A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS

Patterns of Deception
The Galactic Republic is sliding deeper into bureaucracy and corruption. Corporate profiteering and apathy are rampant. Many planets, especially those that are primitive, but rich in resources, are being taken over by businesses in the name of economic expansion.

On the remote mining world of Dathu, the two ruling parties on the planet have come into dispute, all but stopping the flow of essential minerals and fuel to the core worlds. The Outer Rim Mining Consortium has requested that it be granted control of the planet, in order to restore order.

Hoping for another solution, the supreme chancellor has arranged for two Jedi Knights to be dispatched to arbitrate the dispute and prevent a conflict that will surely be used as a precedent for corporate control....

The words fade into space, drifting further and further away until only the dim light of distant stars remains. Slowly, our view pans down and we see a brown, possibly desert-like planet, not very far away...



The transit ship rocketed by, about to reach the atmosphere of Dathu, the only inhabitable planet in the system. It was a simple ship, with only a cockpit and a cabin for its passengers: aliens hailing from all over the galaxy. Many of the travelers were clearly miners, probably coming to Dathu for work. Some appeared to be businessmen, others just appeared to be coming to Dathu to avoid trouble. But one thing was certain – there were far fewer passengers headed towards Dathu than usual; the cabin was barely half full, and in the back corner sat two enigmatic figures cloaked in simple, brown robes, their hoods drawn.

"This is your pilot speaking," a voice over the intercom said, in lightly accented basic. "We will be making our descent into Dom-Rhett spaceport in just under five minutes. Please ready your belongings to ensure that our departure from the ship will be expedient. Thank you, and enjoy your stay at Dom-Rhett."

The last remark elicited a chuckle from one of the two robed figures, as the other passengers began bustling about, grabbing their luggage from the overhead compartments and readying themselves to disembark.

"Something amusing, master?" One of the robed figures said, drawing back her hood. Si-Di, a Cerean Jedi padawan turned to her master, Zen Allum, who in turn drew back his hood. An ancient Zabrak with jet white hair and the wrinkles of a hundred adventures on his face, Master Allum merely smiled in response to his apprentice’s question.

"I was merely musing on the irony of the situation," Master Allum said. "Considering that Dom-Rhett has been a warzone until the past week, the pilot is surprisingly cordial."

His padawan returned the smile, and the two Jedi grabbed their belongings from the overhead compartment. The ship began to rumble as it descended into the atmosphere of the planet, and the two Jedi strapped themselves in.

---

At Klebb’s Cantina, Kavtan Cleentor sat at the bar in between jobs. Danbar 'Dan' Klebb ran both the cantina and the adjourning landing strip, one of the few completely independent outfits in the entire spaceport, holding no guild allegiance. As such, members of both guilds and those who did not want to be noticed by anyone could be found at Klebb’s – not to mention those looking for the best mechanical work on Dathu, which Klebb could boast. He prided himself on hiring the best tech specialists around, and Kavtan was no exception to that rule, an extraordinary mechanic for his age.

A rowdy party of Aqualish left the bar, laughing and joking back and forth in their language (a rather abrasive collection of sounds), and a duo of Arcona passed them on their way in. It was slow, even for a weekday afternoon – but that was to be expected with the state of things. Most were staying indoors if they could. The fighting between the two guilds have ceased for now, but many were worried that it could resume any moment.

"Oy, Kavtan!" Klebb shouted from behind the bar. The Duros looked up at his employer. Klebb was looking haggard as always, five-o-clock shadow covering his face. "Remember the job I told you about? The ambassadors for the republic? They’re coming in on a transport from Coruscant any minute now. The pilot just contacted me. They’re using my docks because they don’t want to claim allegiance to any one guild. Anyway, I want to extend them every courtesy so that they’ll come back, y’hear? That means I want a complete tune-up on their transit ship before they leave. I’ll make sure the pilot of the vessel gives you a good rate."

Kavtan nodded, then glanced out the window of the bar – the docks could be viewed from inside the cantina. There were barely any ships there; there were barely any patrons in the cantina either. The conflict between the guilds had been horrible for business, and it was clear from Klebb’s attitude that he wanted to grab any customer he could – and it was always profitable to have the Republic as your customer.

