Into the Lower Levels

Into the Lower Levels
Date of Scene:	13 October 2024
Location:
Synopsis:	Navi and the Jedi venture into the Lower Levels to investigate Black's intel.
Cast of Characters:	159, Heydan Seegil, Pike Windu, Cayde Alexis, Navi

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Athena (159) has posed:
Tonight is certainly one for adventure -- the Jedi and their allies have been tasked with extracting a certain young Force sensitive girl from the lower levels of the Coruscant. And yet, they've been informed by Black, the CSF's director for undercover work, that this girl leaves a wake of destruction wherever she goes.

And so, the four of them must proceed with caution. They'd been given the recommendation to scout the area, Level 2211 - which was where she had been last seen, carefully. The best approach would be to first try to make sense of the situation before strategizing a way to extract her effectively, without getting anyone hurt.

Just as Black had mentioned, the abandoned industrial complex they're investigating is infested with squatters and a species of disfigured womp rat known only to Coruscant's lower levels. It doesn't look at all inviting -- but in order to complete the task at hand, they must enter in... carefully.

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil pulls up the schematics of Level 2211 and broadcasts a holo from his datapad of the region for everyone to see. "As Agent Black said we're going to need to extract this girl without raising any alarm. She is considered to be dangerous and are the thugs and beasts we may meet down there."

Pike Windu has posed:
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Pike Windu says in all seriousness, "I've seen worse on the Rim. But..." From under his great coat, the Jedi takes his lazersword in hand.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde is down here without his master this time...

    Actually, it's not that abnormal, and he is more familiar with the Lower City than perhaps he should be as a padawan. Abandoned industrial complex? Plenty of those down here.

    He examines the maps as Heydan brings them up. First, they needed a more precise location on the girl to get a better idea of where to start, so he searches the map for structures that look to be more sound than the others, enough that they might be capable of housing criminals with a prisoner...

Navi has posed:
"I think I have, too. But it's still dangerous down here," Navi opines. She manages not to reach for a weapon. Yet. But her fingers flex occasionally, and one hand grips the strap of her medic's satchel tightly. Right above where her collapsible staff is secured.

Athena (159) has posed:
The area the map is showing is rather... expansive. It spans a good forty to fifty kilometers from there they stand, and dilapidated warehouses and slums dot the landscape. However, just fifteen kilometers north of where they are is a network of tunnels that spiders across the industrial vicinity. It would appear there's numerous underground complexes within this network - but getting to them looks... tricky. The tunnel network is a maze, and dead ends in multiple places - though there are some parts of the network that are just... unmapped, so in some spots, there's no telling whether it's a dead end or a lack of map data.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns at the map, then starts going back over the reports about the activity he'd pulled from the archives again to see if they could narrow down anything further. Where would the Marksmen hide a prisoner...?

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil frowns in consideration over the map as they point out the unmapped sections of the tunnels, "I figure it is a little obvious maybe I am under estimating our target but those unmapped tunnels look like a good start.", he then continues to stare at the map before adding, "I mean it is sort of an 'obvious' hiding spot so I'd avoid it but... I don't know? What do you all think?", as he looks up at the others.

Pike Windu has posed:
    "Stretch out with your feelings, Padawan. Let the Force guide you to what we seek." Windu looks at Cayde and nods. "Trust your instincts."

Navi has posed:
Navi moves in closer to Heydan and Cayde to study the map. "I see what you mean about those tunnels," she says, shuddering at the thought of traversing all those miles of tunnels without a fully accurate map. "I don't like the idea of trying to get around in there without a better idea of where to go. Basic investigation courses always suggest talking to the people who live in the area, since they're familiar with it, and will likely remember anything unusual that's happened recently. I recommend we start asking questions," she suggests.

Athena (159) has posed:
Pulling up the archives on where the Marksmen would hide a prisoner would yield results that would seem to confirm Heydan's guess about where they'd hide a prisoner - underground. But venturing into the tunnels with only half a map seems unwise, especially when there's at least twenty different below the ground complexes shown on the holomap.

Up ahead of them, they'll notice that some of the squatters have emerged from their slums, peering at the newcomers who perhaps seem to be intruding...

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil shurgs at the situation and approaches the squatters, "Yo, my man! Hey, say I need a place? Feking CSF,.. You know? Got a spot?", he asks them in the most sketch way possible while looking over his shoulder back at his party. He then gives the squatters a look of empathy, they type that would come from someone who has lived like they have.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu grunts as Heydan takes the lead. But, lightsaber still in hand, the Jedi Master follows to backup the younger man.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns at the reports, looking between them and the map that seems to be incomplete. He doesn't like that idea, either. And then Pike mentions attempting to reach out with the Force, and Heydan tries to see if the squatters have any useful information.

