Debt, Lies & Cortosis

Debt, Lies & Cortosis
Date of Scene:	31 August 2025
Location:
Synopsis:	Zetha learns a secret Wiis has been keeping from her.
Cast of Characters:	159, Zetha Rumir, 195

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Athena (159) has posed:
When Zetha returns to the junkyard, she'll find Wiis sitting on the porch, looking utterly forlorn. The glider being gone must have really devastated her.

But when she sees Zetha approaching with it in hand, she gasps in wonder and relief. Then her expression crumples into one of frustration. "I -told- you not to go down there! Look at you! you're a mess!"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha blinks, but otherwise shows no emotion. Well. Maybe one emotion. It's in her eyes. It's sadness mixed with guilt. The Twi'lek hands over the glider towards Wiis. "But I'm alive. And that was probably one of the craziest adventures I've had on this planet yet..."

She even looks back in the direction of the gorge before looking sideways to Wiis. "...uhm...the glider was returned with a...stipulation. It had already made it into the hands of a marauder when we found it. He seemed to be familiar with your name."

Athena (159) has posed:
"What!!!" Wiis cries. She curses in Zabrak. " I knew those good for nothing pirates were spying!"

Then she stares hard at Zetha. "Well then?! What's the bad news? Kriff, I know that look..."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"They want to come search the house. But I know what they're looking for. Everything adds up too clearly for it to NOT be what I think it is. Wiis. You need to give me that metal you locked away in your bedroom." Zetha says, firm but also cautious. "Ever since that Chadra Fan came here and made me swear not to talk about him being here things have been kriffed up. The incident at the comm quarters, that little Chadra Fan looking for her father, Thaarin and the Jedi bringing that bantha fodder useless drill here. I bet the Chadra Fan stole that hunk of metal from the marauders, had it with him here when he told me not to say anything, so he pawned it off on me in order to get rid of it. You having it here is only going to bring more trouble and don't tell me not to worry. I'm tired of people telling me not to worry. I'm tired of holding secrets. I'm really REALLY bad at it. So. That's the bad news. The marauder's coming here. I just...don't know when..."

Athena (159) has posed:
Wiis' eyes widen. "This is... this is so much worse than what I thought!" She goes inside the house, but she's still yelling. "I told you not to go down there! The glider wasn't worth all this trouble! Why didn't you listen to me?! Why don't you ever listen to me?! I've been telling you for years and years, to make something of yourself. Stop wasting away here. But you're still here, and your only plan is one that might not even happen for another year or two. Damn you, Zetha. Maybe you aren't ready after all."

"I'm -not- giving anyone that metal. I'm not opening the safe. And that's final."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha blinks, then she wants to yell back, then Wiis goes on further and further. Each sentence another blow. Zetha's brow furrow and then she goes red in the face and storms into the house. "Fine." It's a simple word and it's said without any feeling behind it. "You're right. I should have listened to you. I should have ignored how destroyed you looked when that little Chadra Fan took the glider in the first place having found it's hiding spot. Should have saved my credits and bought the first ride off this planet. So when you fall, you can lie there. So when Twozee needs to be fixed or upgraded, it can just spiral further out of control. You're absolutely right. I should have only listened to the things you really wanted me to hear."

She moves through the house, into her bedroom, grabs a backpack and begins to shove her things inside. Angry tears stream down her cheeks. She just wants her clothes and the fistfuls of credits she's been stashing away here and there. It's not the most money in the world, but it might be just enough. When she comes out of her room, she looks around and slings the backpack over her shoulder.

"Studying holobooks, sleepless nights searching for places where Twi'leks can go study. All the things you never saw because you were too busy yelling. Well you can stop yelling. And good luck with the marauder when he gets here. Open the safe for them or don't. You get your wish, Wiis. I'm gone."

Athena (159) has posed:
Wiis freezes, and then hurries after Zetha as soon as she grabs her backpack and heads for the door. "And what are you going to do? You don't have any credits, you don't have a ship, you don't even know where you're going!" she cries. She reaches out to grab Zetha by the wrist. "I want you to do something with your life but I don't want you to be stupid about it."

Her expression softens. "Look, I'm sorry. I just... I'm going to sell the metal. It's going to buy both of us a new life. I just need... time. Hopefully I'll have sold it before the marauder comes."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"For kriff's sake, I am NOT stupid!" Zetha screams, wrenching her wrist away from Wiis' grip. "I'm trying, Wiis, I really am. You're just not looking at the whole picture and you never do. You just always seem to want me to think I'm not good enough for any path I try to go down. But I have to do these things. Go to the gorge and help people. Make friends with the locals and visitors. I'm not going to get anywhere if I don't do anything, but when I try to do anything all you do is yell at me! So what is it, Wiis? What?! Do you trust me enough to let me make choices, mistakes, get in trouble and have a life... or do you want to continue yelling at me to do something, but then complain when I go to do anything..."

