos had a larger building that was at least five stories next to them. Manishsha's eyes are closed as he rocks gently in the speeding vehicle. He says softly, "There's life here -- something muting or hiding, much as we are. It leaves sort of a smudge on the Force. Something I'm not seeing, too. We should be careful."

Zero hms. "This would be the place to do it."

Freyja nods to the Kushiban, "We can form up in the triat to check if you'd like?"

Manishsha says, "If you like, and think you can do so without attracting attention." Freyja nods to the Watcher, then 'reaches' for her friends in the Force, to try searching most efficiently for life signs.

The Triat reaches out and senses. There are definitely people here. There also seems to be some Force here hiding deep underground, and trying to hide. It is almost visible because it tries so hard not to be seen that it leaves a hard, slippery feeling in the mind, rather than the calm absence of interference. The 'color' is right... the 'texture' is wrong. Freyja raises an intrigued eyebrow, murmuring, "Jackpot..."

Manishsha says, "Really? Interesting."

Vakkal asks, "What did we find?"

Freyja whispers within the triat, Tell them, sweetheart... you found it. What will we do now? Zero says, "That which does not want to be found. Underground. There are Force-users here, trying very hard not to be seen. And others. This complex is more extensive than it looks."

Freyja nods slowly, her ice-blue eyes gleaming silvery with the Force. "Now what, my friends? We really need recon, but I know neh way to get it."

Vakkal says, "Others? Maybe they know what's going on?"

Freyja says, "Maybe the manus or manuses didn't kill the innocents, remember?"

Zero says, "I wonder... "

Fhazil says, "Shall we go ask, or just make a flyby and come back?"

Freyja tries to remember as clearly as possible the conversation with Colburth. What time of day was it; what direction would the sun have been shining into the tiny vents? Zero says, "What if Colburth is here? I wonder if we could reach him telepathically..."

Fhazil says, "What, lover?" then, "ooh." Freyja nods absently to Zero.

Zero kneels down, looking at the ground but seeing beyond, trying to place among the myriad energy signatures just where a prisoner might be... a prisoner among prisoners... Freyja takes a slow breath, "All right, let us try reaching him. I don't know if we can get a directional... but we'll try." She uses her datapad to coordinate times and locations, while the Zero-element of the triat attempts to 'feel' through the life signs. The Freyja-element remains available to aid in a Telepathic attempt, though.

Freyja works out that her attempt would have been midafternoon local time, and the sun should have been slightly down past the highest point of the day. She combines that knowledge with the direction the sun appeared to be shining in the tiny vents, then calculates what compass direction the vents on the room would have to be, in order to accomplish that effect. Once she's figured that out, she can make an educated guess as to which side of the secret compound they should approach.

Freyja murmurs softly, waving a golden hand, "We should be on that side of this area..." Her choice of direction is the northernmost side. Freyja 'feels' for any information the Zero-element of the triat has, now he knows they're closer to their human goal.

The triat tries to reach Colburth and gets only a dim, muddy awareness trapped in murkiness and sloth, unable or unwilling to respond clearly. There is a slight touch of pain or sickness as well. Zero hisses softly through his teeth at the sensation. "Injured -- or poisoned." Freyja sighs softly in agreement, and wishes there was a way to pass health along a telepathic bond... they'll have to make do with encouragement and hope. She 'reaches' again to locate the poor man geographically, so they can orient in on him.

Fhazil comments, "Hopefully it's that they're keeping him drugged."

Zero says, "Too vague to tell..."

Freyja whispers, "He's nearby, under the destroyed northern end of the silos. Let's move." She adds softly, "This is as accurate as we can get -- we're going to have to blunder around in that area until we stumble across him, I fear." She sneaks closer with the others, slowly and carefully.

The prairie is quiet, and the wind through the wrecked buildings whistles oddly. There are several smaller buildings, all looking burned out, at the north end of the complex. There's also a landing zone with some crashed and burned speeders, and a large, half-melted looking truck in front of it, which is labeled "Magentoch Grain." A smaller, mostly burned sign on the cracked glass doors held office hours. The building was on fire, and now sits empty and still. Another less obvious building sits next to it, and an alley between them leads to the silos. A wide roadway also leads past the second building to the silos.

Freyja thinks quietly, Well, at least there are lots of places to hide. She can feel the warning from the Zero-element of the triat to be wary of both landmines and snipers, as well. She murmurs to the others, "Shall we try the outermost building, and work our way inwards?"

Zero nods. Yes. We should clear any blinds or other ambush points first... hmm. Wait. He glances up at the ragged edges of buildings and silo roofs. He pauses, then says, On second thought... let's start with the buildings and look for an entrance. Look. Birds... there is nobody in this place. They must be entirely underground. Freyja nods thoughtfully, and starts sneaking for the outermost small building's service door, as the most discreet entrance visible so far. Vents are their goal to find Colburth, but a door will do for now.

The office building is pretty clearly a burned-out wreck. There is a smaller building, about nine meters square next to it, which only looks a little scorched on one side. It has a big metal roll-up door facing the silos, which is closed. A smaller access door across around the corner from that, and across from the office building is also closed, and somewhat scorched.

