Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

Welcome Home Kali
Core World of Brentaal IV
Estate of Hego Damask
Date: 2919 AOK
Player Characters Involved: Gadeon, Duncan

There was a since of concern once the warning was issued. The Estate had been breached by some unknown threat. “Count Damask, we have detected an unauthorized attempt to access a terminal within this area of the house. Because of this, we were ordered here to investigate by Central Security.”

Kali seemed surprised at the pair of droids and Hego gave a soft half nod to her, “things have gotten very dangerous since you left home.”

“I can tell,” she said reached for her lightsaber.

Hego slowly rose from his chair as she did the same, “A few months ago, the Tirrel family estate was attacked. There are rumors regarding that attack and others who had openly support the Reformers from the Outer Rim. Rumors that no one is willing to utter a loud. I am not the only one who fears for the safety of those I love.”

As he spoke, Demaya shifted her head as if scanning the area. It was if a switch deep in her mind had been flipped. “That conversation can wait Hego,” Demaya said as her personal walls went up. her degree of mental control rose drastically as she searched the area, “I can sense them. One is clearly a force user, but the other one I am not sure.” Her anger slowly rose as she reached to her belt and unhooked her double-bladed light saber and held it in her hand.

She motioned to the two magnaguards, “on me!” she commanded as the Jedi Knight moved from the table and headed out of the dining area. Hego gave his nod to the droids who then moved to follow the Jedi Knight. As Demaya moved for the main entrance of the dining area, they started to follow her. Both magnaguards activated their electrostaffs while they followed Knight Demaya as she added “Mr. Damask, you better hold back.”

“Like hell,” Hego said with anger in his voice. He added, “no one invades my home.” He brought up his data pad. “I have vested a personal fortune to ensure that my enemies would think twice about this kind of behavior” He explained as he pressed a few buttons on his pad. “I am placing the entire Estate on alert!” The pair of magnaguards activated their electrostaffs. The sound of crackling energy filled the dining area and the hallways beyond.

Without thinking, Demaya reached up to pull her hood up over her head. It was in that moment she realized she wasn’t wearing her Jedi robes. She had chosen her outfit to blend in to a wealthy Core World setting, not the battlefield. She let out a deep sigh of disappointment. “Why is this time of year so damn eventful,” she softly cursed. (OOC: Reaction Roll, Listen Check DC 15 to hear the statement, Cannot Take 10).

Her training kicked in as she called upon the force to prepared for battle. Her body surged as it reacted to the aide of the Force as she continued to search the hallway next to the dining area. Both Gadeon and Duncan could sense her calling upon the force (OOC: Reaction Roll, Sense Force to sense her calling upon the Force, DC 10, Cannot Take 10. DC 15 or higher will tell you that she has increased her agility and precision).

It was clear that she was not taking anything for granted as she moved slowly for the exit of the dining area. She was in no rush to close on the unforeseen intruder. Her senses reaching far beyond the large room and in to the hallway. (OOC: Reaction Roll, Sense Force to sense her calling upon the Force, DC 10, Cannot Take 10. DC 15 or higher will tell you that she has increased her perceptions and her force walls have increased). It was clear that this veteran was preparing for battle.

“I know your close” she called out. There was anger in her voice as she spoke as she stepped from the large dining room. The pair of magnaguards were closely behind her as her head shifted from side to side. The sounds of crackling energy echoed down the corridor as Demaya very slowly and methodically moved forward. “There is no sense in hiding,” she yelled out to those that she could sense.

Despite her anger, Demaya handled the situation with a cool hand. She was like a beacon of force energy woven in to a tapestry of defenses, enhancements and projections. Her cool handed approach was easily misleading to even a trained observer. Demaya was like a coiled snake ready for the strike. These observations allowed Gadeon and Duncan the quick realization that Demaya was a combat veteran. The situation was quickly turning in to something that Gadeon had never intended on. And he wasn’t about to allow that mistake continue one moment longer.

On that note, Gadeon dropped from the ceiling. He made sure to drop from his heading place long before it could be perceived to be some kind of an attack. Within the same moment, Duncan followed suite landing just behind Gadeon. The pair landed safely on the ground a safe distance from Demaya. It was a smart move to ensure that their drop wouldn’t be considered an aggressive act, or that they wouldn’t be surprised by a sudden attack from Demaya.

The sudden appearance of the two Jedi caused the magnaguards to take up an aggressive stance. They shifted on their feet and moved their electrostaffs to prepare for battle. However, Demaya held her neutral stance as she glared at them. They could easily see the anger on her face as she scanned their faces. Without a word, she rose her opened left hand to a point just above her shoulders. “Mr. Demask, instruct your droids to stand down,” she said signaling the magnaguards to hold their action.

Her grip on her lightsaber tightened as knuckles grew white. “These two are not assassins,” she said glaring at them. On that note, her eyes turned to Gadeon, “did Auro send you?” she questioned.

Gadeon shook his head as he said truthfully, “no.” Then he added, “I was concerned for you.”

As the pair of magnaguards slowly withdrew from the scene, Hego stepped forward. “Are these friends of yours, Kali?”

Demaya stood silently for a moment as she glared at the two. Her mind was in conflict over how to react to the sudden appearance of these two. Even Hego noticed the delay in response from Demaya as she gripped her lightsaber. Anger rose even more steeply as she glared. Imagery of cutting them both down flashed in her mind. She had no doubt that killing them could be justified, even possibly successfully defended. ‘After all, they are trespassing’ she coldly thought of their murders.

After an awkward and uncomfortable silence, Hego calmly said, “Kali?”

