Owner	Pose
Athena	The moment has arrived. The Jedi shuttle has just dropped out of hyperspace, and they're approaching Coruscant's orbit. For some, this will be the first time seeing Coruscant, ever. For others, it's a welcome sight after having been away for so long. Either way, as the shuttle nears the planet, the massive, teeming ecumenopolis looms in the forward viewport in the bow... "Everyone, stay seated and prepare for landing," the Ugnaught pilot says through the intercom. "We'll be planetside in twenty." Meanwhile, Jorn might be following the white lothwolf into the underbelly of the partially renovated Temple. If he isn't, then the lothwolf is barking, as if summoning him to follow her down a winding staircase that looks potentially unstable.
Jorn	Looking about the temple as he moves forward following the wolf. "Did you find anything good, girl? Boy?" Jorn asks as he looks bac at the wolf. "I'll have to name you at this rate," he says honestly as he will return his attentions to thet emple.
Navi	"Be it ever so controversial, there's no place like second home," Navi observes, giving Zetha a grin from across their tiny cabin. "I don't know what I'll be happier to experience... real food or a real bed. Let's hope our part in the trial won't keep us from getting in that shopping trip we were talking about."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha is lounging in bed reading a holo-novel when the ship drops out of hyperspace and the message comes across for them to stay seated and prepare for landing. She glances up and over to Navi before putting on a frown. "I don't even know what my part in this trial is aside from giving testimony about the Chadra Fan what came into the junkyard and bought the part that wound up blowing up the drill..." She says this and then looks back down to her datapad. "The food on Teeno's not real?"
Cayde Alexis	For Cayde's part, it's enough of a welcome sight to get away from being cramped in a small ship with...too many other people for weeks. For the past several hours, he's been curled up on his bunk trying to get his court testimony buffed up enough to be presentable at the very least. There probably won't be much time to finish it once he gets planetside...
Athena	When Jorn asks the lothwolf if she'd found anything good, she just barks again, runs to Jorns side and tugs on his pants. Then she rushes ahead down the stairs. They make a lot of noise -- probably not a good sign. But it will be up to Jorn to follow or not. The stairwell isn't lit, but if Jorn peers down it, he'll be able hear the lothwolf barking at the bottom, somewhere down there. He won't be able to see her, though. Volken will recognize one of the marauders immediately upon approach. Zealot -- and the other is female, and likely Shani, but little else can be discerned about her. They're armed and look up, but at least they don't attack once made aware of his presence. Navi and Zetha's conversation might be interrupted when the shuttle suddenly lurches to a stop. The Coruscanti officials are performing their customs checks, and interrogating Jahni. But it's over in a few minutes and soon, they're touching down in the big bustling starport, the biggest Zetha will have ever seen in her life. Cayde will be disrupted by a knock on door of his room. He'll know by process of elimination who it is before he even speaks, because he won't be able to sense his mind in the Force. "Cayde? Let's see that testimony."
Navi	"I suppose it's real enough... there's just a lot of it that I can't in good conscience call food. At least a quarter of it makes me sick for hours, especially most of the fish," Navi replies, shrugging. "The nicest thing I can say about half the rest is that you can live on it. Your hyperspace mileage may vary." "To tell you the truth, I don't know what my part is, either. We're probably just witnesses," she adds. "So we'll probably be stuck answering questions." "What in..?" The shuttle's sudden halt derails her train of thought, until she remembers how the Core Worlds work. "Oh, right... customs check-in," she murmurs, grimacing faintly and picking up her datapad full of testimony. "Unless Xera's smuggling proton torpedoes in her corset, we should be planetside in twenty minutes or less."
Volken Mons	Volken's not really in a position to say too much to them. He's carrying what's probably five hundred pounds of Mandalorian over his shoulder, in air that is likely becoming more and more toxic by the second. "....I don't suppose...you know the way outta here back towards that temple.." he manages to grunt out, while not even bothering to charge his weapons just yet.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde doesn't even strap in for the landing, and just holds onto the bunk when the ship lurches. When they're finally down and ready to disembark, he gets up from the bed and was headed toward the door when Thaarin knocks.     Right...he'd expected that. He opens the door and holds out the datapad he was working on. The testimony is...better than last week's draft, but still features several places where the wording is rather confusing due to fragmented or run-on sentences.
Zetha Rumir	"The fish at Hap's isn't that bad..." Zetha offers, perhaps mildly offended that someone would say such about the food. Then again, she's never had food from anywhere that wasn't Hap's or some other place on Teeno. So there may be unknown bias there. "That makes me feel more like I just shouldn't be here. I feel like my testimony is going to condemn more than it is going to help..." She offers this just before the ship lurches and then Navi makes a comment about customs. That actually gains a chuckle from the Twi'lek. "I suppose I should be glad I left my own back on Teeno?" Then she grins and looks out the window as the spaceport comes into view. "...I think the spaceport is as big as Kublop Springs alone..."
Jorn	Jorn will actually rush off after the wolf curious about what she found. A blaster is drawn as he looks about. Coming down ready to open fire as he isn't sure what exactly to suspect. Life has gotten very weird lately. And so, he's meeting it with extreme caution.
Athena	The marauders don't say anything immediately. They exchange glances, and then the female says without pity, "You won't make it carrying him," she says, "At this point, you've both been exposed to the poison. So you can choose your own life, or his." Then, the two of them reach over and hoist the body that's lying on the ground up onto a hover stretcher that Zealot had opened while the female marauder had been talking to Volken. It's the Baron, and his armor is covered in that strange, bioluminescent powder. Cracked visor, just like Er'gi. "You could come with us," Zealot suddenly offers , and this seems to surprise the female marauder, but she doesn't object. Jorn will find that the vicinity seems safe from imminent attack once he reaches the bottom of the stairs. It's pitch black down here, could use the dark saber to have a look-see, but he'll at least espy the lothwolf's glowing eyes in the dark. She's whining impatiently, but he won't be able to see why. Yet, anyway, it's too dark at the moment. There's a loud hiss, and the gangplank will lower. "Alright everyone, we're home sweet Coruscant. Feel free to wander around, but don't go too far the loader droids should be along shortly to help with all the luggage in the cargo bay," Jahni announces over the intercom. Thaarin pages through the testimony, his expression unreadable. After a few moments, he hands the datapad back to Cayde. "Look... why don't you take a break, and then you can come back and we'll discuss your testimony."
Cayde Alexis	That 'unreadable' expression said it all. Cayde didn't need to reach into his mind to know Thaarin wasn't exactly pleased with the draft as it was. He sighs and nods--right, a break. Maybe he should head to the CSF HQ and check out that data vault again, see if he can find anything useful about Zetha's parents. Or about that mysterious cargo hauling company.
Jorn	Reluctantly, Jorn will pull out the blade. The blade blade extends as it growls to life. He brings it close ready to fight defenively if need be. Curious what willl happen next. The man looking around everything as he waits to see how things will devolve. The man's very distrusting of this planet.
Navi	"Bigger," Navi replies softly. "Coruscant's spaceports compete with Corellia's for the honor of being the second busiest in the galaxy. Kuat's are the busiest, but that's only because they've got a giant military shipyard in orbit. Those yards and the ships they make are too big to land, so they have to be supplied by smaller ships." She stands and picks up her jacket and her medical satchel. "Want to have a quick look around?" she offers. "This place is a shipwatcher's dream. Probably a tech's dream, too."
Volken Mons	That same cracked visor. It's too deliberate. Attacked somehow, likely to try and speed the effect of the poison through exposure. The helmets provide their own levels of protection after all but with the visor cracked it'd be that much easier to do the deed. Volken dips his head low as he looks over Caine and then watches as the Marauders come to his aid. Figures. THey were working for him after all but it's foolish that the Baron got him into this anyway. THey should have stuck together but that wasn't likely to happen. Which leads to: "I'm not abandoning him. I don't do that. Maybe you...folk have the wrong sense of what us Mandalorians are like but not all of us are just out for ourse-lves...." Caine and Ellari are one stock, so far as Volken is concerned. Mandalorians like Jorn and Er'gi or Thaelin...he'll not abandon. "I can carry him I Just need to know what way to go..." he rumbles.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha turns off her holonovel, checks her communicator for any messages that have come through and sends quick ones to both Crane and Wiis. Both of which to simply say she's safely on Coruscant and will reach back out when settled in her hotel room. Then she places datapad in her backpack, and makes sure she has everything. "I wouldn't mind a look around. I only have the backpack anyway...light luggage is best for me." Then she motions for Navi to take the lead.
Athena	Jorn will find himself in some kind of circular chamber. There's statues of people he won't recognize set into cavities in the wall, surrounded by pillars. They look like they might have been Jedi from the old Republic. There's four tunnels that branch off from this chamber, and the lothwolf is sitting at the entrance to one that leads downwards. There's cobwebs everywhere, and dark saber somehow seems to thrum brighter than it ever had in this dark, mystical place. "That isn't what I meant," the female interjects. "Eventually you won't be able to because you'll be dead. The poison is slow acting, but if you carry your ... friend, you won't reach the Temple before the poison becomes fatal." She starts to move the hoverberth along, intending to cart the Baron away, but Zealot reaches for her arm and holds her back. He watches Volken intently, seeming to want to know what the behemoth will decide. Clearly, the marauders had some plan for the Baron, otherwise, they'd have left him here. Zealot had made an offer, but Volken will have to decide if it's riskier than chancing it in the Gorge and trying to make it back to the Temple in time. Thaarin watches Cayde leave, his brow furrowing slightly. He watches Cayde go out, but doesn't immediately follow. Instead, he stops on the gangplank, where Zetha and Navi are loitering. "Any idea where the padawan is off to?" he asks them.
Navi	"I have a bag and a backpack, but they're not heavy. One of the perks of going on the colony initiative was getting proper clothes for the weather and the tasks of building a town," Navi observes, shouldering her backpack and picking up her duffel from under her bunk and heading for the ramp. "My Brotherhood robes were in no way adequate for Tenoo." As she reaches the ramp, she nods to Thaarin. "Hi, Thaarin. No idea. He didn't say a word to us before we landed. I'm guessing he didn't tell you, either?"
Jorn	Clearing out the cobwebs with a few swipes, Jorn pushes forward trying to go into the one of four tunnels that the wolf waited at. He notices the thrum, and just keeps himself focused. Everything just intent on staying alive. Nothing else. Sometimes it's easier to do that when the possibility of harm, or worse, seems very high.
Volken Mons	"Alright..." says Volken tiredly, "Lead on then..." He could take his chances...but it's clear they are familiar with what's actually going on and he can't very well talk all of that talk about not leaving people behind and then simply leave Caine to ...whatever arrangemente he's got going on with these marauders. "I don't have much choice eh?" he adds at the end though his tone is more restrained. He's not ungrateful but the situation isn't exactly ideal here and he's out of options, especially with the jet-pack lacking fuel.
Zetha Rumir	"I do hope we can shop a little. I'd like to also find some things to take home for Wiis and Crane." Zetha offers as the two of them reach the gangplank. When Thaarin greets them and asks about Cayde she shakes her head. "Only other thing I know he was tasked with aside from the trial was something involving the Jedi Council and my parents...but I don't know what all that entails." She offers and then continues to descend to take her first steps onto Coruscant proper.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde heads for the taxi hub at the spaceport, promptly taking one toward the Federal District and making his way to the sublevels of that CSF facility where he'd met Black. The padawan hovers by the side entrance for a bit, looking through his things to make sure he has the access key the man had given him before going inside and taking the elevator down to the vault.
Athena	The lothwolf darts forward, and downwards, into the darkness. This hallway, unlike the first chamber, is devoid of anything interesting. There's a few burnt out lamps on the wall, but that's it. And halfway down the corridor, Jorn will get an uneasy feeling in his stomach. The dark saber crackles and hums, but there doesn't seem to be any change in its demeanor. The lothwolf, however, is plowing ahead. She seems excited. Zealot doesn't answer Volken. Instead, he just starts moving, and the female marauder does likewise. With one hand, he guides the hoverberth, and with the other he carries a blowtorch that burns away the debris blocking their path. The female marauder has flame retardant, putting out the blazes should the dampness of the surrounding bushes not cause the fire to flicker out. And so they carry on this way, heading deeper into the Gorge, away from those cursed vines. Thaarin sighs. "No, of course not," he says, "but if you see him about, do let me know. I've got to inform his master. Are you out to do some shopping?" Everything is as Cayde remembers it. The access key gets him in as per usual, and the console is on once he gets down there. The same access card unlocks the console, and then, he's in.
Navi	"We were planning on some shopping, and leaving our stuff at our new lodgings," Navi replies to Thaarin, starting to follow Zetha. "If we see him, I'll give you a comlink call."
Jorn	trying to light up a few of the burnt out lamps, Jorn keeps going. Just pushing aside that uneasy feeling. Yes, he's concerend. However, the Mandalorian knows that the wolf seems too eager. Andso, he will keep moving just overly concerned with how this tunnel will end.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha smiles and nods. "Maybe not in that particular order. I'm going to take a good look at the spaceport too." One cannot seem to take Zetha to any port and not have her interested in the yards around.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde makes his way downstairs, and accesses the console easily before begging to search for information about Zetha's parents, and anything concerning Vlaven's whereabouts or the hauling company that had transported him offworld.
Athena	The lamps don't light. Jorn will find that odd, they've oil in them, but for some reason, they just won't light. Perhaps he ought not to overthink that. Eventually, the corridor ends. It ends in a massive rusted door with a complicated lock that looks like it likely doesn't work anymore. The lothwolf looks to Jorn, then the saber, and then barks. She sits right by the door, expectantly. Her tail wags. The Chiss man smiles slightly, and nods. "Well, have fun," he says, "and be careful. And thank you. I don't want to be losing Cayde to a crowd in this massive place." He won't find much, really. All those profiles still say 'incomplete,' and there's very little outside of what he'd accessed remotely. He'll find single navigation log from five years back that's associated with the hauling company, but there's nothing interesting, informative or leading about it. However, he may remember that Black had told him he could contact him anytime he wanted to, and that he does have the mysterious man's contact information.
Navi	"Jedi are a lot more common and accepted here, so I doubt you have anything to worry about," Navi advises Thaarin, with a reassuring smile, moving to follow Zetha. "As long as Cayde doesn't draw attention to himself or do something foolish, he should be completely safe." She pauses, and her smile fades into a weary sigh. She covers her eyes with her palm and shakes her head slowly. "I can't /believe/ I just said that with a straight face..." she murmurs. "We'll keep a good eye out for him."
Jorn	Jorn focuses with the blade then lunges stabbling into the door. Slicing upward and trying to cut through the hinges in the motion. He's not sure if the blade willc ut through this thing like a vibroblade through synth butter, or if there's just layer after layer of thick rust here.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde sighs as there is nothing more than what he'd already seen, which was not much. Black had claimed he wasn't hiding anything, but now the padawan is wondering how true that actually was. But then he recalls that he does have Black's contact information, so he begins to call the man on the holo from the comms system in the vault.
Zetha Rumir	"If it wasn't marginally unethical, I would say we could always put a tracker on Cayde's robes." Zetha comments and then gives a little smirk. "I suppose that's kind of mean to say..." Then she looks between Navi and Thaarin before glancing back to the spaceport proper. "Do we even know where we're being shacked up at?" Meanwhile, Cayde's search yields three results. The most recent being the Rumir's on a manifest as crew of a freighter with last known whereabouts having been on Tatooine.
Volken Mons	There's not really much Volken can do but to follow them. With the poison, it's taking all he has to keep Er'gi aloft and to shuffle after the marauders. He's of no help clearing anything out of the way and sparing any energy to speak would be foolish. So on he goes.
Athena	"Don't say that," Thaarin says to Navi, "sometimes, I feel the mere thought or notion that Cayde won't get into trouble somehow incites him to get himself mired in predicaments of unfathomable sorts...! Well, anyway. Don't trouble yourself too much. Enjoy the city, and here's where we'll be staying," he says, handing Navi a small card with an address on it. Meanwhile, Black picks up before the first ring can even go off. "Hello Cayde," he says through the commlink, "It's nice to see you're back in town. Even kinder that I was the first person you thought to reach out to," he says. "I see you're making good use of the vault. But I imagine you're calling because you have questions about Vlaven, and one particular Zetha Rumir's parents." Unfortunately, the three results are all Cayde's getting from the vault. The trail seems to go cold as far as information after that. Age must have deteriorated the material the door is made of, because the saber does in fact, cut through the door like butter. There's a horrible screeching sound, and then the massive slab of mortar and metal falls forward, allowing Jorn and the lothwolf access to the room. Unlike the rest of the lower levels, this room is actually... lit. There are many shelves, covered in canvas cloths full of dust. And beyond the shelving seems to a ballroom type area, littered with many stone pedestals that stretch as far back as the eye can see. It's maze like, but that does not seem to deter the loth wolf. She's running for the pedestals, as fast as her limp will allow. They'll carry on like this for a while. It could have been forty five minutes, it could have been several hours. Time seems to blur together - the poison, slow acting but present will gradually start to make Volken feel weaker and weaker. At some point, he'll see a gigantic, oddly shaped ship mired in a bog up ahead. A lone marauder stands guard, but when they approach, he comes to meet them and assist with moving the Baron into the ship. He does not offer to help Volken, though. In fact, he'll give him a few wary glances before hurrying inside himself. But at least the leave the door open and the gangplank down for him.
Jorn	Out of pure caution, Jorn tries to note everything, but he does not touch any of it. Very much a situation where one looks with their eyes and not with their hands. He's not sure what kind of ancient things may linger. He'll try to note what he can without disturbing any of the natural, or unnatural, order of things about the place.
Navi	"One of his former Masters actually suggested something like that once, so maybe it's not /that/ unethical," Navi replies to Zetha, accepting the card from Thaarin and studying it thoughtfully. "But do you really want to have to deal with that pouty look he gets when he thinks we're trying to corral him? I don't." "If only it were that simple, Thaarin... Cayde is something of a trouble magnet. I'm beyond relieved that he's been trying to keep out of trouble more these last few months, but sooner or later he and trouble just have a habit of coming together. Usually noisily," she adds to Thaarin. "Nevertheless, we'll do our best to enjoy ourselves and still keep an eye out for him, just in case."
Zetha Rumir	"If seeing his pouty mouth means not watching trouble horribly explode around him, I think I'd be in favor of the pout if I'm honest. But then, I haven't suffered it as much as those who spend more time with him." Zetha offers this and then she tries to peak at the card Navi was handed. "Anyway, I'm going to wander off. You can follow if you want Navi, but I need to move or I'm going to collapse from excitement. Or something."
Cayde Alexis	Well, that was quick. Cayde nods and decides to just enter his messages into the comms console.     << Yes >> is the simple response he sends back.
Volken Mons	"Well looks like we made it..." rumbles Volken to the unresponsive Er'gi. The way the Marauders are looking at him is to be expected. They're right to be cautious just from a sake of prudency - but in his state all he can truly do is follow them and make his way into the ship.
Athena	Well, Jorn is being careful, but the lothwolf is doing everything but that. She's zooming around the stone pedestals, sniffing most of them until she finds one with a gilded saber in it. She barks, and pushes on it with her front legs. It wobbles, so she pushes on it again, and it wobbles more. But Jorn may find himself thinking, should she really be doing that? It's dark inside the ship - a few lights here and there. Zealot and the female marauder seem to have disappeared from sight, along with the Baron. Volken will find himself in some kind of atrium. Hanging on the wall are a wide of variety of those garish masks, in all shapes and sizes. There's a bench for him to sit on, at least. But he probably won't get much respite -- there's a shadowy figure looming a nearby archway to his left. "... long journey, I see." Thaarin waves dismissively. "He doesn't have to know... anyway, let's save that discussion for later. He hasn't gotten into trouble... yet. Or at least, it doesn't seem like it." Then he bids both Zetha and Navi goodbye and heads back into the shuttle. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but what we have on file is what we have on file." There's a long pause. "But... I could complete the profiles, if you want me to. I also thought it'd be worth mentioning that I could use some help with investigating the potentially criminal background of a certain high ranking politician. I'm down an agent, but you know that already. If you're willing, I'll work on completing whatever profiles you want completed, and then in the meantime, you can do a little fishing. What do you think?"
Volken Mons	The figure is barely spred a glance as Volken finally unshoulders Er'gi and then sets hi down onto the bench. He leans over to check on the other Mandalorian and then finally slumps down towards a seat himself. "Y'could say that...." he rumbles after a pause, finally addressing the figure and then glancing up to peer in that direction in search of the speaker and his identity. "Is there...some sort of antitdote? What's goin' on down here...? What's that thing?"
Navi	"Take care, Thaarin," Navi says, giving Thaarin a little wave as she follows Zetha. "It's less the pouty face and more the emotional and relationship troubles that go with the pouty face. If we just got that when we kept him alive and safe, I could deal with it. But we get it a lot more than that. I'm just hoping his progress these last six months or so means a lot less of that," she adds. "Now, where shall we go first?"
Jorn	Taking the blade, Jorn inspects it and tries to set it back down. Just trying to be respectful of the blade while trying to see why this wolf wanted the blade so much. That's the strange part about this journey. It's the only thing he touches and it's to make sure she doesn't knock off the blade.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde arches a brow at this response. << You don't know more? >> he asks. If he -had- the information to complete the profile, couldn't he tell it all now?     Anyway, this was the sort of work he'd been hoping to get into, since his...gifts were well suited to it. << ...okay >>
Zetha Rumir	"Not entirely sure, but I really think checking in and dropping stuff off would be best before we hit the shopping district? I think I need to take Coruscant in small doses..." Zetha offers this to Navi with a somewhat nervous chuckle.
Athena	"Well of course there is," The shadowy figure says, then steps into the dim light. A Harch, female by the looks of it, with glowing green eyes. "A side effect of the monsoon destroying the Baron's laboratories, I'd imagine," she says. "I'd have you know," she hisses, "that I don't normally take in strays, and I certainly do not give out medical attention for free." "No," Black replies, "I'm sorry, you may have misunderstood. What I meant, is that I have the means and resources necessary to find out. It will take some time, of course. But you'll be busy in the meantime, anyway. Now, have a look." The console blinks, and there's suddenly a file glowing blue in the top right hand corner of the screen. "That's everything you need to know. I'd suggest starting in the Lower Levels, on 1314, Sector D. It's a hotbed of criminal activity, but nothing you can't handle I'm sure. The next train down there will arrive at platform 9 in about five minutes. It's recommendable that you get started now -- this fellow is involved in that upcoming trial for the Dug from Tenoo. It'd be ideal if we could have the investigation wrapped up with a neat little bow before it even begins, don't you think?" "Oh, and one more thing. I'd like to meet this Zetha Rumir. It will help me with the ... profile completion."
Navi	"That's actually a good idea. Coruscant's big and /busy/. Sometimes I forget how overwhelming it can be," Navi says, blushing faintly. "Sounds like our lodgings are the logical first stop. Let's go."
Zetha Rumir	"Yeah. My insides are screaming while also trying to feel fascinated and not overwhelmed..." Zetha offers this and then follows Navi's lead.
Cayde Alexis	<< But...you took Vlaven away? >> Cayde asks, finding it hard to believe that Black does not even know where Vlaven was taken.     The padawan copies the file to a personal device and notes the address. Yes of course it was a hotbed of criminal activity, he has been there plenty of times himself.
Volken Mons	"So everything's back to Caine's nonsense..." grumbles Volken as he leans his head back. "Well....can we have it then?" No sense in beating around the bush here. "My friend is dying and apparently so am I...and apparently so was Caine I guess so I guess there's some justice out there for his fooolishness...."
