“You’re hurt…” Was the first thing out of Trazu’s mouth after Dolash had left them, concern evident in his lilac eyes.

Asri glanced down at her arm, where there was a streak of charred flesh where Ruse’s blaster shot had struck her during the fight: it was rather obvious against her white scales. “It’s nothing.” She said. “Only a grazing shot.”

“Still, it would probably be best if you get it cleaned at least.” Trazu insisted. “We don’t want it to get infected.”

The white Trandoshan just nodded and smiled. Little did Trazu know that thanks to the nanos her immune system was far superior to any known living being: she couldn’t remember the last time she had so much as a sniffle. “I am hungry though and Dolash mentioned a cafeteria, where is it?” She asked, changing the subject.

Trazu chuckled. “Silonik and I were just heading there for a bite. I would be honored if you joined us Lady Asri.”

“Lord Trazu, please…” Asri said, feeling slightly embarrassed as she walked with them. “You hold me in too high in regard for my status. I am barely a commoner in most peoples eyes…”

“You don’t hold yourself in high enough regard.” Trazu countered. “You have done far more for our people then most will in a lifetime. Thus you deserve the title of ‘Lady’ in my opinion.”

“If only everyone shared that opinion…” Asri relented in a near whisper.

Trazu sighed, knowing who she was referring to. “I must apologize for my sister’s behavior. I have sent a message back home inquiring about a clue as to why she would have left so abruptly. My father will deal with her appropriately.”

“I’m starting to wonder if anything will turn her…” Asri said with a sigh of her own. “One would think that freeing you from the K’Satizitus would turn anyone…”

“Her continued bitterness toward you puzzles me as well Lady Asri.” Trazu said softly. “I can only hope it fades in time.”

They arrived at the cafeteria and found a table to sit at. Trazu had Silonik stay at the table while he got food for them both, while Asri browsed the selection.

“Excuse me madam.” An attendant said after observing her for a few minutes. “Is there something you desire that is not on the trays?”

“Yes.” Asri said promptly. “Two livers, raw, and if you still have the blood that came with them I’ll take that too.”

“Uh….” The attendant looked a little shocked. “Not a usual Trandoshan fare I must say….but I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good. I’ll be at the table with the two T’Doshok kids.” Without waiting for a reply she turned and returned to the table, where Trazu was giving her a fairly annoyed look. “What?” She said innocently.

“I heard that….” He said slightly bitterly.

She flashed him a toothy smile. “Oh lighten up. You should be used to it by now.”

“No more then you being used to being called the ‘A’ word.”

She winced. “Ok, good point. I apologize….”

Trazu simply nodded and continued eating. A moment later the attendant brought out Asri’s ‘order’ and she ate it so fast one barely had time to identify what it had been.

“I hope they catch that blasted wook quickly.” She remarked as she licked traces of blood of her claws: more to herself then anything. “I’ll get stir crazy quickly being confined like this. Ziss, I may just try hunting the coward down myself. Be a change of pace to do that kind of work again….”

“You were a Bounty Hunter?” Trazu asked.

“More like an assassin, to be technical.” Asri replied. “But I started to suspect that my ‘employer’ had alternative motives. Which seemed to be confirmed when I found out that he had loose ties with certain ‘people’ I didn’t want to get their hands on me. So I left to pursue my own interests before those loose ties became tighter.”

Trazu pieced things together easily. She had said she once worked for a Sith, whom was no doubt this ‘employer’ she was referring to. He knew that just about all Sith worked for, or were allied with, the New Order. The thought that such a powerful, raciest power may have turned her into what she is sent a shiver up his spine: what horrors had she suffered through them? “Was it the New Order?” He dared ask, quietly enough so that only she had heard it.

Asri had frozen in her seat, save for a faintly visible shudder that coursed through her body and a brief look of fear in her eyes. The unspoken details and reasoning behind his question had been obvious to her. “No…” She said, just as quietly. “At least….not directly.”

