The Informant's Gambit: The Uncanny Murder

The Informant's Gambit: The Uncanny Murder
Date of Scene:	10 December 2023
Location:
Synopsis:	Navi is framed for murder.
Cast of Characters:	195, Navi

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Amarik (195) has posed:
After the two aliens disappear from the Temple of the Kyber, the rest of day will pass rather uneventfully. Gethun will report nothing missing from the vault, and will end up dismissing the lagging lock as sticky, and old.

And yet. Navi will herself nagged by the fact that they'd escaped her. They were hiding something...

That evening, Gethun will escorting Navi from the Temple of the Kyber, back to sanctum of the Shining Brotherhood.

Navi has posed:
"Thank you for escorting me back, Gethun," Navi says warmly to the Guardian, matching her pace to his. "But I think you should remain at the Brotherhood chapterhouse tonight. This would be a very long walk alone, and it troubles me still that we could not catch those two criminals."

Amarik (195) has posed:
Gethun chuckles. "You worry too much, Navi. I'm sure it was nothing," he says with a shrug. "I had all of the Whill Guardians scour the Temple to see if anything was amiss, and we found nothing."

"But I suppose if you really want to see if there's anything else to investigate, you could stop by the Enlightenment." He bows politely once they reach the Shining Brotherhood's chapterhouse. "I appreciate your invitation. But I'll be just fine. Mind you, I'm quite capable of defending myself."

"May the Force be with you, Navi," he says, and then turns to leave.

Navi has posed:
"Perhaps. But something tells me we haven't seen the last of those two," Navi replies softly. "I'm just glad no one was hurt, except for them, and I'm inclined to believe they were responsible for their own injuries. Nothing about it makes sense." She is clearly still troubled by the whole thing, but doesn't press the issue any more in the face of the Guardian's doubts.

"As you wish, Gethun. May the Force be with you... and keep and protect you," she says by way of farewell, watching Gethun until he is out of sight before entering the chapterhouse.

Retiring to her tiny room, she tries to sleep. But sleep is maddeningly elusive, to the point that after a mere half-hour of tossing and turning, she sighs and gives up, rising to dress and make her way to the Enlightenment.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"... they... self inflicted?" Gethun arches a brow at her. "I don't know about that..." he says as he leaves.

The Enlightenment in contrast to the rest of the city, is alive. It's bustling, busier than it's ever been, despite the strange hour.

Navi might suspect there's a reason for this, as most of the patrons aren't drunk or even slightly inebriated. Instead, they seem on high alert...

Navi has posed:
Navi orders a drink, then seeks out a seat near the back with a good view of the place, to watch and listen. Something feels much too odd about the energy here. Despite the festivities of today, there is no air of celebration in the cantina. It's more like anticipation, she thinks. But anticipation of what? That's the million-credit question...

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Togrutan bartender seems to think she looks out of place here. "It's awfully late to be out, don't you think?" he says, his gaze shifting slightly.

"You looking for ... someone?"

A couple of Chadra Fans at the other end of the bar are jostling one another over looking at a datapad which is displaying a map of the Holy City.

Navi has posed:
"Maybe. Have you seen a male human and a male Hoopaloo, both bandaged up? The human was wearing a scary-looking breathing mask," Navi asks the barkeep softly. She glances at the two Chadra Fans, noting their map, but decides not to approach them for now.

Amarik (195) has posed:
The bartender's brows go up. "Oh, Duzard and Zealot, you mean." He shrugs. "Surprised you haven't heard of them. Well maybe I'm not. You look like the innocent, naive sort." He smirks and starts casually wiping down the counter.

Navi has posed:
"Perhaps I am. What can you tell me about this Duzard and Zealot? I'm assuming Zealot is the one in the mask," Navi asks, taking a seat at the bar. She tries to hide her nervousness, but can't quite. Crowds of this size have troubled her ever since her ordeal in the Outer Rim.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Well, for one, I don't think Zealot is human. No idea what he is though. He hardly ever talks."

Then his smirk widens. "But if you want to know more than that, you're gonna have to pay me." He leans back a little, folding his arms.

She could press him, or she could try her luck elsewhere in the tapbar. There's certainly no lack of people here...

