Apprenticed in the Ways of Eradicating Society (open)

[Duncan B. Moore]

"So hey, we're graduating in a couple months."

"Yeah."

"Got any plans?"

"...........Thinkin' of getting a job."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Oh, same. What kind of job you gonna get?"

"Well, I was thinking of becoming a criminal."

Sheldon choked on his soda, spwering it all over the old sofa. He pushed his thick glasses against his nose and stared at Bradley. His fair haired friend, while cynical, was usually fairly serious about hings like this.

"What?"

"I said, I'm thinking of becoming a criminal."

"How did you... Why?"

Sheldon stared at him. Brad was involved in the holoscreen which was playing a comedy routine. He laughed and Sheldon turned to look but missed it. Brad shrugged.

"I suppose it's just been ruminating in my head for awhile. Seems like a fair idea. Y'know, some guys become lawyers, some become bankers... I'm gonna be a criminal."

Sheldon stared for a minute and then turned back to the holo. It was quiet for a few moments and then Brad broke the silence.

"Paul."

"What?

"You look like Paul, off 'The Wonder Years'."

"Huh?"

"You know, Paul, Wonder Years... Kevin's best friend? Jesus Sheldon don't you watch anything at home?"

Sheldon shook his head.

"My mom says I'll end up in jail if I do."

Brad wrinkled his face.

"What?

Sheldon shrugged and sighed.

"I don't know... she says that there's these messages in the shows that suck young men into the void of miscreants."

"The void of miscreants?"

Sheldon shrugged. Brad still looked confused.

"Hey Sheldon, is your mom still on Vicoden?"

"Huh? Oh, no."

"Might wanna check on that."

"You can't talk Brad. You're mom's a stripper."

Brad pointed a finger at Sheldon in midsip of a soda. After he set down the drink he shook his head.

"Ah see, that's where you're wrong. She's an exotic dancer. An entertainer. In a musically inclined proffesion that requires extreme physical effort."

"Stop shining it up!"

"Hey, you're mom's a librarian. Besides, I have one up on you."

Sheldon switched the holo off.

"What?"

"Yeah, having an exotic dancer mom is like... seeing your phone model in a James Bond movie."

"Okay, explain that."

Brad adjusted his seated position and pulled a faded cusion into his lap, leaned forward.

"Okay... Well before you see the James Bond movie, your phone is jsut a phone right, you never paid attention to it before right?"

"Right."

"But then... you see it in the James Bond movie. And suddenly its really cool and everyone wnats it."

Brad sat back and took another sip of soda. Sheldon stared.

"Sp because there were dancers in James Bond everyone wants your mom?"

Brad sighed.

"Nevermind Sheldon."

************

"Bradley you've been in there for a hour! Hurry up!"

"In a minute Ma!:

Brad rinsed the rest of the shaving cream from his face and gave his blonde curls another check before flinging the door open and sliding out, kissing his mother's cheek. He was wearing black dress slacks with a belt and a purple dress shirt untucked just so, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the first button undone. Brad completed his outfit with a black fedora and loafers.

"Bye Ma!"

"Get outta here and stay outta trouble!"

"I love you too Ma!"

Brad grabbed his keys and a suit jacket to carry over one shoulder. He slammed the door and slind down the banister of the apartment complex stairs and out the door where Sheldon was waiting. Sheldon wore a striped t-shirt and jeans. He eyed Brad cautiously.

"I thought we were doing the James Dean jean thing. You look like you stepped outta the 50's Mafia."

"I've declared it Rat Pack day Sheldon."

"What?"

"You know... Sammy, Dean, Peter, Joey... Frank?"

"Huh?"

Brad grabbed Sheldon's arm and pulled him to the wall,. glancing about like he was embaressed.

"Are you telling me you've never hear of Frank?"

"Frank who?"

Brad reeled back, face agahst.

"Fra...huh... 'Frank who' he says! Frank! Frank SINATRA!"

