View source for A Reckoning for Weniscio

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2025-08-04
|Synopsis=Weniscio's questionable deed come to light. The result is chaotic.
|Cast of Characters=159, 261, 444, 143
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Not long after Thaarin carries Navi to her quarters where she can sleep in her bed properly, she'll awake to the sound of her commlink going off. <br><br> If she peers at it, she'll see that it's a text transmission Master Rykard himself, asking that she come speak with him as soon as possible. The Marshal must have been feeling much better then. That's good news, at least.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>Navi wishes /she/ was feeling much better as she drags herself from her bunk and into the ionic shower. But at least Master Rykard seems to be recovering better than expected, which is welcome news. Thirty minutes later, after dropping off her bundle of filthy clothes and boots at the laundry facility, she enters the infirmary, looking for the Master and Marshal.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>One of the medical droids immediately guides her over to the back of the infirmary, where the Marshal, though he looks weak and exhausted, is awake. His gaze, despite his outer physical frailty, is sharp. <br><br> "Navi," he says, "we must continue our previous conversation. The marauder you were speaking of, Amarik. What else do you know about him? Why did you fear telling me, at the very least?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Good to see you awake and lucid, Master," Navi replies softly. She sighs at the questions, taking a seat on the edge of the bunk. "In retrospect I should've told you something, at least, but I'm so used to working behind the scenes when it comes to them that I didn't even think of it. That, and I didn't want Mondrian finding out and mishandling it in his usual way. I also assumed you would know they were on-world... even Peeka knows that. I forgot you haven't been here long."<br> <br>"Amarik is one of those masked pirates, those so-called Marauders. There's a small crew of them on-world, and so far they haven't been a threat to anyone. But Amarik has hinted that some manner of disaster will overtake the colony, and it will fail, putting all the colonists in danger. He doesn't know the nature of the disaster, as it was his own mistress, the pirate leader offworld, who foresaw it. Only that it will happen. I have a connection to him through the Force. I don't know where or when it developed, I don't know how it works, and I /definitely/ don't know how to break it. And if he is killed or dies, I'm not sure what will happen to me," she continues.<br> <br>"I must ask that you keep his presence in the strictest confidence for a very important reason. Amarik was once Xera Graf's fiancee. Now they are mortal enemies. He wants to kill her, if an opportunity presents itself in the chaos after the disaster I mentioned, and if she learns of his presence on-world, she will try to kill him as soon as possible. I made him promise not to kill her if I could reform Xera in the span of a year, but so far I've failed, and there's not much of that year left. That's why I even mentioned him at all. That, and I'm sure he's the shooter that tried to kill Mal."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The elder Jedi seems a bit disappointed in Navi, that she'd waited so long to tell him, but doesn't voice it. <br><br>Instead, he says, "Listen, I know how you feel about Mondrian. But I feel the best thing to do would be to tell him - they -must- investigate this threat. There'll be no killing unless absolutely necessary, not if I have anything to say or do about it." <br><br> Then he sighs quietly. "I see. Navi there is a small possibility that you may be a dyad with him, but in that case, even if he dies, you will be unharmed. I am not suggesting we kill this marauder. But if there is no other option, and the opportunity presents itself, you must not hesitate." He sighs, suddenly looking quite winded. "However... I'm not entirely sure he was misguided in trying to kill the witch..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Maybe not, but you don't know Mal. I do. That was /not/ her," Navi replies softly. "That was the Dark Side, and I'm pretty sure it was possessing her. I've seen such a possession once before. This had many of the hallmarks of that. The worst part is that Mal may be the perfect vessel... she has a powerful but almost uncontrolled gift in the Force, and her memory is severely damaged. It affects her identity, and her psychometric gift seems to make her extremely vulnerable to outside influences."<br> <br>"If we must kill her, we must. But I'm worried about Cayde... I'm not sure his head's in the right place for this situation."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The old Master suddenly deflates, looking even more exhausted and bereft of wisdom and calm. "But what am I even saying? All this talk of killing... I am a Jedi. We do not slaughter our enemies..." His gaze suddenly becomes distant and glazed over. Navi may find herself disturbed by the Marshal's sudden lack of composure. "I don't even know where he is right now," the old Master laments. "The doctor says he slipped away while he and the droids were busy tending to Thaarin and Von's injuries. I fear he's gone astray. I fear..." But he doesn't get to finish his sentence, as at that moment, Xera Graf, enters the infirmary, accompanied by Thaarin. <br><br> Meanwhile, a certain Zetha Rumir would have been directed by a few somewhat frazzled yet mildly relieved colonists to search for the Chadra Fan in question's supervisor, the standin Primary Comms officer. He was likely the one to have any answer, given the Chadra Fan himself has once again proved elusive. <br><br> "Last I saw," the Ugnaught she's speaking with tells her, "I saw him and Lady Graf heading for the infirmary."