Knights of the Old Republic: Rise of the Reavers

[Hotfoot]

Zyke slid up to the light freighter, carefully maneuvering his fighter into the modified docking clamp, easing it in until the magnetic grapples took hold, automatically bringing his cockpit into the airlock seal. With a practiced grace, he slid into the small airlock once the air had reached proper pressure and crawled back onto the ship proper, leaving Ermy to finish the post-flight check. As the larger ships flew by, he arrived in the cockpit, whistling.

"You know, given how civilized and proper this place is, how well protected and sedate it seems to be, this place always seems to be a central point to so many interesting things. By the way, we'll need to stop at a parts shop, I'm pretty sure the inductor coils for my repulsordrive are going to need a retuning, and I'll probably want to get some spares just in case. Shouldn't take too long after we've finished this job. Where did Neilus say he wanted this Jedi?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

The logical place to land when you have a Jedi on board was close to the Jedi Temple. Actually getting a place to land there was the tricky part. Trys was about to throw her hands up in disgust. "Hey, Jedi! Will you come tell your temple you're on board and want to land? They don't want to give me clearance!"

Asarak was taken aback from his reverie, but all too relieved from it.

"Of course" He leaned over the communications controls and typed in the channel for the Jedi temple's landing control center. He hoped it was the same

"This is Padawan Asarak Set, aboard the light freighter Selonian Sunrise. We are requesting landing clearance. I am fairly certain the Council wants a debriefing."

[LadyTevar]

"First we deliver the cargo, Zyke," Trys answered, settling back to let the Jedi deal with his temple's landing tower control. "We might find a few good bargains here for the coils, but I'd still rather shop Corellia for parts. Coruscant's regulations are tight on a lot of things."

[Cynical Cat]

The iridescent, transparent blue bubble of a shield surrounded the Jedi Temple. Trys was able to set down with difficulty. Around the temple were the streams of traffic that were ubiquitous in all the important parts of Coruscant. Teams of Republic troopers wearing red and brown soft armour jackets were scattered around the exterior of the Jedi Temple.

Steam hissed as the landing ramp settled. A Padawan, a blond human girl in her mid teens, approached the ship. She wore a light brown robe common on thousands of planets. She folded her arms in front of her and waited.

[frigidmagi]

Dewaddik keyed a nearby com at the sight.

"aoacworcwo'c ra rhrarhro shwowaah rawhwa cooscwo aorcooooakc oohuaocahwawo. rarcwo ohwo chuakakoocwo aooo rhwo scwowoaoahwhrr aoacwosc?"

What was with the troops he wondered. Were they afraid of attack even in the capital or were the troops for them? Best creep over to his quarters and get the bowcaster he thought matching deeds to words. Never hurt to be prepared.

[LadyTevar]

Trys rose from her seat in a smooth motion, straightening the tunic she was wearing over her tight pants. It was one of her 'business suits', a simply cut outfit in rich colors, with fancy but subtle embroidery along the hem and collar. She run a hand down Zyke's arm. "You should have docked earlier so you could clean up a little," she pointed out to him. Again. "Unless you're staying with the ship as I take Marcus and Dewaddik with me."

She saw movement as Dewaddik headed for his quarters in one of the arm-barracks. "Hey! Dewaddik! No weapons. This isn't the Outer Rim, you know! That goes for you too, Marcus! Armor yes, Extra Weapons, No. It's the Jedi Temple fer cryin' aloud!"

Wait... she was missing someone. "Jedi Asarak, have you gathered your belongings?" Such as they'd been. She didn't think he'd had that much to grab in the first place.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"I have but the tattered clothes on my back, and my lightsaber. Oh and a few new scars. Everything I own, sans my life."

He said this as he waited to have the ramp opened to he could disembark and meet the padawan out front.

[LadyTevar]

Trys rolled her eyes as Dewaddik howled an answer from the crew barracks, turning to Jedi Asarak with a shake of her head. "It may be best for us to go on ahead," she said, once again without translating whatever the Wookiee had to say. With that she moved to the ramp and hit the control to lower it, graciously allowing Asarak to go first.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Asarak nodded and walked forward, resisting the urge to kiss the ground, although he probably broadcast the impulse telepathically to anyone within range. And walked up to the padawan

"Greetings. Orders from the Council?"

[Cynical Cat]

"Hello," said the Padawan Learner. "Welcome to the Temple. Regretfully, security procedures are necessary at this time."

[Comrade Tortoise]

"What security procedures? Am I not to be allowed entry? I have been on the run for five years. All it would take is a youngling with a passing talent for reading thoughts, or access to the Jedi Archives to affirm my identity" Asarak was slightly worried, but more to the point, mildly annoyed.

[Cynical Cat]

The Padawan frowned. "Control your anger," she said. "Telepathy is unreliable as a security measure. Against anyone with any skill at the Force or a member of a number of species, it is useless. Especially against those against we guard. Come."

She turned and walked down away from the docking platform, passed a dozen Republic troopers armed with blaster rifles. "The guards and shields are necessary precautions against attacks from Sith survivors. Some of their assassin teams undoubtedly survived and more may have been trained."