Sheldon still looked blank.

"Sinatra? Never heard of him."

Brad gaped and stumbled away, casting glares back at Sheldon who hurried after hime. Suddenly Brad jumped up onto a parked speeder and tossed Sheldon his suit jacket.

"I won't dance, don't ask me... I won't dance, don't ask me! I won't dance, madame with yoooou..."

He slid down the front windshield and tipped his hat low over his eyes.

"...My heart won't let my feet do things that they should do..."

Brad jumped down and grabbed an unsuspecting woman around the waist, dancing.

"You know what, you're lovely... You know what, you're so lovely and though what you do to me...."

He dipped the woman who smiled uncertainly.

"I'm like an ocean wave that's bumped on the shore... I feel so absolutely stumped on the floor..."

The Sinatra imitator spun his partner away and spread his arms out waltzing with an imaginary dancer.

"When you dance you're charming and you're gentle.... 'Specially when you do the continental... But this feeling isn't urely mental... For Heaven rest us, I am not asbestos!"

The fedora came off, flipping stylishly into Brad's hands who used it to punctuate his sentences, pointing at passing women.

"And that's why I won't dance, why whould I? I won' dance, how could I? I won't dance, mercy beucoup. I know that music leads the way to romance... So if I hold yooou in my aaaaaaarms.... I won't dnace!"

He stopped and continued walking down the street as if nothing had happened. Sheldon ran after.

"Hey.... Hey Brad what was that?"

Brad sat down on the hood of a speeder.

"That, Sheldon, was Sinatra."

Sheldon pushed his glasses up onto the top of his nose and sat down beside Brad.

"Sinatra."

He breathed. Brad nodded grinning. He used the speeder's windshield to check his hair. Sheldon waited till he was done.

"So Brad, what are we doin' here anyway?"

"I'm looking for a job."

"I thought you wanted to be a criminal."

Brad nodded patiently.

"I do Sheldon."

"So why are we here?"

Brad sighed.

"Well I'm not going to roba bank and start out on my own right away. I don't know enough. I'm going to find a boss and learn the ropes, build a name and then when I'm smart enough I'll rob a bank. Or something."

He msiled to himself then clapped his hands onto the speeder hood, looking around. Sheldon shook his head.

"It wont work."

Brad looked at him, puzzled.

"Why not?"

"Well, wht, are we just going to sit here and wait for some bigwig ciminal to walk around the corner?"

Brad raised his eyebrows like it was obvious and was amazed that his friend didn't get it.

"Yaaaaah."

Sheldon shrugged.

"It won't work. First of all, the chances of that happening are like... A billion to one a nd second of all what are you going to do if it does? Say 'Hi, my name is Brad Moore, I couldn't help but notice with my telepathic powers that you're a felon. Can I work for you?'"

Brad stared at him silently for a long moment .

".... Shutup Sheldon. That stupid chess club makes you think too much."

The boys sat quietly without talking. They watched people walking by. they had absolutely no idea what they were looking for.

Sheldon leaned in towards Brad, grinning.

"Maybe we should aske people to raise their hands if they're willing to apprentice mini-Frank in the was of eradicating society..."

"Ha ha. Funny Sheld."

Brad was grinning though and they started laughing.

"I dunno, maybe this is ridiculous."

Sheldon shook his head.

"Brad, I've known you since we were in diapers and when you set your mind on something you do it. At any cost unfortuantly for me. Don't worry, I'm sure one day you'll be the most wanted man in the galaxy."

The laughed again. Brad rubbed his eyes.

"Not exactly a normal desire is it? How about a soda?"

Sheldon shook his head.

"Nope. I'm saving every credit for my ship."

Brad held up his hand and wiggled the fingers.

"Five finger discount Sheld."

"Yeah, no, see I'm really not up to getting caught shoplifting. Not after last time."

Brad stood up and stretched.