Navi has posed:
"I doubt I have enough money to afford your information," Navi explains. "But they entered the Temple of the Kyber under false pretenses, for unknown but very suspect reasons. I'm looking for them because I believe they have in mind committing a crime of some kind against the Temple, or its Guardians."

"I'm sure you know that this is the Festival of Balance. To commit a crime against the Temple during the festival is the very height of sacrilege. It could even lead to violence in the streets, and I don't want anyone to be hurt. It could also be very, very bad for business here," she adds. "If you can help me, we might stop an awful lot of trouble for everyone."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Of course," the Togruta says nonchalantly. "But nothing in this galaxy's ever free, miss." And then he turns around and starts tending to his other patrons.

While Navi had been speaking to the bartender, the Chadra Fans had been trying to interrogate some of the other patrons at the tapbar, but only be bullied in returns.

When the Togrutan bartender turns around and leaves Navi alone, the diminutive aliens approach her. They're young, could have been older than sixteen, or whatever the equivalent was Chadra Fan years. "Hey!! Hey miss! You know anything about where the data terminal on the east side is...?"

Navi has posed:
"Thank you anyway," Navi replies to the Togruta, looking back to her drink. The questions of the Chadra Fans draw a glance. "I might, but I would probably have to show you. I don't remember the directions well," she says. "But why do you need to find a data terminal at such a late hour?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
"It can't be just any terminal," one of them says eagerly. "It has to be THE terminal. You know.. the one-->"

But the other Chadra Fan silences her. "It's ... important," he says, looking away furtively. "Look, what we actually need is someone to help us convince someone here to tell us where one of these special terminals are. Only some people know, and they're cheating people out of their credits for the information!!"

Navi has posed:
"That's a strange sort of request, but I don't like seeing smaller sentients being pushed around by sentients bigger than them," Navi replies. "Do you know who these cheats are? And can you tell me what is so special about this particular terminal? If I'm to help you find it, I need to know more about what I'm looking for."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Those guys!" the Chadra Fan says, pointing at a couple of Devaronians hunched over a dejarik table in the back. "They're charging hundreds of credits!

The Chadra Fan doesn't answer her question about the terminal, instead the four of them head towards the dejarik table...

Navi has posed:
"Hmm..." Navi murmurs, rising to follow the Chadra Fans. "May I speak to you, gentlebeings?" she asks, trying to keep a tremor out of her voice. This place is full of a lot more people than she prefers to be around. "I'm wondering about this terminal you are charging a fee over?" She leaves the question vague, to see just what blanks the Devaronians fill in for her.

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Devaronians laugh, pausing their game. "Wouldn't you like to know," one of them sneers.

"Four hundred credits," the other says. "Pay up."

Navi has posed:
"Pay up for /what/? You haven't even told me what I would be paying for," Navi says firmly. "So please tell me why this terminal you are selling directions to is so important. Besides, what you're doing sounds questionable... especially since you're so much bigger than these little ones. It smacks of bullying."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Oooh," The Devaronian she's addressing marvels. "Damn. What a Jedi wannabe," he laughs. "Look at her. Wearing robes just like 'em, and tryna play do gooder. Hah. You're too funny, too cute, you know, trying so hard."

"Guess you didn't know - Duzard and Zealot came to town, promising big on a blind data auction. Knowing them, they'll make good on their word. They -always- do..."

Navi has posed:
"You don't know much about Jedi, do you? If I'd made half as many misstatements of observable fact as you've just spit out regarding my appearance versus that of the uniform of the Jedi Order, I'd be ashamed of myself," Navi retorts softly, unshouldering her retractable staff and holding it where they can see it. "Not only are my robes much longer and cut much differently, /this/ is clearly not a lightsaber."

"But I digress. What's so important about this blind data auction? If sentients are willing to pay four hundred credits just for the privilege of finding the right terminal, it must be something very valuable."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The male Devaronian just laughs at her, waving dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, same thing, Whatever."

"Are you stupid?" The female Devaronian sitting across from the male sneers. "What part about 'blind' do you not understand? It's like a mystery box - you pay ten thousand up front to reach in, and whatever you get, is whatever you get. And mum's the word on whatever you get. That's how informants deal. Why are you so stupid, girl?"

