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A Drop in the Bucket
Jace_VaritekDate: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 9:42 PM | Message # 16
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Jace had similar questions of his own, though in a far more paranoid spirit than Karth had asked his. In all of these years, in the back of his mind, he did know that there was a third option, in addition to run or die. Now and then over the years he'd sensed the familiar, if distant presence of a Jedi he'd once known, but at once unfamiliar, too—twisted, one could say. "Dark." If you surrendered, and if you were hot shit, the Empire would find some use for you. He knew some Jedi had turned themselves in, but despite the desperation of life on the run, this option had never appealed to Jace, either. For one thing, he'd been underwhelming as a Jedi and the Empire probably wouldn't have any use for him. But moreover, he'd never wanted to be a Jedi in the first place and wouldn't want to be a "Dark" Jedi, either. If he'd been too free-thinking for the Jedi, he could only imagine, darkly, how short a Sith's patience would be.

But that didn't mean Karth or Daneira, or both, hadn't gone over to the other side. Jace hadn't met many—make that any—other Jedi in all his years on the run. Bewildered as to how he himself had lasted so long, it was hard for Jace to believe that many other Jedi had either, unless they'd surrendered to the Empire and pledged themselves to its service.

But he was cognizant of the fact that his suspicion of Karth and Daneira, and his paranoia in general, could simply be a by-product of the glittestim in his system—a habit of his that he hadn't mentioned and didn't intend to. Moreover, they hadn't turned him in yet and so far Daneira hadn't shot him, so they earned the benefit of the doubt. For now. Still, he wanted to know more about where they'd been all these years. Give and take, he supposed as he answered Karth's question first. "I wasn't on Coruscant when it happened," he confessed. "I was in Hutt Space for awhile; the Empire wasn't there early on. Gambled on Nar Kreeta until I wore out my welcome there and on most other Hutt planets, too. I kept the Core to my back and kept moving, made it as far as the Kathol Sector and, well, here we are."

"I've developed a talent for finding 'shit-stain' worlds," he added, borrowing Karth's phrase. His voice was sad. "The kind of places that haven't heard of the Empire or the Jedi and don't have a lot in the way of law enforcement, either. Kal'Shebbol, and Kolatill, too." He smiled in spite of himself as he glanced around the interior of the ship, seeming, for the first time in this conversation, a bit more at ease. "Isn't exactly the Jedi Temple, is it?" He shrugged. "But I've woken up in worse places."

Eager to change the subject back to them, Jace was quick to add: "What about her?" he asked, nodding in the direction Daneira had gone. "Daniera, wasn't it? I remember her—not the chip on her shoulder, though. What's she been through all this time, I wonder? And what about you, Karth? Have you been together all this time?" A loaded question in ways Jace didn't even know.


Jace Varitek
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Karth_DeQoraDate: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 10:04 PM | Message # 17
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He took Jace's explanation of his survival in stride, though part of him felt a pit in his stomach when he realized that Varitek had, for all intents and purposes, accidentally avoided death through his lack of a sense of duty. Though that most likely wasn't fair to him, he recalled Jace having fought in the war in sporadic incidents, but the man had never seemed keen on serving the Republic, much less the Jedi Order. The truth was a bitter pill, though, that the Republic Karth and his friends had fought so damn hard to save was what eventually turned its back on them. Through his unwillingness to fight, Jace had proven himself the smartest of them all, and that realization smacked him in the mouth. Karth swallowed the lump in his throat, his brow twitching when he mentioned Dani.

"No, not for long. We, uh... we just met up again a few days ago."

Again, a slim peek at the full truth of their situation, but Varitek wasn't about to be privy to just how strained his and Daneira's situation was. To be honest Karth wasn't entirely sure himself; be it where they stood now, or if there was ever a chance for them to recapture the innocence and closeness of their youth. They were different people now, tainted and twisted by war and betrayal, and it pained him to think about. This was visible in his response, hushed and hesitant as it was. Karth shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sipping absently at his coffee, thinking about how to respond.