"Last time was a complete freak accident. I'm the best there is Sheld, you know that."

Sheldon coughed back a laugh. Brad grinned and then lay down on the speeder hood and groaned. they'd been sitting there for a few hours.

"Uuuuuuh.... That bank is starting to look like a good idea... Or maybe a casino! Yeah, there we go! I'll rob a casino! It's faster, and--"

"And you're more liekly to get killed before you see fresh air."

"Uuuuuuh!"

[Dae Jinn]

"Excuse me. But do you think you could get off my speeder?"

Daetana Jinn had a hand on her hip, a smirk on her freshly glossed lips and her usual red-lensed glasses covering her eyes. She wore a 3/4 length black leather jacket, over a red silk tank and black leather pants with her usual boots. She lowered the frames, looking over them at the young boy on the hood of her speeder.
"Well? I'm waiting...."

[Duncan B. Moore]

Brad lifted his head up and stared at the woman. He put his head back down. Sheldon kept staring. Without looking Brad kicked him and he blushed. He hauled himself into a sitting position and sighed.

"You couldn't like, wait for five minutes could you? Maybe go... do things that...you like to do? We're in the middle of something very important."

Sheldon snorted. Brad smiled.

"He has bad sinuses. But that's beside the point."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae sighed. In one quick movement, she grabbed the smart-a** who was sitting on her speeder with one hand, lifting him off and holding him in the air. She shook her head.

"You know, normally...I would kill you. But, since you're young and stupid..." She dropped him onto the ground, hand going back to her hip. She pushed her jacket back, exposing the saber hilt that rested there. "I'll give you a break. I'd suggest you smarten up, there are some dangerous people out there."

[Duncan B. Moore]

Brad eyed the saber hilt curiously from his grounded seat.

"Is that a collapasable stick or what?"

Sheldon meanwhile had jumped off the speeder, and was swallowing every few seconds. Brad ignored him.

"And, by the way, it's not my fault that you parked in the best vantage point of the street. Would it really hurt you,"

Brad stood up, brushing his clothes off and pointing a finger at Dae,

"To wait a few minutes? I mean, unless someone is dying or you're having a baby, which incidentally I know you're not, there's no need to hurry. Orrrrrr, threaten to kill someone. I did nothing wrong. I'm,"

Brad sat down on her speeder again.

"Not leaving. I have four minutes and 11 seconds."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae sighed, and unclipped her saber. She could easily slice these kids in two...if she felt like it. She twirled it absent-mindedly, smirking.
"Yeah, sure, collaspable stick...It's my speeder, and my property, so I suggest you leave and find some place else to sit.." She ignited her saber, with the usual snap-hiss, the orange blade humming softly. "Or, I could always hit you with my "stick" Your choice."

[Duncan B. Moore]

"Whoaha ah ha..."

Brad raised his eyebrows and laughed nervously. Sheldon groaned softly.

"Wah... That's uh, very nice. Not something you just pick up at Wal Mart. Hooo..."

He swallowed and then, eyes on the saber, continued.

"But, uh, I still have time. And I'm going to use it. Y'know, just to prove a point? I'm like that."

Sheldon exploded.

"BRAD! C'mon! It's not that important, you're an idiot! You're going to get killed! What are you doing!!!"

Brad shrugged, eyes fixed on Dae's weapon.

"Uh, I don't know Sheld but it's important somehow or another. Inner phsyce or subconcious, something like that. I'll get back to you."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae twirled the hilt in her hand, making sure it just barely missed his face.
"HEY!" A voice yelled out behind them, and with-out thinking, Dae spun around. The man who had been coming up to investigate gaped, clutching for his chest, where there was now a large hole. She laughed as the man fall to the ground.

Dae turned back to the boys, grinning. "Oopsy...Now, where were we? Oh yes, you were just leaving."

She brought the sabers' blade in a sweeping motion, down towards Brads head, stopping inches from him.