Athena	Navi and Zetha probably won't have much trouble finding their lodgings. As soon as they leave the spaceport, a fancy looking shuttle will pull up, escorted by two uniformed CSF guards. They ask if Navi and Zetha are the arriving part from Tenoo for the trial of the Dug, Weniscio. Once that's all been sorted, they're allowed into the taxi and taken straight to the Alisandre Hotel, a massive structure built to house the richest of guests - or so it seemed. There's a lavish fountain out front, hover lights, and an exquisite garden. A gilded cargo droid will present itself upon their arrival, and offer to take their luggage up to their assigned rooms. "Well yes and no," Black continues. "He was here, for a time, under going a sort of rehabilitation. But he wasn't responding very well to it, and Kurrnak wanted him taken somewhere, anywhere, that would reduce the risk of him landing in the public eye. So, naturally, I washed my hands of him and handed him off to some other Outer Rim scientist with a private hauling company who had promised ... results, of some kind. I said that was fine and that I didn't need coordinates or results. They could do as they pleased, Vlaven was proving to be a less and less interesting plaything over time, anyway." "If you're wondering who the scientist was, I don't actually know. I didn't reach out to them personally. I asked some of my contacts to put out a word about Vlaven, and they approached me first. They wanted to keep their identity discreet, in exchange for making Vlaven disappear from Coruscant. I didn't really care at that point, Kurrnak was putting immense pressure on me to have him sent away as soon as possible. But if you want me to do more digging, I can." "You wouldn't by chance happen to know where you, Zetha, and the others are staying for the duration of the trial, would you?" "Not my problem," the Harch hisses. "But yes, I'll be doing what I can to reverse the effects of the poison." Her eyes then narrow. "You will, however, be owing me a favor, once you're recovered." Meanwhile, Jorn's attempts to make sure the gilded saber doesn't fall off the pedestal the lothwolf is knocking may succeed, or they may not. The lothwolf has in fact, applied too much force and the pedestal is now toppling. Perhaps Jorn can catch it in time?
Navi	"We are, sirs. I'm Co-Deputy Marshal Navi, and this is Zetha Rumir," Navi replies politely to the security officers. Once the identifications are sorted out, she boards the shuttle and offers Zetha her hand to join her. Whether Zetha takes it or not, she does her best to keep the slightly overwhelmed Twi'lek grounded, pointing out landmarks through the shuttle's viewports. "Nice place. Canto Bight was almost this nice," she observes softly as they enter the grand hotel lobby. "Please, and thank you," she says warmly to the droid, transferring over her duffel and daypack. She makes sure to keep her medic's satchel, though. She's long since gotten used to expecting the unexpected, even here.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde frowns as Black explains further on what he knows about Vlaven's fate. He sighs...of course the man didn't care. The young Jedi nods at the offer of trying to do more digging. [Yes please] he signs. At the question of where they're staying, he thinks about it and realizes he actually doesn't yet know, so he shrugs.
Jorn	Jorn panics and he moves his hand, hoping he's quick enough to grab it. Yes, he probably shouldn't touch it. However, instincts and a desire for an antique to not potentially shatter override common senses. And so he's going for the item before his logical side can kick in.
Volken Mons	"Fine. I"m not in any sort of position to push back or negotiate. Help us." rumbles Volken. He doesn't want to expend too much energy here at this point and arguign about it is the last thing on his mind. "Him first." he rumbles, "He took a worse dose than me."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha is overwhelmed upon leaving the spaceport. Spaceports - regardless of size - are familiar territories. Junkyards and repair stations, gritty droids and even grittier people running them. As Navi points out landmarks, she may either look like a kid in a candy shop or a terrified orphan. Maybe even a mixture of both. Once they arrive at the hotel, she's amazed, impressed and terrified of it all at the same time. "Well. Certainly no expense being spared I suppose..." Offered as the two make their way inside. Then as the droid approaches them and offers to take their bags, Zetha holds her backpack tightly for a moment longer before actually releasing it and handing it over.
Athena	The cargo droid bleeps affirmative in binary and takes Navi and Zetha's belongings to the lift. The grand hotel lobby looks like something Zetha would have only ever dreamed of or seen in holodramas or novels. Everything's gold, or crystal. And there's another fountain, of course. Even bigger than the one outside. Rykard and Mondrian are there, getting checked in by the secretary at the desk. When he sees Zetha and Navi, he nods in greeting. "Good to see you made it here safely," he says to them, "... have either of you seen Cayde?" Cayde may realize that his commlink is pinging. There's a message from his master. <We're at the Alisandre Hotel. Where are you?> Black replies, "Of course. You and I will be both working hard. You out in the field, and me, behind the scenes. Just like it's supposed to be. Anyway, you'd best get going, the trial won't wait. Oh, and make sure to tell me where you are all staying, when you find out." Jorn will experience a particular surge of malevolence surge through his veins the moment he touches that gilded saber. The feeling is so strong, it's an urge to kill someone, anyone. But then it suddenly dissipates, and Jorn will find himself again, standing in front of the pedestal that had fallen when the lothwolf had pushed on it too hard. It's toppled now, and cracked in half. Another problem presents itself - the toppled pedestal had knocked another over. The crystalline case protecting it has shattered, and the relic inside of it is lying on the floor... a ruby ring. The lothwolf is barking now, nipping at the gilded saber Jorn had instinctually saved. The Harch's mandibles click in satisfaction. She seemed to think Volken would have put up more of a fight regarding asking for a favor. "Hm. Yes. Come then. We'll go to my laboratory." And she turns to leave, expecting Volken to follow.
Navi	"No, Master. We didn't see him leave, or where he went," Navi replies, with a soft sigh, reaching for her comlink. "Thaarin was looking for him, too. We promised we'd keep an eye out for him." "Speaking of people to keep an eye out for, do you know if Lady Graf and Lord San Tekka have checked in, or will be staying here?" she asks.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha's desire to reply with dry sarcasm is halted by a thought that it might not be best to offend a Jedi Master. Then Navi answers the question about Cayde so she simply gives a little nod of her head. "Coruscant is intimidating." Is all she comments after that.
Volken Mons	Volken is a man of extreme practicality when an emergency is taking place. He removed his armor to save another and didn't think twice about it. RIght now his priority is 'save Er'gi., save himself' - and then they can haggle out the specifics of the owed favor. As far as he's concerned....the particulars can be sorted after he's sure they're going to live. Having to haul Er'gi again isn't ideal but with the antitode being so close ... he'll do what he must and so he again lifts the other gigantic Mandalorian and then carries him like a sack, following after their benefactor for their lab.
Jorn	Jorn doesn't put on the ring, but he does pick it up delicately. He'll try to put that and the object in his hand back on the shelf. Yes, the container for them is ruined, but he wants them off the floor. It's him trying to put things back as he left them. That's the plan at least.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods, and disconnects from the call. He starts to leave the basement, and finds his commlink going off. Glancing at it, he notes that he will be staying at the Alisandre. However, he doesn't respond to the message, or contact Black to let him know the answer to his question. Rather, he's contemplating whether he -should- tell his Master where he's going. He probably should. But then Master won't want him to go, or will insist that someone else come along with him. Someone less familiar with the Lower City, no doubt. It would just get in the way of things.     So he simply puts the commlink away, and starts heading for the station platform.
Athena	"Hm...." Rykard says pensively. His brows furrow and there's a pause. "Well that's alright. I'll speak with Thaarin and then I'll see if I can't go find him myself. Good luck, both of you. I hope you enjoy Coruscant. There's a lovely noodles house just down the street, if you're keen the try it," he recommends, and then starts for the lift. Another message pops up on Cayde's commlink <Good luck. Let me know where the group from Tenoo is staying, soon>. Soon, Cayde will find himself on a train headed back to his old familiar haunts - the Lower Levels of Coruscant. Volken might suddenly find himself in a place that makes him take a stroll down memory lane. The Harch had led them down a hallway, to a large, expansive room that visually fits the stereotypical mad scientist lab. There's test tubes everywhere. White washed walls, fauna from varying planets that look like they're just begging to be put out of their misery. There's a wall lined with cages that look large to hold a sentient being that human sized or smaller. It looks... hauntingly like the place he had been rescued from as a boy.... Picking up the ring seems to transport Jorn into some kind of parallel reality. The room is the same, but darker, and everything looks distorted. He won't be able to hear the lothwolf barking anymore. But somewhere, emanating from some place that seems to be everywhere all at once, is a scream that somehow sounds silent and deafening at the same time. Jorn will feel it -- there's something, someone else here. And him picking up a ring has drawn its attention...
Volken Mons	It's familiar to him, indeed. But Volken doesn't want to think to heavily about that. Yet. Yes, a certain abhorrence wells up inside of him but he can't risk not getting that anttidote for himself and Er'gi and he'd have no idea where to look and what to do on his own. Not to mention the ship is full of marauders who would likely turn against them at the drop of a hat. 'You got some interestin' hobbies..." is all he states on the matter while trying to not linger his gaze for too long on any particular part of ther room. "How..much further?"
Navi	"Please be careful, Master," Navi replies. "We have our comlinks, so please keep us informed." Even as she speaks, she's slipping her comlink earpiece into her ear. She touches the back of Zetha's hand reassuringly with her free hand. "It takes some getting used to, definitely." Touching the transmit button on her earpiece, she says, "Cayde, where are you?"
Jorn	Hearing that deafening scream. The one that sounds silent one second, loud the next just causes Jorn to freeze in place. He closes his eyes and hears the lessons from long ago. <"What do we do when fear sneaks up on us, Boy?"> Jorn hears himself reply. His voice higher, a lot more innocent, <"We push past. We push past fear."> Jorn just hears his reply over and over, before some part of him just tosses the ring onto the shelf. He breathes hard, eyes wide with panick from underneath the helmet. Quietly, he goes down to return the other part knocked over, the other it. Just what he first caught. Keeping that there, Jorn shakily walks past the whole thing. Not wanting to touch that ring, or any other jewelery from this place, again.
Cayde Alexis	Familiar haunts indeed, Cayde often had a nightly habit coming down here looking for trouble. Well--looking problems to -solve-! In fact, he has ridden this very transport line several times. As he waits for his destination stop, he starts studying the intel that Black had given him regarding whatever it was he needed to do down there.
Zetha Rumir	"I think this is going to take a bit more than simply getting used to. And I feel that by the time I begin to accept any of it as real and not some sort of fantasy in my head we'll be heading back to Teeno. Or I will be. I guess I shouldn't assume you'd be coming back..." Zetha offers and then watches as Navi reaches out to Cayde so she simply steps forward to the desk to check herself into her pre-acquired room.
Athena	"Of course I will," Rykard says to Navi has he takes his leave. Navi likely won't be surprised that Cayde doesn't reply to her. When did he, ever? But it's probably not a good sign, that he's not responding, and he's missing. The woman at the desk checking Zetha in glances at her credentials. "Zetha Rumir?" She peers at her through horn rimmed glasses. "Mmkay. Just wanted to let you know, you've been upgraded to the Senatorial Master Suite on the seven thousandth floor. Room service is included. This was a personal request from Senator Burkenn of Nakadia himself." The intel Black has given him is very comprehensive, at least. It gives a couple locations of known hideouts belonging to a particularly deadly gang called the Verpine's Venom. It details their insignia, a record of their criminal activity, and their highest profile members. Several of which had been seen associating with a Dowutin Senator named Draconis Grindle, who had been slated to oversee the hiring of a third party jury counsel for Weniscio's trial... Whatever it is that's noticed Jorn, is coming. He won't be able to see it, but he will be able to feel it. It feels like sweat on the back of his neck. It feels like pure evil, coming to consume. The scream, silent but loud, seeks to overwhelm him. And then, in the middle of it all, he'll see a vision of a girl. She's young, couldn't be older than fourteen. She's crying, curled up somewhere dark, her head in her hands. But then she looks up, staring at Jorn with bloodshot, tear stained eyes. 'Help,' she mouths. '... help me' And then Jorn drops the ring, and it's all over. "I'm not a doctor," the Harch tells Volken frankly. "I'm a toxicologist, a poison expert. And if you mind my hobbies -- well, you're free to leave." She stops walking and motions to a rusted berth with shackles on it. "Put him here," she says.
Jorn	Jorn looks at the wolf, as if they would have answers. "What the Hell was that?" His mind reels as it starts to catch up to the vision. Breathing out hard and deep. Trying to center himself as he tries processing what exactly happened. "How do I even find her?" Oh. He doesn't like this one bit.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde's commlink keeps going off, but he keeps ignoring it as he's busy perusing the intel Black had given him. He starts looking for as much info as he can about the hideouts, so he'sll know what to expect upon arriving. That's what he'sll be doing until he arrives in the Lower City.
Navi	"I'll be going back. My two years isn't up, and I don't really see this trial lasting months. Besides, we've still got work to do there," Navi replies to Zetha. She steps up to the desk to check in, repeating, "Cayde, where are you?" into her earpiece. She has a feeling she's wasting her time, but she keeps trying. "Wow... that's incredible, Zetha! That's got to be the best room in the house, or close to it. You're sure to be very comfy there," she says, with an encouraging grin to Zetha.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha stares at the woman behind the counter for a good few heartbeats before she shakes her head. Not in refusal, just in a sort of denial. Navi comes to break the moment and the Twi'lek gives a little smile. "The Senator is very kind for arranging such a thing. I should try to convey my thanks at some point I guess. It's only polite." Stunned beyond belief but she finishes the check in process. "Can trials last months? That's a little disheartening... anyway. Back to Teeno then once it's all over. Nothing from Cayde yet?" She'll pull out her own commlink and message Cayde <You know if you keep ignoring everyone they'll send a search party after you. Thaarin and Master Rykard especially....at least let us know you're okay?>
Volken Mons	"Right.." Well that looks ominous. "Why the shackles?" He does comply however and lays Er'gi down before stepping back and looking at him, then the rest of the room and then..the toxicologist. "You can have wahtever hobby you want.. Just as long as by 'helpin' Er'gi..and me...you don't turn us into one of them."
Athena	"Certainly," the woman behind the desk says with a smile, "After what you did for his wife, it only makes sense! The droids have brought all your baggage up to your room," she tells Zetha, "And here's your key card. Don't lose it. Now enjoy your stay!" And she gestures towards the lift. It's all there. The coordinates, detailed descriptions, and several photos of every angle of each hideout. It's everything Cayde needs, to get there, get in, and get whatever information he needs, and hopefully get out quietly. Hopefully. The train suddenly lurches to a stop, and Cayde will find himself a mile or so from the first hideout. The lothwolf is sitting in front of Jorn, that gilded saber he'd put back earlier in between her teeth. She seems happy. She tilts her head to one side and wags her tail, as if to say that the answer is obvious, but of course, she's just a canine who can't speak basic, so what that answer is remains a mystery. "The only promise I'm going to make is that I am going to try. And if that doesn't work... well," she shrugs, and glances at one of the cages Volken had seen earlier. "You're good as dead anyway. This poison isn't like any old cocktail you'll find on the black market. The plant seems to have some kind of defense mechanism that causes the poison to perfectly tailor itself to individual victims. That's why it's slow acting - the poison is mapping out your genome, and actively figuring out a way to deconstruct it piece by piece." She almost looks happy for a moment. "It's very intriguing. Anyway, don't worry about the shackles. They're just there... in case."
Jorn	"Lead the way," Jorn waves a hand thinking the wolf is more force sensitive than he is. And so, Jorn has a strange trust in this beast. That's when he will take a few steps expecting the animal to move. That's the hope at least.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha steps back from the counter with room key in hand and then tucks it into one of the many pockets on her cargo pants. She might just have to get something practical to begin carrying everything in. Also, she wasn't sure what bags would have been taken to her room. She didn't pack much for this trip and is about to go shopping for at least one or two outfits. Something to match a necklace and something practical. Or as practical as one can look on Coruscant. Now it's just waiting for Navi to check in and then deciding what their next destination is going to be.
Navi	"You've been handed a once in a lifetime opportunity, Zetha. Go ahead and get settled in, and enjoy it," Navi says to Zetha, smiling. "And if you need help getting unpacked, I'll be just a comlink call away, once I get my room keycard." She turns back to the desk to finish checking in.
Volken Mons	"Try. Hard." rumbles Volken, tone growing more moinous now as she further expounds on the dire situation and her glibness about it begins to rub him the wrong way. "Cause if a Mandalorian is backed into a corner...and there's no other option but death... they like goin out in a blaze of glory..." Volkens' eyes narrow behind his helmet's visor. One can practically feel it.. "...And nobody wants that..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde gets off the train and starts heading toward the first den belonging to these 'Verpine's Venom' people.     He goes to silence his commlink, noticing Zetha's message. The padawan frowns somewhat indignantly. It hadn't been -that- long! He sighs and she at least gets a response. Although it's just << Yes okay >>
Athena	The woman at the desk then continues on and checks Navi in, handing Navi a key card as well as telling her the same things she'd told Zetha. But as Zetha and Navi are headed up, the lift doors open and out steps Master Rykard. He doesn't look happy. "He's not in his room, and he's not back at the ship or at the starport," the elder Ikkrukki Master announces. "That can only mean one thing." And his stride takes him straight for the exit of the hotel. "You can join me, if you like, Navi. But I would understand if you'd just like to rest up here at the hotel..." The commlink dings a little too loudly when Cayde goes to silence it. The young padawan will just barely be able to send off a message to Zetha when suddenly, he'll hear heavy footsteps approaching. "I like favors too much to not try," the Harch says, "but I can tell. There's something -special- about this place that's bothering you," she says, "isn't there?" The lothwolf does not move. She just watches Jorn for a moment, then goes up to his pocket and begins to sniff around for another ration bar. At least she drops the gilded saber on the floor to do this.
Zetha Rumir	Almost as if on some weird cue, Zetha's commlink pings. She glances at it and looks up just as Rykard keeps moving. "Cayde's okay." She offers this. "He...didn't tell me where he was. I simply told him what he could expect by being silent, asked if he was okay and he told me yes, okay." She offers this and then shrugs. "Not that I am telling you to stop whatever..." she motions, "this is. But..." Then she has to wonder why Cayde would answer -her- and not anyone else who may have tried to contact him. "And if it's all the same to you all...I am going to go settle into my room I guess. Let me know when you're ready to go shopping, Navi."
Navi	Navi pockets her keycard and follows Zetha to the turbolift banks, just in time to meet Master Rykard coming out of them. "I had a feeling he'd taken off somewhere," she murmurs, giving Zetha a quick hug. "I have a feeling he's not quite as okay as he says, given his close relationship with trouble. Go ahead and get settled in. I'm going with Master Rykard to find him. Hopefully we won't be gone long." She turns to follow the elderly Master. "Lead the way, Master. If you can get in contact with him telepathically, we might have an easier time finding him," she suggests.
Volken Mons	"What is this, an interview? Just get him back on 'is feet." grumbles Volken as he steps away to find something to lean on. Lean on and watch, glowring...but nervous on the inside. Ater a moment, he sighs and tries his comm again. Now that they're not in the gorge maybe there's a chance he can reconnect with the others and if Jorn or their Jedi Minder was also caught by that poison... he needs to know. <<Jorn. Anybody. Answer me...>>
Cayde Alexis	Cayde puts the commlink away and continues toward the coordinates Black had given him, appearing as if unaware of the approaching footfalls. However, he does reach out into the Force, attempting to identify who the footsteps belong to.
Athena	"Thank you," Rykard says to Navi. He looks relieved, and grateful. "I know this is not how you imagined you'd spend your first night back here in Coruscant. But I'm sure tomorrow you'll have plenty of time to relax..." And he starts heading for platform, intending to head for the Lower Levels. When Zetha arrives in her room, she'll likely be even more shocked by how lavish it is. A king sized bed, with shimmersilk curtains. A plate of food, covered up and warm, waiting for her. At least fifty different varieties of expensive teas, a mini-bar, a caf machine, and ten different bottles of wine. And then there's an envelope, sealed with gold wax, addressed to her specifically. It's sitting on the bed, neatly tucked between the pillows. "There's no signal down here," she says, pulling out a needle that will, once again, remind Volken of his traumatic childhood. That needle and syringe are plunged into Er'gi's arm, and the bright blue liquid in it drains from the capsule, into the other massive Mandalorian's body. Er'gi twitches, and his skin starts to turn a pale shade of blue. Was that 'supposed' to happen? Once the lothwolf finds that there's no ration bar in his pocket (or she just doesn't find it), she'll trot off, and then right before Jorn's eyes, sink through the floor, disappear, and then reappear, right at the base of the steps. It may suddenly occur to Jorn, that that is how the lothwolf had gotten him here. It's how she'd transported him the first time, too. She could go anywhere on this planet, likely. A world of opportunities has opened up for Jorn. He could probably find Volken, and maybe even the girl. He just has to tell the lothwolf to go back to where he'd last seen Volken...
Athena	Guards. A couple of Verpine Venom henchmen doing patrols around the perimeter of the hideout. They'd heard the commlink go off and are now coming to investigate, fully armed....
Jorn	Jorn will see how the wolf teleports. Then he will look at the wolf. "Do you know where the girl went?" Because between a scared girl and a big scary mandalorian, it's very apparent who could handle themself. If the wolf doesn't know, then he would go to the big scary Mandalorian. To him it's a matter of need.
Cayde Alexis	Well Cayde might as well start looking for information. He tries reaching more deeply into their minds, in search of anything regarding Senator Grindle. However, he doesn't otherwise move.
Volken Mons	This poison is a bixzarre thing. The fix may be a bixarre thing and whatever ER'gi is going through..he's going to have to as well. So for the moment, Volken just watches. A change in pigmentation ...hopefully temporary...is the least of his worries. But...yeah...ideally it's just temporary. More pressing besides that is the lack of respons eon the comm and the confirmation they can't get a message out. "Dammit..." he grumbles, giving up once that's said. "This gorge is crazy... Shouolda just lit the whole place up from above..."
Navi	"It's okay, Master. I'm used to it," Navi replies, following Master Rykard and reaching out through the Force, questing for a sense of Cayde's location. It's been a long time since she's used this particular power, but the Force is with her. "I was afraid of this... he's in trouble," she reports. "We'd better pick up our pace."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha's mouth just drops as she makes her way into the room. It's a lot. It's almost too much. "All I did was pull a piece of trash out of a ship..." She mutters to herself and then shakes her head. As soon as she notices the scent of food her stomach rumbles but the envelope on the pillow catches her attention first. So she goes to retrieve that before she'll settle at the table where the food is to reveal the meal and whatever the envelope contains at roughly the same time.
Athena	"Oh, I know," Rykard says, "I know..." And then he grabs her hand, and Force leaps both of them onto the top of a passing train, one that's making a beeline for Sector D. Navi will need to call on the Force to steady herself as soon as they land, as the train quickly starts to descend. The letter itself looks like it probably cost whatever Wiis' mortgage had been for the entire year. There's a nice message from Senator Burkenn, written in gold ink and signed personally, that thank her for helping his wife and something something he had to repay the favor, and that he'd love to meet her in person and have her meet his daughter Gianka, as well. If she turns it over she'll see that it's not just a note, it's an invitation, to Gianka's 19th birthday party, hosted at some extravagant opera venue in the Federal District. She might be taking this all in when her commlink goes off... They know him. They've seen him several times. In fact, he used to be a member of their gang. But then... But then, suddenly someone is grabbing Cayde by the back of his shirt and hoisting him up into the air. "Look wot I found, boys!!" Cayde will find himself looking into the eyes of a massive Dowut male who's at least nine feet tall. The lothwolf doesn't seem to understand Jorn. She tilts her head to one side curiously for a moment. She does seem to understand that Jorn is trying to tell her something, so she suddenly moves forward and puts her snout under his hand. Jorn will feel the blade's mood shift suddenly again, and he'll experience a strange sensation, that's hard to pinpoint with words. But it's a feeling of connection, a connection to the lothwolf. She's trying to understand what he wants from her. "Hmph," the Harch says, "if you're just going to sit there and disrupt my work with your idle chatter, I'd rather not have you around." She makes a shooing motion. "Just don't wander too far if you value your life. After all, you're going to need a workup too, eventually."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha sets the invitation aside and considers heavily whether she wants to attend or not. Attending may require something better than a tank top and cargo pants while looking like she climbs through engines for a living. Then her commlink goes off and she reaches to see who the message is from while also deciding that thinking all this through on an empty stomach is a bad idea. So she begins eating.
Navi	"Eep!" Navi squeaks as Master Rykard suddenly grabs her hand and drags her through a prodigious, Force-fueled leap onto the roof of a passing train! She has to call on all of her physical training and the Force to steady herself on landing. Falling off of a train moving this fast could be fatal! "Geez, Master... you could at least say, 'Hang on' first," she grumbles, struggling to steady her wobbly legs in the wake of the stunt.
Jorn	Jorn feels that probing sensation. Then he'll hold the blade. Then he feels a connection to the wolf. Although Jorn will ask general questions like, "Hello?" When they're first connected. This is still as trange sensation, whether it's a human or an animal.
Volken Mons	"Yer the one that was trying to ask me twenty questions. I"m not goin' anywhere until Er'gi is awake and I know he's fine. And also not blue." Volken's response is curt and to the point. An edge to his voice as well. Try and move him if you dare. "Just get 'im done and then get to work on me and we'll be on our way. I got others who might be in trouble."
