Kal parted from the others outside the Jedi Temple and quickly walked in the opposite direction that would take him to his quarters. He then doubled back, before heading in the wrong direction three more times.

Force of Habit. If anyone were following him, he ought to either know or have lost them by now. He headed back to his military quarters where there were secured data jacks. Before putting on new clothes, he set his datapad to collect any information on Mirax Bey, Luke and Leia Skywalker, and the others he met (if they gave their names).  He also grabbed any information he could get on their destination system, Koshibal, and Pugwis.

He then set about quickly removing his clothing and putting on something more appropriate for going to a bar with independent traders, and sliding a hold-out blaster in a well-concealed place. He wore something that would let him blend in - something that would let him look like a crewmember of a cargo ship perhaps.

Once finished with that, he grabbed the equipment he thought he would need, his cred chip, and then snagged his datapad before leaving the quarters. He informed the officer of the watch that he would be on assignment indefinitely. The OOW knew better than to ask questions.

Kal then headed over to the Senate Building and walked up to the boarding platform for the air tram, as he looked around for his new associates. He also opened his ears, as the woman with the big blaster might get into an argument with someone for no good reason.

In reply to Kal Wennyn (msg #60):

[Private to Kal Wennyn:
Give me some rolls for the information you're getting. I figure, Gather info would do.]

PM:

[Private to GM: 19:58, Today: Kal Wennyn rolled 14 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 3. Gather Info.


You fail to find any information on Mirax, the Jedi Temple's servers being hard to slice through than you'd expected. Information on Claire was plenty and so was Luke Skywalker (though both from public sources, and probably unreliable), the Blood Carver was also hard to pin down, without a name.


Luke Skywalker (Human):
Age: 34 years, 9 months
Mother: Padme Amidala (Deceased - 4.8 years ago) from Naboo, Occupation: Naboo Diplomat Core
Father: Anakin Skywalker (Deceased - 5 years ago), from Tattooine, Occupation: ex-Jedi.
Siblings: twin named Leia.

History:

- Admited to the Jedi Temple 28 years ago, against the father's express wishes.
- Knighted 15 years ago.
- Mother and Father deceased 5 years ago
- Goes missing 3 years ago, his quarters empty of all personal effects, the body of a slain Jedi librarian discovered in the archives, and an artefact now missing.
- 30,000 credit Bounty on Master Skywalked is so far unclaimed.


Claire de la Croix (Human):
Age: 34 years, 7 months
Mother: Jamila; Occupation Dosh Ball player, Owner of Dosh Ball team
Father: Pern de la Croix; Occupation: Artificial Intelligence; co-owner.
Siblings: None.
Planet of origin:  Trandosha

History:

- Initiated to Dosh Ball by her mother at an early age
- Carreer mainly as a Dosh Ball player
- Has recently taken up Bounty Hunting
- Psychosis: Rejects that she is human, and seeks to droidify herself, perhaps to
             gain her father's attention. He apparently prefers Droids to company
]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:03, Sun 16 Jan 2011.

Mirax did not leave the temple immediately, for she had one quick stop to make.  She had already said farewell to her Master, who would remain so in name only now, since if things went well for her she would be a Knight herself after this mission.  No, the stop Mirax ad to make was one to her room - she couldn't go on a voyage without her traveling gear.

So, the Jedi headed deeper into the temple, towards her personal quarters.  They were like any other Padawan's; bare, with little more than a bed, workbench and chair, and a closet and chest of drawers.  A Jedi had little need for personal decoration, although as a Knight she would have a bigger room and more free reign with it.  Even s, the only thing she planned on even thinking about displaying was the second lightsaber she carried on her hip.

Retrieving her bag, which was already packed, Mirax first threw on her all-weather cloak.  This would make her look more anonymous.  It was a dull gray cloak, indistinguishable from the many, many others worn by travelers in the galaxy.  Then, she shouldered her bag, and headed out of the Jedi Temple towards the designated meeting point.

Upon arrival, Mirax knew meeting up might prove to be a little more problematic than previously expected.  She was good with faces though, and doubted that the Blood Carver and their Diplomat (Claire) would be that hard to find.  Kal was the only one she might have trouble recognizing, as he would likely dress more anonymously as well.  Still, she could spot his face and, if need be, use the Force to pick him out.

So, Mirax picked a spot in the main thoroughfare, and waited, watching the crowd for now.  The hood of the cloak was down, so if she didn't see her companions first, they might see her.

Finding each other didn't take as long as expected, and a brisk walk and a few credits later (10 each) sees the team lounging in the seats of an airtram car being whisked accross the planet...

