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Abarai Loki
Feb 9th, 2009, 01:43:40 PM
Three weeks ago, Loki's life as he knew it ended. There had been the crash of lightsabers, the rumble of Imperial juggernaughts, and the hearty laughter of a madman who plucked him from the midst of it all and flung him into hyperspace. Two weeks ago, he was stranded on Nar Shaddaa having escaped his demented counterpart, and spent his days scrambling through shadows and his nights sleeping amongst greasy engine parts. Then fortune smiled upon him and he was able to barter passage off the foresaken rock with a desperate man who was in deep with the Hutts. The deal was simple, he was allowed to remain onboard the ship as long as he agreed to tend to a cargohold full of astromech droids in need of repair. Unfortunately, for the travelling merchant, he was slain by a bounty hunter during a meeting with one of his clients, leaving the boy stranded on a planet called Coruscant.

It had been a week and quickly, the youngster found himself swallowed up by the planet metropolis and tumbled through its social rungs. Little by little, he learned about the planet and its inhabitants while enduring the daily struggle to survive in its unforgiving underbelly, which increasingly he thought seemed more like Nar Shaddaa than the prosperous capital of the galaxy. Using what spare change he could muster, he spent his free time browsing news terminals, looking for any hint of others like him. He had been told there were other survivors and given its population density, he figured his chances of finding someone on Coruscant were high.

Then one day, a news article caught his eye concerning a mysterious vigilante who fought off a band of armed robbers in a convenience store somewhere in the neighbouring district. Tales of heroism had been scarce in the news but that wasn't what interested him; one of the thieves, presumed to be suffering from post-traumatic delusions claimed the vigilante carried a laser sword and used magic to disarm and apprehend him and his fellow criminal conspiritors. The owner of the shop, a widowed mother of two, dismissed the claims as nonsense. The final line of the article read:

Was this a random act of goodwill from one citizen of Chiba District to another or could this possibly be another heroic intervention by the man they call the "Protector of the People," the "Saviour of the Slums," or even the "Hero of Coruscant"?

The next day, Loki vacated the makeshift home he'd established in a derelict shoe factory, and made his way into the heart of Chiba District to look for answers.

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 13th, 2009, 10:51:47 AM
The scum and villainy always tried to hide themselves in the dark corners. There in those dark places they thought no one could see their nefarious deeds. Yet one man they called The Hero of Coruscant dare to push his way into those dark corners and purged the scum from them.

Despite Jackson's recent confrontation with the reassembling sith, it was back to business as usual. Jackson didn't have time to dwell on the events that had past, he had a city to defend. Jackson was making his usual patrols through the Chiba District drifting from dark alley way to dark alley way. Looking for anything that looked like trouble.

Abarai Loki
Feb 13th, 2009, 12:11:03 PM
"Excuse me, miss, I'm looking for the one referred to as the Hero of Coruscant. Could you-"

The haggard old woman trudged past, muttering to herself about the weather, she was hunched double over a cart full with every manner of worthless trinket and hunk of junk. It seemed she hadn't heard the boy, he had adressed her respectfully as he had so many others before her, but the result was always the same and he was none-the-wiser as to the whereabouts of this mysterious vigilante.

There being no luck to be found in the vacant backalleys, Loki finally decided to take his mission out into the garish lights of the cantinas, gambling halls, and brothels which encompassed much of Pilgim's Plaza. Music throbbed against the stale smokey air. Uncoordinated drunken bodies flailed and rubbed in passing. There was the sound of glass breaking every other minute.

Loki cast his gaze about patiently, looking for the right candidate to question, many were either too intoxicated or involved with each other to be of any worth. Then he noticed a small group of men exit a cantina, they wore matching jackets and walked with a purpose. The leader wore a cold calculating expression as he paraded ahead of his friends, none of whom appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. They crossed the plaza in unison and just as they reached a flight of steps which descended into a rather gloomy-looking establishment, Loki made his move and intercepted the leader of the pack.