The transit ship would be landing any minute now...but in the meantime, Kavtan spotted two unusual ships setting down on Klebb’s docks...

---

The two Jedi stepped out of their Starfighters, having just landed on the strip next to Klebb’s cantina. Considering the decrease in interstellar traffic in the system recently, the lack of other ships made their landing less discreet than was desirable. Master Janis Arkana sighed, her silver hair blowing in the wind. You can’t have everything in life. Her padawan, a young Cathar, walked over from her Starfighter.

"If I’d known the current state of affairs in Dathu, I probably would have taken more time to plan our arrival here," Master Arkana said, almost speaking to wind. She then turned and faced her apprentice. "But then, time is of the essence. Whether or not the one we’re looking for is here for business or simply on the lam, he could flee the planet any time. It’s imperative we discover him before he discovers we’re here."

Her padawan nodded, pensive.

"Hello there!", a voice from behind the two Jedi said. Both of them turned, seeing a dark-skinned human in the dress of nobility approaching them, stepping out of the cantina. He waved, then bowed as he neared them. "I was told you were coming in a public transit ship, Master Allum. Was I mistaken?"

"You are mistaken," Master Arkana replied. "I’m not Master Allum. He is a Zabrak, and much older than me, I’m afraid."

"Oh?" the noble looked confused. "I was told to expect two Jedi."

"We aren't the Jedi you’re looking for," Master Arkana replied casually. "We haven’t been in communication with the council for a number of weeks, however. If another two Jedi are coming, we weren't aware of it. And your name is...?"

"Erm? Oh, yes! How rude of me." The noble replied. "I am Cern Namor. I’m the administrator of the city. I’m a neutral party in the guild’s dispute, but I can explain the details of this later. Ah, look! It appears that the Jedi I’m awaiting are here."

The wind billowed around the three figures on the landing strip as the transit ship above them began to descend.

---

Meanwhile, another patron walked into Klebb’s Cantina – a young human, bald with a goatee. He walked over to the bar, a seat over from Kavtan and took his place there. The bartender, an aged, irascible Sullustan walked over from the other side of the counter, wiping the inside of a glass with a rag as he walked. He set the glass down and stared expectantly at the newcomer, then said in heavily accented basic, "What can I get for you this afternoon?"

Lysander Orda merely shook his head, dismissing the bartender, and the Sullustan shrugged, returning to his duties. He glanced around the bar – it was relatively empty, given the time of day. But considering the recent events surrounding Dathu, it didn’t surprise him. He had been on Dathu a relatively short time, but in his memory, the two ruling parties had controlled the planet peaceably, with minimal conflict between them. Whatever conflict had erupted, it must have been bad. Personal differences, probably – whenever things got this bad between clans, it was almost always over something personal.

Lysander glanced at the window; a transit ship was making its landing...and there were three figures standing there on the landing pad. He could make them out, even though they were on the other side...and two of them looked to be...Jedi?

---

The transit ship slowed, its reverse thrusters setting it down for a gentle landing. The roaring of the engines softened to a dull hum, then the ship was quiet, except for the sound of the cabin depressurizing before the doors opened. As the steam cleared, the familiar sound of the electronic doors sliding open filled the air, and the first of the passengers began to step out onto Dathu, the landing ramp extending.

Inside the ship, the two Jedi made their way through the line of travelers towards the exit. Suddenly, Master Allum stopped, and quickly glanced at his padawan. Si-Di merely stared back.

"A disturbance..." Master Allum said. "I sense a disturbance in the Force."

Si-Di could hear it, though ever so softly. Over the hustle and bustle of the passengers disembarking, it was almost impossible, but to one attuned to the force, the softest sounds were audible.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...
"Bomb." Master Allum said. Then, truly realizing the situation, yelled, "BOMB!"

Master Zen Allum dove towards the exit of the spacecraft, shoving a Rodian that was about to disembark off of the ship and onto the pavement of the landing pad. "Get back!" he shouted to the passengers about to step towards the exit, who jumped back in surprise. Then, everything seemed to happen in fast forward. Master Allum took one last glance at Si-Di, but realized it was too late. He had not sensed the disturbance in time, and there was no time to react now, even for a Jedi.

