2007-11-22 - A Piece of a Puzzle (II)

Continued from A Piece of a Puzzle.
A wide, flat collection of platforms span the sea here, linked by huge squared hooks and gently rippling from the swell of the waters. No less than twenty such floating areas make up this spaceport, -- only a few towers to co-ordinate landings, and these hardly tall at all -- each one sporting a full complement of service droids and storage huts.
One massive warehouse floats upon the northernmost platform, with an equally large building on the westernmost signposted as the Hangar. Looking to the south you can see long, thin ship floating and serving as a linking vessel to another great complex of platforms not far away.
Atia steps out of the Knight One, sleeves folded, slowly descending.
Macros waits as she descends, careful not step out until she has reached the spaceport. Finally stepping out, he says, "Do you have a buyer in mind, or shall we scout the area, Baroness?"
Atia says, "Let us wander, High Baron. Everyone here is well-heeled, but some Vanixians are wealthier than others."
Tuil is just one of those ships that comes and goes. Considering this spaceport is full of starfighters, it's not likely one more will be noted. He watches as someone emerges from one of the ships and his attention is focused there.
Macros says, "Please, then, if you would lead the way, She of the Five Rings, I would be honored to accompany you.""
Atia says, "As you wish, He of the Seven Rings. I think we may find commerce in this sector."
Tuil is sitting in his fighter reading the messages from his astromech and replying in Basic.
A fighter sets down lightly, its cockpit hissing open. Struggling, a shape in a dark robe emerges, dropping unceremoniously to the ground. It struggles because on its back is a brown sack, a bulky object sticking out from it. 
Tuil glances up and sees the unknown from drop down, he pauses to watch, all the while giving commands to his astromech.
The figure looks about shiftily; a black gloved hand goes to the sack, pulls it off its back. With two hands it pulls the bulky computer object, a match to the one found on Kashyyyk; it sets it down with a grunt, begins to drag it towards the south.
FORCE: You reach out with the Force and feel that Unknown is strong with the Force. He is trying to mask his presence with a shroud of fear.
With the flick of a switch, the canopy of the V19 begins to rise and from it slips Tuil. Hitting the ground with a soft thud, he proceeds to make himself scarce.
The figure's head moves with a snap, hearing the hiss of a canopy rise; the darkness under its hood flits from ship to ship, before it continues dragging the object.
Tuil hids behind a landing strut and waits, unmoving.
The figure drags the object into the shadow of one of the storage huts, looking around quickly before it begins to go to work on the object, plugging something into it, trying to pry it open.
Tuil keeps to the shadows beneath and around the various starfighters as he follows. At an advantageous spot behind a large refueling apparatus, he holds up and goes back to watching and waiting.
Suddenly the figure freezes, one hand on the object, another in the air, dark gloved fingers twitching. The hood turns slightly, pauses for a long time; then an alien hiss from the hood, its hands reaching for the repeater on its back. "Show yourself, -Jedi-."
Tuil slowly stands out far enough for his place to be apparent, but not before he pulls from beneath his robe a slinged rifle. "I believe that's mine."
The figure takes another step, this one towards the object, its repeater now held in its arms, pointing towards the Jedi. "Just like a Jedi," it hisses, voice distorted. "Always putting your nose in other's business ... enforcing the right, when you -define- what the right is. The Jedi are evil." Its voice seems to soften ... "Poor, misguided -fool- ... you think you're doing right, but you are only further down the path towards destruction."
Tuil shrugs and merely notes, "Whatever else you may think is right or wrong, I believe that which you hold belongs to me. Hand it over."
"It is mine," a grunt, then a pause. "Perhapss... we can make a deal, Jedi."
The Jedi nods slowly, "And what terms would you name?"
A touch of fear seems to pierce the shape's voice. It makes it more human but no more recognizable. "Put the gun down - don't kill me..." 
Tuil slowly lowers his rifle and then nods, "Okay, now you're just going to hand it over?"
"No," it says. "Pay me. Five thousand credits. I am only a poor man ... I don't want to be involved. I was fooled ... misguided ... it scares me, it shakes me. Give me my money, I'll tell you what I know ... and don't bother me again."
"Lay down your weapon first. If you speak truly, this should present no problem for you." Tuil holds his place, his own rifle pointed at the ground as he waits.
The figure seems hesitant. Then it puts down its rifle, keeping it close to its foot. "Pay me, Jedi. I will not stay long, I know the treachery of your kind."
Tuil digs into his robe with his free hand and produces a credit chip. He keys something into it and then tosses it over towards the figure. "Now drop the object and back away."
"I want my rifle," the figure says, sounding worried. "It was expensive." It starts to kick the rifle away from the object, so that it can take it without being close to the object.
Tuil comes out from behind his cover and slowly walks towards the object. He motions towards the figure to go towards his rifle and away from the object, so that both men are about the same distance apart.
The shape picks up its rifle, puts it on its back, holding its gloved hands forward, not threatening. "Good luck with that piece of shit," it says. "It's pointless, it makes no sense. And you paid me for it." He cackles, moving towards his ship.
Tuil rises with the object cradled in his free arm. He nods back and calls, "You said it scares you... Fear leads to anger and anger leads to hate..." He does not finish the natural progression as he nods once more. "If you are serious, turn away before it is too late."
"I don't want to be a part of this anymore ..." the figure says, moving slowly towards its ship, which has its markings obscured by black paint. "Don't chase me, Jedi."
Tuil merely watches from where he stands, his face masked, emotionless.
The figure throws its repeater into the cockpit of its fighter, then jumps up a little farther than any human should, slipping into the cockpit with ease. It hisses again, "Leave me alone!", and then presses a button and the canopy snaps shut, engines firing on.
Tuil walks slowly towards his own snubfighter, keeping his distance from the other ship that is about to take off.
With a roar and a blast, the fighter lifts off the ground. The dark shape of a hand, a salute to the Jedi below, can be seen against the cockpit lights; then it turns on its engines and blasts up into the sky.
Category:November 2007 RP Logs