"She's changed, Jace. Just like we all have, if you think about it." He paused, scratching at the faint scar along his neck; the lasting mark left upon him by a dark Jedi he'd fought in the war. "The Jedi can't just sit on things anymore, we're hunted, now. I imagine having to survive alone for nine years could change anyone."


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Jace_VaritekDate: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 10:49 PM | Message # 18
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Over the years, Jace had restrained himself from using the Force whenever possible. He employed it on card dealers and bank tellers now and then, and occasionally in a fight. But well-aware that Vader or his people could potentially sense his use of the Force, he resisted the temptation most of the time. It wasn't easy to do—once your mind was "opened to a larger world," as the Jedi phrase went, it was hard to close it. Here in the presence of Karth and Daneira, both of them strong in the Force, it was even harder.

He couldn't help but notice, for instance, that Karth was conflicted over Daneira. It might have been obvious to him even without the Force, but with it, more importantly, he sensed no deception from Karth. Moreover, though he'd never known Karth well, he'd never known him to tell a lie, either. He'd always been an honest Jedi, to himself and to others. He was also far more dependable than Jace himself was, which he respected. Now, as then, he seemed trustworthy to Jace, though Daneira remained a cause for doubt—especially if she'd just met up with Karth 'a few days ago.' There were few enough Jedi remaining that it was hard to accept that the three of them meeting was a coincidence.

Jace blinked. He blinked again, then shook his head. He, more than Karth or Daneira, had visibly changed. He was thin and pale and had mannerisms that he hadn't before; he was shifty-eyed and had a harrowed look about him. His years on the run hadn't been kind to him, and though he had been right about the war, this hadn't been much comfort to him sleeping on the floors of tenements or cargo holds, with no one left alive to brag to.

As a Jedi, he had been proud. Too proud, some had said. Now there wasn't much to be proud of other than living to see another day.

He smiled again, anxiously. "You don't seem to have changed much," he said to Karth. "Even now you seem to know exactly where you're going and why. Something I'd like to talk about, incidentally." He glanced, again, in the direction Daneira had gone, perhaps sensing her approaching once again.


Jace Varitek
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My recent posts here, pre-2009 archives here

"When my information changes, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?"
—John Maynard Keynes

Furthermore, a dancing Wookiee:
 
Karth_DeQoraDate: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 11:10 PM | Message # 19
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It was true, he and Jace had never been more than acquaintances during their time in the Order. Varitek was always considered something of a rebel, not to the troubling extent that Skywalker had been, but a rebel nonetheless. They had talked on occasion, often no more than pleasantries as they happened to be heading down the same corridor of the temple; but Karth did remember those talks having been satisfying in their own way. He found Jace's blunt honesty, and his free-spirit, a refreshing change of pace from the rigid stoicism practiced by the majority of their peers. In many ways Varitek was the Jedi that a younger Karth had dreamt of being; unconfined, unburdened by responsibility heaped upon you by a dead master you swore to make proud and an Order that expected you adhere to blacks and whites in a grey-shaded galaxy.

Despite that fact that the man had changed, drastically, his smile did have a way of disarming even the most wound-up of people. Karth's posture relaxed, he sank into his chair with a heavy sigh, listening to the sound of Daneira's boots clacking against the grate flooring. "Yeah, it's true, I'm a rock," he replied with a grin, taking another sip of his bitter coffee and rubbing his temples through gloved hands. "As for where I'm going? I have an idea, yes, though it's fluid at best. We're not exactly blessed with the luxury of traveling wherever we want whenever we want, as you can see. Hell, where I'm going, we don't even have enough credits to get us there."

Another long pause, as Dani rounded the corner, having returned from her duties up in the cockpit. Karth smiled when she sat next to him, taking back up the pistol that had remained still for the duration of the two male Jedi's conversation. "You're welcome to come, at least on my end, can't say for her." He cocked his head in her direction. "I'll warn you, though, she hits like a damn ronto."


