His Name is Archer (Kale)

[Oriadin]

A cold and wet day.

It didnt rain all that much on Couruscant since there was practically no watter on the plannet, but when it did come down you knew about it. Oriadin had been in a meeting with the members of the Jedi council discussing his new padawan Kale, along with the mission he was being assigned. The Jedi Knight had a lot of faith in Kale and wasn't afraid to let that known to the peers of the Jedi Order. He was only just starting out, but Oriadin often got a feeling for good things. The meeting lasted several hours as they discussed the ins and outs of what needed to be done, and how to go about doing it. Oriadin made notes along the way on his data pad, and the council gave him information to take away too.

At last the meeting ended. Oriadin left the council chambers and headed towards one of the servant droids.

--I wish you do relay a message to my padawan Kale. Tell him to meet me in my quarters as soon as possible and to bring his Jedi clothes, along with the clothes he came to the order with.--

He gave the droid the room number Kale was staying in, although he didnt know if he'd be there or not. The droid would find him. In the mean time, it would give Oriadin enough time to pack the things he thought they might need.

[Kale]

Kale stood watching the rain through the window in his room at the LQ. He'd weathered plenty of rainstorms on Coruscant, but he'd rarely seen any from this high up. In the sheltered lower levels of the city, the only rain that fell was the water that had already run off the gutters and drains of the upper streets. By then, it had picked up as much street grime as it could carry, and the soiled water left a bad-smelling muddy residue when it trickled by. Here, on the topside, the raindrops fell straight from the clouds, clear, clean, and innocent, plashing lightly on rooftops and windowpanes before they began their slow descent into the murky depths.

Kale was watching the rain as it scattered over the outward-sloping glass of his room's window. Beyond the towers that made up the next city block, he could see a few prodigious stratoscrapers whose pinnacles were lost in the gray-brown stormclouds. Between the temple and the farthest of the stratoscrapers, a short shaft of lighting lit up the clouds like a strobe with a resounding kerrrrackaboom! that Kale felt as well as heard. He wondered what it would look like from just the right window--a lightning strike only a hundred yards away.

The door chime interrupted his private nickelodeon, and he shrugged to himself and answered the door. It was a droid--Kale didn't have the best of times dealing with droids, but he got the message that his master wanted to meet with him soon, and that he was to bring his Jedi robes as well as his street clothes. The droid couldn't tell him which set he was supposed to wear, however. He thanked the droid, then pulled his knapsack out of his dresser and stuffed his grubby street clothes inside. Then he grabbed his Jedi robe from the corner of the bed, shucked it on, and headed out into the hall with the knapsack slung over one shoulder.

Kale hadn't been to his master's quarters before, but the numbers in the LQ were fairly intuitive. Once he found the right door, he gave it a short, stacatto knock. "Master, it's me," he announced.

[Oriadin]

Oriadin had just finished packing the nessesary things into an old, worn out looking rucksack. He entered the kitchen and got himself a water and stood next to the window. The weather was probably the worst he'd seen since the move to Couruscant. The fact that he and his Padawan were soon to be delving into the lower levels left a bitter taste in the mouth. He hoped it would pass quickly, although judging by the clouds, this could go on for a few hours.

There was a knock at the door, and Oriadin could feel the presense of his Padawan before he got the chance to say who it was. He placed his drink down on a small table and made his way over to the door.

--Ah Kale! Please, come in. You got here quicker than I expected. Good.--

He showed him in and indicated for Kale to take a seat.

--Would you like anything to eat or drink? Might be a good idea to get something in you before we leave? We can discuss the mission over a nice warm soup--

He looked out the window for added effect as he mentioned the soup.

Oriadins quarters were very tidy. Infact, nothing was out of place. Very clean smelling too. A couple of large book cases and a series of data pads packed neatly away, telling any visitor of his thirst for knowledge and reading.

[Kale]

Kale followed Oraidin's line of sight to the rainstorm outside. Warm soup sounded great on a day like this.

