A Desperate Daughter

A Desperate Daughter
Date of Scene:	28 August 2025
Location:	Tenoo
Synopsis:	Peeka tries to enlist the wrong sort of help to find her father. Her friends stop her.
Cast of Characters:	159, Zetha Rumir, Cayde Alexis, Navi

---

Athena (159) has posed:
With the firehawks lined up and ready to go, all that's left to do is climb aboard the massive birds and descend into the Gorge.

Wiis looks more brokenhearted than Zetha will have ever seen her in ... well, ever since she's known her. She's mumbling quietly to herself inaudibly, sweeping up a few pieces of debris left behind from the disaster that had just occurred. "...ooh, dank farrik," she sniffs, "where's that kriffing dustpan when I need it? Zetha? Zetha!"

Thaarin glances sympathetically at young Twi'lek woman. "You don't have to go with us if you don't want to," he says, "in fact, I'd advise against it. It's dangerous in the Gorge, like I said before, aside from the marauders."

But if she stays behind, who would make sure they got the glider back?!

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha glances to Thaarin, then back towards the junkyard as she hears Wiis calling for her. "I have to go...if something happens to that glider..." She begins and then stops herself. She's not a fighter, and she never has been. She'll scream bloody murder if someone so much as tries to hand her a laser pistol. But she has a mean punch when the going gets rough! She just hates violence as a whole.

"Besides. It's either whacked for letting the glider go or whacked for not bringing the glider back. I'd like to avoid any whacking for as long as possible." The nod is certain, even if there's a twinge of worry in those purple eyes.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde doesn't seem to have any plans to board the firehawks. Maybe because one of them pooped on him. He picks up the freshly washed robe from Wiis' laundry and puts it back on, and then starts heading away from the junkyard.

Navi has posed:
Navi pauses just long enough to retrieve her clothes and dress, assuming they are ready for her. If not, she'll take her chances with the light robe Wiis had given her. Either way, she approaches the birds once she's prepared herself, offering a little smile for Zetha. "That's the spirit. If anything bad comes along, stay behind us as much as you can," she says, in what she hopes is an encouraging tone, moving to climb onto the bird with the big, googly eyes.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Zetha!" Wiis yells, "You're not thinking of -going- down there, are you?" She sighs, grumbling, "when you ever learn to stop doing things for my sake..." But Zetha will know that Wiis would give anything to have that glider back, she just won't admit that she's glad Zetha's going down there to retrieve it.

Thaarin moves to do the same as Navi, approaching the bird with the overgrown crest, but frowns when he notices Cayde wandering off. "Vons will you go get him? Not that Navi can't maintain control over them while we descend, but he is more skilled and if he isn't with us, there's a higher chance something will go wrong," he says. He climbs onto the avian with ease, then offers Zetha a hand. "Have you done this before?" he asks her.

"Sure, sure," Vons grumbles, ambling after Cayde and reaching to grab him by the arm. "We can't fly with the birds without you," he exaggerates, "and you've got to stop wandering off without telling people."

The bird Navi boards trills softly, seeming to welcome her happily.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [No firehawk this time] Cayde signs to Vons, then tries to twist away from his grasp. Besides, he hadn't gotten a chance to try flying any of the shuttles himself. Just how fast could they go?

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha doesn't call back to Wiis, because her absence is going to speak volumes. She may never know how grateful Wiis really is for Zetha going to make sure the glider comes back safely. So long as she comes back safely. When Thaarin offers his hand, Zetha takes it to accept help onto the avian. "Uhm. No. Seen it done a few times, but never got the chance."

Navi has posed:
Navi watches Cayde fighting Vons, shaking her head. "Cayde, come on, huh?" she calls to the Padawan. "We need to go." She pets the bird's head as it trills. "Hope you can fly better than me. I've only done this once."

Athena (159) has posed:
"And what're you gonna fly then, a cargo freigher? A -starfighter-? I mean c'mon! You're not going to find the latter in Kublop, and the former you'd have to steal, or go alll the way back to the colony to get. You're not even half the pilot Thaarin is, and he's not comfortable doing it. Plus, Rykard said flying even the Vectors down in the Gorge isn't a good idea. Give it up," Vons urges, scowling.