Knight Demaya closed her eyes as she drew in a deep breath. It was a strange thing for her. She had often wondered what it would be like to close her eyes to the world. Sadly, due to her Miraluka side, she could never really close her eyes to the world around. She let out that deep breath in a slow long sigh. As the air left her body, so did the anger of the situation. “They are my friends from the Vengeance,” she said with distain in her voice over the situation. Like her anger, that too was rapidly withdrawing from her voice and mind. All that emotionally remained in her heart was a sense of betrayal and disappointment.

She turned to face Hego as she hooked her lightsaber back to her belt, “and they were just leaving!” she snapped. “If you will excuse me, Mr. Damask,” she said as she started to push past him. “I am going to unpack,” She added as she allowed the surge of force energy that she had built up to fade. While the tightly woven tapestry of force energy started to unwind, Gadeon and Duncan could sense that Demaya had chosen to keep up her emotional and force walls. It was in that moment that they both realized that these walls were always up. It went a great distance to explain why others had such a hard time reading her.

Hego turned with a frown on his face, “Kali…..”

“It’s Knight Demaya” she snapped as she stormed in to the dining room and vanished from sight.

Hego Damask turned to Gadeon and Duncan, “I don’t know why you are here, but I cannot deny the timing. Ka….I mean Demaya,” he corrected himself. “She will need her friends to face what she must.”

Gadeon thought for a moment before speaking, but it was Duncan that asked the question, “what is so important?”

Hego turned to the empty entry way that led in to the dining room. “I won’t say. IF she hasn’t told you by this time, I won’t betray that.” He turned back to them, “For Demaya, trust has always been hard for her.” He gave them a nod, “give her time and I know she will open up.” He frowned as he shook his head, “she has to learn to trust those close to her.”

Gadeon blinked for a moment then stated as a matter of fact, “you are sensitive to the force.”

The statement caught Duncan by surprise as Hego nodded, “I am a registered Force User.” He smiled as he motioned for them to follow him, “here allow me to show you to your rooms.” His friendly smile never faded as the other option still had not been addressed, “that is unless you would like me to escort you, to your ship.”

Gadeon looked at Duncan for a moment as they silently thought out the situation. Duncan finally gave Gadeon a nod. “with your permission,” Gadeon said turning his eyes back to Damask. “We would like to stay,” he said then paused. Then as an afterthought he added, “for the time being.”

Sometime later, the group assembled at an air speeder. It was a luxurious black air speeder that is often reserved for the very rich. The interior was laid out with many fine amenities, such fine wines and other spirits. The seats were authentic Sibenine leather, something that was unheard of outside of the very very elite.

The air speeder was piloted by a pair of BX-series droid commandos, who each were armed with blaster rifles. A pair of B1 droids took up place in rear of the air speeder armed with blaster rifles. A pair of B1 droids each standing on a Single Trooper Aerial Platform or STAP Speeder waited for the departure time.

Hego laughed as he walked up to Duncan and Gadeon, “when you are as wealthy as me, there is no such thing as not being able to afford enough protection.” He walked up to the limo speeder and tapped it. “This is speeder is fully armored and shielded against anything that someone might try to throw at it” he added with pride.

Within moments Demaya walked up, “I thought you two were leaving” she snapped at first sight of Gadeon and Duncan.

Before anyone could answer Hego answered, “I asked them to stay Ka…..” he paused before adding, “Knight Demaya.” He walked up to her and rested his hand on her shoulder, “I have known you, since you were in diapers. I have never asked anything of you. But now, I am. Please trust me. I know what you are about to face. You cannot face this alone. Please let them stay by your side.”

Demaya let her head hang as she let out another deep sigh. “Hego….” She said then let her voice trail off. “Fine….” she finally said in defeat. She walked over to the limo and glanced at the two Jedi waiting on her. She opened her mouth to say something, however nothing came out. She just climbed in to the limo, “let’s go” she finally said from within the limo.

Hego motioned in to the limo, “shall we get in?”

As everyone climbed in to the limo, the door was sealed and the limo lifted off the ground. The pair of droids on the speeders took up formation with one in the front of the limo and the other in the back. The limo speed its way across the skies of Brentaal IV as it made its way towards its destination. Far below the limo were the under privileged of Brentaal IV as the speeder sped by. For Duncan, this was hardly special. Being the former Padawan of Master Dooku, he was used to rubbing elbows with the extremely wealthy of the Galaxy.

However, for Gadeon, this was an experience. A small silver tray with an assortment of meats and cheese was worth enough to feed ten families. As he looked around, this is how he saw the contents of the limo. There was just so much wealth squandered where it could be used to help others. It wasn’t that the situation bothered him. Instead, it confused him.

For Demaya, her mind seemed to be elsewhere. She set there looking out of a nearby window. It was clear that her mind will filled with pain as she looked out the window. It was Duncan that noticed a tear slowly making its way down her cheek. She just looked out the window as the emotions filled her heart.

Duncan moved from his seat to sit next to her. “Demaya, can I ask, where are we going?”

She turned from the window and looked at Duncan, “the grave of my parents.” She said softly as she whipped the tears from her face. “Since their death, something has always come up when I set out to visit their grave,” she said softly. She then turned back to the window, “this will be the first time since their death eleven years ago, that I will face their grave.”

She paused a moment as she tried to fight back the tears once more, “I tried so many times to make the trip on my own. But each time, something always came up.” She paused a moment, before adding, “that is not completely true. I could have made it possible. But I wasn’t ready either.”

She reached up and wiped her eyes, “Master Drase used to tell me that I had to trust in the Force,” she explained. “I finally reached a point where I was ready to face their graves. That was the reason why I submitted my vacation. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.”