A wide, paved lane separates the office and its outbuilding from the grain silos themselves. One side of them rises majestically into the air: six huge cylinders. The southernmost three are obviously damaged, but the northern three look better. On one side of the silos a maintenance building crawls a quarter of the way or so up them, about three stories. The other sides of the silos are festooned with conduits, cables, and what must be miles of piping.

Across from the silos, a large, enclosed building sits. It is only a couple of stories high, and has big doors that can be opened to admit who-knows-what. The doors are closed right now, and the building is quiet. A couple of other buildings sit past them -- one adjacent to the big building, the other lined up with the silos. The farthest south building was damaged when the silos were, and is obviously empty, also burned and scorched.

Zero sends to Vakkal and the Triat, Here's something a country boy might know that you all might not... these silos look just like the ones on Sedrak. Those often had some mechanism underground, and the hopper to empty the silos was often there too. If Colburth is underground, he's likely in that maintenance space. The rest of this looks pretty simple -- machine shops or whatnot.

Freyja lies in the grass next to the building, borrowing someone else's skills in the triat to remain hidden. A realization hits her as she studies the nearest undamaged silo, and the rest of the triat receive it as instantly as she. She sends to Vakkal, Vents... that's more like what we saw from Colburth. Let's try closing with the nearest silo and see if we can catch a dank, cold scent emanating from any vents -- as well as the scent of someone sick.

Vakkal replies, Let me go. I think I've got the best nose. He glides carefully across the bare ground between the buildings and the silos, watching for any movement. Freyja covers Vakkal as he leaves.

There is a long, tense moment where everyone worries something might happen, but Vakkal makes it to the silos unmolested. He begins to prowl along the base of them, scenting. He sends back, Lots of drains and vents and things. Several of them have a wet, moldy kind of smell. He begins to track along the side away from the building, sniffing. Before he goes out of view, he responds, Scents of people -- no one sick or any medicine though. Should I keep going? I'll be out of sight for a bit if I do.

Freyja murmurs, Neh. Cover us while we close. One by one the group moves to hide in the thick undergrowth by the silos; no one bothers the group as they cross. Birds watch from high perches on the silos, or flit a little further down. Freyja adds quietly to Vakkal, You've scented Colburth on Marnaas. No scent of him yet?

Vakkal's reply is sure, Not yet. I'll let you know. He leads along, sniffing at the openings. There are four drains and four vents along each silo on this side. The drains and vents on the first two silos looks as if someone has reasonably recently cleaned them, and pulled weeds and such away. The next silo is less well-cared for, and the fourth one, which is damaged at the top, hardly at all. The triat continues to cover Vakkal in all directions as he searches.

Vakkal's ears flick, and he hunches lower, sniffing and carefully moving overgrown grass out of his way. He sends, I think he's here! He's at the fourth silo, nearest the outside edge of the curve on the north facing side.

Freyja sighs in quiet relief. All right -- verify, please. If it's him, let us know and give us a moment to close.

Vakkal's nose does the check, and he replies, It's him. He's down here. The triat cautiously closes with Vakkal, one at a time. The Freyja element of the triat studies the vents Vakkal is indicating, while the others cover.

The vents are unremarkable. There are four of them, each about 45 centimeters across, with round ducting leading off to different places. The ducts on the one Vakkal indicates lead down and slightly inwards. They look reasonably sturdy, but a lightsaber or even a hacksaw would get right in -- vermin or bare hands would not. There are other vents, but they are fifteen feet away from this one, and the ductwork leads off in another direction before it vanishes underground. Vakkal looks around the silos and comments, I think we'll have better luck going in through the maintenance space, unless Manishsha is small enough to get in here.

The vents in question are the only ones at ground level. There are four of them, spaced evenly around the outside of the silo and several meters apart. They are mounted vertically on the walls of the silo, on the ductwork that leads to wherever it is they are venting. Two of the four on this silo have ductwork that leads into the silo at a very sharp angle, and are obviously not ones anyone would have seen a sunbeam coming in through. Two of them, however, have ductwork that vanishes straight down into the ground -- which would have let in a sunbeam stream, in the late afternoon and evening. It is one of these which Vakkal has identified as having Colburth's scent.

The triat considers for a few moments, then reluctantly agrees they're going to have to go through the maintenance building to find Colburth. One of them whispers their conclusions to Manishsha, to keep him up to date and to warn him they're likely going to be forced into conflict with whomever guards the prisoner. Then the group slowly and cautiously starts working their way to the maintenance building.

After working carefully around the silos, it is clear there are three entrances; a service entrance at each end and a loading dock space in the middle. The southernmost side seems abandoned and quiet, its entrance blocked with rubble. The two collapsed silos make a great heap of rubble and rotting grain, obscuring the wall and much of the space between the silos and the southernmost building.

Freyja pauses by the southern side of the least damaged of the four damaged silos, studying the wall thoughtfully. Might be wisest to try sidestepping the guards entirely, neh, by cutting in through the outside? She adds quietly, in a whisper so Manishsha can hear also, "Our mission goal is rescuing Colburth -- not making an issue of confronting the manus. That's something we should do only if they force a confrontation."