Thaarin offers Zetha a faint smile. "Well, there's a first time for everything," he says, helping her onto the bird. It's way more difficult to balance once on top of it than she might have anticipated. "You'll need to hold onto something, tightly," the Chiss man advises. Then he glances over at Navi, who's sitting in front of a rather ungrateful Peeka on top of her firehawk, "Let's not wait for him," he says, "if you're ready, let's go. We need to get into the Gorge before the early morning fog settles in. He and Vons will catch up." Or, they won't. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    If he has to go back to the colony then so be it. But he doesn't know why crafts would be less available here than there. It's a bigger town after all, and surely -something- is for rent.

    [I am going] he signs. Perhaps that was meant for Navi, or Vons, or both. In any case, he doesn't seem to be persuaded.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
The first instinct is to grab onto feathers but then Zetha figures that's a Bad Idea(tm). So she does what any self respecting young Twi'lek would do in the face of certain danger riding a huge bird into a canyon. She braces against the bird's back and wraps her arms around Thaarin's waist. Oh if Wiis could see this. Maybe the woman would actually think there's a CHANCE that Zetha's onto something romantic.

Navi has posed:
"Hold on tight, Peeka. Riding these birds isn't half as easy as it looks," Navi cautions the Chadra Fan. She looks after Cayde and shakes her head, then focuses her attention on the bird.

"Let's go," she says, loudly enough to carry to all three birds, and grabs two big handfuls of the downy feathers in front of her. This takeoff could be rough, or so she remembers...

Athena (159) has posed:
Vons reaches out to grab him again. "Don't," he says. "This is going to end in disaster, and you know it. Going back to the colony is going to take an hour. You'll never rendezvous with the group in the Gorge from the colony, its -miles- from where we are now," he says, "don't you ever -think-?!"

Thaarin is mildly surprised, and Zetha grabbing him around the waist knocks the air out of him. "Well I still need to breathe," he reminds the young Twi'lek jokingly, though there's an undertone of seriousness there. Then they quickly ascend, then start to descend in a matter of seconds. Zetha might feel her stomach rise into her throat.

Peeka grumbles, grabbing onto Navi's robe tightly. "Just hurry up! I've been delayed enough already," she complains. The bird carrying Navi does the same as Thaarin's, but races to take the lead. The bird that Cayde didn't board sits on the ground below, blinking its tiny eyes and swiveling its tiny head in Cayde and Vons direction, confused.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde doesn't answer Vons this time. Instead, he just tries to pull away again when the Zeltron grabs him once more. He doesn't quite manage to get away, but it's a close contest and soon enough they are locked in a physical strength match.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
There's a soft squeak from Zetha and she loosens her hold. At least enough so Thaarin can breathe. "Sorry.." Is said just before the quick up and down before she's feeling her stomach in her throat and her heart in her loins. It's likely sheer luck that what little she had of fish and biscuits isn't lost onto Thaarin's back in that moment.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Listen to me! You're wasting -time-! All for what, huh? Tell me! What the -kriff- could be so important about flying that you'd waste a whole two hours just so you can? All the while, our friends are heading straight into danger. Without you, without -me-." He finally lets go of Cayde. "Heh. Some Deputy you're turning out to be." He turns around, folding his arms. "Fine, do whatever you want. I'm not gonna play babysitter for some stubborn ass teen who doesn't know what he's doing." He then starts heading for the last bird, who looks even more confused than before.

Perhaps it's because Thaarin reaches down and places a warm hand over hers reassuringly. "It'll be alright," he says softly, sweetly, and quietly, "I've done this before, once -- and I trust Navi, even if Cayde isn't here right now." His expression then grows worried, and he cranes his neck backwards to see if Vons and Cayde are following yet. They are not, sadly.

Navi has posed:
Navi, for her part, focuses on hanging on and letting the bird descend into the gorge. At least Peeka has a firm grip on her jacket, so she probably won't be going anywhere for the moment. Which may be a blessing and a curse, she thinks.

A look back tells her that Cayde and Vons haven't taken off yet, which worries her. Whatever's going on up there, she hopes it works out, or at least doesn't cause any more trouble.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [No you waste time] Cayde protests when Vons tells him he's just wasting time. After all if his Zeltron roommate hadn't started trying to grab him, then perhaps he could've already been well on his way down there. Even beaten the firehawks down. But maybe beating the rest of them there can still be done. Anyway, after that jab, he hurries off to find a rental or something.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"If you trust, then I do too." Zetha says softly back. Though, at this point, her eyes are closed. It's probably a silly thing to close her eyes but it's at least helping with the whole leap frogging her heart and stomach are doing. And she may even squeeze a touch tighter against Thaarin's form. This will end soon right? Right.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Are we almost there yet?" Peeka asks after several minutes of them flying. "It's cold, it's late, way later than I want it to be," she says, "Cayde is such a ... dummy! If he hadn't -messed- everything up..." She sighs. Then she lifts her head slightly and sniffs the air. "Huh," she says, "do you smell--" and then suddenly, Navi will hear a loud screech from a tree that they're passing and an ashy, grey limb will shoot out of the darkness and swipe hard at Navi and Peeka on the bird. The bird screeches, and Navi will find her balance gone, and perhaps her jacket torn. Peeka wails. "Nooooo!"