Cayde Alexis	Ah, so that's why Grindle had been associating with them. He used to be in their membership. But, why'd he leave? Perhaps it would be worth visiting the Senator's office later.     But then, suddenly a massive male Dowut has grabbed him and dangling him in the air. The first instinct would be to struggle, but then, he thinks better of it. Instead, he continues probing their minds, looking for more information, and also what they plan to do with him. Maybe he'll get a chance to meet someone in leadership.
Athena	Zetha might be both happy and dismayed simultaneously to see that she'd received a text from Crane. <hey...u got to Coruscant ok, that's good uvu :) > He isn't calling though, even though they'd both agreed, they'd get on a holocall as soon as she arrived on Coruscant... "I'm sorry!" Rykard says over the sound of the rushing wind, "But there's no time! The other option was hijacking the nearest vehicle!" Well, he was probably right. Navi will sense that Cayde's actually in imminent danger - hopefully by the time her and Master Rykard arrive, it won't be too late! "Look at 'im! Helpless! Haha! Maybe he's worth somethin' tho, looks like a wee Jedi, maybe they'll pay good to get 'im back..." They start dragging him away, towards the permacrete complex that is the Verpine Venom hideout. Unfortunately these guys don't know that much. They've met Grindle before, and known him back in the day but hadn't been close to him. They aren't exactly sure why he left, or if he's actually fully severed ties with the gang or not. Jorn won't really get an answer from the lothwolf. It's just all... feelings, and sensations. She's looking to see what Jorn wants, and mostly ignores his hello. All of a suddenly, she's leaping forward and tugging Jorn's sleeve again. And then, that strange out of body sensation, once more... The Harch doesn't further address Volken. She turns turns around and continues her work, but something may catch Volken's eye. There's a comms console showing a bunch of really old text transmissions logged to it. And one of the contact names showing up under the text transmissions logged there, Volken will recognize. Merrick. Merrick Ren.
Volken Mons	The immense man falls silent and just watches with a heavy glowring gaze. But when he sees the text messages he leans up and starts to move towards the console. He was told to go for a walk and move aorund after all. So his curiousity moving him to the comm console shouldn't be that strange. He inclines his head and leans in slowly .. looking to see what he can see of the text messages.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just lets them take him toward the complex, hoping that someone there will know more than these guys. He also keeps searching for what they plan to do with him once they arrive there. Hopefully, show him to someone with some -rank-. Especially since someone with rank might be pleased with their catch, might give them a reward. A very nice reward....
Zetha Rumir	Zetha reads the message and then relaxes just a little. Then she'll type out a reply. <Yes. Here. Safe. Call when you can, I have a -story- to tell you. And a room to show you. I love you. <3 > Then she sets her commlink down and decides best to keep eating. Everything else can wait, and she has no idea of the peril her friend is in. So food is good. Food is very good.
Navi	"I won't second-guess your choice, Master! The sooner we get there, the better for everyone! Especially Cayde!" Navi replies, raising her voice to be heard over the noise of the train. At least it's a hovertrain, levitated by maglev or repulsorlift technology, so the racket could be worse. She steels herself for an all but guaranteed confrontation when they get where they're going. The only thing she knows for sure is that Cayde is in immediate danger, and that's enough to make her worry. A lot.
Jorn	The dog leaps forward. Then that sensation comes again. However, he doesn't know what any of this means yet. Also, he's not sure if he's in his body, out, on planet, in the temple or anywhere else.
Athena	Zetha will find that just three of the snack sized pastries will make her incredibly full. They're small, but really, really rich. She might patiently await an answer from Crane, but she won't get one until about forty five minutes later. <hey... sorry. Can't right now. Tomorrow?> Zetha might feel that horrible pit in her stomach again, but she'll be distracted by a knock on her door. The train races downward, and eventually, Navi and Master Rykard arrive at the very same platform Cayde had been at earlier. Rykard leaps off the train and hurries towards the complex, discreetly. "This way," he says to Navi, "Hurry." Cayde is dragged away, down, down, down to somewhere dark and wet. There, he's thrown rather violently into the cell while the guards who'd brough him jeer and laugh. Well, not quite how he'd expected things to go. But Cayde will be able to tell that they plan on telling their boss about him, who isn't at the hideout right now. He'll be returning but it might not be until tomorrow afternoon... The messages Volken may peer at are over forty years old. He'll see that the Harch woman had deliberately searched for those old messages. They'll bring back childhood memories Volken probably would have liked to forget. He'd sent her some of his research data, on subjects who had shown significant resistance to certain poisons. And there's... pictures too. He'll recognize the poor souls in them. They'd been there with him, at that terrible, terrible place. After the moment is over, Jorn will find himself lying on the ground again in a bed of wet ferns, staring up at the sky. The lothwolf is licking his hand. They're not very far from that outcropping he'd been on the first time he'd been approached by the lothwolves. It's the last place he'd seen Volken. But, it looks ... different. There's massive green vines covered in weird bioluminescent powder curling around all the trees in this area.
Navi	Navi vaults down from the train's roof and hurries after Master Rykard, resting her hand on the lightsaber clipped to the outside of her medical satchel. She's fully aware that there isn't a second to be lost. Even as she runs, she stretches out with her feelings, aided by the Force, reaching for the Padawan's mind. << Cayde... where are you? Master and I are on our way! >>
Volken Mons	Volken remains still. Almost perfectly so. A sudden coldness comes over him and his hand twitches slightly as he resits the urge to reach out aqnd crush the console into scrap metal with one huge hand. His body quakes slightly but then seems to re-assert control over itself and he finally turns away to look over to her and the work being done on Er'gi. After a second passes he turns and starts taking slow deliberate steps forward to get closer and see the status of Er'gi now. "Looks like yer hobbies are pretty expansive..." he rumbles as he draws closer to her. "And you got some research to really put things to the test..."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha cannot believe that small things could taste so big and fill so quickly. She also is not greedy and so when she feels full, she stops. At the message from Crane, she droops just a little but then replies just as the knock comes to her door. <Tomorrow then. I might be shopping with Navi, just fyi> Then, despite everything that tells her no one should be knocking on her door because no one is here that knows her room, she also has to remember there is staff and it might even be a message about the trial. Or something. So she goes to open the door.
Cayde Alexis	Tomorrow afternoon is noted. Now Cayde waits until they leave, and then checks to see if anyone else is nearby. Did the guards patrol the holding cells? He also checks the lock on the door, to see if he can open it without damaging anything...
Jorn	His eyes narrow as he figures they may not be in the right time. Like somehow this beast time travelled. It's why everything looks so different. He'll look around to see if any of the items they used to clear out the brush is ther.e If not, he'll try to push forward trying to move past the powder, not really trusting this place at all.
Athena	Rykard ducks behind a broken piece of permacrete jutting out of the ground, watching as several Verpine Venom guards continue their patrol of the area. He tells Navi, <I believe he's inside. They've already taken him hostage... I think> He reaches out to the Cayde telepathically, <Cayde, where are you? I told you not to come down here alone!> She may or may not be surprised to see it's Thaarin. He offers her a polite smile and a bow. "I heard you were moved," he says, "this is a nice upgrade. May I come in?" The cell door is a forcefield, one that can only be deactivated by a keycard from the guards. They do patrol the hallway his cell is in, and there's a lot of them so it won't be a problem for Cayde to remove one from one unwitting gangster. However, the issue now is whether he can sneak past them once the field has been shut off... The Harch's eyes narrow. "I told you not to disturb me," she hisses. But then she notices where Volken had been coming from and her eyes narrow with intrigue, "Oh? And what interest would -you- have in whatever Merrick Ren sent me...?" Er'gi is still on the berth, that same pale shade of blue. He doesn't look better, but he also doesn't look worse. The lothwolf yelps and jumps in front of Jorn suddenly. She doesn't seem to want him near the vines. And she's a good tracker, apparently - she'd found the flamethrower they'd used earlier. She drops it at his feet.
Navi	"He's telling you more than me, then," Navi whispers to Master Rykard as she slips into cover beside him. "I've tried to talk to him, but he's not answering my telepathic calls." She palms her lightsaber. "Just give the word, Master."
Cayde Alexis	Or, he can force one of them to simply unlock the cell. Cayde will begin to attempt this as one of them is passing by, when his focus is interrupted by Navi and Master Rykard.     Sigh.     Indeed, he doesn't respond to Navi, but but Rykard will at least be able to tell that he's not actually in distress, per se. In fact, he seems a bit...annoyed. < I know Master > Yes, he knows. He knows what he's doing.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha gives as neutral an expression to Thaarin as she can before shifting to step out of the doorway so he can walk in. "Yeah. Apparently news traveled fast and Senator Burkenn arranged to have me upgraded I guess..." Once Thaarin is in the room and the door shuts she'll also say, "Also, I got Cayde to message me. He said he was fine...but Master Rykard and Navi went to go look for him anyway. Not sure if they managed to tell you anything." She pauses a half breath. "How are you? Managed to settle in any yourself?"
Athena	Rykard grumbles. "He's not telling me much either, I've just become experienced at guessing...!" He peers out from behind the permacrete. "Not yet," he says, then, after a moment, he nods towards a shadow to their left that's been created by a pile of scrap metal. Then he darts towards it, while the guards aren't looking. The guard Cayde had been trying to convince is now wandering away from Cayde. And the rest of the patrol is now too far away.
Volken Mons	Volken has taken some steps around now, looming behind the good scientist as her work continues. He eyes Er'gi with growing unease ..and something more. Building rage. "...Why is he still blue? What're you doing exactly? Tell me. No more flyin' blind..." After a pause he then adds, "As to that data.. Looks t'me like yer conferrin' with a Republic criminal known fer unethical practices. In fact...thought someone collected the bounty on 'im long ago. You busy pickin' up tricks of the trade from him?" His massive hands spasm slightly as he speaks but he just looms behind her. Blessedly, his helmet is still on, hiding the cold expression and the pinprick size of his eyes as he stares down at her and Er'gi. "Whaddya know?"
Cayde Alexis	Ugh! Cayde sighs, exasperated. Why won't anyone just trust him? He sits down and folds his arms, waiting for another patrol to approach.
Navi	Navi follows Master Rykard into cover behind the scrap pile. Peeking around the side of it, she spots an unguarded basement window. "Master... I think we can make entry through that basement window. Nobody seems to be hanging around there," she whispers.
Athena	"That's ... both good news and bad news, I suppose," Thaarin says, stepping inside to have a look around the room. "But I suppose all we can do right is hope and trust that Rykard and Navi have him handled." He offers her a small, hopeful smile. Then he spots the invitation Burkenn had given her. His expression becomes mildly curious. "What's this?" At least Cayde doesn't have to wait long. A group of three of them are coming now. But this is a bit trickier because if one of them starts to behave strangely, the others might restrain him, or call for backup... "Excellent," Rykard says, "you go first. I'll bring up the rear, and make sure the patrols don't return prematurely..." "The antidote I'm trying takes time to reverse the poison and may have some slightly unpleasant side effects like numbness and tingling." Her multiple eyes narrow. "If his condition starts to deteriorate within the next couple of hours, I'll switch to something else." A pause. "I'll have nothing to do with Merrick now," she hisses, "that was years ago, when we worked together on a few projects. He might have been made into a Republic criminal as well but we both escaped with our skin intact. But he took more than what he was owed, and I'll never forgive him for that." The lothwolf nudges the flamethrower she'd found towards Jorn, tilting her head to one side. It would make clearing the debris faster, certainly.
Jorn	Jorn snags the flame thrower. "Alright a weapon, but she was in the crystal. Is that a memory? A prison? Something else?" Jorn sighs knowing that the creature wouldn't answer him. Then he eyes that stone. Thinking it requires him to go in there or something similar.
Zetha Rumir	"Ah. That. Is both a letter of thanks from the Senator...and an invitation to his daughter's 19th birthday party. At an Opera. So he can both meet me and I can join the celebration." Zetha explains this and then seems to hesitate. "I fear accepting the invitation. Having no idea how to dress for such an occasion... much less how to act. And being in a place filled with no one I know is absolutely terrifying..."
Navi	Navi nods firmly to Master Rykard. After waiting a moment to ensure no one is coming, she steals across from the scrap pile to the basement window. Taking a peek to ensure that nobody is inside, she hastily picks out the broken glass with a gloved hand before slipping inside and beckoning to Master Rykard.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde will attempt to affect all three of them at once. One of them to unlock the cell, and other two to simply...look the other way or become distracted by something that isn't actually there in reality. A phantom shadow, or footsteps in a distant corridor. Better go check out that noise!
Athena	The lothwolf barks and biting the arm with the flamethrower gently, leads him towards the strange vines covered in powdery glow. She then whines, looks at him, then to the vines, then at the flamethrower again and barks once more. Thaarin's eyes light up a little. "Why, don't fear accepting, it's an honor. And even if Senator Burkenn isn't as kind as he seems, it's an opportunity to learn more about him." He chuckles softly. "Navi and I can go with you, I'm sure. You won't be alone." Rykard follows Navi. The two of them will be able to sense Cayde nearby, on the floor just below them. Rykard looks around and finding an abandoned stairwell, motions for Navi to follow him down into it. Unfortunately, Cayde's distraction works a little too well. Two of the guards immediately start running down the hallway away from Cayde towards the stairwell where Navi and Rykard are descending, immediately starting to open fire, without even realizing the two of them are there! Well, at least the third guard comes to unlock Cayde's cell?
Cayde Alexis	Cayde hurries out of the cell, but makes a note of its location so that he could go back to it should the situation call for that. But for now, he heads in the opposite direction from Navi and his master, going to search for someone with more rank and thus hopefully more information.
Jorn	Jorn looks over the device slowly, he starts it up. Then slowly begins to work over the vines. Just keeping everything focused on the growth of the plants. His attention focused. Seeing if something strange would happen.
Zetha Rumir	"You say that like invitations don't sometimes arrive with teeth." Zetha says this to Thaarin before shaking her head. "I'll consider it. More so if you and Navi can come with me." Then she looks around the room once more before glancing back to Thaarin. "Remind me when the trial actually starts?"
Navi	Navi nods firmly and follows Master Rykard, her lightsaber in her hand and ready for use. That precaution seems very much warranted; a pair of thugs at the bottom of the stairs, barely in sight of herself or the Master, open fire with blasters! She ignites her lightsaber, using the bright bluish-white blade to turn the blaster bolts back toward the thugs...
Athena	Cayde's wandering won't get him very far before he runs into another patrol of thugs. Upon seeing him, they shout and immediately open fire upon the young padawan! The vines immediately go up in flames, burning to a crisp quickly. The bioluminescent powder burns a bright purple and releases a noxious odor that Jorn will need to use his helmet to filter out. By the look and smell of it, Jorn will likely guess it's poisonous, and that's why the lothwolf had warned him. Rykard mirrors Navi's reaction, pulling out his saber to deflect the shots. Strangely enough, the shots are going very wide of them, so they won't actually need to deflect very many of them. One of the thugs gets knocked out by a deflected bolt, while the other suddenly seems confused and frightened. He runs off shortly after.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde ends up with a few blaster burns, but instead of drawing his lightsaber, he just Force pushes them out of the way and hurries around a corner to get out of their line of sight. Hopefully it will take them a few moments to recover from getting knocked about.
Jorn	Jorn will have the helmet on, and then he'll lean down. Trying to cover the wolf's nose. Just to cover the things' nose as the fumes go into the air. He'll still aim upward and try to shoot. Aiming for the clouds while trying to keep the wolf safe.
Volken Mons	She said the right things....just in time. Volken forcibly calms himself down and then is left to ponder things carefully. He doesn't know ..well...anything about this antidote. Little about the poison. He can't afford -not- to let her do what she's doing but he can't afford to let anything happen to Er'gi either. Then there's the fact Jorn is still missing. Unfortunantely he's in no condition to go out looking for him and wandering in that poison again. "I want you to give him the same treatment that you're giving Caine. He was taken out by that poison mist as well." Volken rumbles. "Nothing can happen to Er'gi. You undrestand....?" Volken leans forawrd now, looming over her. A certain barely restrained menace in him. "...You make sure Er'gi pulls through and is back to the way he's supposed to be..." IT begins as a threat...but then he adds, "...And I'll show you what Merrick's 'work' can produce..."
Athena	"Oh, they might," Thaarin says to Zetha, "but you certainly aren't being prohibited from showing up with a set of your own," the Chiss man says with a wink. "Alright, give it a good think. It would be good for you. That's my opinion, anyway." He stands up, continuing to look around. "Four days from now. Do you feel ready? How's your testimony coming along?"
Navi	"I think Cayde's very close by, Master," Navi says as the second thug flees the scene with all possible speed. "Let's find him and get out of this dump." Lightsaber still in hand and humming, she advances into the corridor with Cayde's cell. "Master, can you sense Cayde around here? I remember feeling his presence very close to here."
Zetha Rumir	"I believe you just want to see how I'll look all cleaned up and dressed pretty." Zetha chides gently with a grin. "I'll think about it. I'm already thinking about it. I just wasn't sure if I should go at it alone." When the conversation turns to the trial she hesitates. "I don't have much of a testimony...I'm not even sure what my role in all this is. Except to provide the truth of the part that was purchased from the yard is likely what caused the drill to explode.."
Athena	The lothwolf sneezes and whines, but seems otherwise unhurt. The clouds of glowing blue burn violent and then green, and then dissipate, but they take a little bit to completely disappear. Well, this might be a long night for Jorn, there's a lot of vines. But the lothwolf is plowing forward, sniffing the ground, tracking... something. Maybe Volken, maybe the girl. Who knows... The Harch narrows her eyes again. "Alright, then answer me this. You were one of his pets, so where is he now? Surely, you didn't just forget about the fact that he just disappeared, and possibly evaded ... punishment?" "Yes," Rykard says, brows furrowed. "I sense him nearby... he's... blast. He's running from us. We'll just have to try to catch up." He then force leaps into the corridor, hoping Navi will follow. No thugs for now, apparently. Meanwhile, as Cayde rounds a corner he'll find himself face to face with another huge Dowutin. "Alright! That's enough from you!" he says, reaching out to grab Cayde by the back of his robe. "We're taking you to -him-." Well, maybe that's the guy Cayde wants, anyway. "You wouldn't be wrong," Thaarin says with a smirk. "You won't, I assure you. A bit selfishly, I do actually want to attend myself. He's connected to Cayde, and I want to know just what he's all about, especially regarding the whole scandal with the former Chancellor." "That's good enough," Thaarin reassures, "but you should write it all down, at least."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde stares up at the towering Dowutin. Another one? There weren't many of them around Coruscant to begin with. But why were they all gravitating toward this particular gang?     Anyway, at least this -was- what he'd wanted. So he doesn't struggle, but does try to probe the Dowut's mind, attempting to learn what he can about this 'him'.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha nods and then moves to sit...somewhere. There's a lot of somewheres to sit really. She finds one near where her backpack is and pulls out her datapad. "Admittedly I had thought about asking you to go with me as a friend, and because I trust you to know how to navigate things like this better than I ever could. You just have to promise not to disappear on me five seconds after arriving..." Then she begins typing on the datapad. "Which also means, as always, your timing is impeccable. And annoying."
Volken Mons	The way she phrased that question was unusual. "So you knew already?" he asks bluntly. "If so that casts a different meanin' on this..." After a pause--Volken rumbles: "I was a child. Of course I dont' know what happened to him. I was taken in as a foundling and then stuck on Mandalore. I had to 'grow up'. Become Mandalorian. Learn their ways. I was a foundling. Not born into the culture but taught by them. Adopted by a man. A good man. I may look human but I'm not exactly human to begin with. My people have traits similar to the Dowutins. Just not as ugly." Volken turns away now to look at Er'gi. "So obviously I didn't continue lookin' for the guy. Why would I? I was to busy gorwin' up ahnd learning to try to control what his experiments did to me and hurtin' alot of people around me in the process. B y the time I was able to make decisions for myself about where to go, for who, and why - I had last heard he'd been caught - maybe killed. It was out of my hands at that point. The fact he owes you money was the least of my concerns."
Jorn	Hearing the wolf wine, "Sorry girl. I'm trying. Alright, I gotta give you a name," he pulls the trigger working on some more vines. "Something I can use to confuse people when I call you, too," he says knowing that may be odd, but it could help in a pinch. Yelling out some kind of weapon term, may keep thinking he's pointing out something. In reality, he's calling hairy backup. "I've spent too much time making sure you're walking away from this to let some vine crap put you down," he keeps focused on those vines. "Stay close if you need cover."
Athena	So they drag Cayde away. Up a flight of stairs, down a hallway. It's not going to feel on those blaster burns he'd gotten earlier, but maybe this was all worth it? The Dowutin carrying him doesn't seem to know Grindle personally, but he does know about him leaving the gang, and that it caused a stir amongst the gang members. Eventually, he winds up in a big room in front of yet another massive Dowutin, armed to the teeth. He doesn't look happy to see Cayde. "Who's this?!" he demands as soon as Cayde is brought in. "I promise I won't," Thaarin says, coming to sit down next to her. He rests a hand on her shoulder briefly. "I promise. And if you want me to help you write, I can," he says with a nod. "I'm no fool," the Harch says calmly, "you made yourself clear when you said you'd show me what Merrick's work could produce. I'm very familiar with his work and you look like one of his experiments." She then looms over him. "And yet," she says, "he is still a concern, isn't he?" Then suddenly, like a phantom, Zealot appears. "He lives," the marauder says, "And he might be... here." The lothwolf wags her tail, suddenly halting her search. She barks, and runs back to Jorn's side. Then she tugs on his sleeve again, impatiently.
Cayde Alexis	Wow, -another- one. Cayde is certain there is a connection here, somewhere. He stares at the grumpy mob boss, already attempting to reach into his mind as well in search of more details about Senator Grindle and the upcoming trial. Outwardly though, he just seems to be staring at nothing a vacant look in his eyes.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha doesn't question it mostly because to do so might damage the friendship. She simply smiles. "Good. Then we'll go. I'll ask Navi when I see her later if she wants to attend as well." Saying this and then she looks to her datapad a moment before looking back to Thaarin. "Actually, I wouldn't mind the help. I can write out a rough draft and you can look it over?" Which, she already begins typing even as she suggests such a thing.
Volken Mons	A table dents as Volken's massive fists plunge downward into it and his weight presses down. His body tenses up, his armor straining and the straps creaking against his impossible physique as his anger boils upwards furiously. "All I care about right now is Er'gi. Get him back on his feet!" The moment of rage subsides and he visibly and physically clams down. "...How do you -know- he's here. -Why- would he be here? Is he with the cloners?" Volken then shakes his head furiously. "No, no. I want Er'gi back on his feet and I want out of here and t'find Jorn. This is too much. I'm going to go crazy."
Jorn	Jorn stops the flames. He looks toward the wolf. "What is it girl?" he asks looking down at the tugging dog. Jorn will follow knowing this dog must be some kind of force sensitive beast or really good at tracking. Getting outside of the temple, he'll focus and turn on the short range communicator the group has been using. <This is Jorn. Volken. Er'gi. Anyone read? over.>
Athena	Well, yes. This grumpy mob boss would appear to actually be related to Grindle. They were brothers. At some point they'd had a falling out, Grindle had left, and this mob boss had been sore about it ever since. When Grindle had left, a large number of their gang had decided to depart as well, vanishing into the Lower Levels, into places he couldn't find. So naturally, he feels bitter. But sometimes... Grindle would leave him credits. Why, remains a mystery. Cayde will be able sense it's complicated, and not at all black and white. But it's deeper than he can perceive, and the mob boss has now grabbed Cayde and is attempting to rag doll him on the ground. "Answer me boy!" He rages. "Perfect," Thaarin says. "I'm sure the two of you can find something proper to wear as well." He offers her another small smile. "Certainly," he says when she asks for help with the draft of her testimony. The Harch doesn't flinch, instead, she looks to Zealot. "How can this be?!" she hisses. "We've surveillance," Zealot says, "nothing concrete. But it's leading." He turns to Volken when asks if he's with the cloners. "Yes." Jorn will find still that the signal's awful. It's unclear whether he'd been successful in sending the message or not, but the lothwolf is leading him towards a small clearing just a few hundred meters to the left. There's a small grove of trees, and in the center of it, is a glowing something, that isn't the vines...
