Outlying Lands (General Ossus Thread)

[Jace]

He nodded at her wisdom but still wasn’t entirely convinced about Nessa. It was good to know though that at least it wasn’t just him who’d been tempted by the holocron but what did that say about Nessa? She was willing to give it away, did that mean she’d already consumed all of the knowledge it held and if so did that make her a Sith? He supposed they’d find out once they reached the Temple. “How much longer before we leave?”

[Nessa Henlen]

<”I count five pairs of hungry eyes my dear friends and the only thing these creatures have on their minds is food.”>

She continued to stare into the darkness.

<”If it’s alright with you two I could have Stunner fire in their general direction. I am getting a bit hungry. Although I suppose it’d be a bit hard to drive a swoop and eat at the same time.”>

She laughed once more at her own joke.

[Mez-Jid Fie'r]

"Should be soon. Here, watch." Mez handed Jace the datapad, and pointed out the thermal images of the swoops coming, then stiffened at Nessa's words.

"These animals are protected; some are endangered. We do a lot more than just watch over Temple and its inhabitants out here."

She took out one of her repellent cannisters, and threw it in the direction of the eyes watching Nessa.

"Though it's interesting that they're choosing to come near at all. You've just had a fire, and they don't like the ashy smell of fire, almost as much as they don't like the smell of me. Wonder why they like you?"

The cannister let out a soft hiss, and some of the animals scooted away. Only some, though, and noticing that was enough to make her blood run cold.

"Jace, you keep watch for those Swoops, okay? I don't reckon they'll be more than five minutes away."

There is something really off about this Nessa.

[Jace]

He nodded and took the datapad from Mez and ignored Nessa, he figured that was his best course of action with the strange woman.

[Nessa Henlen]

She was annoyed as Fie’r threw the canister but the annoyance quickly turned to delight when she saw some of the animals still remained.

<”Endangered you say? Well we certainly wouldn’t want to eat them now would we?”>

Nessa finally turned away from the glowing eyes and as if broken from a spell the remaining few chased off after their companions. She walked closer to the Jedi.

<”Animals have always liked me, and I have to admit I do enjoy eating them.”>

When she finally stopped she stood only a foot away from the other woman and when she spoke the voice that came out of the mask was very quiet.

<”I don’t think your Padawan likes me very much. I wonder why that is Master Fie’r?”>

[Mez-Jid Fie'r]

She was calling them in. Calling them in to eat them.

Mentally cursing her own height, not for the first time in her life, Mez stared openly up at Nessa's mask.

"Don't call me that. As to Jace's opinion of you, that's his own lookout."

Keeping her tone light, away from the warning growl she wanted to give, was the hard part. Nessa was a slice of pain, and... hate? - in the Force, and this far away Mez could feel her more clearly, even the faint sense enough to make her stomach lurch.

I don't like you either. I'm starting to wonder which is less safe to touch - you or that Holocron. And I'm not letting you alone with Jace.

"Oh, and Nessa? Holocron for trade or no, if you go after the animals again, we are fully licenced out here to treat you as a poacher and detain you as such. At that point, your possessions will be confiscated, and all contraband handed over to appropriate authorities, never to be in your possession again. And as a Sith Holocron is very much contraband, and the proper authority for it is the Jedi Council?"

I could take the droid if I had to. There's still some embers in that fire, I could take the droid if I had to.

[Jace]

He could feel the tension in the air and he glanced over at the two women. They were face to face and if judging by his Master’s body language she was ready to move at any given moment. Jace looked at the datapad before calling out to them both. “They’re two minutes out.”

[Nessa Henlen]

<”Ah, you’re one of those people. Sir, ma’am, and honorific titles are somehow an insult to you when in fact they are only meant to show respect. Very well Fie’r, if it is disrespect you want it’s what you’ll get.”>

She continued to stare down at the woman then began to laugh uncontrollably. She threw her head back and let it all out despite the pain that surged through every part of her body. When she was done she righted herself and looked down at the Jedi once more.

<”I never went after the animals Fie’r they came to me, it’s not my fault if they’re attracted to me.”>

Nessa looked past Fie’r to Jace and smiled behind her mask.

<”Very good! Soon we’ll be away from this dreary forest and in the welcoming halls of the Jedi Temple. Why, I can hardly contain my excitement!”>

She turned on her hill suddenly and marched towards Stunner.