[LadyTevar]

Trys' eyes took in the readiness of the Republic Guards, and she realized that Dewaddik and Marcus would be nothing but trouble here. "Sorry, boys, I'm on my own," she called up the ramp, then triggered it to shut before any of the three could come down to join her. After all, they threw fits when they had to go somewhere unarmed. Trys, on the other hand, had left her weapon behind.

As the Padawan turned to lead Asarak away, Trys silently followed. At this point she'd not been told to stay behind, after all.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Asarak calmed down

"Hmm... and I am both and should know better. Point taken, I apologize." Asarak said regarding the defenses against telepathy. His frustration at coming home only to see a shield up and guards at the door seeming to bar his entry had gotten the better of him for a few moments. Still, he was curious.

"Have you been attacked recently, or are these precautions standard procedure now due to the aforementioned sith assassination teams ?"

Asarak was cleaned up, his scales were even polished, but still definitely beaten up. Thinner than he should be, with bandaged cuts and abrasions all over his body and his clothing had definitely seen better days.

[Cynical Cat]

"Not since we reestablished the Coruscant Temple," said the Padawan, "but the Jedi Masters do not intend to take foolish chances while so many Sith are unaccounted for."

[Comrade Tortoise]

" I see the wisdom in this. I imagine that those sith with a lack of control would be easy to see, but those who have more skill, control, or both, could mask their presence well. I imagine those trained in assassination would fall into the later category"

[Cynical Cat]

"The Sith have trained assassin adepts in the use of weapons and techniques to drain the Force from their enemies. Against Jedi, even powerful Jedi, they are very dangerous as they grow stronger and weaken their enemy. But with a shield in place and no way in for a ship that manages to land but passed crack Republic troops there is no way for an assassin team to succeed."

[Hotfoot]

Zyke looked at the security and winced. Lots of troops, shields, and other nasty things, all with a high chance of lightsaber wielding demigods at the center of it all. Granted, he wasn't being asked to storm the place, but walking in without weapons felt...less than ideal, even to him. As Trys left on her own, he couldn't help but smirk. Last time, she had stayed on the ship, this time, she was more in her element. He looked at Marcus and Dewaddik and shrugged. "Oh well, never really was much one for temples anyway. Let us know how it's going out there." He had left his comlink on so Trys could hear him.

He could follow her, even with her slicing skills, opening a hatch manually was relatively easy, but pointless at this time. After all, someone had to keep Marcus and Dewaddik from breaking something, and that was easier to do on the ship, where most of the fragile things were already in storage and there were plenty of distractions.

"So, who wants to play a couple of hands of Pazaak?" Zyke smirked as he pulled out his deck of cards.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"The Sith have trained assassin adepts in the use of weapons and techniques to drain the Force from their enemies. Against Jedi, even powerful Jedi, they are very dangerous as they grow stronger and weaken their enemy. But with a shield in place and no way in for a ship that manages to land but passed crack Republic troops there is no way for an assassin team to succeed."

"Definitely wise precautions. What security is in place to prevent more... subtle attempts at gaining access? I assume I will see it shortly"

[Cynical Cat]

"I was referring to the shield, the scanners, and the troops," said the Padawan. "Surely you do not think it is normal for the Jedi to place armed guards between them and the people?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Ah. I initially assumed there would be physical and other forms of search, or perhaps entry denial or detention prior to proof of identification. Something along those lines. That is why I becamse annoyed. I did not pay much additional thought to the shield, scanners and troops. I was stationed on a republic base during the war. Those were part of standard operating procedure"
"

[Cynical Cat]

She frowned. "You should not think yourself above a security check nor should you so easily become annoyed. A Jedi should strive for calm. You have much to learn."

[Comrade Tortoise]

She frowned. "You should not think yourself above a security check nor should you so easily become annoyed. A Jedi should strive for calm. You have much to learn."

The inanity of the padawan's reaction almost amused Asarak. Had her attitude not proven so very destructive to the order, he may have just let it pass without comment. However, the matter bore instruction.

"I do not think myself above a security checkpoint. I was only annoyed at the prospect of one more delay at getting home after five years of pain." Asarak signed and explained

"A Jedi should strive for calm, but that calm must never be a facade. A person who does not acknowledge their emotions or deal with them in favor of striving for calm is an emotional cripple who can turn to the dark side very easily, all it takes is a clever and manipulative man or severe emotional stress to tip them over the edge.

One who deals with their emotions proactively and who does not let them unduly influence their decisions has properly attained a sense of calm. That is where I failed for a few brief moments a second ago, not in itself being annoyed."

[Cynical Cat]

"Rationalizing your actions does not change them," she replied. "I suggest you meditate and search your feelings before speaking with Master Brianna."

[frigidmagi]

Dewaddik was getting a bit surly. They were surrounded by troops and he wasn't even allowed a precaution. They weren't getting paid. He had been shot at and made the subject of a number of racist taunts. This had been a lousy job.

"ohwo'rcwo whooao ahwhaoworcwocaowowa ahwh rooohurc rcwoanahrrahoohuc waworhraaowoc. shhucao waoo oorc waoowh'ao. anwoao'c scoohowo raanoowhrr acworcwo!" He said.