"Sure, thanks," he said, depositing his tattered backpack on the bed next to his master's. Intrigued, he lifted the other bag by a shoulder strap and looked it over. It looked like prime streeter material. So, wherever they were going, they didn't want to be identified as Jedi.

Kale knew he'd have no trouble playing the part. It'd be interesting to see how well his master did.

As Oriadin prepared the soup, Kale wandered around the quarters, noticing foremost how neat it was. He never bothered to make his bed; as long as the sheets were close enough to pull up off the floor, he was satisfied. The second thing he noticed was all the books. Idly, he pulled one off the shelf, flipped through it indiscriminately, then put it carefully back where he'd found it. Whatever it was, it looked way over his head.

Turning back toward the kitchenette, Kale slumped down into one of the chairs at the table. "So," he said, "what's this mission all about?"

[Oriadin]

The soup smelt simply wonderfull as Oriadin dished up in the kitchen. He walked back into the living room where Kale was now seated and handed the Padawan his bowl.

--I hope you like it, I made it myself from a recipe that Kelt gave me.--

Oriadin placed his bowl on the table infront of his chair and reached for a datapad. He scanned through the information, even though he'd memorised most of it now.

--We are going in search of a man named Archer. The council have been trying to get hold of him for some time. From what I can gather, he's armed and extreamly dangerous. This is a man on the edge.

His family, a wife and two young children were horrifically murdered infront of him, and he seeks revenge on anyone he belives are responsible for not protecting them. That includes anyone involved in politics, police, and even the Jedi.--

The concern on Oriadins face was obvious. For Kale's first mission, this was more dangerous than he would have liked. If he was going to be thrown into the deep end, Oriadin just hoped he could swim.

--Several months ago he took hundreds of people hostage within his old work place. From what I can make out, he used to design security rooms so he knows a lot about weapons and defenses. The Jedi were sent in to negotiate with him at the time, but he lost it completely and a lot of people died that day. Amazingly he managed to escape and we've heard nothing about him since. Well, that is until someone spotted him. We're beeing sent in to hunt him down and bring him in for questioning.--

Oriadin threw over the data pad to Kale, who was looking a little concerned now. There's a picture of him. Its not very clear but the co-ordinates are on there too.

[Kale]

The soup was thick and hearty, perfect for eating on a cold, rainy day. Kale could feel himself warming up from the inside out as he ate it. What Oriadin began to tell him chilled him back down again.

He set his spoon down and looked over the datapad at the man's picture. His face looked hard and heavy, with thick eyebrows and a square jaw that seemed to pull his whole countenance down into a bitter scowl. Archer seemed like just the type of man Kale usually made it his business to avoid.

"So what does the council want with this guy?" Kale asked, looking back up to his master. "He sounds like a typical nut case to me. Does he know somethin', or somebody?"

[Oriadin]

--They wish to council the man. Try to help him. Since his family was murdered he has become very dangerous. On the day of the hostage situation, he shot over seven people without blinking an eye.--

He said, in between sips of his soup.

--With your knowledge of the Couruscant lower levels, the council decided that we would be the best pair to look for him. I also think that your early stage of training may benifit you. Archer hates the Jedi. If we are to catch him, we need to get close to him. That means we need to go undercover, try to act as if we are not Jedi, but infact from the Couruscant lower levels. A role, I think you'll be able to fit into nicely. This will be your chance to teach me a few things!--

Oriadin joked. Taking the last few sips of his soup before setting the bowl down on the table.

--We have reason to belive that Archer is setting up a small group of terrorists. Their goals are to cause as much damage to anything and anyone he blames for the loss of his family. We need to asses the threat this man is, what his following is like, and bring him back to the Jedi Order for counciling.--

[Kale]

Well, if the Jedi council wanted to play psychiatrist to a confirmed killer, that was their business. Kale had never heard of that sort of thing being done before. But he was pretty taken aback by the notion that the council had actually chosen him and Oriadin based on his expertise.

