Lost But Found
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Master of the Ninja Post
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Re: Lost But Found
Falanis went into detail about the incident while Kalja took the opportunity to tell Faye all about it from her own perspective. Between the two of them an overly detailed account emerged. Afterwards Lyn was quiet for a few moments before he nodded. “The risk you took to save a boy you didn’t even know… very noble.”
“It seems like there’s less and less room for noble acts in the Empire,” Falanis said sadly. “Maybe one day the people of the galaxy will rise up against the Emperor’s tyranny, but until that happens, we have to make due with looking out for each other on a smaller level.”
Her comlink suddenly started beeping, prompting Falanis to answer it. “Go ahead.”
“Falanis,” Tulsar’s voice came out from the other end. “We’re in trouble. Are the children safe?”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see it. “We’re with Lyn and his granddaughter right now. What happened?”
His voice was grim. “They were Anzati, Falanis; the two at the spaceport.”
“You mean like in the story you told me?”
“The very same creatures,” he confirmed. “I killed one of them, but the other got away. I… I messed up. CorSec arrived before I could finish the other one off and they saw me with my lightsaber. I’ll try and make it to you and the kids when I can, but I have to make sure I shake the authorities first. Besides,” he added, “I still need to take care of the other one.”
“Tulsar, no,” Falanis objected. “We saved the boy. Right now we need to concentrate on helping him and then getting off of Corellia before the Empire decides to get involved. Don’t worry about the other one.”
“He’s a monster,” Tulsar rebutted. “If I let him go, he’ll just end up killing someone else. That’s what they do. And he knows our faces, Falanis. He probably knows Sysen and Kalja’s too. What if he decides to prey on them? What if he decides to go to the Empire himself? I’m not going to give him a chance to harm our family.”
Knowing the argument was lost, Falanis sighed. “Just be careful. May the Force be with you.”
“I love you,” he answered. “I’ll be back when I can.”
Falanis shut the device off and looked over at Lyn apologetically. “He’s a good man, but sometimes he’s like a nek who sinks his teeth in and won’t let go. I can’t ask you to continue harboring us in light of this. I could never forgive myself if Vader and his Jedi hunters came after you and Faye because of us."
“It seems like there’s less and less room for noble acts in the Empire,” Falanis said sadly. “Maybe one day the people of the galaxy will rise up against the Emperor’s tyranny, but until that happens, we have to make due with looking out for each other on a smaller level.”
Her comlink suddenly started beeping, prompting Falanis to answer it. “Go ahead.”
“Falanis,” Tulsar’s voice came out from the other end. “We’re in trouble. Are the children safe?”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see it. “We’re with Lyn and his granddaughter right now. What happened?”
His voice was grim. “They were Anzati, Falanis; the two at the spaceport.”
“You mean like in the story you told me?”
“The very same creatures,” he confirmed. “I killed one of them, but the other got away. I… I messed up. CorSec arrived before I could finish the other one off and they saw me with my lightsaber. I’ll try and make it to you and the kids when I can, but I have to make sure I shake the authorities first. Besides,” he added, “I still need to take care of the other one.”
“Tulsar, no,” Falanis objected. “We saved the boy. Right now we need to concentrate on helping him and then getting off of Corellia before the Empire decides to get involved. Don’t worry about the other one.”
“He’s a monster,” Tulsar rebutted. “If I let him go, he’ll just end up killing someone else. That’s what they do. And he knows our faces, Falanis. He probably knows Sysen and Kalja’s too. What if he decides to prey on them? What if he decides to go to the Empire himself? I’m not going to give him a chance to harm our family.”
Knowing the argument was lost, Falanis sighed. “Just be careful. May the Force be with you.”
“I love you,” he answered. “I’ll be back when I can.”
Falanis shut the device off and looked over at Lyn apologetically. “He’s a good man, but sometimes he’s like a nek who sinks his teeth in and won’t let go. I can’t ask you to continue harboring us in light of this. I could never forgive myself if Vader and his Jedi hunters came after you and Faye because of us."
Pryngles
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Re: Lost But Found
"If Vader's Jedi Hunters find us it won't be because of you," Lyn answered cryptically, casting a glance at his granddaughter. Falanis gave him a curious look, but Lyn either ignored it or pretended not to notice. "We both have much to hide," he said, "but I would be an ungracious host if I turned my back on you now."
He stood up from his chair. "I will get some extra pillows for you and your son. Your daughter can share the bed with Faye in the other room."
"What," Faye asked incredulously and again Lyn silenced her with a stare. The young girl felt chagrined at having to share her space with someone she barely knew, but after her antics earlier in the day she wasn't about to test his temper again.
He stood up from his chair. "I will get some extra pillows for you and your son. Your daughter can share the bed with Faye in the other room."
"What," Faye asked incredulously and again Lyn silenced her with a stare. The young girl felt chagrined at having to share her space with someone she barely knew, but after her antics earlier in the day she wasn't about to test his temper again.
Master of the Ninja Post
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Re: Lost But Found
“Sleepover!” Kalja declared with an excited squeal as she grabbed Faye’s hand again and led her to the bedroom.
Slightly bewildered, Faye allowed herself to be led. “What’s a sleepover?”
“It’s going to be great!” Kalja declared. “We get to stay up late and talk about all kinds of things.”
“So where does the sleep part come in?”
Kalja giggled. “You’re silly, Faye.”
Faye looked back desperately at her grandfather before the two went inside and Kalja closed the door.
Falanis grinned before looking back at Lyn. “Opposite sides of the credit chit; those two. I think spending time together could do both of them some good.”
Slightly bewildered, Faye allowed herself to be led. “What’s a sleepover?”
“It’s going to be great!” Kalja declared. “We get to stay up late and talk about all kinds of things.”
“So where does the sleep part come in?”
Kalja giggled. “You’re silly, Faye.”
Faye looked back desperately at her grandfather before the two went inside and Kalja closed the door.
Falanis grinned before looking back at Lyn. “Opposite sides of the credit chit; those two. I think spending time together could do both of them some good.”
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Re: Lost But Found
Danolie wandered aimlessly through a an unfamiliar forest. A haze of fog drifted lazily through the trees. When Notorious looked down at the ground it appeared to stretch farther away from his face than he was used to. His arms and legs were long and lanky. The boy was disoriented and found it difficult to walk as if he were on stilts. He hiked a trail up a grassy hill until the trees cleared and the horizon was visible. Atop the hill sat an old man on a soft patch of grass. His eyes were closed and his legs were crossed in a meditation stance. As Danolie approached the old man the path seemed to grow and stretch, forcing Notorious to pick up his pace into a full run. Danolie huffed and puffed with futile effort until the old man opened his eyes and shouted.
"DESTINY!"
____________
Notorious awoke abruptly. For a moment, the boy's eyes held the ominous tone of his dreams, but he quickly realized that he was no longer in the forest and his arms and legs had returned to their normal length. His location was unknown, but he was on a comfortable couch with a blanket over him. Danolie rested his head and pulled the blanket tighter against him but he found himself too well rested to fall back asleep. Danolie glanced around the dark, empty room. It was probably late in the evening. How long was I asleep?
Danolie decided to explore. The urban home was very different from the mobile domiciles of meager accommodation the gypsies caravanned in. The bushy-haired boy's stomach growled angrily at him, prompting Danolie to stop where he stood and grasp his belly.
