Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Mar 11, 2018 8:39:33 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2018 8:39:33 GMT -8
Anya smiled faintly as she let her head drop a little. She was so easy to see through. Then again, it might have only been Kia and the time they spent together. The past three years had them side by side. Two people uncertain of what to do with themselves. There wasn't a more perfect pair for finding their future.
"Both, actually. Then again, even with time, it's easy to slip back into those memories. Am I right?" She glanced back at Kia with a small smirk, knowing she thought on her past just as much as she did.
Truth be told, it wasn't really hard for them to figure out what to do with themselves. While they had done little thus far in their work, they decided to take up the same role, Kia's brother, Falcor, had when recreating the Kiffu Guardians long ago. They'd go to the battlefields that brought innocent lives into the middle of it and get them out safely. Kia had been an orphaned after witnessing her parent's death and Anya, herself, had been orphaned pretty much since birth. While the reasoning of her own had nothing to do with war, conflict, and revenge, she had known many who had been. So that's what they felt was best for them, to save others from ending up in those situations. They were allies to none when it came down to it, willing to fight Sith, Jedi, First Order, or Galactic Alliance who stood in their way. If called by any of them to aid them in such a task, they'd come, but never truly take sides. And it gave her the sense of purpose she desired all these years.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Mar 12, 2018 13:51:35 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2018 13:51:35 GMT -8
Kia chuckled at the comment. Indeed, she knew the feeling. How many nights did she face the nightmares of her parents murder? How many days did she reflect on it, letting the day incite her hatred for Force-sensitives and eventually take revenge on her brothers. Luckily, meeting with Gavin on Kiffu and the fight that ensued let her eyes be open. She hadn't been able to completely move passed the nightmares, but they had begun to lessen greatly since the encounter. Acceptance was the key to her freedom, it seemed. "Guess we're two peas in a pod."
After a few moments, she looked back at Anya. “So you still not going to let him know about it or even where you are?”
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Mar 13, 2018 13:40:33 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2018 13:40:33 GMT -8
Anya shook her head. "No, I think's better to stay hidden away. I don't want him getting worried about what happened or anything else. I know he's probably tried finding me since I'm no longer on Muunilist, but its probably best to stay under his radar." She then looked to Kia. "I know you're keeping hidden from him as well. I think that's the real question here."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Mar 13, 2018 13:46:29 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2018 13:46:29 GMT -8
Kia stopped and simply stared at the lake for a good while, thinking on Anya's words. She was indeed keeping herself hidden from him as well. In the end, a slight part of her felt shame for her feelings and actions against him. Reconnecting with her only family just seemed too hard now. "After everything that's happened, I guess its just hard to accept reconnecting with him after everything. I came to hate my family because of how easily they seemed to move on, only to find out the truth of it all. " She then shrugged. "Besides, Gavin moves around far too much for my liking. truth be told, I don't know if he could find a place to settle and call home right now. Besides, you are his adopted daughter, so maybe that's close enough to start. Maybe one day, we can regain the time lost."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Mar 14, 2018 15:34:09 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2018 15:34:09 GMT -8
Anya laughed a bit. She remembered all those years of her training, moving around from place to place. It was exciting, seeing new places though the reasoning wasn’t the most ideal. Still, she didn’t regret that time. She had gained a father out of Gavin and he taught her so much. She gained all she needed to survive and thrive in the galaxy under his tutelage, no matter what came. But the stability of having a place to call home, to always come back to, that was never there until now. She could only hope he’d find the same. And maybe they’d all find someone to give themselves to to close the circle of their lives.
"I can agree with that. So much moving around. Sure, there’s many things that get to be seen, but never truly experienced. And never place to call home where you can relax and take it easy for awhile. Stability."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
Apr 13, 2019 15:40:52 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2019 15:40:52 GMT -8
The wind blew across the balcony of the cafe, granting a calm and refreshing feeling to those enjoying a break from their daily activities. Gently blowing through her brown hair, Kia sipped her drink, lost in the sight before her. The cafe rested on the Solleu River, the Broadberry Meadow located just upstream, close enough to see the island park with ease. It had become one of her favorite spots in all of Theed, having both good drinks and a beautiful sight to help her relax and get her mind off the troubles of the galaxy.
She had lost count of how long she and Anya had been at it, aiding those in need. It had been three years after leaving the First Order that the two women decided to create their little group, going from battlefield to battlefield, seeking to help those caught up in the middle of the fights if they arrived in time. When they didn't, they still helped out where they could in trying to reestablish some semblance of life. With their power and knowledge, they felt obligated to. It had been another three years since then and now she was on her own. Anya had grown tired of fighting, her spirit dying off. Then again, perhaps she just wished to actually just live her life like a normal person. If that was the case, she couldn't blame the girl. But it was different for Kia.
She couldn't let go of the reality that her power obligated her to aid others. For as much as she hated those who wielded the Force and others with powers, she knew she needed to do something to keep hope in the galaxy, even if but a faint glimmer in the distance. She was only one woman, after all. It helped her feel more at peace with her own power, knowing that she wasn't one who turned her back on others as she felt the Jedi and others did. And so she continued on, responding to whatever distress call she could catch.
Recent encounters finally had her cross paths with the Sith as they sought to gain new worlds for themselves. She couldn't keep them from taking the planet, which was something she knew. It was all about helping innocent people not caught up in the fight. It was all she could do and she felt no regret in the matter. It made her wonder, though, how many more times she'd enter into their battles or enter into one of the First Order. It made her wonder if Nicademus would remember her or Anya, if it would prompt any questions about the ex-Imperial Knight.