Athena (159) has posed:
Wiis sits down, looking ashamed and sad in a way Zetha had never seen her look before.

"I'm sorry," she says, almost inaudibly. "Just don't go. Not yet. Please."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha sets her backpack down and then goes and sits next to or near Wiis. "You really think I was going to go anywhere? I probably would have gone and sat...somewhere. Then come back in a few hours." She offers and then she takes a breath. "The marauder's going to insist on searching everywhere. That was the deal I made." She frowns and worries her fingers together. "...I thought the glider was worth it..."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Look, enough about the glider," Wiis says, "I'm just... I'm going to sell the piece of metal. And I promise that when I do, we'll have a space worthy ship. You'll be free to go, or to stay, but at least you won't be grounded to Tenoo all the time."

The days pass. Wiis appears to be busier than ever, trying to sell the piece of metal, Zetha will probably suppose. Yet, if at any point she tries to press Wiis for details on who the prospective buyers are, the old Zabrak would just say there weren't any leads worth mentioning yet. Sometimes she'd be up all night, pursuing these 'leads'. A couple weeks pass, and the marauder still hasn't visited the junkyard. Another week passes, and perhaps Zetha and Wiis may begin to even doubt he's coming at all. Getting out of the Gorge was difficult, after all.

But then, one ill fated morning, when they lead expect him, he arrives.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha won't press as much in the coming days and weeks. Perhaps a question here or there but she figures the less attention she gives it the better. The idea of having a ship to use to leave and return is exciting enough. Though it won't stop her from helping Thaarin if the man ever comes back to make on that promise.

So as weeks go by and there's no sale, but also no marauder, there's likely a resettling into normal life. Helping locals, regulars, and all types who come to the junkyard for bits and pieces. Repairs. Such as that. On the ill fated morning when the marauder arrives, Zetha is laying in her hammock, reading a holobook and snacking on something crunchy. It's when she's notified that someone's entered the yard that she rolls out and begins to walk up. Though on seeing the marauder, she slows but doesn't stop until she's at the counter. "...Hello..."

Athena (159) has posed:
Somehow, he's more terrifying in daylight, but perhaps that's because she can now see every detail of his pirate ensemble. The mask, the black leather and boots, the gloves and of course, his blasters. Twin pistols, and can't forget the sniper rifle strapped to his back. He doesn't even greet her.

He heads straight through the lobby to the junkyard, making a beeline for Wiis' house in the back.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha waits until he's got his back to her and then she'll move in another direction. A path she's made for herself from the front of the junkyard to Wiis' house. Hoping to beat him to the house so she can get Wiis' attention.

"Wiis. Wiis. We have a visitor..." Is all she says, looking towards the front door while going to see where Twozee is to maybe have the droid look busy as well. Or something.

Athena (159) has posed:
Zetha beats the marauder to the house, thankfully - Twozee is on the porching, sweeping and Wiis is inside with a window open, making some tea. When she hears Zetha's warning, all color drains from her face. She drops the teapot. "No. No.... no no no, I'm not ready!" she stammers desperately. "uh... Twozee. Twozee! Get inside, you useless hunk of metal!

Twozee freezes, and then obeys.

Well, it's not as if Wiis can do much anyway, Zetha had beaten the marauder to the house but only by a margin. Within a minute, he's on the porch, scanning Wiis' various knick knacks and junk lying about. His gaze then rests on a ceramic bowl that's housing the spice Zetha had told Wiis she'd found in that ship she and Thaarin had scoped out a few weeks ago. Wiis had never really done anything with it, other than scowl, put it in a bowl, leave it on the porch and then forget about it.

He picks up the bowl and studies it intently, though his true expression of course, is hidden by his mask. Maybe Zetha will be relieved, if that's all he'd come for. Neither she or Wiis could have cared less if he took it, likely.

However, her relief will likely dissipate when he suddenly walks to the edge of the porch, and hurls the entire thing, spice and all, into the Gorge.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
That was probably a LOT of credits worth of spice that just got hurled into the gorge before anyone could stop it happening. Still. Did Wiis even know what it was? Cause if so Zetha figures that was a pretty dumb place to keep it, but not her place to say anything. "I'm not going after the bowl..." She says sideways to Wiis and then moves to stand in the kitchen area. No telling where this man was going to go, what he was really looking for. She can still remember how it felt when he wiggled around in her mind and that gives her the shivers. Still, what more could they do now than wait?

Athena (159) has posed:
Wiis barely seems to have heard what Zetha just said. She's shaking, watching the marauder as he scours the porch, terrified.

For once she doesn't tell Zetha to do anything, she just stands there, rooted to the spot.