Vons tries his best to get the bird to behave, but because neither Navi or Cayde is around, the bird will not let him board. Too bad.

Meanwhile, Cayde will find all the rental places are closed. Well, it is one in the morning and Kublop is a town, not Coruscant...

"Navi!" Thaarin cries, attempting to steer the bird back towards the young Sephi girl. But now that Navi's benevolent, controlling presence has either disappeared or become more distant, Thaarin is unable to really control it anymore. It squawks, suddenly disoriented, veering wildly in an attempt to avoid running into a large, dead tree that's been broken in half.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    It's so puzzling to him. Why would they just be closed for hours at a time? Didn't they have droids? Oh, well. Cayde climbs into one of the lighter crafts that happens to be outside. But of course, he makes sure to leave some credits in a drawer. A bit more than the usual rate, you know just in case.

Navi has posed:
Navi feels the whistle of wind almost too late, throwing an arm around Peeka and throwing herself and the Chadra Fan against the bird's back...

There is a sound of ripping cloth and an almighty yank, and she finds herself half off of the bird's back, her newly-cleaned clothes slashed by claw-like fingertips! Only a fistful of firehawk down had saved Peeka and herself from a long fall into the gorge.

"Hold on, Peeka!" she cries, boosting the Chadra Fan girl back onto the bird's back. Once Peeka has a secure hold on the bird's plumage, Navi lets her go, knowing she won't fall now. She grabs a fistful of her lightsaber and medical satchel. Not even bothering to pull the weapon free, she ignites the bluish-white blade and slashes at the murderous arm that ruined her clothes and nearly sent her plummeting to her doom...

Zetha Rumir has posed:
The bird veers to Thaarin's steering, but it doesn't seem to like it. Apparently, however, handling bucking droids and tumbling around a junkyard has it's perks! The bird goes a little mental but somehow Zetha remains firmly on it's back. She's likely loosened her grip on Thaarin once more - just to give him the ability to move with the bird but she's not falling! Not yet anyway.

Athena (159) has posed:
Cayde will find traversing down into the Gorge to be... immensely difficult. As if the Force, or the universe, really didn't want him going down there on a any kind of craft.

The dense vegetation prevents much moonlight from penetrating to the forest floor, making it nearly impossible to navigate, and the gaps between the trees can barely fit Cayde and his vehicle. Above him, there's jagged rock faces that overhang the thick canopy, draped with vines. Above it, lies a thick layer of fog, gradually descending, further obscuring his vision. He may understand now why both Rykard and Thaarin did not recommend trying to use to a any kind of craft in the Gorge.

Peeka slips, and barely clings to the bird, hanging for dear life on its feathers. Then Navi boosts her up onto the birds back, and she reestablishes her grip, just as Navi's saber slashes through the murderous arm! There's a screech, and then a bony white arm tumbles downward, the smell of burning, rotten flesh suddenly filling the air.

Unfortunately, a combination of bad luck and Zetha's loosened grip heaves Thaarin from the front of the bird to its side, where he clings to its feathers desperately. The firehawk however, is still careening, screeching wildly, disoriented and flying -away- from Navi and Peeka instead of towards. Thaarin looks up at Zetha. "I'm letting go," he says, and then suddenly he drops, disappearing into the jungle several feet below. The firehawk Zetha is riding will then crash into a tangle of vines. It will struggle violently for a few moments before finding itself immobilized by the jungle ropes. Zetha may have been knocked free, or entangled in the vines, but she will realize that the entangled bird might be the least of her worries. She'll see shadows above her, two of them, in the trees nearby, leering down at Zetha, hissing. Their features are obscured but she'll be able to see that their eyes are glowing a bright, unnatural green. One of them appears to be missing an arm.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Wait!..." But it's too late and Thaarin is gone. So it's Zetha and the firehawk that's none too happy about being veered off it's path. And Zetha has no idea how to fly this thing. Not that it matters as very soon after, all she knows is vines. Vines and a bird entangled in them. On top of her - somewhat - and trapping her there with little room to struggle free. If that was the worse of her issues, she'd figure something out. She's resourceful like that. Yet just as soon as she's managed to get onto her back, that's when she notices the shadows, and the glowing green eyes. "Oh...kriff..."