"I may know more about the Coruscant streets than your average Jedi, but I'm not really up on rootin' out terrorists and psychopaths," Kale said. "Remember, I usually tried to steer clear of that sort of thing."

He took another spoonful of his soup and grimaced as he chomped on a whole peppercorn. Kale grabbed a quick drink of water to wash the pungent taste out of his mouth, then set the glass down pensively.

"Of course," he said, "I know of one or two places where a guy like that might be lookin' to recruit. And even if he's not advertisin' there, there'll be someone there who knows where his operation is. But if any of those types smelled a rat, Archer would be the least of our worries. Have we got any information on how established he is so far? How many men he has? What kind of weapons? Does he have a hideout, or is he on the move? Does he suspect that anybody's on to him? If he does, this'll be a whole lot harder to pull off."

[Oriadin]

Impressive. Kale had come out with what seemed to be all the right questions without having any hints delivered to him by his master. It was times like this that gave Oriadin the feeling that Kale would go far with the Jedi.

--Our intel on Archer is sketchy at best. Its taken the Jedi months to even have someone spot him. Based on that, I think he is on the move, and he probably isnt too established as of yet. If he was, the chances are some information would have leaked. Now we must be mindfull. Although that is probably the case, its only speculation. Never assume anything and never under estimate an opponant Kale.

All we know is those co-ordinates he was seen last. We know he was involved in security, and we know he has a grudge. We know where he used to work and his old boss is willing to help, although he doesnt know how much help he'll be. Trouble is, he isnt going to hang around for someone to find him. We need to act quickly to find him, asses the situation and bring him in. How we do that is up to us. It was discussed that we try to get recruited by this man, but that is extreamly dangerous and could take too long. It would probably give us the best idea of what he's up to though.

Either way, this will be an exciting first mission for you!--

Oriadin glanced out the window. The rain had eased off a little and the lightning had stopped. The occasional clap of thunder still rumbled every now and then.

--Im all packed and ready to go. The council have given us an old looking transport to use for the mission. Its probably best if we leave as soon as possible.--

That was a question more than a statement. Checking if Kale had any last questions and if he was ready to go.

[Kale]

"Exciting is one way to put it," Kale mused sardonically. "I ain't done anything like this before in my life."

He slurped the last of his soup, looked up at his master, and sighed resignedly. "But I guess there's no time like the present, huh?" He flipped the datapad back to Oriadin. "I can't make head or tail out of those coordinates of yours, all that 'Lat and Lon' stuff. Other than that, I'm... well, as ready as I'll ever be."

Kale stood up from the table and shrugged off his Jedi robe in favor of the old ski jacket he had in his knapsack. His gray tunic was a step up from the ratty T-shirt he used to wear, but, with his baggy, tattered jeans and sneakers, he still looked plenty like a bona fide streeter. He reached into his pants pocket and noticed something was missing. The teen turned over his backpack and pulled out a new jackknife to replace the broken-off blade he used to use, then put the knife in his pocket. Then he stuffed his Jedi robe into the backpack--it folded up very compactly--and zipped it back up again.

"Hmm, there's more room left there than I thought," Kale said. "Uh, er... Master, one last thing. If we run into any trouble... y'know, fightin'... what do you want me to do?"

[Oriadin]

They made their way out of the room and started off down the corridor towards the hanger bay.

--I think for now, your best bet is for you to try and stay out of trouble as far as possible. Remeber that trick you showed me where you managed to disapear? well, of sorts. Do that. Although im not the toughest in a fight, me defense is pretty good. Im sure I'll be able to look out for you should we get into any trouble.

Just stay mindfull. Be weary of everything around you and pay attention to my lead. You'll pick things up by simply watching people. I shouldnt worry too much, your in good hands.--

Oriadin smiled as they entered the hanger. There waiting for them was an old, battered about ship. Nothing you'd expect to see a Jedi in, which was exactly the point. Oriadin indicated over to a droid, who in turn pressed a switch which released the loading door.

--After you?--

[Kale]

OOC: Quick clarification: is this a speeder car, or is it more like a small spacecraft?