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>There's muttering in Twi'leki, something about rusty junk and where it can be shoved once Zetha's found the Chadra Fan. If it wasn't for the rumors and the bustling around the junkyard she wouldn't even be here. There's plenty of work to keep her busy not to mention a certain peg-legged owner threatening her very life in order to 'make something of herself'. That last thought has Zetha grinning...because she would never. Not for a million credits.<br><br>Maybe a million and one.<br><br>Never the less, she thanks the Ugnaught for the information and then turns and begins trekking her way towards the infirmary. She could be mistaken for a patient with all the grease, scrapes and scars that aren't otherwise wrapped in the dirty scrapper gear she wears. Might take her a moment to arrive there - walking and all. Who was she looking for again? Right. A supervisor. Of sorts.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"It's not your fault, Master. Cayde's a handful for a healthy and energetic Jedi Knight, and you've been unconscious and bedridden," Navi replies soothingly. At least, she hopes it's soothing. "I'll see if I can find him."<br> <br>"And Jedi don't kill unless there is absolutely no other choice, which is not quite the same thing as never. The safety of other sentients also colors Jedi decisions, for their lives are equally important."<br> <br>She glances up as a rather grimy Twi'lek woman enters the infirmary. She offers a quick wave, hoping the medical staff are quick and understanding. The woman looks like she may need some minor injuries tended to...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>One of the medical droids approaches Zetha when she marches into the infirmary like she owns it. "May I help you?" it drones at her. <br><br>Navi won't need the Force to be able to discern that Master Rykard does, indeed think it's his fault. And not just the fact that Cayde had gone missing. All of it. His grave injury, Cayde's, Chad's disappearance. "..." <br><br> "You don't understand," he says. "I don't think he wants you to find him, Navi. The marauder..." he trails off though, as Lady Xera approaches his berth, her arm locked in Thaarin's. "Master Rykard," she says, "you received my transmission about your padawan, I assume? Have you decided on a fitting course of action for him?" When he doesn't reply right away, she continues with, "I've decided to let the colonists decide. In your absence, his vendetta against me has become public knowledge to the rest of the colonists. They're aware he's a threat. We'll let them judge. Democracy is wonderful, isn't it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>The medical droid is given a stern stare for a moment before Zetha gives a little grin. "I'm actually here looking for Lady Graf and whoever she came in here with. It's the one she came in here with that I really want to speak with. So unless you know where they are, you can get out of my way and let me have a quick look. I'm very good at finding things, after all." This is said with a confidence that likely doesn't fit the britches that Zetha fills, but she'll try it!<br><br>Then she'll side step the medical droid and look at the few who are gathered within the infirmary. Does she know Lady Graf? Likely by name. Not in person. No 'Lady' would likely ever be found near a junkyard. Not even close enough to whiff it's wonderful aromas! "Anyone here go by Lady Graf? I gotta word or two for your companion about a certain Chadra Fan that's been causing a ruckus with me and my employer..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Well, what Cayde wants and what actually happens are two very different things, Master. He definitely doesn't need to be off by himself. That has a habit of ending badly," Navi replies gently. "I'll do everything I can to find him."<br> <br>She has no time to say any more, because Xera Graf arrives at Master Rykard's bedside right then. "Didn't waste any time, did you?" she asks dryly. She glances past Xera at the Twi'lek woman, offering a little nod to her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Rykard doesn't answer Navi. He simply shakes his head, looking forlorn. <br><br> Xera gives Navi a pitying look. "Oh, you're here too," she says just as dryly. "Well of course I didn't. I take the safety of everyone in this colony, including myself, very seriously." <br><br> When Zetha announces she's looking for Lady Graf and her companion, the tall, striking auburn haired woman turns, frowning at the scavenging Twi'lek. She's beautiful, but there's something off about the way her piercing green eyed gaze regards Zetha, and everyone else for that matter. She seems like the stereotypical bureaucrat - haughty, rich, and dangerously good at politics and manipulation. <br><br> She glances to Thaarin. "Seems someone's looking for you, dear." <br><br> Her companion immediately removes his arm from hers, which clearly surprises and annoys her, but he pays it no mind. <br><br> Now, this fellow is certainly one not to forget. He's the complete opposite of Zetha appearance-wise - he's dressed sharply, and despite favoring his right arm due to an injured left one, he looks fit to go to a gala. "You mean, Hedicole?" he says demurely, turning to face Zetha. "By all means," He says gesturing emphatically, "Despite the amount of trouble he's been lately, I'm more than willing to take responsibility for whatever inconvenience he may have caused you." The young Twi'lek woman may find herself struck by him - he's tall, prettier than the auburn haired woman and not like any other alien Zetha will have ever seen in her life. He may have been Pantoran, but his scarlet eyes glowed like a Shistavanen's. He has an accent that she won't be able to put a finger on, and his gaze could probably pierce doonium.