<”I doubt our Jedi friends were considerate enough to think about brining transportation for you. Go back to the ship and please try not to hurt any animals or vegetation on the way. In fact if I’ve learned you’ve so much as broken a blade of grass I’ll have your parts sent to the Maw and throw into one of its many black holes to be crushed for eternity.”>

She watched Stunner turn and go and soon he was lost to the darkness, she glanced over her shoulder.

<”I do hope you were sincere about our privacy. I’d hate to have to borrow a protocol droid so some other Jedi could understand me.”>

[Mez-Jid Fie'r]

And she's absolutely crazy. Oh yay. Remind me again, brain, why we've got that rule about Sith Holocrons? Oh yeah, because people like her exist. Though at least not crazy enough to look forward to visiting Temple. And she misjudges me based on her own previous experiences, rather than on my own merits. A common mistake.

Mez made a mental note to warn the guards to watch the droid once she had her swoop helmet on and could do so without Nessa listening in. She'd asked for 'a few' swoops, which really meant 'however many can be spared', and at this hour of the night that meant two or three.

"We should be able to do this undisturbed," she repeated.

[Jace]

He watched Nessa walk away from Mez and shook his head when she spoke to her droid. Something was terribly wrong with this woman. The sound of engines made him look away from her just in time to see two swoops pull into the clearing. That they were here needed no saying. He walked over to Mez and handed her the datapad back. “Guess I’m riding with you.”

[Nessa Henlen]

As soon as the swoops pulled up she walked over to one and stared at the drive as he cautiously got off the vehicle. Once he was dismounted she gingerly climbed onto it, cringing at the pain, she shook her head when the man offered the helmet. She revved the engine of the swoop and laughed as the vibrations shook her body and shot another wave of pain across her entire being.

<”Best we get a move on my dear Jedi companions.”>

She laughed again as the man whose swoop she’d gotten on physically recoiled as she spoke.

<”I don’t think he’s ever heard a human speak Shyriiwook, Fie’r.”>

[Mez-Jid Fie'r]

"Guess you are. Put one of the helmets on and jump up, I'll join you in a moment."

Mez ignored Nessa's commentary, mostly. I think he thinks you smell funny, but there we are then. You certainly feel wonky in the Force, which he probably notices, and your addiction to your own pain is... something I'll have to think about.

"Tell the captain I might not be back for a while. You've got somebody out to cover for the rest of the shift?"

"Yes, Fie'r."

She accepted her own helmet without complaint.

[Jace]

Jace took the helmet he was offered and put it on. Once Mez was seated he climbed on the swoop behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. They took off a couple of seconds later heading towards the Jedi Temple.

[Mez-Jid Fie'r]

Mez flicked her comm on.

"All units, there's a Hunter Droid out there tonight, should be heading back to a ship. Follow it, and watch it. Do not engage, do not approach. Report to me and Captain Cracce if either the ship or the droid make any move to leave the area."

And now, the really not fun part of the evening. A trip to Temple.

[Nessa Henlen]

She would’ve liked to kill all the guards where her new Jedi friends had come from but that was too risky. She would’ve also loved to have burned the forest she now drove through to the ground but again to risky. With Fie’r friends following her there wasn’t much she could do, except one thing. As she maneuvered the swoop through the thick trees she called out to every animal she could, getting them to follow her. It wasn’t long before she had a herd of beasts stampeding behind her.

When Nessa arrived at the city where her ship was she stopped and smiled. The many animals that had been following continue to rush forward, passing her by as if she didn’t exist. She watched with sliver of satisfaction as those unlucky enough to be on the streets were trampled to death, she was also pleased to see some of the bigger ones ramming into the buildings and killing themselves on impact. She wondered how her Fie’r would like that.

Soon the police force or military would be could and most of the animals now rampaging through the streets would be put down. It was a petty revenge she knew but the Jedi had wronged her and she had asked for disrespect back in the woods. What better way to disrespect her knew friend then by killing the creatures she was swore to protect?

Nessa climbed off of her swoop and casually strode towards the starport, the animals still ignoring her as if she were never there. She was glad to find the ship ready to take off as soon as she entered and told Stunner to take them to Kashyyyk. She hadn’t wanted to get Kal involved but what other choice did she have now? It was a race now and if she wasn’t first to the finish line who knew where Fie’r would move Rico to?

As the ship took off and made for its destination she went to the medical bay to change her dressings. She realized in that moment that Kal deserved it just as much as Rico did, just as much as the Black Sun had. Fie’r and her Padawan were slowly climbing that ladder as well and if they took Rico from her they’d deserve it most of all.