Navi has posed:
Navi scowls a little at the female Devaronian's sneering comments. She lowers her staff almost to her side.

Almost, but not quite. Her thumb flexes subtly against the side of the staff, against a concealed stud, and suddenly one end of the staff telescopes directly into the female's midsection, catching her in the pit of the stomach. The half-pound weighted tip of the staff sinks several inches into the woman's midsection, with the expected consequences of a stiff sucker punch to the guts.

"As I recall saying, this is no lightsaber. But it can still hurt you," she says severely. "So let's talk about the terminal and the auction again. And I recommend you remember your manners this time around."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Devaronian woman is bowled out of her chair, collapsing unceremoniously onto the floor as the chair crumples and is rent in two. She doesn't respond for a moment, instead just lies on the ground, groaning. The Chadra Fans jeer, and the male Devaronian suddenly leaps to his feet, drawing two toothed blades. "You watch yourself," he says, and then suddenly, rushes her.

The rest of the tapbar's patrons turn their attention to the brawl unfolding before their eyes with a gasp. The bartender doesn't look pleased. "ExCUSE me!! Not in here--" But his protests have come too late.

Navi has posed:
Slightly surprised by the male Devaronian's rush, Navi reverses her staff, extending its other end as she sweeps it at his weapons, swatting them aside before they can strike her. She starts to twist into an attack, her target the sentient's midsection...

Amarik (195) has posed:
When Navi knocks the Devaronian's blades aside, he stumbles backwards. He nearly falls over, but he throws his hands behind him and catches his fall on the sill of the open window close to the dejarik table.

He growls, and lunges to attack again, but then Navi's staff swivels and strikes his midsection.

And at that moment, the Sephi girl might suddenly sense that something is very wrong. But before she can make anything of it, she'll hear a sickening crunch and feel some very slight resistance against her staff. And then she'll discover that the Devaronian man has been impaled on her staff. The end of the staff is poking out the other end of his back, and the color is draining from his face as his expression goes lifeless.

And then, he's dead.

But how could it be?? She hadn't exerted that much effort...

Navi has posed:
Navi stares wide-eyed at the dead Devaronian (impossibly!) impaled on the tip of her staff, her mind racing as she tries to assess just how this could've happened... the staff was fully extended at the time, the tips lack any actual points, and she's neither strong nor heavy enough to achieve the kind of force needed to punch a blunt staff through a humanoid's abdomen.

Nothing suggests itself. Not even slightly. All she registers is a faint smell of ozone in the air, which only confuses her more.

She looks at the Chadra Fans accompanying her, and sees only eyes like saucers. "That shouldn't have happened..." she says helpfully, looking just as saucer-eyed scared as them.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Did you... just kill him?" one of the Chadra Fan's whispers, looking unnerved.

The female Devaronian woman looks incredulous and angry, among many other emotions. "You...You killed him!! You -killed- my brother!" She then starts sobbing uncontrollably, though whether it's out of rage or grief or both is unknown. She then gets up and runs out of the tapbar.

By now, the patrons are all staring, mouths agape. The bartender elbows his way over. "What the kriff?! I'm.. I'm calling the police," he says, looking both extremely displeased and shocked. "Get out, everyone. This is a crime scene, now..."

Navi has posed:
"But I didn't... it's not possible..!" Navi protests, beginning to feel as if her sanity is slipping away. She pulls the staff free and drops it on the floor, then moves to examine the dead Devaronian. Tears are beginning to stream down her cheeks, and she feels panic roaring up from the back of her mind, threatening to swallow her whole.

What she's just done ISN'T POSSIBLE! Her mind screams this at her over and over...

Amarik (195) has posed:
There's so much blood, everywhere. And when she leans over to look at the wound, she'll have to exert every inch of her willpower to not vomit at how disgusting and bloody it is. Some of his innards are even protruding out. Something smells burned, but it's hard to tell what exactly.

And then before she can spend too long looking at it, the bartender is pulling on her arm, telling her to scram.

The Chadra Fan teenagers seem sympathetic. They gather near her. "It's okay," one of them says. "We believe you. We just have to figure out who actually did it..."

Navi has posed:
Navi submits to being pushed out of the bar, weeping openly, her stomach threatening to revolt. Sinking to her knees outside the bar, she group-hugs the supportive Chadra Fans gently. "Thank you..." she whispers, trying to pull herself together. "You just can't know... how good it is to... to have someone believe me..."