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>Zetha Rumir is a little stunned when the man named Thaarin turns to put his attention on her. Looking him over twice before she actually seems to straighten herself up and goes a little meek. Then she remembers WHY she's looking for this man and gives her head a shake. "Well if that's his name I wouldn't know because he hasn't been forthcoming with that information. And truth be told, I wouldn't give it another shake of a bantha's ass but he came by looking for something that no one in their right mind would use in the last decade at -least-..." The Twi'lek begins. "And furthermore he came -back- none too long after asking me to erase any evidence that he had even been by or bought anything. Which, again, I work in a junkyard, I see all sorts. I deal with all sorts. So I wouldn't have turned my head twice but then we begin hearing these stories about a murder." She continues...at length.<br><br>"And before he arrived, two of my regulars were rumoring about some Jedi what...left a colony, or built a colony or something and are thinking that the Jedi have come here to cause trouble. Now I don't normally get into the business of others, but when others business starts meddling with my own, I gotta tell ya, I get a little upset. So. There." She didn't really realize her stance until the end. All hands on her hips like she's giving this tall drink of water with blood red eyes a what for like it was definitely deserved. It likely isn't. "Also, not for nothing, but just because I look like the scrapyard I came from doesn't mean I'm not worth a salt lick. We all gotta make a living somehow but I really don't need the pity-me-nothing look from any of you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"/Especially/ yours. And the people you care about, I believe, but I'm never quite sure who they are from one day to the next," Navi replies evenly. "I do know Cayde is not and never will be one of those, however... and you'd gladly throw him to the local wild predators. Cayde's no threat to you, which you know quite well. Jedi don't kill unless there is no other choice, and we both know you'll never be anywhere near that line in the dirt. Punishing him is pointless, except maybe to you."<br> <br>She looks to Thaarin, offering a soft, "Good morning, Thaarin," and a wave, and then to the Twi'lek woman. "Well... /that/ came out of nowhere... there should be bottles of drinking water in the specimen cooler over there if you need to wet your throat."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>When Zetha starts going off about Hedicole and the various rumors she'd heard around town, Thaarin simply watches her, his expression unreadable. It's clear, though, as she's talking, that he's giving her 100 percent of his attention. Whether that's good, bad, overwhelming, or all of the above... well, that's up to Zetha to decide. But when she's done talking, he offers her a faint, but genuine smile. "Ah, I'm sorry if our expressions seemed to insult you, miss. On the contrary, you seem quite intelligent, and important in the grand scheme of things. Like you would know why the auto shut off feature was implemented for all power converters on this side of the galaxy." His faint smile widens. "Walk with me, will you? I'd like to know more about this item that Hedicole purchased and then asked you to forget about having sold him." <br><br> He nods at Navi, taking her hand and kissing it briefly and gently. "I hope you're feeling better," he says softly, "I'll see you two at the town hall, later?" <br><br> "Navi, don't be so naive. I wouldn't lie to you about this. He did threaten me. I don't know why you won't believe me, and quite frankly, I'm hurt that you don't trust me. He -is- a threat. Why can't you see that? Why couldn't you see that, all along? Please don't tell me you're actually thinking of going out there and looking for him. Not after what just happened. We might not be formally seeing each other anymore, but I still care about you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>There's actually a deflation to Zetha's form at the last words that's she offered and then she straightens herself up a moment after. "I'm sorry. That was a lot of information all at once, and I also lost my manners. I'm Zetha. Zetha Rumir. I'd be happy to discuss this further with you..." Though there's a tinge of guilt because she's likely taking the man away from his other business but this - at least to her - is important. The fact that she held the man's attention through her entire spiel is also something to take into consideration. And he didn't chide her for it either. That's a plus.<br><br>Though there's a waiting moment and she steps back once, maybe even twice, to wait for the man to begin his intention of walking and talking with her before she starts up another mountain of words. "Well, the automatic shutoff was included to reduce worker injuries after many suffered due to the power couplings giving out but there still being some oomph behind the tool. When it was implemented it saved a bunch of lives and staved off many more injuries..." She begins...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Take care, Thaarin. See you then. Hope you learn a lot from Miss Zetha," Navi replies to Thaarin, watching him leave. Then she looks back to Xera. "And I you. But I also know Cayde better than you. Sometimes he's a stupid kid... believe me, I know. But he's not a danger to you. If he threatened you, it was most likely because he thought he was protecting me from you. I told him I could take care of myself, but he has a habit of not believing me about that. It's because he cares about me. I've accepted it, even if I don't agree with it, because that's just what friends do."<br> <br>"And yes, I am going to look for him," she continues. "That's also what friends do. If you actually care about me, then stop this whole mess about punishing him. Maybe he occasionally does something stupid, but he's also helped save our lives, and the lives of the residents of this colony, more than once. Please appreciate that fact. If I find him, I'll speak to him about the threats. Maybe I can get him to apologize about them."