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Post by Douglas9465 on May 3, 2012 15:06:04 GMT -5
Jeraldi could tell Aiden was noticing the same thing as him as the man walked out of the pub. "Well, that was interesting." He said with a laugh as he asked for another drink. "Although, they probably ARE going to do something devastating to that girl. Maybe we could just peak a look to see if she is truly in any danger?" Jeraldi asked, caring what happened to the girl, but more importantly just looking for some adventure and something to do.
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Post by Taran on May 9, 2012 17:05:36 GMT -5
Aiden grinned as he sipped his drink. "That was my intention all along, my new friend," he admitted, sighing and leaning back against his perch. "You see, I happen to know exactly who took her, when, where, and why. I also happen to know that she was the one who contacted the 'kidnapper' with the desire to disappear." Aiden looked over at Jeraldi. "She was very clear on her instructions, you see. However, she did leave some embellishment up to the 'kidnapper' to help flush out her sad story."
Aiden flipped some credits onto the table and stood. "Now, I believe we ought to go find the poor girl and 'free' her from her imprisonment."
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 9, 2012 18:20:47 GMT -5
Jeraldi was a tad puzzled by the whole thing, but agreed and stood to leave with Aiden. "Some family's are so screwed up." He said sarcastically as they left the pub.
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Post by Taran on May 9, 2012 19:28:44 GMT -5
Aiden winked. "Yes, yes they are," he said with a smile as they walked down the street.
An hour later, they had finally maneuvered through the morning traffic to the lower levels of the city where the junkies lived. Whistling casually and waving to several people of questionable repute, Aiden continued on down the avenues of shadows and shadowed buildings. "Gotta love the neighborhood," he said to Jeraldi as they walked. He pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it. The smoke trailed lazily from the burning end of the cigar, sending a rich scent wafting before them and blocking out most of the nastier smells of the neighborhood.
After another while walking, they reached a broken down warehouse with wooden boards over the windows and painted letters denoting which gang of junkies was in charge of it. "Yep, this is the place," Aiden said, tossing his cigar to the ground and stomping it out with his foot. "Hey Boris!" he yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth and using the Force to amplify his voice, which boomed out around them like a thunderstorm.
"Ya? Wat ya wan'?" came a grouchy voice from the warehouse. "That ol' prick decide to treat hi' daught'r right?"
"Now, I'm not in a position to decide that," Aiden said. "I just came to see how she's doing and assess the situation."
"Hah! Go 'assess' th' sit-ation someplace else, eh?" the voice retorded.
Aiden walked up to the doors and knocked politely. "Please, Boris. I must see the girl before I can leave. You know I hate doors blocking my way. Remember when I brought her here? And now you have this nice grubby door. I'd hate for you to have to find a replacement."
Curses and hurried steps came from the warehouse. The doors opened slowly, squealing on their hinges. "There. Happy?" Boris asked, stepping forward. He was a short man, round of the belly and face. "She ain't been touched, like we agreed. We'd 'ate to have the 'Moonlighter' comin' down on our arses."
Aiden smiled and clapped Boris on the shoulder. "Good man," he said, now pointing to Jeraldi. "This here is my good friend Frankie. Frankie don't like hurt girls. Makes him all degrees of crazy with that there lightsaber."
"Pleasure to meet ya, Mister Frankie," Boris said. "Please, come in. We'' sit ya down to some nice tea. Prepared fresh last week."
"Thank you, Boris," Aiden said as he stepped in through the warehouse doors. "We'll try to make this quick. Don't want to get in the way of your 'operations'."
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 9, 2012 21:41:54 GMT -5
Jeraldi walked slowly into the warehouse. It was rather run down and smelled up decaying bodies. He was still unsure of what was going on, but paid no attention as they sat down to some tea. "Thank you kindly." He said as he dreaded taking a sip. Jeraldi liked to live under the premise of "To each his own.", but this place was filthy and it actually seemed to throw off Jeralid's force in a way. However, being the polite gentleman he was, he decided to ignore it and focus on the task at hand. "Do you do jobs like these often?"
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Post by Taran on May 10, 2012 0:55:48 GMT -5
Aiden lifted the cup to his lips and pretended to drink the tea; he preferred coffee. "Quite often, actually," he said, setting the cup back down. "I sort of make a living off of it. The Jedi pay us so poorly, if they pay us at all, that I often need to supplement my income by doing these odd jobs and favors for others."
A woman walked in then. Two men stood on either side of her, their weapons a standard variation of the blaster riffle strapped to their backs. The woman was tall and slender, with a regal tilt to her chin. Shoulder-length blonde hair framed a pale and firm face. Her eyes were ice blue and unyielding. She stopped in front of Aiden and looked down at him, a soft smile touching her lips.
