Heavy breathing.

[Pierce Tondry]

A man, breathing nervously, entered the room. He was dressed in black commando armor; dressed for battle, as it were.

Hardly the smart move if one wanted to enter the ranks of the Jedi. Aggression was one of the things they particularly frowned upon.

The man moved to the center of the room, seemingly with great reluctance.

He opened his mouth to speak, but it was dry and no words came out. Fortunately, he had a helmet on which concealed this temporary weakness.

"I need help," he eventually croaked out. "I need to join the Jedi."

[Marcus Telcontar]

It was a rare time for Marcus to be in the recruitment centre. But since he had basically shown his hand and become part of the order once again, it was becoming more regular, especially with his friend Xazor running the centre.

He was watcihng as a humaniod figure in armour came in.

"And you call that help?" he said, in the strange accent that he now used - his real one. "If that's what you desire, then I may help you. I am Marcus Q'Dunn, Jedi Master. And you are...?"

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce twisted his helmet slightly, unlocking it and releasing some stale air in the process. He then pulled it off.

"Funny," he rasped. "I'd have thought you would remember me, Q'Dunn."

Pierce rested a hand on the side of his head and leaned on a nearby table for support. "But I suppose Cracken's gotten to you, too. Doesn't trust me at all, and who would?"

The vision in front of him blurred and Pierce took a deep breath to steady himself. "But I need help from somewhere."

[Pierce Tondry]

(ooc) Have to go now... don't know when I'll be back to finish this.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Considering the last we met Master Tondry, the result lead to what was my life being lost in the white hell near the South Pole, I would say I remember you well. You cost me much for the favour you asked. You cost me my Tohmahawk, you lost me the army that I had spend the last 8 years building, you destroyed a life I had built. Maybe not directly, but Tohmahawk would not have died if not for you. I will always remember that" His voice, still accented strangely, was however colder than a blizzard of Whitetown, like the one he had been forced to stumble through, injured critically for nearly a full day. One of his hands was brushing the hilt of his sword, fingers touching the hilt.

"I remember you allright Tondry. I remembered you with every painfilled step I took. Every breath I took through broken ribs reminded of the last we spoke. Every cough that bought up blood. I remembered you when I woke screaming from my wounds. How can I forget the man who caused me to lie in some -DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR--DO-NOT-SWEAR-hole shack for weeks, unable to hardly move? Pretty hard not to forget I would say!". Marcus stepped closer, his eyes cold and flat, looking Tondry in the eye.

"And yet... I wonder what was left after Tohmahawk was destoryed?" he said in a much softer voice. "I wonder who took his place? And I also wonder if I need the ten minutes Tondry promised a Jedi in return? Come this way to a more private area, we shall speak privately and I will help you and give you the help you ask for, whatever you need" His hand noticibly relaxed and moved away from the hilt of the sword... "Whatever I suffered is more than made up for by seeing you here and hearing what you said - to know all was not in vain. Now come, let me give you what aid I can, for I sense you are in need"

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor had been watching the whole thing from her place in the shadows. She smiled gently and stepped into the light, removing the hood of her cloak.

"He seeks redemption...much as I did when I came here. It is good that you see that in this moment, my friend...but it was slightly delayed. I understand...."

She said softly as she walked closer to the group. When the woman stopped, her red robes gathered at her feet like sand, and her waist length blonde hair came to rest against her back...adorned in Garou Warrior braids with gold coins intertwined into them. She bowed to her friend and the newcomer.

"I do not wish to interrupt anything...for I know you wish to speak with this man privatly...but I do wish to know more about him, perhaps...if that pleases you Master Jedi."

The Garou asked shyly, trying not to disrespect the wishes of her friend.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce laughed, quick and short. "Oh, isn't this riotous," he chuckled, but even then his laughs were belabored and difficult. "No, not redemption. Don't need redemption. Everything I ever did, I thought was the right thing to do at the time- right up to the moment where I tore good old Imperial Intelligence down the middle and destroyed the other half, then took the survivors and force-fed them to the Rebellion."