Navi has posed:
Navi drags herself back onto the bird's back, making sure Peeka is safely in place. "Close... I'm getting really sick of those dead things trying to kill us," she murmurs. "Now where did Thaarin and Zetha get to..?"

The screeching of the other bird gives her a pretty good idea which direction they'd gone, and she guides the still-shaky bird into an easy turn to head back toward the racket. "Just hang in there, buddy... we'll be on the ground in a sec," she adds to the bird.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    It wasn't that Cayde didn't understand why they didn't recommend it. He understood perfectly, but honestly he just really wanted to fly something somewhere interesting. He hadn't done so in a while. Besides, what else did Rykard appoint him deputy for besides to prove himself capable and worthy of being knighted? He has a strong connection to the Force, and is ahead of the curve when it comes to saber combat thanks to Annelia, but he needs to work on -other- areas.

    The fog is difficult to navigate through, but that's where he'll call upon the Force to get to where he needs to go. The others had to be nearby, or even the firehawks' presence. He pushes the throttle as far as it will go.

Athena (159) has posed:
Whatever those creatures are, they're descending quick, like four legged spiders, and Zetha is stuck good. All she can do is perhaps try to wiggle her way out before they are on her, or hope that Thaarin is nearby with a knife. She'll hear him call out, "Zetha? Where are you? Are you alright?" but won't be able to see him.

However, she may not have time to answer. Above her, she may be surprised to see ... the glider? It's Wiis' glider, but -someone- is using it.

A masked someone, a shadowy figure, whose goggle lenses gleam menacingly in the moonlight. He pushes his legs forward, and then swings backwards, angling the glider downward before letting go, somersaulting. Twin blasters are pulled out, aimed perfectly, fired in succession at the heads of the green eyed menaces descending towards her. They don't even have time to react, or cry out, before collapsing. The figure then lands, on top of the glider and rides it all the way to the ground. Next to the bird, right in front of Zetha. Behind him she'll see the eerie twin  glowing circles of other masked figures, peering from the bushes clandestinely. One of the pistols swivels to aim at Zetha. "You are trespassing," a modulated voice states, "do you mean to do business, or are you attacking?"

"I don't know!" Peeka grumps. "But are we there yet?"

But Navi will indeed not find it hard to locate the other entangled bird, and she will arrive just as Thaarin finds his way over, limping, and just as her favorite criminal points a gun at Zetha's head.

Cayde will find himself zooming straight for a massive outcropping that juts out and hangs over the Gorge. It had been partially obscured by the fog... until now. He'll have to swerve to avoid it.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Sounds. A lot of them all at once. Thaarin's voice. The blaster shots. The falling of those spider like creatures and then the modulated voice of someone else. At least the one with the blaster is giving her a chance to speak. "B-business. We just got caught with the creatures and the firehawk went a little crazy. But we're coming here to do business..." At least, that's what Zetha remembers. She's taking note of the one on the glider as well. Though she won't say much else, wondering how close Thaarin is, and if he was able to hear her talking. She wasn't quite yelling, but she wasn't being very quiet either.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The rocks seem to come out of nowhere. Cayde manages to react quickly, abruptly turning the vessel sideways to just barely avoid smashing into it. There is a scrape across the hull, but the relief washes over him as he clears the obstacle. It...felt good. Rewarding. Yes, this was why he'd wanted to fly down here. He reaches into the Force again, searching for the others, or for the firehawks.

Navi has posed:
Navi guides the googly-eyed firehawk down for a landing, its feet barely touching the ground before she slides off of its back, moving to calm the panicky firehawk that had been entangled with Zetha.

She spots Amarik and the other Marauders almost instantly, and Thaarin just slightly afterward. "The Force was with us," she observes, waving to Amarik. "We came down here looking for some lost property, but we'd planned on hunting you and yours up, too. Good to see you again," she continues, moving to assist with freeing the frightened bird, who at least seems to be calming down under her mind-touch.

Athena (159) has posed:
"What business," that same voice says. But they at least remove the gun from Zetha's proximity. They tilt their head to one side, as if studying Zetha. Behind him, the others still watch.