There was a deafening rumble as fire erupted all around the threshold of the exit, blasting the landing ramp apart and causing the ship to crash to the ground. The smoke filled the air immediately, as if the entire landing pad was in a stormcloud; the cinders and smog burned the eyes of everyone near the explosion. The ship itself had caught fire as well, and it was quickly spreading across the cabin.

Kavtan and Lysander watched in shock from inside the cantina. The two Jedi at their Starfighters on the other side of the dock were ready to spring into action. Si-Di was still inside the burning ship.

And Jedi Master Zen Allum was dead.

(OOC: Good luck to all, we may begin posting. FYI - Si-Di was far enough away from the blast to take no damage, but she might want to get out of dodge, ASAP!)

Due to the way Kavtan had grew up he had formed the ability concentrate on two things at once. The first of these things was listening at this current moment, he had not forgotten about the arrival of the Jedi and was listening intently for the tell-tell sounds of a reverse thrusters in his landing strip. In reality it wasn't his landing strip, it was Klebb's and he only happened to work there but he still thought of it as his. The landing stripe's owner, and the owner of the cantina addressed him on the matter of the Jedi, to which his response was a slow nod of acknowledgement as he stood up and turned around.

As he turned around a human passed him and sat at the stool he had just got up from, he was too busy contemplating his rate and what work might need doing, he hoped it would be challenging but not much was. His sub consious immediately took note of the humans stature, face, the way he walked and items he carried so that this man could be logged correctly in Kavtan's dairy, a self-built encrypted datapad and set of datacards.

Kavtan himself stood at just over 190 cm, maybe 193 or 194, and wore a blue grey overall similar to a pilot’s jump-suite, his head typical Duros shape with red silted eyes and tough boots on his feet, his long tapered fingers bare. At his waist a tool kit dangled and clunked next to an item similar to a light sabre but longer, about the length of the clubs used on more primitive planets and next to that a series of small pouches and innumerable clips right round the belt.

Halfway towards the door there was an explosion, he saw the incendiary devices cloud rise above the landing strip and acted immediately by breaking into a run and grabbing and clipping a medpack to his belt.

Racing out the cantina he could see the effect of the blast on the people in the immediate vicinity, it panicked them. They had good reason to be panicked as well, 3 weeks ago the city had been a war zone and the throngs of people believed the cease stop fire was over. Clearing his way through the throng of people the azure figure entered the landing strip to see passengers running from a transit ship that was on fire with its landing ramp in pieces and passengers inside. His red silted eyes taking everything in and his brain processing it.

Putting aside the other two ships he made a quick direction change and grabbed an extinguisher and jogged towards the burning craft to see how he could help.

Ninkanna's ears twitch at the sound of the explosion, and her violet cat eyes look over to the rising smoke. Maybe you aren't the only one who was waiting for them. Ninkanna thinks briefly, placing the thought on a shelf to meditate over later. First thing was first, the people on that shuttle had to be helped, but there was something else that bothered her.

"Master, if we are noticed if we go to help, do you think that that one will be informed?" Ninkanna's gentle voice asks.

While she asks, Ninkanna's eyes survey the area, searching for fire extinguishers. Her slightly striped, dark tan fur is bristled, especially along the back of her neck, but she tries to keep herself calm, in spite of her racing heartbeat. Her short fur and cat like appearance together give her a similarity to a tabby-cat. I am afraid. She realizes, and with the realization she closes her eyes for a moment and lets herself calm down. A few thoughts go through her mind, but she places these too aside to meditate over later. Her eyes open, now tranquil and ready.

Master Arkana shakes her head.

"We cannot bother with that, my padawan. As important as our mission is, if saving a single life costs us our secrecy, I am satisfied." Master Arkana closes her eyes, then uses the Force to summon a fire extinguisher from a tool kit lying next to one of the ships docked at the station. As it flies into her hand, she opens her eyes again and addresses her apprentice. "We cannot be sure of anyone's involvement. I wasn't aware that Master Allum was coming...but we have no choice now, but to save his padawan and the other passengers trapped inside."

Ninkanna smiles. She held the same feelings as her Master, and didn't really trust herself to just stand back and watch anyway. She looks over at the other fire extinguisher she spotted and follows suit, closing her eyes. In her mind's eye, Ninkanna can vaguely see the rippling ocean of the Force, those faint, tentative strings through space and time that connects between people and things. Mentally, Ninkanna wills it to bulge, to lift the extinguisher, and for it to flow, carrying it to her. Taking the canister, she dashes forward to help put out the fire.

