A Long Way From the Temple

A Long Way From the Temple
Date of Scene:	05 December 2023
Location:	Lower Uscru District - Lower City - Coruscant
Synopsis:	Khalo continues the hunt.
Cast of Characters:	251, Cayde Alexis

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Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
It takes time.

Every hunt requires the tracking of prey. The environment. By dirt and by air. Khalo takes a mere moment to verify what was spoken from the chip that was given to him by the bartender. For a small moment, he moves by himself to find a good vantage.

Then he waits.

He'll spend as much time as he needs to in order to understand the regulars. Understand the obstacles. Understand the level of firepower folks tend to have, be they child or elder, trained or untrained.

But he's watching. He's waiting.

...For one who arrives thrice a week.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The man on the other end of the frequency on the chip would have been one Dr. Cyrus Maldi, who claims to have delivered this kid of Kalregar's, and corroborates the bartender's words.

    "Can't miss him. Blondest hair and brightest blue eyes you've ever seen. Sixteen, so he's likely the youngest person in there. Oh, and he doesn't talk so again...there's really no mistaking him."

    After a few more visits to the Atomica, Khalo probably wouldn't be surprised to find that this place is a trouble magnet. The gangsters he'd seen the first night aren't the only ones who show up on the regular. The bounty hunter would bear witness to a few fist fights, and as well as actual armed fights. Plenty of belligerent drunkards, druggies...it might even start to few normal.

    But sure enough, several days later in the middle of the night, he'd notice a hooded figure with robes that look suspiciously Jedi-like enter the bar.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Blonde hair.

Blue eyes.

Young.

Perfect age for spice running, though that remains to be seen if that is fact or rumor, though everyone's reaction points to fact. Khalo Fett waits meticulously, occasionally reaching back to the Mandalorian Fleet for status updates and to send out new orders to those who await signal.

A few more visits mean nothing. He has a place to sleep and a minimalist set up there in, so he's not lacking sleep when he returns...and he finds his quarry. He cares not for the brawls he sees or the druggies exchanging their products or even the drinks that bump off of his shoulder.

Khalo is a man of focus. He watches the hooded figure closely and tries to see if the individual has a lightsaber on their person, just in case he ought to be cautious of the sorcerer and any defining features. Anyone can look like one. It's harder to /be/ one.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Unfortunately, Khalo will not be able to determine much else about the hooded figure from his current vantage point. He'll have to approach, most likely.

    The potential Jedi starts making his way toward the bar, but when he passes Khalo he stops and locks gaze with the Mandalorian...it's as if he -knows- Khalo is looking for him. Well, there is certainly no mistaking those eyes, based on the doctor's description.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Khalo's eyes have always been sharp, but for some reason- either a combination of low light and the Jedi's hood or something else - he can't make any determination about the figure.

That is, until he's face to face with the figure as they lock eyes. Black eyes meet the figure's crystal blue eyes. And yet, there's no fear or hesitance from him.

"Long way from the Temple."

He says calm and cool. No doubt under his cloak he's armed to the teeth. Even against a Jedi.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The boy doesn't respond to his comment for a while, and there is a strangely distant look in his eyes. Not like someone on spice, but...something more focused. He frowns, then looks up at Khalo finally.

    [What do you want] he asks, in Basic Sign. Well now at least he can be quite certain this is the one he's looking for.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Khalo is a steel trap. He isn't aware of what the Boy is doing when there's that glazed look in his eyes, but he looks ready to act in the heat of the moment anyway. His eyes lower slightly to the gestures he makes in Basic Sign.

A deep sigh.

Baelin Kalregar

He signs out the name. I need to find him. His hands are gauntleted and armored and the boy can see glints of armor underneath his cloak.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde stares at him, his face unreadable. There is a...strangely foreign notion. The feeling isn't something he's encountered before.

    The boy doesn't know who Kalregar is.

    Where that idea came from isn't immediately clear to Khalo, but he may realize after a few seconds that the teen is somehow inserting his own thoughts into the bounty hunter's mind. His presence is quite clear now, in fact...he is a lonely child, abandoned by his parents and adopted by the Jedi Order. However, as he'd been voiceless from birth, the other younglings found him difficult to understand and therefore difficult to befriend.

    The teen arches a brow at Khalo. [Why] signs, wondering what this man wants with a Baelin Kalregar.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Clear as day.

The boy doesn't know who Kalregar is. Yet, he questions how the thought arrived, when he realizes just as quickly: The boy is inserting thoughts into his mind.

His eyes lightly narrow at this realization. Yet, the path is two-way. For a mind to be read or tampered with, a path is opened therein from the intruder. This is just a lonely child adopted by the Jedi.

Had Khalo wasted his time looking for this one?

'This Kalregar is a spice runner, evidently using children on spice to help in his work. I have a bounty. His name is on it.'

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    That doctor he'd talked to seemed to be very confident this was Kalregar's son, at least. There's still a possibility, given the bit about having been abandoned by his parents. Surely, if Kalregar was his father, he was the sort who might abandon...

    [You want me to help] The padawan signs then. He doesn't seem reluctant, actually.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
'Depends'. Khalo signs with his hands, a slow tilt of his head following.

'Could be personal for you. According to my contacts...he's your father.'

Khalo lets that sink in. 'Which begs the question, Jedi. Do you /want/ to help?'

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Indeed...let that sink in.

    Cayde stares at him in disbelief, but he quickly realizes that Khalo isn't bluffing.

    He doesn't answer the question of whether he wants to help or not, at least not directly. [You have the puck] he signs, then watches him expectantly, waiting for the Mandalorian to show him the bounty.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Khalo gives the kid all the time he needs to contemplate and think over the bomb he just dropped on him. Eventually though, Khalo ends up smirking.

An odd way for a plan to work. He thought he'd have to tear a leg off and drag him through the street to draw out Kalregar! Though instead he reaches into his cloak, pulling out the puck and activating it, sliding it across the table for Cayde to witness the holo image that appears.

Let Cayde decide.

'We need to draw him out. I hear he's good at hiding...and there's a Mandalorian who seems to like him.'

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The young Padawan examines the image on the holo, and reads the description. It doesn't look familiar, and yet, he has a strong feeling about it...

    He closes his eyes for a few moments, searching minds...reaching out into the Force.

    Although to Khalo it may look as if he has fallen asleep or something.

Khalo Fett (251) has posed:
Khalo isn't a Force Sensitive. Abd unless something truly outstanding happens to shift his midichlorians a certain way, he'll never understand it. AND he's a Mandalorian.

0 percent chance of understanding what the Kriff is going on, but if Cayde can use his Jedi magic?

Might well let him.

He waits patiently, staring at the boy as he does his thing. Though his blaster rests in its holster ready to be used in case of funny business.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    After several minutes, the young Jedi finally opens his eyes and looks back up at Khalo. He takes out his commlink and brings up a map of the lower city, then points toward a sector near the Lower Market District. [He is with outlaws...the Marksmen] he signs. That might not come as a surprise, given earlier events.