Vakkal looks up the imposing wall of plasticrete and replies, I'm not sure guards are more dangerous than cutting in to this. What if it's full of grain, or rainwater? Or what if it just comes down on us? It looks kind of... big.

Freyja murmurs, Don't know that much about plasticrete... but if you really think guards would be better to face than this, I'll take your word for it. She eyes the pathway between the silos, then sighs and shakes her head. It's too packed up with garbage... they'll have to backtrack and try the northernmost entryway of the maintenance building. She passes that thought on to the others, and starts cautiously sneaking that way.

The others stay with her. The northernmost door is a regular access door. A faded sign next to it states, "Hard Hat Area". There does seem to be a faint path warn in the dust in front of this door, and it looks as if it opens easily; no soot or rust on the hinges or handle.

Freyja frowns, disturbed to realize this is most likely the common entryway of the guards -- she'd really prefer to avoid them if at all possible. To Vakkal she whispers, Can you check around the corner and see if the other doors are equally well traveled?

Apparently wordlessly, and a bit to Manishsha's concern, Vakkal replies, Moment, and darts off down the side of the building. It only takes him a couple of minutes to reply, There is some traffic at the dock in the center, too. The southernmost door is fairly buried in rubble from the fallen silo. I'd hate to have to get to it. He returns quickly, his silent, loping jog eating up the ground.

Freyja sighs, worrying about discreet entry. All right, then which door would open the most quietly, do you think?

Vakkal's reply is confident, This one; the other one is a big roll-up metal door. They're always kind of noisy.

Freyja nods and sighs again in worry. Again she vocalizes, so Manishsha can hear, explaining which door they'll be entering and why. She consults wordlessly within the triat, then adds softly, "Zero and Fhazil will lead. You and I will follow, and Vakkal will tail. Our goal is slipping Colburth out discreetly, not picking a fight! First try should be to confuse them with the Force. Knock them out next, if necessary. Open attack is the last ditch effort."

Manishsha agrees, nodding and saying, "Let's not get split up. We'll be more effective if we stay together."

Freyja smiles ruefully, not doubting for a moment that plan won't survive contact with reality, but simply glances at the door, which Fhazil is already silently and stealthily opening. Fhazil and Zero sneak into the room, immediately moving to each side of the door so as to keep it clear. Fhazil sends, Okay, this is a little strange. Y'all can come in.

Fhazil and Zero can see a four by five meter room. It probably once served a very different purpose than it does now, but it appears to be a waiting room. There are two doors, one at the west side marked Authorized Personnel Only and one almost opposite the entry door. The one opposite the entry has been cut in half and a counter bolted to the top of it. A sign on the wall reads Magentoch Grain And Storage and a smaller sign on the desk reads, ring bell for service. A small bell sits on the impromptu desk next to the sign. There are a number of large, closed cabinets against the walls for storing something, and a couple of chairs.

Freyja murmurs quietly, Don't get stalled. Head in the direction most likely to take us to Colburth, and keep an eye out for guards.

Vakkal looks at the cut on the half-door and notes, This is recent. Do you think someone is still trying to live out here? The Triat can only see a long hallway through the half-door, and it's the wrong side of the building. They move to the Authorized Personnel Only door and check it carefully.

The lock on the door is trivial, and it takes just a moment for Zero to flick it open. He and Fhazil once again frame the door; seeing a storeroom full of barrels and shelving. Much of the barrels seem to be fuel, and some of the crates are labeled as tools or machine parts. There is a clear path through the room to a door at the far east end, labeled Stairs.

Fhazil and Zero arrow to the stairwell door, and open it carefully, looking for any threat and finding none. As the door is open far enough for someone to slip through, the utterly simple alarm they didn't see right behind it is tripped. Tripped is literal, because the "alarm" is a pan of ball-bearings and large nuts set on a narrow ledge behind the door. The door knocked it over, and the metal parts in the pan fall out and hit the steel grating of the landing with a loud clattering. Besides that, it's an unremarkable stairwell, with steel-grating stairs and landings, and tubular handrails. It goes up and down both. Light comes out of the landing below.

The triat goes still, doing a sensory check to tell if anyone's coming fast. There is an expectant pause, followed by a sharp clanging and someone saying, "Ow!" A moment later someone opens the door at the bottom of the stairs and calls questioningly, "Hello? Who's there? Can I help you?"

Freyja smiles quietly, realizing the voice sounds Human and male... and was speaking Aurabesh. Over the link the triat tells Vakkal they're going to try having Freyja do the damsel-in-distress bit. She straightens, her intent expression smoothing out into something less martial looking, and calls back, "Oh, thank goodness someone's here -- do you know anything about repairing 'speeders?" She trots lightly down the stairs, her clanging footsteps covering her friends' more cautious tread.

The Human man who is peering out of the lighted doorway at the bottom of the stairs isn't yet quite into middle age, and is tall, broad, and sturdy. The solidity of his muscles and the cut of the very simple clothes he is wearing cries, 'farmer!' He is nearly two meters tall, and proportionately broad, while his short hair is a dark brown. He is holding a blaster pistol in one hand, but lets it down when he sees Freyja, and smiles his winning-est smile at the very pretty lady. He says, "Gosh, miss, you startled us something awful. My brother Fel will probably be able to help you out. My name is Tuley."