But she needed some time for herself. There were a few options, a trip to the county side, a boat ride, but she opted for sitting at the cafe. The tea was quite calming and delicious and while she wanted to be left alone to think and relax, she wanted to be around people, especially those enjoying life happily, so to remember why she did what she did.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Theed
May 19, 2019 11:54:46 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on May 19, 2019 11:54:46 GMT -8
Having had a few drinks within the past hour, Kia knew it was time to leave. Things were peaceful and, at times, boring. But before she headed home, she planned to head out to the country-side and do some training. She needed to ensure her skills stayed sharp for any instance she encountered resistance on her missions, especially with the most recent ones that involved the Sith. She had no intention of dying yet, nor would she allow any to die that were under her care. So her abilities needed to remain at their peak.
Stepping out of the cafe, her attention was directed upwards as the sun dimmed a few times and the sounds of ships could be heard approaching the city. It wasn't an uncommon thing, people coming and going to Naboo and Theed. But there was something interesting about these ships. Four of them traveling together, three of the same design and the fourth and lead vessel something different entirely. They were unlike anything she had seen before, the first craft really catching her attention. With it, her curiosity grew, drawing her to move down the streets and towards the spaceport so to get a much better look.
|
|
Garrek Kanos
Member
Conquering Corona as we speak. Cheers *raises small solo cup of Listerine*
Posts: 16 
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by Garrek Kanos on Apr 27, 2022 18:53:39 GMT -8
Descending upon the city of Theed from the last layer of puffy white clouds above, the green domes atop pink and white stoned buildings resonated with images he had seen in Holofeeds and history modules. He was going to tread the same grounds that Grandmaster Skywalker's parents did. How different things have changed now.
The cliff bordering the edge of the cities' aft struck a particular sense of awe, like a "There-it-is!" moment. He found himself pulling back on the speed just to take in the sight, aside from the fact the spaceport traffic controllers would also appreciate it. The trees' leaves and foliage were lighter than the deeper forest greens of his home planet's, which explained the brighter hue from space. Although the further across the vast landscape you looked, along mountain sides and in the barrows of what looked to be a swampy area certainly held a darker richness. He wondered if that was where the Gungans lived.
In either case, he veered his craft about to circle the airspace above his designated landing pad. This place was huge, breadth-wise. Chandrila was no walk in a park, either, but everything is compacted and stacked sky high, whereas everything here didn't take skyscraping towers as the preferred indication of status, but actual real estate. While the Royal Palace could be seen from anywhere in the city, it was due to the elevation of landmass it was planted on, and it had to have been around half a mile in diameter, or just shy of it. Plazas, wide streets, and aqueducts that sparkled even to passing ships above spread everything out to make space of structures rather exclusive.
As Garrek released the landing gears from under his fighter and closed his S-Foils, he carefully maneuvered his craft towards the blinking circular LZ designated to him. A deck droid waving lit batons could be seen standing just inside the catwalk stilted over the same famous cliff on the adjacent side of the city. He was almost never careful about speed once he got moving, but he learned the hard way to be extra careful when it came to putting stress on his landing gears. That sithspit costs credits to fix. After some comfortable hovering, Garrek eased back on the VTOL thruster, and his ship lightly thudded onto the pad.
Giving one final look out his viewport as he powered down all systems, even the accented trees, shrubs, and floral bodies seemed to be strategically placed...everywhere. Like the whole place was outfit like a swanky shopping mall, just because they could. Granite, marble, limestone, purposefully grafted to appear both ancient, yet modernly posh...and he hadn't even gotten out the cockpit yet.
Upon the systems powering down, another device spurred to life behind the port side of his seat. A green power indicator lit up on a collapsed droid with a trapezoidal shaped head, which sprouted up quickly from the floor on two inverted mechanical legs. Painted black lines accented along the length of the white bodied crown. The droid beeped quizzically, shaking itself awake as it adjusted it's receptor.
Garrek made his own adjustments to his attire, pocketing his piloting gloves into one of his many pants pockets, and greeted his faithful companion.
"Morning, BD-7."
The droid gave an affirming woo.
"All charged and napped up, little guy?" He leaned back, reached down, and disconnected the charge cable from the port under the rear of his main chassis.
Seven cutely nodded his head looking up at his master, emulating a tonal "uh-huh."
"Good!" he leaned back over the other side, where his compartment containing his signature Jedi item was snugly placed opposite Seven's dock. Opening the top lid, he snagged both of them, already joined at the pommels for easier handling in travel. His DC-15s pistol was already housed comfortably in the holster on his thigh in flight, out of the way. Shutting the box, he exclaimed, "Alright, boy. Let's go see how much swag I gotta have to make friends with these people."
What sounded like an amused "What?" came from the droid as it took two paces to stand between his master's feet. Garrek released the pressure valve to open the top canopy. It hissed open, and the platform the seat was on elevated. The sunlit blue sky's light poured into the cockpit. Garrek reached down and lifted Seven up to his shoulder and the droid swiveled about as Garrek stood to rise out the cockpit. Taking in the sight with squinted, adjusting eyes, he clasped his saber onto his belt.
"...Wow." is all he could say. Even other ships coming in and out of the port had luxurious levels of credits dripping off the hulls. He saw a solar sailer docked opposite his pad across the Delegation District. "Okay, then." He forewent the built-in ladder grooves built along the side of his cockpit's hull, and let the Force cushion a light drop off the lip of the canopy to the deck below. Seven's gyroscopic actuators aided in masterful balance to keep himself perched on Garrek's back. "Playin' with the big boys, now, Seven." Seven's receptor could be heard focusing, refocusing, and adjusting his depth preceptors to take everything in as he wooed in agreement.
He started walking off the platform towards the catwalk's end at the edge of the cliff. The landing droid's mechanically raspy voice directed Garrek to the reception area. "Welcome to the city of Theed, Master Jedi. Please proceed to reception to meet your scheduled appointment." Its arm extended in the direction to a set of desks just beyond some thick pillars of pink granite outlying the length of the vast plaza. Atop the pillars, you could hear the rush of bubbling water in aqueducts. It was surreal. This place could be viewed as a paradise, or heaven to some, but if it was...Garrek wouldn't have been appointed.