    Well, do they?

    The padawan tries reaching into their minds, to see if any of them have anything of relevance.

Navi has posed:
Navi looks to the emerging squatters, absently tightening the belt of her robe before tucking her hands into her sleeves and drawing back the hood of her robe. Approaching a cluster of people, she bows deeply to them. "Peace and good health be with you, my friends. I am a Novice of the Shining Brotherhood. Forgive me for troubling you, but I am in need of some information?"

Many of these people have likely benefitted from Brotherhood soup kitchens and shelters at one time or another, so she hopes they remember them in a positive light...

Athena (159) has posed:
"Oh, you need a place to crash for tonight?" the mottled Nautolan says, frowning. "Sorry to hear... we don't got much 'ere, but if you want a mat, I've got an old girder and half a tarp." He makes a beckoning motion at Heydan, and then glances at Navi. "Oh, why does that sound so familiar?" He scratches his head, but then stops when he sees Pike's saber in hand.

And then Cayde starts probing his mind, and he stumbles backwards. "Ah...! Not... Jedi!! Why'd you bring Jedi here...! What... what do you guys want..." he whimpers. And the rest of the squatters scatter, frightened.

Cayde will find that they don't really venture into the tunnels. They're rival gang territory, and therefore dangerous. However ... there was someone around these parts who did, and was familiar with them. Cayde won't be able extract a face, but the old Nautolan remembers a small hut a bit east of their location being where this person was often seen.

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil sighs out an, "Ahh...", at having the low-key atmosphere he was cultivating destroyed by the obviousness of his Jedi companions. "So goes that plan. Look you have nothing to fear from us. We're not here for you. We're looking so someone who has powers like them." he says points back at his party. "I can give you some credits for the information if it is good? Half now, half when we get back.", he offers trying to keep the leverage on in his favor.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns, focusing on the memory of that hut from that older Nautolan who is talking. East...he tries to extract as much specific info as he can about the location and hopefully something about this individual who has been in the tunnels. Something he can use to identify them.

    He hopes Heydan and Navi can keep them talking...

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu shakes his head as the squatters flee. "There was a time when the Jedi were revered. Hmph!"

Navi has posed:
Navi hurries to assist the old Nautolan, just in case he faints or suffers a seizure. At the word 'Jedi', she gives Cayde a questioning look, with an undertone of irritation. "Are you all right, good sir? Here, let me help you," she says gently.

Athena (159) has posed:
The old Nautolan sits down heavily. "Er... " He pauses. "Oh you mean the little human girl? Tommy's playmate? Damn. That's a ... are ya sure about that? That's a deathwish, right there." Another pause. "But if you wanna go looking for her, you're gonna need a full map of the tunnels down below. These days, one a'those are hard to come by. But I got a pal who lives up in the factory complex, he might be able to scrape one for you, but you'll have t'come with me down to his stomping grounds. Mind you, the full map won't have the entry points mapped. Sorry about that. This area is nigh old and there's few reliable records of it anymore."

Cayde might have some difficulty seeing who it is, but he will be able to extract that this person is young, and his name is Binny.

"I'm... I'm alright," the Nautolan says, glancing fleetingly at Pike with a frown. "I'm just.. I need a drink, soon."

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil nods, "Tell you what I'll go with you for a drink and we'll let the Jedi handle this." and escorts the old Nautolan to safety once he is finished with the Jedi.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde doesn't seem to notice any questioning or irritated tones or looks, as he is focused on getting as much information as he can. Okay, he got a first name. That was something...and a...profile of a presence, if you will, from when the Nautolan man had been thinking about this 'Binny' individual. Hopefully, if they came within range, he'd be able to pick up on it.

    Once the man leaves with Heydan, the padawan approaches Navi and tugs gently at the sleeve of her robes to get her attention, then starts pointing toward the east.

Pike Windu has posed:
     Windu hides his lightsaber under his great coat. "We should have hired a bounty hunter to do our tracking for us."

Noticing Cayde, he smiles and nods. "On the scent?"

Navi has posed:
"Sorry for the trouble, good sir. My friend seems to want to help you in your time of need," Navi says gently. "Please take care, both of you," she adds, waving to Heydan as he assists the elderly Nautolan in leaving the area.