Zetha may have already realized it, but these are the marauders Wiis had been talking about, the ones she'd joked would whisk her away one day. -Real- space pirates. Maybe she won't find them so funny anymore. The individual that stands before her now, she might realize, isn't actually much taller than her, making them kind of short by humanoid galactic standards. Or tall, if his species were anything like a Chadra Fan or Jawa. There's no way to know really, they're fully covered and the mask makes every part of their head inscrutable. This doesn't take away from the fact that there's something both alluring and terrifying about their presence, and the way they're watching Zetha.

He's... closer than he was before, but in front of him lies an impossible maze and obstacle course of more jagged outcroppings, fog, and tangled vines.

The bird trills softly as Navi calms it, and watches her approach Amarik, somewhat anxious. It doesn't like the marauders, that much will be clear.

The masked marauder watches Navi as she goes to cut the bird free, with Thaarin assisting. "If this is about the witch," he says, "then I'll have you know I've left her alone for now at the behest of your Jedi," Navi will suddenly find herself jarred in the Force. They're misaligned - she'll recognize the feeling. It's similar to how she'd felt around him when they'd first met in Jedha, and he'd framed her for someone's death. "And as you can see, pockets of her power remain, or... she has returned."

Peeka, thankfully, changes the subject for Navi. "We're not here about her," she says, "I'm looking for my dad."

Navi has posed:
"What she said," Navi adds, nodding at Peeka. "And a lost glider. As for Mal, I just saw her recently... these things are probably remnants, like you guessed."

She uses her lightsaber to cut away the vines holding the bird and Zetha, offering the latter a hand to help her to her feet. "Not exactly like the holos, is it?" she asks sympathetically.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Freedom! Still...there's a little terror left in the young Twi'lek's eyes but as Navi cuts away the rest of those vines and offers a hand, Zetha takes it and uses the help to her to her feet. "The glider's here...there's someone...using it." She offers, and then points to the one who is standing on the glider itself. "It belongs to my boss and it holds a lot of sentimental value to her." She adds this much but then looks to Navi and then to the marauders before them. At least now she's with someone who happens to know them, but she's almost afraid they're going to want to bargain for it. Something like 'it fell down here so it belongs to us now' and she's got nothing to use for leverage to get it back then.

As for Thaarin. He gets nothing. Not a look. Not a thanks for help. Maybe it's because her attention is drawn a bit. Moreso like she's upset he let go of the firehawk to begin with.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Perfect, he should be there soon. There is an obstacle course ahead, but he's ready to tackle it. He diverts just a little bit of power from the shields to the thrusters and ailerons to enhance maneuverability, speeding ahead. The craft twists and turns wildly through the vines and rocks, swiping many of them and knocking down several trees. But--there! He can see them ahead. Now all he has to do is land without smashing into them...which he barely manages to pull off. The craft roars over their heads by a few feet, and swerves sharply, planting itself somewhat awkwardly onto a sort of flat-topped rock formation that barely fits it.

Navi has posed:
"And there's Cayde... he's late, but at least he didn't auger it in," Navi observes, watching the ship land on top of a rock formation. "Bet he's gonna have to wash shuttles for a month to make up for the extra work he's just given the ship techs, though..."

Athena (159) has posed:
It will be obvious to Navi in the Force, that Amarik isn't pleased with her answer. The fact that she'd seen her recently but not specified that she was dead, makes him somewhat uneasy. But he says nothing about it.

"This is hers?" the marauder says, sounding amused, jumping off of it, approaching Zetha, and... folding it up? With ease. Wiis had never done that. She probably didn't even know how. "Ah-h-h. Wiis Duusa, the junkyard owner. I see. What lengths will you go to receive it back?" they ask her, stepping closer. They then turn to Peeka. "What lengths are you willing to go to, for your father? Gifts are not freely given, little one."

Thaarin comes up behind Zetha, still limping. "Zetha," he says, "I'm sorry, I had no idea the bird was heading for the vines and I couldn't control it, are you alright?"

A few pieces of rock chip off the flat topped formation and plummet downwards towards the group, while another jagged outcropping that had been obscured by tree branches pierces the viewport and shatters the glass. Oops. At least it's not on the pilot's side, so Cayde will remain unharmed.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
There's a slight turn of Zetha's head as she hears Thaarin once he's stepped up behind her. "I'm fine." The words are a bit sharp, but she's not going to lash into him in the middle of mixed company. She has something more important to figure out right now as she looks back just in time to see the one marauder folding up that glider in a way she's never seen Wiis do. "You know Wiis?" She asks this before even thinking about the implements of the question and then shakes her head. "To ease her over losing that? Wiis gave me a chance when no one else would. So to return a favor such as that, I'd go to great lengths." She can hear people around her now. It's just a glider. It's not worth it. Though other things begin to click in her brain - like how Wiis was so sure marauders would steal her away. How small a world in a galaxy so big.