No. There were forces at work here, and Master Rhulk didn't choose these things lightly. He approached the receptions counter to check in his fighter, and have his weapons accounted for, no doubt.
|
|
Kainan Wolfe
Member
Posts: 55
Affiliation: The Forgotten
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Kainan Wolfe on Apr 27, 2022 20:05:38 GMT -8
Amongst the crowd of busybodies at the spaceport, a man was taking pictures with his holocam. Dressed in the same kind of gaudy, floral shirt, complete with the faux-straw hat and the sunglasses that screamed tourist trash from Coruscant, he looked no different than the masses of other gawkers who had booked a vacation to Naboo just in time to see the coronation. One more man with a holocam, taking pictures and gawking at the picturesque architecture, would seem as innocent as a Loth-cat. And yet, this was anything but. Despite his gaudy outfit and the harmless appearance of another Coruscanti middle-class visitor, this man was a spy. One of several deployed by the Kalidani regime throughout the capital city of Naboo. And the holos he was taking, were not of the architecture, gardens, monuments or the view, but of the lone TIE Hunter which just landed, and its owner. The spy made sure to record detailed holos of the starfighters, as well as the Jedi. He took note of the droid, a BD-series unit, as well as the blaster that the Jedi had strapped to his side. His superiors in New Selentia would pour over every pixel, analyzing every bit of information and compiling reports for their master. As such, every detail counted, for even the smallest thing might reveal something useful. If it were up to him, the spy would have liked to stick a computer spike into that starfighter. Perhaps sneak up close in the guise of a spaceport worker and download every bit of data in the TIE Hunter's onboard electronics. He was particularly curious as to why this Jedi flew an Imperial starfighter, instead of the much more typical X-Wings his kind preferred... He would have also liked to walk up behind the Jedi's back and plant a knife into his jugular. Oh, how he hated this Jedi. He didn't even know him, but it was enough to know what he was. What his kind had done to the Kalidani, to the spy's people, to his little brother and sister...
But the orders from up high were to lay low and not do anything that might attract attention to the Kalidani... activities... in the city. And the Kalidani were nothing if not disciplined. To them, self-control was a way of life and they practiced it almost religiously. So, the man simply stood there, at a distance, taking pictures, his face a mask of innocence. He would transmit them to his superiors soon enough, when a seemingly innocuous freighter drifted above the city, up in orbit. The freighter that was, in fact, a camouflaged comms relay, one of several such devices that the Kalidani had. |
|
Vyra Silara
Member
A bird without its wings is a low and tragic thing.
Posts: 30 
Traffic Light: Orange
|
Post by Vyra Silara on Apr 28, 2022 0:36:13 GMT -8
Location: Delegation District, Theed
The Nar Shaddaa News Network once cited Naboo’s strict, lengthy customs process and rigid anti-weapons laws to be the number one reason not to vacation there.
Standing in the shadow of one of the pillars, Faye watched the customs officers, their eyes glazed over in boredom, postures slumped as they relaxed back in their little chairs behind the desks, barely even looking at the individuals before they handed them their corresponding visa cards and waved them through into the hallways beyond. The weapons locker closets behind them were dusty, unused, relics of a culture that had almost been snuffed out nearly four years ago.
How things had changed.Whatever Faye felt about the scene before her, she never let it touch her features, expression placid and cool underneath her hooded gown. She was working. There was no place for real feelings. Only carefully crafted personas and masks.
She made a mental note to inform Vyra of what she’d witnessed here, though, for she knew this lax security simply would not do.
Her eyes settled on the Jedi Knight as he passed through the customs checkpoint, Lorrdian-trained gaze combing every detail for information. The customs officers also perked up a bit, eying the Knight and his weapons with a healthy amount of caution as one of them quickly handed him his card and ushered him and his BD-series droid through. The man’s lightsabers certainly drew the most attention, but Faye was more interested in the blaster at his hip. Her personal experience with Jedi and the Force-gifted was little to none, but surely they had no need of such uncivilized weapons. Perhaps it was a statement piece? Or, much like Imina’s creations, and much like her own role as Handmaiden, perhaps it was simply a distraction and served another function entirely.
The troop of garishly dressed tourists snapping far too many holo-pictures swarmed in front of the Jedi briefly as the tour guide attempted to herd everyone towards the designated group photo area. A handful of stragglers actually paused to swing their cameras towards the Jedi, gawking openly.
Faye saw her opportunity.
She glided around the throng of beings, using their bundled mass to hide her as she positioned herself to seem she was just walking through the gates and absolutely hadn’t been lurking in the shadows watching people for an hour.
It was an unseasonably warm spring day and Vyra was a merciful mistress, so the robes and corresponding jumpsuit ensemble Faye wore underneath were of a much lighter material than usual. The deep teal folds still aptly concealed her form, the hood drawn just low enough to scatter her features with shadow, and the Naboo royal crest was embroidered in a lighter shade across the hemline.
She approached the Knight.A small but warm smile settled on her lips, and into her voice she poured honey.
