Coruscant

[Jet Almeara]

You silly foolish stupid little girl, Jet furiously dictates to the completely unaware Shara. Jet had of course noticed the stir Shara's words had brought - even as small as said stir was she knew..just knew that the information was something they'd been looking for and she was also pretty damn sure they weren't playing on the same side at the moment. Jet didn't know or care which side she would have typically taken in whatever war story she'd found herself trapped in...she just really didn't want to play the part of bullet riddled ghost girl thank you very much.

Your going to go ahead and tell them aren't you? She further berated the girl because you are young and stupid and they've pretended to be nice to you. This was not going to end well, she was sure of it and was further irritated by the knowledge that there was nothing she could do about it in any case.

Shara on the other hand seems to have no clue that her answer means anything out of the ordinary to these strangers as they are quite good at hiding their emotions and she lacks the experience necessary to see the small indicators that Jet has seen in their actions and while she is aware that it's generally not a wise choice to lead strangers to a camp she is young and inexperienced enough to be suitably intimidated by their weapons and won over by the fact that they've so far treated her nicely and surely if she continued to cooperate they would continue to do so "It is near a water source to the east"

Jet inwardly sighed and waited to see what would happen now.

[Taaru Masako]

Heike translates again, and Shara looks on as they seem to have a silent conversation, something she doesn't entirely understand - their lips move, but they don't speak. She is aware of activity near their vehicle, and the one man that had approached her before, Masako, came back and handed something to Matthias, who glanced briefly at it, then spoke again to Heike.

"She's coming with us. Have her take what she needs from her supplies and get her in the IFV."

Heike stands suddenly, putting herself between the girl and her commanding officer.

"You're using her as a ransom" she hisses accusingly, over the comm so that the girl can't pick up on her agitation.

"It's either that, or let Masako shoot her. Otherwise she would've warned her uncle about us as easily as she told us about him," Dornier says, factually and without sympathy. "We'll finish the job and take her to the Caritas. She'll be better off as a laysister than she will with her people, in case you've forgotten how they treat their women."

Heike seems almost beside herself until he mentions the last, salient point. But her quiet fury doesn't subside with his rationale.

"Have you thought for a moment what SHE wants?" she asks, gesturing back at the girl.

"Inconsequential," he responds. "That's not how this works. Its why we have the Caritas in the first place. I've indulged your concerns, now its time to follow orders, Gefreite."

He taps the side of his helmet, and his visor resumes its golden shimmer, ending the conversation. He turns and heads back to the IFV, leaving her to do as commanded.

Finally, she turns again to the girl, and careful to remember the imperative case for her language, relays Matthias' order, trying her best not to betray her worry: "We're going to take you to your uncle. It will be much faster than with your fedar. I'll help you gather your things."

[Jet Almeara]

There you see..look what you've gotten us into now Jet snarled at Shara as she watched the silent conversation - like Shara of course she had no idea what was actually being said, but she could guess and she doubted it was good.

The movement near the vehicle drew both of their attention and while Shara merely watched with curiosity and perhaps a slight tinge of worry, Jet was looking for a weapon, when that didn't appear to be the case Jet was far from relieved...it just meant they had some other use for her.

Kriffing hell, Jet cursed, while she was of course interested in following Taaru's part in this whole endeavor a larger part of her would far rather just be shot in the road and be left behind then made to get into that vehicle and taken as a hostage...of course she'd have rather been shot then tell them where her comrades were too. Who she belatedly realized were not really her comrades, and she hadn't really spilled her guts about them either. This was a memory she reminded herself - shoving down her inner turmoil, it was simply so vivid that it was hard to remember that was the case sometimes.

Shara however seemed to be growing a bit more worried - despite Heike's attempt to keep the girl from feeling so. he seemed to be second guessing her wisdom in answering their questions and stiffened slightly at thought of riding in thier vehicle.