She glances to Cayde as he tugs at her sleeve. "Yes? You've learned something important?" she asks softly. "Please, tell us about it. My mind is open to you."

Athena (159) has posed:
If they head east, it won't be very long before they come across the very hut that Cayde had seen in the Nautolan's memories.

It's a in a bit better shape than the rest of the slums, but it's still rather run down. In the front yard full of concrete, rusty girders and metal debris is a small Nikto boy, who couldn't have been older than 6 or 7. He's playing with a wooden truck missing a wheel, and his right arm is in a sling. When he sees them, he stands up and starts to back away, looking afraid.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Navi and Pike will see an image of the hut the Nautolan remembered, and become aware of the fact that the person they're looking for is young and named Binny. Cayde points east again, and then starts heading off in that direction, assuming the others will follow.

    When they arrive and the young Nikto boy seems afraid of them, he tries reaching into his mind with the Force and projecting a sense of calm and peace. There was nothing to fear from them...

Pike Windu has posed:
    "Don't be afraid, youngling." Windu tries to project grandfatherliness. "We are here because we need your help."

Navi has posed:
"Poor little guy," Navi murmurs symathetically at her first sight of the Nikto child backing away from herself and her companions.

"Please don't be afraid," she says gently. "We'd /never/ hurt you. Master Windu speaks the truth. We need your help." The idea of drawing such a young child into this situation bothers her, but she doesn't voice her concerns, at least for the moment.

Athena (159) has posed:
"..." The young Nikto clutches his toy truck uneasily. Cayde's projection seems to help ease his fear, but the young padawan might sense that once the boy's fear has dissipated it is replaced with aggression and anger. He frowns, and glancing at Windu, says, "I'm not a baby," he growls, "and what do you want me to help you with? My arm is broken, and -he's- doing something to my mind," he says, pointing at Cayde.

Then with his good arm, he knocks over a nearby barrel with a hole in its top. An oily, greenish black substance spills out. It smells horrible and acrid, bad enough to make them all gag, and looks terribly flammable.

"We didn't say you could come to our house, you know," he says, "and I know why you're here. The Jedi only ever come here when they want to make us do something for them." He's fingering a lighter, flicking it on an off absently...

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    No no, it was supposed to be peace and calm, not aggression! Maybe they should've let him be afraid of them, it would have been better than -this-.

     Cayde sighs, but he manages to dodge away from the oil, preventing any of it from getting on him. He steps back a bit, not replying to the boy but instead reaching out with the Force again and attempting to see if Binny was nearby.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu sidesteps the oil. "This is not going well. Boy, answer our questi our questions and we'll move on. It's that simple."

Navi has posed:
"Yuck! That stuff smells like... I don't know what! Something /bad/!" Navi cries, gagging at the stench. She hastily sidesteps the flow of toxic gunk, sweeping the hem of her robe out of the way. "Wait! Don't light that! There's no telling what it might burn up down here!" she cries at the sight of the lighter.

Athena (159) has posed:
The young Nikto boy is partially calmed when Cayde once again attempts to soothe his temper. "Since when did you care if stuff down here burns?" he scoffs. Then he winces, clutching his broken arm.

When Cayde reaches out into the Force to see if this 'Binny' is nearby, he might be shocked to find that he's -really- nearby, as in basically upon them, nearby...

But before he can react, another young Nikto will suddenly and silently drop down from a crumbling permacrete structure a few meters to their right. Then, quicker than lightning, he'll then snatch Pike's saber right out from his belt! He then backs up, wielding a small dagger in front of him with the hand that isn't holding the saber.

This Nikto, 'Binny', is also just a boy. He couldn't have been older than 13. But the way he carries himself is indicative of the fact that he's likely seen things no 13 year old should have seen. "Leave my brother alone," he snarls. "Or I'll throw the saber in the oil and Tommy will light it up. What do you want from us, anyway?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu looks at his saber in another being's hands and squirms in discomfort. Enough playing nice. "We are looking for a girl who has Jedi powers. Dngerous powers. Will you help us find her?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde was about to go looking for Binny, when he notices that the older boy is actually headed toward them. He tries to warn Pike but doesn't quite manage it in time.

    Again he tries reaching into Binny's mind and attempting to calm him down. He could trust them...they were friends, and they only wanted to preserve life, not to destroy it.

Athena (159) has posed:
Cayde's attempt to calm Binny seems to work, but the boy doesn't give the saber back to Pike. However, he does nod to Tommy, who puts the lighter away.