Zetha Rumir	Zetha continues typing on the datapad. It's not going to be eloquent by any means. Just factual and probably with technical Zetha jargon that no one but a handful would understand. She slides the datapad towards Thaarin. "Be gentle. I don't ever write much..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde is thrown onto the ground, the impact sending pain reverberating through his body. But he barely notices it as he is focused on sifting through the Dowut's memories regarding Grindle. And what was this brother's name? Yes, it was complicated, these things were always complicated.     He gets up off the floor slowly, dusting his robes off with his hands before looking up at the angry mob boss. [Angry with your brother] he signs simply. [...or...not angry. Bitter...jealous] Maybe it's just bitterness. [But he helps] he continues, nodding. [Why not follow] he offers.
Volken Mons	"-Why- is this all comin' back on -me-." hisses Volken before putting a hand up to his helmet as if to nurse a headache through the beskar. "I need Er'gi on his feet. I need Jorn. What about Caine? He was down from that poison as well wasn't he? Is he alright?" That he had tried to break Zealot in half - and was at one point contracted to take him out is far from his mind right now. Only this rolling chaos and the increasing hue of red he's seeing in his eyes. "He was brilliant. Merrick. If he's with the cloners that can't be good. It means that they could be makin' good on whatever crazy scheme they have. We gotta take 'em out!"
Navi	"He's running from us... the /least surprising/ part of this whole side trip," Navi grumbles, leaping after Master Rykard and continuing to follow him. She does deactivate her lightsaber, since it's a lot easier to run with that thing extinguished. "Not far now, Master... and I think somebody might be beating him up. Another Tuesday for Cayde."
Jorn	Jorn looks about the vines, slowly, carefully. The darkness may have obfuscated his vision or he could be looking in the wrong spot. It's hard to tell.
Athena	Thaarin laughs softly and briefly, glancing at it briefly. "Well it's certainly nothing like Cayde's draft, which is a good thing." He mulls it over a little bit more, skimming it thoughtfully. "Not bad," he says, brows furrowing pensively, "not bad at all..." Though he starts to make some edits. This just appears to enrage the mob boss. He lets out a feral cry, and points at Cayde. "Kill him!!!" And then the thugs start shooting. "You're right!" Rykard says, "and we -must- hurry!" he Force leaps towards the room where Cayde is being held hostage and just as the thugs start shooting, he knocks the door down with a Force push. "Navi, to me!" "It takes time," Zealot says, and the Harch turns to Volken. "I don't know about the Baron. He's faring worse and there's not much I can do at this point except hope that the medication I gave him to remedy his allergic reaction to the antidote works." "We need a geneticist," Zealot says, and Volken may suddenly realize that even as much as he hates the Baron, if Merrick is involved... they -are- going to need him. There's a small, glowing amulet sitting on a stump in the middle of the small grove. The lothwolf is nudging it with her snout.
Jorn	Going to the gem, Jorn does try to delcitately pluck this up. Using his gloves to make sure he's careful to touch it. Gems and this place are not normal things. He's afraid of another vision because Jorn's still wrapping his head around the first round.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde finally does draw his lightsaber, the blade crackling into existence and deflecting at least some of those bolts. However, some of them result in a few -more- blaster burns. Well, it seems he will have to pay this Senator Grindle a visit.     Oh, look, Master and Navi have arrived with perfect timing.
Zetha Rumir	"It's just the truth from my perspective. Though I still wonder why it's even needed. Are we trying to clear someone of charges or make the charges stick? I can't remember what this whole thing was for. So much has happened since we first talked about it." Zetha offers while watching him make edits.
Volken Mons	Hate is too strong. He finds him a nuisance. Aggravating and he'd enjoy bullying him into the ground but Volken is practical in matters of war and destruction and the more Mandalorians the better. It's just ... can he be trusted. But it's becoming clearer to him now that he's just as much a victim of this as anyone. Caine, for all his insanity, certainly didn't intend to get poisoned by a plant that is increasingly turning out to likely be artifical in origin and the work of these mad scientists. "Unbelievable.." Volken rumbles while stepping away to take a seat. He seems to come to terms with that htey are legitimately trying to help Er'gi so him looming there furiously isn't helping. And he's poisoned as well. "Looks like you all were trapped here by this mess as well..." he concedes. "We can't do much here. There's maybe a guy that can be helpful. A missin' doctor..." He'd been carrying the pack with him this whole time and he brings it out to begin looking through it again.
Navi	Navi has just enough time to register the words, 'Kill him!' as she and Master Rykard burst through the doors of the room. With a burst of speed, she sprints half the length of the room, her lightsaber igniting and coming up into a guard position, and then another, and another, turning back blaster bolts from the Verpine Venom thugs and the Dowutins. "Didn't you ever read that wherever you see one Jedi, there's at least five that you don't see?" she demands of the gang leader. "Now you can either tell us what you want with the Padawan you kidnapped, or we can keep turning your little pals into Navi's Wroshyr-Smoked Thug Bites. Name your flavor!"
Athena	"Make the charges stick," Thaarin says, that pensive look on his features remaining. "Every criminal has to be tried, and generally, if the government can do its job properly, they'll get put away for life. But, on occasion, things can become complicated and these criminals are sometimes pardoned and allowed to freely roam the galaxy. I've seen it happen before." Rykard immediately assists Navi in deflecting the blaster bolts, but then immediately notices Cayde's here, just in time to find the young padawan incapacitated on the ground. "Navi! He's here, and he's injured. Take him, and make sure he's well when you can. I'll cover you!" And then he goes to leap in front of the attacking thugs. Zealot seems to be frustrated by what little Volken has to offer in the way of clues as to where the doctor is. He examines the pack and the test tubes, then shaking his head, sweeps it up and tosses it aside into a drawer. Then he disappears back into another dark, adjacent hallway. The Harch hisses. "We've -been- trapped here. Our vessel has been grounded in the Gorge for months. But we're survivors, and we always do what we must in order to stay alive." She turns to him. "Now. Lie down. It's your turn now." Well, Jorn will get another vision, but this one feels less attached to reality. It feels like a mindscape of sorts, but not a bad one. <Hello?? Soren...? Is that y-- oh...> the voice of a young female... it's the girl!
Jorn	<"Not Soren. I thought I saw you in the other crystal."> There's a pause as he waits for a response. To the outside world Jorn is probably still. His hand on the saber though, just force of habit. <"Are you trapped here?"> it's a genuine question.
Navi	"On it, Master!" Navi hastily scoops Cayde up in both arms, with a strength that might seem surprising for the relatively slender Sethi, and darts back the way they had come. "Now if I can just get someplace quiet and unpolluted with thugs, I can get you back on your feet..." she murmurs, running as fast as she can with a double armload of Padawan.
Zetha Rumir	"Okay so what's the crime then? How does this go from the Chadra Fan who bought the drill mechanism from the junkyard under protest that I don't tell anyone to someone being charged with a crime that leads to trial?" Zetha seems genuinely curious or helplessly confused. Likely a bit of both. "I should probably put in the part about you bringing the drill back to the yard so we could reassemble it for further assessment?"
Volken Mons	Zealot's intense frustration doesn't go unnoticed but it could just be...well..what she just said. Apparently they are less hiding out here and more trapped here. Maybe if you all spent less time on Caine's wild goose chases you wouldn't be trapped.." he grumbles before obliging and laying down on an indicated table to let her get to work. "The doc was clearly leaving in a hurry and headin' further into the gorge. If he'd have stayed and not gone stompin' off I mighta been able to tell 'im something about what I saw before I came across Er'gi..." Either way, Volken just lays down and waits now.
Athena	<Oo-oh. I-It's.. it's you> Jorn will feel the presence draw nearer. <I'm sorry I hurt you!> There's no sound of sobbing, but Jorn will feel it in his soul. It's a piercing feeling. <You're safe here. I promise> But the girl sounds like she's in immense pain. <h-how did you find it> Rykard at least is able to make short work of the thugs. Soon, he's by Navi's side, and they're heading straight back for the platform. "How is he?" he asks the Sephi girl, his tone laced with concern. Thaarin laughs again, softly. "If I explained it all right now, you'd never get your testimony done. And don't worry, I added a note in there about mentioning that." "Hard to refuse a million credits each," the Harch says with a sigh, "even so, some of us have left, to go work for the cloners." As soon as Volken lies down, a syringe full of blue liquid goes into Volken's neck. It doesn't feel good at all. It burns and feels ice cold at the same time.
Navi	"I don't think he's badly hurt... just in shock. Once we can stop and I can work on him through the Force, I'll have a clearer picture of what's wrong," Navi replies. "Aside from maybe him needing to lose a few pounds, I mean..."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha nods. "Very well then. But maybe lets make some time to discuss the specifics as much as I can know and so that I understand what's going on." She looks down to the datapad then back up to Thaarin. "If that's alright I mean. And you have the time."
Volken Mons	There's not much else Volken can do but just lie there. Lie there and think. It's not a good feeling but he wouldn't be ...well ...who he is ...if he wasn't able to take it. He'll suffer but it is what it is. Especiall if the alternative is dying.
Cayde Alexis	Once Navi and Rykard have arrived at the station, Cayde suddenly wakes up to find the Sephi girl carrying him.     Which he definitely has a problem with.     He quickly scrambles out of her grasp and steps away from her before hurrying toward the station platform, even though she hasn't yet seen to his wounds.
Athena	Jorn won't be able to see the girl, but there's a strange sensation of her presence drawing nearer. Not physically nearer, but whatever telepathic that's bond that's connecting them has now become just a tiny bit stronger. <I'm.. I am. I'm trapped. But...> There's a feeling of being distressed. <Not here. I don't know ... I don't know where> Thaarin offers Zetha a small and brief smile and nods. "Of course," he says, coming to sit down next to her. "And gain some more common sense," Rykard grumbles at Navi's comment. "Cayde!" He booms as the padawan hurries towards the station platform. "Come back here -now-." Cayde and Navi will then espy a familiar darkly clad figure standing at the platform, waiting, hands clasped behind his back.... Black.
Navi	Navi blinks owlishly at Master Rykard, coming to a stop as he finishes grumbling. "Cayde had common sense?" she asks him guilelessly. And then Cayde squirms out of her grasp and hurries away. "Oh, for... Cayde, just stop, okay? You've got more blaster burns than the backstop at the Republic armed forces blaster range, and they need treating," she calls after him, just a bit frustrated, but not really angry at this point. Then she sees who's waiting for them at the platform. "Be on your guard, Master... that's Agent Black," she whispers. "I doubt we're in any danger from him, but he's a very hard one to trust."
Jorn	Jorn looks about the place for a few moments. <Tell me something. Anything. Your name. What you last remember. Something about the place you're at. I need more, if I'm to find you.> Jorn's own thoughts just run a mile a minute as he tries to learn something about his new query. Oh, this is going to be quite interesting as he is unsure where this would even lead him. Still, he will try to hear whatever replies may come.
Zetha Rumir	"I mean I don't really need all the details. I'm just really confused about how the drill becomes part of this whole ordeal. Like am I proving some sort of nefarious intent?" Zetha asks this after Thaarin sits beside her and she tucks her legs under herself to sit more comfortably. Or whatever counts for comfort for her.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde stops in his tracks, not when Rykard or Navi tells him to, but upon seeing Black just waiting there. Well that was unexpected. Did he want something? The padawan just stares at him for a few moments, then turns back toward Navi and his Master.
Athena	There's that feeling of distress again. <Remembering is hard. It's so hard. I'm not sure I even know my own name anymore. <I..I... I've been here a long time, that's all I know. It's dark, there's no sun. I can't remember the last time I even ate...> Thaarin looks amused. "Zetha, it's alright. Don't overthink this. You, in particular don't need to try to prove anything, that's the duty of the defense and prosecutor. Just state the facts, in great detail. You're serving as a witness, so expect to be thoroughly interrogated by the defendant." He picks up the datapad again. When Navi mentions Black, Rykard's expression darkens, but as Cayde approaches, he motions for the padawan to hurry up. "See to his wounds," he says to Navi,"Cayde. Explain yourself."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha gives what can only be described as a dry look to Thaarin. "I'm sorry, have you met me? Hi. I'm Zetha. I overthink everything because choices matter and I've spent the last little bit of my life apparently making a lot of bad ones." Then she cracks a smile, it's not a perfect smile but it at least reaches her eyes. "I get it though. Just say what happened. Answer everything truthfully. And understand that most everything else is out of our hands because in the end the actual choice is up to someone else."
Navi	"Hold still for a sec," Navi gently instructs Cayde, reaching deep into the Force and adjusting its flow within herself, between herself and Cayde, and finally within Cayde himself, urging the biological processes around the wounds to work faster to heal the burns and knit the damaged skin...
Cayde Alexis	Cayde sighs when his master demands he explain himself. Explaining, it was always so hard. Why did he need to explain himself if he could just -show- it?     There is a pause...a long pause. [...find Vlaven...find witness for trial...find Zetha parents...Criminal group involved] he finally adds, nodding. Yeah, that one. The Verpine Venom.
Jorn	Jorn listens a little bit. <What is the last thing you remember before getitng there?> Jorn will ask before he knows he needs to pull away. To find where this person could be. He has so many questions now. Simultaneously feeling like he's on an important mission and a fool's errand. Still, the hunter would still try to find her, because who else would?
Athena	At this Thaarin actually laughs, just a little. "And remember," he says, "if the judge and defense are intimidating, well, that's normal for a court of law. Try to be rational, and keep your cool." He then starts to make some more notes on the datapad, his expression becoming pensive. Rykard nods in approval as Navi starts uses the Force heal Cayde's wounds. When Cayde starts to explain himself, Rykard's brows simply furrow in disapproval. Cayde will know this look, all too well. It means 'I know you can do better.' But before Cayde can respond, Black approaches. He salutes Rykard curtly, and then nods at Navi in greeting. "Hello, Master Rykard. I don't think we've formally met. Black, here." He then glances to Navi. "Long time no see, Navi. Doesn't look like Tenoo's been treating you too well... that's a shame." He turns to Cayde. "I came here to personally let you know that I think you did an excellent job down there," he says, "congratulations. Also, I've made a bit of progress on the case regarding Zetha Rumir's parents." <....> The feeling of distress increases. Jorn's head might hurt a little now. <I'm... I don't know. I'm trying very hard to remember. But I'm very bad at that. Very bad...> There's a pause. <Maybe you can tell me about yourself? How you ended up where you are. Maybe it will help me remember ... things....>
Zetha Rumir	"Soooo...I should probably leave my incredible wit and wonderful sarcasm at the door then. That's a shame." Zetha offers this while watching him make a few more notes on the datapad. "How's it coming along anyway?"
Navi	"Next time bring some help along. Going to a gang hideout alone is a fast way to wind up on a missing persons list, even for a Jedi Knight," Navi says softly in the wake of Cayde's explanation. But she has no time to say more, because Black is approaching. "It hasn't exactly been a dream vacation, but I knew it wasn't going to be," she replies to the man in black, shrugging. "So what do you want?" She looks to Master Rykard as Black praises Cayde, arcing one pale eyebrow. "Was he watching the same fight we were?" she asks, semi-incredulously.
Jorn	Jorn's head hurts as he speaks plainly <"Just a nerf herder that got lost."> The term is derrogatory and it's not far from the truth. He smirks in his mind and tries to break the connection, trying to figure out anything he saw in his mind's eye against things he has see with the actual eyes. It may take a moment.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde deflates at that disapproving look. But, it was just so much!     [Thank you] he signs when Black seems to think he did a great job. Well...he got a lead on Senator Grindle, at least.     He glances at Navi on her comment about bringing help, but doesn't respond otherwise.
Athena	Thaarin gives her a mild and brief smile. "Yes, sadly," he says, glancing over at her. "Like I said before, not bad. You've a bit of a bad habit of making run-on sentences, but otherwise, it's shaping up decently." "Well, I'm working a case as favor to Cayde," he tells Navi, "but I'm going to need to talk to Zetha herself in order to keep working it," he says, then looks over to Cayde. "I was thinking, I could just accompany you all back to where you're staying, as I'd assume that's where you're all headed? We can even debrief there, if you'd like," he says to Cayde. The connection severs, and suddenly Jorn will find himself back in the small grove, the amulet still in his hand, glowing slightly. The lothwolf is sat to his left, her head tilted to one side, inquisitively.
Navi	Navi nods quietly at Black. "If Zetha's okay with it, I am, too. But Master Rykard is the one you really need to ask, since he's over the vast majority of the party," she says, looking to the elder Jedi Master. "What do you think, Master?"
Jorn	"I don't know where she is," Jorn says to the wolf, almost regretably. "She doesn't remember," Jorn pants out as he knows there's some mental strain on both of their ends. "We need to keep moving. Maybe luck will be on our side," he tries to stand to get going.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha makes a face but then she shrugs and reaches to grab something from the table to nibble on while they talk. "Well, run-on sentences aren't the worst and can be fixed. I'm sure I'll have it better put together by the trial."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods at the suggestion, but he also glances toward his master as Navi does. Right, he had been asking earlier about their accommodations. However, he hasn't even been there himself yet, so he doesn't remember exactly which hotel it was.
Athena	Rykard's brow furrows. He clearly already has distaste for Black, for obvious reasons. "..." "Very well. Let's go - the Alisandre is in the Federal District." He then starts towards the platform. <Cayde why did you deliberately disobey me> The lothwolf whines quietly and then moves over to the flamethrower again, nudging it with her snout. Indeed, they best get moving, and maybe at some point they'll hit a spot that has signal... Thaarin finishes the edits and hands it to Zetha. "Well, I think that should cover it." If Zetha glances down at it, she'll see it's actually covered in red marks. So much for 'not bad'. Meanwhile, Volken will find the contents of the syringe surging through his veins. Perhaps for the first time in a long time, he'll find it very difficult to move even his pinky finger - whatever the Harch has injected him with has made his limbs burn icy hot and go limp.
Jorn	Deep down, Jorn hates this moment. It feels like leaving a soldier behind. Like he knows there's a fallen comerade, but he doesn't know where to begin looking. Taking out the flame thrower, he begins to burn away the brush anew. Just pushing onward and trying to ignore the feeling.
Zetha Rumir	"Well..." Zetha offers as she looks at the datapad and adjusts her seating position a little bit. "Good thing I didn't ask you to go easy on me. I'll get this fixed up."
Navi	Navi nods to Master Rykard and falls more or less into step beside him toward the platform. She has a bad feeling about this, but what choice is there, really? With the exception of Black, everyone involved is someone she cares about.
Volken Mons	There's not much he can do except think. And hopefully he'll be able to at least continue to do that. Volken is indeed not used to the idea of restraints, let alone restraints he can't just break - but despite peoples view of him...and his own actions have played a role there....he is a man of logic and practicality and if he has to endure this to ensure he, Er'gi and the rest of his 'team' survives then he'll have to endure it. Hopefully he can keep his thoughts from wandering too far, such as back to the confusion and rage about Merrick.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde begins to follow them toward the platform, his lips pressing into a slight pout at his master's question. <I didn't...I explained my best.> Oh, he knows what Rykard is talking about, but of course he's just trying to dodge the question.
Athena	The lothwolf sniffs the amulet for a few moments. Then she bounds off to the left, barking loudly. She paws at another patch of vines covered in glowing blue powder. As Jorn approaches, she howls impatiently. Thaarin nods, and stands up. "I'll be back later, I promise," he says, "and I'll have a look at your edits then." He then goes to exit her room. <Cayde> And Rykard won't have to say anymore. The padawan will know what he means. Soon, they're all boarding the platform and headed for the Alisandre Hotel. About an hour later, they're stepping into the lobby of their fancy lodgings. Black goes up the hostess at the counter. "I need to speak with Zetha Rumir," he says, "Police business." He flashes his badge briefly, and looking intimidated, she tells him, immediately. Black then turns to Cayde. "Maybe you should accompany me?" Minutes tick by, hours may even pass. Volken may even drift in and out of consciousness - whatever she'd injected him with has a sedative effect. At some point, he'll wake to pitch blackness and a familiar voice croaking out, "Volken?" It's Er'gi.
Jorn	Jorn continues and then the wolf bounds off. He almost snarls running after the thing, with the torch in hand. "WHEN WE GET OFF WORLD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LONG TALK ABOUT WHO IS THE MASTER," he snarls just bounding after the wolf, thinking the wolf is very intune with the force. However, their lack of communication barrier makes their relationship somewhat difficult at times.
Volken Mons	"Er'gi..." Voklen is disorientated and in a state of confusio but he has to presume he's alive and that Er'gi is also alive - but the pitch darkness is concerning. "Wha...wha's happening." He starts trying to sit up, to see if hs limbs are back in action and then to see what the current status is. "We're...alive I suppose. Either that or this is one ...bizarre afterlife." It's a joke but things could be much worse. They could be dead.
Navi	"Maybe I should come along, too," Navi opines softly. "I consider her a friend, and she may need some emotional support."
Zetha Rumir	"Of course. See you soon." Zetha says this before settling back in her seat with datapad in her lap and a treat in her hand. Content to spend a little time working on the edits Thaarin laid out for her.
Cayde Alexis	Master Rykard probably already knows why Cayde had run off on his own multiple times when told not to. In fact, he probably has already seen that the padawan had indeed considered telling his master but then decided against it because he -wanted- to handle it on his own. He simply and sincerely believed that he'd had the situation under control. That he knew exactly what he was doing.     When Black suggests he should come along, Cayde nods. Zetha doesn't know the man, after all.
Athena	The lothwolf gives him a bashful, puppy eyed look. But as soon as the vines are burned out of her way, she dashes off again, howling at, apparently nothing. Well, at least he can track her via all the noise she's making! "I...I don't know. I thought....I thought you'd know." Volken will find that his limbs are working at least, and will feel more clear headed than before. He'll still feel rather weak, though. The lights will flick on at that moment, too. And Volken will find he's where he'd been before - lying on that hard berth the Harch had instructed him to lie on before she'd injected him with... only light knows what. Black glances at Navi, and shrugs. "Suit yourself," he says, and then immediately starts heading for the lift, expecting Cayde and Navi to follow. Rykard frowns. <I'm late to meeting the Council because of this> he tells Cayde <But we're going to talk after I'm done>
Jorn	And he will do his best to not injure the wolf if more brush needs to be blown away. Still, he will be in hot pursuit, no pun. Trying to find where the heck the wolf is going. At least she's easy to track right now.
Volken Mons	"Ugh....maybe they're trustworthy after all. At lesat where mutual survival is involved..." Volken struggles to begin to sit up, moving his enormous body carefuly and then twisting to try and get a look at Er'gi. "Were'...on the Marauders ship. There was..some sorta plant that had grown all over the gorge. Giving off a poisnous fume. The Marauders are strandered here too. Caine's here somewhere. You guys took a big hit fromthe spores. I got hit a litle bit but ...managed to carry you far enough until the Marauders found us. I don't now where Jorn is, or the Jedi. Gotta get a signal to 'em somehow but we're ins ome sorta deadzone....." That was alot of explaining and it wiped him. He takes a second to pull it together and then slowly tries to sit up full, not being one to lay down now. "Gotta find...Jorn. These...cloners. They're workin' with a real bad geneticist.. This whole thing is just...meassier and messier."
Navi	Navi glances at Cayde, then Black, then Master Rykard, before moving to follow Black and, presumably, Cayde. Why must the man in black be so infuriating superior?
Cayde Alexis	<Sorry Master> Cayde responds. This apology is about lateness to the Council meeting though, and not really for not listening earlier. He doesn't seem to have any objections about Navi coming, so he just follows them up toward Zetha's room.     While waiting for the elevator, the padawan takes out his commlink and sends the Twi'lek girl a message: << I have someone help with your parents >> Hopefully, she's in at the moment.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha's in the middle of fixing a sentence that was practically -covered- in red when her communicator beeps. She checks the message, raises a brow, and then frowns. <<That was...fast. I'm up in my room.>>
Athena	Jorn might be surprised to find the lothwolf is following the same trail that he, Volken, and Caine had laid out earlier for getting to the laboratory Caine had been working at previously. Well, that's enlightening, at least. Perhaps the girl is... there? "... the marauder's ship?!" Volken will be able to see the gargantuan silhouette of the other Mandalorian somewhere vaguely over where he'd last remembered he'd been. "Right. I think I remember that." There's a pause. "And how would you know?" Er'gi says tentatively, as if afraid of the answer. Not even a second after Zetha gets the message from Cayde, the doorbell for her room rings. If she opens the door, she'll find Black standing there in the hallway, Cayde and Navi right behind him. "Hello there," he says with a brief but casual wave.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha sets her datapad down and rises from her seat to go and open the door. Upon seeing the face of a man she does not know at all she's half a mind to shut the door in his face until she spots Cayde and Navi behind him. "Hello." Then she shifts and opens the door a little wider. "Please, come in."