"Oh...so hungry..." Notorious found his way to the kitchen and tugged on handles and pressed buttons. Strange things happened when different buttons were pressed - some how Danolie ended up wet, but that wasn't as exciting as the moment he had to put out a small fire. Eventually, he found the food supply and picked out a colorful box of ready-to-eat food. Danolie ate heartily and paid no mind to any consequences that might arise. He was not accustomed to parental supervision.
"DESTINY!"
____________
Notorious awoke abruptly. For a moment, the boy's eyes held the ominous tone of his dreams, but he quickly realized that he was no longer in the forest and his arms and legs had returned to their normal length. His location was unknown, but he was on a comfortable couch with a blanket over him. Danolie rested his head and pulled the blanket tighter against him but he found himself too well rested to fall back asleep. Danolie glanced around the dark, empty room. It was probably late in the evening. How long was I asleep?
Danolie decided to explore. The urban home was very different from the mobile domiciles of meager accommodation the gypsies caravanned in. The bushy-haired boy's stomach growled angrily at him, prompting Danolie to stop where he stood and grasp his belly.
"Oh...so hungry..." Notorious found his way to the kitchen and tugged on handles and pressed buttons. Strange things happened when different buttons were pressed - some how Danolie ended up wet, but that wasn't as exciting as the moment he had to put out a small fire. Eventually, he found the food supply and picked out a colorful box of ready-to-eat food. Danolie ate heartily and paid no mind to any consequences that might arise. He was not accustomed to parental supervision.
Master of the Ninja Post
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Re: Lost But Found
“You really must have been starving if you find those things appetizing,” Falanis said as she emerged from the darkened room into the small kitchenette. “Remind me to fix you a real homecooked meal when we have a chance. You’re going to find that nothing compares to food prepared by hand.” She smiled as she looked at him. “Except perhaps a long shower.”
Mand'alor
Re: Lost But Found
The door opened, and the well-groomed official looked up as an officer came through. He waited until it closed behind him before he spoke, a sure sign that it was something that he didn't want to get out. "Sir," the man said to the other, "we have a... situation."
The older man gave him a look that demanded explanation. He was pushing his sixties, and his dress easily identified him as the Moff of the Corellian Sector. "You know as well as I do, commander," he said, "that Imperial mandate is to not interfere in CorSec business, unless it becomes our business."
"Yes, sir," the man said, "but... I think that you would be interested in knowing that... there are talks that we have Jedi here." The Moff's interest piqued. "There is no confirmation; CorSec tried to apprehend someone who carried a lightsaber, but he fled the scene. They lost his trail not long afterwards. And while CorSec has agreed to assist the Empire in the hunting of fugitive Jedi..."
"... We still have our orders to consider," the Moff finished for him. He was aware of the laws and procedures. If there were Jedi on Corellia, then that changed things. He had been Moff ever since his predecessor, Fliry Vorru, was hauled off to Kessel for charges of treason against the Emperor. And while that was three years ago, the situation on the planet hadn't improved much during his governorship of the sector, despite his efforts. The addition of Jedi on the world, true or not, would cause even more chaos if the rumors got out. "Have these rumors remained under control?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," the officer responded. "We do not believe they have gone beyond the spaceport. The man who was primarily accused of being a Jedi remained firm that he was not, and the person who claimed it was taken into custody and identified as a wanted criminal. I believe he is still prattling on about being attacked by Jedi, sir. Whether this is a wild goose chase or not, I do suggest that we take personal action in investigating these facts."
He thought on this for a moment. He didn't like diverting resources from more pressing matters, just to chase rumors, but orders were orders. In the end, he nodded. "Very well," he said. "Dispatch a squadron to investigate. I want hourly updates on their progress. If there's any evidence that might prove these rumors true, then I shall lead this investigation myself."
"Sir?" the man said, quizzically. It was an unusual position for the Moff to pitch. He had a sector to run, why would he want to take personal charge of a situation that an army commander was more than capable of handling himself.
"Do not question my decision, Major," the Moff warned. "When it comes to Jedi, we must take a more... delicate... approach, and this is an operation I do not wish to see botched. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." The man offered his salute and departed from the Moff's office. There was much work to do. He would need to organize a squadron to begin the investigations immediately, as well as get a liason for them to contact with their updates. Though why the Moff took such a high level of interest in this was beyond him. Perhaps for further political gain? He wasn't sure, but he knew better than to ask.
OOC: There you go. My official introduction... and the equally official statement that you can bring stormtroopers in whenever you feel it necessary. So don't leave me hanging... it's kinda more up to you guys to get Faarel directly involved, more than it is for me.
The older man gave him a look that demanded explanation. He was pushing his sixties, and his dress easily identified him as the Moff of the Corellian Sector. "You know as well as I do, commander," he said, "that Imperial mandate is to not interfere in CorSec business, unless it becomes our business."
"Yes, sir," the man said, "but... I think that you would be interested in knowing that... there are talks that we have Jedi here." The Moff's interest piqued. "There is no confirmation; CorSec tried to apprehend someone who carried a lightsaber, but he fled the scene. They lost his trail not long afterwards. And while CorSec has agreed to assist the Empire in the hunting of fugitive Jedi..."
"... We still have our orders to consider," the Moff finished for him. He was aware of the laws and procedures. If there were Jedi on Corellia, then that changed things. He had been Moff ever since his predecessor, Fliry Vorru, was hauled off to Kessel for charges of treason against the Emperor. And while that was three years ago, the situation on the planet hadn't improved much during his governorship of the sector, despite his efforts. The addition of Jedi on the world, true or not, would cause even more chaos if the rumors got out. "Have these rumors remained under control?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," the officer responded. "We do not believe they have gone beyond the spaceport. The man who was primarily accused of being a Jedi remained firm that he was not, and the person who claimed it was taken into custody and identified as a wanted criminal. I believe he is still prattling on about being attacked by Jedi, sir. Whether this is a wild goose chase or not, I do suggest that we take personal action in investigating these facts."
He thought on this for a moment. He didn't like diverting resources from more pressing matters, just to chase rumors, but orders were orders. In the end, he nodded. "Very well," he said. "Dispatch a squadron to investigate. I want hourly updates on their progress. If there's any evidence that might prove these rumors true, then I shall lead this investigation myself."
"Sir?" the man said, quizzically. It was an unusual position for the Moff to pitch. He had a sector to run, why would he want to take personal charge of a situation that an army commander was more than capable of handling himself.
"Do not question my decision, Major," the Moff warned. "When it comes to Jedi, we must take a more... delicate... approach, and this is an operation I do not wish to see botched. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." The man offered his salute and departed from the Moff's office. There was much work to do. He would need to organize a squadron to begin the investigations immediately, as well as get a liason for them to contact with their updates. Though why the Moff took such a high level of interest in this was beyond him. Perhaps for further political gain? He wasn't sure, but he knew better than to ask.
OOC: There you go. My official introduction... and the equally official statement that you can bring stormtroopers in whenever you feel it necessary. So don't leave me hanging... it's kinda more up to you guys to get Faarel directly involved, more than it is for me.
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Re: Lost But Found
Danolie looked down at the dried food quizzically. There was writing on the box but the boy was unable to read. The dry flakes were tasteless and odorless, but they quenched his hunger. Any other person would have known to add water and a minute of heat before eating the contents.
"Shower?" Notorious asked, looking up at Falanis with honest eyes. The boy smelled like a wet nerf. Gypsies bathed just as normal citizens did, but Notorious had never had parents to coax him into it. Gran, the closest human he had had to a caretaker, had lost the strength to wash him years ago. "What's that?"