"Pardon me, friend, do you know anything about the one they call the Hero of Coruscant?"

"What? You gotta be kiddin' me," he muttered, glancing back at his sniggering friends.

"Do I look like it?" Loki asked flatly.

"Who put you up to this, kid?"

"I'm here of my own doing, and I have questions that need answering."

"Is that so? Well, you better come inside, friend."

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 13th, 2009, 12:33:34 PM
From a nearby alley Jackson kept an eye on the small band of miscreants. He had been watching them off and on for the past few months. He even had a few encounters with them face to face. There list of crimes ran long from assault and battery to simple shop lifting. They liked to think that they controlled the streets but Jackson had taught them differently a few times already.

Jackson just watched them as they walked to their little seedy hideaway cantina. As long as they were not causing havoc Jackson had no reason to intercept them. As he watched he saw a young man about fourteen or fifteen walk up to the group. Jackson stood up and strained hard to listen in but couldn't hear anything due to the loud music and busy streets. He mumbled slightly under his breath as he grabbed for his masked in his long coat pocket.

"What are you doing stupid kid?"

Abarai Loki
Feb 13th, 2009, 01:29:29 PM
The cantina was rundown and in desperate need of refurbishment. It was poorly lit but in every murky nook there was movement, heads turned at the arrival of the men and followed them across the open floor space. Every footstep provoked a long sticky slurping sound from the filth under their boots, and the walls shimmered in places from excess damp, lending the room an unappealing clamminess. They suddenly stopped.

"Rasca, get the drinks in, will you? Dex. Cabal. Give us some room."

A tall scrawny humanoid with scaley skin slinked off to the bar while a pair of hulking twins with psychadellic mohawk haircuts broke away to move amongst the surrounding tables and booths. The leader, a young zabrak with an unmistakeable air of confidence about him, folded his arms and turned to appraise the boy before him.

"So, what have you got for me, kid?"

"My name is Abarai Loki."

"Well, Abarai, wha-"

"Abarai Loki," the boy corrected.

"Tobia Fenris," said the zabrak, placing a hand on his chest, dog tags clinked under his fingers. He glanced up at the sound of patrons vacating the premises all around them, the corner of his mouth plucked outwards in a half-smile.

"Tobia Fenris, I have nothing for you but a question. Do you know the whereabouts of the Hero of Coruscant?"

Tobia laughed, regarding the boy with disbelief, and clapped his hands. There was an echo. The room was oddly silent. He pointed a finger at him.

"Kid, you have some guts. But if you don't tell me who you're working for right now, your boss won't be able to recognise what's left of you once we're through. You following me?"

"I can see I'm wasting my time here," Loki said, irritably, and turned to leave.

There was a crash as two tables were upturned and toppled into his path. The huge twins closed ranks, and although his escape route was blocked, it was clear enough to him that he was alone with these men. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Noone has to get hurt here tonight. Let me leave," he said to an uproar of laughter.

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 13th, 2009, 01:52:19 PM
Jackson moved through the shadows as best he could to get closer the cantina when the group entered. He didn't enter right away because it would be he knew he would be too out of place. So he watched the door for a few moments as he slipped a black mask over his head.

He saw a group of people vacate the cantina and he took that as the sign he should enter. Instead of going for his saber he instead went for the blaster in his leg holster. He looked around and let the people vacating get a little ways away before he charged down the steps for the cantina.

He now stood face to face with the door. How should he approach this he wondered as heard stuff getting knocked over inside. To hell with it he kicked the door in aided with a bit of force push just to give his entrance a little more flare.

The door flew off its hinges into the cantina. A man with a black mask and long red coat stood in the door way where the door once was. There was a blaster in his right hand. The two twins blocking Loki's path both looked back at the man.

"You boy's ain't causing trouble are you." He waggled a finger back and forth.

