Bonds Betrayed

Posted on Mon Dec 3rd, 2012 @ 7:55am by Morgo Le'Shaad & Thane

3,074 words; about a 15 minute read

Chapter: Chapter II: Era's Dawn
Location: Galaxies Opera House, Coruscant
Timeline: 2120 Hours (Local Time), Day Six

OLD

A soft murmuring could be heard from the crowd of patrons as they turned and craned their necks, looking to the distance, trying to catch a glimpse of something. Morgo was instantly suspicious, even more so when a familiar head of blonde hair emerged from the sidelines of people, walking towards her, hand buried on one pocket.

“Merik?” she turned in her seat facing him, visibly wary, “What’s going on?”

NEW

Thane eyed this Merik suspiciously, still holding the unfinished wine close to his lips as he regarded the man, who was still an apparent source of concern to his senses. He must have been the man he thought he had spied with Morgo earlier, but he did not look like much to the Jedi. Then again, it was rarely he felt anyone looked like anything respectable to Thane - and particularly not with facial hair as laughable as this man's.

Merik looked around him with suspicion, briefly checking behind him, as if her were worried he’d been followed. As he neared Morgo and Thane, held out his hand to Morgo, expression grave.

“Morgo, we need to go. They’ve found us.” He said urgently but quietly, brow furrowed.

Morgo expression darkened as she slid off her seat, turning her back on Thane, hesitating only briefly as she accepted Merik’s hand.

“How—?” she demanded, but was cut off when Merik gripped her hand tightly, and whipped out a pair of cuffs from his jacket, proceeding to slap one cuff around her wrist and the other around his own. Before she could even blink, Morgo was chained to the man. Realization dawned as the people in the bar gasped aloud, and stood, taking a few cautionary steps back from the commotion.

Morgo stared, wide eyed at Merik, who only shrugged. A smile tugged at a corner of Morgo’s lips.

“Merik,” she said warmly, half chiding, “What is this?” she asked, as if she wondered whether he knew what he was doing or not, like he was a child.

For someone who’d just been hand-cuffed, she was remarkably calm, acting no different than if he’d whipped out a gift and presented it to her.

“This?” Merik raised his eyebrows in mock question, wriggling his cuffed wrist, “This is me stabbing you in the chest, Morgo.” He said, his smile wry.

“My, I didn’t know you had it in you, Merik.” The woman said, and he wished she didn’t sound so goddamned proud. In the distance, a multitude of footsteps could be heard approaching, the murmuring rising. Merik looked towards the sound with trepidation.

“Morgo.” he said seriously, wrapping his long fingers around her wrist, “It would be wise not to resist them. You could get hurt.”

“I never said I was wise,” Morgo replied, finding his small show of concern amusing, “You conniving bastard.”

“As if you didn’t have it coming, Morgo.”

Morgo scoffed, “Yes, I suppose I should have seen it coming. You, Merik, bastard son of Rafik Bettencourt—always looking for validation and acceptance in all the wrong places. Now that I think back, you always were scuttling around, discontent in my ever-growing shadow.” Morgo sneered, looking down at him from her superior height, “Jealousy becomes you, darling.”

Angered, Merik laughed, just a tad bitter, “As if I would ever be jealous of you, Morgo.” He spat, “Murderer, outcast, and renounced! Even I haven’t sunk that low as a bastard child!”

Morgo shrugged off the name calling, biting back cruelly, “What’s it to be then, Merik? Going to try to buy all the love you never got from your father and mother with the money from my bounty? Is my broken little Merik going to slink back to father, hoping this meager accomplishment will make up for all the things you’ll never be?”

The slap wasn’t a surprise, though he did it with more force than Morgo had expected. Slowly turning her face towards him, she smiled, sharp like a knife. Blood dripped down her chin from a cut lip.

“Hit a nerve, darling?

Merik looked at her (slightly manic) smile , clearly disturbed. Just then, the crowd behind him abruptly parted, CoruSec men marching into the bar, two-by-two, all stone-faced in their navy uniforms. Their heavy boots stomped forward as they efficiently surrounded the place, forming a tight perimeter around Morgo. Heavily armed and aiming, one of the men, presumably the captain of the squad stepped forward.

Activating a small holopad in his hand, Morgo’s bounty poster flickered to life into the air, “Morgo Le’Shaad,” he began mechanically, “You are wanted for the vile murder of Markus Fen on the planet of Dromache and are under arrest. Come with us peacefully and you will not be harmed.”

A couple women in the room may have fainted at that.

Thane had kept a calm composure throughout the whole affair of CoruSec's arrival on the scene, but the slap Merik had delivered to Morgo had been enough for him to brush his hand over his lightsaber hilt in preparation, anger surging at the manner by which he had treated her. What he also did not appreciate was his apparent betrayal and pure self-interest.

