Guardian Angel

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian was out in the city, doing some minor shopping and familiarizing herself with the towns outside GJO on Arcan IV. The girl was tiring, her illness lay heavy on her today. She stopped to rest on a nearby bench, coughing violently into her fist.

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo strolled about with Fiend. Feind was offering a hand of friendship, which Garmollo was trying to consider.

"So, if I change my mind, you will destroy me?"

"What happens if you change your mind?"

"We should kill him, then."

"Why kill a friend?"

Garmollo soon saw a girl coughing violently.

"She looks like she needs to be putout of her misery, eh, Fiend?"

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle had returned to Arcan IV in the aftermath of the "big move" to Coruscant. There were still some loose ends to tie up and, well quite frankly, she liked some of the shops here.

Bustling along with a good number of parcels, bags and whatnot, she wished she'd brought Loki with her. She would have been able to pile the little fellow head high with packets and parcels and had her hands free to buy yet more.

But he hadnt come, and so it was left to her to struggle for her indulgences.

She took a seat for a much needed rest of her weary feet and quietly people watched for a time.

Her attention was drawn to a young woman who was looking quite under the weather.

Getting up, leaving parcels where they were, Estelle approached her.


"Do you need some help there?"

[Fiend]

:: I could hear the several voices argue within Garmollo's head, it was wonderful, the sheer concentration that was plsit among them and focusded into a point of obsession. What a wonderful creature to be so drastically different from the rest. I had offered him my "contract" and now he had sepnet quite some time considering while we strolled down the lane.
But we had come upn a very interesting sight indeed. A young woman coughed into her fist and blood speckled across her hand. What beauty was expressed when she convulsed in pain, and in a simple feeling, I wanted her. I left Garmollo standing there and wa suddenl sitting next to the woman, the darkside rolled off of me, not as a presence, but a perfume that intocxicated her mind slightly. Slight enough to make me obsessivly attractive with my gleaming red eyes.
I had to ignore the obvious force user next to her though. I concealed my signature but left the cologne out in the air just to simply veil it better, the force user would no me for what I was but then, why would I care? I ignored her as I looked to the sick woman.::

Are you all right miss?

[Lillian Snow]

"I..."

Suddenly she found herself swamped with people, one woman and two men.

"I am fine..."

She coughed again, blood spattering her hand. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and cleaned her hands and face.

"It is a disease...it weakens me, but I will be alright..."

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo grinned with a wicked gleam in his eye.

"I know what would help your suffering...a nice swift death!"

Garmollo soon had his small sickle out in one hand. In his other hand was a chain with a spike on the end.

"I'll end your pain, little girl."

"Prepare for the end of your suffereing...and your life."

"HAhahahahahahaha!"

"You are crazy."

Garmollo brought the sickle down in an over head chop.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian got up, tripping over Estelle and knocking her to the ground.

"Oh my..." she was interrupted by a fit of coughing and ran.

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo growled.

"You cluimsy oaf! You missed her!"

"Why don;t you try to hit her?"

"Well, now, aren;t we all defensive suddenly?"

"You are all being stupid, here, I'LL kill her!" the last voice laughes as he spoke.

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle was shocked by the mans actions, but before she had time to react, the girl - who seemed really very ill - had bolted and knocked the Jedi Knight to the ground.

oh...this is aint good..

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo leapt the distance and rammed into her with his armored whoulder, sending her into the ground.

"I'll make this fast, and spare you from the excrutiating PAIN!"

Garmollo growled, a sound that filled his entire body. He stood over the girl, and brought his great armored fist down to crush her skull.

[Reason]

The fist stopped, held in place by a huge mechanical hand. Garmollo followed the hand up the arm to the face of a 7 foot tall mechanoid. It wrenched backward on his arm, sending him flying, then took a position between the 3 and Lillian.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian fell to the ground with a cry of pain, and stared up at Reason, terrified more than she'd ever been in her life.