The marauder does not seem to be in any particular hurry. Like, at all. And he does not search the porch in the manner that most holodramas would portray space pirates searching for things - which is upturning tables, throwing or sweeping objects aside, smashing plant pots, blasting open locked boxes.

He does none of that. Instead, he quietly and meticulously opens every box, unfolds and neatly refolds any clothing or laundry item that has been left out, and is absurdly intentional about taking the plants out of their pots, examining the soil, and then repotting it nicer than it had been before. On occasion, he'd water a few. One of them he even paid very special attention to - the yara plant, he carefully looked at each leaf before setting it back down very gently, as if admiring it.

When he'd finished this way on the porch, he makes his way inside the house, but not before pausing to wipe his boots on the doormat.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
There's going to be no heroics from Zetha. She's just like Wiis. Sort of rooted in place. Not saying anything, not moving. Just watching. Okay there may be just a slight tilt of her head with curious intent as the marauder takes such care in re-folding clothes, re-potting plants. Making sure everything is left the way it was found. Not just tossed around like garbage. She'd never been able to broach the subject about how this man knew Wiis' name. And Wiis had made a comment about them spying. So maybe she was wrong in the hunk of metal being what they were looking for. One could only hope at this point.

He even wipes his boots! What man on a mission does that?! Weirdly respectful. But then, it sort of made sense given how he spoke with Navi that fateful evening within the gorge perhaps.

Amarik (195) has posed:
He says nothing to Wiis or Zetha again, this time proceeding to open the old wooden cabinets Wiis kept in the living room. He glances down at all the junk lying on the floor briefly, before opening each cabinet door in succession. He takes all of the items out, in the same way he had on the porch. Neatly.

But then when he starts putting it back, Zetha will realize he's not putting it back the way he found it. He's... reorganizing? It makes sense but Wiis had always been very particular about what went where.

Wiis suddenly seems shocked out of her frightened reverie. "Wait! No! Don't--! It's not supposed to--! And she starts making her way over to the cabinet.

The marauder doesn't say anything, again. This time, he just turns around takes out his gun. He then shoves it into Wiis' chest, stepping forward as he pushes her away from the cabinet.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Wait! No! Wiis just...just come back here..." Zetha cries out, watching now with baited breath as this man holds a pistol to her boss' chest. It's a plea to the marauder just as much as it is to Wiis. "We can fix it. Later." This is going to make a hell of a story when she sees the others again. If she ever gets to see them again.

Amarik (195) has posed:
He gives her a final shove, causing Wiis to stumble backwards and fall posterior first onto the futon. He whips his gaze to Zetha when she tells Wiis that they can fix it later. He then finally speaks.

"No," he says menacingly, suddenly coming to loom over Zetha (except it doesn't work -that- well, since he's not much taller than her).

This shuts Wiis up for the rest of the time, however, as the marauder continues his meticulous search of the house, re-organizing as he goes. Zetha will be able to tell Wiis is quite literally, dying inside. But she of course, does not want to actually die, so she lets him switch where the forks, spoons, knives and cups are kept in the kitchen area.

Eventually he reaches the room they'd both been dreading he'd reach - the bedroom. Wiis had moved the safe to the closet, but it doesn't take him very long to find it, and point at it wordlessly with his gun. Wiis is shaking so much she can barely open the safe. "Zetha, I ... I think you should go see if the sprinklers in the garden have gone off," she stammers. "I .. I didn't hear them this morning."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha wants to protest. Wants to run into the room and shove Wiis away and tell the marauder to go kick rocks. She wants to save her boss. Her friend. Cause something deep inside tells her this may very well be the last time she sees Wiis alive. But defiance is something she knows is not welcomed in this space and time. So she nods, and moves to head out the door. One final look back towards the bedroom before she finally does something Wiis tells her to do without protest. Without a snarky remark. Without any words at all.

Amarik (195) has posed:
She might try to busy herself looking to see if the sprinklers have gone off (they have), and double check to see if the hose is working (it is). She might even check to see if those pesky coosta mice have come back (they haven't).

But it won't even be five minutes before she hears Wiis begging and pleading and crying like she's never heard her beg and plead and cry before...

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Everything checks out. Of course it does. Wiis wanted Zetha out of the house. But hearing Wiis tears at her heart and her stomach. Like they swap places in a way that makes her want to cry and vomit at the same time. So she moves back towards the house being careful what she steps on and how she steps so there's very little noise at minimum for her to get back inside without either of the other two knowing. Having no idea what she's walking back into, but swallowing back enough of her fear to have a look. Maybe even try and help.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Zetha might be surprised to find that the marauder isn't holding a gun to Wiis chest or head, or physically abusing her in any way.