[Ket Van Derveld]

Ket couldn't help but laugh at this little gathering. He appeared from a back alleyway, and dressed in his usual attire of long, black robes. His hood was down, and his armour covered nicely as to not show a hint of itself. His helmet was in storage mode, so his tall, blonde hair and deep blue eyes were visable along with the rest of his face. He looked to the two youths and then over to Dae with a wicked grin. He remembered Dae from the bar the other night, and now that he happened upon her again, He figured why the hell not be a bit friendly.

"You know, you could throw one hell of a barbeque with these two...pleanty of meat..."

Ket chuckled lightly. He was such an <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> sometimes, but he got a kick out of it. After all, weren't many in the universe that could stop him...save Rama Sha, Ogre Mal Pannis, Dalethria, and a few select others.

[Dae Jinn]

Dae didn't even turn to look at him...He had the smell of a Van Derveld, and she recognised the voice from the Jedi bar.

"Hrmmm..Following me?"
She paid the new comer no attention, but stared hard at the two boys. They heard her voice inside their heads, just barely a whisper.

"I suggest..you run..very fast...right now...I don't know what this guy is up to..."

Sure, the sith behind her could probably sense what she had just done -- oh well, she wasn't going to let him move in on her fun. She could easily track down these boys later in the day, when she didn't have a little puppy dog following her home.

[Duncan B. Moore]

As the man fell, Brad stood up, mouth open and moving but not making any sound. Sheldon looked like he was about to faint. Waving his arms, Brad pointed at the man.

"Why, why, why.... Why did you do that? HE didn't do anything! Look, he's wearing a suit! His name is probably... Darwin or..."

Brad shook his head and bent down, searching the body for an I.D. He found one and read the name and he laughed suddenly.

"Francis! His name is Francis! He's a Frank! And he probably has a kid and a wife! But they don't have a Frank anymore, thanks to you!"

And then, someone made a culinary suggestion. One that didn't sound like a Saturday afternoon party. Brad groaned and glanced at the man. This just got better and better.

"I suggest..you run..very fast...right now...I don't know what this guy is up to..."

He looked at Dae, a look that was half intrigued and half "duh". Brad, amazingly enough, could follow suggestions when he wanted to. He stood and gave a short bow and turned to leave, adressing the newcomer.

"Yeah, well Buddy, I hate to burst your bubble but I don't think they appreciate skewered bodies roasting on an open fire in the middle of the street. C'mon Sheldon, we'll put a want ad in the paper or something."

As he walked by Dae he smiled sarcastically.

"Pleasure."

Brad pulled Sheldon behind him and walked down the street. When he was safely around the corner he smiled. Sheldon glared at him.

"Duncan! That was stupid! That was beyond stupid! That was something my brother would have done! I can't belie--"

Brad held up a wallet. Sheldon stopped midsentence and looked at it, mouth still forming his next word. He looked as if he were about to cry.

"Braaaaad... Oh, come on! Oh... We're going to die today. Oh my God, we're going to die today."

Brad clapped an arm around Sheldon's shoulders.

"Relax Sheld, I told you I'm the best there is."

[Ket Van Derveld]

Ket laughed lightly as his enhanced aduio/visual programs detected a small movment of the one boy who passed Dae as they went to leave. Scanning the data for himself, he noticed a little thievery was abound. He shook his head a bit.

"Missing something, Dae?"

Ket just kept laughing as he used the force to aide him and jumped upwards before letting his armour take over. He made his way up to the top of the building, and began to run, leaping from rooftop to roof top, using his scanners until he found the boys. When he did, he pulled his 10mm blasters from their holsters.

"Oh boys!"

Ket grinned as he pulled the triggers and clicked off 4 shots, one for each knee. He watched them both fall and chuckled lightly.

"Didn't your mothers ever tell you not to steal?"