Freyja blinks, "There are several of you here? What are you doing living in..." she looks around, then grins, "well, silly question, I guess. Is this where your clan is located?"

The big man steps the rest of the way out onto the landing, and gestures to Freyja to come into the lighted room. He looks a bit startled when he sees the others, "Uh... you've got people with you." Her question and her smile get his attention again, and he puts the giant dog-man and the bunny out of mind to say, "We've been right here for a long time, miss. No way we're going to give up our land or the terminal just because those Sith bastards want us too." He grins widely at her.

Freyja laughs and nods, "Hai, neh reason to do that!" Curiously she scans him with the Force -- how is he refusing the mind control everyone else seems to be laboring under? She smiles guilelessly, following him into the room, "How many of you are there?"

The big man politely holds the door for the others -- he watches Freyja, though, asking her, "You mean here at the Terminal, or in the area? There's several of the smaller homesteads who refused to give up and go into the cities when the Sith first attacked. Like us, they'll be damned if they'll just walk off their family lands." Inside the room a complex piece of machinery stretches from floor to ceiling. This room contains it, and the base of one of the silos. The other silos are in other rooms, leading off south of here. Lying on top, with an arm inside the machine, is another smaller Human. He smiles and says, "Moment -- let me get this put together a bit, and I'll be right out."

Freyja looks around wide-eyed, "Whoa. Is this the Terminal? I came here because a sick friend called, and the call originated in this area. Oh!" She looks worriedly at Tuley, "Maybe you've seen him? His name is Colburth, and he's about this tall..." She gestures for the correct height, and adds a quick verbal description of the Human male, finishing anxiously with, "Have you seen him?"

The Force doesn't reveal anything unusual about either of the two men. Both of them seem to be perfectly normal Humans. The mental push from the Sith is still there, exhorting, "relax... calm... happiness..." like it always has. Perhaps it hasn't affected these people much because they're usually fairly good-natured anyway; perhaps they're just too strong-willed to be pushed around so.

Both men look a little oddly at Freyja at that. She even catches one of them -- Fel, the one who is busily trying to get himself extracted from the large machine -- frowning a little. Tuley says, "Funny you should ask about that. Maybe you should come upstairs and talk to Mama. You can tell Fel where your speeder is, and he can go have a look at it." He looks over Fel and says, "Right, Fel?" The younger man nods emphatically.

Freyja looks a bit surprised, then more worried, "What is it? Is my friend seriously hurt or something?"

The big man says, "I think Mama'd be better at explaining that. She'll be upstairs." He sounds somewhat firm about this.

Freyja looks between the two men, then says equally firmly, "Fine. I want to get to the bottom of this too." She turns and darts lightly upstairs, strides over to the counter, and rings the little bell. She passes along the link a warning for them all to be up quickly, so no one is left to tell Fel where the 'speeder is. She also wonders a bit bemusedly why farmers would apparently capture Colburth... what's he been doing here?!

Tuley ushers the group upstairs, still carrying his blaster. Freyja's ringing of the bell does not bother him, and he says, "Well, that's fine." He settles in to wait, standing by the door that leads out and looking slightly wary and uncomfortable. Fel shows up shortly thereafter, looking significantly less greasy and carrying a blaster rifle.

Freyja adds over the link, He's a Jedi -- how could these people have harmed him? She raises an eyebrow at the blasters, stares evenly at Tuley... then pointedly looks away. She might as well continue the worried-little-girl effect.

Vakkal tries unobtrusively to keep himself between Freyja and the man with the rifle -- he's much better prepared to be shot pointblank with such a thing. He sends over the link, I really don't want to have to hurt these folks. They aren't doing anything wrong out here. He seems unworried of what such an outcome would be.

Freyja, still musing, adds, Wait... someone's keeping the Force stealth up. These people must have a Jedi, or the manus, living here with them, perhaps? She watches down the hallway, mentally calculating where the doorway to Colburth's silo might be, as she waits for 'Mama.'

Shortly a large woman comes out of a door at the end of the hallway and marches down to the half door. She is a little larger than Tuley, and just as strongly built. She leans on the counter at the top of the half-door and says, "Hello. I'm Rose Magentoch. Can I be helping you folks?"

Freyja lets it all come out in a rush, like a farm girl, "Hai, please. I'm looking for a sick friend of mine named Colburth, and Tuley there is acting suspiciously and I'd like to know what you've done with him?!" She adds indignantly, "And why are you keeping him?!"

The big woman frowns at Freyja, then says, "You tell her that name, boys?" Both men shake their heads no. The matriarch of the family says, "Your 'friend' is a guest here. We're looking after him for some friends of ours who needed a safe place for him to stay while they do their work." She frowns and adds, "They warned us you might be coming."

Freyja says with calm disbelief, "Uh-huh. If that's the case, I'd like to see him myself, thanks." She adds sharply, "Furthermore, he's a Jedi... did you know you're helping the Sith?"