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The tall, blue skinned man starts heading out of the infirmary, and gestures for Zetha to follow. He gives her another faint smile. "Don't apologize for your passion," he says frankly, "I think it's admirable. Names, in the search for justice, can become lost sometimes, and that is entirely permissible." He seems to immediately catch on that she feels a little guilty. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zetha Rumir. And please, do not think for a moment that you are taking up more time and space than you should. This is important to you, therefore, it's important to me." He then extends a hand warmly towards her. "You may call me Thaarin," he says. "Now, about the power converters. I see. When was the automatic shut off feature implemented?" <br><br> Xera scoffs, and starts heading out of the infirmary as well, heading for the dining hall -- probably where the town hall is supposedly going to be held. "You have too much faith in him, -and- the Jedi. Have you -seen- Master Rykard? He's hardly fit to lead - emotionally, physically -- letting his padawan run around and wreak havoc, make threats. Face it, Navi. You -don't- really know him. Even now, you don't know where he is, or what he's even doing right now. Master Rykard doesn't really even know him, either. No one does! That's why he's a threat." <br><br> She sighs, and smooths her skirt. "I'm -not- punishing him. I'm doing what's best for everyone, including him. And if everyone else agrees that making an appeal to the Republic to have Rykard removed as marshal and both of them sent back to Coruscant, well, then, who am I to argue against what the people want? Who are -you- to argue against what the people want?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"And here comes the political rhetoric trap, right on schedule... you really have to teach a course on manipulation sometime. It would sell out," Navi observes wryly, moving to follow Xera. "And maybe the people have the right to decide, but they also only know what they hear. And I'm already well aware of how well you and yours can twist the rumormill."<br> <br>"Master Rykard is barely off the shuttle to Tenoo, and still recovering from a mortal wound obtained from one more attempt to save this colony, and you're already trying to get rid of one of the handful of Jedi on-world? That's just ridiculously short-sighted. You have no idea what kind of dangers that vergence may hold, and only the Jedi have any idea how to deal with dangers borne of the Force. The badly burned Dathomiri girl in the infirmary was just the appetizer. That Dark Side witch that did that is still at large, off Force-knows-where, doing Force-knows-what. She'll be back. And we have to both stop the witch /and/ save the girl it has possessed. For that, we need all the Jedi we can get."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>Zetha Rumir places her hand into Thaarin's own as it's offered and gives it a firm shake. "About fifty years ago if memory serves me. Which is why it was really odd that your Chadra Fan would come looking for a power coupling to fit a T-92 drill...it would have been easier to find one that had the shutoff feature, but he was very adamant about it being an older one...and I don't know why." Zetha explains, this time taking more breaks between her words. "He also seemed very...uhm..." Mousy is the word she -wants- to use but that's racist. "Well he never introduced himself, and he never really gave me eye contact. Shady. He was acting very shady."<br><br>As they walk she continues. "I just find it very odd that he buys this piece and had to have known the dangers in using it. As junkers, we don't normally bat an eye really, but too many things seem coincidental for me to ignore. And then when he came back asking that I erase any knowledge he was there. I mean, the most we keep is some old holotapes to ensure security but at the end of the day it's a junkyard, not a palace, so unless we get half our shit stolen we don't really care." She smiles a little then. "Which I suppose I'm not doing him any favors by snitching on him now and I wouldn't save for everything else I pieced together and at least wanted someone to know. Keep Wiis' name clear and all."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>"I'm presenting facts, Navi," the auburn haired woman snaps at the young Sephi girl. "They will have the right to decide over -facts-." <br><br> "Oh is she," Xera huffs. "And whose fault would that be? Who went after her? I'm not saying we get rid of Jedi presence entirely. I'm saying it might serve the colony better if we had someone -else-. Someone less emotional, and more committed to the Jedi philosophy on no attachments, if you know what I mean. And if they're wise enough to know that the person with the purse strings should have executive power, well, that will just be the icing on the jogan fruit cake." <br><br> Thaarin shakes her hand firmly back, and continues to walk alongside her. He frowns pensively, clearly deep in thought as Zetha relays all that she knows to him. Then he sighs. "You certainly aren't, but you are doing a massive favor for everyone else. Don't worry Zetha," he says, "you're doing the right thing. Thank you for that. Now I don't know what you may have heard, but if you trust me enough to believe me when I say he's been implicated in murder, well, then I suppose you're a greater ally than I might have initially judged you to be. After all, we've barely met and I'm almost a stranger. He admitted to tampering with the T-29 drill bits we were using to construct the comms center here at the colony site. As you can imagine, an explosion occurred and someone died. Another was paralyzed from the waist down. Unfortunately, this all occurred while the Jedi were gone."