Navi	"Sorry to disturb you," Navi says as Zetha opens the door and invites them in. "Zetha, this is Agent Black. I'll let him explain why he's here. Cayde might have some input on that, too." She steps into the room behind Cayde and Black.
Volken Mons	"How would I know what?" asks Volken tiredly, "..About...the geneticist? I saw his name on a database here and confirmed the info with the marauders. Unless they're just lyin'...Which at this point seems like that'd be a waste of resources and time for everyone involved." Volken peers towards Er'gi now, trying to get a good look at him to see his status. "You were dyin', Er'gi." he rumbles, "Probably only Caine was lookin' as bad. How're you feelin'?" Volken then looks around and tries to just get off of the table he was on and steady himself, "And where is everybody? We're wastin' time sitting here... Gotta find Jorn. If he's out in that mess ..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods in greeting toward Zetha, and follows the others in as she lets them enter. He already did give said input, right? She'd responded to his message, so it's safe to assume she read it.
Jorn	Jorn just groans deeply and turns on the flame thrower to clear a path toward that facility. Pratically growling beneath the helm, he presses forward just heading toward the facility. There's not quite murder on the mind. The man is just so ready to push forward, get off this planet and go to where the galaxy needs him next.
Athena	Zetha might be slightly taken aback and intimidated by the man now allowing himself into her room. He certainly lives up to his name - clad entirely in black, and a face obscured by a wide brimmed hat and a mask fitted with reflective goggles alarmingly similar to the ones the marauders like Zealot wore. His trench coat almost reaches the floor, and the voice modulator his mask is using makes it utterly impossible to tell what species he is, other than the fact that he's probably at least vaguely humanoid. Not only that, but he towers a whole two heads over Zetha. "Thank you," he says, when she invites him in, "You're Zetha Rumir, correct? As Navi mentioned, you may call me Black. I'm with the CSF, and a good friend to Cayde." He gestures at a chair nearby. "Sit down, please." There's a pause, before Er'gi finally says, "Well, what I meant was, what would you know about a geneticist?" Another pause. "Haar'chak! I was...? Well, I've certainly felt better, but I've also certainly felt worse. What about you? I'm going to be honest, I don't think either of us are in any shape yet to do any kind of anything..." Jorn and his lothwolf companion will press forward, until night falls again. At this point, they'll have to make camp again, it's too dark, and the lothwolf seems tired. At least they've cleared their way out of those terrible vines. Up ahead, Jorn will espy a small grotto not far from the edge of a pond surrounded by glowing, airborne insects. It looks as good as any other place to stop...
Zetha Rumir	Zetha takes a breath as everyone enters the room before letting the door shut and then walking inside. She smiles at Navi first. "It's alright. I needed a break from Thaarin's excessive grammar lesson." She offers the other woman before looking to Cayde. She'd say a multitude of things to him, but not in mixed company with someone she doesn't know even if Black mentions they're good friends. That alone feels suspect. "It's good to see you, Cayde. And in one piece." She muses gently before shifting to take a seat as Black indicates for her to do. In her own room. Rude. "Yes, I am Zetha Rumir. Cayde mentioned this might have something to do with my parents?"
Volken Mons	Volken tiredly drops his head back to the table. "Yer right. There's no point in pushin' it. Dont' have the gear necessary to get through those plants and there's probably no coming back from a second exposure..." AFter a long pause he just sighs and lays there, not saying anything. Frowning. Pensive. There's no way to get a message to Jorn without getting out of the deadzone. They can't goa nywhere on their own without the help of the Marauders and they have no idea of Caine's status. They're stuck unless he just goes on a tear in some sort of tantrum...which wouldnt' help much. "You didn't know, vod?" he finally rumbles, "...I guess why would you. Others do. I"m a foundling. An ex-republic geneticist was experimenting on me with enhancments. Me and others. My buir took me in after they rescued us during an operation dealing with the pirates the ex-republic guy was waorkin' for. His name was Merrick. Thought he was dead but turns out - years later - he's screwed over the Marauders as well adn who knows how many others."
Navi	Navi takes a seat close to Zetha, glancing at her friend and nodding briefly as she does so. A quiet gesture of support.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde frowns very slightly when Black goes ahead and takes the liberty of saying that he is a 'good friend'. The padawan isn't so sure about that part. But as per usual, the conversation moves on without him so he doesn't get the chance to attempt to mention anything.
Jorn	There's a narrow of the eyes as this is starting to feel too familiar. Like a path, or clearing before it. Jorn isn't sure if he should setup camp or burn the whole thing down. Both seem like acceptable options. Everything just feels like the last time he came to a clearing. He can no longer tell if this is one big circle or if something is playing tricks on him. It's why there's a deep seated distrust forming.
Athena	"Well yes. I'm working the case regarding where your parents are now, as a favor to Cayde. He's been an incredible asset to me in the past," he says, "I figured it was about time I paid the favor forward. Anyway. Tell me about yourself, Zetha, and what you -do- know about your parents. You've lived on Tenoo your whole life, correct? Under the care of the Zabrak woman Wiis Fevlok since you were about, oh, 7?" For now, he pays no mind to either Navi or Cayde. There's a very quiet sigh from Er'gi. "I guess fate has a funny sense of humor, vod," he says quietly. "That's terrible news. I'd rush out there too, but my legs feel like an asteroid in a gravity field. Maybe the first step is seeing if these marauders have got any way at all to communicate with anyone outside the Gorge." Jorn is probably in the middle of contemplating his next move when all of a sudden, it starts raining. The lothwolf is eying the grotto, but suspiciously. It seems innocuous enough... for now.
Jorn	Eyes narrowing, he figures the rain would keep him froing doing much. And so, Jorn will startoget ready for camp. Trying to go to the outskirts of the grotta. The insects aren't trusted. The last grotto gave him an animal, but also saw him get attacked, too. Jorn just tries to set this up quietly and quickly. He'll hunker down and try to find maps of this place. The Mando thining he needs to find a way offworld soon. Also, to figure out where everyone else has been. They were all together until the paths separated them.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha blinks and then looks from Black to Navi and Cayde before back again. "Yes. That's right. Wiis found me when I was abandoned on Tenoo...so I grew up there. Cayde recently helped me unlock some memories. I was abandoned by slavers who owned my parents. Apparently I was too much liability for them..." She explains this but then she regards Black with a bit more of a pointed gaze. "I've only been here for less than a day... how is it you've already taken the case and managed to find that information about me?"
Volken Mons	"I'm honestly not tryin' to think about it Er'gi. I was just a kid...but whatever he did to me stuck. He took whatever was the baseline of my species and just amped it up. I kept growin' didn't stop. You never thought it was wierd when you met me for the first time?" He quiets for a moment and then rumbles, "ANyway...yer right. I can't do anything about it now. I just wanna find Jorn and get off this forsaken planet. The jedi didn't turn out to be no help either. If Jorn wants to stay he can but once this part of the job is finished I'm done..." That said, he shakes his head and looks around, "Course we can't do anything if the Marauders won't cooperate or if Caine dies."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde notices Zetha's unease, which was somewhat expected. Black was sometimes a bit intimidating, which honestly is liability at times. Such as right now. [He is with CSF] he explains to her, nodding. [He will help with your parents location]
Athena	The lothwolf lingers while Jorn starts to set up camp. But after a few minutes, she seems restless. She starts pacing, whining, and staring into the dark abyss of the grotto. She then barks and trots back over to Jorn. She's trying to tell him something again, she has that look in her eyes and her head is tilted to one side. "Mm," Black says, pulling out a datapad and scrolling its contents lazily. "What a cute little thing you are," he comments, "don't you know how people like me work? Navi and Cayde can vouch for me. Anyway, was Cayde able to recover anything from your memories regarding the slavers? And where was this, Tenoo? Or somewhere else in the Outer Rim?" "Vod, I'm sorry to hear that. We'll get him, I promise. Even if we don't get anything else out of this -- at least you'll get retribution. And maybe answers." Er'gi pauses. "Wait, Caine's here too? Where is he..."
Navi	"He's got a habit of knowing things it doesn't seem like he should know," Navi adds, a bit wryly. "Though I suspect Cayde may have provided him a few tidbits of information out of a desire to help, and he scraped up the rest from other sources." Her eyes, now locked on Zetha's, say, 'You shouldn't really trust this guy'.
Volken Mons	"Somewhere in this ship. He took a big huff of the same poison that took you out. They found im when they found us both." rumbles Volken.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde listens to the conversation, sighing a little when Black starts talking about him in his presence. Fine, it was kind of normal, but still...
Athena	"Now," Black says, "why do you say that like it's bad thing? I'm informed, and it's my job to be informed. Not only that, but it's good that Cayde has a desire to help, and contrary to what some -other- folk might believe, I think he's a great help and asset." He turns to the young padawan. "I'm sorry for talking about you like you're not here - that probably happens to you all the time, doesn't it? I won't do it again. Perhaps you'd like to tell us what you know about Zetha's parents first?"
Zetha Rumir	"Oh yeah. Because I've totally met people like you before..." Zetha quips back before settling back in her seat a bit. At his next question she seems to think. "I mean. The memory I had was from Tenoo... there were a few memories before from the slaver's ship. Zygerrians. But the last bit I remembered was them mentioning Dantooine...then they were gone." Then she adds, "But I remembered their names. My parents I mean. Dra'on, my father, and Tandi, my mother..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods when Black recognizes his slight distaste for being talked about as if not in the room, while he actually is in the room. Had it been that obvious? He hopes not. He hadn't intended to let that on to anyone.     [They belonged to slavers...Zygerrians] he signs, even as Zetha also corroborates that information.
Navi	"Because the ways you become so informed tend to play games with other sentients' ethical comfort zones," Navi replies without hesitation. "And Cayde's desire to help you may lead him into similar ethically questionable territory. Like the last time you encouraged him to help you. But I also don't see anyone else lining up to help Zetha find out about her parents, so... here we are."
Athena	Black nods, listening intently to everything Zetha is saying, the white lenses of his goggles unblinking. His attentiveness is similar to the way Crane always listened actively, and maybe she'll suddenly find herself missing her boyfriend. "Right," Black says, "I had a lead about Dantooine, too, so this is good that both of you are corroborating," he says, nodding at Cayde briefly. When Navi starts talking about the way he plays games, he suddenly stands. "I'm a man who values actual solutions above idle chatter about progress that isn't happening," he says, suddenly starting to make his way towards the bathroom, beckoning for Zetha to follow, "and I won't lie, people tend to come to me when they've exhausted all their other means of problem solving. Kurrnak didn't hire me because he thinks I'm a good man. He hired me because I'm practical, and I get him the results he needs to stay chief of the CSF." He goes over to the massive bath and pulling the curtain aside, turns the faucet on. Zetha might wonder what the hell he's doing, but Navi and Cayde might already get a sense of what he's aiming for here.
Zetha Rumir	"Tenoo wasn't going to have much in the way on information and we just got to Coruscant so I wouldn't say I've exhausted all other means of problem solving..." Zetha protests even as she stands to follow him to the bathroom. Though, of course, she's absolutely confused as to why he's leading here there. And turning on the faucet. "What was the lead on Dantooine? Did they ever make it there?"
Navi	"And as long as those 'actual solutions' don't walk on other sentients' lawful rights, they're not a problem," Navi retorts softly. "But the idea that you have nothing to fear if you aren't guilty is the greatest lie one sentient ever told another." She watches Black begin filling the massive bath and can't quite keep back a faint shudder. "He's doing the water thing again," she says softly to Cayde. "Be ready for trouble."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde doesn't follow him over to the bathroom, but watches him start to fill the bath, sighing. Oh, he knows where this is going. But why won't he just tell them the lead? Supposedly he also had other questions for Zetha?
Athena	"Well, isn't that what all of us want to know?" Black says, "you can ask Cayde, I'm not lying. I don't actually know the answer to your question. There's actually very little in the way of where your parents went other than 'they went to Dantooine.' Now that's a whole ass planet, and only light knows if they stayed there or not. Given the fact that they were slaves, I'd reckon not." He looks over at Navi. "Maybe, but you certainly don't have to fear that from -me-. I work for the CSF remember? They're the good guys." "Now, I know what you're thinking. How does this help anyone?" He makes a beckoning motion at Cayde. "I need details about the ship. Fine details. The bulkhead, the cargo bay, even the color of the seat cushions if there were any." "Cayde, I know you're fully capable of managing this. You just have to manifest the same confidence I have. And we have some... safety precautions. Navi's here, and I've got some sedative." He pulls a syringe from his pocket and waves it casually while making his way over to the hotel intercom. "Is this the front desk? Oh, yes. I need every gram of salt you have in this fine establishment. And yes, this is government business."
Navi	"Even good guys can make tragic mistakes. Just ask the Council," Navi replies, less than convinced. "And are we going wading again? Asking on behalf of a safety precaution."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha just stares for a moment as the tub fills with water and Black prattles on about more information he needs. And that he has a sedative. She looks from Black to Cayde, then Navi and back again. "I'm sorry. Can you actually explain to me what the kriff you're doing and why you're doing it? Nothing else is happening here until you put it in plain terms. And if I don't like them, I reserve the right to tell you to leave." And to cancel the order of salt he just made without actually getting any kind of permission or agreement to turn her bathtub into the ocean.
Athena	Somewhere in the darkness, there's a sound like a rusted bench being bent in half. Then there's a clanking sound, and a grunt. Must've been Er'gi sitting up and rolling off the berth. "Can't see a damn thing... Volken, vod, can you follow the sound of my voice? We've got to find the Baron..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just watches the conversation, putting a hand on Navi's shoulder when she asks about the wading, shaking his head. [I will] he signs, indicating that she doesn't have to join him. He was the one who had offered to help Zetha find her parents, after all.
Volken Mons	"I dont like this. Hy are th'damn lights off? Er'gi you better check to make sure you'v got all yer beskar." Volken begins doing the same, reaching down to feel for his various armor bits and pieces, especially the vambraces he has on him as his built in weaponry was attached. Ss he does, he rises up and attempts to follow the sound of Er'gi's voice back towards the table he had been on when the antitodte had been prescribed. "If that damn antitdote did anything to us I'm gonna pull this place apart." he warns. Sure he's glad to be alive but he also didn't sign up for any further changes to his body and he certainly didn't volunteer Er'gi for that. "There was a console near where they had you strapped down. Thats where I saw Merrick's name. Maybe there's some control for the lights near there."
Navi	Navi lays a hand gently over Cayde's, looking soberly into his eyes. "I'm a safety precaution, remember?" she asks. "I've got to be there."
Athena	Black suddenly raises his hands in mock surrender. "Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't clear," he says, and it's impossible to know whether he's being sincere or not from his tone, but he continues, "we're trying to find your parents. I owe Cayde, and he wanted my help. I hope that clarifies things." He traces the knob on the faucet. "Now, if you'd rather -not- find your parents, well, that's completely fine by me. I'll head down the fire escape, disappear from your life forever and none of this ever has to come up again. But everyone here knows as well as I do, that you'll be walking away from the only chance you're ever going to get for finding your parents." He glances to Cayde and Navi. "That's why he's willing, and even Navi, who clearly has distaste for my methodologies, is stepping up to the plate." "Now. The question remains, do you, or do you not, want to find your parents?" "Haar'chak! I don't have any of my beskar. I don't even have my own weapons... those marauder aruetii!" Volken will also similarly find his vambraces confiscated - but getting up and walking over to Er'gi won't prove to be difficult. Already, he'll find himself feeling more and more like himself. As he approaches the sound of Er'gi's voice, he'll see a dark shape hovering in the dimly lit laboratory. "Yeah... let's try to find it," the other behemoth says.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde's expression hardens at Navi's words, and he rolls his eyes. No he definitely didn't like hearing that. He was supposed to have moved -on- from things like 'safety precautions' by now. And how well ever do that if he never actually -tries- to do things on his own? But he doesn't protest further.
Navi	"I think she means more specific details about the use of the bathtub, and why you need so much salt," Navi says, slightly pointedly, to Black. "And I restate my original question... am I going to have to go wading again? I don't want to get my clothes wet, so I need to know if I'm going to have to undress for this." Cayde's eyeroll is returned in kind. "Remember what Master Rykard said," she whispers. "Besides, the only time you ever truly outgrow precautions and redundancy is when you become one with the Force."
Zetha Rumir	"Listen here you bantha fodder fielding nerf herder..." Zetha glares at Black. "I don't need the sass, or the sarcasm, or the bullshit you're tossing my way right now. I want to know how a tub full of salt water is going to help find my parents. Or get close to finding them. What I don't need is someone who I barely know pussyfooting their way into the questions of my life without said explanations." She folds her arms across her chest then. She's pretty sure this wasn't what Rykard had in mind. Black's obviously not with the Order. "It's a flipping bathtub how deep are you expecting to go? Wading? Someone please make this make sense or you can all just get the hell out of my room."
Volken Mons	Volken says nothing. He's too furious. Even if he's a little on the lighter side of matters concering The Way he's still Mandalorian and this theft is something of a violation and an affront on numerous levels. Too numerous to count. Er'gi's string of curses sums it up pretty well so he simply reaches around when he realizes he's near enough to Er'gi to assess where the monirots were and starts fiddlign with it, pushing for buttons and trying his best to not simply try and crush the thing with his now exposed hands. "ONe thing atta time..." he growls out, tone tight with rage. "We need to see before we do any killin'."
Athena	Black doesn't seem at all bothered by Zetha's sharp words. Instead, he chuckles. "Feisty, aren't you?" He waves a hand dismissively. "Well, go on, Cayde. Why don't you explain to her what's going on, since you know the drill." Then he looks to Navi. "You know it as well, of course you'll be getting wet. I'll leave the decision about what you want to do with the clothes you're wearing up to you." -- "Vod..." Er'gi says, his tone tenuous. "You're not well. Step back, let me see what I can do." Er'gi goes to move where Volken is standing, starting to grope for any kind of control that might turn the lights back on. Perhaps he's successful, perhaps he's not - the lights suddenly turn back on, and perched atop one of the many metal shelves in this cursed laboratory, is Zealot. "You want your beskar," he says matter of factly, "and you want to know about Merrick." A pause, and then he leaps down. "Your companion is right. You are not in control of yourself right now."
Navi	"This is quite a bit different from the last time you tried something like this," Navi points out irritably to Black. "For one thing, you were using a deliberately-constructed chamber. This is completely improvised." She looks to Zetha, calming herself somewhat. "I think he's trying to improvise some kind of Force resonance chamber, to make telepathy and related uses of the Force stronger and more clear. I'm not a hundred percent sure why the salt is needed, for what it's worth. I think he wants Cayde to navigate deep into your mind to find some of your earliest memories and examine them in great detail, to find any details that might point to where your parents might be."
Volken Mons	"Give me a break. If I wasns't in control of myself this place would alrady be a twisted hunk o'metal. You folk had -no- right to take our Beskar off. You nkow how important the metal and armor is to us." Volken finally looks around to get a look at ER'gi and then down at himself, perpetually suspicious and looking for signs of any side efforts or signs that they were trying any funny business with them while they were out. "Beskar first. Cain and Jorn second. I ddin't even know Merrick was ..alive...let alone mixed up in all of this...."
Zetha Rumir	"Why can't you simply answer it? You always need someone else in the room to speak for you?" Zetha asks this before her attention turns to Navi. "Yes. That makes absolute sense. Dig into the mind of someone who was abandoned nearly two decades ago and find whatever remnants might point to where the ship that left her behind ever wound up going to. By all means..." She leans back against a wall then, obviously very full of sarcasm and very close to the end of her patience.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just lets Navi explain, after all, she could say it far better than he ever could. But Zetha doesn't seem too keen on it, so he just shrugs. [Only if Zetha wants] he signs. He wouldn't enter an unwilling individual's mind unless there was a good reason. Like a life or death situation, or if he needed to find information from criminals or bad actors.
Athena	"Well, I can't very well bring her to the CSF HQ and lead her blindfolded into a room with all the lights off," He says, "I think she'd like that even less," he says with a chuckle, "you're right, it is completely improvised. But it'll work." He looks to Zetha. "Why Zetha my dear, you're absolutely correct. I do, actually. You probably aren't aware, but that is exactly how I work. Kurrnak is always asking me for covert favors. It's why the CSF runs as well as it does. I don't exist according to the public. But that way, Kurrnak can tell the Chancellor that he's keeping Coruscant safe. I've not much of an ego, you see." "Well, it's worked before, right, Cayde?" Then he shrugs, and waves dismissively. "The truth of the matter is -- whoever took your parents really -really- wanted to vanish. And they did. Better than I've seen anyone do it, in my entire life. And that's saying a lot, because you wouldn't believe some of the shit I've seen pulled. But I can find them, because I have strategy, and access to individuals and resources that most PI's don't have access to." He gestures vaguely at Cayde and Navi. "But if you'd rather just not find your parents ... well." He shrugs. "We can stop wasting water." -- "Fair enough," Zealot comments flatly. He doesn't respond to Volken's comment about how much their beskar means to them. He then motions vaguely, and a droid with a hovercart appears. Their beskar is on it. He reaches over and picks up Volken's chest piece, briefly draping it over himself before tossing it to the behemoth. "The Baron is barely alive," he says to Volken. "The same cannot be said for Merrick. While you were unconscious, we've found his trail."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha holds up a single finger. "It's just Zetha." She says and then glances to Cayde after a moment. "If you think it will work and will help... I'm willing to do it. Mostly because I trust you both." Saying this while motioning to Navi. "And while I'm not footing the bill for this stay it probably is a good idea we do this now before we run up the water bill any higher."
Volken Mons	Volken's face turns even more red as Zealot dares to play with his armor so casually. Then he narrows his eyes slightly and seems to relax slighlty as he watches that perculiar action. "Stop playin' games with my stuff." he finally growls out though he eyes him for a few longer seconds before finally claiming the armor piece and waiting fort he droid to bring the rst to him and Er'gi. He spares the other towering Mandolorian a glance and then looks back at Zealot. "If Caine's barely alive...well... damn I don't want the di'kut to die from something like this but maybe it'll teach him about abandoning the people with him to strike out on his own. And I want your help locating Jorn. We shouldn't go trying to take Merrick down unless everybody is with us. Now he's still out there... I bet the Jedi's already made it back to the temple so we mgiht as well just keep at it."
Navi	"If you're sure. Cayde and I will do our best to find whatever's there to be found, and to make sure you aren't harmed or traumatized in the process," Navi says reassuringly as she takes a seat, shrugs off her light field jacket, and begins to unstrap her boots. "Telepathy is almost totally safe, but there's always a slight chance of things going wrong."
Cayde Alexis	[It will work...help is not sure] Cayde replies, shrugging. [But we have chance] he tells her. He can't guarantee anything. But it was worth an attempt, at least.
Athena	"Navi, Cayde and I can't give you any guarantees. But it's worth a shot, and it's certainly better than groping around in the dark for a lead that doesn't exist," he says, waving a hand casually. When she mentions not running up the water bill, he gets up and turns the water off, since the bath is now full. "Now," he says, offering her a hand and patting the edge of the bath. "Sit here. The salt--" The doorbell rings, "ah. Cayde, will you do the honors and get the salt from the maintenance droid?" He then looks to Navi. "You're ready, right?" Zealot just tilts his head to one side, his mask hiding his true expression as he watches Volken and Er'gi take back all their armor. "We need the Baron. Merrick's trail is bound to grow cold soon." A pause. "We won't find him without the Baron. And as for Jorn... he has become impossible to track. We suspect the lothwolves are involved." "However, we can turn off the jammer for forty five minutes. And if fate is on your side, you may be able to reach Jorn."
Navi	"As ready as I can be under the circumstances," Navi replies to Black, finishing her undressing and standing to walk over to the bath barefoot and in her underwear. "If I'd known I was going to be taking a dip today, I'd've brought my bikini," she adds wryly, and only half jokingly.
Volken Mons	"That's more coopeation than I expected..." mutters Volken as he begins strapping his Beskar back on, working as quickl as he can but also haphazardly - still being a little out of it. There's no point in rushing to get the helmet back on anyway. That ship has long sailed. "Are you alright with that, Er'gi?" He takes a moment to really give the other Mandalorian a good once over visually. Er'gi was -much- worse off than he was after all but apparently not nearly as bad as Caine. "And as much as I can't stand the guy I aint wishin' for The Baron's death. Obviously him livin' is better then dying but what're we suposed t'do if that cure isn't working? And what's a Lothwolf?"