Oh now? Now your worried? Jet remarked internally to Shara, Little late for that don't you think? And like she knew the girl would Shara despite her growing worry decided she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter and quickly gathered what few items she had to bring back with her before looking at her mount, she didn't want to leave it behind - the horseclaw was not only worth allot in her tribe but well loved and she held on to it's reins stubbornly, which perked Jet's interest just a touch as it was the first sign of a backbone the kid had shown since she'd fallen into this whole mess.

[Taaru Masako]

Heike follows her, taking the saddle bags and flinging them over her shoulders....their wait were inconsequential to her in her power armor, and she figured the girl would have more trouble with them.

And it eventually came to the point she knew would be an issue, and she was prepared for it.

<<She'll be alright. They've always lived in the desert. Your uncle is a rich man, isn't he? He has no need of just one more fedar.>>

[Jet Almeara]

"but she is mine" Shara insisted though the other points were quite valid "She has carried me through the desert and I am to return with her" She insisted to Heike with a stubbornness that even Jet was a touch impressed with though she was pretty sure it was all going to end badly for her or poor Trusty as she still thought of the bird.

[Taaru Masako]

Heike sighs. This wasn't going to end well.

"What's the hold up?" Masako demands from behind her, clearly eager to get going.

"She doesn't want to leave her horseclaw."

"A shame."

"Why tha-?"

She is cut off by the sizzle of a blaster bolt striking the animal between the eyes, boiling away its life and sending the stink of charred flesh and feathers through her helmet's air filters. The bird drops without a squawk, its knees simply giving out as it crumples lifelessly into the sand.

Taaru speaks, lowering the smoking barrel of his rifle, as Heike is evidently too shocked to do so. "Problem solved. Knock her out if you have to. We're not wasting anymore time on this."

[Jet Almeara]

Shara stilled in shock for a few moments as the bird was shot and even Jet had to wince slightly. Shooting the bird had been a bit of a dick move on his part though she'd seen something like this coming. She wondered briefly if punching him in real time for shooting the bird whenever this had happened would be uncalled for or justified. She'd rather liked the bird. Poor Trusty.

She didn't it seem like the bird as much as Shara did however because once the shock passed she let loose with an unearthly keening sound and threw herself on top of the birds corpse gibbering out words too fast for even Jet to make out and hugging the poor creatures bloodied head to her as she wept for it's fate.

no no no no Jet screeched a the girl from within while she uselessly rocked with the dead birds head, grieve later she nearly plead with the girl - if they had been willing to shoot the bird to keep from wasting anymore time then she highly doubted they were going to put up with this type of behavior for very long either..and sitting here weeping wasn't going to give her..them..much of a chance to deflect or defend against anything they choose to do. But of course Shara ignored her and Jet continued to be helpless in this whole affair.

[Taaru Masako]

Shara feels a gauntlet on her shoulder seconds before it clenches and heaves her up by her robes.

<<You will come with us, you will be quiet, or I will hurt you. Do you understand?>> Masako demands haltingly in her language, evidently not as fluent as Heike. But the drawn combat knife in his hands provides all the emphasis Shara needs.

He proceeds to haul her to the IFV and toss her in a back corner.

As the rest of the troopers get in after her, stow their gear and take their seats, Shara catches a glimpse of Heike pushing Taaru aside as he is about to clamber. Her monologue is heated and fierce, but garbled just as the repulsor pods come to life. The only thing she can catch is in their language.

"-Der Teufel nimm deine Seele, Masako-"

Heike follows soon after, laying Shara's things at her feet, and sitting across from her in the troop bay, unsure of what to say.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet mentally raged at the inability to protect herself as the younger Taaru heaved them into the air and threatened them. Being manhandled and held at knife point by Taaru wasn't exactly at the top of her to do list and she had little doubt he meant the threat either - she knew him well enough that she could hear it in his voice even as Shara most certainly read it in his actions. Which was likely why her weeping quieted to soundless tears and she didn't fight overly hard when he dragged her to the vehicle and threw them..Shara inside.