Entering your car a few stops later is a clearly homeless human woman in rags, who smiles a toothless grin as she siddles down at the far end of the car. She clutches several duraplast bags that appear to be filled with random junk, and mumbles to herself, before leaning her head back against the railing, and begins to nap. A few stops later, a group of eight rowdy youths, mostly human, though a rodian and a quarren fill out the ranks, enter the car.

Kal gives the youths an appraising look, subtly searching for weapons or markings.

12:19, Today: Kal Wennyn rolled 12 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 4. Perception.

After giving them a once over, he leaned close to Mirax and whispered in her ear "_{What do you sense from that group?}"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:21, Mon 17 Jan 2011.

Claire had to agree with Mirax Bey; she had used a poor analogy.  Sex is not like a handshake.  Sex is not respectful.  In the interests of being respectful, she wanted to kill the conversation before it got any deeper.  She hadn't wanted to drag it out into the light and turn it into a topic for continued conversation.  And so she made no further comment, preferring to let the resulting uncomfortable silence say all she wanted to say on the subject.  That is how she felt ever since Kal accused her of being jealous.  Those words cut deep, and naturally she recoiled from him as she would a recoil from a madman wielding a knife.  However, in those circumstances her combat training would then snap into play.  She would deliver a palm strike to the madman's chest to stun him and then grab his wrist to twist his arm and the knife out of harm's way.  Kal, unfortunately, was not so easily dealt with.  To disarm him of the weapon he wielded against her would require some very drastic surgery with a knife of her own.

Once at the foot of the Temple, Claire had nowhere in particular to go.  She didn't have a room to go to freshen up.  She didn't have any personal possessions beyond what she carried on her.  The life of a bountyhunter is to be constantly on the move.  No one stays on one planet for very long and one learns only to possess what they can carry.  Everything else was disposable.

That being said, she then proceeded on to her one ritual she had when arriving on a planet.  She went to the nearest public information terminal and looked up local bounties.  Since it was planned that she was to go to a bar, it made sense for her to memorize some faces and see if she could recognize anyone in the bar on whom she could make a few extra Credits.  For a young bountyhunter like her, the small bounties were how she made her living.  Taking this contract on Luke Skywalker though would be how she could make it into the big leagues or die trying.

Mirax kept her voice low as well, and her eyes on the group of possible ruffians.  "Keep in mind any answer I give you may not be too precise," she noted, before concentrating on the group, drawing the Force in and around them.  The Force could be used for many things, and this time, she intended to use it to focus her perception of the group - to help her notice things her eyes would not pick up on.

20:04, Today: Mirax Bey rolled 16 using 1d20+15 with rolls of 1. Sense Surroundings (Ruffians).

DC 15, but rolled a 1 >.>
This message was last edited by the player at 01:06, Tue 18 Jan 2011.

The youth's intentions are made clear shortly after the tram departs. Taking advantage that no one could leave the car, the youth start to circle the easiest target on the car and quietly surround the homeless woman. "Hey gramma, need a hand with those bags?" one of them says as another holds out a knife close to her eye. The woman opens her eyes to see what the person was refering to, but instantly recoils when she notices the knife near her, squealing in fright. The youths laugh, "Nice one, Al..!" the quarren says.

While she often preferred not to get involved in public disturbances, since that was the job of the local authorities while Jedi were more involved in larger disputes.  This particular incident however, was one she could not ignore.  Eight thugs harassing an old homeless woman?  There was nothing lower than that.  Mirax cast a quick glance to the others - Kal in particular, since he was likely the only one to care - to let them know she intended to do something.

"Is that what passes for tough, nowadays?" she said, raising her voice enough that the hoodlums could hear her.  She was already training her senses on the one with the knife, prepared to slam him into the wall with the Force if he made another move to harm the old woman.  "Eight young men harassing an old woman?"

Kal nodded almost imperceptibly to Mirax to tell her that Kal had her back. Though Kal appeared unarmed himself he stood and walked next to Mirax offering an apparently genuine smile to the youths. "Gentlebeings, gentlebeings..." he addressed them calmly before lowering his voice and speaking to them in a conspiratorial manner, "I hate to see anyone get hurt, so I'll give you a tip. The woman you're messing with is a Jedi Master. She can't do anything to hurt you so long as you don't harm anyone. A little verbal harassment and you may get taught only a minor lesson, but push her any harder and she and her Padawan here..." Kal gestured toward Mirax (are her sabers openly displayed?) "...will have the freedom to cut you down where you stand." Kal ended with a friendly smile and an almost helpless looking shrug.

22:20, Today: Kal Wennyn rolled 25 using 1d20+16 with rolls of 9. Deception.

To reinforce Kal's plan, Mirax lifted her left hand from her side, to rest it on her hip.  In that movement however, she drew back her cloak just enough to reveal one of her lightsabers, clipped just below her hand on her belt - now in full view of the ruffians.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:28, Tue 18 Jan 2011.