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>Eyebrows furrow a bit and then Zetha gives her own sigh. "I didn't know all the facts, but that just made me feel more obliged to say something. T-29s were notorious for being drills that over powered, or kept going even when the couplings ran out of juice. So what you're saying completely tracks if someone tampered with them." She then stops in her tracks and those tendrils coming from her head seem to twitch a couple of times. "I should have been more diligent...but I wasn't even sure we had a power coupling like he wanted. I took my eyes off him for a couple minutes to talk to my boss about it. When I got back to him is when he was shoving credits into my hand and taking off..." Then she flushes. "Course you know the rest. I doubt I have to repeat myself." There's guilt there, however. Like she could have saved people by not selling the item to begin with. Stopping the Chadra Fan from grabbing it. Now there's lives lost and changed. "Anyway. I've said my piece...Not sure what else more I can do about it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"/All/ the facts? Or just the facts you and yours choose to give them?" Navi asks, almost archly. "And clearly you've never dealt with a Dark Side witch. Given that we not only had half our party severely wounded and half a dozen hostages to save, we couldn't follow her when she /teleported away/, even if we did know where she'd gone. Also, she was hiding in an ancient castle that was never mentioned in the site survey reports, which is also where she took the hostages. You may want to advise your survey crews to keep a better eye out for places dangerous people can hide. Clearly your people aren't infallible."<br> <br>"And as much as I hate to even say it, neither are you. You're just wealthy. That doesn't translate into the ability to lead or govern fairly. This is a government, not a company, and these people are colonists, not employees. The difference is both important and critical."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Thaarin suddenly stops walking, diverting all of his attention, even the small percentage dedicating to him walking along towards Zetha. "There's no need for you to feel guilty about any of this," he says genuinely, sweetly. "You were just the seller, how could you have known? It wasn't your duty nor your business even, to see what it was that Hedicole planned to do with the converter," he says, pinning her with that scarlet gaze of his. "Please, don't dwell on the 'what ifs' and 'should haves.' You had no idea then, but you've absolutely done the right thing now, by coming forward and telling me about what happened and the notoriety of the T-29 drills to expend more energy than necessary." He offers her a faint smile. "You've been immensely helpful and what you've told me today has been enlightening. And I promise that if you and your employer are found to be completely innocent of all of this, which I'm quite certain you are, I shall personally see to it that Wiis's name is not smeared even in the slightest, despite what Hedicole has done." <br><br> "You can still help," he says, "if you wish. We currently have no idea where Hedicole is. He returned with us to the colony site after having been taken hostage by the witch, but then disappeared again shortly after. If you see him -- or any evidence of his whereabouts, please tell me, or Navi, or Master Rykard, the Marshal of this colony." <br><br> Xera doesn't answer Navi's question. "Oh well then perhaps you should be appointed governess," she remarks sarcastically. "Let's see how you fare, saddled with immense responsibility." She then enters the dining hall, where a multitude of confused looking colonists have begun to gather for the town hall. <br><br> Yvon approaches Navi, looking anxious, as always. "Navi...what's happening?! Where's Master Rykard? Where's... Cayde?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>Words are just that. Words. It will be the actions that come later which will likely make Zetha feel better. Well. Completely better. She does force a smile and gives a bow of her head towards Thaarin. "I appreciate that. You are kind to say such things. I just worry...especially when it comes to Wiis. But if you hold true to your word, I would appreciate that greatly. If there is anything else I can do to help... well.. the junkyard is just off the spaceport. I also live there. So. Just come calling if you need." Or...send a lacky...cause Zetha is almost a hundred percent sure someone like Thaarin wouldn't come CLOSE to the junkyard if he had a choice.<br><br>"As for Hedicole. If I see him or hear anything that may help find him...I will surely let someone know. We're all in this together now. Names gotta be cleared and people need to be taken care of." Then, as if in an afterthought that had been a forethought and just suddenly remembered...Zetha pulls out a handful of credits. "Here. It's not much, but it's what he thrusted into my hands when he was leaving to pay for it. I wouldn't feel right keeping the money...especially if...maybe it could go towards helping the people who were hurt in all this..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"I'm three seconds from appointing myself tenant of a shuttle seat back to Coruscant, so that's not really an option," Navi retorts softly. "Much as I adore you, I'm far past tired of watching this place unravel. The poor Chancellor was a fool to have ever approved this venture."<br> <br>Yvon steals her attention as they enter the dining hall. "Yvon... Master Rykard is in the infirmary. I don't know where Cayde's gone," she replies, giving the worried Ugnaught a quick hug. "He slipped out of the infirmary while the doctor was busy with other patients. Predictably, he didn't leave any word with anyone about where he was going."<br> <br>She takes a good, long look around the tent, at the confused faces of the colonists especially. "I have a bad feeling about this assembly. Xera's losing her mind about Cayde and Master Rykard. She wants them both sent back to Coruscant," she adds, anger and worry mingled in her voice.