“Someone with connections to the New Order then…” Trazu mused.

“I’ve said too much.” Asri said, rising to her feet.

“Asri please….” He said, grabbing her arm. “If I offended or hurt you I….”

“It’s not that…” Asri said, sorrow in her voice. “Some things are too risky to be revealed….even here.” She twisted her arm out of Trazu’s grip and walked out of the room. Trazu watched her leave, wondering just what was so horrible that not even being in a Jedi temple would make one feel safe enough to reveal….

(OOC: Sorry about that Dolash, apprently my edit last night didn't stick *Whats going on with TRF this month? This is the 4th time now an edit has stuck to my posts*)

Maskis noded and accepted the commlink. "Maskis here, whats wrong?"

~Maskis, what the hell is the big idea ordering a Slugthrower?~

He blinked and looked at the Jedi near him. "Umm.. no idea sir?"

~Ruse ordered a Slug Thrower, claiming the one he had broke on him while he was cleaning it and needed some spare parts~

Maskis shook his head, although he knew the officer wouldn't see it."Sir... my slug thrower is missing," Maskis said into the comm. "And I have reason to believe it was used in an attempt on the White Trandoshans life"

There was silence in the background, after a few minutes he could hear some papers being rustled around, shortly after a voice came back. ~Just a possibilitys, but could he be after Lavalitys?~

He sighed. "Yes sir... I do believe he IS after Lavality"

~Pull her out then, it seems we can't escape these blasted assassination attempts~

"No sir..." Maskis said. "I already know Lavality won't leave, and... I doubt she even knows whats going on, I haven't even been able to find her so I doubt I can get the news to her, and besides, I don't want to worry her."

There was another sigh in the back ground. ~If she get's killed, it's on your head~

"I understand"

~I hope so, I'll keep two flights of X-wings and a pair of b-wings near by just in case you need help, but be warned, something is going on back home and Tzhali was called away to speak for the Wookie's at something.. I don't know what, but its also possible you'll be called away as well~

"I understand." With that the link went dead and he handed it back to the Jedi. "Thank you, if any more calls come in let me know," he then smiled. "Also, don't speak any of this to Lavality please.. it would kill her confedence and, at that age, confedence is what she needs" with that he got up and walked over to the exit. "I might just be wrong about you Jedi, I thought for sure you'd turn out another way... perhaps I was wrong," he smiled then left

*A few minutes later*

Maskis was leaning up against the wall and watched the two. "Make a perfect pair." he said with a smile, and walked into the cafetaria, he went up to the attendent and began to think

"Hmm... what to have..." he said, he wasn't hungry, more like thirsty. "Just a water is all I'll have." He said to the attendent

"Bout time someone orders something normal," The attendent said as she filled a glass

"Normal? Ah.. you mean," he pointed to white trandoshan and the attendent nodded. "Get used to it," he smiled then took a sip of his water and sat at a table facing the opposite direction from the two, he didn't want to disturb them, right now he had his own problems

He clasped his hand's together in front of him and laid his head against them, his eye's closed he began to think. Whats Ruse's true purpose here... I know he's not a High Guard after all... but whats his true motive.. and what was it he said about 'there are more like me' I remember him saying that around the time he joined up, but what did he mean...

Maskis glanced out the window and at the rain. It was a day like this when myself and one other found him on Coruscant, and took him into the fleet.. how could I have been so fooled he shook his head. He fooled everyone, even Lavality's father who was also a bounty hunter before he got married. This wookie pulled the wool over everyone's eyes

The thought then came to him, he took out the datapad of his and brought up some information on Ruse, as expect like all member of the High Guard, this information was top secret eye's only... he had Lavality's access codes so he was able to get the information, thankfully no buddy would find out about his illegal entry until the pad was turned in. He checked all the information, then accessed some video feeds, at first they all looked legit, but a slight veriense told him something wasn't right. Hmmm... no jetpack.. but he certainly IS getting some support somewhere.. all this money in his account is also not normal for someone of a High Guard position