He paused. "That's not correct, is it? I should say Republic. But you know, even in this wonderful Republic, pride and prejudice still exist, especially in the form of Airen Cracken."

"No, I don't need redemption Miss Xazor Leo Dawnstrider, Intel file 88B3-FK47. What I need is to turn this off."

Without pausing, Pierce lifted a blaster- not the one on his belt, but one that had somehow slid into his hand during his speech. He then turned and spun and fired a single shot.

The shot burned itself into the wall. It had the effect of startling an alien reading in a nearby chair. The alien's long tail happened to jar a table, not spilling it over but definitely giving it a sharp kick. When the table lurched, a bowl of fruit on top of it did the same, enough to send a single fruit- a pear- over the side.

The pear rolled on the floor, then came to a rest beside Pierce's shoe.

He picked it up. "Whaddya know?" he asked himself. "I am hungry again."

Without further hesitation, Pierce bit into the pear. "Lead on, Marcus," he said. "Because I'm starting to feel dizzy again."

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor looked at the man and lofted a brow. Though she felt like exploding on him at any second, she held the feelings back. Smiling gently, she bowed to him instead.

"Well...I am sorry you feel as though you don't need redemption...have a nice day."

She turned to Marcus and forced a smile.

I may be a Jedi...but I don't like him.

She spoke through their life bond and turned to leave, her hair swooshing quickly behind her as she turned on her heal to leave them.

[Marcus Telcontar]

There was the ghost of a smile on the Master's face.

" Xazor, I do indeed wish to speak to Master Tondry alone for a moment. But, would you be good enough to fetch Master Yogurt for me? We will be in the first room to the left" he stated, pointing to a door

Which was the medical room.

"Do you need a helping hand Pierce?"

[Xazor Elessar]

ooc: Mark, you and I posted nearly at the same time last time...look at the post above yours. :)

As soon as she was about to leave, Marcus requested Master Yoghurt for him. She turned around and smiled suddenly and nodded.

"Indeed....whatever you wish, it shall be done."

She forced a smile once again and turned to leave as she had before.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce watched Xazor leave. "Faker," he noted.

He turned away and began shambling towards the medical room. "I don't think she likes me," he chuckled grimly. "Wonder how she'd take my line of work."

"I don't know what I need to be honest," Pierce recalled Marcus' question from earlier. "I just know that ever since that little fight I had with you I've been having these 'flashes'- times where everything else seems to slow down and I can pinpoint exactly what I need to do to solve a problem without even thinking about it. Like that bit with the blaster just now. I had no friggin' clue how it was going to end up- didn't even notice I was hungry, either."

Pierce bit into the pear again. "But whenever I get a flash, it leaves me tired, like whatever's happening hasn't got the strength to support itself. Until I figure out what the hell's going on, I'd like to know how to turn it off."

The two of them had entered the medical room by now and Pierce was levering himself onto a medical bed. The Intelligence agent, though physically hale and hearty, seemed at the same time weak and drained.

Then something seemed to cross his face and he drew himself up somehow. "By the way," he asked. "What the frell were you talking about with all that injury cross-speak? I know I didn't beat you that bad, and the last time I contacted you, you sounded fine."

[Marcus Telcontar]

Marcus had his back turned and was about to begin medical scanning, he turned around, his old travellign clothes that he habitually wore more swinging along with his sword as he turned back to regard the Imperial agent.

"Quite fine, yes - then. However, after the Fondor mission you sent me on, about a week later Imperials ambushed me at a place called Whitetown, near the South Pole. Shot the speeder I was in and in the resulting crash and fight afterwards, broke my leg, ribs, arm and internal injuries. I manged to get to Whitetown, where the Force was with me - A Jedi Knight found me. Without him, I would have died - part of me did die. The General I was died out there, the soldier and everything I had for myself.... leaving just what you see now. Just Marcus and nothing else"

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce arched an eyebrow. "Damn. I'm sorry to hear that. I would've searched for you, probably, but something came up and I had to handle it personally. I figured worst-case scenario you would be pissed at me for skipping out on those ten minutes. I sure as hell didn't figure it'd almost get you killed."