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Daneira_FarrisDate: Monday, 21 May 2012, 5:20 AM | Message # 20
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To say she was angry would have been an understatement. It wasn't entirely Jace's fault, however, but his rather unnerving presence had upset her delicate sense of calm, so to speak. Then again, Dani thought as she stormed off to collect her head, Karth's sudden reappearance in her life had done the same thing. She dropped down into the pilots seat of her beloved Cecelia and programmed in the coordinates for their destination. Whether Karth wanted it or not.

Snippets of the conversation filtered up to where she was. It was such an odd feeling to have other people on board, aside from living bounties she had collected, but those usually lived in a small lock up that she had installed in the cargo hold. They rarely made much noise anyway. After several long minutes, she finally got up and left the cockpit, somewhat less stormy than she had gone to it in.

"You might not have enough credits, D'Qora, but I do. And if you don't want to go, I suggest you let yourself out of the airlock right now." She addressed Jace, rather harshly. If he had some amount of distrust of her, she had equally as much of him, for more than obvious reasons. Running into Karth, then Jace within days was too weird and felt like it could have been some kind of set up. She couldn't bring herself to worry about that at the moment though, as she had more important things to worry about right now. Like getting the bounty off of Karth's head.

"Did you tell him where we're headed? " She asked as she dropped down into an empty seat and addressed Karth.


Message edited by Daneira_Farris - Monday, 21 May 2012, 3:21 PM
 
Karth_DeQoraDate: Monday, 21 May 2012, 7:02 PM | Message # 21
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Karth had never been particularly strong in all aspects of the Force; in fact, if he had to place money on it he'd bet that Daneira herself was the most 'talented' of the three of them. However, while De'Qora had never excelled in the more physical or 'combative' aspects of the Force, his skills as an empath were certainly sharp. Dulled, perhaps, by a decade of negligence; but still sharp enough to sense the torrent of emotion rolling off Dani in waves. Jace, however, was a surprising enigma to him; his mind and his demeanor constantly unreadable, to the point of frustration. Dani's cold exterior, meanwhile, was a sharp contrast to the sweet, passionate woman he remembered. This was no more evident than it was in the way she spoke to Varitek, her eyes cold as stone and her teeth clenched.

"I was getting to that," he responded, and if Jace were observant he'd notice that De'Qora's gaze never actually met hers. They watched each other when the other was unaware, as if they were both longing to say words that weren't there. Karth coughed again and leaned forward in his seat, elbows resting on the table as he spoke.

"There's a bounty on my head, though it's not the one you might be thinking of. I, hmm, I got into some trouble on Commenor, of all places. Guy named Moorn, Derrick Moorn, works for the Cartel."

He meant the Hutt Cartel, of course, but a pair of renegades such as themselves would no doubt know that's who he was referring to. You didn't survive this long on the 'Rim without having some sort of run in with the Cartel; and Karth was no exception to this rule. "Turns out Dani here was the latest hunter Moorn contacted," he indicated with a nod in her direction, watching as things began to piece together in Jace's mind. That would explain why she's here, the explanation hung unspoken in the space between them.

"So now we're going to get it revoked, somehow. Again, you're welcome to come with us. At the very least it's a ride off Kal'Shebbol." He paused, wondering if Jace was able to track everything thus far. "You have somewhere you're headed?"


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Jace_VaritekDate: Sunday, 27 May 2012, 3:16 PM | Message # 22
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Difficult to read though Jace was, Karth would have no difficulty sensing from him a sudden pang of worry. His shoulders tensed perceptibly, and his eyes widened somewhat less so. "Well, I—" he began, attempting to keep pace with the conversation but obviously hung up on a particular detail. "I'm sorry," he said, and glanced to Daneira as he asked her, bluntly, "You're a bounty hunter?" He shot Karth an incredulous glare. If he might not have trusted Daneira before, he definitely didn't trust her now; experience taught him to be wary of bounty hunters, especially foul-tempered ones who expressed a desire to kill him. Maybe he'd misunderstood Dani, but so far she fit the bill. Danger, Jace. Danger.

