A "Gifted" Girl

Posted on Thu Sep 27th, 2012 @ 12:38am by Thane & Bomoor Thort & Berry

1,815 words; about a 9 minute read

Chapter: Chapter I: Web of Fate
Location: Nar Shaddaa
Timeline: After "Chance Encounters in the Sarlacc Pit", Day One

OLD

Berry grinned at the strange tree man. “How’d you know?” She sighed and stood, depositing some chips into her belt pockets. “I wanted to go to Coruscant but then I came here. I don’t even know where I am right now.” Then she flashed a smile at them. “But as long as I have something to eat, I’m okay. Who are you guys, anyway?”

Thane gave her a look that suggested that it was a stupid question, given the weapons both newcomers had hanging from their belts, but decided there was probably little use in employing sarcasm with her. It would likely have little impact... if any.

NEW

"It's a bit rude to ask for introductions without first introducing yourself," Thane chided, ushering her away from the group and towards the way they had entered. "But my name is Thane, and my friend here with all of the looks is Bomoor Thort, Jedi Knight Extraordinaire." His tone was deadpan as they exited the Sarlacc Pit and out into the slighty fresher (although still rancid) air of a Nar Shaddaa street.

"You flatter me, Thane," Bomoor remarked, as he left the cantina slightly behind them, "Don't forget to tell her about all your incredible abilities too."

"How could I not?" The other Knight shot back with a slight grin, before turning his attention to part-Aquar. "How exactly did you end up on this dive of a world if you were trying to get to Coruscant, though?" He asked, looking to the Near-Human they had picked up. From the sight of her and the way she acted, he was starting to wonder why he had bothered to intercede at all, but reminded himself of the obvious sheer connection to the Force she exhibited - twice - as well as the fact getting involved had given them a crumb of information to follow already.

If one did not believe in the Force and its incomprehensibly deep connection to all existence, it would still be too greater a coincidence that, of all of the places to touch down on Nar Shaddaa, with next to no evidence to go by, they had been immediately met by useful information in their search for Sev Rezer.

As well as a particularly gifted girl, the younger of the two Jedi mused, although he struggled to envision her actually being much use now that he had spoken with her, and the fact the definition of the word gifted might be different than the norm in this particular case. A great potential could easily be crushed by a weak and misguided personality. "And what exactly is your name?" Thane finally enquired.

Berry smiled at him. “I’m Berry,” she said brightly. Dondon always harped on her about ‘true name’ this and ‘true name’ that. A name didn’t control her! Her head tilted at them. Thrane, huh? And Boomy. Funny names. Pale Guy and Tall Guy sounded better. She then quickly remembered his other question. “Oh, and I got stuck in a fish tank and ended up here.” She craned her neck up to stare at Tall Guy. Wow, he was really tall. “Can you eat through both mouths?”

Bomoor ran his hand along his hump, distracted by the sudden question, "Um, yes - I believe it is an evolutionary trait that allowed us to stick our heads into trees and bushes to eat as much as we could as fast as we could. Or at least that's what I was told as a child - not many non-Ithorians would know a thing like that..."

He bent down so the top of his head was aligned with hers, "So you're Berry, are you?" he questioned, feeling the ripples of force energy she exuded, "Well you certainly have a knack for finding trouble, Berry. Unfortunately for us, trouble is what we are looking for and I get the feeling you might just be the one to help us reach it."

Thane gave a sidelong expression to his friend as they paused, and placed his hands on his hips as he watched on. Despite his respect for his friend, it was important not to squander this girl's abilities or potential, or to let her believe that what they were doing was anything but of the utmost importance.

The Ithorian reached for a holo projector in his belt and held it out in his palm. It activated and displayed a translucent-blue image of a very war-torn individual, "This..." nodded Bomoor, "is Sev Rezer - a very dangerous man. He's a bounty hunter and renowned Jedi-killer wanted for the murder of numerous sentients. Now, we know he is here on this moon somewhere and your friends in there have pointed us towards the Corellian Sector. That is our next destination. We are to find and apprehend Rezer before he commits any more crimes."

"Or kill him," Thane added, "if need be. Sometimes it's best to outright kill a foe, than let him survive, grow bitter and then become something worse. It's a lesson not enough Jedi seem to have learned over the years." The Human looked at a nearby map, badly damaged with graffiti all over it, but he could make out the location of the Corellian Sector. Naturally, it was nearby. "Are you any good with anything other than your fists?"