Before anything more was said, the Jedi stepped forward and made sure his posture exposed the shining hilt at his belt. "Captain," he began to the lead CoruSec officer, his tone firm and stern, "I have the situation perfectly in hand, and I don't think there has been any need to cause such a scene - you're ruining these fine people's evenings." Although the letter of the law decreed Morgo was a wanted criminal and should be arrested, and that, in fact, Thane should have arrested her when he first drew the conclusion about her identity.

However, he once more found himself challenging and questioning the rules he was meant to uphold, and of his duties as a Jedi. This woman's crimes paled in comparison to those of the majority in the galaxy, of the politicians and gangsters, of the petty criminals and greedy corporations. From where he stood, a Jedi's duty was not to uphold the law, par se, but to uphold what was truly just. This intelligent woman, he believed, had not committed this crime for complete greed, to do harm to a majority, for any political motivations or for the sake of it, but out of some intelligence.

Whilst his knowledge of the situation was not sound, he did intend to find out more, for Thane had no desire to see this capable woman of great potential go to waste for this crime. That, and he was certain she could even be of some use to him. In a worst case scenario, he could still have her arrested, but he was definitely not going to let this pompous cretin profit from betraying a friend - it was a sign of a weak character, and someone Thane had no wish to see succeed.

The CoruSec officer inhaled sharply upon recognizing the Thane, “Jedi Knight Thane!” and then, looking from the fugitive woman to Thane, and then back again, he shuffled his feet awkwardly, “Uh, we have our strict orders direct from HQ to bring this woman into CoruSec custody…but I was not aware the Jedi were involved.”

The man in navy shot a questioning look to Merik, who tsked in annoyance and glared, “The Jedi aren’t involved, officer.” And turning to shoot a look of suspicion at Morgo, still chained to him, “What is this, Morgo? What game are you playing? I saw the two of you chatting before. Paid him off, did you?” He spat.

Morgo, for the record, said nothing—uncertain eyes watching Thane’s every move.

Thane glowered at Merik, a certain darkness falling over his eyes. "Jedi aren't paid off," he half-threatened through gritted teeth. "Perhaps you should take the cuffs off, pretend this did not happen, and scuttle off back to your homeworld. I am certain your family is well-off enough to not need the meagre bounty on dear Le'Shaad's head."

The people around them began to buzz nervously, their hushed chatter taking on an anxious edge. Even the CoruSec men shifted uneasily.

Merik snorted, ignorant of the growing tension, “ ‘Dear Le’Shaad’ now, is it? Oh yes, she most definitely paid you off, Jedi Knight Thane.” He paused and tilted his head speculatively, chuckling while studying Thane, “Though perhaps not with credits. What did she promise you then? Her ‘services’?”

Morgo sighed, jaw clenched. As hilarious as Merik was being right now, provoking an angry Force-user was an utterly stupid move. Key word being ‘Force-user’, not Jedi, because with the way this ‘Thane’ was glaring at Merik, his tenure as Jedi was looking to meet an explosive end, soon.

"You should learn to hold your tongue," Thane warned, and as he did so, his left hand began to clench into a tight fist by his side as he glared at the other Dromache national, but before he fully realised his actions, he felt how his will was being imparted through the Force upon him, the surge of anger that was being funnelled through his fist was being directed straight at Merik. More precisely, at Merik's throat, but even as Thane realised what he was doing, he felt his fist get tighter, and his eyes narrowed ever more so.

Once again, the voice of the Jedi Order within him was dulling as he felt his inner justice dictate his actions, spurring him onwards and justifying what he was doing. What was more, inflicting this upon such a deserving man was satisfying. Without meaning to, he was starting to get carried away with it, but his fury remained something focused upon the other Human man.

Instantly, Merik's face constricted, pained—unable to breath. His hands stopped midway on their way to fumble around his neck. His futile attempts to breathe were wet and agonizing to behold. The man....the Jedi was choking him!

Morgo instinctively took a few steps back, eyebrows raised. Turning her eyes onto the Jedi Thane, giving into his anger, Morgo drank in the sight—impressed. She had not anticipated such a quick turn of events from him, initially giving him at least six-months before his first slip into darkness. Morgo noted this deviation and filed it away for later reference.

By the time she gave Merik a piece of her attention, he'd already turned a fascinating shade of blueish-red. Asphyxiation was a messy business, with bodily fluids running from the eyes, the nose, and the mouth. And in the later stages, if the subject was frightened enough, from....other ends. Morgo grimaced slightly at the thought of still being chained to Merik when he eventually made it to that stage of asphyxiation. Turning back to the Jedi, who was so angry and focused , so concentrated on Merik beside her, that she doubted he would hear anything beyond his own fury. Still she had to try, and steeling herself for his anger, Morgo took a step towards him—which was as far as her chained wrist would allow.

"Thane." Morgo spoke, using his name for the first time, voice determined...confident that he would hear her, "Thane, listen to me. We need to go. Now."

You're better than this, Thane. Calm your mind.

Even as Morgo spoke, CoruSec inched forward, clearly afraid but also determined to save Merik's life, a civilian. Wide eyes flitting back and forth between comrades in arms, they took a step forward.