It was even harder now to believe it was a mere coincidence that Daneira had gathered up Karth and Jace on her ship and it sure as the Corellian hells wasn't any of this "will of the Force" nonsense. There were few other explanations, and even fewer desirable ones. Was Karth thinking the same? Could that be the reason for the tension he'd noticed between them? And what if this hadn't occurred to Karth? What could Jace do? He needed a ride off Kal'Shebbol, and though he'd rather not catch a ride with a bounty hunter, he supposed the alternative wasn't all that different. He admonished himself not to be so paranoid.

Still, the confines of the ship seemed less welcoming now. He glanced about the lounge feeling distinctly as though he were inside Slave 1 itself. "No," he said a moment later, "Nowhere I'm headed—as far as I know. I sure would appreciate a ride off-planet, though." There was more to it than that, and he did have a long-term destination in mind, but until he could fully trust Daneira (and Karth too, really) he'd play his cards close to the chest. And speaking of which; "I know Moom, though. Not the nicest guy in Hutt Space. I won the pot in a game of sabaacc with him and he didn't pay up. Well," he hesitated, "I 'won' it in a manner of speaking. He must have known I was cheating because he was cheating too and figured he couldn't have lost to anyone but a Jedi. Thankfully, he didn't put that one together." He shrugged.

"I should stay away from the card table, I suppose."


Jace Varitek
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Daneira_FarrisDate: Sunday, 27 May 2012, 7:19 PM | Message # 23
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As Jace spoke, Daneira rose to her feet and retrieved a bag from a bench not far off. It wasn't a bag so much as a canvas roll, but who was counting. "Yeah I am, what of it? It paid for this ship and it kept me off the radar long enough, didn't it?" She snapped at Varitek's tone. It was obvious to her what he was thinking, and it fueled the fire in her even more, though she was fighting to temper it. As her gaze found Karth again, she noticed that he wasn't looking at her. It had been like that since they ran into each other again, which was fine, there was just so much unsaid. And of course, Jace wouldn't know what had transpired between the pair before. Everything between them and everything they had been through had been a secret.

With a simple movement, Dani tossed the roll onto the table between them and let it unfurl. A virtual battery of weapons laid between the two Jedi, Karth and Jace, right down to thermal detonators. "There is not going to be any 'lifting of the bounty', Karth. Moorn isn't the kind of guy to negotiate, you should know that pretty well. That's why he hired me and thats why he is paying me so much to bring him your head." She said as she reached for one of the blasters and idly checked the charge on the weapon. "I'm going to take you in alive....then I am going to kill him. We walk out of there together. Easy as that." She said before she laid the weapon down and looked to him, finally grabbing his gaze. "Is that going to be a problem? Because I don't see any other way of doing this. Not without the end result being you...dead...." Her last words were soft, obviously full of a feeling that she hadn't let Jace see yet.

Karth had seen it though, not that he was sober enough to know that night that they met back up. The same night she had nearly broken his jaw. He probably didn't remember it though, and she wasn't going to remind him because obviously he didn't want to remember it. It hardly mattered anymore, but she had made up her mind. Whether he loved her or not, even in the slightest bit, she wasn't going to let some mobster take him from her. She wouldn't lose him again...it was hard enough the first time.


Message edited by Daneira_Farris - Sunday, 27 May 2012, 7:27 PM
 
Karth_DeQoraDate: Sunday, 27 May 2012, 8:12 PM | Message # 24
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Her rage continued to build towards what he could only guess would be one hell of a crescendo, and the veritable arsenal she quickly laid out before them caused even the seasoned warrior in him to flinch. He remained quiet at first, waiting for Dani to regale him with the details of her plan; a plan that, while bold and certainly within their capability, was merely treating the symptom and not the underlying cause. Karth scratched at his chin, watching as Dani's gaze steeled on Jace for a moment, and though their positioning made Varitek's expression hard to read, he imagined the man was just as grim, if not more so. The passion with which she spoke, the hurt he saw in her eyes as her words wound down to a close, there was so much he wished he could say and do and yet he couldn't. She was too far gone for simple words to fix now, and it became painfully clear to him minute by agonizing minute.