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle could see from the way the mechanical giant positioned itself protectively toward the young woman, that the two dark strangers were gonna have a lot to contend with if they wished to make good their threats.

She got to her feet and stood ready and prepared to do whatever necessary to help protect against this unprovoked attack.

[Fiend]

:: I was really confused. But at he same time, it all made sense. Garmollo had jumped te gun with all of his annoying lttle vooices pushing him on and back. Wha a fol, one day he would push himself in my way, and I might jut have to destroy him. Didn't he realize the fragility of this girl, her sheer beauty?
And now this large machine, its intentions clear but yet frightful at the same time. But I did't likemachine too much... they werenot part of he original gist of things, they did not exist in the boundaries ofcration and destructon, therefore living outside of me, and I would rather rid myself of them than anything else. And I saw her fear too, she did nt undrstand it, how wonderfully ironic.
And then there was te light sider, assuming a watchful but decisive view point to make sure she culd "help" when needed. I didn't want her help and the only one I saw getting away with needing help would have been Garmollo with the robot. That was fine bt I needed a way to gt near her without te droid going ballistic. I sent feeling of protectiveness to Lillian as I stood up slowly.::

[Lillian Snow]

She pushed herself to a sitting position and crawled backwards, looking between the four assembled before her.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God..." She coughed, this time without blood.

[Fiend]

:: I moved towards her, I wantd to at least touch her. Pain wracked her body and she called to a god, it felt like she was calling me!::

[Diego Van Derveld]

The underbrush hid Diego's sleek form as he stood low to the ground. A breeze picked up, and he turned his nose into it, yellow eyes catching the figure of a woman he had seen before. She'd said her name was Estelle, and he'd made it a point to remember. He'd also remembered the scent, a smell that seemed subtle, tawny gold, distinct from the background floatsam of aromas one passed in the world. It was the same gentle sunset aura that he saw rising through the oncoming breeze now, as the Jedi stood, transfixed on the scene before her. In her hands, she'd picked a wildflower, and now held onto it unconciously as events transpired. The flower was a strong, aromatic blue, cutting a contrast across the woman as she held it.

<img src=http://www.bama.ua.edu/~hicks020/pics/estelle.jpg>

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle was careful not to make any rash moves. This situation could explode into violence at the slightest prod - she'd seen it happen many times before. And she wanted to avoid bloddshed if there was any way possible.

"Cant you see the girl is sick. She needs help, healing."

Turning a little to her left, Estelle looked into the brushes that lined the edge of where they were all grouped. She could see nothing out of the ordinary, but got the strangest sensation that someone - or something was looking directly at her. She held the flower loosly in her hand, twirling it gently in thought.

She scanned the brushes once more and then turned back to watch how these would respond, but unable to shake the sensation of being watched.

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo shook his head. His armor had given him some good protection.

"Help? Healing?"

Another personality laughed. "And waste precious resources on her?"

"Wasting, destroying."

"Let her live. Let her suffer. As I have." That was the original Garmollo.

[Aza Carpals]

:: He had been walking and eating (a doughnut of course!), when he bumped head first into a large armoured man who was talking to himself ::

What the.....?

:: the scene in front of him was surreal, the large man he had bumped into was having an arm wrestling match with a robot over a pretty blonde girl ::

[Reason]

Reason detected movement near Garmollo. It fired a warning shot, a laserbolt from its palm.

[Aza Carpals]

Gah!

:; Aza nearly jumped out of his skin, he was being shot at! and that was a bad thing, the voice in the back of his head screamed at him, told him was stupid, and the he felt shunted away ::

"You bucket of tin-bolts!"

:: it wasn't Aza's voice but someone else's, and he was pissed off as all get out, but the robot was not what he wanted, but the young woman it was gaurding ::

"Hand over the girl and you won't be scrap."

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo jumped out of the way, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"How DARE you!"