He then struck him, only a few cliants in the universe every paid so much money. He pulled out another datapaid, the one he had in his pocket, the one Ruse had was a fake and showed false information, although it DID allow for communications, he had his suspusions so he gave Ruse the wrong Pad

After a minute of accessing information, Maskis found what he was searching for... his cliant. Dear Lord... if that is truely his cliant then elimanating Ruse won't do squat

He smiled then closed the pad. Mighty big cliant he has there, an old nemesis of the fleet... shoulda known this would happen.. and a Trandoshan to boot.. damn.. and if this information is correct there's a hidden base near Trandosha where a group of Bounty Hunters are lying in wait for the right moment, he then sighed and buried his head once more, he was tired from all the excitement and right now he didn't have the streangth to go after Ruse, he wanted to ask Asri but figured she would be busy with Trazu, seeing how he could tell those two where getting a little close

Jubaz knelt in the rain, apparently doing nothing. He was a stoic warrior, calm and collected, and even now as he sniffed the splotches of blood on the ground the constant beat of rain could hardly throw off his perception. Finally, he arose, and marched out of the police tape, following a near-invisible trail of scent through the wash of water - the pungent scent of wookie blood.

Wookies were mighty beasts, and all had a certain cunning born of their difficult homeworld. They believed in self-reliance, independance, and strength - Jubaz reasoned that such a proud hunter as this would not stoop to seeking medical aide from a civilian if he believed an injury was within his power to set, and even a broken bone could be fixed by a more successful hunter.

It was not just blood that drew the Rodian through the zig-zagging streets, but the Force. Like the lingering blood, the rage that had peeled off of the mighty beast still left a faint trail, and it was like a scent to Jubaz's methodical mind. He followed without a thought to the rain.

A place of shelter - somewhere familiar, maybe somewhere like home. Somewhere with trees. Somewhere with cover, though. On the outskirts, that's where the trail was heading, where there were caves to hide in and feral comforts to the primitive wookie mind. A small feeling of triumph emerged as Jubaz felt he'd out-hunted his prey, and he set off for the edge of the city. If he hurried, he might even be able to intercept him on the route.

Clambering up a fire-escape, Jubaz got on top of the building and began running and leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Many would have thought it unnecessary showing off, but no - up here, he could see all while hardly being seen. Above the ground, there were no obstructions, there was no interruption, there was only that primitive feeling deep inside of him. The hunt.

“You like her.”

It wasn’t question, but a statement and Trazu looked down at his son with a faint blush on his cheeks: was he being that obvious?

Silonik smiled as he added. “I like her too, but...” His smile turned into a frown. “Why does she seem so sad?”

It wasn’t the question itself, but how it was structured that drew Trazu’s attention: his son wasn’t absolutely sure Asri was sad, something that should have been obvious to one gifted with the Force. Now that he thought about it, neither could he be certain how she was feeling at any given time, only picking up on her current mind state through subtle and not so subtle body language. It was like part of her was blocked from the Force: they could sense her presence among them, but not her intent or state of mind. It was only his absolute certainty she was of no threat to allies to the Clan, which included all of the Jedi Order, that assured him she wouldn’t use that to her advantage against them.

But was she even aware of this herself? This brought him back to the question about her background, which he managed to uncover more of just now. Something was done to her, something against her will, he was sure of that now and it was something she was extremely reluctant to reveal. What it was exactly will likely be kept a secret for some time to come and he could only hope it wasn’t something that came back to haunt her before she revealed it on her own terms.

“Daddy?”

Trazu again looked down at Silonik, realizing he had forgotten about his son’s question. “I’m not sure son.” He replied. “Something in her past still haunts her I think, something she doesn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about it.”

The younger Trandoshan made a slight face as he absorbed this. “Kind of like you when mom died?” He asked.