The big woman snorts, "So you can kill him? Or take him away to be tortured some more? I don't think so." Freyja's interjection is met with a bark of laughter and, "They said you'd lie about who you were!" She looks deadly calm when she says, "They warned us that the Sith would come and try to reclaim their own." She points at Vakkal and says, "I've seen the likes of him before on the 'Net, and I believe them now."

Freyja's eyes narrow, "I am a healer, Human. If you really want to help him, you'll let me see him. Did you never wonder why supposed Jedi couldn't heal him themselves? It's because they aren't Jedi. That, or they were his torturers. Show him to me and I'll heal him, and you can ask him yourself."

Rose says, "Not like I've got much choice, is it? Least three of you look to be fighters. I told our friends I wouldn't give up my life or my land to protect this one."

Freyja says quietly, "You do have a choice... but you are making the right one in letting us see Colburth. He is a good man -- he does not deserve to be left, ill and alone, by his attackers. I know you believed them, and I do not blame you for it... but please, for Colburth's sake, let me heal him. I want to know the truth of this also."

The big woman picks a set of keys off of a hook on the back of the door, and says, "C'mon then." As she leads back downstairs she adds, "He ain't that hurt. Got a broken leg. They told me he was trying to escape and fell further than he could handle. We keep him asleep most of the time, as they told us to. Get him up and make him walk around some every day. Give him some food. He's probably a little dopey from the drugs, but he gets around. We are lookin' after him best we can." As they pass through the room with the machine Fel was working on, Rose adds, "They've been very helpful to us. We desperately needed the supplies and the contacts in town."

Freyja nods, listening, then suddenly adds confusedly, "'Reclaim their own'? Hold on... Colburth's neh Sith! I'm the one trying to reclaim him -- and I'm certainly neh Sith either!" She quietly makes sure her friends keep the two young men in sight -- they don't want a surreptitious call for help going out.

Unlocking the door at the south end of the room with the machine, Rose leads the group through into another similar room. This one's machine is assembled and seems to work. Rose turns on overhead lights as they enter, and says, "Our friends are Jedi; they proved that to use. They told us this is a fallen Jedi who the Sith are trying to claim." At Freyja's claim of non-Sithitude she snorts and says, "Then why've you got him with you?" and points with a thumb at Vakkal.

Freyja smiles, "Because not all of his species are Darksiders. He's a good and true friend; he's saved my life more than once." She adds indignantly, "Colburth is not Fallen -- how dare they impugn his honor so?! Especially considering they're oath-breakers themselves!" She muses for a second more, then adds, "How did they prove to you they were Jedi?"

Rose unlocks the door leading to the third silo and leads them through it, saying, "They had lightsabers, and they told me in detail about the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. I went there once, long ago, and no Sith could have seen it."

Freyja smiles, reminiscing, "Ah, hai, the Temple. It is inspiring, isn't it?" A bit dryly she adds, "Of course, that is where they should be -- not here. They're Templars." She grins, adding, "I'm just a regular garden variety Jedi Padawan, myself." Her tone is light -- she's obviously teasing.

Vakkal sends over the link, Freyja, perhaps you might mention your name... if she watches the HoloNet perhaps she knows Haus Rigg, or has even seen your picture. If so, there's no way you're a Sith.

Freyja curiously asks, "Do you get more of the holovids from the Republic out here? If so, maybe I can give you a name that will reassure you as to my truthfulness?"

Rose unlocks the door to the fourth Silo, the slightly-damaged one. She says, "We do still. Once a week the boys and I go over to Magintyrrs and watch their unit with them. Get the news, see how things go, see what we're missing."

Freyja grins at Vakkal's thought -- it hadn't occurred to her to try trading on her haus name! He's right, though -- if the woman's seen the recent big social to-do of the marriage, then perhaps she'll recognize most of them. She beams at the woman, "Oh, excellent! Did you by any chance see the most recent social whirl -- the Balmorran Haus Rigg union with Haus Jotunsen?" She counts on her fingers, "That was, um... let's see... about 3 or 4 months ago?"

The farmer woman snorts, "Big to-do over some rich kids getting married. It's led to Balmorra being all unstable as the politics settle. What were they thinking?" She looks to her two boys following the group, and asks, "Y'all remember it any better than that?" Fel nods, "Big wedding with all the strange Balmorran costumes." Tuley says, "Uh... not really, Mama." Fel chuckles, "You were too busy making eyes at Deeh Magintyrr."

Freyja grins more widely, and her tone is gently teasing, "Did any of you notice if the husbanda was at all pretty? The Arving Lady Freyja Erde of Balmorra's Haus Rigg?"

Fel says, "She sure was, miss." Rose snorts, "Parading about in swanky silks and gold paint. Not be very welcome on Dantooine."

Freyja laughs! -then grins, "Well, it was quite hot and heavy at the time, I will admit. However, honored Kuras Rose Magentoch, I will endeavor not to appear on Dantooine dressed that way." She places a hand lightly over her heart, adding with a smile, "I do trust my current, more pragmatic garb meets with your approval?" To Fel she says, still grinning, "Surely you saw Vakkal there in some of the distance shots? He's my huskarl, after all."