(If the extinguisher doesn't come, she'll just run over and grab it, then run to the burning ship)

As he jogged towards the burning ship his brain was rapidly working on possibilities to help the people inside the ship, prepping the extinguisher as he moved his subconsciousness took rapid mental pictures of people of particular note. The cat-like female, a Cathar, that had caused a second extinguisher to fly into her hand (assuming she manages it) and the one who arrived with her, both in Jedi Starfighters, a Delta-7 Aethersprite class ship, he had worked on one before, only one but he never forgot. The noble, Cern Namor unless he was mistaken, he had met him before.

He had reached the craft with the device readied for use, being in the employ of Klebb meant that his first duty in a situation like this was to the customer, his second to himself and there for he decided on his cause of action. He took aim at the fire in the exit so that he could put it out, he knew full well that there was an emergency exit in the cockpit but that would take too long to open. He hoped he would get some help putting out the fire as it would take time, time the passengers were running out of, and he intended to get the passengers out as soon as possible.


(OCC: My two posts are over a long lengh of time, about half a minute (30 seconds or 5 rounds), I would not blame you for thinking I'm trying to steal the other characters thunder, or fire as the case happens to be, but I am not and will resist posting until you have covered a similar length of time.)

Si-Di has slung her simple bag around her shoulders as she stood up to exit the transport, she too paused as she felt the disturbance in the force. She reacted to Master Allum’s command to get back by holding her arms out and stepping backwards trying to force people back from the exit, “Get Back!”

The explosion rock the ship and she instinctively ducked down to the side behind some seats. As soon as the ship fell to the landing platform she was again on her feet staring at the flame engulfed doorway.

“Master!” Si-Di yelled as her eyes cleared of smoke.. Seeing no sign of him and feeling the pain in the force at his death, Si-Di felt like slumping down to the deck. The wail of other trapped passengers snapped her out of her remorse and she straightened up.

Her analytical Cerean mind regarded her choices and as always saw the good and bad of situations. Seeing the main entrance blocked by fire and not knowing the layout of the ship, he drew her long lightsaber from her belt and stepped to the side of the transport ship.

“Everyone remain calm!’ She yelled to be heard above the din and ignited her lightsaber, with a ‘snap-hiss’ the emerald blade sprang into life. With only a second to hesitation she stabbed the meter and a half long glowing blade through the side of the transport ship and began cutting a doorway large enough for a grown person to step through. She didn’t think it would take more than a few seconds to cut through the side of the transport and since the ship had crashed to the ground he hoped it was now close enough for the remaining passengers to exit safely.

(OOC: Don’t know how long it will take but if there enough time continue with action below)

Once a hole was cut she would kick the center of the makeshift door and watch it clatter to the ground. If the passengers could step out she would turn and extinguishing her saber instruct the passengers to exit.

“The woman and her child first,” she said in a calm though authoritative tone, “then the rest of you! Get clear as soon as you can.”

If the distance to the ground was a bit of a jump she turned to the Trandoshans and pointed at them, “You two jump down first and then stay there to help the others down.” Her tone, though calm, held the authority of one who expected to be obeyed.

“I will check on the pilots,” Si-Di said and while the others exited she looked to see if she could get to the cockpit. If there was no way, barred by flames, destroyed, etc., she will try to sense if the there is any life in the cockpit. If there is no life, she would turn and jump out the hole she cut in the side.

(OOC: If this works, hopefully this entire scene won’t take more than 30 secs. If she senses life or can get to the cockpit she will try to get there to check on the pilots)

Kavtan had dwindled the flames enough to see the passengers by this point, although he still worked he registered some basic information about them, there was a Rodian female and child, a middle-aged human, two Trandoshaus, possibly miners, and two of his own species as well as a female robed figure and a man in the same robes laying dead on the floor. He was then shocked to see the robed female draw a light saber and cut a hole in the side of the ship.