"Shower?" Notorious asked, looking up at Falanis with honest eyes. The boy smelled like a wet nerf. Gypsies bathed just as normal citizens did, but Notorious had never had parents to coax him into it. Gran, the closest human he had had to a caretaker, had lost the strength to wash him years ago. "What's that?"
Master of the Ninja Post
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Re: Lost But Found
“Trust me, you’ll enjoy it,” Falanis said to him as she gestured for the boy to follow her. “I’ll show you how it works and you can clean up. Why I bet there’s a very handsome boy hidden under all that dirt and grime.”
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Re: Lost But Found
The short distance between the kitchen and the refresher was full of mundane questions from Notorious. He poked and prodded every unfamiliar object in view with his childish zeal. Falanis patiently guided him and cleverly kept him focused on the task at hand. When the mother of two showed Danolie how to activate the shower, the boy screamed and nearly ran. Soon he was calm again, but another noise caught his attention - soft girly giggles from another room. Falanis instructed Notorious how to turn off the flow of water and supervised as he tried it himself. Off... on.
As Notorious began to strip, Falanis headed for the door to give him his privacy. However, Danolie called out to her just as she reached the exit.
"Are you my mother?" Danolie asked, peeling off a brownish tunic with frayed edges. The shirt may have been white or gray at some point. "Everyone says that kids are supposed to have them."
As Notorious began to strip, Falanis headed for the door to give him his privacy. However, Danolie called out to her just as she reached the exit.
"Are you my mother?" Danolie asked, peeling off a brownish tunic with frayed edges. The shirt may have been white or gray at some point. "Everyone says that kids are supposed to have them."
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Re: Lost But Found
Falanis hesitated briefly as she tried to think of an appropriate answer to the unexpected question. “I’m afraid not,” she said to Danolie, deciding that honesty was a better approach than a comforting lie. “I don’t know what’s become of your real mother, but I can promise that I’ll always make sure you’re well taken care of while I’m around.”
He looked at her curiously. “How long will that be?”
She walked back over to him and ruffled his greasy hair affectionately, taking care to avoid the snarls. “As long as it takes, kiddo. Trust me on this. Kalja may have been the one to find you, but I’ll be the one making sure you don’t get lost again.”
She looked down at his tattered and stained clothes and pursed her lips together thoughtfully. “While you’re in the shower, I’ll see what I can do about getting these cleaned for you, but I think the next order of business will be to replace them when the stores open back up.”
“You would do that for me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Danolie looked down. “It’s just that no one has ever…”
Falanis knelt down and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey now, that’s in the past and I just said I was going to take care of you, didn’t I? So, let’s not worry about that and focus on the here and now. Right now I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
She gathered up his clothes and stood again. “Now get washed up. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
He looked at her curiously. “How long will that be?”
She walked back over to him and ruffled his greasy hair affectionately, taking care to avoid the snarls. “As long as it takes, kiddo. Trust me on this. Kalja may have been the one to find you, but I’ll be the one making sure you don’t get lost again.”
She looked down at his tattered and stained clothes and pursed her lips together thoughtfully. “While you’re in the shower, I’ll see what I can do about getting these cleaned for you, but I think the next order of business will be to replace them when the stores open back up.”
“You would do that for me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Danolie looked down. “It’s just that no one has ever…”
Falanis knelt down and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey now, that’s in the past and I just said I was going to take care of you, didn’t I? So, let’s not worry about that and focus on the here and now. Right now I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
She gathered up his clothes and stood again. “Now get washed up. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”
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Re: Lost But Found
Notorious's day old clothes were the cleanest he had worn in years, but they were already decorated with light splotches of filth on the knees and elbows. The seven year old boy crept along a thin ledge bordering the outside of Grandpa Lyn's hotel complex, his back gently scraping against the wall. Danolie had climbed over a second story balcony to reach his current elevation above the ground, but his true target was a tree several meters away that he couldn't climb from the bottom. In the forest Danolie was able to jump from tree to tree, but in the city there were buildings in the way. One of the boy's newly gifted sandals tapped a stray pebble and sent it over the inch-thick decorative ledge. Danolie watched the tiny stone fall with a recently developed sense of clarity. The tangled mess of brown and blonde locks atop his head had been replaced by carefully folded braids weaved into a single tail reaching the middle of his back.
"There, now you can see better, and you look pretty!" Danolie observed himself in a mirror as Kalja put the finishing touches on his new style. The random strands of blonde were purposefully woven into the braids to create an almost checkered pattern. Kalja had help, for it was Falanis who brushed out the mattes and knots. Danolie found the braiding to be much more pleasant than the combing. The grooming had taken place earlier that morning, and now Danolie was experiencing the benefits. Without the hair in his face he could utilize his peripheral vision beyond what he was formerly capable of. Also, the wild tuffs of poofy brown no longer got caught on stray twigs and leaves.
Danolie soon found himself within jumping distance of the target tree. A small rodent was creating a hole in the bark to hide spoils of nuts and seed. Danolie moved stealthily behind the cover of second story brush and removed a tiny kitchen knife from his mouth. The boy held the knife in his dominant hand and prepared himself for a pounce. He bent his knees, narrowed his focus, spread his fingers, and -
"What are you doing?"
Danolie half jump-skipped face-first into a branch inches below his goal. The rodent fled and the boy haphazardly tumbled through the tree until he caught a low hanging branch with one hand - the knife was still clutched tightly in the other. Kalja gasped and held Danola tightly. With a stifled yelp, Danolie's fingers peeled a few loose pieces of bark off the branch and lost their grip. The boy managed to land in an awkward roll resulting in a seated position. Danolie stuck the knife into the dirt.
"You fell," Kalja declared with amusement. Aside from a few minor scrapes that healed right before her eyes, Danolie was fine.
"I could have got it," Danolie whined.
"The tree?"
"No," Danolie pulled the knife out of the dirt and wiped it on his pants. "The scavenge rat."
"You shouldn't kill things," Kalja said sternly. The little girl's expression was one that Danolie had not yet seen her make. Danolie didn't understand her reasoning.
"But I was going to eat him," Danolie replied with puzzlement. Kalja did not budge. Danolie would not stand to see his new friend pout. Besides, he saw her point. Killing was wrong. Gadget had been killed. Danolie had simply never considered the parallel between hunting and killing. A week ago, an innocence was lost when Danolie held his lifeless best friend. Danolie now understood the concept of mortality.
"Oh, all right," the boy sighed, sheathing the knife into his belt. The city people and the space people were very different from his gypsy upbringing. They sat at tables when they ate. They stood up when they cleaned themselves. Many of them slept alone. The children were forced to sleep at the same time every night. And strangest of all, they never hunted for their food. They didn't gather berries or grow crops either.
"I will never kill again. I promise."
"Where did you get that?" Kalja pointed at the small knife fastened to Danolie's hip.
"I..." They also never stole. Even at the dinner table, everyone asked for things instead of taking them. This was a lesson that Danolie was learning the hard way. "...I borrowed it. But I'll put it back. I promise."