She releases the little aliens and sits down beside the doorway of the tapbar, hugging her legs and resting her forehead on her knees until she can regain control of her feelings. It takes a few minutes, at least.

"I can't help thinking that this data auction is at the heart of this," she says at last. "We need to find that terminal. Or maybe those two grifters who set it up."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The young Chadra Fans seem surprised, but accept her embrace. "You're not gonna find Duzard or Zealot," the smallest Chadra Fan says. "They're in the wind. They always are. Look, we can go looking for the terminal without anyone's help. Maybe if we go check out the eastside, we'll happen upon some others who are also headed for it."

But by the time Navi has regained her composure, the police have arrived. Gethun and At'unai are with them.

They hurry to her side. "Navi, what happened?" At'unai says, "We heard about the Devaronian man..."

But the police officers are coming over now, and At'unai will have to step aside. They don't look very happy...

Navi has posed:
"Be careful. Some of those sentients chasing that auction are very dangerous, as we've just seen," Navi cautions the Chadra Fans. And then Dathun and At'unai approach, and she shakes her head at the Sister's question, standing and hugging her tightly. "They think I impaled him through the stomach with my staff. But that's not possible. It's not sharp, and I wouldn't have the strength to do it even if it was."

She looks up at the police officers as they approach. "I will cooperate fully," she says softly, seeming to shrink into herself. "Please, tell me what you need from me..."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Yeah, but you're gonna help us, right?" one of the Chadra Fans replies.

But then the police come onto the scene, and Chadra Fans skitter to hide behind a dumpster.

"Oh Navi..." the priestess says, hugging her back. "We'll get to the bottom of this..."

The police nods at her, tight lipped. "Describe what happened, from beginning to end. Don't leave out anything."

Navi has posed:
Navi can't even conceive of lying to this authority figure. She tells him everything that happened in the cantina, from her arrival to when the Togrutan pushed her out the door. She indicates her staff, still lying on the floor of the bar near the body of the Devaronian, and the death wound on the body. She even mentions the strange ozone smell, and the burning smell from the wound.

She also explains about looking for Duzard and Zealot, and why. And about the auction, and the Chadra Fans asking her for help with the Devaronians. She doesn't overemphasize the insulting and degrading manner of the Devaronians, but neither does she omit it. She even admits to striking the Devaronian female first, the only thing she's truly guilty of, hoping they'll understand her reasons.

"And then the male came at me with those big knives of his. I protected myself from the knives and tried to knock the breath out of him. I never tried to kill him, and I never had any intent to harm him permanently, or even to kill him. I had questions I needed answered, and he could not answer if he was dead. But somehow my staff went right through him, with the tip coming out of his back. And that's impossible," she explains. "The tips are blunt weights, and I don't know of anything strong enough to force a blunt staff tip all the way through a humanoid body. It's just impossible..."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The police officer takes some notes, nodding. His expression betrays nothing.

"It's possible he was shot," The police tells Navi after she gives her testimony. "But we won't know anything until the autopsy comes back tomorrow." He frowns and hands her the datapad. "I'll need you to fill out this form with your contact information and other details. You didn't take spice or any other drug prior to this incident, did you?" he asks.

Navi has posed:
"With a blaster, you mean? That might explain the smells..." Navi muses, blinking as she's handed the datapad. She fills the information out thoroughly, as she has nothing to hide and the Brotherhood wouldn't dream of hiding anything from the authorities anyway, not even for one of their own. "I ordered a glass of lomin-ale at the bar, and drank maybe a third of it. Nothing else," she adds.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Right, then," he says, and takes datapad when she finishes filling it out. "We're going to make sure, anyway." A droid comes by and makes quick work of taking a small sample of her blood.

"We're still in the process taking witness testimonies, so don't make yourself scarce. Not until this case is solved." And then he turns away and starts heading back inside the cantina.

"Are you going to be alright?" At'unai asks. "Would you like for Gethun and I to walk you back to the Brotherhood's chapterhouse?" she asks anxiously.