The ruffians held no interest to Claire since none of them were ones she recognized as people there was a bounty on.  And if there had been, it would have been so small as to not be worth the risk of injury by taking on the whole gang.  But Mirax proved she was willing to take on the whole gang, and for what?  To protect some homeless lady?  "That's just great.  Of all the Jedi in the Galaxy to get stuck with, I had to get stuck with one of those Jedi.  We're all going to die before we get even a glimpse of Luke.", she muttered under her breath.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:32, Fri 21 Jan 2011.

After the group had broken up Mi had merely headed to the station knowing that he would be waiting there awhile before the others showed up.  He kept the Nerf hide hat pulled low over his face hiding to the best of his ability his race and therefore keeping from unneeded worry.  Blood carvers were renown for their skill as assassins, and as that they were known best for not being seen.  He kept to himself barely even seeming to acknowledge his companions before slipping onto the same car as them.   When the ruffians started harassing the poor woman Mi moved around the car using the commotion of the other two to slip behind the group of ruffians unnoticed.

22:39, Today: Mi Truev rolled 17 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 7. Stealth.

The group of miscreants confusedly look from Kal and then at the lady, and then Mirax, and suddenly the youth with the dagger blanches and moves away. "Man... it was just a joke," he says looking panicked as he backed away. "C'mon Garr... tell them, it was just a harmless joke, I wasn't gona hurt her..."

Meanwhile, Mi decides to move to a more calculated vantage point, but two of them notice Mi's advance and obvious attempt at deception. They start drawing weapons. "BACK OFF! BUDDY," two of them shout in warning, the blood carver obviously setting them on edge.

The quarren's eyes narrow, "Tell your friend to back away, nice and easy... we don't want trouble," he says as he draws a blaster and aims it at the blood carver. "Guys, move on out of the way... let's go to the next car," he growls to his group.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:07, Fri 21 Jan 2011.

Kal nods to Mi. "He and the two Jedi won't harm you so long as you don't bring their wrath upon you. Any of you that want to get off the train in one piece would do well to remember that. Any that want to have limbs cut off by a lightsaber would do well to ignore my warning."

"It would be wise to refrain from trying any more... jokes on the next car as well.  We will know if you try anything," Mirax warned.  If they knew anything about a Jedi's abilities, they would know that this was the truth - and that she would more than likely chase them down.  A single car's distance wasn't very far to go, either.

The ruffians start filing out of the car towards the nearest exit, as the Quarren stares you down. You all get the impression that he's graving you to memory, before he himself files out in a huff.

Through it all, the peddler woman waits patiently and wide-eyed, until she gets a chance to rush towards, grasping your hands and clothes, thanking you profusely over and over. She starts to cackle when she gets to Mirax and Kal: "Haha... me a Jedi Master! Oh but that was quick thinking," she says grabbing Kal by the collar and kissing him on the forehead with callused lips, then turning to Mirax and holding her hands and giving her a huge toothless grin.

Kal smiled at the woman as she rushed over. He happily accepted her kiss, and when she was done, looked at her closely and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright, ma'am?" He had a look of concern on his face as he searched her eyes while awaiting a response.

"Addy be fine, now, aren't we? Oh yes, fine fine... wonderful, we think," she beamed. Then she snapped a finger, as if remembering something and she waddled over towards her bags and trinkets, shaking one thing and another, as she mumbled to her self. Eventually, the air tram slowed down, "A good deed made, a future deed saved..." she cackles, "Here, love... you have this! We finds everything... you use!" She reaches into one of her filthy duraplast bags and pulls out a battered datapad, cracked and chipped, thrusting it into Kal's hands. With a wave, she and her bags exit the tram and is gone.

Claire waited until the thugs and the old lady were gone before speaking.  What she had to say would not have been a good thing to say in front of either of them.  "You shouldn't have stopped those thugs when you did.  Crime prevention is not our purview.  They probably would have just robbed her and nothing worse if she were smart and didn't put up a fight.  But now you've embarrassed those thugs.  They're going to take it out on someone else.  You can't follow them all the time to stop them.  Next time they see that old lady and you're not around to protect her, they're going to do worse to her.  You can't be around to protect her all the time.", she points out as if she were a moralist.  "Kal and Mirax, you two are made for each other.  And you're going to die together.  Keep that stuff up and you're going to develop a reputation for yourselves: one that is going to tip off Master Skywalker that you are Jedi tailing him.  I'm only going to warn you once.  The places we're going if you don't want people to figure out what you are, you're going to have to change your behavior.  Sticking your chin and protecting people is odd behavior where we're going.  It may seem normal here on Coruscant but out beyond the Core Worlds, it is not."