Thaarin will likely see a few cuts on the back of Zetha's arms, but they don't seem to be bothering her so much. Likely cause she's still riding on adrenaline. She did hit the vines backwards.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Well, that was what the extra money had been for. Hopefully it was enough. Cayde climbs out of the craft, and starts to assess the situation. Peeka looking for her father--but why does she think the pirates know where he is? And Zetha wanting the glider back. Also apparently Navi had seen Mal recently. So maybe she was still alive. It was worrying, but also a relief at the same time.

    As 'Crane' is insinuating that they'll have to pay to get the lost glider back, he reaches into the Tholothian's mind. <It's just a glider...just give it back.> Or was he just too enthralled with a new toy?

Navi has posed:
"Hold still a sec," Navi advises Zetha gently, resting a hand on the young woman's forearm. "This might feel a little odd, but you'll feel a little better after I'm done." She reaches into the Force, tuning its flow between herself and Zetha, and through Zetha's body, to speed the healing of the minor wounds to the Twi'lek's arms from her encounter with the vines.

Athena (159) has posed:
Thaarin sighs, shaking his head. "Zetha, you're bleeding," he murmurs softly. "Navi--" But it would appear the Sephi has already come prepared.

The marauder watches Zetha carefully, the moonlight striking the lenses of their goggles just right so that Zetha may glimpse a sliver of his electric indigo irises. They've got humanoid eyes, that's for sure. "Very well then," they say, "I will give the glider back, if you allow me to search you and your employer's property and take a singular item from it if I choose to do so. It will not be the glider," he promises, "it will not be credits, and will not be anything I cannot carry on my person."

He then turns to Peeka, who pipes up, "My... my service," she says, glancing nervously at Navi momentarily before turning back to the marauder. "For.. for as long as you want me to be part of your crew," she says softly.

The marauder doesn't say anything for a moment. Their gaze lands on Navi for a moment, waiting to see what she has to say. In response to Cayde, he says. <The junkyard owner is hiding something.>

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"They were just scratches..." Zetha protests, but she can already feel the healing factor of the Force taking care of them. Her gaze shifts to Navi and she gives a single nod. "Thank you." Before then returning her gaze to the marauder what holds Wiis' glider. What he proposes has Zetha's brain scrambling, but she tries her best to keep as minimal of emotion on her face as possible. Though after a moment, she gives a nod. "Alright. You have a deal. So long as I get to go back to the junkyard as well. Safely." Of course she doesn't know what the marauder is looking for, but there's something about a series of recent events that tells the young Twi'lek a lot just from inferring details. It makes her stomach wrench, and she may suffer consequences galore - but to her it's likely worth it.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    <I know> Cayde replies. <Don't let the girl join...> he adds, upon hearing Peeka offering to serve the pirates. <you know better.> Does he want her to also fall into the same trap he has? A life he can't get away from? At least, he thinks he can't.

Navi has posed:
"Be careful, Peeka. That's an extremely risky deal to make," Navi advises the Chadra Fan. "This is a good bunch compared to your average Marauder crew, but they're still outlaws in the eyes of the Republic. Associating with outlaws risks becoming one yourself, and that carries very dangerous consequences."

She likewise gives Zetha a worried look, before looking back to Amarik. "What are you looking for?" she asks, unsure if she really wants to know...

Athena (159) has posed:
"That were bleeding," Thaarin repeats. "Thankfully, Navi's made short work of them. Thank you, Navi," he says.

The marauder stares at her for a moment, then nods almost imperceptibly. "I can't guarantee that," he says, glancing over the craft Cayde had almost crashed into the rock formation. "You know the dangers of the Gorge, yet your only ticket out of here aside from the birds is a pilot who can barely land a sky cruiser."

<I won't deny her if it's what she truly wants> he tells Cayde. <But perhaps Navi can persuade her>

"I-I know what I'm doing!" Peeka says to Navi vehemently, although the uncertainty in her eyes tells Navi that Peeka has no idea what she's getting herself into even if she thinks it's the right thing to do. "I can do it," she tells the marauder.