Navi has posed:
"I won't, Sir. Thank you." Navi moves to rejoin Gethun and At'unai. "Thank you both for being here for me. But I can't go home yet. I have to find out what is going on with this auction the Devaronians were selling information about," she explains, with some regret. "This Duzard and Zealot could not have been at the Temple by accident. What if the information they're selling has something to do with the Temple's vault or defenses? That's a chance I'm not willing to take."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"You should rest," Gethun says, his brows furrowing, "go back to the chapterhood, and investigate this in the morning. You must be exhausted, it's been quite a night for you," Gethun says, resting a hand on her shoulder.

At'unai nods. "The police know now, so I'm sure they'll take care of it. Drink something warm, and then sleep. You deserved some well earned rest, like Gethun said," she adds.

Navi has posed:
Navi wilts a little under Gethun's hand, and the obvious concern in their eyes and voices. "There's something I need to do first," she says meekly. "I won't be long."

She turns and approaches the Chadra Fans hidden behind the trash receptacle. "Here is my comlink code," she says softly, scribbling it down on a scrap of flimsy taken from her sleeve. "Do you know when the auction will be? I still mean to help you."

Amarik (195) has posed:
Gethun starts to say something, but then Navi turns away and heads to the dumpster nearby.

The small Chadra Fans take the flimsi, and squint at in the dark. "... It's already begun," one of the Chadra Fan says. "It's going to keep going until... I don't know. I'm not sure. Heard it was gonna last at least a few days."

"We're gonna go now," she whispers. "If you wanna help us, meet us at the eastside near the shipping docks a couple hours before dawn..." And then little furry aliens disappear into the adjacent alleyway..

Navi has posed:
"Be safe," Navi says softly as the Chadra Fans slip away. Only then does she rejoin Gethun and At'unai. "I'm ready," she says softly. "Thank you for coming for me." She had considered asking At'unai to stay with her, unsure if she could be alone after the incident at the bar, but her meeting with the Chadra Fans has made that impossible; the Sister might try to stop her. So she must endure the solitude until her meeting.

Maybe she can actually get a little sleep before the meeting. And find her spare staff, since the police still have her usual one. So much to do...

Amarik (195) has posed:
At'unai and Gethun walk closely with Navi back to the chapterhouse, and bless with her the customary "May the Force be with you" just before they leave.

Navi may or not sleep or not before the meeting. But time flies regardless, and sooner rather than later, it's time to head out to the east side and see if she can find the diminutive aliens...

Navi has posed:
Navi found herself unable to sleep in the wake of her traumatic evening, but she does manage to meditate for several hours after giving up on sleep. By the time she is able to slip away to meet with the Chadra Fans, spare staff in hand, she is at least on an even keel emotionally, even if she doesn't feel as rested as she would like.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Once Navi has arrived at the shipping docks, she'll notice the little furred aliens hiding beneath several metal containers that have been propped up by piles of scrap.

"There you are!" the littlest female Chadra Fan whispers loudly. "We thought you weren't gonna show...!"

Navi has posed:
"This isn't the kind of thing you casually skip out on," Navi replies, keeping her voice low. "Actually, it's not the kind of thing you skip out on for /any/ reason, come to think of it." She takes a deep breath to re-center her feelings. "Have you seen anyone heading toward the terminal?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Not really," she replies in frustration. "We've been out here for two hours, and we've only seen a couple of people, that we lost after fifteen or so minutes. So no idea if they were headed for the terminal or not."

"But we'd best keep looking... maybe you have better tracking skills..." The four them then scurry out from underneath the container, towards another dark alley.

Navi has posed:
"I can try. Just give me a moment, please... I confess that I don't have a lot of experience in tracking," Navi replies softly, before slipping into a meditative trance for several minutes. When she emerges from the trance, she looks a bit better rested and more focused. "That helped, a little. Let's see what we can find."

Amarik (195) has posed:
They wander around for a bit, but don't find much. The Chadra Fans are clearly frustrated, and Navi might be as well.

But then suddenly, she'll get that feeling again, that perhaps someone is watching her...

Navi has posed:
Navi is just beginning to feel the first tinges of frustration... and then she feels the hairs on the back of her neck standing up... and a faint foreboding from the Force.