Sometimes the responsibilities were challenging, but Danolie's new life came with comforts that he had never known before. Every night Falanis put him to sleep with kind words and a gentle touch. Sysen gave in to Danolie's instinctive need to wrestle at least once a day, and sometimes the teen even let little Notorious win out of good humor or perhaps just the chance to escape. Kalja kept Danolie honest and instructed him on the ways of gentleness and fun. Faye and Grandpa Lyn were not like the Leidiases, but Danolie appreciated them just the same. Master Lyn was a disciplinarian, but he was patient and just. Faye was a no nonsense little lady who wasn't very keen on playing, but she was very passionate about doing the right thing. Danolie did not know how he fit into this family - he didn't know who he was, but he liked where he was. The impressions and values that the Leidias family bestowed upon him would echo through his story forevermore. But in the grand scheme of his life this was a short chapter, for everything would change yet again.
"There, now you can see better, and you look pretty!" Danolie observed himself in a mirror as Kalja put the finishing touches on his new style. The random strands of blonde were purposefully woven into the braids to create an almost checkered pattern. Kalja had help, for it was Falanis who brushed out the mattes and knots. Danolie found the braiding to be much more pleasant than the combing. The grooming had taken place earlier that morning, and now Danolie was experiencing the benefits. Without the hair in his face he could utilize his peripheral vision beyond what he was formerly capable of. Also, the wild tuffs of poofy brown no longer got caught on stray twigs and leaves.
Danolie soon found himself within jumping distance of the target tree. A small rodent was creating a hole in the bark to hide spoils of nuts and seed. Danolie moved stealthily behind the cover of second story brush and removed a tiny kitchen knife from his mouth. The boy held the knife in his dominant hand and prepared himself for a pounce. He bent his knees, narrowed his focus, spread his fingers, and -
"What are you doing?"
Danolie half jump-skipped face-first into a branch inches below his goal. The rodent fled and the boy haphazardly tumbled through the tree until he caught a low hanging branch with one hand - the knife was still clutched tightly in the other. Kalja gasped and held Danola tightly. With a stifled yelp, Danolie's fingers peeled a few loose pieces of bark off the branch and lost their grip. The boy managed to land in an awkward roll resulting in a seated position. Danolie stuck the knife into the dirt.
"You fell," Kalja declared with amusement. Aside from a few minor scrapes that healed right before her eyes, Danolie was fine.
"I could have got it," Danolie whined.
"The tree?"
"No," Danolie pulled the knife out of the dirt and wiped it on his pants. "The scavenge rat."
"You shouldn't kill things," Kalja said sternly. The little girl's expression was one that Danolie had not yet seen her make. Danolie didn't understand her reasoning.
"But I was going to eat him," Danolie replied with puzzlement. Kalja did not budge. Danolie would not stand to see his new friend pout. Besides, he saw her point. Killing was wrong. Gadget had been killed. Danolie had simply never considered the parallel between hunting and killing. A week ago, an innocence was lost when Danolie held his lifeless best friend. Danolie now understood the concept of mortality.
"Oh, all right," the boy sighed, sheathing the knife into his belt. The city people and the space people were very different from his gypsy upbringing. They sat at tables when they ate. They stood up when they cleaned themselves. Many of them slept alone. The children were forced to sleep at the same time every night. And strangest of all, they never hunted for their food. They didn't gather berries or grow crops either.
"I will never kill again. I promise."
"Where did you get that?" Kalja pointed at the small knife fastened to Danolie's hip.
"I..." They also never stole. Even at the dinner table, everyone asked for things instead of taking them. This was a lesson that Danolie was learning the hard way. "...I borrowed it. But I'll put it back. I promise."
Sometimes the responsibilities were challenging, but Danolie's new life came with comforts that he had never known before. Every night Falanis put him to sleep with kind words and a gentle touch. Sysen gave in to Danolie's instinctive need to wrestle at least once a day, and sometimes the teen even let little Notorious win out of good humor or perhaps just the chance to escape. Kalja kept Danolie honest and instructed him on the ways of gentleness and fun. Faye and Grandpa Lyn were not like the Leidiases, but Danolie appreciated them just the same. Master Lyn was a disciplinarian, but he was patient and just. Faye was a no nonsense little lady who wasn't very keen on playing, but she was very passionate about doing the right thing. Danolie did not know how he fit into this family - he didn't know who he was, but he liked where he was. The impressions and values that the Leidias family bestowed upon him would echo through his story forevermore. But in the grand scheme of his life this was a short chapter, for everything would change yet again.
Last edited by Notorious on Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 10:02 pm
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Re: Lost But Found
Danolie stood up, brushed himself off, and stretched his sore muscles. He felt himself internally healing as he craned his neck and spread his arms. It was a wonderful sensation. There was a group of boys rough housing nearby that caught his attention. They were beyond a short wall, but Danolie could sense them nonetheless.
"Do you feel those kids?" Danolie asked Kalja. She nodded nonchalantly, already invested in something else. She was looking at the tree, possibly with the intent of luring out the scavenge rat and making friends, Danolie suspected.
"I'll see if they want to play!" Danolie set the knife in Kalja's hand and bolted. The little girl stared at him with bewildered eyes and looked quite queer standing in the front yard with a doll and a knife. Notorious considered himself a real boy now, not a child from the wilderness. He had clean hair and... mostly clean clothes. Surely the Corellian city children would accept him now. After he rounded the corner of the wall, Notorious spotted one boy sitting on top of another whilst two others watched placidly.
"Hey!" Danolie called out, halting his jog to a stop. "Can I play?"
The largest of the boys was pulling the hair of the younger lad he was sitting on. All eyes were immediately on Notorious.
"You don't go to our school," noted one of the bystanders. The largest boy spit on the ground inches from his victim's face, and at this point Notorious realized that the young lad beneath him was not playing.
"Help me," the small boy cried. The large boy slapped the back of the small one's head.
"Hey!" Danolie said, scowling. "That wasn't nice!"
"Get out of here new kid, or you're next," the big kid said. He then proceeded to suck in air with a sick gargling sound. Danolie recognized this act as a deliberate attempt to spit out mucus from the mouth. Danolie himself was a gross kid, but he knew such an act was a sign of disrespect. Even at his most unrefined state he knew not to hawk loogies at people. Sometimes people did that to gypsies, but he was no gypsy anymore.
"You're just a bully, aren't you?" Danolie declared, widening his stance and holding up his fists. The large kid spit directly at Danolie, but the nimble Firrerreo dodged the flying wad of mucus with a simple lean.
"Really? All right, you're gonna get it." The older boy stood up, towering over young Danolie by a head. The two bystanders took their places on top of the bully victim.
"Wait," Danolie said. The bully waited out of pure curiosity. Danolie then removed his sandals, shirt, and belt, revealing his wiry frame. The bully raised one perplexed eyebrow. "I don't want my new clothes to get dirty or I'll get in trouble."
The older boy had had enough. He declared his opponent a weirdo and lunged with the intent of knocking him to the ground and taking control. Danolie saw the attack coming and countered with a sloppy drop kick. Notorious jumped and extended both his naked feet straight into the bully's face. The bully would have taken the hit to the chest if he hadn't lowered his head for the tackle, but as fate would have it his nose accepted Danolie's heels with no opposition. Both fighters fell flat on their backs. The larger child wailed in pain and held his nose, which immediately started bleeding.
"Yeah!" The victim beneath two boys cheered. Danolie rolled onto his belly and rubbed his tail bone with a wince. It hurt a lot more to fall in the street than it did to fall in the dirt. Notorious began to stand when suddenly two pairs of arms hoisted him up. The bystanders had decided to intervene. These two boys were his same age or perhaps a year older. They were not bigger than he, but together they were strong enough to keep him subdued. The victim boy sat up and rubbed a tear out of his eyes.