The marauder turns to look at Navi. "I'll know when I see it." He looks down at Peeka. "Your deputy disapproves of your choices." he glances at Cayde. "Will you still defy him?"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha looks to Peeka, then to Navi, then back to the marauder. Navi posed the question. The glider is being given if the marauder can search the junkyard and the house. So Zetha has a good idea what she's looking for. Peeka's a Chadra Fan. Likely her father is the one who handed this item to Zetha. Zetha handed it to Wiis, who then hid it and told her to never tell anyone of it's existence. But all of this mess. All of it. Began with that Chadra Fan.

"It's a chunk of grey metal. Isn't it?" Zetha questions. "I know where it is. I know how Wiis got it. I know who it came from. I just never knew what it was. If it means the glider is returned, that this young Chadra Fan can learn about her father's location, and we can all leave here...I'll make sure you get it." She says this, laying a lot out on the line for it...but if her guttural instinct is right, then the one thing she's held onto, the one secret she had left is going to be the one thing that buys a lot more than credits could ever give.

"You all obviously know how to manage in and out of the gorge. So do the Jedi. We can make it back. Just let us. And I'll give you what it is you want back."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    <You don't care about her then> Cayde observes. <You will let her fall...she's a child> Never mind that she's not actually that much older than him. <Well...I won't.>

    With that he turns his gaze toward the defiant young Chadra Fan, entering her mind and showing her all of the terrible consequences this decision could lead to. How does she know they will even help her at all? They're criminals, they could just take advantage her. Make her a slave. Blaster fodder, or worse. All with the promise of 'eventually' helping her find her father, which may or may not happen. And even if it does, it's likely to be too late.

Navi has posed:
"I know you don't want to hear it, Peeka. Especially from me. But trust me on this... you don't. This bunch may be a decent crew, but there are a lot of people among the Marauders who could put any villain you've ever seen to shame. Wensicio is a preschool bully compared to them," Navi replies firmly, and more than a little sadly. "Even one if this crew tried to stab me in the back once. Not as a figure of speech... she really did try to bury a knife between my ribs. This man struck her down and saved my life," she continues, indicating Amarik. "That girl's probably dead by now."

Athena (159) has posed:
The marauder approaches Zetha, saying nothing. Suddenly, he reaches forward and places a firm hand on her shoulder. The sensation she'll experience will be horribly strange, and nothing like she's ever experienced in her life. It's like he (and she'll be able to distinctly discern that he's male, what kind, she won't know) had taken a scalpel and peeled back the psychic layers of her mind and is now -looking-. He can't really discern sounds, or words, or even distinct memories, but Zetha will get the feeling that he's not exactly looking for anything specific - he's just searching for truth. The grey metal she's talking about, had she just made that up, or is she being honest?

Finally, he'll release his grip on her, and Zetha might feel dizzy, disoriented, or both.

"I want to search the property," he finally says, "I want to see it for myself, and make my own decisions about what I see. If you cannot agree to this, you will not get the glider back."

When Cayde starts making accusations, the marauder doesn't seem bothered. The young padawan will sense that he doesn't think any of what Cayde is saying is false, although he does care to a degree about Peeka. She was a child, even if Cayde was barely older than her. He just watches as Peeka's expression goes blank, now under the influence of Cayde's telepathy. She then whispers to Navi, "Is it... is it all true, then?"

Thaarin hurries to Zetha's side. "Zetha! Are you alright? What just happened?"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha wasn't lying. She held the metal in her hand for a few minutes before giving it to Wiis. She's not very steady on her feet afterwards and doesn't really comprehend her surroundings again until she notices Thaarin at her side. "I-I'm fine...I..." She looks to the marauder again. "You won't have to search. I know where it is." And she'd rather not have their place torn apart any further than it looks now. "Anyway. I already agreed to it. To you coming and searching." In a whole was that really necessary sort of way of saying things but then, she's not entirely sure what's going to happen now. And it doesn't seem anyone else noticed what she said, or if they did, it holds less consequence from them than she feared.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde regrets having to do this to Peeka, but he's certain it's the only way to stop her from making a terrible decision she'd regret for years to come. At least it seems to be working.

Navi has posed:
Navi sways slightly on her feet as Amarik reaches into Zetha's mind with the Force, a lot less gently than she could have. "He was probing her mind with the Force. It probably felt terrible, but it won't hurt her," she replies to Thaarin. "All the same, you may want to stay close to her for a minute or two, just in case she's still dizzy from it."