Kavtan couldn't help it, first the long forgotten, undetonated, frag grenade he had found in a speeder seat compartment. Needless to say the thing nearly took his hand off. Then the explosion and the fire but the hole in the side of the transit ship was too much, he let out an angry string of Durese words that roughly translated as ' You bantha brained Jedi, I'm not fixing that'. Of cause all the Jedi would be able to understand unless he spoke Durese was 'bantha' and 'Jedi' but that was still enough to get him into trouble. In any other situation the two Duros might have laughed at this but when there lives were in danger the insult couldn't copse them to laugh.

It was soon after this that he started to tackle the rest of the fire.

Master Arkana and Ninkanna Sori head towards the fire, accompanied by Kavtan Cleentor. All three have gathered fire extuinguishers - shaped like oversized blasters, the devices fire a chemical agent rather than a blaster bolt. When sprayed, this agent puts out flames. The three approach the burning ship, spraying the inferno and managing to relatively contain the flame. But it quickly seems as though there probably isn't enough firepower (no pun intended) in your extinguishers to put out the flames. However, they are not spreading as rapidly.

Meanwhile, the few passengers who made it out of the ship are making their way clear of the landing pad.

(OOC: Ninkanna succeeds in her Move Object check and proceeds directly to the flames; Kavtan successfully Spots and grabs an extinguisher and aids in controlling the flames).

Meanwhile, inside the ship, Si-Di finds the hull to be well-enforced. This is a Corellian-built ship, chartered from Coruscent, and it is well-constructed. She has to push herself to at cut a hole in a timely fashion. Remarkably, the Jedi Consular seems to draw upon some kind of inner strength, and manages to put all her might into slicing through the hull. She succeeds, and kicks out a hole through which the passengers begin to exit.

(OOC: I did a strength check - Si-Di isn't very strong, but you rolled a 19 - a spectacular success, she slices through the hull is very little time).

Si-Di then turns, scanning the space between her and the cockpit door. There are flames in the way, but not so much that getting there would be impossible. She stretched out with her feelings, and senses very strongly that there are two living beings inside, but unconscious.

(OOC: Another 19! and with your WIS modifier, it's a 23, you get a pretty clear sensation of two lifesigns, and can even sense their unconsciousness).

---

Meanwhile, inside Klebb's cantina, Lysander witnesses the events through the cantina window...the shock of the explosion resonated into the bar, and several patrons have gotten up to look. However, the two Arcona who just walked in are strangely unshaken, merely whispering to each other. Except for the two of them, all the other patrons have walked over the window, or have gone out onto the landing pad to see closer. The two Arcona merely lazily walk over to the window and study the unfolding scene.

Both of them whisper back and forth, seeming very concerned. One of them seems to have some kind of electronic device in his hand, and the other seems to be gesturing wildly at him. Their backs are turned to Lysander, however, and he can't make out what they're saying...

Si-Di felt the two unconscious pilots in the cockpit and knew she couldn’t leave them to die. She heard people yelling and talking outside though she couldn’t quite make any of it out clearly and without really looking that way she yelled out to them, “The Pilots are trapped in the front.”

Drawing her short saber this time she pulled her all-weather cloak around her and judging the path with the lowest amount of flames, she ignited her shoto and dashed through towards the door to the cockpit. Moving as fast as she safely could without falling she dashed through the flames and as she reached it she slashed at where the locking mechanism would be on the door.

If the door opened she would jump through and quickly assess the situation: if she was on fire anyplace, the condition of the pilots and any possible emergency exit. She was hoping that those outside had heard her call for aid to the front of the transport and they could help to extricate the pilots. She knew they were running out of time and had to get everyone out and away from the craft before things got much worse.

(OOC: If the door to the cockpit doesn’t open, she will pause long enough to slice at it with her light saber. The interior door should be constructed of less sturdy stuff as the hull and once she is through she will jump into the cockpit.)

Ninkanna holds the extinguisher in her left hand and steadying it with her right, aiming at the core of the flames in front of her. The heat is incredible, and she finds herself panting slightly. Yet, in spite of their efforts, the fire continues to rage on and on.

Ninkanna feels her right hand fidget, tapping on the extinguisher. It is the same feeling as when she first tried using a single lightsaber, a sort of imbalance. Ninkanna frowns slightly. She knew that they were making progress in helping the fire stop spreading, but there seemed to be more she could do. She quickly glances around for another extinguisher.