He's holding up the chunk of grey metal examining it in the dim lighting of Wiis bedroom with one hand, while the other loosely grips a communicator that Zetha has never set eyes on in her life. Had that been in the safe too? What had been Wiis been hiding? That apparently she didn't want Zetha to know about?

"What will you give me," the marauder says, "for not telling the deputies?"

Wiis is as Zetha has never seen her - sobbing, on her knees on the floor, speechless, apparently unable to answer the marauder.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
The grey metal is one thing. Zetha said the man could have it. It may have been what would have bought a nicer life for her and Wiis but they could find something else. Something new. It's when she spots the communicator in the other hand that makes Zetha wonder. Secrets. She's starting to hate them...but if they survive this maybe Wiis will tell her the story. There has to be a story. Thinking she's still in the clear, Zetha begins to try and make it across the house from the front door to the kitchen area. Maybe find some blunt object she can use to knock the marauder out!

Amarik (195) has posed:
But the marauder hears her, or maybe he spotted her trying to slip into the kitchen.

"Zetha," he says. So he knows -her- name too.

"do you know what cortosis is?" he calls to her from the bedroom, as the door to it is wide open.

She'll be able to see him, standing there, holding the metal still. He beckons her with the three other fingers not holding the piece of metal.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
There's a pause. She's been spotted. Zetha's likely never considered a worse thing that could happen. Still, she's not going to let anything go awry, so she diverts her path and slowly makes her way towards Wiis' bedroom. "Cortosis? No. I honestly have no idea." She answers truthfully. She's not surprised he knows her name, it was said a few times down in the gorge.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Zetha, no!" Wiis sniffs.

"Cortosis is an extremely rare element, found only in sectors of space far and wide from here," the marauder says, holding it up again. "It can redirect the heat of explosions, and has a very high energy absorption rate and transmission coefficients, which allows even the energy of a blaster bolt to be dissipated upon contact with it, if the metal itself is processed correctly. One of the strongest minerals in the galaxy, it can even withstand the blow of a lightsaber and briefly short out its blade."

"Now, it of course appears the Wiis herself has no use for such a powerful resource against the Jedi - but there are others, like the Hutts, or the Ashiga Clan, who might."

He holds the communicator out to Zetha, inviting her to take a look at it.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha glances to Wiis, confused at why she's crying out to her like that. Then her attention goes to the marauder. The metal he's holding. The communicator in his other hand. "I don't want it going into the wrong hands." The young Twi'lek says. "It was given to me as a hush tactic. I thought it was just some precious metal from somewhere that was hard to find. Not...impossible..."

Zetha may be stalling. Carrying on a conversation while the marauder hands the comminicator over to her. She shakes her head. "I'm not touching that. I've never seen it in my life. I'm not putting my fingerprints on anything I've never touched before." Again. She's not STUPID.

Amarik (195) has posed:
The marauder doesn't seem to have a problem with her not wanting to hold it. He steps closer, and holds it in front her, so she can the transmission logs on it.

It's... everything Zetha wouldn't have wanted to see. Bids for enormous sums of credits, from all sorts of vendors, both criminal and legitimate. Threats, demands, aggressive language. Wiis hadn't been able to sell it because she'd been afraid. Afraid of what she'd gotten herself into, and that if any of the other vendors found out she'd sold it to someone that wasn't -them-, they'd do something unspeakable. To her. To Zetha. To Kublop. She gotten herself in so deep, just trying to buy a new life for herself and Zetha.

The marauder then shrugs, and then pockets the communicator. He then squats, and starts reaching under the bed, which is when Wiis -really- starts freaking out.

"No!" she screams, with such mad desperation Zetha might think she's completely lost. "Don't!! Please don't..." she sobs.

But the marauder doesn't hesitate. He pulls out a tray, covered with an old rag. Inside of it, there's a bunch of flimsiplast bits. They look like bank statements, receipts, miscellaneous pay stubs. He sets them out on the bed neatly, where Zetha can see them. "Don't look, please..." she sobs to Zetha.

But it's too late. Zetha will be able to see what the paperwork is. It's a record of her debt. She'd kept it hidden all these years, not wanting Zetha just how many credits she owed. It's in the hundreds of thousands. Dating back to even before she'd picked Zetha up as a child.

In the pile, are a few yellow flimsiplast documents showing that at some point, she'd applied to some welfare program that funded individuals who took in orphans off the street. Even back then, it would seem that she couldn't even afford to take care of Zetha, without help.

Was that actually it, then? Is that why she wanted Zetha to leave? Because she was a financial burden? Had she even meant that apology a few weeks ago?

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha looks at the communicator and the list it provides. The bids. The threats. Everything. Her stomach drops as she reads, as she realizes. So yeah, if they sold it to one, others would be upset. If they stayed quiet, if the metal just disappeared...would that make it all go away? Would they be safe?