“Knight Kanos?” she confirmed, adding a respectful bow of her head. “Welcome! I’m Faye, it’s an honor to meet you. I have a shuttle waiting to take us to the palace at your convenience, where we’ve prepared rooms for you to refresh yourself before your appointments.” There was just the slightest clip of a Coruscanti accent on her tongue. The handmaiden cast a look behind him, as if looking for something. “I can arrange for any luggage to be brought to you…”
|
|
Garrek Kanos
Member
Conquering Corona as we speak. Cheers *raises small solo cup of Listerine*
Posts: 16
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by Garrek Kanos on Apr 28, 2022 11:09:13 GMT -8
Personal ID Visa: Checked
Ship Registry: Checked
Weapons Inventory: Checked - Registered to Person(s)
Nature of Travel: Business
As Garrek was talking with the receptionist, originally taken aback by being approached by a Jedi, he had developed a feeling of slight unease. It physically manifested itself in the form of discomfort about his upper back, across the breadth of his shoulders, and also the same feeling across his cheekbones. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with, but in all honesty, no less surprising. He landed in a former Imperial fighter used pre-First Order, emerging from it in religious traditional garb of the Jedi. Attention came with the 'job', as it were, and the tourists snapping pics of him was obviously an indicator. But a Jedi can sense when particular focus, and not the jovial kind, is being projected to him. The unease he felt could only have resulted from ill intent, or swelled resentment; which again, came with the job. The words of his master rang true in his mind from assignments past:
Well, whatever focus was on him wasn't making his ears ring, hairs on his arms stand, or his eyes dilate. That would be indicative of action required, and Garrek knew better than to give away what inconspicuousness he had left away by actively searching said person out. The nature of his mission wasn't stealth. Vyra and Master Rhulk were depending on open candidness to serve the greater purpose. Having nothing to hide provided an advantage all its own. "Act natural. Not much you can do right now. Let it play out." he consoled himself as he smiled at the receptionist one last time as he pocketed his visa in the rear of his pant leg. "Thank you, you've been most helpful. Be blessed." He also intentionally didn't want to tell Seven they were being watched. The droid would instinctively swivel about in a slight panic until his receptor would successfully catch the perpetrator, and who knows how loud he would whir and woo in his excitement.
The tourists snapping pics of him were promptly redirected by either a guide or an overseer of the port to a designated photo area by the time he finished at the desk. He didn't care who they were, but he was grateful for it. His long saber hilt only made brief flashes in the sunlight from under his black outer robe, but he could hear an exclaimed comment about it made by one of the onlookers. He took one last glance at the troop vacating his vicinity, and made a comment to his companion behind him. "I don't know what the big deal is, Seven. I mean, you're more rare than these glow-bats are."
The BD droid chimed happily at the affirmation of his master, peering over the shoulder to watch the departing crowd.
Garrek started to give one last snide remark before seeing his scheduled contact approach, shaking his head in dismay, "I mean, I don't know buddy. This place is already overwhelming in one sense, and underwhelming in others. It's like all this show," he looks around, hands waving abroad the plaza, having stepped beyond the desk area, "and yet no actual...--" and then he saw her.
Garrek dropped his arms limp to his sides, and his brow lowered in immediate humility as he witnessed the graceful glide the lady made towards him. The lavish teal color of flowing fabric shimmered in the morning sun, and while the shroud over her face served to shadow her features, the softness of her eyes accentuated by her meticulously sharp brow was easily noticeable. He squeezed the last word of his prior thought out in a whisper, and wasn't sure if he was talking to Seven anymore...or himself. "--...taste."
Her voice was as elegant as her attire. Garrek gave a respectful bow in return at the waist, eyes at her feet, then returned his warm smile, the first time exposing his pearly whites to anyone after landing. "The honor is mine, m'lady. This is my first time to this historic place. I must say, the Holofeeds don't do it justice." While he listened and heeded her comment concerning the shuttle ready for travel, he still had that nagging feeling of being monitored--spied on--which meant she was now in view with him as well. Whether it was related or not, the look she gave beyond his back as if to look for something gave Garrek the unction to get moving from where they currently were. Keeping the cordial grin as best he could with a first impression, he spoke a bit hastily, "No luggage carry is necessary at the moment, m'lady. Please," he gestured politely towards her with an open hand, "lead the way."
She gave a courteous curtsy bend at the knee before turning to lead him towards the awaiting transport.
Within a few strides, Garrek made sure he was next to her and half a stride behind, within earshot of a whisper. "Uhm, quick question, m'lady."
She veered her ear towards him with a soft "Hmm?" as they walked.
"Are you or were you aware or not if you were being followed up to this point?" He kept his stride steady, not rushed behind her as to push in haste. He felt a light wisp of spring breeze across his face, and it was oddly and aptly timed to tell him to enjoy the space.
|
|
Vyra Silara
Member
A bird without its wings is a low and tragic thing.
Posts: 30
Traffic Light: Orange
|
Post by Vyra Silara on Apr 28, 2022 12:42:02 GMT -8
Location: En route to Theed NPCs Involved: Handmaiden Faye
 In the four seconds of comfortable silence that followed as Faye led them through the archways, the handmaiden took quick stock of what little she already knew of Knight Kanos and matched it with what she was learning. Well-spoken, a warmth and charm to rival her own, clearly concerned with decorum if the tidy state of his contrasting robes was anything to go by. She’d expect nothing less from a Chandrilan. His droid companion did pique her interest, though not out of personal curiosity. She knew Syrsha would drill her for details later, and so she’d tried her best to commit to memory the form of his ship and the state of any gear he brought with him. In fact, she’d been just about to ask about the droid when he spoke quietly.
Followed? Hmm.
Hands hidden inside the folds of her robe, Faye instinctively reached for her small holdout blaster, sharpening the turn of her gaze under her hood, though she gave no other outwardly obvious acknowledgement. Annoyance at the idea she may have missed something so obviously crucial prickled at the perfectionists' thoughts, but she kept a smile in her voice all the same.
“As Handmaidens, we assume we are always being followed, Knight Kanos,” she said lightly, mostly to adhere to their collective ‘Be Vague And Mysterious’ handmaiden directive, but also to throw doubt on the fact that she definitely hadn’t noticed anyone following them. She did take a moment to remind herself that Force-gifted had other senses she did not, and so perhaps this was not a failing of hers. But Faye had no wish to insult the Jedi’s instincts, nor make him feel small or disrespected. The Queen seemed to trust their mystical insights, and so would Faye.
Even if it meant admitting she was wrong, less than, or in need of help.
The young woman gritted her teeth briefly.