Opening the last door, Rose comments, "It's a little tight... you'll be distracting me boys..." then stops and looks at Freyja. She looks again at Vakkal, and Fel makes a little, "Oh!" of recognition before he adds, "The news was quite aflutter with him, Mama, remember?"

Freyja smiles, although it's warm and friendly and carefully not teasing this time, "Then I shall not remove the overcloak while here with your boys. Will that meet with your approval, honored kuras?"

Rose gives Freyja a hard look, then says, "By the Moon! You're really her." Tuley manages to comment, "Wait'll I tell Deeh we had a real princess in our house!"

Freyja smiles, giving a slight, graceful bow to the woman, "Indeed, it is I. I am honored to make your acquaintance, honored Magentoch, and I hope we may be friends." She adds cheerfully, "If you really want I can show you my lightsaber too!" She carefully hides the mental giggle at the lascivious thought from Fhazil which that comment engendered!

Rose says, "You're the Balmorran Princess. I saw you on the 'Net myself. You ain't no Sith." Her eyes narrow as she says, "Someone's lyin' to me, and I don't much like it." She gives up and opens the last door, letting them all into the room where Colburth is being kept.

Freyja's humor vanishes in a flash when she sees Colburth. A soft, "Oh, neh -- poor Colburth!" is all that escapes her lips as she darts over to kneel next to him, pulling out the medkit immediately. She carefully and quickly checks to make sure it's only a broken leg and anesthetic harming him before she tries any healing.

He is sleeping on a cot under the vent Freyja saw in her vision. The walls in this room are damp with water leaking in, and the floor stained with where water was standing in it before they drained it to put the sleeping man in. The big machine that works the silo's exit is rusted and untended, with some parts obviously missing. The overhead lights aren't working, and Rose turns on a portable lantern sitting on a table by the door. There is also a pitcher of water and a glass there.

Freyja is unconsciously murmuring quiet reassurance as she sets the medkit on the Human male, set to heal. She shakes her head slowly in worry and regret, gently brushing his hair back from his gaunt, unshaven face, waiting for the healing to finish as much as it can. She'll take it from there.

Unable to overcome years of motherhood, Rose says, "Tuley, go and fetch some food. Colburth'll be hungry when he wakes up." Tuley nods and moves off to do that. The medkit takes just a few minutes to finish the healing of Jedi Colburth's leg, but the anesthetic keeps him asleep.

Freyja sighs in relief once the medkit reports successful healing, then gently lays her hands on the unconscious man. The triat verifies their Force Stealth is still up... and then the Freyja part of the triat gently calls on the Force to Dispel Poison and clear the anesthetic from Colburth's system. She calls softly, "Colburth? Jedi Colburth, please awaken... you're safe now."

Colburth does wake up, slowly. He blinks at the light, and at Freyja. He frowns, then says softly, "Padawan Freyja. You should never have come here." He sighs, then adds, "Thank you."

Freyja smiles, her eyes bright and aglow with the Force, "It's a pleasure to see you again too!" She grins, rising gracefully and holding out a hand, "Come. We have to get you safely off planet, and we have to help these people too, if there's a way." She tucks her medkit safely away, adding sincerely to the Human woman, "Thank you, honored Kuras Magentoch, for believing in us." She adds with gentle humor, "And... a bath, I think, for you, Jedi Colburth!"

Colburth sits up, slowly and with Freyja's help, saying, "I hope we can help these people." He smiles and adds, "Thank you, Lady Magentoch and sirs. I know you've done your best and I appreciate it. The Jedi will help you get your planet back." Tuley has returned, carrying a bowl of stew. Colburth says, "Oooh!" at that, then adds, "I hope we can pause long enough for me to have a bite. I feel like I got hit with a landspeeder."

Freyja grins, "Hai, although is it all right if we talk upstairs? I know I'm likely not the only one who wants to know who the people were who brought you here!" She adds over the link, And we should bring in the landspeeder, in case we must make a quick getaway.

Colburth looks at Fhazil and Vakkal in a bit of confusion, but decides not to ask here and now. He also sees Manishsha, and says, "Hello, Watcher Manishsha." The Kushiban smiles, "Jedi Colburth, it is good to see you well."

Rose says, "Upstairs is best. We're burning all these lights we don't need to be." She shoos people out, shuts off lights, and locks doors behind them. The room they wind up in is on the second floor: lighted by large windows; furnished with large, heavy furniture made of industrial timbers and I-beams (probably in the machine shop by Fel and Tuley); and upholstered with dark green pillows. It is sturdy and surprisingly comfortable. Rose lets Colburth settle and eat some stew, watching carefully. She finally asks, "All right. Who's lying to me? Y'all are not Sith... at least the Princess Freyja isn't, and her aide there. Nor are those who left Jedi Colburth with us... but they said you would be, and that Colburth was dangerous." She looks at the thin, scruffy Jedi and adds, "Should I be afraid of you?"

Freyja will carefully help Colburth up the stairs, and settle him with a chair and the bowl of stew wherever the Magentoch family indicates would be best. Then she looks around in quiet appreciation of furniture made lovingly by hand, settling comfortably cross-legged nearby and waiting until Colburth has had time to eat some as well. At Rose's question she also looks extremely interested, "Hai, what happened, Jedi Colburth? Did the Templar manus capture you?"