When the other bits come out, Zetha can't help but look. Even as Wiis protests. As the marauder stays silent. Her heart sinks too. Especially when her eyes land on the applications for welfare programs since Wiis had taken her off the streets. Her purple gaze goes to Wiis then. There's pain in those eyes as they look to her for a long moment before looking back to the marauder.

"What do you want?" Is all the Twi'lek asks. She had heard before about what would be offered for the deputies to not be informed. Cayde and Navi. Is that who he was referring to? There's a slight tinge of guilt. This is her fault. But also, not really. Wiis could have told her to get rid of it. To turn it in herself and tell the deputies how she obtained it. Instead, it was stuffed into a safe. Along with a life time of lies that remained hidden in this room.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Everything seems to be falling apart. Wiis is crying, on the floor, all her secrets exposed, as Zetha looks on at everything she'd hid from her for... years. "... I--I... I can explain.." she says in the smallest voice possible.

Even the marauder is perhaps surprised. She can't see his expression but he's scanning the documents intently.

There's a pregnant pause. "What do -you- want?" he finally asks.

He looks to the metal, then the datapad, then to the sobbing Wiis.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"I want the metal to disappear, and for my friends...my home...to be safe." Zetha says, looking to Wiis once more. Biting the inside of her cheek, she wonders what all the marauder could offer. But Zetha's needs are simple. The junkyard gives her a roof over her head, food to eat, and a gentle income. Her newly found...friendships? Gives her something to do maybe.

"Seventeen years..." She says softly. "You couldn't tell me the truth once for seventeen kriffing years..." She's looking at Wiis when she says that but her gaze goes back to the marauder after. "How do we make the offers and the threats and the metal disappear. The debt...that's a separate thing for Wiis and I to deal with."

Amarik (195) has posed:
The marauder tilts his head to one side thoughtfully, regarding Zetha. "I can arrange to have anything disappear," he says, but in a way that may send chills down Zetha's spine. "But if you want -my- help with that, it's going to cost you more than everything you have."

"Or you can try your luck with the Jedi," he says, "hope to curry their favor, despite attempting to sell a weapon tailor made to counter them to their enemies," he says, "it may be recommendable, after all, the Jedi are known for being... merciful."

Wiis wipes her eyes, still distraught. "I didn't want you to think that no one wanted you ... for you," she says, "I didn't want you to think there was incentive... I'm sorry... I..."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Well I already think that, don't I!" Zetha shouts. Reacting first to the thing that Wiis says. "It was the incentive I gave to Thaarin when he wanted my help putting together a ship! I know nothing about my life, about why I was abandoned here and by who..." The Twi'lek takes a breath and then looks back to the marauder. They can't afford to lose everything. She knows that now just by knowing all the debt that Wiis is in.

"And will you be silent? You were already threatening Wiis with turning her over to the deputies I....it's my burden to bear. To report it. It was given to me anyway. It should be my burden to bear and turn myself in." Which is likely how she would spin it to Cayde and Navi. Finally lay her hand out on the table for all of this. "I need to know that you'll walk away and we'll be safe."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Please don't think that..." Wiis cries. "It wasn't about the credits, I promise, I swear! Please... please believe me," she begs Zetha.

"I will be silent," the marauder says, "I pity you."

"But I cannot guarantee anything, Zetha. I may be silent, but we all know that the Jedi already have suspected you're hiding something here. And regardless of whether I tell them or not, they may discover the cortosis, after all. They are Jedi, and have their ways. Besides, it is perhaps the will of the Force."

"And I will not control what the Jedi say or do. Perhaps you will be safe, perhaps you will end up in prison, or worse." He glances around the rest of the room, as if trying to decide whether or not he wants to search the rest of it. After a moment, he starts for the hallway, apparently having decided that he'd seen enough.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
To the marauder, who is soon starting for the hallway, all Zetha says is "Thank you." Nothing specific in that thanks, just a general context of such. Though she doesn't want his pity...maybe she needs it.

She then looks to Wiis and she takes a breath. "Swear. Swear it was never for the credits. For Hutt's sake, I could have helped...I could have..." Could have what? Zetha doesn't know. She's feeling all sorts of things right now having just learned...a lot. So she'll reach to the bed, to the communicator and metal, picking both those items up. "You need to let me deal with this, Wiis. I can likely keep you out of it. Even lie and say I was talking to people under your name. And whatever comes of it...is what it is." She then shifts to kneel next to Wiis. "I don't...I don't think you never cared or never wanted me. I promise you. It's whoever left me here...that's what I want answered. Do you understand?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
The marauder gives her no response, but probably more to think about than she would have ever wanted to think about in a single lifetime.

"I swear it!" she cries. Then she looks away. "... they helped. But it was never the main reason," she says, "you'd been living with me for a year before I applied for the welfare."