“Though, our powers of observation are no match for someone with your expertise,” she admitted politely. “I will put my trust in your senses, though I don’t believe there is cause for concern just yet. It’s been only days since the Coronation, people are just as curious as they are scared and anxious.”
|
|
Garrek Kanos
Member
Conquering Corona as we speak. Cheers *raises small solo cup of Listerine*
Posts: 16
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by Garrek Kanos on Apr 28, 2022 13:19:47 GMT -8
“As Handmaidens, we assume we are always being followed, Knight Kanos,”
“Though, our powers of observation are no match for someone with your expertise,” she admitted politely. “I will put my trust in your senses, though I don’t believe there is cause for concern just yet. It’s been only days since the Coronation, people are just as curious as they are scared and anxious.”
. The droid obediently turned his head forward with a stiff beep. "It's okay, buddy. If they wanted to hurt us, I'd already know. Just play it cool, okay?" Garrek heard the servos in its neck as Seven nodded and wooed.He turned his attention back to Faye, "Sorry. He gets all 'Let me help! Let me help!' at the drop of a hat."
"But uh, yeah...what you say makes a lot of sense. Shifts in power typically cause unrest, hence my being here. Chandrila, as you can imagine, is no different. Sentient nature, as it were."
They approached the pad across the plaza and into another adjacent alcove where the shuttle awaited, ramp extended to the deck.
"And honestly, the sixth sense about being watched is hardly needed. I land in a former Imperial Remnant fighter, out pops a Jedi, with *this* little handsome fella. I mean, that's not sixth sense material. Most people would just call that....sense." "Please laugh. ...oh my god, can she take jokes? You wanted to test those waters, dude. She's either priss or prime. Moment of truth." |
|
Vyra Silara
Member
A bird without its wings is a low and tragic thing.
Posts: 30
Traffic Light: Orange
|
Post by Vyra Silara on Apr 28, 2022 13:52:01 GMT -8
Location: En route to Theed NPCs Involved: Handmaiden Faye
There was a certain casualness, genuine and comfortable, that slipped into his speech every so often, and Faye found herself enjoying it. Like the occasional cool mist from the misting stands during Theed’s hot summers, it was refreshing amidst all the political posturing and polished manners she now lived and breathed every day.A soft, musical giggle sounded through her smile at his quip, and Faye nodded in agreement as they neared the platform. Whether or not his humor was deliberate to relax and reassure her, she did not know, but it was appreciated nonetheless. “Sense, yes, in every ..‘sense’.. of the word, something many have been lacking on Naboo for years…” The sweet spring breeze caught her attention briefly, and Faye savored the scent of freshly bloomed millaflowers and crisp green mountain grass even as she watched their surroundings with caution.
“I did notice you arrived in a rather unorthodox vessel, we don’t see many like that here,” she noted, nodding to the shuttle pilot as the doors slid open. “Though I confess, my knowledge of spacecraft is lacking. Is it personal preference, or is there a grander story behind your choice of transportation?” she inquired as she slid into the shuttle seat.
|
|
Garrek Kanos
Member
Conquering Corona as we speak. Cheers *raises small solo cup of Listerine*
Posts: 16
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by Garrek Kanos on Apr 28, 2022 15:22:53 GMT -8
“I did notice you arrived in a rather unorthodox vessel, we don’t see many like that here,” she noted, nodding to the shuttle pilot as the doors slid open. “Though I confess, my knowledge of spacecraft is lacking. Is it personal preference, or is there a grander story behind your choice of transportation?” she inquired as she slid into the shuttle seat.
. "It's both preference with a bit of story, I suppose." The shuttle pilot retracted the ramp, primed the repulsors, and the craft lifted from the pad. Gears lifted back into the bottom fuselage. "The preference has a lot of factors, which, I'll be honest, may or may not bore you. The story of how I got it was a bit of happenstance. Right place at the right time kinda thing. By the time some Resistance intel granted a staged raid on one of Palpatine's newly exposed shipyards, the morale of the Sith navy had suffered greatly. That last stand at Exegol showed us who all the good guys' friends really were, ya know?"
Garrek took another moment to breathe in the crisp air as they sailed towards the Royal Palace, and view the city streets from above.
"So even a couple years after Palpatine fried out for the third time, the Remnant was still in shambles. Installations, facilities, overall maintenance suffered. But the toys the Empire had left hiding in pockets, eventually came to light. Sienar made most of the Empire's war machine, so if your intelligence is good, it branches out to new leads. By the time I was of age, I was already an adept pilot. They found another lead for dormant TIE Hunters after Fondor got hit about a decade ago by Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron. Now, TIE Hunters were made to be an answer for our X-Wings. But they handle very differently. But even then, when you have a project that old and operations spanning across multiples sectors, I guess they lost track. By the time we amass our force and jump in, the station wasn't hard to take. It was at Onderon. I was one of the pilots commissioned to fly them back."
"And...I immediately fell in love with it." he smiled, giving a slight chuckle, remembering the day vividly. "Man, plucking her for the first time? Repossessing tech the Empire used to oppress people into submission, now used for defense and facilitation of freedom. Doesn't get any sweeter than that. That's why I dubbed it 'Palisade.'
Adding one last remark, he clicked his tongue and pointed briefly at Faye. "Thanks for laughing at my joke earlier, by the way. If you didn't, well..." he cocked his head back and gestured with his hand in sarcastic jest "...THAT could have made this shuttle ride a bit more awkward."
Seven veered his gaze back to his ridiculous master, and shook his head with a distinct warble.
Garrek stopped nodding at himself, and chided his cohort. "...well no one asked you!" |
|
Vyra Silara
Member
A bird without its wings is a low and tragic thing.