"Run!" Danolie shouted. Hesitant at first, the smallest child decided to heed the advice of his rescuer. The bleeding bully got back on his feet and subdued his sobs at the sign of his victory.
"You weirdo!" The older child slapped Danolie across the face.
"Fight fair, bully!" Notorious spat back. "Grandpa Lyn says - "
The bully punched Danolie in the stomach, hard. Danolie had fallen out of trees, crashed swoop bikes, jumped from cliffs into water, and even wrestled with bagarasets, but this was the first time he had the wind knocked out of him. Suddenly, Danolie couldn't breathe, and in that moment he believed he was dying. Something is broken, he broke my insides, Danolie thought. Darkness and death gripped his lungs and blurred his vision. Danolie's knees buckled and his throat flexed. The boy desperately tried to suck in air but his muscles did not respond.
"I can't... breathe..." Notorious wheezed with great strain. The bully laughed and punched him again, exacerbating Danolie's condition. The two younglings holding Danolie in position looked at each other with apprehension.
"Hey, Jaster, maybe we should stop, he can't breathe," one of the boys offered reasonably.
"Shut up! He made my nose bleed, so I'll make his!" Jaster reared his fist back for the ultimate blow to the face. Danolie heard their words but could not speak. His muscles craved oxygen and he could not fight the grip of two boys. Notorious closed his eyes but he still saw the fist. He was in a world all his own now, drifting off to death like a lone ship drifting through space with no power. In fact, Danolie could even see the stars glowing all around him. The universe stretched out before his eyes in wondrous clusters of nebulae and spinning, spectacular galaxies. A voice spoke to him, the voice of a woman.
"To fight with water, you must first learn to fight like water."
The fist was still coming. A pair of silky knuckles were aimed at his nose for a rough landing. Danolie's body was useless, but his mind was against the idea. Do not let yourself be destroyed. Do not let him touch you. Push it away
"No!" Danolie shouted. The knuckles never landed. The bully's skin slid smoothly across Danolie's face like a well-oiled machine part. To everyone's surprise, the fist missed its mark completely and landed on one of the younglings holding Danolie's arms. Notorious gasped for air, surprised to find that he was able to suck in a tiny bit as if from a thin tube.
"Ow! Why'd you do that?" yelped the youngling as he released his grip on Danolie and held his face as if it would fall apart.
"I didn't mean it!" Jaster pleaded.
"Stop!" Danolie shouted passionately. The boy's voice hit his assailants like the boom of a Bulkcruiser engine firing up in-atmosphere. Jaster could have sworn he saw a transparent energy warp his vision as he was sent reeling backward like a leaf in the wind. All three attackers lost their balance and toppled over. Scared and panicked, they picked themselves up and scrambled away in the same direction.
"I'm telling my dad," Jaster threatened as he ran crying. Danolie wearily straightened himself up and took several shallow breaths. Inhaling was still unusually difficult, but his breathing had returned - he was not going to die after all. Suddenly he felt silly for getting so worked up. The entire ordeal was over in a matter of seconds and was never life threatening.
"I hope you learned your lesson!" Danolie shouted back.
"What are you doing?" Kalja abruptly appeared from behind. Danolie nearly jumped. In all the excitement, he had not noticed Kalja sneak up on him. "You were shouting. Are you okay?"
"Just playing," Danolie smiled as he put his shirt back on. "Where's Faye, anyway?"
_________________________
"Magic? Boy, what are you yammering on about?"
"I swear, dad, he pushed us without even touching us," Jaster tattled. Jaster stood at the entrance to his living room and several meters away from the back of a swiveling lounge chair with a mysterious guest. Jaster's father stood on the opposite side of the chair, a mug of caf in his hand and a CorSec insignia on his jacket.
"Don't play games, youngling," the mysterious guest interjected. The chair slowly turned and the guest's clean-cut face came into view. Jaster immediately noticed the Imperial logo on his hat. "Where did you encounter this boy?"
"Do you feel those kids?" Danolie asked Kalja. She nodded nonchalantly, already invested in something else. She was looking at the tree, possibly with the intent of luring out the scavenge rat and making friends, Danolie suspected.
"I'll see if they want to play!" Danolie set the knife in Kalja's hand and bolted. The little girl stared at him with bewildered eyes and looked quite queer standing in the front yard with a doll and a knife. Notorious considered himself a real boy now, not a child from the wilderness. He had clean hair and... mostly clean clothes. Surely the Corellian city children would accept him now. After he rounded the corner of the wall, Notorious spotted one boy sitting on top of another whilst two others watched placidly.
"Hey!" Danolie called out, halting his jog to a stop. "Can I play?"
The largest of the boys was pulling the hair of the younger lad he was sitting on. All eyes were immediately on Notorious.
"You don't go to our school," noted one of the bystanders. The largest boy spit on the ground inches from his victim's face, and at this point Notorious realized that the young lad beneath him was not playing.
"Help me," the small boy cried. The large boy slapped the back of the small one's head.
"Hey!" Danolie said, scowling. "That wasn't nice!"
"Get out of here new kid, or you're next," the big kid said. He then proceeded to suck in air with a sick gargling sound. Danolie recognized this act as a deliberate attempt to spit out mucus from the mouth. Danolie himself was a gross kid, but he knew such an act was a sign of disrespect. Even at his most unrefined state he knew not to hawk loogies at people. Sometimes people did that to gypsies, but he was no gypsy anymore.
"You're just a bully, aren't you?" Danolie declared, widening his stance and holding up his fists. The large kid spit directly at Danolie, but the nimble Firrerreo dodged the flying wad of mucus with a simple lean.
"Really? All right, you're gonna get it." The older boy stood up, towering over young Danolie by a head. The two bystanders took their places on top of the bully victim.
"Wait," Danolie said. The bully waited out of pure curiosity. Danolie then removed his sandals, shirt, and belt, revealing his wiry frame. The bully raised one perplexed eyebrow. "I don't want my new clothes to get dirty or I'll get in trouble."
The older boy had had enough. He declared his opponent a weirdo and lunged with the intent of knocking him to the ground and taking control. Danolie saw the attack coming and countered with a sloppy drop kick. Notorious jumped and extended both his naked feet straight into the bully's face. The bully would have taken the hit to the chest if he hadn't lowered his head for the tackle, but as fate would have it his nose accepted Danolie's heels with no opposition. Both fighters fell flat on their backs. The larger child wailed in pain and held his nose, which immediately started bleeding.
"Yeah!" The victim beneath two boys cheered. Danolie rolled onto his belly and rubbed his tail bone with a wince. It hurt a lot more to fall in the street than it did to fall in the dirt. Notorious began to stand when suddenly two pairs of arms hoisted him up. The bystanders had decided to intervene. These two boys were his same age or perhaps a year older. They were not bigger than he, but together they were strong enough to keep him subdued. The victim boy sat up and rubbed a tear out of his eyes.
"Run!" Danolie shouted. Hesitant at first, the smallest child decided to heed the advice of his rescuer. The bleeding bully got back on his feet and subdued his sobs at the sign of his victory.
"You weirdo!" The older child slapped Danolie across the face.