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>"Don't," he says reassuringly. "I owe you this much. You never wanted to be a part of whatever it is that Hedicole and Wensicio have been swept up into, and I can't guarantee that this will all blow over smoothly soon." He pauses. "You don't need to offer to do anything," he says softly, "In fact--" For a split second, he looks vulnerable, and it may suddenly dawn on Zetha that he is a young man, probably around her age or younger. "If there is anything -I- can do to make up for the trouble Hedicole has caused you, I would be more than happy to oblige. Is the junkyard... adequately staffed?" he asked. "I may not be as savvy as you or your employer when it comes to parts, but I do know my way around a comms console, and a bit about starship engines." <br><br> When she thrusts the credits into his hands, he looks mildly startled. "What? Zetha, no--" he shakes his head and grasping her hand, gently, closes her fingers over the credits. "You know I cannot accept that, not even on the behalf of someone else. The colonists are very well taken care of, emotionally and physically, by the doctor here. Both of us know you could use the credits more than I or anyone else here could." <br><br> Xera ignores her, but Navi might have expected that. <br><br> "Again?!" he grumbles. "He always goes missing at the -worst- times! Why does he always run off like that..." <br><br> "What? Then who's going to be Marshal... ! Oooh.. don't say that. Don't say that. They'll have to be replaced, quickly. We need them around!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>Navi /definitely/ expected that from Xera. It still hurts, as she's sure it was meant to, but she doesn't let it show. Yvon and this assembly have her attention at the moment. "She has that in mind. She wants Jedi who will be more subservient to her wishes. She also wants executive power over the colony. I can't see /that/ turning out well. Not at all," she adds softly, putting an arm around Yvon's shoulders and moving to find an empty seat. "I don't know who she has in mind as Marshal, but I'm sure it will be someone she thinks she can control. Or an idiot like Mondrian."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:444|Zetha Rumir (444)}} has posed:'''<br>There would have been protest. Yet something about the vulnerability the man showed stirs her greater than the returning of the credits. Even if it is with reluctance, she takes the credits back and shoves them into her pocket. He doesn't need to know that it was actually going to come out of her personal wages to repay what had been spent on murder and mayhem. Then, she goes back to something before. "Are you...offering to come work at the junkyard? I mean. It's just me, Wiis, and a few demolition droids who couldn't learn their way out of the junkyard as much as in it.." She laughs, a genuine thing for the first time since the short span of their meeting. "You'd have to talk to Wiis if that's the case. Maybe stop by in the next few days if you want. I'm not the boss, so..I can only say she may or may not..." There's another glance over his form. The posh look compared to her tattered one. "Anyway. Speaking of. I should probably get back. Wiis'll have my head thinking I've been trudging through the spaceship graveyard or something." A pause. "I do hope we can meet again...under better circumstances.." And then, she's off.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>"Yes," he says immediately. "I ... can't be there everyday, but I'm certainly open on the weekends. I'll come by, and talk to your employer." He offers her another faint smile. "Well, I'm not going to ask to be paid, hopefully that will sway her in favor of letting me assist." A pause, as she hurries off. "We will, I promise," he says. <br><br> "Oh, gods..." Yvon says, his anxiety palpable in the Force. "Could things -get- any worse?" <br><br> Just then, Peeka runs up. "Navi, have you seen my dad?" she frets. "I haven't seen him at all for the past hour or so...." <br><br> But Navi might not get to respond, because Lady Xera is ascending the podium to say her piece now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Do me a favor... never ask that question again," Navi replies softly to Yvon as Peeka comes running up. She takes a knee to hug the Chadra Fan girl. "I haven't, sweetie... I've been at the infirmary, and then here. Where was he the last time you saw him?" she asks gently, watching Xera ascend to the podium.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Yvon eventually wanders off, saying something about having forgotten to take his anxiety meds, and Peeka frowns at Navi. "Don't call me that! I'm grown!" She folds her arms. "He was at the infirmary, getting checked out by the doctor. I went off to help my mom find some food. When I got back, he wasn't there anymore...!" <br><br> Navi will have to hush, though. Lady Graf has assumed her spot on the podium, is asking for everyone's attention. <br><br> Mere moments later, she begins telling her very one sided story about Cayde, how he'd threatened her, and about how Rykard had just let it all happen. She makes a compelling case about how Jedi had failed to help identify the people who had murdered Dresda, or stop one unfortunate event after another from happening to the colony. <br><br> Then, naturally, she makes that ridiculous proposition she'd told Navi earlier: for everyone to vote either yes or no regarding an appeal to the Republic and the Order to remove Rykard as Marshal, and send both him and Cayde back to Coruscant.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"You can be grown up and still be sweet. Trust me, it'll make sense soon," Navi replies gently to Peeka. She frowns at the Chadra Fan girl's reply. "There seem to be a lot of people disappearing from there lately..."<br> <br>She sits down and listens, scowling, as Xera makes her very one-sided case. But eventually, she just can't sit still any longer.<br> <br>"That's not nearly the whole story!" she states loudly, standing. "You want to talk about a man who's lying in the infirmary and unable to be here himself, who's already taken a blasterbolt for this colony and nearly died for it, like he's some sort of slacker? A man who's barely been here a week, barely had time to get to know this place? A man, I might add, who can't be here to speak on his own behalf, /because he almost died protecting this colony/?"