Abarai Loki
Feb 13th, 2009, 02:02:58 PM
The thunderous crack of wood tore through the small room, startling the gang of thugs, the door splintered violently against the wall and in its place stood a man in a mask. Loki's eyes narrowed and from across the room he guaged him discriminately.

"Who are you?" he and Tobia asked simultaneously.

"You have five seconds," added the zabrak leader, his blaster pistol raised.

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 14th, 2009, 11:10:51 AM
"Who me?"

Jackson pointed a finger at himself as if he wasn't aware they were talking to him. In the same instant he flicked his finger back around as a force gust slammed into the Zabrak's gun knocking it out of his hands.

"Please let me introduce myself. I'm the last Jedi of the old Jedi order and I hereby charge you." He pointed to the Zabrak. "You." he pointed one of the twins "and you." pointing to the last twin. "With disorderly conduct, punishable by a nice stay in a holding cell."

He looked at the young man between the group checking to make sure he was okay.

"Any questions?"

Abarai Loki
Feb 14th, 2009, 12:08:03 PM
"It's him," gasped one of the twins, whirling around to his brother.

"It's him?"

"It's you!" Tobia said, glaring at the stranger, "You're the Hero of Coruscant!"

"You're the Hero of Coruscant?"

Loki's disappointment clung to his every word; this masked mouthy man was the one he'd been looking for all along? Tobia turned and poked an accusing finger at him. There was panic and fury etched into every line on his face.

"You! You brought this upon us! You-"

"Believe me when I say I had nothing to do with... this."

"Enough talking!" bellowed Dex.

The hulking brute dived behind one of the upturned tables, pulling a blaster out from beneath his jacket, his brother did likewise and took cover behind the other fallen table. They opened fire on the vigilante without a word's warning. Tobia scrambled across the floor in search of his weapon. Loki stood his ground and watched the fight; this Hero may be brash but perhaps he had the talent to back it up.

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 14th, 2009, 12:31:53 PM
They opened fire on him before he could speak a word edge wise. The blaster fire caused him to dive sideways into the cantina for the closet table he could find for cover. He reached the table flipping it on its side as a blaster bolt struck the heel of his boots.

He slid down behind it as more blaster fire blasted past his head. Behind the table Jackson was starting to wonder why he had to be so dammed cocky. It was like the mask made him a complete different person. The worst part was that person thought he was invincible. In truth Jackson was well of his mortality and that eventually it would catch up to him.

He sat behind his table for a few moments trying to center his thoughts as Blaster bolts dug through the wood table. Some just narrowly missing Jackson but as he focused he began to feel the room around him. His hand reached over the top of the table and fired two random Blind shot's. At least they would have been blind shot's to a non force user.

Abarai Loki
Feb 14th, 2009, 01:30:07 PM
Blaster fire criss-crossed the humble cantina, shattering glass, scorching wood, and illuminating every dark corner with bright red flashes. The vigilante displayed excellent reflexes and instinct in avoiding the first barrage and found cover of his own. Unfortunately, that cover would prove to be only temporary; smoking holes had been punched into the wood and its frame was rapidly was chipped away in explosions of fine glowing embers. Then he returned their fire, his surprise shots struck one of the brother's squarely in the chest. He crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"Cabal, no!" Dex cried out, and ducked to avoid the second shot fired.

Incensed with rage, Dex lifted the table he had been using for cover and in an impressive display of strength, hurled it across the room to where the vigilante was hidden. On the bar, the lithe scaley alien appeared, he stooped low on all fours and, with the Hero in plain sight, he hurled a bottle of brown liquor at him. Meanwhile, a victorious cry sounded from the back of the room. Tobia had found his blaster pistol and carefully strafed the perimeter of the cantina, scanning for the masked intruder.

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 20th, 2009, 01:44:50 PM
As he slid back behind the table Jackson reached up and pulled the mask from his face. It was time to start thinking about this more rationally rather then continuing to think he was some unstoppable force. He heard the cry of rage and saw a bottle come flying at him from some alien.