"Fight fair, bully!" Notorious spat back. "Grandpa Lyn says - "
The bully punched Danolie in the stomach, hard. Danolie had fallen out of trees, crashed swoop bikes, jumped from cliffs into water, and even wrestled with bagarasets, but this was the first time he had the wind knocked out of him. Suddenly, Danolie couldn't breathe, and in that moment he believed he was dying. Something is broken, he broke my insides, Danolie thought. Darkness and death gripped his lungs and blurred his vision. Danolie's knees buckled and his throat flexed. The boy desperately tried to suck in air but his muscles did not respond.
"I can't... breathe..." Notorious wheezed with great strain. The bully laughed and punched him again, exacerbating Danolie's condition. The two younglings holding Danolie in position looked at each other with apprehension.
"Hey, Jaster, maybe we should stop, he can't breathe," one of the boys offered reasonably.
"Shut up! He made my nose bleed, so I'll make his!" Jaster reared his fist back for the ultimate blow to the face. Danolie heard their words but could not speak. His muscles craved oxygen and he could not fight the grip of two boys. Notorious closed his eyes but he still saw the fist. He was in a world all his own now, drifting off to death like a lone ship drifting through space with no power. In fact, Danolie could even see the stars glowing all around him. The universe stretched out before his eyes in wondrous clusters of nebulae and spinning, spectacular galaxies. A voice spoke to him, the voice of a woman.
"To fight with water, you must first learn to fight like water."
The fist was still coming. A pair of silky knuckles were aimed at his nose for a rough landing. Danolie's body was useless, but his mind was against the idea. Do not let yourself be destroyed. Do not let him touch you. Push it away
"No!" Danolie shouted. The knuckles never landed. The bully's skin slid smoothly across Danolie's face like a well-oiled machine part. To everyone's surprise, the fist missed its mark completely and landed on one of the younglings holding Danolie's arms. Notorious gasped for air, surprised to find that he was able to suck in a tiny bit as if from a thin tube.
"Ow! Why'd you do that?" yelped the youngling as he released his grip on Danolie and held his face as if it would fall apart.
"I didn't mean it!" Jaster pleaded.
"Stop!" Danolie shouted passionately. The boy's voice hit his assailants like the boom of a Bulkcruiser engine firing up in-atmosphere. Jaster could have sworn he saw a transparent energy warp his vision as he was sent reeling backward like a leaf in the wind. All three attackers lost their balance and toppled over. Scared and panicked, they picked themselves up and scrambled away in the same direction.
"I'm telling my dad," Jaster threatened as he ran crying. Danolie wearily straightened himself up and took several shallow breaths. Inhaling was still unusually difficult, but his breathing had returned - he was not going to die after all. Suddenly he felt silly for getting so worked up. The entire ordeal was over in a matter of seconds and was never life threatening.
"I hope you learned your lesson!" Danolie shouted back.
"What are you doing?" Kalja abruptly appeared from behind. Danolie nearly jumped. In all the excitement, he had not noticed Kalja sneak up on him. "You were shouting. Are you okay?"
"Just playing," Danolie smiled as he put his shirt back on. "Where's Faye, anyway?"
_________________________
"Magic? Boy, what are you yammering on about?"
"I swear, dad, he pushed us without even touching us," Jaster tattled. Jaster stood at the entrance to his living room and several meters away from the back of a swiveling lounge chair with a mysterious guest. Jaster's father stood on the opposite side of the chair, a mug of caf in his hand and a CorSec insignia on his jacket.
"Don't play games, youngling," the mysterious guest interjected. The chair slowly turned and the guest's clean-cut face came into view. Jaster immediately noticed the Imperial logo on his hat. "Where did you encounter this boy?"
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8900
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Lost But Found
Infiltrating the CorSec holding facility that housed the Anzat had not been easy. It may have even been impossible for anyone but a Jedi Knight like Tulsar. If not for the mind trick, he wasn’t sure how far he would have made it. It was only after a few days of careful observation and then obtaining a CorSec uniform from a departing laundry truck that Tulsar felt reasonably confident in his ability to make it inside without attracting attention.
Just to be extra cautious, he had dyed his hair blond and put in contacts that changed his eye color to blue. His Jedi training assisted him in scaling the wall undetected and the mind trick helped him to deflect suspicion from the officers that he couldn’t avoid passing.
Finally he was able to make it to the security office and convince the guard there that he was relieving the man so he could take a smoke break. Once he was alone, Tulsar scanned the monitors inside until he spotted the cell that was holding the Anzat. CorSec had put him into an isolation cell until such time as he could be brought to trial, which was a small favor. It meant that there wouldn’t be any witnesses when Tulsar came to silence him for good.
Tulsar knew that what he was about to do conflicted heavily with the Jedi Code, but he also knew about the Anzati from previous encounters his ancestors had had with them. They were not like normal sentient creatures. They had no morality as the rest of the galaxy perceived it.
Besides that, nobody threatened his family. Nobody.
Tulsar placed a hand on the holstered blaster he had obtained from one of the lockers as he readied himself for the dirty business he would have to undertake. With some quick programming, Tulsar cut the live feeds from the cameras that would observe that path to the Anzat and then replaced what was on the screen with older footage from earlier in the day. By the time he was done everything looked as he had first found it.
Tulsar was just about to leave when he heard a snippet of something over one of the comlinks that mentioned Jedi. Ignoring the cold fear running through him, he grabbed the comlink and listened in.
“All units, report to the Goldcrest District to provide backup for incoming Imperial troops. Possible Jedi sighting at 5th and Main. Patrol units are en route. I repeat…”
Tulsar felt panic try to overwhelm him. While it was possible that it was some other Jedi sighting and not Falanis and the kids, he highly doubted it. Thinking quickly, Tulsar left the security station and ducked back into the locker area where he had acquired his blaster. Breaking open another locker, he outfitted himself with riot gear, including body armor and a full helmet with a dark visor that obscured his features.
As Tulsar reasoned, he would never be able to reach his family in time as things stood, which meant that he had to give CorSec and the Empire something more immediate to think about. Hopefully, at the very least, it would divide their attention and give everyone else a chance to slip the dragnet.
“So much for all that stealth,” he grumbled to himself as he pulled out his lightsaber from a pocket and activated it.
He stepped out of the room into the busy CorSec holding facility. The lightsaber caught everyone’s attention, stunning the room into silence for a moment until Tulsar used the Force to send a few officers flying.
Then all was chaos…
***
Kalja had already put the incident with Danolie out her mind by the time the odd family sat down for dinner. It was take-out from some greasy spoon down the street that supplied “genuine” Corellian cuisine. She could tell that her mother was worried about Tulsar, who had yet to return after a week-long absence.
Kalja didn’t comment on it since she was sure her father was okay. Instead she ate in silence as the adults talked about stuff that frankly didn’t interest her. As she did though, she became aware of an odd feeling in the back of her head. Something felt off, but she couldn’t tell what it was…
Falanis was quick to notice her daughter’s puzzlement. “Kalja, what’s wrong?”
Kalja shrugged. “I feel weird. It’s like there’s something dark coming this way, but I can’t tell what it is.” She poked at her food. “It’s just weird,” she emphasized again.
Falanis shared a meaningful glance with Lyn before her mother closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate. After only a few moments, Falanis’ eyes shot open in alarm. “Kids, get your things. We’re going. Now.”
Just to be extra cautious, he had dyed his hair blond and put in contacts that changed his eye color to blue. His Jedi training assisted him in scaling the wall undetected and the mind trick helped him to deflect suspicion from the officers that he couldn’t avoid passing.