Zetha Rumir	Zetha doesn't take the offered hand, but she does move to go sit on the edge of the tub, unzips her cargo pants at the knees to turn them into cargo shorts, and then puts her feet into the water. She does give a look to Navi that might blatantly show how utterly ridiculous she thinks this is without saying anything.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods and goes to fetch the slat from the droid, and then steps into the water. He doesn't take any of his clothes off, though. Did he forget? Well he hadn't done that last time, either. It's rather awkward looking, though.
Athena	Black bows slightly and gestures for Navi to make her way over to the bath, also offering her a hand as she goes to touch the water from the bath. Black makes no mention of Cayde not taking off any of his clothes, not even his shoes. Instead, he lifts the bags of salt onto the edge of the bath and dumps them all in, giving it a good swish before shaking his hands dry. Then he goes over to the windows, draws the curtains, and then finally shuts off the lights. "I suggest you relax, Zetha," his disembodied voice comes from somewhere in the pitch blackness. "Best not to resist under these kinds of circumstances, but I'm sure you already know that." -- Er'gi nods. The other Mandalorian looks better, but still weak as hell and definitely not in any kind of fighting shape. "I don't think we have much choice," He says quietly, rubbing his head after donning his armor. "You'll have more than just a false cure to worry about if we do not find Merrick soon," Zealot replies. "Force sensitive creatures. But these are genetically modified. They can do all manner of things ordinary lothwolves can do and likely more, but appear to be less intelligent. It is best to tread carefully. We do not yet know what they are fully capable of." Then he turns to leave.
Navi	Navi steps carefully into the bath, but remains standing until the salt has been added. Only after the bags have been laid aside and the rim of the tub has been dried does she seat herself on the rim, gently touching Zetha's hand with one of her hands, and Cayde's hand with the other. "Try to relax," she says gently to Zetha. "Just let your mind empty out and contemplate the backs of your eyelids. Cayde and I will do the rest." Even as she speaks, she reaches into the Force, tweaking its flow between herself, Cayde, and Zetha, letting the salt water solution quietly amplify and clarify the effect...
Volken Mons	"You';re not gonna be much help, vod." rumbles Volken, switching to Man'doa to address Er'gi as Zealot turns to leave. "..You were -really- bad... but I guess that means The Baron must have -reallllllyy- gotten a bad dosage of it if what they did for you isn't workin' for him. Your constitution probably helped. I guess bein' as big as a small moon has its advantages." He then switches back to Basic and says, "Alright..fine. Let's do it... Don't underestimate Jorn though. If what yer sayin' about these wolves is on point... they might be drawn to him cause of what he's carryin', yeah?" He shakes his head and makes to start following Zealot, "More of that stupid force sorcery stuff..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde sits down on the other side of Zetha from Navi, and begins to focus on the Twi'lek's memories again, similar to the way he'd done before. Though there is still the fact that he doesn't much like Navi being there. Try as he might to perish the thought, it simply won't go away, like a nagging little voice in the back of his mind that says he's not strong enough to train with a real saber. Plus, does he -really- trust her? Thoughts of Xera Graf start to sneak in...
Zetha Rumir	As the room dims and then the lights go off to make it pitch black Zetha freezes for a moment. When she hears Navi's voice though, she relaxes a little bit, taking slow breaths like she's done before. Then, maybe she senses Cayde's hesitation. Maybe she remembers from the first time they did this. She knows where Cayde is - mostly - and so she reaches a hand out until finding his to touch gently at first - just letting him know it's there - but keeping it near in case he wants to take it. Trust. She said back then she trusts him and that isn't suddenly disappearing anytime soon.
Athena	The sensory deprivation tank is improvised, but its magic still works wonders. Zetha, Cayde, and Navi will find themselves plunged to a level of the subconscious that's deeper than what's comfortable - but this won't be unfamiliar for Cayde and Navi. It's not unlike the -other- time they'd done this... with Vlaven... Zetha will find herself no longer moored to the present, but instead, a floating, disembodied conscience, drifting the mindscape created by Navi and Cayde... "I'm going to try," Er'gi says hoarsely, a streak of determination in his tone. Zealot doesn't respond, but he inclines his head ever so slightly. He leads them to a room containing a comms console. After interacting with it for a minute or two, he turns to Volken. "I've shut off the jammer. Your best bet for any kind of signal will be in here." And then he exits, vanishing in the dimly lit hallway outside the comms room.
Volken Mons	"I carried your oversized butt for who knows how many miles thorugh a poisoned fog, Er'gi. If you go out there and just die, I might have to kill you for it..." grumbles Volken, but that's all the griping he'll do. Er'gi is Mandalorian after all. He'd probably have to kill him at least three times. "Okay let's see if we can get Jorn on the comms I guess..." He gives another glance as Zealot leves - looking in that direction for a few seconds before turning to look over the comm systems to begin fiddling.
Navi	Navi slips into the background of the mindscape, letting Cayde handle the bulk of the questioning and other telepathic work. She's a safety precaution, after all; she's mostly there just in case something begins to go wrong.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde does his best to stay focused, and begin to focus on Zetha's distant past as before. The day she was abandoned on Tenoo, and then further back from that. The ship she had been on...what was it like? Had she previously been to Dantooine? Why were they headed to Tenoo to begin with?
Zetha Rumir	Zetha remembers larger things at first. A room that - for a child - seemed a little too big. It was also too plain. Too grey. Too metal. Only a few funiture pieces inside it. A bed and a cot. A table with three mis-matched chairs. An argument between her parents that was sharp whispers she couldn't make out too well. Zetha never being allowed off the ship because it would cause too much trouble. A few trips made to Outer Rim worlds, but Tenoo was specifically chosen because it was the furthest away from Dantooine where she could be left because she was already trouble at seven years old.
Athena	The mindscape will feel alarmingly real. For Zetha, it will be as if she'd been transported back in time to when she was seven, living in that barren room that's a little big for her... -- "Nonsense, vod. You're not in that much better shape, and neither of us are surviving without each other," Er'gi says. Well it looks as if fate is in fact on their side, after all. There's some signal, now that the jammer's off. The console he's been given access to is very rudimentary - no holovideo and limited data upload, but at least Volken will be able to at least send a text transmission off to Jorn. He'll also see that he's got some incoming text transmissions from varying folk - that Disciple Crane, from Kublop, and surprisingly, one from the Duke Thyssel himself...
Navi	<< Don't let the mindscape overwhelm you, Zetha... it may feel incredibly real, but it's not, >> Navi advises gently. << We're looking at some of your earliest memories. Images and sounds from the past. It can be pretty intense. Just remember, it's not real. >>
Cayde Alexis	Hmm, maybe it was possible for Zetha to change things in the memory a bit. Pretend her seven year old self went and did a little more exploring of certain corners of her mind that she hadn't focused on much before. Like maybe some more of the things her parents had been saying. Had she ever been to the bridge, or engineering?
Zetha Rumir	That was how trouble started. The ship would land, her parents would be led away and someone forgot to lock the door. So Zetha would slip out after several moments when she knew the ship was cleared enough. Then she would wander. Into the kitchen where the staples were barely edible for the slaves, and sometimes to the engine room. The engine room was the best part. Something would be sparking and she would try to fix it. The ship lost power at least three times. But the design of engineering shows it couldn't be the biggest ship in the galaxy of course. Something mid-sized perhaps. There were rooms enough for a few more slaves - either single or coupled - and a small crew. She also might have tried a few doors that she couldn't open. One might have been the bridge. She never found out.
Athena	Navi and Cayde will continue to find themselves immersed in Zetha's mindscape... well, that is, until both of them will feel someone shaking their shoulders rather aggressively. It's Black. "Someone's at the door, knocking. And if I had to guess who it is, it's likely one of the Jedi..." He's already draining the bath. "Cayde, Navi... we'll follow up about this later, yeah?" The lothwolf tugs on Jorn's sleeve. She seems wary of the grotto - and Jorn might see why, somewhere deep within something stirs. The green Mandalorian will be able to hear the faintest of gurgles. But he may be loathe to leave this spot, as it does appear that he actually does have a bit of signal here. His commlink is pinging loudly. Messages from Volken, and the Duke himself are flooding into his inbox.
Navi	"Ugh..!" Navi startles out of the reverie of the sensory-deprivation chamber and the telepathic bond. "Frell... fine. Just let me know when," she murmurs, borrowing the hydroshower spray nozzle to spritz the salt water off of her legs before drying them with a convenient towel. Thank the Force for luxury hotel housekeeping... "I'll see who's at the door. Cayde, you might want to wring yourself out a few dozen times before you join me. Then maybe I'll have a moment to dress," the Sephi adds, padding across the luxurious carpet on bare feet toward the door. She presses the button for the security intercom beside the door. "Yes? How may I help you?" she asks politely.
Jorn	He has the flame thrower in his hand. The mandalorian starts to look over everything. He's concerned with the sight as he moves slowly. Just ready to pull the trigger firmly. However, he wants to look before pulling the trigger.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde does not wring himself out a few dozen times. Or at all. He just gets up out of the bath, dragging the sopping wet ends of his robes across the floor. Then he just sheds the wet robe, dumping it onto the floor before going to get a fresh set from his luggage.
Athena	Black doesn't respond to Navi. In a few minutes, he's gone-- the only evidence of him having been here, an open window and a wet bathtub. When Navi asks who's at the door, she'll get a curt but polite reply. "It's me, Master Rykard. Thaarin's with me. Is Cayde in there? We must all speak." Nothing... yet. But the gurgling sound is getting louder. That can't be good. The white lothwolf whines, and his commlink pings loudly again. Perhaps he should shut it off, for now. Volken's attention might be drawn to the Duke's message first. <We're on Tenoo. Where are you? Are you alright?>
Navi	"Here, I'll let you in," Navi replies. "I apologize for my state of dress. I'll explain once you're inside, unless you'd rather I get my clothes first." She disengages the lock and toggles the door open to admit Master Rykard and Thaarin, standing to one side of the doorway so she's not so easily visible from anywhere but right at the door.
Jorn	Shutting off the com, Jorn starts to move about the place a little quicker. Trying not to shoot at anythin ghtat moves, but moving at every sound. trying to keep his guard up before anything. He keeps moving trying to get toward the gurgle. He's concerned about well...everything.
Volken Mons	"What the.. how th'hell.." Volken is briefly shocked. Then it hits him. "Kass..." He glances at Er'gi "Looks like they found us. Given the situation we're gonna just have ta risk it, I think, vod. After all this time, Jorn should be able to handle himself as far as the Saber goes." With that, he activates his comm and sends a reply back out. <<Stay where you are. We're hidden with a group of allies, trying to take down a group of illegal cloners and genetic augmenters. How many are with you?" No sense in giving their exact position away just yet in case this is a trap. Plus they can always turn the jammer back on. <<Is Thaelin with you?">> ANd then to Jorn he sends a message, <<Can you get to our location?>>
Cayde Alexis	Cayde already knew it was Master Rykard. And he already has an idea of what he wants to speak about, which is nothing good. He sighs and sits down in the living area, not looking forward to this.
Athena	The door opens, and Master Rykard, along with Thaarin, enter the room. The elderly Ikkrukki is indeed, rather displeased, and Cayde will know it the second he enters the room. Thaarin, naturally, frowns at Cayde's wet robes lying on the floor. "What happened here?" he asks. Rykard waves for Navi to fetch a robe, or something. "I suppose I'm not in a hurry," he says, but the Sephi girl will be able to tell his patience is running thin. Not towards her, though... Rykard turns to Cayde, his brows slightly furrowed. Oh, the young padawan will know what his Master wants... The gurgle is getting louder, and louder. Whatever's in that grotto, is coming out. Perhaps Jorn's communicator had drawn attention to him. Or perhaps whatever it is, is nocturnal. A few moments pass, and Jorn will be able to see two narrow amber eyes, angled and glowing, emerging from the grotto. "That's.. maybe not unwelcome news," Er'gi says quietly, rubbing his head. "The Duke has always meant well..." <<At least ten. You'll have to tell me more. We'll try. Wherever you are, it's looking like our systems are having a hard time locking onto your position. Thaelin's with me, yes. And so is Sanza."
Navi	Navi toggles the door shut behind the two men. "Just give me a moment, Master," she says, walking briskly to the bathroom to retrieve her clothes. As she steps partway behind the bathroom doorway and begins to dress, careful not to step on the sopping wet robe on the floor, she listens somewhat sympathetically to the conversation in the next room. "Cayde and I were assisting Agent Black in trying to find Zetha's missing parents... it involved an improvised sensory-deprivation chamber that was mostly a bathtub filled with salt water inside a dark room. I decided I'd rather not get my clothes wet when I had to put my feet and legs into the water," she explains.
Cayde Alexis	Oh, Cayde knows. Which makes it worse, to a degree.     He stares at the floor, just letting Navi talk for the time being. He'll stall until someone addresses him directly...
Jorn	Jorn did turn off the communicator a bit ago. This may cause that message from Volken to fall on deaf ears. He will look at the two eyes. That gurgling noise isn't someone drowning. However, he does keep focus on the eyes and takes a few small steps back just in case. Just to give himself an idea to dodge or move just in case.
Volken Mons	"Not unwelcome but given everything that's happened we can't be to careful either. We've already died...three times now. I'm not going for a fourth, especially from our own peoples cannon fire." Looking around, Volken rumbles, "The Marauders are probably using the dampening field to stay hidden from the cloners and with Merrick with them and probably behind all the crazy stuff in the gorge we can't just expect them to turn it off to let a bunch of trained Mandalorians to come dropping in." He grows quiet, measuring his next words. Then answrs the comms again: "We have to keep this dampenin' field up to stay hidden from the cloners. There's a facility somewhere in a large gorge. A ravine. It's filled with poisonous traps and likely mutated beasts. Don't enter it or fire on it. You'll risk spreadin' the spores out over the settlement. If you can get an airborn survey and spot anything unusual try and send it back t'us otherwise standby for our signal.." Volken's voice lowers now, a hint of his older chaos-prone self beginning to show, buried as it has been for some time now due to the positions he's been forced into: "I'll make sure you see it..."
Athena	Rykard looks about, frowning. "I want to know more about this ... Agent Black," he says, and spares Cayde another disappointed look. "And what about this sensory deprivation chamber. Something tells me this isn't the first time. Cayde? You're not excused from offering your explanation, as well." A massive serpent emerges from the grotto. The size of it is unnatural, even for a place like Tenoo. It will strike Jorn as discomfortingly odd. The lothwolf has her tail between her legs, and she's growling, ears flattened. The slithering thing is approaching. It hasn't attacked... not yet, anyway. But the look it's giving seems to indicate its hunger. "Well, we're still walking around, aren't we?" Er'gi offers weakly, "that counts for something, in my books." <<Copy that. Stay safe in the meantime>> And then the transmission is cuts off.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde shrugs at the questions about Black. [He work for CSF...for Kurrnak.] he signs, glancing over at Navi.     [Chamber aids with meditation...connection to Force] he continues. There really wasn't much more to add, beyond what the Sephi had already explained as well.
Navi	"I can tell you that Agent Black is exceptionally dedicated to the CSF and is known for methods that don't always follow the letter of the law. He has a habit of getting results, but I'm not so sure about the cost of them," Navi replies. "This is the second time Cayde and I have used a sensory-deprivation chamber with him, although the first such use was not so improvised as this one. It was done to bolster our telepathic abilities and Force abilities more than anything. More than that, I just don't know."
Jorn	Jorn's holding still. Just waiting for the thing to strike. No sudden moves. Two thoughts linger. Only two. That causes a paln to go in motion. The flamer is in one hand. The other hand moves slow. Nothing sudden. It just goes for the hilt of the dark side. The plan. When this thing goes to strike, dodge, counter strike with the blade. Hope the blade is firm enough to filet this thing. Some new snake skin boots sound very nice.
Volken Mons	"It does yeah... " agrees Volken towards Er'gi as the transfmission cuts off. "It does... Still, if I go down I certainly don't want it t'be to friendly fire... -Assuming- it's friendly fire and that wasn't a trick to get us to come out in the open and get bombed. But it sounds like their on foot. We need some way to be able to reach out to them when it's time to strike the labs but I guess we'll have to convince the Marauders that a gang of Mandalorians are worth havin' at their sides and not with their guns at their backs." Shrugging, Volken rests his hands on his hips and looks at the consoles, "...Shouldn't be that hard. As for Jorn? Cant do anything if his comm aint on .... hopefully he aint dead but considering it's Jorn: I doubt it. You couldn't even kill him yourself."
Athena	Both Rykard and Thaarin seem visibly discomfited by Navi's words, Rykard more than Thaarin. But Thaarin is always a hard read. He speaks before the Master Jedi does. "... are his methods... safe?" he asks, his brows furrowing slightly. "What is your opinion of him," he then asks, glancing from Navi to Cayde. The giant serpent is approaching slowly, that hungry look in its eyes still acutely present. It finally comes to a halt, its serpentine gaze surveying Jorn and the lothwolf. Then suddenly, it strikes, mouth agape...! "True," Er'gi says, "but the elements here nearly killed me. Anyway, I wasn't really trying to kill him. Was just venting... as all Mandalorians tend to do when tensions are high..." There's a pause. "We ought to go see the state of the Baron. We're not finding anything without him, unfortunately..."
Navi	"So far they have been," Navi replies as she continues dressing. "I've never seen him put anyone in undue danger, at least. I'm just not sure I agree with some of his methods, whether he gets results or not. I have concerns that one day he will go too far beyond the edge of the law."
Volken Mons	"When I vent... vod....things go a little crazy..." Volken's looking away when he says this, eyes on the monitors and hands squeezing one of the console railings. The signs of the stress this has been causing show some signs of appearing as his arms tense and his armor creaks. When he lifts his hands up, the metal is visibly dented and twisted and he turns away from it to step away and move past Er'gi for the door. "Yeah, come on... B'fore they think we're in here breaking stuff.."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just shrugs again at Rykard's question on his opinion of Black. He looks over to Navi as she speaks her own piece, though. He can't deny that the man gets results...that's probably why Kurrnak keeps him around, anyway. Besides, any replacement would probably end up doing the same things.
Jorn	Jorn prepares, but he zigs instead of zags. Oh, this is going to hurt. He's not sure how. But the man will do everything to hold onto the blade.
Athena	"What do you mean?" Thaarin says, eyes narrowing. He offers Navi some help with dressing, helping her slip on the sleeves of whatever she's putting on. "Won't Kurrnak reprimand him, then?" Rykard interjects. "I have my hesitations about this... bath that he's supposedly had Cayde utilize on more than one occasion." He then turns to Cayde. "You approve of this man," He says, and it doesn't sound like a question, but Cayde will sense that his master is testing him. Er'gi nods. "I know, vod, I'm the same way..." He then goes to follow Volken out of the comms center. "Are you sure you're going to be alright...?" he says. "I've... never seen you like this before." The serpent lunges forward and one of its fangs grazes his arm. Yeah, that's definitely not gonna feel great to Jorn. His blade misses striking it, but at least the green armored Mandalorian will get to keep his dignity - the blade doesn't drop into the swampy waters. However, he might be offended when it's tail flicks violently outward and knocks the lothwolf off her feet...
Jorn	A scream can't help, but leave Jorn's lips from behind the helm. Although, that swipe to the wolf will offend him. Oh, it offends him highly. That's when he will try to go for a downard slash, trying to be the agressor this time around. Even if parts of him ache currently. He wants to drive the thing off. Distrct it from the wolf.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde averts his gaze, shifting uncomfortably. He doesn't answer his master immediately. Honestly, he doesn't really know...
Navi	"Thanks, Thaarin, but I've got it," Navi says politely, with a grateful little smile for Thaarin, as she's doing up the last button of her cor-cotton thermal shirt and reaching for her colonial-issue work pants. "Two pairs of hands might be less efficient than one right now." "It's more a feeling than a thing that can be put into words, Master. My greatest fear is that he will irreparably harm an innocent being, or allow a truly dangerous being to escape punishment through a technicality that might not otherwise exist," she replies to the Jedi Master.
Volken Mons	"I don't know vod... Merrick's involvement is bringin' back all sorts of...things I thought I'd dealt with. I just wanna tear this ship apart and everybody in it." Ther'es a pause and then he adds, "Present company excluded o'course...." He quiets and then rumbles, "I don't lke not knowin' where Jorn is, that Ellari just ran off and left us, that th'Jedi just ran off and left us despite us coming here -explicitly- to get their help about the Dark Saber. About bein' run around and givin' the run around by The Baron. I wanna ball this whole ship up into a pile of scrap and I feel like on the inside i'm strong enough t'do it and if I'm not I bet I can find somethin' to pilot that can. You wanna talk about ventin'? I -can't - vent because if I do nobody is walkin' away from this." Well that got dark. Volken Mons is quiet for a bit an then simply says, "Let's just find these fools and get this all over with...."
Athena	There's a hissing screech and a hissing sound, along with the smell of burn flesh as Jorn's saber gouges the side of the serpents mouth. It rears back, to and for all intents and purposes looks like it plans to strike again, but then suddenly, its attention is diverted. By something, by someone. Jorn might hear a faint rustle, but no more. The serpent is then suddenly distracted, heading east of them towards the opposite side of the pond. The lothwolf is lying on her side, her tail flicking weakly. "....Cayde." Rykard says sternly. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." Thaarin nods, and steps away from Navi. "And why do you fear that? You said you believe his methods are safe, though if Rykard has reservations, then so do I. Wasn't Cayde trying to track someone he had formerly had him interrogate?" "..." Er'gi doesn't seem to know what to say for a moment. "I'm sorry," he says finally. "But you've got to tie up this loose end, vod. Don't let yourself vent, yet, anyway. If Merrick is still alive and working with the cloners... damn, I never thought I'd say this but we do need to approach all of this carefully. I'm not my best self right now, and neither are you. I wish I didn't sound so laandur. But it is what it is. I'm exhausted..."
Jorn	Khalid rushes toward the Lothwolf trying to act as defense. "Can't go on me girl." He keeps one hand on the blade. The other on the wolf. "We've been through too much, little one. Come on," he pets at her side. "I don't want you to go. Just stay with me." He will use his free hand to feel for a med pack or something that's probably not there. Then the hand returns. "Come on girl," he says softly and he looks down at the wolf. "Please," he is not sure who the words are for really. Just anyone. Anything. Not looking to bargain. Just asking for a miracle. Yes, this thing did try to eat him, much like the snake currently is doing. However, they had an odd friendship. At least he knew at the end of the day, the wolf wouldn't strike at him again. That's not a sentiment he carries with most sentient beings. Especially when they get back to Mandalore. Choices will cement friendships and break others. He knows that. There was a comfort in knowing, at least one thing had his back out there.
Navi	"It's a /feeling/, Thaarin. If I could put it into more specific terms, I would," Navi replies softly to Thaarin, stepping into her pants and slipping the suspender straps over her shoulders before scooping up her socks, boots, jacket, and satchel and moving to join the others in the sitting area of the hotel room. Taking a seat almost at the other end of the room from Master Rykard and Cayde, she sets her things down and begins to button her pants. "Would it be better if I left you all alone for a bit?" she asks softly.
Cayde Alexis	[Yes master] Cayde signs, and obediently looking back toward the elder Jedi. However, he doesn't answer the question. Still, the Ikkrukki will likely be able to sense that the padawan doesn't fully know how to answer the question. He thinks Black is the best resource for finding Zetha's parents, and for helping him learn intelligence work. His character, the young Jedi is not certain of.
Volken Mons	"You almost died from poison. That you're moving your big arse around as much as you are is kinda a miracle, yeah? That I'm movin' around after also getting poisoned -and- carryin' you is kinda nuts. So that counts for something. I guess we can maybe trust the marauders after all but I also said that maybe you should hang back and not try and go out and fight just yet." notes Volken as he turns back to Er'gi. "We gotta be aware of our limits, yeah?"