"You want to go after Baella." His eyes narrow. "Why should I help you?" He flicks the saber on and off experimentally. "What have the Jedi ever done for us?"

Navi has posed:
Navi avoids the taller Nikto boy more by chance than any deliberate effort on her part, being lucky enough to have sidestepped farther than necessary to avoid the flow of oil, or whatever it is, putting her out of his reach. "Since my Order does aid work here, with food and shelters, among other things," she replies to the shorter one, Tommy, lifting her open, empty hands in a placating gesture. "I'm a Novice of the Shining Brotherhood, and we aren't fans of needless death or suffering."

She looks between the two. "Is that her name? Baella? We need to find her. There are bounty hunters trying to find the people who took her. If she gets frightened, she may use her powers. Powers which cause terrible disasters to happen," she explains. "She's too young to know how to control her powers. This district is built on dangerous ground. If she loses control, it might cause a groundquake that could cause the whole district to collapse."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde looks away and sighs again when Binny -still- doesn't quite trust them, even though he seems to calm down somewhat. But then he asks the question of what the Jedi have ever done for them, and decides to try a different approach.

    He suddenly approaches Binny and tries touching him on the arm lightly to get his attention. [What can we do] he signs, glancing over at the younger one with his broken arm, then back to the older Nikto and hoping that they know Basic sign...

Pike Windu has posed:
    Carefull of the spilled oil, Windu approaches he younger boy. I am a healer. Let me help you."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Yeah?" he says, still sounding a bit belligerent. "And if you dont end up getting her out? What if you just end up scaring her more?" He pauses, eyes narrowing. "Nevermind, dont answer that. If you came all this way to get her, Im sure you already know."

Binny flinches and whirls on Cayde, igniting the saber. He frowns. "You don't look like a doctor to me." When Pike approaches, he hesitates. "Fine," he finally relents. "But one wrong move and Ill use your own weapon to cut your head off.."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde holds out his hands placatingly to show he isn't trying to hurt anyone. Though he watches the lightsaber keenly, concerned that the other boy is more likely to inadvertently hurt himself or his own brother than anyone else.

    Then he repeats the signs, hoping they understand it...

    [What can we do for you]

Navi has posed:
"He's /not/ a doctor... he's a Jedi healer," Navi clarifies. How much this helps depends on Binny and Tommy, though. "I've seen him heal people several times. You can trust him."

She looks straight at Binny next. "I know what will happen if we /don't/ try. A bounty hunter is /very/ unlikely to be able to calm her down if she becomes frightened. Remember, she's blind. Becoming disoriented will be terrifying for her. Only the Force can counter the use of the Force. It will take Jedi skills to protect her and, more importantly, keep her calm, so she doesn't lose control of her powers."

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu nods to Binny. "It's a bargain."

    Gently, the Jedi Master lays hands on the boy's arm. He closes his eyes and silently recites the Jedi Code to focus his will.

Athena (159) has posed:
Binny doesn't say anything to Cayde, he just shuts off the saber and glances over at Pike tending to Tommy, who behaves as Pike starts to tend to him.

He turns to Navi. "What makes you think she'll react better to you, than a bounty hunter? She doesn't know you, and that's the problem. Not because you're nicer than them, or care about her more. It takes less than a second for her to decide that you're scary because she's never met you before, and then lose control."

Tommy gasps when Pike starts reciting the Jedi Code. "M-my arm!" he says, shocked. Then he starts crying. "Dad wouldn't have died if you'd been here when he got hurt really bad..."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde sighs and looks away. Right...ignored again. That's just typical. Well if Binny won't tell him, then perhaps he can find something himself, in case healing a broken arm won't be enough.

    While they are talking, he starts to wander around the hut. What was on the other side, anyway? Was there anyone inside?

Navi has posed:
"I can't begin to be sorry enough about your father," Navi says sadly. She looks like she might cry herself. "But there are maybe one Jedi for every ten million citizens, and maybe a third of them are healers. There's just no way the Jedi can be everywhere. I wish they could be..."

She hugs Tommy, if he will allow her to. "We have to try, Binny. We have the best chance of getting her out of there alive and safe, and of keeping her from accidentally destroying the whole district."

She looks upward, toward a sky she can't see from here, then back at Binny. "We could have stayed up there, where it's safe. Let things take their course and hope for the best. We're not bounty hunters... we get nothing for coming here and doing the right thing, except the knowledge that we did our best, and hopefully a happier ending for the district and a little girl who just wants to go home to her family."