<br> <br>"And sure, you can condemn Padawan Alexis for threatening you, but it's a lie to say that Master Rykard allowed it... maybe you can say he should have kept more of an eye on his Padawan, but he also has the responsibility of protecting this colony. And you also know that Cayde would never hurt you. He's too much enamoured of the Jedi Code to ever hurt an innocent person."<br> <br>She takes a deep breath. "I may love you, Xera Graf, but I won't let you speak ill of the likes of Master Rykard or Padawan Alexis without being called to account when you leave things out to suit your own aims."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Speak of the devil...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just as Navi is standing up to Xera, a...group enters. Navi will recognize three of them, at least: Amarik, followed by Weniscio, followed by Cayde and a Shani woman she has seen with the marauders before.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Xera looks as if she's about to say some pretty nasty things to Navi, but then one of the colonists pipes up, "How can we believe anyone, when neither Cayde or Rykard are here themselves? Where is the Padawan? Does he not have anything to say for himself?" <br><br> And then the marauders march in, as if on cue. Their masks gleam, and they look as menacing as ever - but they're not armed. Weniscio is whimpering, hobbling along after the marauders. There's an audible gasp. "What... what's the meaning of this?!" someone else cries out. <br><br> "I come in peace," Amarik announces, looking around, and raising both ands briefly to show everyone he's not armed. "And I have something to say. To uphold my end of the bargain with the Jedi." Another gasp from the crowd, as he marches down the aisle towards Xera, who looks livid. <br><br> Peeka tugs violently on Navi's sleeve. "What's happening?? I can't see! Is that Cayde with... the marauders?? Why is he with them??"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"I don't know, Peeka. I guess he went to find them, and Weniscio, too," Navi replies softly to Peeka, gently picking her up and setting her on her vacant chair. "Don't lose your balance, 'kay?"<br> <br>She stares as the pair of Marauders approach the podium, and Xera. "Cayde doesn't exactly talk like most people, but hopefully he does have something to say for himself. I just left Master Rykard in the infirmary. I would prefer not to speak on his behalf, but since he can't be here, I've decided to go ahead and do so," she says, for the crowd's benefit.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cayde follows the pirates in and sits down near the front, frowning pensively as he reads the room and notes Xera in front of everyone. Right...of course she'd probably gone blasting about the conversation she'd had with him, twisting it into something it wasn't. That could only have been expected, though. He glances over at Navi briefly, but looks away quickly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>Lady Xera opens her mouth to protest when the marauders march onto the dais. "Move aside," the Shani woman hisses. The auburn haired woman wants to do anything but, however, she complies. What choice did she have? The colonists seem interested in hearing what the marauder has to say, given that they're not armed and have come peaceably, with Cayde. <br><br> Amarik stands in front of the colonists, shamelessly. "Let it be known today that the threat the Dathomirian witch posed to all of us has been removed. We have the Jedi to thank," he says, gesturing at Cayde, "without his assistance, it would not have been possible for the plague of her curses and undead creatures to stop." <br><br> "As said prior, I am here to uphold my end of the bargain made with the Jedi in exchange for assistance in destroying the threat of the witch. I will now reveal a litany of misdeeds and sins," he continues, "committed by none other than some of your own." He steps aside to make visible the cowering Dug. <br><br> Then he tosses a small holoprojector onto the podium, one with an even smaller datastick inserted into it. An image feed begins to play - and it is indeed, a litany of misdeeds and sins. It shows many of the wrongdoings that Weniscio had committed - here on Tenoo, and also back on Jedha. He'd stolen, lied, cheated, even actively complied with helping to traffic innocent beings all in the name of trying to clear his monstrous debt. There's also images and holorecordings of Hedicole as well, having actively participated in repairing the vehicles of gang members back on Jedha, but the evidence against the middle aged Chadra Fan is far less damning. <br><br> But the last bit by far is the most damning. It shows a video recording of the event that had killed Dresda. There Dresda and Wensicio are, deep in argument while the T-29 drill is clearly overheating. Harrah comes running, shouting for one of them to turn it off. Wensicio looks at her, but completely ignores her plea, a full minute before the explosion happens...<br><br> The Dug's eyes widen, and he starts trying to run away, but the Shani woman grabs him. "It's d-doctored!!" he screams, "it's all doctored...!!!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Guess I was right about you all along, Wensicio," Navi says, arms crossed. "Hope you like prison stripes." She does give Xera a sympathetic look, but it's brief.<br> <br>She looks over at Cayde, her expression turning a bit sad. "I hope Mal is okay. But I've got a feeling we're just not that lucky. If so, I hope the Force is kind to her," she says softly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[She is alive] Cayde tells Navi, although he purposefully doesn't add 'and well' to that because she definitely isn't well. Not emotionally, or physically either. But maybe the first part will at least lend some encouragement to the Sephi.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Aside from that, he watches the feed, unsurprised by its contents. What remains to be seen however, is whether the colonists will believe someone whom they only know to be a criminal.