Finally he was able to make it to the security office and convince the guard there that he was relieving the man so he could take a smoke break. Once he was alone, Tulsar scanned the monitors inside until he spotted the cell that was holding the Anzat. CorSec had put him into an isolation cell until such time as he could be brought to trial, which was a small favor. It meant that there wouldn’t be any witnesses when Tulsar came to silence him for good.
Tulsar knew that what he was about to do conflicted heavily with the Jedi Code, but he also knew about the Anzati from previous encounters his ancestors had had with them. They were not like normal sentient creatures. They had no morality as the rest of the galaxy perceived it.
Besides that, nobody threatened his family. Nobody.
Tulsar placed a hand on the holstered blaster he had obtained from one of the lockers as he readied himself for the dirty business he would have to undertake. With some quick programming, Tulsar cut the live feeds from the cameras that would observe that path to the Anzat and then replaced what was on the screen with older footage from earlier in the day. By the time he was done everything looked as he had first found it.
Tulsar was just about to leave when he heard a snippet of something over one of the comlinks that mentioned Jedi. Ignoring the cold fear running through him, he grabbed the comlink and listened in.
“All units, report to the Goldcrest District to provide backup for incoming Imperial troops. Possible Jedi sighting at 5th and Main. Patrol units are en route. I repeat…”
Tulsar felt panic try to overwhelm him. While it was possible that it was some other Jedi sighting and not Falanis and the kids, he highly doubted it. Thinking quickly, Tulsar left the security station and ducked back into the locker area where he had acquired his blaster. Breaking open another locker, he outfitted himself with riot gear, including body armor and a full helmet with a dark visor that obscured his features.
As Tulsar reasoned, he would never be able to reach his family in time as things stood, which meant that he had to give CorSec and the Empire something more immediate to think about. Hopefully, at the very least, it would divide their attention and give everyone else a chance to slip the dragnet.
“So much for all that stealth,” he grumbled to himself as he pulled out his lightsaber from a pocket and activated it.
He stepped out of the room into the busy CorSec holding facility. The lightsaber caught everyone’s attention, stunning the room into silence for a moment until Tulsar used the Force to send a few officers flying.
Then all was chaos…
***
Kalja had already put the incident with Danolie out her mind by the time the odd family sat down for dinner. It was take-out from some greasy spoon down the street that supplied “genuine” Corellian cuisine. She could tell that her mother was worried about Tulsar, who had yet to return after a week-long absence.
Kalja didn’t comment on it since she was sure her father was okay. Instead she ate in silence as the adults talked about stuff that frankly didn’t interest her. As she did though, she became aware of an odd feeling in the back of her head. Something felt off, but she couldn’t tell what it was…
Falanis was quick to notice her daughter’s puzzlement. “Kalja, what’s wrong?”
Kalja shrugged. “I feel weird. It’s like there’s something dark coming this way, but I can’t tell what it is.” She poked at her food. “It’s just weird,” she emphasized again.
Falanis shared a meaningful glance with Lyn before her mother closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate. After only a few moments, Falanis’ eyes shot open in alarm. “Kids, get your things. We’re going. Now.”
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Location: Place farthest from the brightside of the universe
Contact:
Re: Lost But Found
All Danolie had to pack were the items recently gifted to him. He had sandals, boots, three pairs of shirts and pants, and oral hygiene products. Danolie held all of the items bundled up in his arms and patrolled the rooms to watch the others prepare for a hasty departure. The adults had a stressful aura about them, so Danolie made himself scarce in their presence. Sysen was filling up a traveling case with unmentionables when Danolie stopped next to him and watched.
"Are you ready to leave?' Sysen asked.
"This is all I have," Danolie declared. After a minute, Sysen tossed Danolie an empty backpack and went back to his own task.
"Use that," he instructed. "And check on the girls, see if they need anything."
With Tulsar having been gone a week, Danolie could sense a heavier mantle of responsibility on Sysen's shoulders. By the human race's standards, Sysen was a teenager, but from Danolie's perspective he was a man already. Danolie sloppily stuffed his items into the worn backpack and they fit with plenty of room to spare. The little boy stopped by the dinner table and scarfed down a plate of food some one left behind, then he wandered into Faye's room where her and Kalja were gathering their things.
"Are we in trouble?" Danolie asked, the remnants of a vegetable still dancing around his mouth. Danolie swallowed and picked his teeth. The Firrerre boy had always sensed when some one was nearby or about to enter a room, but he did not feel whatever it was that had troubled Kalja and Falanis. Was this the Force they felt, or did they know something he didn't?
"Are you ready to leave?' Sysen asked.
"This is all I have," Danolie declared. After a minute, Sysen tossed Danolie an empty backpack and went back to his own task.
"Use that," he instructed. "And check on the girls, see if they need anything."
With Tulsar having been gone a week, Danolie could sense a heavier mantle of responsibility on Sysen's shoulders. By the human race's standards, Sysen was a teenager, but from Danolie's perspective he was a man already. Danolie sloppily stuffed his items into the worn backpack and they fit with plenty of room to spare. The little boy stopped by the dinner table and scarfed down a plate of food some one left behind, then he wandered into Faye's room where her and Kalja were gathering their things.
"Are we in trouble?" Danolie asked, the remnants of a vegetable still dancing around his mouth. Danolie swallowed and picked his teeth. The Firrerre boy had always sensed when some one was nearby or about to enter a room, but he did not feel whatever it was that had troubled Kalja and Falanis. Was this the Force they felt, or did they know something he didn't?
Pryngles
Posts: 17429
Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 2:11 am
Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 2:11 am
Location: Earth
Re: Lost But Found
"I still don't get it," Faye said as she was packing her things, "They're all Jedi, right? So why do we have to leave too?"
Lyn was beside the girl helping her pack and as she spoke he let out an exasperated sigh. He knew how she felt about Jedi, how all Palawans felt about Jedi, but what she didn't know--that could hurt her. "Faye," he began carefully, "I've kept this from you for far too long, but I think it's time that you know the truth. Your parents, both of them, were Jedi and you yourself are Force Sensitive. The Empire would surely eliminate you just as surely as they would eliminate them."
"My mom and dad," Faye asked in utter shock, slowly lowering herself onto the bed, "b-but you said--,"
"Nothing," Lyn interrupted her, "You had already determined that your parents were Palawan and were so proud of the fact that I just couldn't bring myself to tell you."
The girl sat in silence for a long time. "W--where are they now," she asked finally in a hesitant voice.
Lyn shook his head. "Gone, I'm afraid. It's illegal to be a Jedi these days, but there is no time for that. We need to get you and the other young ones out of here."
Lyn finished up packing her bag then zipped it closed and handed it to her as he turned to look at Kalja. "Are you all set, little one?"
Lyn was beside the girl helping her pack and as she spoke he let out an exasperated sigh. He knew how she felt about Jedi, how all Palawans felt about Jedi, but what she didn't know--that could hurt her. "Faye," he began carefully, "I've kept this from you for far too long, but I think it's time that you know the truth. Your parents, both of them, were Jedi and you yourself are Force Sensitive. The Empire would surely eliminate you just as surely as they would eliminate them."
"My mom and dad," Faye asked in utter shock, slowly lowering herself onto the bed, "b-but you said--,"
"Nothing," Lyn interrupted her, "You had already determined that your parents were Palawan and were so proud of the fact that I just couldn't bring myself to tell you."