Pike Windu has posed:
    The boy's words are a slap on the face and Windu backs away. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do more. That's why we're here now."

Athena (159) has posed:
There's not much inside the hut - it's relatively bare, but there is a a Nikto woman lying on a small bed in the back. She looks unconscious, and unwell.

Tommy returns Navi's embrace, sobbing quietly into her robes. Binny's frown eases slightly, and he looks over at Pike. "...okay. But it's risky. And hard, and you know what will happen if we can't get her out. Oh, and one more thing - I'm going with you. And so is Tommy. He can't go anywhere without me. It's not safe."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde enters the hut from a rear door and frowns, attempting to enter her mind and ascertain what is wrong with her. If she's ill, perhaps Master Pike could help her, too.

Navi has posed:
Navi lets Tommy cry, careless of her robe in the face of the boy's grief. "I'm so, so sorry," she whispers, blinking back tears.

It's a moment before she glances up. "Master Windu, where's Cayde?" she asks, looking around for the Padawan.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu composes himself. "Not too far, I imagine."

    "You are welcome to join us. We could use your help. And your lives are just as much at stake."

Athena (159) has posed:
She is sick, but with what Cayde won't really be ascertain. Some kind of chronic illness, but the details are fuzzy, and the young padawan is obviously not a medic. Perhaps Windu would be able to discern more about it.

Binny seems to have noticed immediately that Cayde had wandered towards the hut. He looks around warily, then says. "We should ... all go inside," he says, taking Tommy by the hand and hurrying him towards the hut.

Navi has posed:
"Why do I suddenly get the feeling we're about to be a lot less welcome?" Navi asks Pike as she turns to follow Binny into the hut.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde reaches out toward Master Pike, projecting the image of the sick woman lying inside. Maybe he could help her, too? Although her condition seems to be a lot more complicated than a broken arm.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Entering the hut, Windu sees the bedridden woman. Without a second thought, he joins Cayde. Leaning over, he examines the ailing being.

Athena (159) has posed:
Binny immediately closes the door behind and motions for Tommy to go into the refreshers and close the door. He then leans with his back against the wall and peers out the window carefully, holding his knife steady.

Pike will find that the woman seems to have some kind of recurring infection due to malnourishment. The stage of the infection seems advanced - if she doesn't receive proper care soon, there's no telling how long she'd last.

He might also be in the middle of examining her when the sound of large and heavy footsteps outside interrupts all of them.

"Bounty hunters," Binny whispers.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Once Master Pike comes in and starts tending to the woman, Cayde once again wanders back outside.

    When the bounty hunters arrive, he ducks behind a pile of metal scraps and tries to enter their minds as well, to determine what they want...and if he can 'convince' them to simply leave.

Navi has posed:
Navi watches Binny with equal amounts of confusion and concern, her questions answered by the sight of the sick woman, and the sound of heavy footsteps from outside. She nods to Binny's whisper, resting her hand on her staff, which is still secured to her medical satchel.

Athena (159) has posed:
Cayde, Navi, and Pike will then be able to see these 'bounty hunters' approaching from the front window of the hut.

And they will not feel at ease upon seeing ... him.

The bounty hunter is a towering Gen'dai, at least eight or more feet tall and armed to the teeth. Not only that, but he appears to have a pet nexu, who is fast approaching the hut. Cayde will at least be able to ascertain that he's after Tommy. He's no fool - Baella would scare and be rather unwilling to come with him if he didn't have some kind of ... bait.

He chuckles as his drooling and muscular nexu slams into the hut's ramshackle door and causes a few splinters to fall.

"Knock, knock," he says, pulling out a purple electro-mace and brandishing it menacingly.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Oh...-that- guy. Cayde frowns, seeing that he's after Tommy because Baella cares about him.

    The Gen'dai clearly has the physical superiority over them, so he tries to focus all of his effort toward creating an effective delusion that he has actually not come to the right place and Tommy is not in fact here. The two boys and their mother had...fled to another sector on the other side of the planet, yes...

Navi has posed:
"Master, we might have a problem," Navi whispers, pointing toward the hut's front window, and the thousand or more pounds of scary on the hoof outside. "It's /that guy/... and he brought a friend." A friend who seems to have eschewed using the door as a scratching post and instead has gone for the battering ram approach.

She winces at the impact on the door, and the flying splinters and dust, drawing something from her satchel that neither Cayde nor Master Windu will have seen her use before: a /lightsaber/. "Why did it have to be a /purple/ electro-mace? Doesn't he know how tacky that looks?"