"Zetha, no, don't, please. Please, please for light's sake, don't turn yourself in for my sake!" She sighs. "I don't -want- you to do that. You have your whole life ahead of you, -I- don't! I'm not going to let -my- mistake ruin -your- future." She pauses. "I understand, but you'll never find the answers you want if you do this. Don't risk everything you've ever wanted for me!"

As Zetha picks up some of the papers, she'll notice that one of them is a bankruptcy statement for the company Wiis had told her she'd worked for before she came to Tenoo. She'd always said she was just a factory worker there, but if that was true, why did she have a bankruptcy statement?

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"You wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if I hadn't of come in and handed it to you, Wiis. I can make a case for myself...I can talk...." Zetha cannot bring herself to tear Wiis down any more. "Besides, if you ruin your life, I inherit your debt and that's not really fair is it?" She grins, trying to make light of all this somehow.

"I just wish you would have said something. About the debt. About all this. I know you think you were keeping me safe but...you need to start trusting me with some stuff Wiis." She offers this much more before taking in a breath and then she spies the bankruptcy paper. "You're a really good liar, Wiis. Factory workers don't really tend to carry around bankruptcy papers though, do they?" She shows the one she's spotted and then shakes her head. "Maybe there's a reward in turning in debtors...for kriff's sake...is there anything else in this pile of bantha fodder you want to tell me now before I find it on my own?"

Amarik (195) has posed:
"No!" Wiis cries, "I've legally made sure you won't. When I die, those bastards will just have to suck it up."

"I didn't want you to think you were a burden to me," she says, getting up and limping to the porch. "I was the plant manager, and co-founder. My husband, he was the founder. He was chronically ill and died just before it all went down in flames. I couldn't pay off our investors. I came to Tenoo to try to work it off, slowly, the junkyard was all I could afford."

"Just give me time, Zetha. I'll sell it to someone, without anyone else getting hurt or scared, and without the Jedi finding out. Please. I don't want you to fix this for me. It's -my- debt."

She then glances over at where she keeps all her half dead plants. "Oh! The yara plant..."

It's gone.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
As Wiis limps over towards the porch, Zetha watches for a moment. Soon as the old Zabrak woman has her back turned, Zetha pops the communicator and all the papers into the safe. She then shuts the safe and makes sure it can't open again without the combination. The metal is slipped into one of the pockets on her cargo pants. The communicator isn't needed after all. Not for Zetha to do what she feels she needs to do.

Turning then, she walks out of Wiis' bedroom and shuts the door behind her. "Alright Wiis. I put everything back into the safe. I'll let you handle it." Is what she says, because she'll likely be gone when Wiis goes to try and sell it again. Only then will the woman know the metal is gone. Only then will Zetha be on her way to turn it in. To lay out the story. Wiis' debts don't need to come into it. None of it does. It wouldn't be her lying, just omitting a few facts.

"What about the pla--" Is what she begins to say before making it over to the porch and sees that it's gone. "I'm not going after the plant either. If that's all he took. I think we can call ourselves lucky."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"..." Wiis frowns. "Alright, then." She seems to believe Zetha for now.

She sighs, relieved. "I suppose... I never knew how to take care of that plant anyway. what a strange creature!"

"I want you to promise me one thing, Zetha. Please never ever joked about being whisked away by space pirates ever again! I had such high hopes for the first boy you brought over, but the -second-! Who knows if he's even a boy!"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha holds up her hands. "I solemnly swear that I will never -ever- joke about being whisked away by space pirates again. They're scary anyway. As for the first man that wandered into the junkyard knowing me.." Because Zetha did NOT just bring him over. "There may still be hope there yet. Who knows. I've got a year to win his heart." She grins then.

"It's been a heck of a day, Wiis. Why don't I go down and get us an order of biscuits and fish. Oh and some more blue milk. Since I apparently drank the last. You can put the kitchen back together...and we can have dinner." This will get Zetha out of the house. The metal out of the house. "And Twozee can go back to his cleaning duties..."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Good," she says, "I saw you watching him on the porch, and I was afraid you were getting ideas!"

Another pause. "Right. Just... be careful. After everything that happened today..." She sighs, then yells to Twozee. "Twozee! I, uh-- I want you to fold the laundry!" Weird, she -didn't- want to reorganize the kitchen? Perhaps she's still afraid...

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"What! Like hell..." Zetha says this, giving a laugh. She goes back to her backpack, opening it to grab the credits she needed cause...if nothing else she could have a meal sent to Wiis. "I'll be back!" Then she walks out.