He winced, remembering that time when his family kept trying to get him to open up, to talk to them, to help him get over Tzosha’s death, but he had kept pushing them away. “Possibly.” He said. “But we won’t know for sure until she decides to talk to us about it on her own. You can’t force someone to talk about it if they are not ready to.”

Silonik nodded, understanding. Again Trazu smiled at his son, feeling the pride of having such a wonderful and understanding child. “Looks like it’s someone’s bedtime.” He said, watching his son yawn.

Trazu escorted his son back to his room, where his friend Mortor was already bedding down for the night. After saying good night he pondered what to do for the next couple of hours. A part of him wanted to track down Asri and apologize for possibly opening up any old wounds, but decided the albino female would want her space right now. So instead he went to the library with the plan to look up methods of mental discipline to help strengthen his mind against mental assaults, as Dolash had suggested. He was more of a ‘learning by doing’ type of guy, but he figured whatever he found could give him ideas.

***

She was drenched and slightly chilled from the wind and rain up here on this high balcony in the temple, but she didn’t care right now. If fact she hardly acknowledged either as she sat, her back against the rapidly cooling wall of the temple, her mind buried deep within her own thoughts and memories.

Asri knew it wasn’t Trazu’s intent to open old wounds and not so old fears, but open them he did. Now she was in a state of depression as she watched the few citizens wander the streets below that dared to go out in the weather go about their normal lives, that very ‘normal life’ that she felt was forever out of her reach.

She was excepted now yes, in limited circles at least, but what would they think of her a few short years from now? What the future meant for her was her major concern: if she survived the process would she still be considered a being worthy of the rights all living sentients were entitled too? Or would she be lowered to the level of a servant who’s only worth the number of credits paid for her: a slave.

It was a future she dreaded may happen and her Trandoshan pride had a hard time grasping it. It was that very pride that was telling her ‘end it now’, to jump off this high balcony to her death below to save her from such a fate. But there was no guarantee that would be her fate anyway was it? And who’s to say the nano’s couldn’t just resurrect her as easily as they healed her wounds?

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs, her thoughts wandering to those that had come to accept her as an equal. She adored the kids, their innocence not yet tinted with the ugly stereotype about albino Trandoshans, and she viewed Rissonik and Naosha as far better parent figures then her real ones ever had been. They saw her for what she really was beneath her white scales and accepted her as one of their own.

But they didn’t understand what she is, or what she was destined to become. No one could understand what it would be like to lose was she was gradually losing every day she continued her existence in this cruel galaxy. She got her revenge on those that put her in the place that started this process, but that didn’t stop the process itself and that ultimately made that a hollow victory. Worse still, the ones that started the process were out of her reach and quite frankly she didn’t want to get near them for fear of what more they may do to her.

For now she has a chance of living as normal of a life as she can, something she decided shouldn’t be thrown away by a selfish act of attempted suicide. With a resigned sigh she watched the people of Theed a moment more after rising to her feet.

“Don’t take your simple, normal lives for granted.” She said softly to them, though there was no way they could hear her. “Enjoy every moment...for you never know when it can be taken away….”

She retreated back into the temple itself then, her brooding over with for the time being, and went on a hunt for a set of dry cloths….

Maskis wondered the temple a few and found the courtyard. He walked out and felt the rain, to him it was paradise, this was one of the few time's he ever had a chance to actually see rain in it's natural form, unlike the colony stations where the rain was created artifically, although the smell wasn't any different

He sat down on a bench and watched as two jedi children played in the rain, he didn't know who they where but he did managed to watch them for a few before someone told them to head in, all he heard was "assassin" from the lady and that told him that they where pretty much warning everyone. Although he did pray that they would leave Lavality out of this, since he didn't want to worry her

***

Ruse found himself a pretty good hiding spot, and found himself some items that apperently someone had left behind. He fixed up his shoulder and, satisfied it wasn't bleeding anymore, decided to explore the cave a little more, leaving behind little traps that only he would know where there, just in case someone decided to pay him a visit

Jubaz clambered up the last wall of the city, letting his gaze go out over the rolling country beyond. There, caves dotted the landscape, along with rocky hills and glades of trees. Were it not for the raging rain it would be scenic, but there was no time to admire nature nor was the Rodian one to enjoy it.