Posts: 30
Traffic Light: Orange
|
Post by Vyra Silara on Apr 30, 2022 13:00:31 GMT -8
Location: En route to Theed Royal Palace NPCs Involved: Handmaiden Faye
Listening to the Jedi share the history of his craft was fascinating, the emotion in his voice when he spoke of his first time flying the ‘Palisade’ was, she thought admiringly, touching. For the Naboo, it was considered a great honor and the purest beauty to witness a passionate individual speak of their work and their convictions with such emotion, and though she hadn’t been born on this planet, it was something she came to respect about its people. Treasuring the individual, celebrating love of work and honoring history.Faye once again giggled at the display of familiar humor between master and droid. “Well, if you ever grow weary of being a Jedi, you two would make a profitable comedy routine,” she said lightly, flashing a smile.Even the pilot chuckled a little.Below, an endless blur of sandstone, cobblestone streets, aqua tiled domes and lush vegetation rushed by as they continued onto Theed Royal Palace.
|
|
Vash'Ur Nam'Aser
Member
Staging New Protocol: Please Wait...Buffering.........Buffering.......
Posts: 24
Affiliation: Stampede Technologies
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Vash'Ur Nam'Aser on May 12, 2022 22:00:32 GMT -8
Outskirts of Theed - Villa Fortuna
In the months and subsequent years that Naboo had seen a falling of the Old Guard, being replaced by the travesty that was the Galactic Party and seeing the chaotic, despondent corruption and lawlessness that ensued as a result of their influence and reign, Vash'Ur Nam'Aser had decided to vacate his former home and conduct his affairs off-planet until the political climes had calmed themselves to a dull roar once again. Vash kept as much of an eye as he could on things from his compound on Osarian within the Expansion Region; and saw his chance to affect some small level of change and secure his niche market when the so-called "Kalidani" decided to make their presence known in the mountainous regions of Naboo. Once the destabilization of the Galactic Party had begun, the Bothan Information Broker scooped up every little sliver of intel that he could in order to start assisting the Loyalist Party in their subsequent overthrow of that horrendous Queen Samala...*
*Usually, Vash welcomed a little lawlessness and corruption within a regime. It allowed him to create avenues into proper channels, applying delicate pressure to an otherwise-unyielding target to achieve a lucrative goal that he tried to work out to everyone's advantage. In some cases, he would come out ahead in the dealings, in others, he could provide a favor or two in order to maintain the status quo. But, what became problematic was when you went to apply a little "grease to the palms" and found them overly-filthy already. When it became too dangerous to conduct business in Theed because the people in power became indifferent to the manner in which they were perceived. You either had the creds they needed to satisfy their greed, or the information they desired, or you became a forgotten footnote in the scheme of things; usually in the most-violent and abrupt of ways. For Vash, that just wouldn't do. So, he made for a quiet exit from the system, and only now since the new queen - Vyra Silara - had been elected to the throne, did he feel that he could return to Naboo and begin reestablishing himself as the foremost information broker and white-collar crimelord.*
*Through his various use of Replica Droids, Vash'Ur had used his considerable influence to create multiple business fronts through several pseudonyms. Vash sometimes allowed his "counterparts" to handle the day-to-day operations via carefully-cultivated and tested Artificial Intelligences that were housed within the droids themselves. However, when certain aspects of his business called for a more deft touch, he would assume control of the Replica Droids via a network uplink chair that allowed him to channel and transfer his consciousness directly into the droids. The chair also acted as a biomedical suite, linked to his body via a med-port in his right forearm. The channel supplied vital nutrients to Vash's body to allow him to perform meticulous virtual dives for an extended duration. It helped that the uplink chair itself was stored and operated within Vash's villa, in a hidden panic room that held the Bothan's extensive suite of high-end electronics and the most sophisticated computer hardware and software that Vash had ever devised.*
*And for the past 48 hours, Vash had been in that very chair, rebuilding his virtual library and compiling all of the data that his A.I.'s had been accruing over the time he had been gone. In Vash's mind, however, time was progressing at a much different rate. He had been in his virtual datascape for well over a week, and was near the end of understanding how the Loyalist Party had used the info he was feeding them to unseat the Galactics and take back the throne. Furthermore, he was becoming increasingly-curious of the Kalidani and their "sovereign territory" of New Selentia...*
*Perhaps it was time that he took a more-active role and did a little bit of "outreach" to the newly-formed colony...
|
|
Vash'Ur Nam'Aser
Member
Staging New Protocol: Please Wait...Buffering.........Buffering.......
Posts: 24
Affiliation: Stampede Technologies
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Vash'Ur Nam'Aser on May 28, 2022 21:13:38 GMT -8
Outskirts of Theed - Villa FortunaWithin the virtual sanctuary of his network uplink chair, Vash'Ur was busy establishing records for his latest acquisition - Stryfe Logistic Solutions. It was a smaller distribution network that had a baker's dozen freighters and carriers in its fleet. Vash was in the process of merging this small shipping company with Wolfwood Industries, which held a bevy of engineering and manufacturing services. The result was going to be the Wolfwood-Stryfe Conglomerate, which would be able to handle small-scale logistics operations for over a dozen star systems - with one of their target networks being here in the Mid-Rim, which Naboo was a hopeful prospect of. The engineering division would be responsible for reverse-engineering and designing quality after-market parts for the purpose of building and maintaining the fleets, with manufacturing being focused on constructing these designs. Vash made sure to secure a rental property in Theed and was in the process of setting up virtual hires to run his offices for the front there. He had his best AI on the task, and was currently in a conference with them inside the virtual space he had set up."So...we're currently off-world with our company. Where are we with Theed Spaceport, Zarya?"The sultry, feminine voice of a Chalactan female seemed to echo from everywhere as it suddenly focused around a materializing image of a beautiful woman entering the same virtual space as Vash's own digital avatar.Currently, I am negotiating for three starport hangars that will be exclusively used by WSC. The problem seems to be that they're worried such a new company won't be able to sustain the right amount of business to warrant such exclusivity."Well, in this case, credits talk. Make sure they realize that we are prepared to support our claim of these hangars with a substantial deposit, and file for the proper permits to privatize the security feeds. It's an investment I'm willing to make, since that privatization is considerably the most-expensive permit to attain; it means that we are willing to make a big splash in this 'little pond'. Also, upscale one of the hangars. We need enough space for industrial carriers, in case we get any contracts that will require shipments like fuel and such to be brought down to the surface. And start collating bids for ground transport contracts here on Naboo. We will want to get out ahead of that."The virtual Chalactan gave a courteous nod as she folded her hands in front of her.Of course, sir. She seems to zone out for just a moment, then addresses him again. Chief, I'm just receiving word that Ms. Monev, Mr. Marlon, and Mr. Whyte have all arrived on-site and are going through orientation with the first batch of candidates we hired, as well as the transfers that were able to relocate on short notice. Did you want to be looped in on that meeting?Vash considered for a moment, and then nodded."Go ahead and let me tag along with Mr. Whyte. I'll just listen in with him in the driver's seat."Zarya gave a polite nod in response.Very well, sir. Connecting you now.