The girl sat in silence for a long time. "W--where are they now," she asked finally in a hesitant voice.
Lyn shook his head. "Gone, I'm afraid. It's illegal to be a Jedi these days, but there is no time for that. We need to get you and the other young ones out of here."
Lyn finished up packing her bag then zipped it closed and handed it to her as he turned to look at Kalja. "Are you all set, little one?"
Mand'alor
Re: Lost But Found
The convoy of RTTs sped toward their destination of the distress call. The Moff was sitting at the end of one of the rows in the middle-positioned transporter of the group, his hands clasped together in front of his face. His eyes were closed, a sign to those under his command that warned them to leave him alone. He was deep in thought, and to disturb him in that state was not wise.
The information from the boy was questionable, at best, but any lead was a good lead at this point in the investigations. Official Imperial mandate was to follow up on any reports of Jedi sightings, no matter how vague or trivial they may appear to be.
And this Moff was no stranger to the concept. He had years under his belt dealing with Jedi, both mere leads and actual apprehensions. He preferred to take them alive, though to his troops' lack of understanding. Those Jedi that he had captured were never heard from again. It gained him a bit of a reputation, as the rumors circulated as to what he did with them. Many rumors seemed so real that even he could consider them true, though others were too far fetched to get anything better than a chuckle out of anyone who heard them.
The transporter slowed to a halt, and the company that he was with poured down the boarding ramp. "I want the perimeter secured," he began barking his orders. "Any witnesses to this event will be corralled at the established central command. I will question them myself."
The army personnel and stormtroopers alike began patrolling the area, taking anyone considered worth questioning into custody. The Moff sighed, as he turned his back from the developing scene. It was going to be a long afternoon.
"Sir, CorSec reports additional aid is being sent to secure the area," one of his men informed him. The Moff grimaced at the idea of working alongside CorSec. Though he kept his reasons to himself. He understood that many of his men had their own reasons to be hesitant to allow joint efforts, as many of them turned into competitions. He hoped this would not be one such instance. This was now an Imperial affair, and as such Imperial law overruled CorSec jurisdiction.
"Give them their orders," he ordered the man, "and keep them busy. The last thing we need is a pissing contest. If we're to find this Jedi, or even any leads at all, this has to be done right."
The man gave a salute and an acknowledgement and went on his way. The Moff activated a holo of the mapped area surrounding the location of the Jedi sighting and got to work on his analysis and plan of action. Within the hour, he was receiving data from the various patrols. When CorSec arrived on the scene, his officers made certain that they were put to work, and the efforts were cooperative, rather than their tendency to be competitive.
The reports were spilling in as information was collected and relayed back to him. "Sir," a voice said from the entrance behind him. The Moff was leaning against the holo display, and looked over his shoulder at the lieutenant. "One of our patrols came across a valuable witness. Claims to have seen the whole thing."
"Very well," the Moff said, "bring him in. I will question him myself." The lieutenant saluted, and turned to make his leave. Now they were getting somewhere.
The information from the boy was questionable, at best, but any lead was a good lead at this point in the investigations. Official Imperial mandate was to follow up on any reports of Jedi sightings, no matter how vague or trivial they may appear to be.
And this Moff was no stranger to the concept. He had years under his belt dealing with Jedi, both mere leads and actual apprehensions. He preferred to take them alive, though to his troops' lack of understanding. Those Jedi that he had captured were never heard from again. It gained him a bit of a reputation, as the rumors circulated as to what he did with them. Many rumors seemed so real that even he could consider them true, though others were too far fetched to get anything better than a chuckle out of anyone who heard them.
The transporter slowed to a halt, and the company that he was with poured down the boarding ramp. "I want the perimeter secured," he began barking his orders. "Any witnesses to this event will be corralled at the established central command. I will question them myself."
The army personnel and stormtroopers alike began patrolling the area, taking anyone considered worth questioning into custody. The Moff sighed, as he turned his back from the developing scene. It was going to be a long afternoon.
"Sir, CorSec reports additional aid is being sent to secure the area," one of his men informed him. The Moff grimaced at the idea of working alongside CorSec. Though he kept his reasons to himself. He understood that many of his men had their own reasons to be hesitant to allow joint efforts, as many of them turned into competitions. He hoped this would not be one such instance. This was now an Imperial affair, and as such Imperial law overruled CorSec jurisdiction.
"Give them their orders," he ordered the man, "and keep them busy. The last thing we need is a pissing contest. If we're to find this Jedi, or even any leads at all, this has to be done right."
The man gave a salute and an acknowledgement and went on his way. The Moff activated a holo of the mapped area surrounding the location of the Jedi sighting and got to work on his analysis and plan of action. Within the hour, he was receiving data from the various patrols. When CorSec arrived on the scene, his officers made certain that they were put to work, and the efforts were cooperative, rather than their tendency to be competitive.
The reports were spilling in as information was collected and relayed back to him. "Sir," a voice said from the entrance behind him. The Moff was leaning against the holo display, and looked over his shoulder at the lieutenant. "One of our patrols came across a valuable witness. Claims to have seen the whole thing."
"Very well," the Moff said, "bring him in. I will question him myself." The lieutenant saluted, and turned to make his leave. Now they were getting somewhere.
Master of the Ninja Post
Posts: 8900
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 9:51 pm
Location: A galaxy far, far, away...
Re: Lost But Found
Kalja was still distracted by what she could only think of as a gathering cloud of people drawing nearer. She was trying to figure it out without much success. It felt dangerous, but at the same time, it also felt like there was a ray of sunshine carefully hidden inside. She didn’t know what the Force was trying to tell her exactly, but Kalja wasn’t convinced that things were as bad as her mother seemed to think.
When Lyn asked her if she was ready, Kalja snapped herself back to the present and even gave the old man her usual cheerful smile. “All set!”
Sysen poked his head inside. “Mom says ready or not, we’re going now!”
Kalja shouldered her bag and skipped out of the room, apparently the only one who didn’t feel any tension at the situation. Danolie and Faye followed after her in a more sedate fashion, but as Lyn brought up the rear, Sysen briefly stopped the man with a hand on his shoulder.
“I didn’t want to alarm the kids,” he said quietly, “but you should know… Mom thinks it might be Imperial troops closing in on us based on how disciplined their minds are. There don’t seem to be any Inquisitors – thank the Force for small favors – Kalja’s presence would probably lead them right to us. Anyway, if things turn bad, we’re prepared to hold them off while you take Faye and get to safety. There’s no reason to put you two in any more danger because of the actions of our family.”
When Lyn asked her if she was ready, Kalja snapped herself back to the present and even gave the old man her usual cheerful smile. “All set!”
Sysen poked his head inside. “Mom says ready or not, we’re going now!”
Kalja shouldered her bag and skipped out of the room, apparently the only one who didn’t feel any tension at the situation. Danolie and Faye followed after her in a more sedate fashion, but as Lyn brought up the rear, Sysen briefly stopped the man with a hand on his shoulder.
“I didn’t want to alarm the kids,” he said quietly, “but you should know… Mom thinks it might be Imperial troops closing in on us based on how disciplined their minds are. There don’t seem to be any Inquisitors – thank the Force for small favors – Kalja’s presence would probably lead them right to us. Anyway, if things turn bad, we’re prepared to hold them off while you take Faye and get to safety. There’s no reason to put you two in any more danger because of the actions of our family.”
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