Athena (159) has posed:
Cayde is successful in convincing the Gen'dai that Tommy isn't on the premises -- for a little bit, anyway. He frowns, sniffs the air, and starts to turn and walk away. But his nexu seems to have caught Tommy's scent and immediately lunges for wall where Tommy is curled up on the other side, in the refreshers.

The hut's paper thin walls tremble, and when the nexu renews its attack, the walls cave and tear. Tommy yelps in fear, and the Gen'dai bounty hunter turns his head, frowning.

Cornered, little Nikto boy bolts for it, running away from the hut in an attempt to actually flee the situation entirely...

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike shields the sickly woman he has been tending as the flimsy hut comes down. Uninjured, the Jedi Master stands, taking lightsaber in hand.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Ugh...Cayde sighs when the Nexu negates the illusion he'd created. He tries a different tactic--this time, he attempts to alter Sunn's perception of Tommy, creating a hallucination that the young Nikto is running away in the complete opposite direction that he actually is. Hopefully, someone else can keep his pet occupied...

Navi has posed:
"Uhh!" Navi cries as the hut mostly collapses around and partly on top of her. Pushing her way out of the debris, she spies the Nexu in the wake of its second battering-ram attack. Touching a recessed button on her lightsaber releases a meter-long bluish-white blade that she lifts into a defensive stance.

"Master, I think we've officially entered aggressive negotiations!" she calls to Master Windu, taking a swing at the Nexu as it looks at her. The tip of the blade grazes the beast's flank, drawing a snarl of pain and a hiss at Navi. The Sephi raises her blade into a defensive posture once again, watching the bounty hunters and the beast at the same time...

Athena (159) has posed:
The Gen'dai, surprisingly, doesn't move. His eyes flick in the direction that Cayde had convinced him Tommy has gone, but he doesn't stray from where he stands. However, when the hut starts to crumble and the sound of his nexu in pain can be heard, his attention swings towards inside of the hut.

He grunts, then kicks the door down. "Stop getting in my way!" he yells at Navi. His gaze flicks to Pike momentarily, but not before he swings his mace at the young Sephi girl!

Pike Windu has posed:
    SNAP-hiss.

    The Jedi Master ignites his lightsaber and leaps at the bounty hunter without warning. He swings at the hunter's weapon hand.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde withdraws and looks about with both eyes and telepathic detection to try to make sure Tommy and Binny have gotten away to safety as it seems Master Pike would have this well in hand soon...

    Hopefully.

Navi has posed:
Navi screams as the mace connects with her shoulder, even as she tries and fails to parry the weapon. Electricity arcs over her body as she collapses, boneless as a rag doll, her lightsaber going out.

It's a long moment before she forces herself to her feet, gritting her teeth against the lingering pain and stiffness. Twitching slightly, she looks between the Nexu and the towering bounty hunter. "Thanks, Master," she murmurs, reigniting her lightsaber and watching Pike tear into him.

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil having a knack for disappearing and reappearing at weird intervals jogs up the street towards the Jedi only to stop just before them as the lightsaber hisses to life. "Oh, sh...", he utters as a mace crumbles one of the Jedi. Looking down and grabs a rag doused in some chemical or toxic substance as he runs up and attempts to pounce on the bounty hunter with the intent to jam it in their face. However at the last moment he realizes he's been seen and simply tosses the rag impotently in their direction before cowering behind the Jedi.

Athena (159) has posed:
The Gen'dai smirks at Navi is tossed aside like a rag dog. But then Pike slashes at his weapon hand, and he growls angrily when Pike's saber sears his left wrist. He turns, facing Pike now, eyes narrowed. The spot where Pike's saber had seared him, though it had been a raw wound moments ago, looks to actually be... slowly closing over?? Purple strands are erupting from either side of wound, beginning to cover it. "You Jedi are so meddlesome," he sneers, moves to swipe at the Jedi Master again.

And then Heydan makes his spontaneous entry and apparently useless attack. He laughs. "You pathetic -freak-!"

Cayde will find that Tommy at least had ran away to safety -- but Binny is actually on the roof, peering down through a hole that had appeared when the Gen'dai bounty hunter had kicked in the door. "Get lost, you piece of shit!" he yells, and throws his lighter down onto the rag that Heydan had tossed onto the floor earlier. There's a loud popping sound and suddenly, half the hut is ablaze...