He dropped his blaster and reached out with the force to help him snatch up the bottle. As he called it to him the top broke off coming past one of the legs of the table. The bottle finally came to his hand he quickly stuffed his mask in the liqueur. Reached into his pocket and came out with a lighter as he spun to his feet. Standing up he lit the Molotov cocktail and was mid swing as the thrown table took him out mid swing.

The table smacked into him hard knocking him back and to the ground. It land on top of him as the Molotov cocktail went lofting in the air. All Jackson could here was the crash off in the distance as he laid there in pain.

Abarai Loki
Feb 21st, 2009, 10:19:27 AM
The flaming bottle of bourbon shattered on a taple top, showering Dex with liquid fire. He howled in pain as the flames advanced up his torso, licking at his jaw and neck. He ran screaming into the bar, and tumbled forward with his own momentum, scattering glasses and bottles. One by one, the liquor started to ignite in bursts of sparkling light, bathing the length of the bar in fire, and trapping the alien Rasca within.

Loki stood dumbstruck by the unfolding events, his wide eyes hopped to each thug as he fell in what he percieved as the most staggering display of good fortune he'd ever seen. The Force was truly with this curious character, although it seemed his luck had finally run out. Tobia had closed in on him, he shifted the bulk of the table holding him down with his boot, and pressed his blaster pistol to his head.

"Get up!" he snarled, furious, "Get up!"

Hefted to his feet by the scruff, Jackson found himself staring into the barrel of a blaster, behind him the flames were closing in and before him, the zabrak rattled off a list of frantic demands:

"Give me a name! Who are you? And the boy, he works for you, too? What did you want? You've killed my men, you've burnt my cantina to the ground... tell me why!"

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 21st, 2009, 10:42:13 AM
"Uh uh!."

He tried to stammer for words as he stared into the barrel and he saw there his own mortality. The unmasked hero had no bravado without his cowl to cover who he really was. He could feel the heat of the expanding fire around him and all he could think at that moment was of his Brother Allex. What would Allex say if he could see this stupid display he put on? Yet if Allex was here at least his ass would be covered.

"Ma...ma...my name is Jackson. I...I don't know the boy."

There was fear in the injured Jackson's eyes as his hand thumbed around in his jacket feeling for that one thing of comfort he had left. His hand grasped around the cylinder in his pocket.

"I...I didn't mean to kill your men. I...I couldn't let you harm the kid though it...it's not my way."

His thumb was on the ignition switch as he closed his eyes waiting for the man’s reply. He didn't press it he couldn't take another man’s life today he had already caused to much bloodshed. He just waited their eyes closed his thumb relaxing away from switch. He accepted his fate at that moment as he shouted out.

"Run boy get the hell out of here."

Abarai Loki
Feb 21st, 2009, 11:23:07 AM
"It's too late for him!" Tobia spat, pushing the barrel forcefully into Jackson's head, he glanced at the boy across the room and sneered, "It's too late for both of you! I hope you've made your peace with your maker... because you're about to meet him!"

He took a step away from the shrunken hero and at arm's length, aimed his blaster pistol and-

"Disappear."

The voice was close. There was a heavy thud, the zabrak gasped then looked down. On the floor lied his dismembered arm, still clutching the pistol. He cried out in agony.

"And do not take what you have lost. It now belongs to me."

Loki turned to face them, concealing something beneath his jacket. The zabrak fled, howling into the night, and only Jackson remained. The boy glanced down impassively at the smoking stump of an arm then lifted his gaze to the vigilante.

"You are not the last."

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 21st, 2009, 12:13:53 PM
Jackson's eyes opened to see the shock on the zabrak's face. At first Jackson didn't get it he was dumbfounded that he wasn't dead yet. Then he saw where the Zabrak's eyes gazed in shock, looking down Jackson saw the dismembered arm. Jackson went pale white and shocked struck him as well as he wondered if had somehow, did this miraculous event with his mind.

