Kal didn't flinch or look worried. "Soooo you're unconcerned with the fact that the First Order has access to our communications? And that we need to find the leak and also create a new encryption?" He nodded. "Makes sense. You don't seem too concerned with greater threats and ideas ouside your bubble here."

He shrugged. "If you feel you need to kill me, then do so and live with the guilt for allowing what's happening to continue, but I can't leave without completing my mission."

The former Jedi was fast to move, rising to his feat in the moving speeder.

"Okay now" He spoke loudly but calmly, his hands raised "Nobody's going to be blasting anyone. Killing each other now would make that narrow escape a wasted effort, right?"

The soldier lowered his weapon, but his hostile glare continued. Demarchus continued to work the situation "We're all on the same side here, so let's put aside any professional or personal differences we have, and figure out how we can start helping each other."

The situation calmed down, the soldier moves on without saying a word, looking out into the cityscape. You nearly missed it, but from her crossed shoulders, you see Tess give you a thumbs up.

The speeder pulls up to a rundown building, a factor of some kind you think. Your rescuers hurriedly hop out, with Demarchus and Tess following suit.

Kalidyn looked over at Demarchus and wisely shut his mouth. Some would say for once. He let the older man talk to the soldier and see what could be done about the situation. And it seemed to work. Weapons were no longer pointed at others in the speeder.

He glanced at Tess and flashed her a quick surprised smile and shrug. It hadn't been him but at least things were hopefully better off.

When they arrived, he followed along with disembarking and heading after their rescuers.

You get no further than the gate, before you're interupted.

"Wait here" The soldier who pointed his weapon you dictates, this time directing with his fingers rather than a gun. You see him speaking with a few others, though can't make out the conversation. There's some weaponry, an impromptu workshop, even some other vehicles in here, but it's all very hastily put together; probably meant to be taken down quickly too, if needed.

A new face appears, walking slowly towards you, cleaning her blaster pistol with a cloth as she goes.

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"I hear you like to talk, so talk fast."

Kalidyn drew in a breath as they were told to wait, but turned to Tessa and Demarchus. "Going from about to be dumped off-planet or shot, now to being told to wait? We're making progress!" He grinned.

After some time, he saw a woman approaching. She asked him to talk so he did. "The First Order has broken our encryption, either by a genius on their side, a traitor on ours, a spy or something else. We were sent on a mission to find out how they broke it and to get a new encryption."

He glanced over at Tess and DD to make sure he hadn't missed anything, at least in the broad strokes.

"Well, my friend thinks you're the biggest dangle he's ever seen or heard of. I think you just don't know how to be discreet or know who not to talk to. Good news for you, I'm in charge. Bad news for you, I'm not taking the risk of being wrong. If what I'm told is true, the First Order is looking for you and they won't stop until they find you, so there's no way I'm putting you in touch with anyone we know."

Kal deflated slightly. "I...can see your point." He gestured towards Demarchus, "We ran in to this Jedi - former Jedi? - being harassed by the First Order and got involved. Things have kind of devolved a bit from there. We certainly weren't out to cause a ruckus."

He looked down. "Look. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused but it's not about me. I can stay away and make sure the First Order doesn't come any closer to you or them, lead them on a wild goose chase if needs be, or leave the planet completely. But if you would at least take DD here," gesturing at the droid, "and help then that would be...more than I deserve, but everyone is counting on us. Or if you want to contact the appropriate people and then reach out to...me, or I can provide someone else to contact."

He shrugged. "Please don't let the First Order prevail, and don't let my unintentional blundering stop this from being fixed. I will do whatever I can to help the Resistance, Rebellion, Republic, all of them succeed and throw off the tyranny of the First Order."

DD and Tess both turned to you in surprise and distress. Tess was able to be more clear over the boops and beeps of the droids binary language.

"Wait, what? You're going to hand over your droid, your co-pilot, and friend? I hope you've got a good explanation.."

Kal frowned at the vehement reactions. He held his hands up in a defensive posture. "What? Not to KEEP! Just to lead to the information."

He spread his hands. "Look, I'm willing to do whatever is needed, up to a point I suppose, to get the mission done and make sure the Resistance has a chance to bring down the First Order. I can't let my overeagerness and unintentional loud drama cause the mission to fail or the Resistance to lose. That's all I'm saying."

"We don't even know what information we have" The droid beeped at you angrily "plus, what if I never see you again? I don't need to be abandoned by another pilot..."
This message was last updated by the player at 21:49, Fri 16 Dec 2022.

"You're still saying a lot, more than you should to people you don't know" the leader said. Her eyes darted constantly from each of you to the other before she spoke, seemingly have made up your mind "Here's where I'm standing; I want to believe you, but I don't know that I can trust you. If you want to help, you'll do it this way..." She shows you two identical data sticks, handing you one. "These drives are coded to one another, and only to each other. Whatever information you put on yours will automatically send a copy to mine. If the information you have looks legitimate, I'll share what I might know. For now, friends or not we need to split up. Better the enemy only finds one group of us than both."

"But that's not-" Kalidyn looked at the droid and opened his mouth, but then closed it. He let out a small sigh. "You're right. Sorry."

It seemed like no matter what he did or said, things just kept getting worse and more complicated. But he was a pilot, not a flipping spy! He wasn't supposed to be doing this sort of thing. He was supposed to be flying a fighter and shooting down enemies, flying escort missions and stuff!