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The colonists are clamoring. Clearly, some of them are unwilling to believe it, while others are -too- willing to believe it. The crowd in here is now bordering on mob. <br><br> Suddenly, above the din, someone yells. "Jedi! Tell us! Does he lie? Or is it true, that it's all doctored?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>Navi winces and almost cowers at the volume of the clamoring colonists. For a moment she wishes she could just disappear...<br> <br>And then that voice rises above the crowd, and she blinks, then straightens, reaching into the Force and opening herself to it, then searching into Wensicio's thoughts...<br> <br>"He lies!" she states, raising her voice. "The footage is legitimate!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, Cayde could search Weniscio's thoughts and discern if he's really lying. But he figures, it would be best to leave it to someone else less...accident-prone. So he lets Navi take the lead on this.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The clamor grows even louder. "She used the Force! She knows!" someone else cries. "He's lying! He's -guilty-!" <br><br> And then suddenly, out of nowhere, a rock is flying towards Weniscio! And then another, and another! <br><br> The colonists seem to have now become an intractable, violent, rock throwing mob. <br><br> The Dug screams and collapses as one of the rocks hits him. He then begins to try to crawl away, his ankle bent strangely out of shape.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>Navi comes to her feet in a rush, yanking her lightsaber free from her medical satchel. She's too late to stop the first flying rocks, but at least she can intercept some of the ones that follow with a lightsaber blade.<br> <br>"Stop! Stop this now!" she cries. "This isn't justice! Wensicio is a criminal, yes, but he'll answer to Republic law, not the anger of the moment!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some of the rocks hurtle through the air, but seem to stop mid-flight before hitting the Dug and simply drop to the floor harmlessly. As much as Wenisicio might be guilty, he still had a right to a fair trial. And then there was also the fact that the pirates were also still criminals themselves so they weren't exactly any better themselves....<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>The mob doesn't listen, but Cayde and Navi's efforts have protected Weniscio long enough for some of the security droids to sneak in and take him away. <br><br> Taryn San Tekka suddenly arrives on the scene, looking aghast. "What's happening here?" he asks, looking around at the angry mob. "Droids!" he calls to another squadron just outside the dining hall. "Take care of this... " He frowns. "Where's Master Rykard? I just returned from a funeral on Naboo for one of the uncles. How could all this have happened while I was gone?" <br><br> Speaking of the marauders, it would appear that they aren't part of the mob. Both Amarik and the Shani woman have disappeared, and so has Xera.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Master Rykard is in the infirmary," Navi replies, keeping her lightsaber between the mob and herself. And Cayde and Taryn, too. At least Wensicio seems to have been removed before he could get murdered by the mob, but that seems to be all the good news there is for the moment. Taryn's arrival is as much a curse as a blessing.<br> <br>"Master Rykard is in the infirmary, recovering from a terrible wound. Thankfully it looks like he'll be all right," she replies. As for how this could've happened, she shrugs. "Welcome to Tenoo," she says dryly. "Do you mind sending word to the Republic that we need more, and more competent, security here? The murder has been solved, but keeping civil order looks like it's going to be an issue."<br> <br>Only then does she notice that Xera and the two Marauders are gone. "Did anyone see where Lady Xera went?" she asks. It seems unlikely to her that Amarik and the Shani woman would've taken her away to do her harm, unarmed as they were, but she can't rule that possibility out completely...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cayde frowns, wondering if he should try to calm the mob, but again decides against it. Too risky. Besides, it seems Taryn has called security droids to take care of things. He'll hang around a little bit, in case they need help.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At least the revelation seems to have distracted from the accusations Xera had made against him for the time being, although he still doesn't seem to be in very good spirits.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:159|Athena (159)}} has posed:'''<br>"I'll have to speak with him," Taryn says, brow furrowing. "We need to figure out a plan of what to do while he recovers - without a Marshal, these colonists are rabble!" He shakes his head. "Stay here with the droids," Taryn says to Navi and Cayde. "In case they need any help." <br><br> And then he's gone. But the crowd seems to be calming down now, thankfully.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:261|Navi (261)}} has posed:'''<br>"Right," Navi replies, nodding to Taryn. She lowers her lightsaber, but keeps it lit, just in case it's needed. Fortunately, the fight seems to have largely gone out of the crowd, and she is more than grateful for that.<br> <br>"Master Rykard will want to know where you went," she tells Cayde. "And so will I. But at least you're safe, and you put things mostly to rights regarding the murder and the loose Force witch. Good work all around," she adds, with a faint smile.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:143|Cayde Alexis (143)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Deep in the valley] Cayde answers a bit vaguely. regarding where he had gone. [Okay I will see him]<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a pause, he nods. [Thank you] he signs to her.<br> <br>
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