Theed - Wolfwood-Stryfe OfficesIn keeping with the warm, aesthetically-pleasing look of Theed's alabaster stone buildings, the offices of Wolfwood-Stryfe held the same regal-looking style as much of the architecture surrounding them. Of course, that could only stand to reason, since the buildings were being rented out by the company, and were basically already part of the city's artistic look. Inside the building, within one of its larger conference rooms, the initial orientation meeting for the newly-merged company was about to start. Several of the people in attendance were former department heads from their respective companies that were willing to relocate quickly to fill the necessary staff roles, while others were fresh faces, those who were native to the planet itself and seeking gainful employment. And then, there were three individuals who were part and parcel to how Vash's entire operation was carried out. These three were Replica Droids, designed to be the perfect proxies for Vash's enterprises by means of housing three distinctly-different Artificial Intelligences. These programs had been carefully-cultivated over the years by Vash, and given a great deal of autonomy to carry out his plans while still remaining loyal to Vash, himself. Which wasn't to say that Vash had designed them this way; his actions in the beginning were to simply see how far he could push the limits of AI programming. But over time, he allowed them to reason with him, and presented them with a single idea...*
*What could they all achieve if they decided to work together, rather than at odds with each other, like so many dystopian universal views often depicted?*
*Because, while there was no doubt that the AI had access to the breadth of sentient knowledge that was made available to them via the holonet, they would have a limited understanding of that knowledge. Vash had given them all the tools necessary to disseminate such data, but without a practical understanding of how sentient life was able to achieve said knowledge, or what it would mean to the galaxy as a whole, or even what could be considered practical knowledge versus being something akin to "garbage code", how could they put this knowledge to good use? That was how Vash was able to contribute to their partnership. And he truly did consider them "partners" in this endeavor, even if the goals he set out to achieve were solely his. The AIs he created ultimately decided that Vash was worth following and investing themselves into, and that was what had brought them to where they were today.The conference room was abuzz with many of the people in attendance introducing themselves to each other and already starting the process of inter-office networking amongst themselves. Vash had Zarya in charge of analyzing all of the recruits, and that meant finding people with the most well-established, proven work ethic and cross-referencing that with their psychological and professional profiles. The result was fairly-favorable; the group seemed to be a bunch of ambitious and highly-professional individuals that would hopefully work together well in this office setting. Currently, the group was gathered in small clusters around the refreshment tables, next to the room's seating arrangements, and a few were already seated and going over personal files on their datapads and other handheld devices.*
*At the head of the room were Vash's three primary operatives: two human replica droids that had been given AIs to act autonomously in Vash's absence, and one Bothan replica droid who also housed an AI, and was Vash's face when dealing with any companies he owned and operated. The humans were male and female, a young and beautiful raven-haired woman dressed in an elegant, professional dress and a handsome, curly-headed blonde man with tanned skin and dressed in a vest-suit combo. Whereas the Bothan was a brilliant white-pelted fellow with silvery stripes throughout his fur, and his eyes had black sclera with a golden yellow iris. He was dressed to the nines in a resplendent white suit with a slate-grey shirt. It was within the Bothan replica droid - Mr. "Whyte", as he was known to most - that Vash had connected his virtual self with. It was a "meeting of the minds" of sorts, as Vash'Ur partitioned off a virtual space with which his AI compatriot could converse with him without anyone knowing. As a digital representation of Mr. Whyte appeared before Vash, it gave a courteous bow, which Vash returned with a smile and a nod."Mr. Whyte, good afternoon. Glad to see you."The Bothan's usual thick, Carratosi accent began to pour through; gruff and guttural as always. And ye, sir. T'what do I owe th' pleasure of yer providence today?Vash's virtual avatar stroked at the fur on his chin for a moment as he pondered."Well, I think I'll need to adjust your role for this company. We'll be switching to the Sandol Protocol. I hope you don't mind?"There was a brief moment where it looked as though Mr. Whyte's virtual self seemed to shift out of focus for a moment, and then rendered back into his normal form. And just as suddenly, the Carratosi voice was gone; replaced by a deep, rich Coruscanti accent as he acknowledged the change.Of course, sir. You can always rely on me to carry out your requests to their fullest. I will forward this change in protocol to Lina and Frank immediately.Nods "Good, good. I'm necessitating the change on the basis of providing a few degrees of separation between the public face of the WSC and your alternative alias as my envoy for Stampede Technologies. With Sandol's personality in play, we can avoid such a correlation. At least for now."Understood, Chief. Are we all set with the starports? I was hoping to vet our hangar crews and get started with our shell operations."Zarya is nearly-finished with the negotiations for the hangar space. I've asked her to set up a few meetings for some initial contracts with the Naboo government, and to see if they can get us in touch with the Kalidani settlement, as we've previously discussed."The virtual Mr. Whyte nodded.Very well, sir. We will move forward with the rollout as planned. Was there anything else?Vash shook his head."No, no, Mr. Whyte. Thank you for your time. I'll leave everything here in your capable hands."The virtual Mr. Whyte vanished from view, and Vash looked on for a moment through his eyes at the conference room full of his new prospective employees before disconnecting from him completely to return to his previous dealings with Zarya; intent on cementing the newly-formed business.