Pierce's breathing began to slow. "That's a bit better. Takes time, but I always end up going back to normal."

"Anyway," he continued his tale. "I've been working for the NRI for about four months now. First act was to destroy Imperial Intelligence's worse half and turn everything over to the Republic. Cracken liked that, but he's not happy about me keeping Omega Base and Lusankya from him. That's why I'm still a Lieutenant, but then they'll probably boost me in rank for coming here."

The corners of Pierce's mouth twitched. "So is it any easier to be 'just Marcus' than it is to be a Lieutenant in the NRI?"

[Marcus Telcontar]

The other man grinned, taking a seat.

"Far from being annoyed at you Pierce, far from it. I wouldn't be the real me if I had not gone to Fondor and thence to Whitetown. What is it to a man, that he should gain the world, to lose his soul? In giving up the world, I found I gained more than I ever expected in return."

His use of the Force is very strange. It is like it kicks his metabolism into overdrive by the looks of what i can see and sense. I must think about this!

"Although it is good to hear you managed to destroy Imperial Intelligence, boosting rank for coming here makes me uncomfortable. I believe that to gain rank is not the reason you come here, but I would avoid possible associations like that. Accept promotion not on what you do here, for you wish to learn how to control the Force, yes?"

Marcus looked to the wall, not realising he was copying another Jedi who was speaking to her Padawan at that same moment, elsewhere, contemplating a silent medical droid. "Marcus is an interesting person. I find out so much about him everyday, that I know not when that learning will end. Maybe it will never will. What I do know that, in a life spent being different names, even different faces, learning who you really are is the most difficult challenge you could have"

Eyes, dark and intense turned back to Tondry. "Even those that know the whole story still call me Turbogeek, even though that is a name of a clone and not mine. I would say however, I believe I prefer being myself than anything else, even if it means that name means nothing to anyone"

[Xazor Elessar]

While the two men were talking, Xazor was out searching for Master Yoghurt. She looked all over the Temple, the Living Quarters, the Recruitment Center, and the Academy, but still did not find him.

"Where can a Jedi Master be hiding? Surely he isn't in the bar..."

She thought outloud. She began walking back to the Recruitment Center to tell them he wasn't around, when she remembered she could just tell Marcus herself.

Marcus....I cannot fing great Jedi Master Yoghurt. He is...nowhere! What should I do?

She spoke in his mind as if they were his own thoughts. It was difficult to do so, for Marcus was thinking his own things which interferred with Xazor's message. Something about someone using the Force? Surly he could not have meant that terrible man she had met. If he had Force potential...then anyone must! She brushed the thought off and continued walking toward the Center anyway, unsure if Marcus had recieved her message or not.

[Master Yoghurt]

As Xazor walked back towards the Recruitment Center, a door slid asside, revealing a 2 feet tall, creature with long pointy ears and a green wrinkled skin. His Jedi robes were quite old and well worn, but they still gave a sense of formal attire. Using his gimmer stick walking cane for support, the old man limped towards Xazor.

"Looking I sense you are.. found someone you have"

Yog smiled softly

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor turned around, surprised to see the one for whom she had been searching. She smiled brightly and bowed in deep respect and reverance for him.

"Greetings great Master Yoghurt...yes, I have been searching for you. Master Marcus sent me to find you for he wishes to speak with you....he told me to tell you that he is in the first room to the left."

She said with a gentle smile. It was truly something special to be in the presence of one so great. It was nearly breathtaking and she almost forgot what it was she was to tell him.

[Master Yoghurt]

Master Yoghurt respectfully returned the bow, and smiled. It was always a comfort talking to her. She was so calm and had such a good spirit. Xazor was in harmony with the Force no doubt.