Garmollo swung the chain around his head and threw the spike at Reason's chest.

[Reason]

Reason snatched the spike from the air and tossed it to the ground at its feet. Its head then turned to Aza.

Lillian Snow will come to no harm.

It spoke mechanically, lifelessly, repeating the orders it had been given.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian stopped moving and gasped in surprise.

"It knows my name...?"

[Aza Carpals]

:: Aza growled, his green eyes seeming to shift to yellow then back again ::

"My quarrel is not with you Tin-man! But the girl."

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian looked to Aza, fearing the worst.

"M-me?"

[Fiend]

:: I didn't have time for this crap and I agreed with the droids motives, even though I hated it so, that the protection of this frail creature was of the utmost importance at the moment. I jumped up and with a sudden burst of rage, Aza was knocked away and I disabled his sense of sight, he would be walking around like a lost puppy for a little while at least. I turned to the girl named Lillian Snow, I would not let anything but her own disease hurt her now, how... incredible the sight she was.
I turned to Garmollo and with the force to enhance the emotions, I gave him an order that rang through his head like Hell's bells.::

Garmollo, forget it you stupid fools... You are no match for this golem. Leave now and spare me the waste of your presence for now. We will talk later...

:: The statement had only been heard by Garmollo though, all in his head. I didn't want Lillian thinking I was in league with him... But hopefully he was smart enough to catch the gist and just leave.::

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian's eyes moved from Reason to Fiend, Reason to Fiend.

"Ohh...what is going ooonnn..."

She coughed again, blood spattering the ground, and the world blurred temporarily, then fell black.

[Reason]

Reason turned and picked up Lillian, its head turned toward hers.

Lillian Snow. Status: Unconcious. Measures taken: Revitalization.

Reason emitted a cooling mist from the base of its neck. She was heating up; the cool vapor would ease the fever. But rest was required for full recovery.

Returning to Greater Jedi Order.

Reason turned and walked from the field of battle, its interest in the beings present lost.

[Diego Van Derveld]

There was a sudden sound in the thicket...like a cross between running water, a sigh, and some other sound that can't be described. Diego sat up, blinking blearily as he rubbed at his skin, removing trace sheens of sweat. He unstrapped the modest, roll-up bag at his side, removing simple blue coveralls, which he quickly slipped on, as he rose from the thicket. The first few steps out of the brush were shaky, due to vertigo, but after that, he was fine...riding high on sensory euphoria as his body made the internal change between vornskr and man.

A hand grasped Estelle by the shoulder...

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo roared, his eyes full of anger.

"I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

The focus was now no longer on the girl, but on the machine.

"I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!"

"YOU STUPID HUNK OF METAAAAAL!"

Garmollo whipped the chain up into the air, and threw the spike to the side of Reason's head before tugging it to the side, making it wrap around Reason's neck.

Garmollo dug his heels into the ground and began to pull.

"YOU'RE STAYING RIGHT HERE!"

[Estelle Russard]

It seemed to Estelle the young woman had help that she had not been aware of up til now, as the droid took her in its large metallic arms and stated its course for the GJO.

Estelle would be certain to look for the girl upon her own return to the Order, to make sure she was ok. There seemed little else she could do to help. But for now, she was left in the company of some very unsavoury types. However, it seemed their interest was all for the girl, Lilian Snow, and she felt certain that with Lilians departure, these would too.

A heavy hand on her shoulder made her spin about and to her surprise was standing the last person she had ever expected to see.

"Diego...?"

[Reason]

Reason listed slightly to the side, and ceased its forward movement. It set Lillian down on the park bench; she could recover under its supervision while it dealt with these threats. It's tail extended, the metal links separating out into a bladed sequence of metal armor and a more flexible sort of black rubber or plastic. The tail flexed and lashed out, striking Garmollo and removing the chain from its neck.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego turned to look at Estelle.

"We should both leave here, now, before someone gets hurt."