Then he heard the boy say those words. "And do not take what you have lost. It now belongs to me." The boy had removed this man's arm but the only thing that could do that with such precision was? Jackson reached into his coat and pulled out his master’s old light saber. "You are not the last." Those words rang in Jackson's already blown mind. He didn't know what to say, so he said the only thing that he could say at that moment.

"Maybe we should get out of this burning building?"

Abarai Loki
Feb 21st, 2009, 12:49:59 PM
"The back door," he said, walking by, "A mutilated zabrak attracts attention even in the most depraved of places."

The roar of the raging fire was punctuated by the sound of crashing glass and sizzling alcohol. The ceiling was hidden behind a thick cloud of black smoke and soot and ash clung to the air all around them. Loki held his breath and blinked away stinging tears. They entered the kitchen, on the stoves watery stews boiled and sloshed over the sides of large pots abandoned by their cooks, and the floor was sticky with ingredients that had been hastily discarded. A trail of smoke snaked overhead, along the length of the kitchen and out an open door on the other side. Finally outside, Loki took in a breath of the chilly night air and waited for Jackson to join him.

"Do you have a place we can hide?"

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 27th, 2009, 10:06:40 AM
Jackson limped out the back door hacking at the black smoke that had invaded his lungs. He hunched over coughing out phlegm trying too hard to get his breath back. He finally sucked in a breath of air with crackling sound in the back of his throat. Then ejected a dark colored loogie onto the ground. With panted breath he spoke to the kid who still had him in shock.

"Ye...Yeah... that way." Jackson pointed off down the alley way.

He came up slightly from his hunch and started heading off down the alley way still limping. Jackson was sure that table broke something but he didn't have time to stop and worry about it. He pushed on down the alley as fast as his body would allow him to move.

"Don't blame me for not trusting you are Jedi there kid. I have just had a few run-ins in my time here with those that poses the capacity for the force but they are far from Jedi."

Abarai Loki
Feb 27th, 2009, 10:36:22 AM
"Like yourself?" Loki asked absently, heading off in the direction Jackson had pointed, "I am nothing if not a Jedi, and such a thing does not require your validation. And my name is Abarai Loki, not kid."

They moved quickly down the narrow alley, deeper into darkness and further from the clamor of Pilgrim's Plaza. Their path was cumbersome and convoluted, the streets here were a wasteland, littered with rubbish and people both in varying states of decay. Behind him he heard Jackson wince as he lumbered along but he paid it no mind, if he was truly hurt he would have to stop but given the fight he'd just faced Loki had to admit, the young man was resilient. He glanced over his shoulder.

"How long have you lived down here?"

Jackson Mcgraves
Feb 28th, 2009, 01:16:11 PM
"Alright Abarai fare enough. Na...Names Jackson."

He winced as they both pushed forward down the back alley ways. After a few more turns and Jackson almost tripping over drunkard the two Jedi stood outside a building. The building had a big neon on sign that said Motel with no vacancy.

"No offense but down here there is no such thing as living. There is dying slowly and just barely scraping the bottom of the barrel."

Jackson limped his way to the door to the motel and stepped inside Loki in toe. Jackson slowly made his way for the stairs stopping for a minute to take a breath.

"If you are meaning how long ago I got ditched in the imperial center then that would be a year or so I guess. My brother got me a job and then disappeared. I was too much for him to handle I think."

After a few moment's Jackson started up the stairs trying to make his way to the third floor of the building. The inside of the building was littered with graffiti and looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in years.

"Wha...what brings you to this den of scum Abarai?"

Abarai Loki
Mar 1st, 2009, 10:31:41 AM
"You," he answered, "There was a news report about your antics so I decided to investigate and find out if there were any Jedi down here."