Binny jumps down, and turns to Navi and Pike, "We gotta get my mom out of here," he says, trying to lift her from the bed, as the flames start to grow.

Cayde will also have a secondary concern - The nexu. It's coming for him, its hind legs spring loaded for an attack!

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu frowns as the wound quickly heals. "HMPH"

    And then the bounty hunter counter-attacks, managing to catch the lightsaber's hilt and momentarily disarming the Jedi!

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde was safely hidden, until the Nexu sniffed him out. Fortunately, he saw it coming in one way or another, and rolls out of the way in time. He then reaches out with the Force, attempting to grab the animal physically with telekinesis and mentally with his telepathy although he only succeeds on the latter. Well it'll just have to do...he begins to impose his own will on the creature, ordering it to turn on its owner.

Navi has posed:
Seeing the Nexu going after Cayde, Navi steps toward it with a wide swing of her lightsaber, scoring its flank with a long, burned scar that pains it but otherwise seems not to affect it too much. "Get lost, kitty! Go catch a womprat!" she snaps.

Looking back toward Heydan, she cries, "Help Binny get his mother out! I'll try to keep your back clear!" She winces as Master Windu is suddenly disarmed. At least he didn't seem to be hurt.

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil enraged at being called a 'freak' roars and charges at the bounty hunter to tackle them to the floor with utter disregard for his prior cowardice. At full speed he rams his shoulders into their midsection bringing them down to the floor with as much of their mass as they can muster against the bounty hunter's last moment flailing. "What the fek did you just call me?", he struggles out before repeating it louder as he pushes a hand into their face struggling to keep them under him. "What the fek... DID YOU... JUST FEKING... CALL ME? SAY IT! SAY IT AGAIN!", he blurts out as his rage and confidence at taking them to the mat take over.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Ha!" The Gen'dai gloats over Pike. He raises his electro-mace again, to perhaps deal a finishing blow, but then the hut goes up in flames. "Argh!!" he cries, coughing, and attempting to wave the smoke away. While he's doing this, Heydan takes advantage of him and tackles him. He crashes backwards, his back hitting the wall. "Get off of me, sleemo!" He then swipes with his right arm, attempting to knock Heydan away from him.

Meanwhile, the Nikto woman wakes as Binny tries to get her off the bed. "Binny...? What's... what's happening.." she says weakly. "We have to go...!" Binny says, struggling to help her to her feet and out the giant hole in the wall where the refreshers had been previously.

The nexu is injured by Navi's slash, but then Cayde manages to take control of it. But as it turns to try to attack its owner, it sees the flames and mewling in fear, skitters off, disappearing from view.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu reaches out and calls his lightsaber. The weapon ignites and the Jedi Master charges at the distracted bounty hunter, swinging at the huge beiing's legs!

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde watches the creature run off. Well, that took care of the nexu, at least...

    As Master Pike slashes at Sunn's legs, the padawan draws his own lightsaber and goes for the mace, attempting to cut off the business end of it and turn it into nothing more than a fancy stick.

Navi has posed:
Navi watches the Nexu run away, shrugging. "Guess it actually listened to me," she murmurs. Hearing Binny and his mother speaking from inside the remains of the Hut, she bolts through the hole in the wall and moves to assist the Nikto woman outside. "It's this way," she says hurriedly. "If you can put your arm around my shoulders, I can carry you, partly. Just make sure you hold on to me and don't fall."

Only once the woman is properly secured does she move toward the hole in the wall. At least the fire hasn't gotten to it yet. She's just hoping the remains of the hut don't collapse before they get outside!

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil yelps in pain at the Gen'dai takes a swipe at him, "Ouchies!", the literally most unheroic thing which could be uttered comes out of his mouth as the punch connects. The Jedi both taking advantage of the moment cut their lightsabers into the assailant which Heydan attempts to use to his advantage as he shifts his weight and footing to rotate the Gen'dai into the chemical fire hoping their clothing might catch ablaze.

Athena (159) has posed:
The Gen'dai will now find himself being assaulted from both sides by both Cayde and Pike. However, the sear that blossoms on his right knee, once again, starts to regenerate, albeit slowly. Then Cayde damages his electro-mace, shorting it out. The bounty hunter is far from finished, but now that his nexu is gone, his interest seems to have pivoted to elsewhere. Tommy clearly isn't here anymore, so he's wasting time.