"Ah, Aiden," she said as she extended a hand. "My rescuer."
Aiden took her hand and smiled, bending down to kiss her pale palm. "Lisha," he said. "Kind as always. Your father sends his regards and wishes to know when you will be returning home."
Lisha pulled her hand back and laughed. Turning in a circle, she raised her arms and gestured to everything around them. "Why? Why would I leave this place, this sanctuary, to return to a life of petty low-level politics? To be married off to some man who knows how to spend money? Pah!"
"I was merely inquiring dear," Aiden said, raising his hands. "He was rather adamant that I find whoever stole you from him. I did not have the heart to tell him the truth."
"Perhaps you should learn," she said, ice in her voice. "I labored in his household for far too long. I was treated worse than the slaves. But here? Here I am a queen."
"Yes, my dear. I will tell him the truth then. But I cannot guarantee the reaction. He may decide to seek help from the proper authorities, rather than a man of rather questionable loyalties."
"Questionable loyalties indeed," she said, clasping her hands behind her back. "'Frankie' was it? Tell me, 'Frankie', what would you do? Force a woman to return to her domineering father? Or let her live her own life as she chooses?"
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 12, 2012 22:30:44 GMT -5
Jeraldi sighed at being forced to answer such petty questions. "It's your life to do with how you so choose. From what I've seen your father does seem to be a bit of a jackass, however, I know what it is like to loose a family member, not just one but my entire family. And I can tell you right now I'd do anything to have them back. Leave if you so wish, but tell your father why you must and try to get him to understand so that you can still have SOME kind of relationship with him......THIS is my advice to you. Your father is fighting to get you back, he must care for you even if he doesn't know how to show it, and from what I can tell, you DO seem to have a rebellious persona about you." Jeraldi finished his statement with a snide grin.
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Post by Taran on May 14, 2012 1:00:33 GMT -5
"Pah, my father doesn't know the first thing about me," Lisha said. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Frankie, I've been in charge of this little underground organization for going on five years now. Your friend Moonlighter here only recently helped join my two lives together."
Taking a seat, Lisha crossed her legs and leaned back. Aiden smiled and turned to Jeraldi. "Lisha here has made a few enemies along the way. It all gets very complicated, but the basis is that by admitting her identity and publicly splitting with her father she creates a semblance of security."
"I love my father," Lisha said. "More dearly than you could know. But if my enemies found out, then they would use him against me. If they found it, he would have to disappear permanently."
"Which is the real reason I'm here, I assume," Aiden said, interlocking his fingers and putting them behind his head. "You need your father to 'disappear.' And he's in on it?" Lisha nodded. "Well, I will have to plan for that one. Explosion or no explosion?"
Lisha grinned and shook her head. "I need it to be clear that he is gone, Moonlighter, but not over the top. An explosion that destroyed a strong and durable structure that has stood for many centuries would be slightly suspicious. Wouldn't you agree, Boris?"
"Yes, ma'am," Boris agreed fervently. "We tried it before. Didn't turn out in the end."
"So an explosion is still possible," Aiden said as he stood. "I will begin planning. Frankie here may help supply a few missing details or otherwise come up with the plan. Good day, Miss Lisha."
Walking calmly yet quickly, Aiden returned to the undercity streets. He pulled out a new cigar and light it, helping to push away the horrible smell. "So, Jeraldi, what do you think? How should we 'remove' her father?"
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 14, 2012 22:46:16 GMT -5
Jeraldi sighed as he wondered how it got pulled into this confusing debacle, but also excited at not knowing what the future held and to finally have some excitement. "Well, we'll need a diversion, that's for sure. I've noticed throughout the city that people are constantly watching newcomers with a hawks-eye. We either take them out silently, or we pull their attention elsewhere as we set a plan in motion....either way, they are our first agenda."
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Post by Taran on May 22, 2012 15:04:17 GMT -5
Aiden thought about it for a moment. He finished his cigar as they reached an elevator that would take them higher into the city where the air was breathable.
"Well," he said as the elevator doors closed and a soothing annoying music began playing. "Which would you prefer? The extraction or the diversion? I'll let you choose and I'll do the other."
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 24, 2012 22:15:01 GMT -5
"Oh, I'm good with diversions." Jeraldi stated with a devious grin. "You just leave that to me." The finally reached the top of one of the tallest buildings as Jeraldi took a huge sigh of relief. "This is a great place to determine our route and point of action. See that ally over there? If I can lure them in there and back myself into a corner it'll seem as if they have the upper hand, but in actuality I"ll be diverting them from you and they will all be centralized for an easy takeout."