"Nobody panic or look nervous," she says to her Chadra Fan allies. "I think we're being watched. Just keep looking, and don't act like anything's wrong. I want to draw them out."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"O-Oh," one of the Chadra Fans says uncertainly. She's about to say something else, but then the Sephi girl instructs her to act as if nothing is wrong, so she does her best to keep doing what she'd been doing previously.

She'll be able to sense a familiar presence nearby. The masked man -- he's here. Very close by. Watching...

Navi has posed:
"It's Zealot," Navi adds, lowering her voice even more. "He's somewhere very close. Let's keep walking and looking around, like we were... and we'll see what he does. If you see him, don't point him out... just say which direction he is from us."

It takes every last thread of patience she has not to look around like a startled Loth-cat. She wants a target, something to attack and subdue. But she has no idea where her enemy is, besides somewhere close by.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Before Navi can even finish speaking, she'll hear a soft thump behind her.

If she turns around, she'll see the masked Zealot standing less than a few meters away from her. His armor gleams in the midnight starlight, and she'll be able to see two very distinctive red lightning bolts carved into the metal of his pauldron. Her memory may be jogged, she's certainly seen those symbols before, years ago...

He approaches, but doesn't act aggressive or seem to have any ill intent.

The Chadra Fans cower in fear, but his next action may surprise her -- he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a datachip. Then, he tosses it to them.

Navi has posed:
Navi pivots toward the masked figure, shifting her staff into a defensive stance. Unlike her usual staff, this one is not retractable, and instead folds in half by means of a partly-retractable hinge joint. As the weapon comes into line, she watches the masked figure warily...

... and then she has to drop her staff to catch the datachip tossed to her. Indeed, his next action surprised her! She stares down at the chip for a few moments, then looks back at Zealot.

"Thank you, but... why are you helping us? Forgive me if I don't understand, but it seems rather counter to your interests. Which I admit I'm still not nearly sure about."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Chadra Fans gasp and one of them clambers onto her shoulder and attempts yank to it out of her hand instinctively, just as a gust of wind rushes around the corner, causing the Sephi girl's hair to fly into her face.

The masked marauder doesn't answer her question. Instead, he tilts his head to one side, surveying her inquisitively.

Navi has posed:
"Hey!" Navi cries, closing her hand tightly around the chip and sweeping her free hand up to push her hair out of her face. "Stop that!" she admonished the Chadra Fan clinging to her shoulder. "We'll all look at it together, okay? Now can you please get off my back? Literally? You guys may be really cute and cuddly, but you're heavier than you look, and those claws are sharp."

She looks to Zealot. "Forgive me if I'm confused here... I'm not trained in telepathy. I'll have to see if the Brotherhood offers it. This situation's tied my whole head in a knot. Hiding out on freighters, getting carved up, sneaking around in the Temple, auctions for forbidden data... what's it all for?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
Unfortunately, the first Chadra Fan to climb onto her isn't the only one to climb onto her. Her siblings (or friends) all follow suit, and dogpile Navi. The young Sephi girl may or may not collapse under their weight, but at the very least, her hair will end up a fantastic mess.

The masked man doesn't reply. Instead, he just watches her as the small furred aliens climb onto her head and shoulders...

Navi has posed:
"/EEEEEeeeeeek!/" Navi somehow manages not to fall under the weight of almost half a dozen Chadra Fans trying to treat her like a climbing rock, though she can't keep from shrieking and flailing some in the process. Through it all her fist stays closed, the chip securely held, even as the cords binding her twintails are pulled out and her once silky blonde hair is turned into a frizzly fright wig.

"Get OFF! Dammit! What am I, an obstacle course?!" she shrieks in frustration. "I said we'll look at it /together/! That means you all get to see it!"

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Chadra Fans are surprised when Navi yelps, and fall off of her rather unceremoniously and onto the ground.

Unfortunately, her hair now looks like a wig that's been thrown into a drying unit on high.

The masked man then approaches her. He brushes her hair out of her face gently, almost affectionately, letting his fingers trace the outline of one of her twintails..

Then he actually speaks. "Sorry," comes the mask modulated reply. And though he does not specify what for, she'll be able to sense that he means it.