The trail had lead him this far, but even for one who excelled at hunting he knew his skills weren't honed enough. He cursed himself for his inadequecy, but quickly cut such thoughts short and instead found his focus, allowing himself peace of mind and bringing his attention to the problem.

It was then that a memory struck - the caves, the sewers, the tunnels! Once, when he had first met Dolash, he and a group of Jedi had taken long-forgotten tunnels under the temple that came out all over the city, including to caves on it's outskirts. If he concentrated, he could even remember just which one. If the wookie had gone in there, it could very well end up inside of the Temple without anyone knowing, and go on to cause further harm.

At a dash, he set out for the cave that could very well lead to another confrontation.

He knew the library was big the first time he went in it during Silonik’s little tour, but now that he was trying to use utilize it, it felt absolutely immense! The moment he had started using the database to find the reference and research materials he would need his mind went blank, overwhelmed by the sear amount of data that was available. Focus. He told himself, tapping a claw on the console and annoying the library attendant. It probably didn’t help he wasn’t exactly clear on what he should be searching for.

Then it dawned on him. How could he expect to learn how to use the Force for mental defense if he had yet to relearn how to feel the Force consciously? One had to learn to walk before starting to run after all. Now what was the best way to do that? Meditation. He told himself. Fortunately he already knew how to do that: it was one ‘good’ thing he took from this time as a Dark Jedi at least, but it wouldn’t hurt to look for alternative methods of meditation to supplement it he felt.

With a goal in mind, he got to work.

***

Asri blinked in surprise at the Devaronian, not quite sure how to take her question. She and Lord Trazu? A item? Was she nuts? Yes the young noble seemed rather fond of her, but she felt that was only because she had saved his life. But maybe this Jedi was onto something? Nah…couldn’t be.

“I think you are misreading things.” Asri said calmly. “Lord Trazu is simply very appreciative of what I’ve done for him and his family. If there ‘was’ anything going on we wouldn’t do anything to ‘confirm’ it out in public view. Too many potential enemies could use it against us.” She shrugged. “That’s the way it’s always been. Oh and….a word of advice: don’t go around referring to him as ‘short’ within earshot of him, he’s rather sensitive about that.” She gave the Jedi a grin. “I’ve seen him take down a T’Doshok nearly twice his size and had him begging for mercy because of it.”

"I didn't know he was that strong," Maskis said from behind Asri. "Makes sense though, never underestimate those who are shorter than you," he grinned

***

Ruse explored most of the cave, but failed to find anything of us, a few weapons here some food there but it didn't really dawn on him until he found a skeleton. "Man... poor bastard...." he said as he inspected it. The skeleton was human for sure, and the armor he wore told Ruse that he was a bounty hunter, and the knife that was stuck between the two rib's also told him how the hunter had died. "Must've been new, no bounty hunter would ever allow themselves to be knifed." he took the knife and put it in his own stash, then inspected the armor and was surprised at how light it was

He looked over the armor for a few more before figuring out what it was, he had never seen this armor before, so where did this hunter get it from? Nar Shaada. He picked the armor up, but as expected, it didn't fit. "I need to lose weight." he told himself and wondered deeper into the cave

He then heard some water running and found a small stream, a tunnal of sorts and he began to follow it, noticing right off the bat that it was leading back to town. Ruse knelt down and set up another trap, although he would have to remember where he set it since his traps weren't exactly friendly to him just as much as they weren't to his enemys

Jubaz was running now, he had to catch that wookie! If he made it into the tunnels first, then there was no chance that Jubaz would be able to find him in the labyrinth until he came out at the other end in the Jedi Temple - and then it would be too late.