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Post by Taran on May 25, 2012 1:31:51 GMT -5
Aiden followed Jeraldi's gesture to the alley. He scratched his chin as he thought. "Maybe. We don't want to kill anyone, or make it general knowledge that a couple of Jedi were involved," he finally said as he leaned forward on the guard railing. "By all means lure the more brutish thugs away. But keep in mind that this is also about secrecy. They must not know what we are actually doing. If you can find a way to keep everyone's attention, even the desk clerks and professional watchmen, do it."
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 27, 2012 14:11:28 GMT -5
Jeraldi laughed at Aidens' lack of confidence in the plan. "No problem he said." leaping to the ground below and proceeding to enter a thrift store. Suddenly Jeraldi was running out of the store quickly with what looked like stolen merchandise. "Stop him!" Someone shouted chasing him from behind. Jeraldi weaved in and out of traffic creating havoc as if he was a known thief. Out of nowhere at least 20 armed mercenaries were on his tail, it seemed as if he had caught EVERYONE's attention, and not just that of who he had intended. Jeraldi had used the force to disguise his identity as that of someone who wore raggy clothing and who looked as if he would do anything for a little cash. Jeraldi used the force to deter any oncoming bullets slightly as to not draw attention. "Perfect, that's hit." He said as he headed down the dead end alley. "Quick! Follow him, the idiot is running down a dead end!" One man said laughing as now it seemed as if 30 plus guards were away from their posts. Jeraldi smiled as he thought "And I"m the idiot?" He then proceeded to used the force to let Aiden know that now was his chance. "I won't go down without a fight! I won't go back to that place!" He shouted trying to sound convincing. "Bring it on you cowards!"
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Post by Taran on May 28, 2012 12:45:13 GMT -5
Aiden grinned as he watched people being drawn towards Jeraldi, even if they weren't directly involved. "Interesting," he mused. He got the mental signal from Jeraldi and ran towards the ledge, using the Force to propel him up and forward as he jumped. He soared through the city sky towards the tower holding Lisha's father.
His arc through the air was a little too short to cary him all the way to the building. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he used the Force to push on an object beneath him and pulled on a walkway running around the top of the target structure. The result was him shooting up towards the top of the building like a lazer blast. Halfway to the top, he pushed softly on the same walkway, slowing his ascent. Gravity started to take over, pulling him back towards the ground, but this time over his target balcony.
As he landed, he cushioned his impact with a small but strong Force push. His instinct was to draw his lightsaber, but he knew that appearances were vital here. So, he pulled out his blaster pistol and kicked in through the glass door.
"Mr. Graves, where are you?" he said in a slightly creepy voice, turning a bit sing-song at the end. Aiden kept his eyes moving, his senses attuned to the Force. Lisha's father didn't know Aiden was coming, and from his entrance would likely assume Aiden was an actual assassin. As long as Aiden didn't accidentally kill Mr. Graves, or get killed by him, the scene would appear like a genuine hit.
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Post by Douglas9465 on May 28, 2012 13:43:35 GMT -5
"Freeze! We've got you surrounded and there is nowhere to run!." The commanding officer shouted holding a blaster right at Jeraldi. "This is going to be tough. Hurry up Aiden I don't can't hold them off all day." Jeraldi thought to himself as he kept a grin on his face. Jeraldi looked back at the 20 to 30 people holding blasters at him. He wouldn't be able to stop every blast that came his way, but he didn't need to all he needed to do was use the force to get inside of their heads, delaying some blasts more than others and that way he could defend only a few at a time. "This is your last chance to give yourself up! Or we fire!" Jeraldi laughed. "Geez! All this over some stolen merchandise?" He shouted as if to let them know he wasn't backing down. "There is more going on here than you understand, but that doesn't matter since you'll soon be dead." The man shouted. "BRING IT!" Jeraldi shouted at the commander. "FIRE!" He shouted as blasts began to move Jeraldi's way. Jeraldi weaved fowards, backwards and sideways dodging blasts as he used the force to get inside their heads. Suddenly the blasts became more controlled and he moved away from them more fluidly. "That's it, I've got it figur........." Suddenly Jeraldi stopped talking as he looked over to his right where a little boy was coming out of a door. This made him loose his concentration as a blast headed straight for the child. Jeraldi used the force to move a dumpster in front of the kid protecting him from the hit. All of the blasters stopped as they realized what Jeraldi was. "He's a Jedi!" They shouted as they began to fire again. "Well the cats out of the bag! He exclaimed as he grabbed the boy and propelled them to the top of the building. "Aiden I've been made! And I have a boy with me. This hasn't gone exactly as planned."
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