(if one is present)
Ninkanna quickly wills the same thing she did to the first extinguisher to happen to this one, for it to come to her.
(if it comes)
Ninkanna catches the extinguisher in her vacant right hand, and suddenly feels the same sense of balance as when she first wielded two lightsabers. Indeed, it was a feeling she felt whenever she wielded both her lightsabers, a sort of balance and grace that she easily could be lost in, and in which she could do many things. The silhouette of a smile touches her lips as she raises the second one, and now with the two in hand she lays it all out on the blaze in front of her.

A second extinguisher is not anywhere near, at least not that Ninkanna can spot. Master Arkana, however, senses Ninkana's motive and tosses her the extinguisher she was holding.

"I need to go and help get the survivors away from this spacecraft - the ones that just got out are dangerously close. I don't think they understand the danger. Stay here and keep fighting the fire."

Master Arkana runs to the survivors, ushering them away from the blaze, and as Ninkanna and Kavtan continue to spray the engulfed areas with the extinguishers, the fire miraculously begins to die down.

---

Meanwhile, inside the vessel, the passengers have been evacuated and Si-Di has reached the cockpit. She ignites her shoto at the locking mechanism, and the door easily opens. She had not caught on fire, per se, but had been burned by her mad dash through the flames.

Inside, as expected, the two pilots are unconscious. The entrance, where the explosion occurred was dangerously close to the cockpit - if there hadn't been a wall between the cabin and the cockpit, it is likely that they would have been killed. However, it's unclear whether they were knocked out on impact, or if they passed out from the smoke in such a tight space.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an emergency exit - and while the Duros and Cathar outside are successfully fighting the fire, it's likely the flames could ignite the engine at any moment, and trying to get the pilots out through the passenger exit could be time consuming. However, the cockpit window is made of glass...though it's a good 5 foot drop from the screen to the ground.

(OOC: An update - Ninkanna has lost one vitality point for using Move Object and Si-Di has lost two from minor burns.)

Si-Di took in the situation in an instant and knowing that she couldn’t safely get the pilots out through the cabin she decided the window would have to do. Stepping between the two unconscious crewmen ; she slashed at the front window of the cockpit with her shoto and shielded her face from the spray of glass and doused her light saber and had it on her belt all in one fluid motion.

Turning to the first pilot she unfastened any harness they might be wearing, if any, and calling upon the force to augment her strength, lifted him (or her) from the chair and hoisted the up to the window. Holding on to one arm she shoved the unconscious person out the window and at the extent of her reach she let go hoping the person was close enough to the ground now to hit feet first before slumping to the ground. Immediately she would turn and repeat the process with the second unconscious pilot except this time she would follow that one out the window and hopefully ease them more gently to the ground.

Once outside she would look about and if she saw anyone within sight she would yell at them, “I need help here! We have to get them away from the ship now.”

(OOC: She will try to lower the person to the ground as well as can be, if she can lower one while leaning out holding one of their arms she might get them to touch the ground mostly before she lets go so they wont come down to hard and injure themselves further. If one of the pilots looks more injured then the first she will do that one last so she can follow that one out and lower them even more gently. )

Kavtan can just here the conversation being held by the two Jedi and immediately grabs the medpack from his belt, unclasping it with ease and yells to the Jedi master, guessing he's the master of cause but from certain factors about him Kavtan is pretty sure,
"Jedi, take this." and throws him the medpack making sure it clears the flames and that he can catch it. Once this is done he turns back to the ongoing battle with the fire but he was slowly coming to a realisation, this fire was getting ever closer to the fuel tanks and engine and they could only control it for so long, he made a mental note to withdraw from the fire as soon as the pilots were saved and the other passengers were out the way.
"It's no use," he yelled over the flames to anyone who would listen
,b."someone must have called the emergency services by now and these extinguishers are running out, as soon as the pilots are safe we'll have to withdraw."
At that moment his mind also lost interest in what he was doing, this was boring work and he lived for interesting work, he thought of his small home-made explosive in his room and of the stolen credits he had used to make it, he had changed the amount on his credit chip using his computer tools so that he could afford it, anyway, it wasn't life he was steeling and it was in the name of discovery, it had only been 10 credits and worth it, he had discovered two things even though he didn't intend to do one of them again. Concentration slipping it was a struggle to keep at the job in hand but he had too or lives would be put into danger.