[Estelle Russard]

"I cant just leave her"

Diego was already tugging her aside. .

He was more insistent and his grip was hard on her arm as he pulled her away from what looked to be a major fight.

[Fiend]

:: I turned to see the robot walking off with my Queen! This would not be a good ending and Garmollo was too stupid now to just leave the situation. But he had served his purpose hadn't he? The bot had been distracted by him and had set her down. Now was my time. I dashed to her side and practically dove next to her. She was out cold but then again... she was still pretty.
I had no creation ability whatsoever, so I was left with destruction, and destroying disease was harder than most would think, it was so small and still attached to the living cell, risking the subject. But I would take it.
I noticed the bot but I ignored as I put my hand on her forehead.::

[Reason]

Reason's tail twitched, then flew up to wrap around Fiend's neck and lift him off the ground. Its head turned, and it seemed to glare at him.

No harm will come to Lillian Snow.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego turned to look at Estelle.

"Why can't we?"

His blue eyes probed her own empathically.

"This shouldn't concern us. People die every day."

[Fiend]

:: I put a hand up to the tail about my neck.::

Look, she needs immediate help! I am trying to help here! I can subdue the illness temporarily. Just give me a chance! Does that compute for the protection factor?

[Estelle Russard]

Diego's eyes were an arresting blue and held a straightforward honesty about them.

"As a Jedi, it is my duty to help protect."

Although she wasnt doing much to help so far, she thought to herself. And those that were helping were fighting each other to do so.. Craziness.

She moved back a bit further with Diego, but not taking her eyes from the girl. So far Lillian was in the hands of two individuals who were very determined in coming to her aid.

Her place was to remain and lend her aid when and as required.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"You can't save everyone, nor should you. There are those who deserve death, and those who die at random."

[Estelle Russard]

"Is that how I should have viewed you when they wheeled you into the Medical Bay at the GJO?"

[Reason]

Reason threw Fiend aside, and assessed its current situation. Garmollo was still prepared to attack, Aza had yet to recover, but the other 3 remained potential threats. But the one it'd just had mentioned help. Logic programs calculated, deducted.

What healing powers are possessed?

[Fiend]

How about destroying the disease while sparring the cells of the diseases fate. Not that hard is it? And if I hjurt her, you can unload all your funny lookin weapons on me alright?

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego smiled thinly.

"You should have killed me, I would think."

[Estelle Russard]

Not the answer she expected. Why would he say that?

Yes, the carnage in the Bar and Grill was awful, but it should have been prevented. Diego was what he was. He didnt deserve to die because of it.

She looked frankly into his eyes.

"You know that I would never do such a thing. Not to you."

[Diego Van Derveld]

"I know you wouldn't. And I wouldn't save her."

He gestured to the unconcious girl.

"There are things that happen, that should. Neither good nor evil. To live, you must accept death. Who am I to judge if she should die, any more than who are you to say she shouldn't. I give and take with the same hand, and I will never lose sleep over regret. She may have a life full of virtue ahead of her. She may live to become evil. Or, she may die and take both possibilities with her. Who is to say any path is wrong? It is life. Even death is life."

[Reason]

She may die, and take both possibilties with her.

Without looking away from Fiend, Reason targeted Diego. It pointed a palm at him and fired a few bolts as it spoke in its mechanically neutral voice.

I will not allow that.

[Estelle Russard]

She wasnt quite sure how to respond to that. What he said, the way he put it, made a great deal of sense. Who had the right to determine who lives, who dies. Surely not us.

But then, on the other hand. Who are we to stand idly by when it is within our power to prevent or change tragedy. Aren't we equipped with a compassionate, logical mind. Should we ignore circumstances just because we seemingly have no direct invlovement? What happens then to defending the weak, protecting those who cant protect themselves. Should it all be left to natural selection?

Estelle did not believe so.