Colburth smiles wryly, "You could say that. I came looking for them, and I found them. It was no surprise to anyone they could capture me. I was sure they wouldn't, though."

Freyja looks curious, "Why did you believe that, please?" Then she adds thoughtfully, "Wait. Most important right now is to answer kuras Rose's question, I think. Plus, the sooner we're out of here, the safer for them, hai?"

Colburth nods. He looks at Rose, "This is Padawan Freyja. I suspect she has told you no lies. The others you have met are also Jedi, and have probably been at the least obscure with the truth. They are convinced they are doing the right thing to stop the Sith and for the Jedi, despite the fact that what they have done goes against some of the things they believe in." He sighs, "I cannot say they are bad people for doing this, but I think they are trying too hard and making poor choices." He adds to Rose, "I used to be a member of their order within the Jedi, and I thought they would listen to me and go home. I was wrong about that."

Freyja looks inquiringly at the Human woman, hoping that will answer all her questions. Rose listens, then asks Colburth, "What have they done that's so wrong? They're here to stop the Sith! Isn't that the right thing for them to be doing?"

Freyja says gently, "They swore a sacred oath, honored kuras, to serve the people of the Republic. It is the will of the Republic that the Templars never leave the Temple. These Templars have chosen to disregard their oath and leave the Temple to come here and fight the Sith. They could have chosen to leave the Templars and then come -- but they did not. They decided they knew better, and broke their oaths -- and have made all Jedi appear untrustworthy."

Colburth nods, agreeing and saying, "It is not that Jedi should not come fight Sith... it is that these Jedi should not. They've taken a sacred oath never to leave the Temple or to leave it undefended, and breaking that oath and being here as they are is what's wrong."

Freyja adds quietly, "Believe me, kuras Magentoch, we are doing our best to end this war. One of the reasons we so greatly need to convince these Templars to go home is because we have talked the Sith into meeting to discuss peace with us -- here, on Dantooine. We've almost met all the requests they have in order to leave all the planets they've currently occupied. We don't want these Templars to change the minds of the Sith." She adds, "The Sith warlord is due here in less than a month."

Rose nods, "I see." At Freyja's addition she inhales sharply and says, "And they won't listen to this and go home?" Her face darkens as she adds, "Loose cannons, these Temple-Jedi."

Freyja nods unhappily, "Hai, to our shame. But we will do our best to convince them to leave peacefully... and if not, we will do our best to remove them." She looks at Colburth and adds, "And part of that is getting you off the planet and to Balmorra. Master Roakkana will know what to do and whom you should talk to. Do you feel ready to go now?"

Colburth nods, "Yes." He says to Rose, "We'll do everything we can, Lady Magentoch. You have done well for me, and I appreciate it. I hope my disappearance will not cause you grief." The woman smiles, "I told them that if the Sith came I would give you up. They said they understood." She points to Vakkal, "Sith came. I can say that with as much truth as they've given me." Vakkal grins toothily at her.

Freyja laughs! -then rises, still smiling. She steps over to the Human woman and gently takes her hand, bowing slightly over it, "Kuras Magentoch, you have shown yourself an honorable woman and a wise head of your clan. I salute you, and thank you for your kindness to us and our friend. If we can be of assistance to you, we shall -- you have but to ask."

The older woman says, "There are a few critical supplies we never have enough of. A few extras of those would be a big help." Power cells for the blasters and the heavier equipment, and medkits, are both on her short list.

Freyja nods, makes a careful list, and promises to bring as much as she can. Then she carefully bundles Colburth into the landspeeder. Waving cheerful goodbyes, the group leaves -- hastily. They make all speed back towards the city, with Freyja standing by to answer the inevitable questions Colburth will have once he realizes where they're headed! Freyja also comments cheerfully to her friends that they now have a good use for some of the medical supplies they've been carrying around for so long.

Colburth says, "Padawan Freyja, Padawan Zero, Manishsha... Fhazil, Vakkal... I don't know what you're all doing here, or how you got here... but thank you." He looks particularly at Fhazil and Vakkal, and asks curiously, "What are you doing here?"

Freyja giggles, "They're helping!" She giggles again at the exasperated look Colburth gives her, then cheerfully adds, "Neh, seriously. Vakkal is my huskarl, and Fhazil and Zero and Vakkal and I are paramours."

Colburth rubs his face tiredly, and jumps a little as the faux tries to climb into his lap and lick his fingers. He says, "Hello, little critter!" and rubs her behind the ears, which she seems to like just fine. He listens to Freyja's explanation and lets it digest for a moment before saying, "But... excuse me for not understanding... aren't Fhazil and Vakkal Sith? You know... deadly enemies, untrustworthy villains, the whole thing?"

Fhazil shrugs and grins, "I guess I'm not a very good Sith, eh?"

Freyja grins, "They are Sith, hai, but Vakkal's a Bright Sith, and Fhazil-" she cuts off to say indignantly, "You are too a good Sith!" A moment later she blinks, realizing how that sounded... then just laughs! "All right, you win -- you're a bad, bad Sith!"