Kale took careful note of his master's advice and nodded. Good, he thought to himself, that's what I'd do anyway.

They entered the Jedi temple hangar, a place Kale had never been in. There was a row of gleaming starfighters against one wall, one of them opened up for repairs; against the opposite wall were several private craft at various levels of wear and tear. Any one of them probably cost more than all the money Kale had made in his life.

And then his master pointed to the jalopy sitting on rusty landing skids on a tarmac. Several panels had been replaced, perhaps more than once, and the paint didn't match what was left on the body. There was no question that it would fit into the lower Coruscant color scheme.

Kale laughed dryly. "Whatever you say, Master," he replied, climbing aboard the beaten-up craft. It didn't look much better from the inside than the outside, but it didn't matter much to Kale. The best transportation he'd ever owned was an old bycicle he found in a scrap heap. He plopped into the passenger-side bucket seat and tried to make himself comfortable, hoping he hadn't forgotten anything.

"I'm ready when you are."

[Oriadin]

OOC: Doesnt really matter. I'll say small ship since its my post now. Feel free to invent things as you go along if I dont mention it. Your a better writter than me so I'll learn off you :p

Oriadin sat in his seat, checked the nessesities and prepared for take off. The ship was small, but big enough to carry four people although not something you'd fancy for a long trip. It was cramped and had a slight stale smell. Definitely not somthing you'd assosiate with the Jedi.

--Lets go then!--

The signal came for them to take off. Obviously there were ships and transports leaving all the time so it was essential you went when you were supposed to.

The ship rattled and shook into life. It was a noisy and made everyone within the area turn and look. Oriadin piloted the ship outside the hanger doors and they were off. The journey would take around 45 minites, depending on the weather of course. Which was still continuing to ease up a little.

--So Kale, how are you feeling about your first mission so far?--

They passed in and out of the huge buildings. Speaders and small ships wizzing by. Oriadin looked forward to letting his padawan take them both out for a spin one day. That'd be interesting he thought to himself.

[Kale]

OOC: Okay, thanks. And by the way, I just had my last day of school today, and I graduate on the 9th. Woohoo!

Kale gripped the armrests of his seat as Oriadin took the ship out into the middle of the thriving Coruscant traffic. The ship felt like it was two rivets away from falling apart at the seams, but he had a good idea that the Order wouldn't send two Jedi out in a complete rattletrap. Kale didn't know much about vehicles, but he guessed this was an old short-range runabout, never intended for more than an occasional intrasystem hop. It was still as far out of his buying power as an Imperial Star Destroyer.

"Feelin'?" Kale replied quizzically. "I'm not really feelin' anything right now--" A gust of wind jolted the small ship momentarily, and Kale felt his stomach jolt with it. He put a hand gingerly over his abdomen and said, "I'm hopin' it stays that way for the rest of the trip."

It had been a some time since Kale had been in a space-capable craft of any kind. He'd sneaked his way onto public hovertrams before, but, other than that, he did almost all his traveling on foot. It was a thrill to see the cityscape flashing by from this altitude. Looking out one of the side viewports, he spotted a terraced complex with a dingy, glassed-in hydroponics park on the pinnacle. It had once been a busy shopping center, but a few competing megamalls had driven it out of business over a decade ago. Now it catered largely to a different kind of retailer.

"That's my old block," he said, pointing at the structure. "I lived four levels down from the top. I've got advice for you; don't go walkin' through that park after dusk."

The runabout puttered on through Coruscant's busy skylanes for another minute before Kale spoke again. "Looks like we're goin' west, and a little south, am I right? What kind of neighborhood are we headin' into?"

[Oriadin]

It was interesting to see the area Kale used to live as it was pointed out on their travels. It wasnt much to look at, but home usually had a sentimental value to people. Even if they didnt like to live there. That was something Oriadin always missed out on, not knowing where he came from. He felt better hearing of other peoples homes and up bringings though. He imagined what it'd be like and that perhaps his upbringing was like that.