Athena	The lothwolf lifts her head up, then shakily gets to her feet. She seems alright, though shaken and probably a bit traumatized. She licks Jorn's outstretched hand. And then suddenly, she darts forward, barking loudly and chasing after... the serpent!? It has returned, and is heading back inside the grotto, but tangled limply in its coils is ... a body. Dead? Alive? Jorn won't really be able to tell. But the lothwolf seems to think it's worth making a fuss over, apparently. The massive serpent pays her no mind, though, and continues on its way back into the grotto. Rykard waves a hand dismissively, his expression taut with disappointment. "Both of you, leave us," he says to Thaarin and Navi. "I must attend to my padawan privately." And he gets up to go to the balcony of Zetha's suite. Cayde is expected to follow, even if the elder Ikkrukki had not explicitly said so. "Yeah," Er'gi says after a moment's consideration. "...yeah." he sounds defeated. "Well you ought to, too. You're not yourself right now, Volken. And I can't imagine everything that's going through your mind right now, vod, but I know I'm not the sort who excels at comfort talks. But maybe..." he pauses. "That disciple back at Kublop. He really liked you, didn't he? And he's the religious sort. Maybe he'll have some kind words of wisdom."
Navi	Navi finishes pulling on her socks and boots and fastens the zipseals of her pants from knee to ankle. Scooping up her satchel and jacket, she nods to Master Rykard and Cayde. "As you wish, Master," she replies gently, turning toward the room door. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me, and I'll have my comlink near to hand."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde sighs deeply, and follows his master out to the balcony. There is a growing sense of dread, the Ikkrukki can already feel it in his padawan's mind.
Jorn	Jorn nods seeing the Wolf is okay, the mandalorian nods. Once the wolf gets up and starts to bark and go after the body, that's when Jorn speaks to himself, "On your feet soldier," and he pushes up. Then he runs back toward the snake again. The mandalorian rushing toward the snake trying to delvery a slash to the side using one hand. The left arm is still injured. He will endure for the moment. He can worry about injuries later. This is just what he has to do now.
Volken Mons	"I dont' want words of wisdom Er'gi. I wanna break somebody's neck or fold their body in half whle they're sitll in their armor. ..." Volken's response is cold and clipped. "...I already had that one Jedi try and dissect me infron tof everyone. I've had enough of all that. I'm ready to finish this job and get off this damned planet.... that disciple is a nice guy but...enough's enough." Volken then gestures for Er'gi to keep moving. "Just don't push yourself too far. Yeah?"
Athena	Rykard nods to her and Thaarin joins Navi as they exit the room. Rykard then goes out to the balcony, and waits for Cayde there. Once Cayde arrives, Rykard doesn't turn to face Cayde, instead he stares out at the cityscape, his expression brooding. "You did his favor because you knew I wouldn't let you if I knew the nature of it," the elder Jedi Master says. The serpent screams, and the cauterized wound fills the air with a rancid smell. And yet, it does not let go of the body, or attack. Instead, it hastens into the grotto, leaving behind a trail of green goo that seemed to have not cauterized despite the injury done to it with the blade. The lothwolf sniffs it, and begins to follow the trail inside. Well, at least they know where it went... "But you can't!" Er'gi suddenly shouts. "You.. you can't. Not right now, and it will be a while before you can. If I'm being honest vod I'm worried about you. Maybe you do need to try something different. All of this... it's different. You're not just going to shrug it off like you have every other time." Then he continues down the corridor in silence.
Navi	"What a day," Navi murmurs as the door closes behind herself and Thaarin. "I need a long, hot hydroshower after all this excitement. Maybe ten hydroshowers." She starts toward her room.
Jorn	That smell would cause Jorn to press onward trying to track the creature, use old skills from times long ago. He's afraid to turn on the radio to avoid attracting anything else. His focus on the serpent as Jorn and the wolf move together to track down the creature's movements.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde goes to join him, leaning over the railing. Well of course his master already knew. < Yes master... > he projects this time. But how else could he help Zetha? Black knew how to get results. He was the best resource for this, otherwise it'd just be unproductive fumbling around in the dark without any leads.     < ...The Republic entrusted him> he points out. <The Republic entrust us too>
Athena	Rykard turns to Cayde sternly, his brows furrowing deeply. "And you? You trust him?" Cayde will know the look Rykard is giving him. He doesn't want Cayde to just say yes or no. He wants him to explain himself. Using words. Meanwhile, Zetha's probably feeling a bit out of sorts from the entire ordeal. It'd been cut off abruptly, with Black saying that he'd return later so they could finish. Maybe she's looking for an extra set of clothes, or has donned one of the cozy robes stored in the massive walkin near the refreshers. Either way, she'll probably become hazily aware that Cayde and Rykard are having a talk on the balcony just beyond the bedroom. Navi's likely just arrived back at the Alisandre after having spied on Xera and her suspicious contact. As she walks into the lobby, she'll run into Taryn. "You followed me!" he says sourly.
Navi	"I did. Because I was looking for Lady Xera. And I found her in the company of a Mon Calamari, who is now twenty thousand credits richer and emphatically wishes to never deal with her again," Navi replies, lowering her voice a little, but not bothering to deny it. "Not because I suspected you of any wrongdoing. I apologize if I gave you any such impression. You wouldn't happen to know who said Mon Calamari is, would you?"
Zetha Rumir	Zetha gently collapses into a chair after giving up on finding new clothes while her mind is a bit of a whirling mess in the moment. She's aware that Black is gone as well as Navi but she can make out Rykard's voice - however muffled - coming from the balcony where he's speaking to Cayde. Not paying it much attention in the moment, however, while she continues trying to get her mind out of the haze it's currently wading through.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods slowly. [To serve Republic...] he signs. [...but not follow Jedi ways] That was the caveat. But how could they expect those outside the Order to do so, anyway?
Athena	Taryn relaxes when Navi says she doesn't think he's done anything wrong. But when she asks about the Mon Calamari, his brows furrow. "I lost her after she disappeared into that nightclub," he says, "I don't know who you're talking about. But you know what he looks like?" Rykard doesn't look pleased, but he says, "Very well then. We shall speak to Zetha, too, then." And he swiftly abandons the balcony, and goes back into the room, where Zetha had been about to try to relax. "Miss Rumir," he says, his tone clipped but not impolite. "A word, please. Cayde, come here. We're not done yet."
Navi	"I got a pretty good look at him. Part of some jury counsel organization, and well-dressed. Professional. He headed straight for the Federal District, so he's likely staying somewhere close to this very hotel, or at the very least his workplace is close by. I'm sure I'd recognize him if I saw him again," Navi replies, nodding.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha sits up a bit more properly once Rykard enters the room, her eyes likely still look a bit glazed over, but she focuses on the Jedi Master as best as she can. "Of course, Master Rykard." She offers simply though she does also allow herself a shift of glance over to Cayde with something akin to curiosity. Or perhaps worry.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde sighs and follows his master back inside. Well, at least he seemed satisfied, if not exactly pleased, with that answer. He meets Zetha's gaze briefly, his expression one of dreading this 'discussion' he seems caught in the middle of.
Athena	"Part of a jury counsel and Mon Calamari..." Taryn rubs his chin, pensive. "Well, I do know of a jury counsel org run entirely by Mon Calamari. He might work for them, but if he doesn't, perhaps some of them might know who he is, at least. And if he works in or near this district... that might narrow it down more." "You met Black," he says to her gently. "What was your impression of him? Do you trust him?" He then glances briefly over at Cayde. Er'gi falls silent for a little bit as they head down the corridor, but eventually he says, "You don't always have to do everything alone, vod. I know it's what you're used to. But this is one enemy you're not going to be able to take down by yourself. We need to at least try to be at our best. If we're not..." he trails off. Up ahead, the single door at the end of the hallway slides open, revealing a staircase that spirals downward. They'll suddenly find themselves awash in the smell of chemicals of the medical sort.
Navi	"That would be a good place to start, then. Xera's whole aim is to keep this trial as quiet as possible, and I doubt she'd be upset if Weniscio got off the hook completely. It makes sense that she'd look into ways to sway the jury, or at least the jury selection," Navi observes.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha falters for a moment. The truth of it might wound Cayde, but she isn't about to lie to a Jedi Master who could probably sense if she's not being completely honest. "I trust the idea that Cayde trusts him. But there was a lot that he said that didn't quite sit right with me. He was very insistent, but also not at all forthcoming. So, no, at the end of it all...I do not feel that I can fully trust him." Then she looks back to Cayde. "I cannot trust someone who won't give me direct answers to direct questions and uses the situation as something to hold over my head like it's all or nothing. It's not fair and it put you and Navi into a position I don't think either of you were really comfortable with being in."
Volken Mons	"i'm not trying to do things on my own Er'gi but yer not in any condition to get into a fire fight, remember? I'm a mess still and you were far worse of than me vod. You almost died. What do you want me to do? I can't snap my fingers and bring Jorn here and we don't want the Marauders turnin' on us thinking we're bringing a Mandalorian hit squad down on 'em when they're trying to hide from the cloners. and Merrick? I don't like this anymore than you do but I don't have any clue what to do next. I'm not built for stuff like this." As the medical chemicals begin to fill his nostrils he turns and then steps forward to take a look into the medical bay to see what lies ahead.
Cayde Alexis	Well, it wasn't Black, or the water, or the salt that made Cayde uncomfortable, really. But he wasn't exactly expecting her to say she trusted the man, either. So it doesn't appear to bother him, at least not on the surface.
Athena	"Mon Cala Legal Services," Taryn tells Navi, "I believe they started out on Mon Cala and then branched out into the wider galaxy. They've offices on Naboo, Alderaan, Coruscant, and even Corellia. Anyway," he says, "I'm sure you could look them up easily. Let me know what you find," he says to her, and starts heading for the lift. Rykard frowns, then turns to Cayde. "Well then, padawan. She has made it clear, she does not trust him fully. Make your case to her. Tell her why she should trust Black." He folds his arms. "All I'm saying," Er'gi says, "is that you're right, I don't know what to do either, but maybe that Jedi had some wisdom about him. Maybe you -should- talk about your feelings more." As Volken descends down the staircase, Er'gi follows. The smell grows stronger the farther down they go, and eventually, they reach a dim room littered with various and dubiously looking medical equipment. There's a glass chamber on the far end of the room, but it's fogged so its contents are obscured from where they stand.
Navi	"Take care, Lord San Tekka," Navi replies, waving after Taryn and turning toward the front doors, taking out her ancient datapad. "First thing to do is find the local branch office of this Mon Cala Legal Services," she murmurs, powering on the device and beginning to scour the local directories.
Cayde Alexis	[Then do not call him back] Cayde suggests, instead trying to make any sort of case to her. It was, after all, her own desire to find her parents. [We will explore without him]     Of course, the man was right. Without his resources, leads would be difficult to come by.
Volken Mons	"Did almost dying do something to you vod? Cause I thought I said before I'm tired of folk tryin' to analyze me. Those Jedi took off and left us to deal with this mess by ourselves, have done nothing to help Jorn and so I'm not feeling particularly generous about my opinion of them. All they've done, and the Republic, has been to get in our way and I'm tired of it..." Volken notes the chamber and mms before approaching. "What's in this...?"" His voice trails off as he looks over the rest of the room. "Where are they? Let's get this show on the road already..."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha frowns while glancing between the two men before her. "I won't. But he took an interest in this, and in me. I am worried that not calling him back will bring him back anyway. He seems like the sort to keep his nose in business that he's no longer wanted in. He's also obviously not a member of the Jedi order...I thought it would be the Order here on Coruscant assisting with this..." She looks to Rykard as if the Jedi Master could offer confirmation or clarification if she was mistaken.
Athena	Navi won't have too hard of a time finding the Mon Cala Legal Services in the local directories. Like Taryn had said, they're relatively well known. However, if she tries to call them, she'll find herself listening to the pre recorded info message that picks up. It won't let her talk to a rep, but at least she'll get an address. Rykard shakes his head. "We are not primarily private investigators, Zetha. We can work in tandem, but very few of us specialize in intelligence gathering. I'm sorry. The Council was made aware of your needs, and in reaching out to their network, found that the CSF was the most reliable and convenient task force." He pauses. "I don't know why Kurrnak won't involve his own lead detectives, but I can't change that. They are their own department, and as you said, not a part of the Order." He glances to Cayde. "You have my padawan. And if he believes that Black is your best bet for finding your parents...I suppose I'll trust him." "I know you're tired of it, but I'm at my wit's end, vod. We're in the middle of nowhere, with limited ability to contact anyone, among people we can barely call allies, and at half strength. You don't have to like someone in order for them to be right." He follows Volken over to the glass chamber, his expression skeptical. "I don't like this..." he says. Upon closer examination, Volken will be able to see that the Baron is inside. He does not look well.
Navi	Navi rolls her eyes as her comlink spews out the lengthy hold message for the thirtieth time. "'Your call is very important to us... just ask us. Please hold while we ignore it,'" she grumbles sarcastically, ending the call. "At least they spilled their address before they put me on permanent hold." She steps to the curb to hail a taxicab. "Now I just have to hope there's more life in their offices than on their comlink services..."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha shakes her head. "I didn't think the Order was filled with private investigators...I just wasn't aware of what happened when the Council was contacted. If working with the CSF is what the Council suggested then that's fine, of course. There's nothing for you to apologize for." She looks to Cayde then. "Do you think Black would mind if you gave me his contact information? Maybe I could talk to him without being in his presence again...I'd feel a little better that way...and I think I can recall more information without another bathroom expedition in my mind..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods and pulls out his comms to transfer the contact information over to Zetha's.     [He has best leads...but only if you agree] the padawan sighs. He doesn't want to pressure her into working with anyone if she doesn't want to.
Volken Mons	"I know, I know, Er'gi. Yer acting like I didn't carry you here on my back, while poisoned, and strike a deal to get us both treated. I'm well aware we got little to work with and gotta do what we can. Alright? At least now we know we've got backup of our own. Dark Saber or not. Now look. It's Caine..." Volken shakes his head. "Idiot. If this di'kut would have just listened to me he wouldn't be in here like this but his arrogance made him insist on going at it alone and turning his comms off instead of sticking together. At least tehse marauders have some loyalty for him... But wecan't do anything. I'm no medic. So where are they?"
Athena	That same ol' cranky Gran pulls up, looking even less pleased to see her than last time. "Again?" he says, "well, fine, I guess I can't complain about your tipping..." He pauses. "Where to?" "There were other organizations," Rykard says, "but they chose not to offer their help. Only the CSF offered." Rykard doesn't seem happy about any of this, but he's not saying anything, for now. He rises. "Very well then," he says. "Cayde, you must remember, anything and everything you do, you must inform me of," he says, "I know you can be responsible, but you must apply yourself." "What's complaining about it going to do now?" Er'gi says, "we've got to find that arachnid woman..." But Volken will be able to hear approaching footsteps coming from the stairwell, now.
Navi	"Darn right you can't," Navi replies impishly, and lists off the address. "Calling them didn't work... they just put me on hold for forever. Guess the only way to get a sentient being to talk to me is to go to their offices."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha stands when Rykard does, almost like standing with him shows a sort of respect for the Jedi Master. She hears the beep that signifies a transfer of contact information and nods to Cayde. "Thank you. Both of you. I appreciate your time.." Though something else has her curious, but she's not going to question Rykard's presence in front of Cayde. Or maybe she'll wait until Rykard leaves to figure out how the hell the Jedi Master wound up in her room in the first place.
Cayde Alexis	[Yes master...] Cayde signs. He glances at Zetha, as it seems there is something on her mind.     Either way, he'll let her be the one to contact Black again, whenever she's ready regarding her parents. As for himself however, he'll start to try describing what he learned from the stronghold about Senator Grindle's relationship with the gang in a message to Black. Surprisingly, it turns out to be at least better than the court testimony he's been working on for weeks...
Athena	The taxi driver just grunts and glancing at the address, immediately takes them up and away. Soon they're heading towards the Mon Cala Legal Services headquarters on Coruscant, but they'll get stuck in heavy traffic... "I must go now," Rykard says, "Thaarin is hailing me on the comms. Republic business, I suppose. I will see you later, padawan..." And then he goes out of the room. Once Cayde's text transmission has been sent to Black, he'll get a response immediately. <Perfect. Let's meet, I'm nearby. And if Zetha's still around, she should come too. We can kill two firehawks with one stone>
Navi	"Well, bother," Navi murmurs. "One way or another, it just seems to be my day to be stuck on hold."
Volken Mons	The approach of footsteps causes Volken to simply turn to the door with expectation. His helmet hsa been off, tucked under his arm, so his tired yet mildly annoyed and neutral expression is on full display.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde is unsurprised at how quickly the response came. Agent Black seemed very eager about this.     He taps Zetha's shoulder as Master Rykard is taking his leave, and shows her the message from the mysterious man. She'll also see his message in the same thread, and perhaps she'll be impressed to find that the padawan's 'report', while simple, is at least sort of normal sounding.     [When ready] he signs to her.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha turns when Cayde taps her shoulder and looks down to the messages between Cayde and Black. Her eyes narrow slightly before her shoulders slump and she motions. "Let's go then." She's not going to ask Cayde the question now, but she's definitely making a mental note to turn every single lock on her door into place when she returns later.
Athena	But as they're sitting there in traffic, waiting for the congestion to clear up, Navi might espy a familiar looking fancy looking cruiser in another lane across the way. There's a logo inscribed on the back of it, and Navi will recognize it as the emblem for the Mon Cala Legal Services. However, it's facing in the opposite direction she's headed... Cayde may or may not be surprised to find that as soon as he steps out of Zetha's room, he'll feel Black's presence like a blinding beacon in the Force. He won't even need to ask where Black is waiting for him, he'll just -know-. And when the two of them arrive at the park where he's sitting in the middle of a massive hedge maze, birdwatching, he'll look up, unsurprised to see them. "As predicted, you're exactly on time, Cayde," he says. He scoots over, and pats the spot on the bench next to him, an indication that both Cayde and Zetha should sit. "Were you looking for me?" a familiar and reedy feminine voice says. It's the Harch scientist, coming down the steps. "You're not going to do him any good just standing there watching him," she says a bit crossly. "Besides. Our probes just fed us some intel about your ... brethren. Their ship is downed, and I think one of the passengers is missing."
Navi	"Driver, do you see that deluxe cruiser in that lane across the way? It's got Mon Cala Legal Services markings. Think you can follow it? I'll throw in another bonus like last time," Navi says.
Volken Mons	well that helps with some things. They dont' have to figure out a way to introduce the fact that their fellows are here without making them think that they are after the marauders. But that the ship was brought down and someone is missing is another problem all together. Volken's face scrunches up "How'd it go down and how do you know someone is missing? Can you tell who? I figured we could coordinate with them to take out the facility but if they've already been attacked they're not gonna just sit and wait around."
Cayde Alexis	Well that's interesting, Cayde hadn't been able to sense Black in the Force before. Why now? Was the man also Force sensitive? But he doesn't question it yet, sitting down on the bench.     He tries to encourage Zetha, along the way, anyway. <I don't like him also, but best lead. We will find them.>
Zetha Rumir	Zetha remains standing, arms folding across her chest. She seems to have no intention to sit just yet, standing off to the side instead and remains a silent vigil for the moment.
Athena	"Nn--" The Gran squints, looking peeved. "Wh- yes, okay I see it, but I thought you wanted to go their office??" He grumbles, "women! can't make up their minds for shit..." "Well I can't exactly turn around right now! The air lanes are backed up all the way to Tatooine!" He starts trying to maneuver, but isn't very successful... "It was torn from the air," the Harch says, "and someone was ripped out." She blinks slowly, and Er'gi's expression darkens. "This happened before day break and the fog had settled in, so no. We weren't able to identify anyone. You Mandalorians all mostly look the same to me anyway," she says, and then turns to leave. "So," Black begins, not addressing Zetha just yet, "do you think you could find Grindle, and ... massage his conscious a little? I want to know his side of the story, but I don't want him to know that." Then he turns to Zetha. "What's wrong?"
Navi	"That was the original plan, but plans sometimes have to change," Navi replies. "Sorry about the inconvenience. Any way you can climb or dive out of the traffic lane and zip over into the other lane?" she suggests.
Cayde Alexis	Cayde nods to the question about Grindle. [I will try...that was plan] he signs.     Then he looks over toward Zetha. [Agreed you have best leads] he signs, nodding. [Progress with memories]
Volken Mons	"That doesn't make sense. We -just- talked to them barely before walking to this room and they were on foot scouting the ground... What do you mean 'torn' out of the sky? Are you talkin' about those damned vines?" Volken seems surprisingly composed compared to Er'gi's expression but his frown tightens even more as the march turns to leave. "Don't just waltz out of here like you were delivering a weather report. We need to do something. The only way we get out of this is if the Marauders and Mandalorians work together."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha shakes her head, trying to relax a little. She still doesn't sit. "I'm fine. I think I need some time to let some memories return. I can reach back out to you when I've got more solid answers to whatever questions you still have for me."
Athena	The Gran taxi driver grumbles. "Do I look like a pod racer?" A pause. "Fine, fine. Maybe I can at least pull over. You won't be as near as you might like to be, but it'll be closer than where we're at right now..." And then he starts to try to make a left turn into a public hangar dedicated to a nearby street market. Black leans towards Cayde. Zetha might be unnerved by his intimidating body language towards Cayde, but the young padawan won't find it out of the ordinary. "I do need you to do better than try, Cayde," Black says, "this is important business. And I -know- you're fully capable. Just have to pull out all the stops." Then he resumes his relaxed position on the bench. He waves dismissively at Zetha. "Sure, sure. Cayde has provided an intelligently worded report regarding all that he'd observed while in the makeshift sensory deprivation tank. Just think how many more you could recover, in a proper one." The Harch laughs. It's not a pleasant sound. "They were scouting on -foot- in the Gorge? -That- is a fool's errand. Of course they decided to abandon that endeavor." She shrugs. "There are dangers native to here, and dangers unnatural. You want answers? Well, ask Zealot for the raw footage. Or you can wait for the Baron to awaken. Perhaps he can tell you more about the unnatural things that now reside in the Gorge." Her multiple ocelli gleam. "Indeed," she says to Volken's remark, "it would seem so. But make no mistake - we are -not- friends."
Navi	"No, but maybe twenty years ago you might have made a swoop racer," Navi replies, semi-impishly. "That'll be fine. Thank you." Even before the taxi touches down, she's looking around for another lift in the opposite direction, whether taxi or a generous driver. But she makes sure to give the grumpy Gran a generous tip along with his fee before exiting the taxicab.
Volken Mons	"I told them -not- to enter the gorge on foot and warned them about the place. They were supposed to take an aerial look and then coordinate with us. You want a pack of Mandalorians working -with- you not -against- you. Who said anything about bein' friends?" scoffs Volken. "Yeah, I want that footage... Unless you -don't- want a team o'super soldiers with invulnerable armor, huge caches of weaponry, and a love of fightin' working on yer side?" He secures his helmet at this point, his deep voice now muffled and modulated by it once it's on. "Where's Zealot?"
Zetha Rumir	Zetha makes a face and then shrugs her shoulders. "Probably quite a few more...I'm still not seeing the benefit of looking into my memories when they only go for so long." It's a verbal musing as she looks between Black and Cayde while still not really convinced this is worth any additional time. "I just want to know if my folks are still alive and if so where they might be."
Cayde Alexis	Pull out all the stops? No...no he can't possibly pull out -all- of them.     Cayde shakes his head. [Not all...but maybe some] he finally admits. He isn't surprised by Black's invasion of his personal space. Although he can't say it doesn't bother him at all.     But maybe the tank isn't necessary. He has...developed a good relationship with Zetha. Right?     Either way, he shrugs. [Zetha can decide] he signs, leaving it all to her. It's her parents, after all.
Athena	The Gran grunts and lets Navi off in the hangar. One look around and Navi will see that there's not many other taxis here. But the traffic has come to a standstill, even for the lane that the vehicle in question is in. Maybe she could Force leap her way over to it? Some of the cruisers stopped are convertibles... "Well that isn't my business nor is it my problem that you couldn't even coordinate amongst yourselves. Pft! Typical Mandalorians, always squabbling, even amongst themselves." The Harch waves a hand dismissively. "He's here, somewhere. Look hard enough, and I'm sure you'll find him." Then she disappears back into the dimly lit hallway from whence she'd come from. Er'gi is suited up, but he doesn't look happy. "Lead on, vod..." Black salutes, and stands. "I'll do what I can with what Cayde has provided so far. And if you're not convinced, well you ought to ask Cayde what he thinks," he says, nodding at the padawan. "Alright, well, I trust your judgement, and I hope to be hearing from either of you soon." Then he starts to take his leave.