Mirax had little to say to the old woman, merely accepting her thanks with a friendly smile.  She noted the datapad she had given to Kal, and made a note to ask him what it contained later.  She was about to just leave the encounter at that, but their bounty hunter friend had to speak up.  In truth, Mirax was surprised she hadn't spoken up sooner.

"You are just as much a coward as they are, then," Mirax replied, with a shrug.  "It would serve you well not to make assumptions, while you're at it.  I have spent plenty of time in the outer rim worlds - I know how the social system works there."   Mirax sighed, prepared to leave it at that when one more thought entered her mind. "I would also advise you to cut the 'slippery slope' crap.  One action does not determine a being's future actions.  You are no better at predicting the future than I am."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:59, Sun 23 Jan 2011.

"Coward?", retorts Claire in an angered tone as she raises her Forcepike into a fighting position.  "Cowardice has nothing to do with it!  I've taken in fugitives much more dangerous than them.  But I'm not law enforcement.  I don't get paid to prevent crimes.  If a bounty gets placed on their heads, then I would consider bringing them in.  But until then, there's no pay in being a good samaritan.

"As for predicting their future actions, you don't need Jedi powers to see what they're going to do next.  It just takes psychology.  You've cowed them, made them feel small, reminded them of how powerless they are compared to the Jedi.  Not everyone takes that meekly.  Those guys are toughs.  They have a low sense of self-worth to begin with.  They make themselves feel stronger by picking on those weaker than them.  And now they need to make themselves feel tougher twice as badly.  And they are going to do something more extreme than pushing around an old lady to boost their hurt egos.  Hopefully, they'll do something stupid to get themselves killed, but given their choice of victims... They are going to kill some other helpless old lady.

"This isn't about any slippery slope or such nonsense the Jedi teach you.  This is about the plain fact that you can't be everywhere at once.  You can't follow those thugs forever.  You may have warned them, but if you're not there looking over their shoulders, they're going to defy your warning just to spite you.  This is about letting the small crimes slide and saving your energy for the big crimes.  You can't go around picking a fight with every mugger.  What would have happened if those toughs had bigger balls or a bigger grudge with Jedi?  Pull out your lightsaber and start cutting willy nilly in a fight you provoked?  And what if they start shooting in these close quarters?  You going to deflect blaster bolts all over the place?  How many innocent bystanders could have been hurt?  A passenger train is no place to pick a fight.  If you want to take them down, you wait until they get off and follow them until they come to a place where there aren't so many densely packed bystanders.  Then you take them down."

Mirax chuckled; it wasn't at all surprising that Claire got riled up over the Coward comment.  And, sure enough, she went into a long winded speech as well.  She was, however, surprised that the bounty hunter went so far as to draw a weapon on her.  Not because Mirax was a Jedi... but because Claire had apparently been hired to do a mission with her, Kal, and the Blood Carver.

"That is just the difference between you and I.  I prefer to aid those I can, while you would simply stand by and watch.  You act only for profit, and I act to set an example.  Keep this in mind: if the whole galaxy were as selfish as you, the Republic would not exist." Mirax did not draw a lightsaber on Claire, as she had her Force Pike, though she did pointedly move her hand back to her hip, resting it by the hilt of her chosen saber.  "There is so much you do not know about the Force.  Suffice to say that there are many ways to incapacitate an enemy without physically harming them in any way.  I do believe that eliminates the need for, as you put it, 'cutting willy nilly'.  Do not make the mistake of assuming I would fight like you, if you wouldn't mind."

The Jedi remained silent for a moment, considering the situation.  "Now, either put away your weapon, or attack me.  I know which option I would prefer, but I am perfectly happy dealing with either."

Kal's attention was on the old woman and then the datapad in his hands (which he turned over a few times before pocketing) before he realized there were two angelic voices arguing behind him. He didn't hear what started it, but he was nearly certain they were fighting over him.

Until, that is, he actually listened to the words coming out of their mouths. The beginnings of a smile slithered away as it had never even been a consideration. He briefly considered stepping between them and placing a hand on each of their chests and pushing them a little further apart, but decided that might get his hand severed.

"Ladies, ladies, there's no need to fight about such philosophical differences. At least not while we're on a crowded airtram. We'll have days upon days of time in hyperspace to fight about it. You'll need the exercise, and I'll enjoy watching you both exercise. In any case, you've both got a point. Mirax, the mission has to be our top priority, we'll need to avoid jeopardizing our goal. Claire, to the extent that we can help others while still accomplishing our goal, we should. A pair of Jedi on an airtram on Coruscant isn't exactly out of the ordinary. Whether we actually helped anyone is open for debate, but perhaps those thugs will be picked up by Coruscant Security before they harm anyone further."

He looked back and forth between them. "Now, time is a wasting. Let's go meet our captain."

I presume we're at our stop, if so Kal will gesture to the open doors for the women to precede him.