Jet had to keep reminding herself that all of this had already happened and that it hadn't happened to her personally even if she was living through it now as Shara and subsequently Jet hit the floor painfully from Taaru's ungracious help inside and crawled up onto the seat she'd landed next too. Flattening herself against the side and drawing her knees up to make herself as small as possible while the others clamber aboard, the argument is heard but since Sharra doesn't understand the language neither does Jet though she files it away for recalling later.

Shara was still weeping but Jet could feel the anger starting to seep in around the grief and the ugly look of hatred she threw in Taarus direction before burying her face in her knees did not bode well. Such anger was the reason Jet preferred to kill people she crossed..better to kill them right away then wait for the simmering anger to come back and haunt you later and in this case it made Jet increasingly anxious about what was yet to come and she sent a silent plea for Taaru to start remembering something else before this went any further.

[Taaru Masako]

A non-descript amount of time passes in which the IFV rumbles along some path or another. The occupants of the troop bay are silent, either intentionally or because they are having private communications over their comms. Heike, at one point, seems to have another argument with one of the others, but Shara can't tell who, though it dawns on her how they are talking to each other without her hearing it.

Heike calms down after a while, and simply sits rather defeated, avoiding Shara's eyes except for a brief moment in which she betrays a deep sense of guilt that passes for a nonverbal admission of regret.

Shara also catches the man that threatened her looking her way....though she can't tell if he is looking at her behind the visor. Nevertheless, when she looks at him, he busies himself with a datapad.

The IFV eventually stops, and the dim red light permeating the troop bay switches to green right before the rear doors open again.

The assembled troopers file out, weapons once more at the ready, sweeping angles before determining the coast is clear.

Heike stays back, then indicates Shara to follow her.

Both of them step out into the ruins of what was once a settlement. The adobe huts are familiar to Shara only because that is the typical style the foreigners prefer....the ones her mother told her had come many, many moons ago to dig in the Earth. But the houses are now abandoned, their only occupants the howling winds of a waxing eastern sunset.

Matthias is there, too, having clambered out of he top hatch of the driver's compartment. The copilot is sitting at the mounted machine gun, preferring a manual interface as opposed to remote.

Matthias is speaking to two of his troopers, one of them carrying a large back slung around his shoulders. It is in their language, so she does not understand, but she has seen preparations for battle before, and the way Matthias is pointing at a holographic image of a map gives her the clues she needs to draw the obvious conclusion. Soon, the two men he has instructed start Trekking their way south, towards a nearby rocky escarpment.

Matthias turns to the rest of them, unslinging his personal weapon, and indicates them to follow.

Heike follows, pushing Shara's shoulder gently, indicating her to walk in front so Heike can bring up the rear.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet inwardly sighs as they rumble along Heike's look worried her somewhat - was she regretting what had already happened or what was going to happen? Without the force or being able to decipher their conversation it is impossible to tell.

Just as it is impossible to tell what Taaru is thinking when he is caught looking in their direction but while Jet is intensely curious Shara simply takes the opportunity for another glare. Still with the lack of any more immediate threats Jet is able to rein in her chafing at the lack of control even more an retain a better distinction between herself and Shara, something that had been blurring in an alarming fashion earlier and something she truly wanted to keep from happening again.

By the time the IFV came to a stop and she was hustled out along with the others Jet thought she'd gotten it pretty well under control and turned her attention to observation as Shara shuffled along at Heikes gentle prodding.

It wasn't long before they came across armed people...sentries of the Hygar tribe she knew just as Shara did and other buildings that looked familiar but were sparse in population, most of the camp would of course be centered around the Manor Shera knew and as they approached said Manor the Jet part of this equation perked up at the sight of a nicely stocked little weapons cache - oh it wasn't as large as say her cache in The Gates vault..but it was quite sizable and her eye rove over the small arms, droids,explosives and numerous crates containing what she only assumed to be items of similar fashion collected in the area.

[Taaru Masako]

Heike and Shara remain towards the rear of the group, with Matthias out front. His cultural fluency was evident in this, as Shara understood its basic appropriateness.