Karth eventually rose to his feet, hoping to cut the silence that sat fixed in the air around them, a silence that was so deafening it even made the walls appear smaller, as if the ship and Karth's world were closing in around him.

"If you two are done..." Of course they weren't done, but he wasn't about to have them ripping each other in half (or rather, Dani ripping Jace in half).

Had he made a mistake here? Going with her, allowing Varitek aboard her ship? It seemed from the looks of things that they'd be at each other's throats every second of the day. This new life had changed them all, and they were no longer the people he remembered. Clearing his throat, he placed a gentle hand on Dani's shoulder, hoping it would cause her stance to soften just a bit. "Moorn isn't the problem, though I appreciate the sentiment, really." He paused, biting his lower lip as he searched for the proper way to phrase this next bit of information.

"No, that scumbag isn't the one I need to speak to. Vallo, his boss, is."

He wondered if either of them knew of Vallo the Hutt, he doubted it. Dani, for instance, would have only learned of the contract through Moorn, who was too smart to make a habit of revealing his employer's identity. A relative newcomer to the Cartel (in comparison to other Hutts, anyhow), Vallo was based out of Hutta like much of his kind, though his influence had spread in the last decade closer and closer to the galactic center. Karth knew that killing Moorn would accomplish nothing in the long run, it might bide them some time, but that's all.

"Vallo ordered the bounty, and I have a strong suspicion as to why. If the bounty was for my live capture, as it seems, then we should let Moorn take us to the slug's palace on Nal Hutta, it's the only way in. The palace is a fortress, even with your arsenal, D, there's no way we'd make it past the outer defenses." Karth had remained tight-lipped as to the nature of the Hutt's vendetta, hoping they wouldn't ask. There were some things he'd prefer remained a secret from them, hell, they were things he wished he could forget entirely.


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Jace Varitek: In Northern California we just have gangs of vigilante interior decorators.
 
Jace_VaritekDate: Monday, 28 May 2012, 0:29 AM | Message # 25
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Jace was quiet, a pensive expression on his face as he listened to them and considered the situation. There was a lot about Karth and Daneira's relationship that he didn't understand, and neither did he understand, thus, how Karth could be so trusting of this confessed bounty hunter whose shady adventures over the past ten years were a mystery to them both. However, though Jace still had his suspicions, he had to admit it wasn't very duplicitous of her to admit to being a bounty hunter. Unaware of her more intimate relationship with Karth, he supposed it could simply be their common bond as Jedi that motivated her to want to help Karth as eagerly as she appeared to—though Jace wasn't shown any such courtesy himself.

In fact, as she unfurled her veritable arsenal and talked about "bringing you in alive," the fight-or-flight response kicked in and Jace had to resist reaching for his lightsaber. It was probably Karth's apparent unflappability that had restrained him from doing so. Either way, he was smart enough to remain quiet as Karth told them about Vallo the Hutt—not one that Varitek had heard of during his time in Hutt Space, though he knew who to talk to for more information if they needed it.

If 'we' need it? The phrase didn't sit right with Jace. Was he or wasn't he involved in this? It wasn't as though he had a busy schedule, but a trip to Nal Hutta, the crown cesspit of Hutt Space, hadn't been on his itinerary. And if a Hutt's memory was as long as its life span, odds were Jace wasn't welcome within a hundred parsecs of the place, either.

But despite all of his misgivings about Daneira and Nal Hutta too, he couldn't shake the sense that something about this time, this place, and these people seemed correct to him somehow. Not that Jace Varitek was governed by his feelings, but he didn't ignore them, either. He may not have believed in a "will of the Force," but he did trust his intuition and knew that it was the Force that made him as intuitive as he was. Did he have a bad feeling about this? Yes, but keeping his options (and eyes) open, he'd see it through for now. If nothing else, he rationalized, he needed the ride. And who else in this galaxy could he even remotely trust?