Before she's exited the junkyard, through their commlink system, there's a message sent to Thaarin. <<You free? Can you meet me at Hap's? I need your help.>> And then she's walking the path to Hap's, shoving credits in her pockets and praying there's still enough Light in the galaxy to help her.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Thaarin doesn't respond right away, but a few minutes before she gets to Hap's, he replies, <Coincidentally, I'm in Kublop tonight. I'm at the spaceport now, but I'll head over now and should be there in a several minutes. What's wrong?>

That might surprise Zetha. What's he doing at the spaceport, at this hour? Shouldn't he have been at the colony?

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha frowns. So many people in places she didn't think they'd be. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. <Not over comms. I'll be just outside Hap's waiting.> She replies back. Can't take any chances on top of the one chance she's already taking. Thaarin may turn her in tonight...so she at least makes a delivery order to Wiis' place for two orders of biscuits and fish. Then she steps outside of Hap's and waits.

Amarik (195) has posed:
She won't have to wait very long. The tall blue skinned man appears a few minutes after she steps outside, his brows furrowed neatly as his clothing is pressed. It's like he can't look bad, ever.

"Zetha," he says, "is everything alright?" He pauses. "Did... Zealot come?"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Yes, the Zealot came. If by Zealot you mean the marauder we met several weeks ago.." Zetha offers. "And no. Nothing is alright...I..." She pauses, worries her lower lip, and then she motions for him to walk with her. In some...slightly random direction but also perhaps in circles as she speaks. "That Chadra Fan what I told you about coming to the junkyard? I...left out a part..." And so she explains, about the cortosis that was given to her and how she didn't know what it was at the time but now knows. How they kept it hidden, because Wiis wouldn't give her any information. About how she found out what it was today. "I have it on me. If you need to turn me in...I'll understand completely. So long as Wiis stays safe. So long as all the strings come to a point. I accept my fate."

Amarik (195) has posed:
Thaarin doesn't seem surprised when she tells him all this. Perhaps he'd guessed it, at some point.

"Well if no one's done anything with it so far, I fail to see the issue," he says. But then he frowns. "But why didn't Wiis simply turn it in? Why didn't she tell Cayde or Navi that she had it, and who had given it to her? This isn't about you, Zetha. It's about Wiis, and why she did what she did."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
At that, Zetha almost breaks. Not in anger. Or worry. But in tears. They burn the edge of her eyes enough that she turns her back towards Thaarin for a moment. "I...I can't talk about that, Thaarin. I know the reasons why. But I can't..." She stops. Why is it that she feels all this guilt over a stupid piece of metal and what it's all linked to.

When she turns back, the tears still threaten but they seem lighter now. "I need this gone, Thaarin. I need it gone and I need Wiis safe. Everything else will be fine. It...It has to be..." She touches the pocket where the metal hides. "But I don't know what to do with it and keep everyone safe..."

Amarik (195) has posed:
Thaarin steps to the side, into an alleyway, mostly out of sight. He places a hand gently on her shoulder and guides her to stand across from him before embracing her.

"Zetha, you need to tell the Jedi. I believe in Wiis' integrity as much as you do but if she's gotten caught up in some kind of machination that's made her react irrationally instead of act pragmatically, then how can we help her if we have no idea what's going on?"

"I can take it to our deputies, but what good is that if they've no idea what kind of danger they've exposed themselves to by taking it?"

Zetha Rumir has posed:
Zetha follows, but she's surprised when Thaarin embraces her. It takes her a moment before she hugging him back briefly and then stepping back from him. "Wiis has debts. A lot of them. When I first gave her the metal...she hid it. She tried to sell it. Thinking if she could find a quick buyer, she'd make enough to get her out of debt and give us a better life. She had....every good intention....but then...." There's a pause. Because Zetha's likely breaking all the trust Wiis ever put into her. However, if she could stay out of trouble herself, and get rid of the metal, and Wiis' reputation (of sorts) remains...in tact. Then...this is all good right?

Zetha explains about how Wiis tried to sell it, the trouble it bought, the threats and such. "Light help me, I didn't think to bring the communicator b-but I didn't think about it. I'm just trying to do what's right when this started all...all wrong..." And finally, there in the alleyway in front of Thaarin, Zetha finally breaks down into sobs.

Amarik (195) has posed:
"I understand," the Chiss man says softly, rubbing her upper arm gently.

"It's alright, I'll tell our deputies and you can meet with them yourself. Bring the communicator then. You must tell them everything, Zetha. Everything you've said, and more. Any question they ask of you, you must answer truthfully. If you can manage this, then I think things may work out after all."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"I...I don't know the code to Wiis' safe. I stashed the communicator back in there. I didn't think to bring it..." Zetha says through the tears which are being somewhat calmed by Thaarin rubbing her forearm.