"Yes, a visitor I sense we have.. hmmm.. interesting. Hmmm.. perhaps talk to you later, I could? First, Master Marcus consulting I shall. "

The old man bowed to wish her good bye. It was a light bow in order to not hurt his back, but it was oddly graceful and elegant in a way. He then continued walking, supported with his walking cane towards the room on the left..

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor smiled gently and bowed to him in departure.

"I would very much like that, Master Yoghurt...thank you!"

She smiled, hoping she would get to speak with the great Master sometime. The Knight would let him be on his way, though...knowing that Marcus wished to speak with him.

Well....he found me, so forget what I said earlier.

She spoke in Marcus's mind. Smiling to herself, she nearly stumbled on her own feet as she left the Recruitment Center.

[Master Yoghurt]

Entering the medical room, the old Jedi Master could see Marcus and a man wearing black commando armor. There was something familiar about him. His face.. he had seen it in the Jedi Archive records. Stealth and discretion were keywords for Imperial Intelligence. However, sometimes legend surpass silence. The database described an Imperial agent by the name of..

"Pierce Tondry.. what an unexpected surprise this is.."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce watched the short, floppy-eared Jedi Master enter the room in dingy brown robes and making use of a cane.

"Jedi Master Yoghurt," Pierce said. "It's been awhile since I last saw you. Destruction of Thrawn's Death Star, a few years ago. You were in on that raiding party, unless I'm sadly mistaken. And I'm not mistaken about a lot these days."

He then struggled to his feet and and saluted as best he could. "An honor to meet you," he said.

What strength he'd been able to muster left him, and Pierce fell back onto the medical bed. "Sorry," he muttered. "But damn if I don't seem to have anything in me these days."

(ooc) Just to let you know, Pierce's malady is Force-based and will probably be RPed out at a later date. For the moment, treat him as if he doesn't have any stamina.whenever he senses or otherwise uses the Force, if you wouldn't mind.

Oh, and one other thing. I know this is a change, but Yog really isn't around all that often and neither am I. I'm afraid that if the two of us are paired up, we'll take forever to finish something. So if you guys wouldn't mind, I'd like to apprentice under Morgan Evanar.

[Marcus Telcontar]

OOC : I'll make sure Yog and Morgan are aware of your request

[Morgan Evanar]

Welcome to the New Republic Intelligence Network.
Current Directory is: /Root/

-dir
Retriving directory listing...

Text screamed by, Morgan's eyes sucking down every single character. But it wasn't in alphabetic, or even size order.

-dir /sort a

That worked... sort of. Perturbed and confused, the hobbyist slicer checked the packet flow... which was perfectly normal.

-list users /o


Further proving how frelled, none of the NRI slicers were logged in, although it wasn't uncommon for them to also log in as a random schmoe. Still, the packet sniffer he was running was excellent, and the line graph was behaving exactly with the requested traffic.

Someone must have had some fun earlier. Now lessee...

g
o
i
n
f
i
r
m
a
r
y


While poorly lined up, the last letters of every other line formed a choherent statment. The Jedi smacked the copy all sequence and pasted the text into a file, saving it for further investigation.

It was too weird not to go to the infirmary at this point.

--
One would have to be stone dead not to feel the light side of the Force coming from one room. Morgan rounded the corner, most of his large frame occupying the doorway.

Masters Yogurt and Q'Dunn. Morgan glanced back out briefly, and watched Xazor round a corner before turning his attention back to the room.

Pierce Tondry: former ImpIntel, overall skilled sneak and general military pest or predator, depending on your side. He looked like absolute hell.

"Hello Tondry. You look rather... craptactular."

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce looked up, surprise banishing some of the exhaustion he felt. "Well, well- if it isn't Morgan Evanar. What brings you here? Came to laugh at the old Imperial who's down on his luck?"

[Morgan Evanar]

"Do I detect a note of sarcasm?" Morgan smiled. "I'm here because I'm supposed to be, whatever that means. Why are you here?"