Heydan is unsuccessful in knocking him into the fire -- his clothes catch ablaze anyway, but the fire doesn't seem to bother him as much as the smoke does. He tears his shirt off, and suddenly, his arms extend like huge purple tree roots, and knock aside some of the hut's damaged paneling. And then he's gone -- through the hole in the wall and out to the other side - quickly disappearing into the shadows just like his nexu.

The sick woman groans quietly as Navi helps her through the hole and out of the hut -- just in time, too. The hut collapses in a plume of smoke and sparking flame afterwards. Binny helps Navi get his mom to a slab of permacrete lying on ground nearby, catching his breath. He looks around. "We probably shouldn't stay here too long," he says, his tone wary.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu watches the bounty hunter flee. With the blazing hut coming down around him, he makes his own escape, using his lightsaber to knock away falling debris.

    "Is everyone out?!"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde watches the bounty hunter run off, but he has a feeling they'll be seeing him again soon...

    Then he pivots his attention toward the others and the ill Nikto woman. It seems they're all right, more or less. Well that was a relief. He also notices Heydan had shown up again at some point and nods toward him in brief greeting.

Navi has posed:
"I am!" Navi calls back to Pike, helping Binny assist his mother to a perch on a slab of permacrete close by, but safely away from the flames. "Binny and his mother are, too. Is Cayde with you? I didn't see if he was inside or not. He was out here a minute ago, before that Nexu ran off. And did you see Mr. Seegil? Last time I saw him, he was trying to ride a bounty hunter into the ground."

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil now outside and out of danger pulls a small flask out of a pocket, takes a swig and the puts it away. "Ah, thats the stuff!", he exclaims as the alcohol goes down. "What would you do without me? I keep showing up just in time to save you all.", he chuckles to the Jedi knowing it to be the other way around. He then takes account of his new bruises and looks off towards where the bounty hunter escaped. "You all have so much drama.", he sighs out and then looks back at the Jedi, "So, whats the word? Those bums found me a flask of good liquor but not much information from them. Took me forever to find you all again too!", he then dives into his pocket for another sip from his flask before adding, "Especially with this stuff. Man, no idea who they knocked over but they had a nice bottle."

Athena (159) has posed:
Binny frowns at Heydan, having absolutely no idea who he is, except that he'd showed up out of nowhere and started fighting the bounty hunter (although he hadn't been terribly successful in doing so). Then he glances over at his mother, then back to Pike, nodding slightly. "I think so," he says.

He pauses. "We should get going. We need to get to Tommy - I think he's on the other side of the sewage runoff."

"Either way, it'd be bad to stay here - we're close to Marksmen territory, and they'll probably come around soon to see what all the racket was about." He looks to Navi, Pike, and Cayde. "Can you carry my mom?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike nods as he shuts down his saber and takes the old female in his arms. "Lead the way."

Navi has posed:
"I can't argue with that," Navi asides to Binny. "That big goon's sure to be back once he rounds up his big scaredy-cat. We want to have found Tommy before he gets back." She stations herself beside Pike, ready to assist if he needs it.

Heydan Seegil has posed:
Heydan Seegil replaces the flask in his pocket and comes away with a small holo-projector. He taps a button on it and brings up a map of the entire underground network, including the bits that were missing earlier. "Oh, I nearly forgot those bums also turned me on to this map. Not sure if you all still need it?", he offers as he shows it to everyone as he taps his lower lip with his index finger looking for a safe way through to the other side of the sewage run off. "Suppose that is where we'll need to head next then."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Ah, of course Seegil just starts rambling about stuff and doesn't seem to have noticed that nod of greeting. He starts to sign the answer to Heydan's question on what they'd found out, but then everyone else has other things to say. Well it was just normal, everyone did that to Cayde. He sticks his lightsaber back onto his belt and starts heading off in the direction Tommy had gone--he'd better make sure the kid is all right, it wasn't safe for him to be alone in case that nexu sniffs him out again.

Athena (159) has posed:
Binny nods at Pike. "Thanks," he says, and this time there's no trace of sarcasm or wariness. He starts heading north -- in the distance they'll see a permacrete bridge covered in graffiti spanning a wide ditch. They'll be able to smell what's in the ditch before they reach it -- it stinks to high heaven and they'll all need to exercise some self control in order to not retch or gag.

But on the other side of the ditch, they'll be able to see where it is that Binny is taking them. There's another squatter encampment there. This one looks slightly better concerning accommodations -- the structures there are permacrete, not rotting wood.

There seemed as a good of a place as any to find Tommy and regroup -- and for Cayde to reach out to his master with the latest regarding their excursion into the lower levels.