He hesitated but then accepted the drive. "Understood."

He then turned away and started heading away from the other group at a quick but not hurried pace. He didn't want to attract even more attention, though that seemed like something he was doomed to do.

As they walked away, he turned his head slightly and said to Tess and DD, "A pilot should be in a cockpit, not running around causing chaos on discreet missions!" He blew out a breath. "What should we do now? Maybe we should get off-planet and let things cool off." He sounded frustrated.

"That's not a bad idea" The old man piped in "I should join you on this journey. I don't know what your future and destiny brings, young Sunrider, but whatever it is, you will need The Force if you are to succeed. I can help guide you down the Path of the Jedi, if you are willing."

Kalidyn looked over at the old Jedi for a moment and then slowly let out a breath. "Yeah. I guess." He still was a bit unsure about the whole Force thing as it pertained to him but...that seemed to be the consensus.

He glanced at Tess and DD, "What do you two think? You haven't liked several of my last decisions slash choices, so figured I should weigh in with you two."

He wouldn't be surprised if Tess suggested splitting up. She would be wise to get away from him for a bit probably.

"Well, the first problem I see is logistics.  Two one man fighters won't do the trick of getting three people off world. I agree that we need to look at the data we picked up. That may have the answers we need, so that we skip over Hypo station alltogether."

Kal looked over at Demarchus with one raised eyebrow and a small grin. "You got a ship lying around?" He assumed not but it never hurt to ask.

He looked down, then back at the older man. "Well, we could...book you passage somewhere nearby maybe, but that takes credits. And some place to go to meet up. I don't like the idea of leaving our fighters here."

He shook his head. "Or we find a place to lay low on-planet but that seems riskier."

He glanced at the droid, "DD, can you check to see what ships are listed as leaving soon and have destinations that would be...I don't know. Either not too far away, or Hypo Station I guess." He let out a sigh. "I don't know how we best find out more information."

"Commercial passenger transit off planet appears limited, but there are options. None to New Republic systems, but nuetral options exist. Doro, Robill, or Dartag appear to be the best options."

Kalidyn listened as the droid listed off possible destination. He pursed his lips and closed one eyes as he thought and tried to remember what he knew. "Hmm." He shook his head. "Not Doro. Bad atmo and mining guild, not ideal."

He looked down. "Robill's not...bad, but...Dartag? That sounds like a place we can get lost in if we need to, maybe find out information." He glanced at the others for any signs of objections, but that was his choice of the three.

"I used to have an apartment there. At the very least, it would be a good place to use to make a transit to a New Republic world if we needed to. Do you want to return to the Nebula first?"

Kal let out a snort. "Why am I not surprised?"" But he smiled at her and then nodded. "Alright then. Let's head to Dartag." But then shook his head at her question. "I don't think that's a good idea. We were kind of told we were on our own, remember?"

He looked over at Demarchus, then at Tess. "Want to let him know where that apartment is? Seems like a good place to meet when we get there." He nodded at the older man once that was done. "See you there."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:22, Tue 03 Jan 2023.

"That rental is long gone, but I can think of some places that we can rent out for a short basis. Hook up with some old friends, maybe."

She handed over a personal datapad to the old man, who busily copied the data in front of him.

"I recall being plausible deniability. That doesn't mean we're cut off. Still, there's a lot to be said for getting straight to the next task. Even more to be said to not report back until we actually have something tangible, so let's hop to it."

Kalidyn made a face that seemed to say 'oh, sure, that makes sense', with just a touch of sheepishness in it, about the rental. "Okay. Great. We'll...find something once we're there then, okay."

To the rest of what she had to say, he hesitated. She wasn't entirely wrong. Finally he shrugged and said, "Right, other than us changing locations, we don't have a lot to report, and certainly no real good news." He restrained a sigh, knowing a lot of that was his fault. "I think we wait, but if you two think otherwise, we can contact them on the way."

He started heading towards where their ships were docked.

Your return to the ships was thankfully uneventful, and the ships themselves unmolested. Demarchus joined you all the way to the end, following quietly. There was a small, inexplicable grin on his face the whole time. Odd, given what the day had brought and what could still happen.

Surprisingly, he hugged each of you before you entered your fighters.

"I'll see you both on the other side. Our meeting together was not coincidence. Together, we'll get to the bottom of what happened, and start something new."

He reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out something out. He held his hand out for you to take it. dropping it in gently, it was sharp and jagged, but there was strength in it. It felt strong, somehow.

Kalidyn started to give a nod to Demarchus when the older man started hugging them all. Kal's eyes went wide. He had not pegged the old Jedi for a hugger. He listened to the words the older man said. "I'd say I'd take your word for it, but I guess Fate isn't a thing and it's more about destiny and the Force and all that stuff, according to you and the ghost." But there was a small smile on his lips as he said that.

He frowned at the small crystal. It wasn't a smooth gem or anything. It was a dark blue in color, almost edging towards green in places. He picked it up out of the palm of one hand with fingers from the other hand. He held it up as he examined it...as he felt something from it, pulling at him. "This...what is this?"

"It's a beginning." He replied with a smile "This is the first step in you building a lightsaber. In proper times, Jedi would give training lightsabers to their padawans, or older ones that they no longer use. We don't have that option right now, so we will work together on building one. You me, Tess, and this...ghost, you're speaking of..."

"Until than, May the Force be with you"