"I'm trusting you. Thaarin. Please...please don't throw me under the speeder." She says this much and then unzips her pocket and pulls the piece of metal out of her pocket. Offers it over to him. "I can't go back with it. When Wiis finds out it's gone, she's probably going to kill me. And think I ruined my life. Which is going to then kill her because she's soooo hopeful I'll wind up with someone like you."

Amarik (195) has posed:
"Then the deputies themselves will come by Wiis' place, and have a talk with her." Oh, no. Wiis would find out. Unless... unless she blamed the marauder, Zealot.

"I won't," the Chiss man promises. "But I can't in good faith tell you that I feel comfortable taking it right now. I'm in Kublop until tomorrow afternoon, which by then, I'm certain our deputies will have heard word of your news this afternoon and have made their way over. I think you should hold onto it for now," he says, "Wiis will be even more furious if you return without it, Zetha. You must learn to start telling the truth, because if you don't you'll soon find yourself mired in a bed of lies that you cannot rise out of."

He smiles faintly when she says Wiis is hopeful she'll wind up with someone like him, and kisses her hand. "I have to go, Zetha. Please reach out if you need anything else. I'm going to let Cayde and Navi know now."

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Alright." Zetha says, and gives a nod. "I'll hang onto it. If only because tomorrow he deputies will be at the house anyway." The deputies being Cayde and Navi whom Thaarin is going to tell tonight about it. That kiss to her hand causes her to blush and - for just a moment - wonder what other secrets are being held from her. In time. She needs to get out of this small web of lies. "And from now on, I'll tell the truth. All of the truth. Because I won't let something like this ever happen again."

This is offered and then Zetha fully pulls away from Thaarin to let him go. The metal is returned to the pocket of her pants, and she heads off to the store where she can buy blue milk. And then trudge back home to eat biscuits and fish, listen to Wiis yell at her again, and just pray the next day goes well enough that maybe all she'll get is a slap on the hand.

Amarik (195) has posed:
Just as Zetha is heading to the store for blue milk, that half sleemo baker from around the corner that always drove his speeder too fast around town, comes flying up behind her.

"S'CUSE ME!" he hollers. His speeder is towing a hovercart full of baked goods, and the new sign he'd been saying he'd put up for weeks now. The clasps for the sign are jutting out, and as he whizzes by, she'll have to throw herself aside to avoid getting barreled over, or knocked by the sign.

A few jellyfruit muffins will fly off the cart too, and if Zetha isn't quick enough, they might bonk her on the head.

Zetha Rumir has posed:
At least the hollar was enough for Zetha to jump out of the way but it wasn't soon enough that she could keep her footing. Tumbling to the ground and rolling a bit - plus being bonked on the head by a muffin - is definitely NOT the jellyfruit ending to the day that she wanted.

At least the meal from Hap's was being delivered! And Zetha's not knocked out or anything so she picks herself up off the ground, pats her pockets down to make triple sure she zipped the metal piece back in place. Once she knows it's there, she sighs in relief and then just....walks into the store because she's not going home without blue milk.

Amarik (195) has posed:
The metal is there when she gets up, but after she walks a few steps towards the store, she'll heard a sudden *CLINK* and probably realize if she looks down that when she'd fallen over and rolled a bit, she'd torn her pants where the pocket keeping the cortosis is. It must have shifted open when she had started walking.

Perhaps she'll immediately turn around to look for the fallen piece of metal. If she does, she'll suddenly find herself face to face with a Tholothian Disciple of the Whill, one she hadn't seen around before. Sure, there's a convent here, but few Disciples visited it, if ever.

He's picked up the piece of cortosis, "You dropped this," he says, in a faint accent that probably stemmed from somewhere in the Outer Rim. He levels his gaze at her, holding up the cortosis and offering it to her. Skin like caf, porcelain head tendrils dotted with lavender attached to a royal purple, scaled cranium. And those intense, brooding indigo eyes, are unforgettable. What's with Zetha meeting men with unforgettable eyes lately?

Zetha Rumir has posed:
"Kriff..." Zetha mutters before turning to look for this piece of metal only to find it's being offered back to her by a fellow with gorgeous indigo eyes. "Uhm. Thanks. Fell out of my pocket after that crazed baker on his speeder came racing by me..." The metal is taken and Zetha finds another pocket to secure it in. Then she looks to the store, considers the time she's been gone, and wonders if she shouldn't just get back to the junkyard.

"Uhm. I owe you one...for...picking this up. But I should be getting back home now. Thanks again!" She says all this with a sudden boost of confidence that's elevated by her complete need to just get. Back. Home.

Amarik (195) has posed:
He smiles, briefly, looking far too pretty to have been from boring, backwater Tenoo or anywhere near it. Then he bows. "It is unnecessary, but thank you."

"May the Force be with you," he says, and then turns and leaves, finally letting Zetha get the blue milk, go home, and have an ordinary-ish evening.