The Jedi looked at Merik's face, the life slowly slipping from it - a sensation he could feel happening, slowly and with him in complete and utter control over it - and then looked down to the clenched fist, which had only slightly raised to aim towards the pitiful man. "As you wish," he said quietly, genuinely forcing himself to let Merik free of his Force grip. It had been an unintentional action - and action that was wrong - but it had been what he wanted; it was what he still wanted, and what Merik still deserved for his traitorous and conniving ways.

In the space of a few short seconds, as the CoruSec officers came forward and Merik shuffled about to regain his breath (causing Morgo to be pulled about somewhat by the cuffs still linking them), Thane ignited his lightsaber and swung with deft precision, slicing the metal binders between Morgo and Merik apart and bringing it back into a defensive posture in front of Morgo.

The anger was still very much a part of him, almost like a being that was still willing him onwards, but unlike Morgo's associate, the majority of the police officers did not deserve death, as most were simply following orders and trying to do a good job of keeping the peace. A peace he knew he was now interfering with as he began to edge backwards, his offhand raised up as if threatening to use the Force once more.

"Captain, sincerest apologies for how events have progressed," he said calmly, "but I can't allow the unlawful arrest of Duchess Le'Shaad, not without a further investigation of my own." It was a half-truth, as he did intend to learn more about the whole case, but she certainly warranted more of a listening than the legal systems either here or on Dromache would ever have. "I have no wish for any bloodshed; let us leave, and there will be no trouble." He could still feel the fuel of anger tingling at his fingertips, but he kept his composure.

Two CoruSec men broke formation and rushed to the side of Merik, who had collapsed after being separated from Morgo. Determining him to still alive, one man hooked his hands under Merik's arms and the other lifted Merik’s legs, quickly taking his unconscious body out of the danger zone to resuscitate him. The CoruSec officer watched all of this with a growing anger.

“You call her arrest unlawful? Jedi Knight Thane, this woman here is a murderer! Judged to be guilty by the Dromachean court—her own mother testified against her!” the officer crossed arms and stepped forward, hostile, “The only thing I find unlawful here, Jedi Knight Thane, is the assault and battery of an innocent civilian!”

There was a pregnant pause in which the officer, clearly conflicted, considered his next move.

“I am not in the habit of arresting Jedi, however, and I doubt that even all CoruSec could take you into custody, unwillingly.” The officer’s chuckle was a bitter sound, “So against my better judgment, I’ll allow you to go… on one condition .”

The CoruSec officer raised his arm, pointing directly at Thane, eyes hard and face stern.

“To answer for your crimes against an innocent civilian, no matter how mouthy, I order you to report to your Jedi Council by 500 hours tomorrow morning and face their judgment. If you fail to turn up or try to escape, rest assured I will know about it, and I will not hesitate to issue a galactic-wide arrest warrant for you, Jedi Knight Thane, and put a bounty on you head until you’ll have no choice but to return and answer for your crime—willingly or not. Is this understood, Jedi Knight Thane?”

Morgo nodded to herself, impressed. She had to commend the man, issuing orders to a Jedi who’d just finished Force-choking someone else. That took real conviction to the law, and bravery. Well, Morgo would just as soon call it stupidity , but she was in a generous mood. The officer seemed willing enough to let her go, after all.

The way the CoruSec captain kept calling him Jedi Knight Thane bothered him, but not for the reason Thane suspected it was intended. Whilst the captain perhaps made the comment to remind him of his station, to belittle him for not doing as was expected of the role, he was instead annoyed by the fact being a Jedi Knight was associated with stereotypical and absurd notions, which only made him feel further from what Jedi Knights had actually become. If that is what they were, he certainly felt no place amongst them.

"A good idea," he replied to the officer, finally disengaging his lightsaber and dropping to a more upright posture, "although you'll not order me into anything." The last comment certainly had an edge of warning. After a few seconds of hard stares, he added: "But I do respect your candour, Captain."

The CoruSec Captain nodded, wary but pleased this would not end in bloodshed, “Of course.” Because for the most part ... he respected Thane, a Jedi well known for his ability to get the job done. Of course, most of his work was off-world, but he was still one of the more known of the Jedi for being a man of action—somewhat rare in the Jedi Order these days.

“Jedi Thane…” He said suddenly, as if remembering something. Stepping closer, the officer leaned toward Thane, carefully lowering his voice so that no one else would hear, wary of the fugitive woman’s hawk like gaze, “Look, I don’t know what the Lady Morgo said to you or…and I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” he added, “But she’s a dangerous woman.”

The man spared a cautious glance back at Morgo, who was smiling at him like the cat that ate the canary.

“She hasn’t evaded galactic authorities thus far because she’s good at evading capture. She has been captured—many times, in fact. It’s just that no one’s ever survived long enough to turn her in.” the man breathed, pausing, “And those that do seem to get it into their heads that letting her go is the thing to do. And not all of them are cashing in the credits, if you know what I’m saying. I just…just be careful, alright? That woman is bad news.”

__________________________________

THANE
▼ Dark Side Shift
▬ Force Choke Increase

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