She moves closer to Zetha, too, but her eyes return to Peeka, regretfully using her own telepathy to see just what Cayde had showed her. She nods sadly. "It is. My Jedi Master was mortally wounded trying to protect a ship and its crew from Marauders, and she was a powerful Jedi. Most of the crew were killed anyway, and many others died of their wounds later on. Those of us who survived only did so through the will of the Force." She can't keep back a shudder. For her, that nightmare didn't end after she was rescued.

"Look into your heart, Peeka... even the best among the Marauders have done terrible things to innocent sentients. Are these really the kind of sentients you want to help?" she asks gently.

Athena (159) has posed:
Thaarin nods at Navi, and then reaches out to steady Zetha, gripping her arm gently to help her regain her balance.

Peeka frowns slightly. "I..." she blinks, suddenly not so sure of her decision anymore. "Well... maybe...."

The marauder inclines his head ever so slightly again. "I have a new proposition," he announces, "allow me to keep the craft," he says, glancing at the craft on top of the formation, "and I will make arrangements to have the Chadra Fan colonist who is missing, to be found, and returned."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
There's disorientation, and a lot of emotions, and weariness. As soon as Zetha feels Thaarin's grip on her arm she seems to be a little...overwhelmed. In the smallest voice she's ever had, and with a look to Thaarin directly, the Twi'lek whispers "I want to go home..."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde shakes his head when the Tholothian wants the airship. [Not mine to give] he signs. Which is true. [We will find him]

    <I don't need your help....if you want to help, stop demanding payment>

    He then takes advantage of Peeka's hesitation and delves deeper into her subconscious, but this time not to show her anything else but to attempt to simply cause her to fall into a deep sleep.

Navi has posed:
"He's right about the ship, I'm afraid," Navi adds sympathetically, with a slow shake of her head. "I'm sorry. Maybe there is a different deal we can make, another time."

Athena (159) has posed:
The Tholothian then shrugs nonchalantly, waving a hand dismissively as he turns to leave. He tosses Zetha the glider, and then starts heading towards a looming, dark shape in the distance - their marauder's ship, clearly. Its details can't be made out when there's so little light, but anyone looking at it will be able to tell it's strangely shaped, as if ten different ships had been disassembled and then reassembled to create the monstrosity of a vessel.

<There must be balance, always> he says back to the young padawan. <She was the one coming to me, wanting help>

Peeka, exhausted from the day's events, succumbs to Cayde's telepathic urge for her to sleep.

Thaarin nods at Zetha, "soon," he says gently and sweetly, "soon." He then turns to Cayde, frowning. "You're not piloting us back. You are, however, going to get us all up onto that formation, because there isn't any way for those who can't use the Force to scale it." He folds his arms.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    <She's a child> Cayde repeats, reminding him that she couldn't be held accountable for her rash decisions. Especially when desperate for her father. Why she wouldn't ask the Jedi for help instead is beyond him. Republic citizens were supposed to -trust- the Jedi. Why would she trust criminals over them? Was it Xera's work?

    Anyway, he shrugs and starts dragging her over to where the airship is awkwardly perched on the rock, not responding to Thaarin's quips.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha is going to be relying a bit on Thaarin to keep her held up at this point. It may not have been the strongest use of that particular Force power but everything including what surrounded that power being used is now weighing on her like a junked spaceship. Just there. On her shoulders. She doesn't even speak further. She just wants to get back to the junkyard.

Navi has posed:
"Until we meet again," Navi says to the Marauders, and to Amarik in particular, turning to leave.

Looking up at the rock formation, she just shakes her head. "I think I'll take my chances with the birds," she says, moving to re-mount the googly-eyed firehawk.

Athena (159) has posed:
Thaarin peers up at the craft Cayde had flown in. It's a bit hard to see from his vantage point, but he sighs. "I don't think it can take more than two people anyway," he says. "Navi, will you take Peeka and Zetha back to Kublop? I'll... supervise Cayde."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde climbs back into the airship, taking Peeka with him. He doesn't appear to have heard Thaarin's remarks.

Navi has posed:
Navi nods. "Don't worry, Zetha. These birds can carry four or more sentients at a time, all much bigger than any of us. Our weight won't even slow them down," she advises, slipping back to the ground to assist Zetha over to climb onto the back of the googly-eyed bird. "Just climb on and take a good hold of those downy feathers and you'll be fine."

Athena (159) has posed:
"..." The tall blue skinned man watches as Cayde completely ignores him, and then sighs. "I suppose I won't be supervising him, then," he says.

He boards the bird he and Zetha had been riding earlier. "Let's just stay as close to his craft as possible, until we're out of the Gorge. Make sure he doesn't crash and get himself and Peeka killed..."