Whilst he had felt her power and seen first-hand her innate abilities, bringing her along left him conflicted, and Bomoor's Living Force notions did nothing to ease his mind. The Force was not something that controlled their lives so utterly, for them to follow so blindly; whilst it gave guidance, it was down to those with the power to use it to control their fate. Berry could prove a capable asset, and a potential boon in the future if properly trained... or she could die terribly facing up against Rezer.

But that in itself would prove her lack of potential, he thought. Or would it simply be a waste?

Bomoor put away the projector and returned to his full height, "Are you OK Thane?" he asked his friend, sensing his concern, "The Force seems to be drawing us towards our goal and, if the young girl is willing, I don't think we stand to lose anything from bringing her along."

"A squashed Berry?" Thane replied simply, his voice flat.

"Oh, I see," Bomoor tilted his head as he spoke, "I didn't realise you cared so much for the young one. Nevertheless, I do not intend to put her in any danger - she needn't be there when we confront the Bounty Hunter but I sense she is an important part of this assignment. Do you not agree?"

Thane let his blue eyes pass over Berry, who was looking expectantly and with misguided curiosity at the two Jedi. Indeed, he could feel a lot emanating from her; a raw potential that outmatched many. It was remarkable she had not been detected by any of the Jedi Watchmen, but not surprising, if she came from a far-out world. He could not help but shake his head at the inability of the Order to detect and gather those who would truly make fine additions to the Jedi ranks, who could actually do something for the good of the galaxy.

"I do," he said firmly, "and far more than just that, my friend." Stepping forward again as an indication they should continue walking, Thane tried to ignore his annoyance at a bunch of locals shouting wildly at one another unnecessarily. "Where do you come from?" He asked. "Far from the Core, I presume; if you'd be any closer to Coruscant, you'd have been dragged there by the Jedi a long time ago."

For once Berry could tell she shouldn’t interrupt, and had appropriately zoned out while they spoke, especially when faced with a funny blue picture of some Razor. She couldn’t feel anything from it and so disregarded it. Then she glanced over at them, eyes wide. “Huh? Uh, I dunno. I live on Velusia. We’re by some Pearlemorian trade route…whatever that means!” She laughed. Unbeknownst to her, while she was off adventuring in the ocean depths or climbing volcanoes a handful of Jedi had visited, with Velusia being a core world. But everyone usually forgot about mentioning her (Dondon purposefully did so). She was different…and that meant dangerous. The Aquar weren’t entirely wrong.

She smiled over at them. “What’s a Jedi, anyway?” She gazed in wonder at Tall Guy’s head/neck. “Y’know, that’d be so cool to be able to eat leaves and berries without moving. I wish I could do that.” She sighed. “I have to climb the trees, and it gets hard when you have a bunch of animals chasing you. But they’re not all that mean.” She grinned at them. “I can talk to them, y’know. Sometimes, I feel like I AM them. I can hear as good as the wildcats, too, and we sneak around together.” She giggled at the memory.

Thane was not sure if he should laugh from the ridiculousness of what she was saying, or to cry from the onslaught of her words. Regardless, what she said equated to Force Sensitivity. "The Jedi are meant to be guardians of the Republic, defenders of the law and what is just." He gave a look to the Ithorian Consular, knowing he was not alone in his disillusionment. "But what they say they do, and what they actually do vary."

"Destination?" The droid manning the transport terminal demanded in a high and annoying voice. It was missing an eye and an arm - not unlike their intended quarry - and seemed to be standing at an angle. Graffiti was over it as well. Clearly the Hutts did not care a great deal for the condition of the public services they offered.

"The Corellian Sector," Thane stated, offering up the extortionate price for the very short journey; the sector that had originally been predominantly populated by Corellians was in plain sight from where they were now, but there was little to connect the two. After a shrill confirmation, the droid opened the gateway and allowed them access to the automated taxi that moved up to accept them.

Letting the others go first, Thane closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something - anything - redeeming about the smuggler's moon. As waves of greed, confusion and chaos began to feed into his mind, his eyelids separated again, and he climbed onto the taxi with the other two.

As he thought about his credit balance, he looked to Berry. "I bet you eat a damned kriff-load as well."

RSS Feed