Fhazil says teasingly, "Ooh, does this mean you'll punish me later?" and leers at her. Vakkal rolls his eyes, then says to Colburth, "If you hang around long you'll get used to this."

Freyja snickers, then cheerfully explains the concept (but not the details) of the triat to Colburth, finishing off with, "So that's why the three of us are together. Plus, as a former Oather Vakkal had neh where to turn, and we couldn't just stand by and let him get killed, so I asked if he'd like to be my huskarl and he accepted, and so here we are!"

Colburth asks, "What's a Bright Sith?" and Vakkal explains to him. After a few more minutes he says, "Well, I've certainly seen stranger. Rescued from bad Jedi is enough, but to be rescued by Jedi and good Sith is... odder than I realized." He looks over to Manishsha and asks, "How do the Watchers feel about this?" Manishsha says simply, "We're keeping an eye on things."

Freyja nods, "It's certainly a case of politics and odd bedfellows, hai." She adds a little sternly, "And how could you have not realized oath breakers would have neh compunctions about capturing you, hey? You really worried us all!"

Colburth says, "I didn't realize how self-deluded they are. I thought they'd listen to reason, and that they'd let me leave again."

Fhazil mutters, "Can't be that much odder than him," and gestures toward Zero, who's flying the speeder. Vakkal pokes him.

Freyja snorts amusedly, then turns and pats Colburth's arm lightly, "It's all right... at least you're safely out of their hands now. We'll make sure you head off for Balmorra first thing tomorrow, all right? Talk to Master Roakkana. Where's your ship hidden? Oh, and have you room for a few passengers as well?"

Colburth glances over to Zero, then asks, "Oh. So where are we going?" He looks at Freyja and sighs, saying, "The Templars still have my ship. I used it to get to them, and they've got it. Since it's a general-use Jedi ship it responds to their access codes just fine."

Freyja rolls her eyes in exasperation, "Those pesky Templars!" She sighs, "All right, we'll see if the Sith lord Methel-ssa will let us have one instead. That's where we're heading -- back to the new capital city."

Colburth blinks and says, "You're going to see Methel-ssa?" He finally thinks to ask, "How did you get here? You have permission to be here?"

Freyja adds pragmatically, "We have Kalatis, Manishsha, you, the four of us, Alleine -- and possibly a few Templars, if they continue to refuse to listen to reason. We simply don't have room for everyone." Then she nods cheerfully, "Hai! Fhaziza used to be Methel-ssa's apprentice, and she knows we're part of the peace party arriving with Sith lord Ghang, so she's been very helpful." She continues, "So if we could talk you into flying a ship to Balmorra with a few passengers, that would make life far, far nicer for us all for the trip -- and far less crowded!"

Colburth asks, "Alleine? Who's that?" and "Oh... you're with Lord Ghang? I heard a little about his peace conference. How did that go? Wait a minute! Kalatis!? Senator Kalatis?! You've got him! Here?!"

Freyja says dryly, "It's... still going. Balin Khoud Fell, and we found out about it when he crashed the peace negotia-" She blinks, then says in a mock-indignant tone, "Do you want to hear this story or neh, Jedi Colburth?!" She giggles at his expression.

Colburth says, "Why don't you start with when we last spoke and go from there. Maybe it would be less confusing." He adds doubtfully, "...maybe..."

Freyja laughs good-naturedly, "Sure, we'd be happy to." She starts from before then, actually, since the last time they spoke he was hallucinating in a farseeing trance. She tells about the beginning of the peace negotiations with Ghang, Manishsha, and Sarn, and about what happened there and why they left for Dantooine, except for the group here.

She explains about capturing Kalatis, then trying to reach Colburth on Dantooine and getting his call for help. She concludes with, "And so we came here after we got permission from the Sith lord Methel-ssa to do so... and here we are!" She adds sadly, "I'd hoped it wasn't as bad as we feared with Khoud. I feel sorry for him now."

Colburth is amused by the idea of a Khar Velosi luau. He tries very hard to put the idea of Sarn and a Khar Velosi woman together, saying, "But I know Master Sarn... he's so... well, not what I expected." He adds, "You've left a Sith alone at the hotel?" and, "Khoud... that's a real blow. I'm sorry to hear he's gone that way, but it makes several things make more sense."

Freyja nods quietly, giving Colburth time to sort everything out in his head. Colburth finally says, "You've been busy." He adds, "Your Master must be very proud of you. I certainly would be. You've all done very well."

Freyja beams at Colburth, then gives him an impetuous hug, "Aww, that's so sweet of you to say -- thank you!" She sits back, adding, "But... we still want to get you swiftly off to Master Roakkana, and we want to follow as quickly as we can. We have to get you a ship, definitely."

Vakkal's nose works and he comments with a grin, "And that bath." Fhazil pokes him this time. Colburth is hugged, and laughs at Vakkal's comment, saying, "You'll get no argument from me on that." Freyja beams again at her friends, tremendously relieved they've safely gotten at least part of their mission here completed. She's still worried about Colburth, but as soon as he's safely bundled into a ship and off planet for Balmorra she'll know he's all right -- Master Roakkana will know what to do.

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

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