"A tall order, even for two Jedi," Jace said, contemplatively. "Three, on the other hand?" He floated the idea with an affected shrug of his shoulders.


Jace Varitek
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My recent posts here, pre-2009 archives here

"When my information changes, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?"
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Furthermore, a dancing Wookiee:
 
Daneira_FarrisDate: Monday, 28 May 2012, 4:28 AM | Message # 26
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The former Jedi visibly relaxed when she felt Karth's all too familiar hand on her shoulder. She had always had a temper, that he would likely remember, but it was easily quelled at times, this being one of them. It rarely showed before, her anger, but it had always been there. During her time in the Order, she would have been remembered as a cool, level-headed Jedi, not the merciless bounty hunter she had turned into. No, that was the slippery slope she had fallen down after Dom had died years after the purge on Tanaab.

Daneira whirled around to meet his gaze. "He will kill you, Slim." Her words were almost pleading, and she used a name she obviously hadn't in years, and maybe she still should not have. Before, when she had taken the job, she didn't care what 'Jacen Hall' had done. Now, she wanted to know everything, but didn't have the courage to ask. It wasn't really her business, not anymore. "The order was dead or alive, yes, but if I had brought you in alive, he would have wanted to watch you die. This Vallo the Hutt won't be interested in talking, I can assure you of that." Dani pulled away slowly, shaking her head some as she did.

"I can't see that happen again." She referred to him dying as she plucked a rather violent looking knife from the roll. Her gaze trailed along the edge of the blade before she tossed it back down again. The only thing missing from the pile of weaponry was her lightsaber, which was still strapped across the small of her back. It had always been the best place to conceal the weapon that she couldn't bring herself to use anymore. It was a Jedi weapon, elegant...and she was neither of those anymore.

"Didn't you just say you had gotten into a mess with Hutts too, Varitek? Now you want to toss your name in the hat and help?" She didn't much care if there was a price on his head, at the moment, as there was only one person in the room that she worried about. Dani contemplated the situation. "Course...." She started, formulating something in the back of her head that only furthered Karth's idea of them 'being taken in', "Bringing in two Jedi is better than bringing in one. You'd need weapons anyway...." Her thoughts weren't complete, of course, and her words reflected that, but surely either Karth or even Jace would be astute enough to piece it together.
 
Karth_DeQoraDate: Wednesday, 30 May 2012, 12:02 PM | Message # 27
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He was both pleasantly and disturbingly surprised when they both seemed to draw the conversation towards the same conclusion. Pleasantly surprised that Varitek was even open to the idea of walking into a Hutt's (a Hutt that, as Karth would insist to Dani, would want them taken alive) fortress when there was a substantial bounty on his head. Conversely, he was disturbed by the callous manner with which his former lover spoke about death, about murder, and how she seemed to ready to commit such acts.

That wasn't to say that Karth had never killed in the nine years that had passed, his past within the Hutt Cartel was mired with such and he wasn't one to bring this fact to light. De'Qora was intimately familiar with both the workings of the organization as a whole and, even more intimately than that, Vallo's operations. He knew the Hutt's mindset far better than either of them, and if it wasn't obvious to them yet, it would be once they reached Hutta. But to see such a change in her, the one person he'd always thought was so collected, so consistent, was what shocked him so.

Sighing, Karth rubbed his fingers at his temples, hoping to stave off the headache that had invaded his skull. "Vallo won't kill me, not yet. I know him too well," a vague explanation, at best, but they would be hard-pressed to rip any sort of elaboration out of him. "And if you're willing, Jace, we could certainly use the support. Three Jedi gives us a far better chance at survival than two, if any of us could really be called Jedi these days." He'd wait for Varitek's answer, then; far be it for him to drag someone into a dangerous situation if he could help it.