Navi has posed:
Navi is even more surprised by the masked man's behavior, blushing faintly as he brushes her hair out of her face. "I... I'm sorry, too. For anything I've misunderstood about you, and your intentions. But I'm still completely confused," she replies, after a long moment of silence.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Several strands of her hair cling to his glove, but surprisingly, he doesn't brush them off. Instead, he places both hands in his pockets and starts heading down the alleyway.

"I'm looking for my grandparents," he says.

Navi has posed:
"Wait!" Navi cries, catching up her staff and starting after him. "Who /are/ your grandparents? And why would you need to sneak into the Temple to find information about them?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Chadra Fans tail the two of them, but then the masked man starts to climb the fire ladder of a nearby dilapidated structure, and they won't be able to follow. He moves with striking grace and ease, the kind only a Force sensitive like himself would be able to exhibit.

When he reaches the top, he still does not answer her question. He hangs his head, slightly. "My parents are dead."

Navi has posed:
"I'm sorry. I can't even remember my parents, so I sympathize, very much," Navi replies sympathetically, pausing only long enough to fold and sling her staff and slip the datachip into her medical satchel before starting to climb the ladder after Zealot. "I can't say I approve of how you were sneaking around the Temple, but I hope you find your grandparents. You could've just asked some of the Guardians... they might have been sympathetic to your quest."

Looking back down to the Chadra Fans, she calls, "I'll be back in just a moment." She also discovers, to her chagrin, that a full-length robe isn't made for climbing and, with some regret, unties her sash to let her robe fall open, to free up her legs and feet, before continuing climbing. The gesture does her modesty no good, and she's grateful that her leotard-like sleeveless undergarment provides as much coverage as it does.

Amarik (195) has posed:
He watches her climb up the fire ladder, his expression hidden beneath the mask.

When she reaches the last rung, he comes over and reaches down, offering her a helping hand. "You are fortunate," he says.

If she takes his hand, she'll be able to feel his sadness like a weight in the Force. He thought about his mother everyday....

Navi has posed:
Navi takes the offered hand, but he winds up doing a lot more of the work of helping her up onto the roof than she herself does. Mostly because she almost freezes in her tracks as the weight of his grief strikes her via the Force. He probably notices her eyes widening, as if she'd received a sudden fright.

By the time her feet are firmly on the roof and she has regained her wits, tears are beginning to run down her face. "I'm sorry..." she whispers, momentarily overcome by his grief for the mother he had lost, and her own longing for the mother she may never know.

Amarik (195) has posed:
He pulls her up with ease, and for a few seconds, she's centimeters from him.

There's a single lamp post on the rooftop. And the light from it is hitting the dark lenses on his mask in such a way, that at such close proximity, she can see the barest hint of intensely beautiful indigo irises behind his mask.

And for a brief couple of seconds, she'll find herself staring at the hidden beauty of a stranger, holding his hand and sharing in his grief...

But as soon as the moment comes, it's gone. When he sees that she's crying, he lets go of her hand and turns away. "Don't be."

Navi has posed:
Navi, lost in that moment, is genuinely surprised by his turning away, and she stares at his back, the emotion of that moment fading away to confusion and a twinge of regret at being shut out so abruptly. All she can think to say is, "Why?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
He just shakes his head, and offers no further explanation. She'll be able to sense that he feels guilty, for some reason.

And then, before she can stop him, he's running. Running across the rooftop of the run down building, disappearing back into the darkness he'd come from...

Navi has posed:
Navi watches him leave, still confused. She doesn't try to follow him, as she has a feeling she'd never catch him. Only once he's out of sight does she turn and climb back down the ladder to rejoin the Chadra Fans.

"Let's go someplace with a private computer terminal," she says, blushing faintly as she draws her robe shut and reties the belt. "I'm just as interested in what's on this chip as you all."

Though she does pause to give each of the diminutive aliens a quiet hug. "Sorry if I scared you earlier. And about any other misunderstandings. I consider you all friends, and I want us to stay that way."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The Chadra Fans stare up at her. "...Uh, what were you doing up there?" one of them asks innocently, but two of the others simultaneously shush him.

Then they shrug. "It's okay," the female says, "We weren't that scared. But yeah... we should find a terminal soon. We'll have to do it tomorrow, though, because our moms are probably worried sick about us by now."

Then they start to scamper off. "We'll see you later!" they call back to her as they hurry off.