|
|
|
|
Post by Han Der on Aug 20, 2022 7:37:53 GMT -8
Lina gave a respectful nod to the Jawa spacer and motioned for them to go ahead and get into the speeder.Once their trio had all gotten settled within, she entered the vehicle and found a seat adjacent to theirs before calling out to the driver of the speeder through use of the limo's internal comm system to give them the go-ahead."I believe we have everyone safely inside. If you wouldn't mind securing the doors, we'll get ourselves underway. We'll be heading to the main offices, and using the Plaza entrance. Thank you."After letting up on the button and hearing the chime that the speeder was about to depart, she looked back at Han, Babe, and Be Be Awesome with a warm smile. The doors closed and quietly sealed to secure them all safely within. The whole trip would be around a ten-minute "flight", which would give them a few moments for any questions they might have. Within seconds, the inertial dampeners kicked in and the speeder lifted off smoothly, carrying them upward toward Theed proper.
But anything going wrong was an unlikely scenario as the Limo made its way across the capital of Naboo toward the headquarters of the Wolfwood-Stryfe Conglomerate. He turned his gaze from the city to Lina as she sat opposite themMr Marlon has certainly gone out of his way to extend every pleasantry he could. I tend not to ask too many questions about my future employers in this line of work... I am in the business of moving goods from one place to another after all. But is there anything I should know Ms Monev? |
|
Vash'Ur Nam'Aser
Member
Staging New Protocol: Please Wait...Buffering.........Buffering.......
Posts: 24
Affiliation: Stampede Technologies
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Theed
Aug 23, 2022 14:31:46 GMT -8
Post by Vash'Ur Nam'Aser on Aug 23, 2022 14:31:46 GMT -8
Theed Skylanes - En Route to Local WSC Offices
The query from Han was - of course - something that Lina had been expecting the Jawa to ask. It is sometimes easier to find someone who is a bit further down the pay chain, who doesn't have as much invested with the company who can offer more of an "unbiased" perspective, rather than toeing the company line all of the time. However, Lina was likely more-invested in the well-being and "image" of the company than most of the employees who had been involved with their respective companies even before the merger.In an effort to be a little more theatrical and dramatic, Lina seemingly paused her features mid-thought, then pulled the datapad she had been holding close to her chest, leaning forward and speaking in a hushed tone of voice to answer Han's question.
"You mean...other than the usual diatribe of our company's 'long and illustrious history' or our 'commitment to our clientele to provide the best in customer service'?" She noted she had likely engaged Han's curiosity at this point, and so, she continued "If I had to level with you, Han...our interest in a person with your...skillset? Let's just say that we're hoping you'll be able to help us in a more...clandestine sense. I'll allow my associate, Mr. Marlon, to give you the full details, though." She considered for a moment what else she should take care to reveal, and seemed to resolve herself as she sat back in her seat, carrying on in a much more casual tone "I'm sure you might have noticed in some of your own research regarding our Conglomerate, but the merger between our Logistics and Engineering companies was rather recent. When that merger occurred, our stock price took a substantial hit, and both of the companies' Board of Directors attempted to subvert the merger, trying to sink this ship before it even had the chance to float. It wasn't until we weeded those rogue elements out through buyouts, intimidation and subterfuge that we were able to get this company moving in the right direction. My employers have a very-specific agenda that they are looking to accomplish through the use of this company; and they saw an opportunity present itself in the form of yourself and your crew. Anything that we decide to do, moving forward? You can rest assured that it will be quite lucrative for everyone involved in helping make it happen." She pulled the datapad back down, seemingly going back to what she was doing before "Did that answer your question satisfactorily, sir?"
The virtual dive into Han's past affiliations was turning up some rather-intriguing info. Setting aside the fate of Eclipse Microsystems, as well as the seemingly-shared fate of its CEO, Obadiah; the destination of those funds from the dissemination of the company seemed to go into several private companies. Each one of those companies had financial records dating a few years back, but everything from before then was a giant blank. On top of that, the people responsible for those companies were either entirely-fictional or had barely any digital footprint prior to these companies being in business. Currently, most of them were operating under a steady financial decline, barely holding onto any profits before dumping them into some endeavor or another, the credits never to be seen again. Vash was beginning to see a startling pattern in those discrepancies.
"It's a dump scheme."
"What's that, Chief?"
"A dump scheme. Look at this-" He parsed together a few of the windows that he was working with, and swung them over to Zarya's avatar "-see the steady trickle downward? Each one of these so-called 'companies' end up basically cashing out within two years of operating at break-neck speed; all of them funneling credits into...what? 'Development projects'? 'Futures'? Yeah, right. My non-existent fluffy Kushiban tail-implant..."
Zarya had developed her creator's sense of humor over the many years, and broke out in a snorting fit of laughter at the prospect of seeing Vash'Ur with a fluffy tail in front of her.
To which, Vash smirked "Exactly. I could see maybe one or two companies floundering after a certain amount of time, but all of them making relatively the same sorts of financial blunders within a bracket of three years can only mean that someone's pulling the strings further up. But...to what end, I wonder?" He paused for a moment to consider. Then, he snapped his fingers and started trying to work it through. "Okay, Zarya...do me a favor and start digging into any incidents surrounding the death of that Obadiah guy. See if anyone else was involved, other than Han. I'm working on a very thin theory, at this point..."
Vash would go back to damage control from the dive, making sure that any of their queries didn't raise any alarms and scrubbing their digital footprint by modifying the data to suggest that several ad-bots were probing the Holonet's access points, trying to find a way in so they could secure a digital foothold. Zarya would carefully follow the thread that was EM's former-CEO's death, accessing everything from holonews gossip sites to knocking on the virtual "basement doors" of local law enforcement to determine just how deep this laigrek hole went.
|
|