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Jace_VaritekDate: Sunday, 03 Jun 2012, 10:03 PM | Message # 28
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'Bringing in two Jedi is better than bringing in one'? When Daneira had said this, Jace had shaken his head noticeably. Can she at least pretend this isn't just another day on the job for her? He made no attempt to hide what he was thinking, and if she was attuned to the Force she'd have no trouble reading his thoughts about her.

As for this plan, Jace knew it was a bad idea, and his usual instinct for self-preservation was telling him to stay out of it. But, to his surprise, he found himself reluctant to let Karth walk into this alone. He wasn't sure why this was, exactly—Jace knew Karth to be a good person, and he wouldn't mind reconnecting with an old friend, or as close to a friend as he'd had in his days at the Temple (or since then, for that matter). But not at the cost of his life. He supposed it was possible, however, that Karth represented to him some sort of continuity between his past and his future. (Not that Jace had thought much about his future over the years).

Perhaps he'd feel the same way about Daneira at some point, but she wasn't making it easy for him. He had admired her from a distance at the Temple, but now he didn't trust her any further than he could throw a bantha.

"Well, I'm not enthusiastic about it," Jace confessed. "I don't suppose you can reason with Vallo? I've known reasonable Hutts, but I suppose you don't succeed in the Cartel if you're the reasonable sort." He ran a hand through his dry, matted hair as he went on, thinking aloud. "Is this about money? If it's about money, could we just pay him? And, you know, some extra?"

"What do you think, Daneira?" he said, looking to her. "Money is your language, isn't it?"


Jace Varitek
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Furthermore, a dancing Wookiee:
 
Daneira_FarrisDate: Monday, 04 Jun 2012, 8:01 AM | Message # 29
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Daneira sat silently for several minutes before Jace's thoughts smacked her in the face like a sack full of bricks. Somehow, however, she managed to keep her calm for the moment at least. She would trust Karth's knowledge of the Hutt Cartel, as this was the first time she had ever worked for them. The reputation that they had was widely known, however.

She wasn't sure why she had taken the job in the first place, aside from the nagging thought in the back pf her mind that told her that she needed to. Now, she knew why. It had to have been because of Karth. It was the only explanation.

Finally, she snapped her gaze to Jace. "You don't know me, Varitek. You never did. So don't judge people you know nothing about." She said, her voice unusually quiet considering the temper she had bared earlier. It was true though. He didn't know what kind of jobs she took or why she took them. He definitely didn't know that most of the bounties she dragged in, or in some cases, killed, were those who hurt others. She wouldn't tell him, either. It appeared as though the Jedi had made up his mind about her. Maybe rightfully so.

"But what you should know...is that I would never let anything happen to Karth. " She paused and leveled her thoughts for a moment. "So no, I would say that money isn't my language. Like I am sure that alcohol and waking up in an alley in a pool of your own vomit isn't yours." Dani leaned back in her seat for a moment and then finally.glanced to Karth. If he were astute, he would have felt what she did at the moment ; confusion and hurt.


Message edited by Daneira_Farris - Monday, 04 Jun 2012, 8:04 AM
 
Jace_VaritekDate: Monday, 04 Jun 2012, 9:22 AM | Message # 30
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Jace felt a welling up of indignation and pride and felt a need to defend his lifestyle, until he realized not an instant later that there wasn't much to defend. "At least the only person I hurt is me," was the best he could manage. "And for Force sake," he went on, more than a bit sarcastically, "I'm sorry I tried to steal your ship, all right? But so you know, I did it to save my ass, not to piss you off—if I'd known you'd hate me forever because of it I'd have happily stayed in the alley in a pool of my own vomit."

He noticed a moment too late what she'd said about protecting Karth. It seemed sincere to him, but Jace at this point was caught up in the moment and didn't see what should have been obvious to him, that there was something more to Karth's and Daneira's relationship than happening to run into each other a couple of days ago. Indeed, that they'd always been close to each other despite the great distances of space and time that had divided them.

And that his suspicions of her were baseless.

Missing the point, he went on: "How was I supposed to know that ship theft has some special place in your weird moral code?"


Jace Varitek
Manager/Administrator from January 2003 to Present
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