He scrambled up the hillside, leapt the old body that marked the entrance, and began to smell the distinct odor of wookie. He reached the tunnel, jumped in and -

Land mine.

One of the most common tricks a bounty hunter has, a little short-life explosive left behind him so that a running pursuer is just too busy to notice it and just too fleshy to survive a spray of fire and shrapnel. The Jedi was lifted off his feet, trying to contain the blast in a bubble of Force energy, but his expertise was in heightened senses and agility - both of which he'd wasted by charging blindly ahead.

The Rodian rolled back in a painful heap, his clothes burnt and tattered, only just miraculously avoiding death - and not quite miraculous enough to avoid some painful injuries. Before he could gather his thoughts, his senses returned and this time he heard the click as the mines around him activated. He must have missed them on the way in.

He expelled the pain and weariness from his body and backflipped out of the cave mouth as fire erupted from within. He rolled down the hill and finall ended up collapsed in the tall grass.

That was it for now, he could barely move. He could only hope someone ahead could think of something... before it was too late.

(ooc: Lavality will only be in this thread for a couple posts, at least until I can think of something for her training thread *something that intitles a few days going by ;)*)

Lavality walked down the halls, she had a book under her arms and was kinda nervous to say the least. She had meet a few padawan's her age, and a lot where nice, one of which was a jerk but she expected that, kids will be kids from what her father once told her

She turned the corner, she was trying to find the libery, she wanted to learn more about the jedi history. She loved history! She also loved Adventure and exploration, staying in one place always made her nervous, but she was also a scientist, always studying people and also studying different objects. For a young girl, she was a lot older than she appeared, nor what her age implied

The rain fell outside, she stood in the courtyard and looked up at the rain. A drop landed on her face and ran down her cheek, before falling onto the ground below. The smell refreshed her and she began to think, something came to her, pain... something exploded.... a rush.... someone hurt.... she shook her head and opened her eyes, then placed her hand on the side of her head. "That was strange," she said as she walked over to a bench and sat down, she was getting a bit dizzy and decided to lay her head back. "What was that?" she asked herself for the next few minutes

***

Ruse ran through the cave, a sudden vibration told him to stop and he looked behind him. "I've been followed...." he snarled as she placed another mine on the ground, this time a high yield one, which he KNEW would collasps this tunnal and make for quit a bang outside, due to the concussion if he was to near he'd be knocked flat onto his ass

He turned around and kept going, before finding some tunnals. "What the heck...." he said and continued to walk. "I wonder where these tunnals lead," he said and began to walk forward, as he did so he heard a high pitch whin, and began to run. "I was tricked!" he yelled as he dived behind some debris before something in the cave he had just been in exploded, a fireball rushed through the cave and toward the outside. Massive chunks of rock and debris flew out of the cave

***

Lavality sat there for a few, a vibration caugth her attention and she looked toward the source. Once more something hit her in her mind and she got up. She saw it again, pain, a rush of adrenaline, someone... someone... a Rodian? No... the person... A wookiee? No..... her head began to hurt and she went down onto one knee, her ability to protect, she wanted to protect people, protect her family, her loved ones, her friends, she didn't want anyone to be harmed. The Rodian.

She focused, despite the massive headache she was now getting, she saw the Rodian, she saw him laying on the grass, she also saw some objects in the air heading for that Rodian. She focused more.... her headache split, something appeared just above the Rodian, a barrier she thought

The barrier appeared above the Rodian, the massive rock's and debris that shot out of the cave suddenly hit the barrier, either bouncing off or rolling off it onto either side. After a few minute's the barrier flickered some, then shattered. Nothing else flew out of that cave

It stopped... the pain... she opened her eyes and got up, but found herself lacking in strength before she collasped onto the ground