[Duncan B. Moore]

The voice was the first surprise. The second was the pain in his knees and his face hitting the pavement. Brad heard Sheldon fall a fraction of a second after. Quite funnily, someone laughed. It was an odd accompaniment to the shooting pain in his knees. He couldn't breathe and the only thing running through his mind was that Sheldon had finally been right about something. ANd then his lungs kicked into action and he drew a ragged breath.

"She....Sheld?"

No answer. well maybe he'd passed out. Brad had never been shot at before much less hit. It was an unpleasent experience to say the least. He turned his head upwards to look towards the voice... and there was Emeril.

"Oh damn. You...know...this was none...of your concern!"

Brad reached out with his arms, trying to feel for Sheldon.

"Sheldon? Sheldon!"


"...I, hit... my head..."

Brad wasn't worried about himself, he'd known that somewhere along the line something like this would happen. Well, maybe not something exactly like this. Brad did the only thing he knew to do in order to express himself. He smiled grimly and flipped the man off.

[Dae Jinn]

"Damnit......I thought I told you, mind your own business." Dae growled from behind the two fallen boys. She reached down, plucking the wallet from Brads' pocket.
"If you must know, Mr Nosey," she scowled at Ket, "I don't carry a wallet." She held up an ID card. " Francis T Schultz."
She tossed it towards Ket, then kneeled over Brad. "As for you, my little smart-<smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>..."
Dae rolled him onto his back, and she smiled wickedly down at him. "Tsk tsk, making such a mess of the sidewalk..."
She gave a quick wink before standing, stepping over him. She reached out and ran a finger down Ket's cloaked form.
"You know...." A sweet smile curled her lips, her voice was soft, sexy. "I really don't like you following me..."
*snap-hiss* went her saber, the orange blade coming up to Ket's throat.

[Ket Van Derveld]

Ket looked to Dae, and showed no fear. Death did not scare him whatsoever. But this day...was not his day to be freed from the mortal coil. Ket chuckled lightly and shook his head, even with the orange glowing saber just inches from his throat.

"Oh Dae...he was right...you are one for getting straight to the "point", no pun intended."

Ket's grin widened. jumping from that building down to their level had been a good idea after all. Dae's saber flew from her hand at a lightning fast speed, and landed high above on the rooftop.Ket then began to pace back and forth as he began to speak again to her.

"Oh, I really wasn't following you, my dear. Honest. Merely, I happened to be on my way to meet someone, who no doubt is a bit purturbed at my not being on time. But that, is beside the point. You, are tied to the dark essence of he force, as am I. I was thinking, perhaps, we could be friends. I do appologize if I were rude to ruin your fun."

Ket then leaned up against the building and smiled. He then looked to the two boys.

"Next time, I propose you don't pickpocket the dead. Isn't very thoughtful. Try the living, much more fun, and at least it's honest"

Ket began to laugh lightly...

[Dae Jinn]

Dae growled.
"I hope you plan on getting my saber back...After that you can go "meet" who-ever it is you're going to go see."

She looked him over coldly. " And, I couldn't give a rats about the Force. You're ruining my fun, and I don't appreciate it at all."

[Ket Van Derveld]

Ket nodded lightly to her with a grin.

"Oh, indeed, my sincere appologies, Dae. We did get off on the wrong foot. I will get your saber back for you, but only if we can start over and perhaps TRY to be friendly to one another."

Ket offered a hand.

"Deal?"

[Dae Jinn]

Dae folded her arms over her chest, and narrowed her eyes, looking over the wire frames and red lenses of her sunglasses.
"The only deal I will agree on is you leaving these kids for me to play with..." She stood between Ket and the two boys. "And, perhaps, one day, we can be....friendly. But not today. The next time we meet, it had better be on better terms."

[Ket Van Derveld]

Ket nodded lightly and with his extended hand, he made a swirling motion and her lightsaber fell from the rooftop to his hand.

"Well then, I would agree to that."

Ket chuckled lightly.