The tone of his voice suggested his investigation was unsuccessful. They ascended the stairs, Loki was careful to avoid any suspect stains and debris on the floor, and after a couple of stops between floors they arrived at a door which Jackson opened with an access bolt. There was a click and it swung open, loose on its hinges, and they entered. The room was sparse, barely fitting for human accomodation, something Loki had become accustomed to in the last few weeks. He closed the door.

"Lie down and I will treat your injury. And tell me, how did you learn to use the Force?"

Jackson Mcgraves
Mar 7th, 2009, 10:23:30 AM
"I guess you found one."

Jackson said as he sat down on the nearly falling apart bed. In the corners of the room there was various pieces of scrap metal and old mechanical unit's for all kinds of things. They were all parts to gadgets Jackson had plans for making in his head. Other then that the room was very sparse as if Jackson had no real personality.

"I learned it how everyone else does from another Jedi. Not that it matters he is dead."

Abarai Loki
Mar 9th, 2009, 08:41:11 AM
"Not that it matters?" Loki cast a scathing glance at him, and promptly yanked his trouser leg up, exposing the injured leg. Jackson hissed at the sudden burst of pain.

"Your master bestowed upon you a great gift. You have inherited the legacy of over a thousand generations."

The boy kneeled down next to the bed. In his hand he held a ragged bandage stained with blots of dry blood, he wrapped it around the leg just above the wound then pulled it tight. Jackson winced again.

"It matters."

Gently, Loki placed his hands on the patch of discoloured skin and exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. His hands were warm and clammy. He remained perfectly still, the distant ambience of the rugged neighbourhood seemed to slip away and the atmosphere changed all around. Those without the gift would notice little other than a shift in mood; tension fades and spirits lift, awash with serenity. To people like Jackson and Loki, it was a feeling akin to sitting at the bottom of the sea; swallowed by a thick, rippling peacefulness. His hands became cool and soothing, Jackson's leg became numb and the pain disappeared.

Suddenly, the deep echoing emptiness became alive with a rush of light and life, the Force rolled in tides, crashing down into the boys back, through his shoulders and along his arms until it poured out through his hands in waves of warmth. The fracture started to mend and five minutes later, he lifted his hands and opened his eyes, the dull familiarity of their surroundings returned. He sighed.

"It was only a simple fracture. You're lucky," he said at last, standing, "If you are to avoid the chance of it breaking in the future, it will require the same treatment everyday for a week. I will stay."

Jackson Mcgraves
Mar 13th, 2009, 12:24:03 PM
"Yeah we inherited a nearly dead legacy. I know very little about the masters of the old order, just the little bit my master use to talk about."

Jackson was a Jedi at heart but the old order and their legacy meant nearly nothing to him. They failed at saving the people, heck from some the stories some Jedi didn't even try. The legacy was dead but it could be rebuilt better and stranger then it had been.

"I don't do what I do for the legacy. I do it cause it the right thing to do. People need hope and if it has to come in the form of some crazy hero, then so be it."

Jackson looked down at his bandaged leg and then back up at the young Jedi. He didn't even feel the pain anymore, which made him realize this kid, had more power than he did.

"Luck seems to be all I got these days. Well except maybe now a side kick of course."

Abarai Loki
Mar 13th, 2009, 02:29:25 PM
"You're mistaken if you think I'm about to join you on your masked crusade," he said bluntly, choosing to ignore the sidekick jibe. It was becoming apparent that people had something of an obsession with playing heroes and taking on sidekicks, first Acacius Blade and now this Jackson character.

"I have no intention of saving the citizens of the slums from themselves, my intention is to find as many of..." he hesitated, then with a bad taste in his mouth, continued, "Our kind as possible and reforge the Jedi Order."

Even as he said that, standing at the window, his hand pressed against the plexiglass, looking out at the grimy underworld, he felt small. Tiny. He recalled something Acacius Blade had said.

"Do you believe in... fate?"