Volken Mons	"I didn't say anything us squabbli', are you -dense-!? I'm trying to set up a coordinated attack between us and the cloners!" shouts Volken as she heads off. He slams a hand into a console in frustration. "Am I the only one with brains around 'ere?! I didn't sign up to be the brains!" He then glances at Er'gi, "...Present company excluded vod.." Sighing he turns and starts moving to leave the room. "I got better thigns to do then die. we just gotta figure out where they were shot down at and then figure out a way to get to 'em without getting poisoned again. Get a message to them to stay put."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha takes the seat that Black just abandoned, though in a way that she's hopefully not crowding Cayde's personal space. She watches as Black takes his leave and then glances over to Cayde. "Can I ask the next time you decide to bring some random person I don't know into my life, at least have the decency to warn me first?" She tries to keep her voice light hearted so he doesn't think she's really offended or angry. "Anyway...that was a lot of unnecessary work for a few forgotten memories. I think we did better before..."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde watches him go, then turns back to Zetha, studying her face and her light tone and trying to determine if it matched how she really felt about this. But he's still unsure about it after a few seconds.     His gaze falls, and he just nods. [Sorry...] he signs.
Navi	"Sure is hard to get a lift in this district," Navi grumbles, noting the lack of taxicabs in the area. Noticing the open-topped nature of a lot of the vehicles in the airlanes, she makes a few mental calculations, then draws upon the Force and LEAPS...
Athena	But the Harch is gone. Probably didn't even hear the last bit Volken had said. Er'gi gives Volken a tired look through his own helmet. "You didn't sign up for any of this, but have you considered," the other Mandalorian says, "that this is maybe some kind of... trial?" A pause. "We're going to need that footage. Or at least access to the marauder's surveillance system. Otherwise looking for the Duke and his kin is going to be like a shot in a dark." Cayde's commlink then suddenly lights up. Oh, it's Thaarin. He's asking about progress on Cayde's testimony -- he wants to see an updated version of it ... soon. Navi's journey across the vehicles stopped in traffic is a bit unceremonious. The first leap she might almost fall to her death due to a reckless driver in an upper lane carrying multiple boxes of fruit swerving too violently. Several fat and juicy meiloorun either fall too near to her feet or straight bonk the Sephi girl on the head. The second leap will get her belt loop snagged on someone's side view mirror. Someone screams, but at least Navi doesn't fall. Finally, perhaps somewhat battered and her clothes worse for wear, Navi will find herself right behind the Mon Cala Legal services shuttle.
Volken Mons	Volken had shouted that at The March. Volken is also very loud. But a fast walker and sound proof doors can do wonders and he'll just shout it into her face later when he catches back up to her if he feels she needs a reminder. "Come on..." he grumbles at Er'gi before moving to the exit to leave the room and get to trying to find Zealot. "We can't do anything without the footage, you're right. Plus we might need them to drop the jammer again so we can contact them by comm.... As t'trial? It's a pain is what it is. Call it whatever you want... My priorities aint changing."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha gives Cayde a soft smile. "It's fine, really. I often enjoy my afternoons being interrogated by random people, forced to remember things, and given nothing but vague answers." That soft smile turns into a grin though she notices Cayde's commlink suddenly light up which makes her check her own. Not that anyone's messaged her anytime recently. "You wanna go back to the hotel?"
Navi	"Wha-..?" Navi yelps as she hastily ducks to avoid the reckless driver, only to have several meiloorun splatter onto the rear deck of the speeder she's just landed on. One foot finds the resulting pulp at the worst moment, and her leap goes badly off-course, sending her plummeting a full story... ...the sound of tearing cloth alerts her to the fact that her fall has been arrested by a belt loop on her trousers snagging on an ornamental protrusion of a speeder coach's side mirror, tearing open the back seam and leaving her hanging there by a pair of pants on the verge of splitting in half from back to front! At last she manages to get a handhold on the top of the door and drag herself into the passenger seat, give a hasty apology to the driver, and leap for the next speeder, and the next... Five leaps later, her nerves frazzled, her clothes dirty, and her pants held together only by their suspenders and a few inches of seam in front, partly exposing her blue and white striped underwear, Navi lands in the back seat of another speeder, right behind the Mon Cala Legal Services vehicle. "Sorry about the sloppy entrance, and invading your passenger seat, but this is Jedi business," she says, breathlessly politely, to the driver, shifting her medical satchel to show the lightsaber secured to it. "Can you follow that Mon Cala Legal vehicle in front of you?"
Cayde Alexis	The dry remark doesn't seem to lift the padawan's spirits. For someone who supposedly knows exactly how everyone is feeling and such, he sure screws up relationships a lot. Even more than normal people, really.     The commlink goes off, but Cayde doesn't look at it immediately. Instead, he watches Zetha instinctively check hers, before he looks at Thaarin's message. A sigh escapes him. He hasn't made very much progress...
Athena	"Maybe you're not the spiritual sort," Er'gi says, "and I'm not either, particularly, but my aliit and I were raised out in the rural areas of Mandalore, where tradition and culture is strongly shaped by folk gehat'ik. I believe in the Force, but just not in the same way the Jedi do. Anyway, all I'm saying is everything that's happened since coming to Tenoo could be part of some bigger journey and larger picture that we don't understand or know yet." He continues to follow Volken, but upon returning to the comms room they'll find it locked. Where -is- Zealot? Navi will find herself sitting next to a massive female Gigoran, who for some reason, doesn't seem particularly shocked or surprised at Navi's sudden arrival. "Your undergarments," she says pointedly. There's then a pause. "Yes," she says. And then there's a very awkward silence, as they're right behind the vehicle but the traffic isn't moving. At all.
Navi	"Sorry. It was a very rough trip from there to here," Navi replies apologetically, shrugging off her jacket and tying it around her waist, to hide the vast majority of the damage to her pants. After she's caught her breath, she notes the total lack of movement from the traffic flow. "Thank you for all your help," she says, leaving 100 credits on the dashboard, and then leaping for the Mon Cala vehicle...
Volken Mons	Volken doesn't answer Er'gi immediately. He -does- slam his fist against the door in frustration. He almost starts trying to pry the door open but seems to think better of it. He then turns and looks over the area, in search of any sort of switch that indicates it's an interior comm. Something to activate to get a message out over the ship. "Osik..." he grumbles, lowering his head slightly. He then finally sighs and looks back over towards Er'gi. "it's hard to not believe in The Force given the things we've seen, vod." he admits, "I've had more dealings with Force Users and the Jedi than you have, remember? A lot more... So there's merit t'what they teach sure or to how it all works. Not saying otherwise but are we gonna dwell on trying to piece all that together or just try and do what we'd naturallly do anyway and see where the road leads?" He shakes his head and frowns, his frown clear on his voice through his helmet, "Ther's no sense in worryin' about stuff like destiny or fate. Especially right now..."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha watches Cayde for a moment longer before she actually frowns. "Hey. What's wrong? You got that look on your face that you get when you think the whole world is against you."
Athena	A yelp emanates from inside the vehicle. Moments later, the sunroof on the shuttle opens and a droid arm with a camera and a very makeshift looking weapon protrudes out. "Who are you?! What do you want?" a rather shocked and sour voice says from the microphone on the cam. "What I meant, vod, is that we were meant to overcome all of this. At a great cost to ourselves, maybe. I'm not sure. But perhaps there's some kind of revelation, or reward at the end of it." Volken might be about to reply, when he'll espy a shadowy figure lurking in the rafters above them. They don't appear armed, though. Cayde's commlink pings again, more urgently this time. It's a holocall, from Thaarin.
Volken Mons	"You having fun up there?" calls Volken towards whoever is lurking above them. He makes an idle gesture for Er'gi to hang back but turns his full attention to whoever is over their heads. "You gonna come down and join us or you just gonna enjoy the view?"
Navi	"Are you sure that thing won't blow up if you try to use it?" Navi asks the arm somewhat scornfully. "Jedi business," she adds, showing her lightsaber hilt. "Need to speak to you folks for a minute or ten."
Cayde Alexis	[Nothing] Cayde signs quickly when Zetha asks what's wrong. He wasn't supposed to show her that, The padawan stands up. [Yes we can go back] he continues, in a belated response to her earlier question of going back to the hotel.     Then Thaarin is calling. He sighs and connects the holocall.
Athena	"I'll enjoy the view, thanksss," the mysterious figure hisses. "You're looking for Zealot. He's in the wind. And if I was you, I wouldn't waste my time looking for him in the ssssship." "Haar'chak!" Er'gi mutters. "Guess we'll have to be searching the Gorge aimlessly again..." "What's wrong with your pants!?" the voice says, ignoring Navi's previous question, "and why didn't you just call? We don't take impromptu visits." "Cayde, where are you?" Thaarin says, the barest hint of annoyance bleeding into his normally level tone of voice. "Master Rykard managed to bring in a preliminary transcript proofreader for you to help with the testimony writing. He's here now, where are you?"
Volken Mons	"No wait." says Volken to Er'gi. He then looks back up, "We need into here so we can get a message to our people...and we need footage of what brought down their ship so we can find them. You folk can't just sit here and hide forever. If we link up with our folk we can take down the people who are doing all of this craziness in the gorge. Can you open the door for us? And b'fore you go asking what's in it for you...we'll arrange payment after we get outta this alive. I might not look like it but I'm kinda a nobleman now and I got access to folk with credits so what's it gonna be?"
Navi	"Because you put me on hold for forever," Navi retorts, ignoring the former question (except for a faint blush and an irritable pout). "Like I said, this is Jedi business. Now let me in and we can sort all of this out. Nobody is in any trouble so far, and hopefully things will stay that way."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha sighs. "You can't just tell me -nothing- after making a face like that. It's obviously something...." Then Cayde is getting distracted by his commlink and she huffs out a breath, but she can see and hear Thaarin, so she grins. "You sound annoyed, Thaarin. We're out at a park having a conversation. Rykard should have known where he is, he was with us until a little bit ago."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just looks at Zetha as she replies to Thaarin's question, holding the commlink between the two of them. Then he sends the Chiss man a text-form message that simply says << OK. >>
Athena	The mysterious figure slithers down the rafters towards them. A Fillithar with ruby red eyes and green-purple scales presents herself, silver tongue flicking out at them in amusement. "Oh I know," she says, "but I cannot do that. No one can. Zealot made sssssure of that, before he left." A weighty pause, while one of her sinuous coils suddenly drops from above, moving to brush gently under Volken's chin before withdrawing. "But I'll take payment anyway, if you're offering~" "..." What feels like an eternity seems to pass, and then, "Fine." The robotic arm with the camera withdraws, leaving the sunroof open and accessible to the young Sephi girl. "Rykard isn't here," Thaarin says, the edge in his tone of voice hardening, "he left me in charge of affairs at the hotel until he returned. So you're coming back then, right? Both of you."
Navi	"Thank you so much," Navi replies, then hugs her medic's satchel to her middle and slips down through the sunroof into the shuttle.
Volken Mons	"Huh?! Why would he do that?! Aren't you all supposed to be working together? Did he damage the room or just lock it?" Volken sounds utterly flabbergasted and the gestures of his tree trunk sized arm make this even clearer. He's about had it up to here again. His temper once again boiling with frustration at all of these set backs. "We can't just go out there wanderin' blind and gettin' lost and poisoned again and we need to find our people!" He now, indeed, has half a mind to try and force the door open and he turns around towards it, looking for anything to grab hold of.
Zetha Rumir	"Not if you're going to act like you have a droid arm stuck up your ass." Zetha retorts to Thaarin before she looks to Cayde. "And don't think you're off the hook either. It's called a conversation, Cayde, they generally work best when both parties are contributing." Then she stands and makes a gesture. "We were just about to head back before you called. I suppose if Mister Tightass here needs us there either way we might as well start walking."
Athena	Navi will find herself sitting next to an extraordinarily overweight Mon Calamari. He doesn't look happy to see Navi, and he stares at her undergarments briefly before turning his attention back to the traffic ahead of them. "Might as well make yourself comfortable," he mumbles, "we're not getting back to HQ anytime soon..." The Fillithar's prehensile tail suddenly curls around Volken's wrist gently, pulling his hand away from the door. "I don't think you quite understand our maccchinationssss," she says, "why, I could ask you the sssssame thing, you've come here to hide from your own, haven't you?" "Zealot didn't sssssay anything to me, or anyone before he left. But, he knew your comrades had come, and he knew you would try to communicate with them. This is our language for 'come and find me.'" "I'm no ssssslicer, so we're just as sssstranded commssss wise as you are. But there'ssss no urgent need for any kind of communication right now, assss far as we're concerned sssso I ssssuppose you could say none of ussss are in a rush to open that door." The Fillithar then slithers back up into the rafters. "Think of it thisss way. If he wanted you to find him, then how hard isssss he really going to make it for you to find him?" Thaarin sighs, and just hangs up. He must have not been in the mood.
Navi	"Thank you. Sorry to interrupt your commute... I was looking for someone else," Navi replies, drawing the sleeves of her jacket over the exposed bits of her underwear that the jacket tied around her waist doesn't completely cover. "A fellow Mon Calamari." She describes the Mon Cal who had been dealing with Xera in detail. "He works for your employer."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha can't help but bust out laughing as Thaarin shuts off the call without saying anything else. "Ooooh... Thaarin's mad. His fault for acting like a bully. Now I don't want to go back to the hotel...on principle..." Though Zetha begins to head in the direction of the hotel anyway.
Volken Mons	Volken stands there for awhile, as if considering opening the room up anyway but if it's forcing the doors open will simply reveal to them a damaged or othewise unusuable comm room then...they're stuck. "Alright....I"m going to get one of their mask breathers and some fuel from my flame thrower and just go out looking for Zealot..." he rumbles. "If he's looking for our people then that's our only lead. But you need to stay here Er'gi. There's nothing saying you're recovered enough to go back out there considering how bad off you were and you might need to be here for when...if...Caine wakes up." He starts down the hall again, this time in search for their armory. "This just keps getting worse and worse and still no Jorn and Darksaber."
Cayde Alexis	Cayde actually smirks slightly when Zetha just bursts out laughing after Thaarin simply hangs up. The man usually prides himself in not showing he's overly emotional, doesn't he? Now, now, is the padawan smiling? That's a rare thing. Maybe Zetha saw it, or maybe she was already heading back toward the hotel. But he hurries after her either way, touching her arm gently to get her attention again. [I will find senator] he signs. [We can find memories...just us...no water]
Athena	The Mon Calarmari squints at the picture. "Okay, what are you, a xenophobe? Just because he's Mon Calamari and works in the jury counsel biz doesn't make him my co worker. But whatever, sure, I know him. He's freelance now, got his own private practice and everything now." Er'gi opens his mouth to protest. And Volken will be able to palpably feel the rage rolling off of him at being ordered to stay behind. His fists ball, and Volken might think he's about to punch him, or something else, but then he finally relaxes. "Fine," he grumbles, "just come back in one piece, vod." Volken may or may not be surprised to find a small armory open and unlocked directly down the hall from the comms room. There's fuel for his flame thrower, and a mask, but it's kind of uncomfortable and small.
Volken Mons	"What're you gettin' so mad about! We already discussed that if we had to go out ther ein that poison you'd hang back with the marauders! You almost -died- vod." Volken isn't having it as he wheels on Er'gi. "You wanna come out and maybe get into a fight with the way you've been moving and lurchin' around? Huh?" The size of the mask is indeed small, considering his size and Er'gi's, but he expected as much. "Maybe the helmet will help.." he considers and then he points out, "See? There's only one mask. Wha're we supposed to do? One of us has to go."
Zetha Rumir	Zetha glances over at Cayde as he catches up and signs to her. Did she catch the smile? Maybe. Is she going to call him out on it? Actually, no. She simply nods her head as they make way to the hotel. "I'd like that. You and me and no water. Believe it or not, I trust you Cayde. And I appreciate the offer."
Navi	"Okay, I was not aware that he'd gone freelance... thanks for clearing that up," Navi replies. "And no, I'm not a xenophobe. It would be difficult to be considered family by a Chadra-Fan family if I were." "Anyway, what's his name? And do you know where his practice is located? Or his home address? I need to talk to him about some court business he's become involved in lately."
Athena	Er'gi's turned his back on Volken already, grumbling curses in Mando'a. "Get out of here already," he says, "you're wasting daylight." And he disappears back down the hallway. Volken will find the gangplank already down. Maybe the Fillithar had been right - perhaps Zealot really wasn't trying to make finding him hard. Soon Cayde and Zetha will reach the Alisandre. There, in the lobby waiting for them, is Thaarin, and a very grumpy looking Quarren with an ink soaked blazer. The Quarren is berating Thaarin, who looks tired. "His home address?! What do you think I am, his husband? The guy's married! Anyway, fine. His private practice is in the Federal District, across the street from the Senate Building." He scrawls an address down on a piece of flimsiplast and hands it to her. "Don't tell him I told you."
Volken Mons	"I'll suplex you into a wall, Er'gi! I'm not tryin' to deal with attitude right now!!" shouts Volken into the hallway. Er'gi may be gone, but just like before...Volken's loud. He then spins around and removes his helmet to begin putting the mask on, and then refuels his vambrace weaponry. A few quick checks and he's satisifed and making his way down the gangplank. A quck survey is then taken to see if he can tell what direction Zealot might have gone - or what is the only practical way to go.... He doesn't want to linger very long, however. As ER'gi pointed out..daylight is diminishing.
Cayde Alexis	[Somewhere quiet] Cayde goes on, nodding when Zetha agrees to searching her memories more together.     Upon arriving back in the lobby of the hotel, he peers at the upset Quarren. Now just what could be the matter, now? But he doesn't pester Thaarin. Instead, he just stands there waiting for his turn.
Navi	Navi can't help rolling her eyes at the Mon Cal's hyperbolic response, but accepts the flimsiplast and slips it into a flap pocket of her medical satchel. "Thank you so much for your assistance," she says, struggling to keep back the sarcasm that springs deftly to mind. "Open the sunroof and I'll get out of your way. Drive safely." Even as she speaks, she's looking for a way down to safer ground from the stalled traffic flow. And possibly a shopping district where she can replace her damaged clothes...
Zetha Rumir	"And with no interruptions. Hopefully." Zetha adds to Cayde and gives another nod. Coming inside to see Thaarin being griped at is a new thing and poor Thaarin just looks tired and done. She pats Cayde's arm and takes a few quicker steps up towards Thaarin and his...companion. "Hey Thaarin. What's...going on?" Because, yes, Zetha absolutely *will* pester.
Athena	Well, the trail seems to end there. Once outside the ship, Volken will not be able to see any evidence, really, of where Zealot might have gone. Though, if Volken looks more carefully, there aren't very many options as far as which way. The vegetation and marsh surrounding the marauder's vessel is thick and barely traversable, and there's only one route that might have worked for the agile, mouse-sized marauder - a series of boulders stacked in ascending succession, leading the way up to a large rocky outcropping covered in fog. "EXCUSE you!!" The Quarren practically spits in Cayde's face. "I've been here a whole HOUR, waiting for you." He mutters curses in Quarren. "Whatever is wrong with you?! Don't you know not to waste my time? Pft! Kids these days," he rambles angrily, "haven't a lick of responsibility or respect!" Thaarin doesn't even get to respond to Zetha before the Quarren interrupts again. "And you -- you're supposed to have something for me to review too, don't you? Well don't just stand there! Hand it over, already."
Volken Mons	"RIght.." rumbles Volken before starting towards that path and beginning to make his ascent towards the outcropping. There's not much to do but press forward and hope for the best. He'll have to keep track of his route though in case he needs a rapid return trip or encounters any of the missing Mandalorians. <<Er'gi, can you hear me>">> he rumbles, testing his comm while still close to the ship. <<Don't know if you can or if you even want to answer but, need to test out the range of their jammer..." If Er'gi answrs or not, he keeps it moving.
Athena	Navi will look down and see that coincidentally, she's actually right above the Alisandre. The rooftop terrace looks Force leap-able. Maybe.
Navi	Navi climbs onto the roof of the shuttle. "Okay... this might take a few jumps, but I think I can do it..." she murmurs. Studying the distance to the Alisandre's roof terraces, she draws upon the Force, modulates its flow through her body, and LEAPS...
Cayde Alexis	Cayde just stares at the Quarren for a moment as he gets shouted at. Then...oh, right. This must be the proofreader Thaarin was speaking about.     [Sorry...did not know of appointment] he signs. Had there been an appointed time?
Zetha Rumir	Zetha had been ready to rip this Quarren a new one. Then she notices Cayde signing and she nods her head. "He's right. I didn't know either, and my testimony is up in my room. It's not like I carry it around with me everywhere I go." She offers this, though her blood is boiling. "I'll be happy to go get it for you...if you apologize. To all three of us. It's not fair to shout our heads off when we had no idea we needed to meet you here."
Athena	No answer from Er'gi. Volken will see that now that he's outside of the vessel, he's now in a dead patch that has no signal whatsoever. Well, that's that, then. The rocky outcropping won't prove that difficult to climb, but once a top it he'll see that the only pathway available is narrow, and not designed from someone his size... Navi will successfully land on the rooftop terrace, but not without startling a couple near the railing with a couple of Corellian wine filled glasses. The woman yelps, and three quarters of her wine spills over the balcony, down thirteen floors to splat on the head of the Quarren yelling at Cayde and Zetha. "OWWW!" he yells. Ink squirts out from beneath his tentacled chin, probably getting all over both of them. "You---!!! How... DARE you! If you'd been here EARLIER!!! This wouldn't have happened!!!" And then he turns around and storms inside the Alisandre, fuming.
Volken Mons	It was worth a shot. As to a way forward, he's not going to risk falling or collapsing the pathway. That's simply out of the question. At the same time they got o the ship -somehow- before and he was not only following them but carrying a giant at least within the same weight class - or one step below. His ego would insist below - so there has to be a way forward. For now he just studies the area, looking for any signs of movement from his vantage point and searching out any signs of his fellows or Zealot
Navi	"Oh, goodness... I'm so sorry, sir and madam. I didn't mean to startle you. Please, carry on with your day," Navi says, and hurries toward the turbolift. In her mind, she's anticipating a long, hot hydroshower after getting out of her ruined clothes. And then a visit to a certain Mon Cal who is 20,000 credits richer, if she can make that happen...
Cayde Alexis	The ink squirts out and Cayde jumps back, but suddenly the black viscous fluid just...stops in midair, the droplets just hanging there like little bubbles, before any of it can touch either him or Zetha. They stay there for a few fractions of a second, and then just drop and fall straight down to the floor.     There's a pause, as he watches the Quarren storm off. [He is not nice] the padawan signs.
Zetha Rumir	Zetha blinks as the ink that would have hit her suddenly become harmless splatters against the floor. She glances to Cayde and then shakes her head a little. "No. He's not." Then she sheepishly looks towards Thaarin before shaking her head. "I'm going to my room, taking a shower, and would like for everyone to pretend I don't exist for the next eight to ten hours." She begins to walk off before turning to look at Cayde. "I'll let you know when we can meet. I just want to be alone for a little while. Maybe get some sleep." Then she turns and begins to continue walking towards the elevator.
Athena	Unfortunately, while he is standing there surveying the area, a horrible cracking sound will assault the massive Mandalorian's ears. The ledge he's standing has suddenly given way, and now, Volken will find himself plunging downward towards ... only light knows where. He'll land somewhere dark that only has a single ray of sunlight to illuminate the area. He might be taking a moment to regain his composure when all of a sudden, he'll hear a familiar voice. "Volken? Volken is that you? Oh, thank the light...!" Oh, no. It's that disciple boy, Crane. What's he doing out here, all alone?! The couple frown at Navi in an irritated fashion, but otherwise don't comment. They go back to the bar, so that woman can replenish her drink, and Navi will be able to make her way to her room uninterrupted (although she will get some stares from passerbys). "Fair enough," Thaarin says quietly when Zetha excuses herself. He looks at Cayde, and his brows furrow. "You haven't worked on the testimony since we've landed on Coruscant have you? What have you been doing all this time?"
Volken Mons	That....was not good. A string of swear words escapes Volken but once he lands it's with such a solid thump that probably did more damage to the ground than himself. He's disorientated and more than that..mad. But there's not much he can do other than look up and prepare to climb back up....but he pauses at the familiar voice. "What th....what are -you- doing down here??"
Cayde Alexis	[Okay] Cayde signs as Zetha takes her leave to her room, frowning slightly as he's still unsure if she was much more offended by Mr. Black than he can discern at the moment.     He begins to pout when Thaarin scolds him. [...important...tasks] he signs vaguely.