"We see things very differently, Diego. If you wish to go, then go. I will wait and see she is ok."

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego was about to respond, when two laser bolts struck him, piercing him through the upper left thigh and his right side. With a shout, he fell back from the blasts impact, writhing as his wounds smouldered.

"nnnGaahhh!!"

His teeth ground tightly as he held his leg close, hands gripping around the smoking flesh. The shots had gone clean through.

[Garmollo Apostate]

Garmollo spat.

"Fiend, you want to help her?"

"I do not believe this! The very incarnation of the Darkside has a soft spot for some little girl!"

"Do what you want with her. I will destroy this scrap heap for its disrespect!"

Garmollo gathered up the chain into coils and charged, cutting horizontally with his sickle.

[Reason]

Logic circuits processed. The possibility of healing was welcome, but there was always the possibility of untruth. It detected Garmollo's attack and spun, planting a huge, metal fist in his face, then another in his stomach.

Threats 1 and 5 neutralized.

Reason noted their defeats with a mechanical coldness and set its sensors on Lillian. It then targeted Fiend. Its shoulders, chest, sides, and arms opened to reveal hundreds of laser batteries.

You may attempt.

[Fiend]

:: I grimly smiled at the display of destructive power that this bot held but Garmollo was stupid, no time to waste though, I had to give this thing some kind of reason before it "neutralized" me too. I kneeled down next to Lillian and placed my hands above her. The darkside, I could feel my own will traveling through it as it massed to me. A cloud of dark matter became visible to those near and then suddenly small black colored lasers came out of the cloud. The lasers traced along her body, leaving no mark or scar of any kind. I could feel the minute death of parts of the disease as the process continued. But my hands began to burn with backfire and I had to discontinue it. The mass suddenly dispersed with the wind and dissolved into air. I looked up to the droid now.::

Scan her and see how much is gone, I felt like a third was destroyed and a half of what was left was damaged partial.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian stirred and looked up into Fiend's eyes.

"What..."

She started to speak, but turned her head and shut her eyes. She wanted to rest...

[Fiend]

Look, she even came back! But the GJO is too far from here, why don't you bring her back to my ship. My med bay should have the proper equipment to treat her current condition.

:: And then I might get more time to just watch her breathe... To see her, maybe even keep her.::

[Reason]

That will not be possible.

Reason's A.I. processed, assessing this being's threat potential. He had just healed her temporarily; that itself was proof of good will, but it doubted his intentions with the return to an unknown ship.

We will return to the Greater Jedi Order.

[Estelle Russard]

She crouched down beside Diego, stunned at the unprovoked attack from the droid. They had been standing away from the group when Diego had spoken to her, and wondered how the robot could have even picked up on what was said.

She yelled back over her shoulder at the robot, angry for the display of unwarrented violence against Diego. She knew the droid was programmed to protect Lillian, but this was just wrong.

"You cant just shoot people! Take the girl already and get her back to the Order."

Estelle, upon her own return would definitely look into getting that droid worked on or something. Cant have vigilante-minded robots running rampant.

Turning back to Diego, she got her shoulder under his arm and helped him back to his feet.

"Come on, I'll get us a transport out of here."

She felt bad. Maybe if she had of left with him when he said, he wouldnt be hurt right now. Diego could read her thought in her face, and even through his pain he managed a "told you so" smirk. Oh, it was so annoying. After her little speech to him and everything..

[Reason]

You cant just shoot people!

Reason lifted Lillian and looked to Estelle.

No being intending to harm Lillian Snow shall be allowed to bring their plan to fruition. I will stop them at all costs.

It turned and walked toward the distant Jedi complex.

[Diego Van Derveld]

With a shaking hand, Diego reached to Estelle's utility belt, pulling away a small, compactable vibroblade. With a press of a button, the metal blade sprung out of the grip.

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle dropped her eyes to the exposed blade.

"Whatever you're thinking - it's probably a bad idea.."