[Duncan B. Moore]

"Excuse me! Can we stop all this underlying meaning talk? Now, I know, I'm not exactly in a position to talk here but I'd really rather not be left to anyone to play with, whatever unpleasant things that may involve."

Brad propped himself up on his arms and looked back and forth between Dae and Ket.

"The way I see it I have nothing to do with this little situation except sitting on her speeder, and taking a dude's--"

"A dead dude's" Sheldon interupted. Brad nodded.

"A dead dude's wallet. No point in my--"

"Our."

"Our, being here."

[Dae Jinn]

Dae smiled, and pressed down on his back with her boot.
"Well, I don't think you can go anywhere with those wounds..."
She pressed him back onto the ground, and smirked to Ket. "Now, if you'll hand me my saber, maybe I can finish playing with these kids, alone."
It wasn't really a question, Dae didn't want Ket mucking about in her business.

[Ket Van Derveld]

"Have fun, boys."

Ket grinned as he tossed the lightsaber to Dae. Ket then winked as his helmet reassembled around his head. He jumped up witht he aide of the force and let his armour rake over until he stood atop the building. He looked down and called out.

"Until we meet again, Dae Jinn!"

And then, in a flash, he was gone...

[Duncan B. Moore]

"Mrrrofffame!"

Brad's face was being pushed against the ground by Dae's boot, making conversation exceedingly difficult. Scowling, he scraped his face along the cement until he was profiled.

"Hey! I've had just about enough of this! My hat is gone, my best hat and I've been shot! Twice! Twice! No--"

He stopped midsentence and growled.

"Would you get your shoes off of my clothes? They're dirty and probably infested with disease from touching who knows what!"

He tried to bat at Dae's legs but was unsuccesful at hitting anything. So much for trying to be suave today.

[Dae Jinn]

<font size=1>ooc. thanks for waiting for me ^_^ I appreciate it.</font>

Dae lifted her foot, slowly. She held out a hand to him, and smiled, a genuine one this time.
"Come on, we'll get you two patched up. Come on, or would you prefer to bleed to death out here on the street?"
Her features softened, and her voice was gentle and almost sweet. Concerned. "Come on, I'll even buy you a new hat."

[Duncan B. Moore]

Pause. Rewind. Play. Was this the same women who just moments ago had killed a man and threatened to do the same to him? Brad opened his mouth and closed it again. He didn't have anything to say. Sheldon broke the silence.

"Brad I don't think it's a good idea."

"Hey! Sheldon, don't you trust me?"

"No."

Brad was silent again and then looked at Dae.

"You need to learn how to introduce yourself a whole hell of a lot better. Or else transfer to a less people oriented planet."

He gripped her hand and winced.

"Don't worry about the hat. I have another at home."

[Dae Jinn]

She hefted him up, slipping an arm around him, holding him up so that his feet barely touched the ground. She held out her other hand to his little friend.
"You too." She had smirked at his comments, and shook her head.
"That..was, an accident. Sorta."
She lifted Sheldon up, holding him in the same way as she held Duncan and started slowly down the street, back in the direction they had come.

[Duncan B. Moore]

"Accident? Yeah... Well maybe I'll believe that. But I probably won't."

Brad shook his head and glanced at Sheldon.

"You okay Sheld?"

His friend nodded. Brad nodded back. He found this whole situation to have a bit of a twilight zone reminiscence.

"If you could just sort of be a crutch for a few minutes I might forgive the whole collapsable stick thing. I sort of asked for it. Then again I might believe it was an accident."

He smiled faintly. If he could keep a light outlook on all of this, perhaps he wouldn't find it to be so annoying.

[Dae Jinn]

"pffff"

Dae reached into a pocket, letting Brad lean into her for support. She took out a small com, spoke into it quietly, and slipped it back into her pocket. She glanced around for somewhere to sit down.
"Jeez, no benches, no nothing. Guess we'll have to stand."