They enter the courtyard of the manor house, its primary feature a running fountain. Clear, unsoiled water sprinkles down from its top, and Shara cannot believe this wastefulness, though she understands why her uncle would choose this site. The foreigners that had lived here brought bountiful gifts with them, but only shared them sparingly. But with the war, all of them had left, and many of their gifts remained for the taking. Her uncle had been one of the few men who had successfully capitalized on this....and risen greatly in prominence as a result.

As they near the fountain, Hygarans men exit the manor house. She recognizes her uncle as one of them, dressed in plain but fine robes befitting a chieftain. Seeing him, Matthias orders his men to holster their weapons, and does the same, before greeting Moamat sur Hygar in Basic, in the traditional manner, by spitting on the ground in front of him.

"A gift of water for Moamat sur Hygar, son of Talesh. I am Matthias Dornier."

Her uncle does not look directly at her as he approaches, his eyes on Matthias, as is appropriate. He returns the greeting.

"A gift of water for Matthias Dornier of Thruvar," her uncle responds in Basic. "What do you want?"

"Is this your niece, Shara sur Kerek?" Matthias gestures to Shara. Only now does her uncle regard her briefly, betraying no emotion.

"Yes, she is of my blood. My sister's daughter. Why does this matter?"

"We have come to negotiate the surrender of these weapons, erstwhile property of the Royal House of Fayrbronnen and its armies, back to its owners."

[Jet Almeara]

Shara had watched impassively as the two men greeted one another and her identity was asked after, it wasn't until the last bit that she realized what these people were actually doing and her eyes widened as she took a few steps back nearly bumping into Heike in the process.

Shara wasn't a stupid girl, she knew what waited for her once she'd been traded back to her Uncle and she deserved it - she really did..for letting herself get caught like this and bringing such incredible shame down on her family. She deserved to die..

Wait, what? No we...you..don't! Jet thought furiously to the kid even though she knew it wouldn't really make any difference, whatever was going to happen, already had..though that didn't stop her from wanting to handle this her way.

..But she didn't want to and she spun around to grab at Heike and plead with her "Don't let them take me back! They will kill me for this shame" She plead with the only member of the soldier group whom had shown her so compassion thus far in a quiet voice.

[Taaru Masako]

Heike looks down at the girl, and rests a gauntleted hand on her small shoulder, squeezing reassuringly and holding a finger up to what would be her lips, obscured by the opaque visor.

No one else seemed to notice, as the conversation continued after a long pause, in which Moamat was quietly weighing his options, and coming to a sort of realiztion.

Finally, his eyes narrow.

"You are very shrewd, Matthias Dornier, to understand us so well. You use my blood against me, force me to choose between the honor of my house and its wealth. I respect this."

Another moment of silence. Dornier remains stoic.

"Very well," Moamat says, "we will return the weapons to your outpost at Kalei Lake. And then you will return her to me."

"I have your word?" so Matthias.

"From one warrior to another, Thruvaran."

"Agreed then."

They both regard each other one more time, until Moamat dismisses the meeting with a loud "Aidi!". But before he turns to leave, he shoots one more look at Shara, and the disgust on his face becomes palpable. Not only has she eroded his honor and the honor of their family, but now she has cost him a livelihood.

The Thruvarans turn to leave.

[Jet Almeara]

Jet like Shara was not entirely reassured by Heikes motions but at least the girl was smart enough to fall silent at the Thruvaran's instruction - which left them both able to hear the end of the conversation.

Good - very good Jet thought to herself, things were starting to look up, not by much, but by enough. Since they weren't planning on turning them..Shara..she reminded herself - over until they received the weapons then they had time and time meant options, options in situations like this were always a good thing to have.

Shara however was not looking at things so logically - in fact as the agreement was struck she'd started to shake a bit, clearly in her youthful inexperience only able to think about the fate ahead of her when she was returned and such thoughts were further reinforced by her Uncles ugly look..which caused her to dissolve into tears as she was led off.