[Marcus Telcontar]

Marcus knew that he was not any longer required, so he without comment nodded and then walked out quietly, leaving the others behind.

There was a promise Marcus had left Tondry with about a year ago. Maybe that promise could be fulfiled after all.

[Pierce Tondry]

"I'm here because I'm doing sucktastic," Pierce said, scrubbing his face with his palms. "Airen Cracken hates my guts and keeps sending me on these impossible missions, but the more impossible the mission, the more wired I get. When I get wired, my brain goes into some kind of overdrive- only these days it's like starting a speeder with no power. Back during ImpIntel, it was different, but now..."

Pierce pulled himself together and sat up. "I figure it's probably some Force thing that I have to learn to deal with, so I came to the experts. So, as you can see, I've got problems."

"Plus," he added quietly. "I miss my boy."

[Marcus Telcontar]

There are times when you going all nice and cruisy and then a wombat walks out in front of your speeder and sends you into a tree. The Jedi Master stopped as he caught the tail end of Tondry's words..... he then walked backwards back to the door and stood just outside.

Maybe he wasn't done here yet.

He misses.... who? His boy? I think he needs to speak to Helenias once he is done in there

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan blinked and scratched his head.

"You've got a kid?" The pieces didn't fit for the Jedi. Words were lacking. If had opened his mouth right now, some bizzare jibberish would have spewed out. It was part of the problem with half thinking in pure Force.

"With whom, if I may ask?" His whirlwindish mind finally settled on something cognat.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce bit his lip- he had assumed Evanar simply knew about his son. Part of the problem with giving Jedi too much credit was sometimes you overestimated their capabilities.

But as long as they were starting things off anew, it might be good to be as open and honest as possible.

"That's not your business." It came out as a grunt.

"His name is Jax," he continued, feeling slightly guilty. It wasn't Evanar's business that he was married to Lilaena, "And he makes me wonder how soldiers can have children, sometimes."

Dreams of an innocent world. That's what they were: hopes that soldiers and warriors could ever have children who grew up without knowing the horrors of war, or crossing a battlefield. That Jax never has to hold a blaster in his hand.

Reflexively, Pierce glanced down at his own blaster, secure in its' holster. "You ever dream of peace, Evanar?"

Edit: (ooc) Didn't get to finish this, so I posted what I had. Am now going to add a little bit.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Yeah, I can appreciate that, considering where Jax is right now.

it was only fair after all Tondry knew. Time to make some arrangements.

The Jedi Master moved away quietly, thinking this one through and making sure something stupid wasn;t about to happen

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan shrugged vaugley, feeling a bit snubbed by Tondry. Obviously, he wasn't comfortable with others knowing of his wife. Ex ImpIntel had his reasons.

Morgan paused for a good moment before answering his question.
"I didn't live the same life you did. But I've seen beings do things..." he trailed off. "...I do, Pierce. Much as it hurts to wake up to reality sometimes, I do."

[Jax Ivanrue Tondry]

Across the compound, in his makeshift crib, a baby whimpered in his sleep. Ten months old, Jax was old enough to know he missed his mother. There were people here he'd come to recognize, and he was anything but mistreated (in fact, probably a little spoiled)... but there was something missing.

A small brown eye opened, and a thumb was pulled away from a pair of small lips. Something was different. Much to young to know why or even what he could feel... there was something reaching out. It was a strong presence for the baby, something familiar, no matter that he hadn't been in the same room with his father since birth.

But the blood within him, and the Force would not be denied. Jax cooed to himself, and then fell back to sleep, the thumb firmly in place once more.

[Pierce Tondry]

Pierce got off the bed, thinking of his son again almost reflexively. I love you, Little One, wherever you are, he thought.

With a sigh, the world-weary soldier turned to the Jedi Master next to him. "You think you can teach me how to live with it?" he asked.

Morgan's reply was a nod.

"Good," Pierce said. "Maybe you can help me with this Force stuff too, while you're at it."