--Yeah your right. Its not an area of Coruscant I know well. Its known for its drug dealers, murderers and other criminals. People who dont wish to be found.

We have eyes and ears all over tha galaxy. You'd be suprised at how many people we track without their knowledge of it. Although they are all criminals, we dont have the resources to bring them all in, so instead we watch them and try to keep them out of trouble as far as possible. Usually we have much bigger fish to fry.--

Oriadin was pleased that Kale wasnt feeling much. He wasnt afraid of his first mission, that was most important.

[Kale]

Kale smirked. "I've been in neighborhoods like that. We shouldn't get too much trouble when we land; the two of us don't look like we're worth anything."

He dug a hand in his pocket. There was a hidden pocket sewn inside with a flap cover; even a skilled pickpocket would be hard pressed to slip anything out of it without the wearer noticing. He had a roll of thirty credits tucked in there. He figured if he needed more, he could always "find" it somewhere.

"Bigger fish," Kale repeated. "Well... speakin' as one of the minnows, somehow I can't believe you know half as much as you think you know. This Archer guy, I've heard about plenty of bleedin' hearts like him. Believe me, if he's gonna cause a stir in that neighborhood, he's gotta be a little more than your average postal worker."

Kale guessed he wasn't telling Oriadin anything he didn't already know. If Archer had caught the Jedi council's attention, there had to be something more to him than a little desperado complex. Criminals as a whole didn't like drawing attention to themselves, even from other criminals. A loud-mouthed crazy wasn't likely to last long in a typical Coruscant rogue's gallery.

[Oriadin]

--Oh, im sure we miss a hell of a lot. There's no doubt, but we do keep a track of many known criminals without their knowledge.--

Kale was a smart lad. Far to smart to be out pickpocketing on the streets. Life seemed cruel in many ways. How many people must have been wasted simply because they were less fortunate than others, he pondered.

Light chatter passed between the two for the remainder of the journey. It took a little longer than expected, but not
by much. The rain had almost stopped completely now, and there were a few breaks in the cloud. Couruscant didn't have enough water to make bad weather last. Wind was often sheltered too by the tall, over shadowing buildings. The lower levels always seemed grimey though. No sunlight ever got through, and it was a haven for rats and other disease carrying vermin.

Oriadin looked out of the window and spotted a suitable place to set the ship down. No people visible, although the chances were, someone was watching. The landing gear was activated and the ship was set down for a comfortable landing. Oriadins flying skills had improved greatly over recent weeks.

--Lets get out and take a look at our surrounding area.--

[Kale]

Kale nodded and followed his master down the gangplank and onto the street. They'd set down in a cul-de-sac flanked by abandoned warehouses on West Kingsly Street. Easy enough to remember. The windows on either side were all boarded up; he doubted they'd find much in there. Despite the stereotype, in a city as big as Coruscant, most serious gangs could do a lot better for hideout locations than an abandoned warehouse.

"I guess we're headin' that way, then," Kale said, pointing toward the open alley. "You're the one who's got the map, so I'll let you do the leadin'. But what we need is a destination. If we stop on a street corner and look like we're lost, people are gonna know we're not from around here. And, uh, what should I call you on the street? 'Master' would sound a little suspicious, I think."

[Oriadin]

Kale was impressing Oriadin all the time. Sometimes, it was almost as if Kale had been a Jedi all his life. He was quick on the up take, and very sharp. Perhaps this was common for a streeter, Oriadin hadn't come into contact with many so didn't know.

--Good thinking Kale. Call me Ori. Some people at the order have taken to calling me that.--

Oriadin checked the map, and the co-ordinates one last time. He'd looked at it that many times, he knew it off by heart.

--Don't worry about getting lost young Kale. Im pretty sure we'll manage to get there ok. Anyway, the force will guide us.--

He smiled. Knowing that Kale probably wouldnt understand that remarke, but that he would do one day. Both wearing clothes that made them fit seemlessly into the world around them, they made their way to their destination. Oriadin had recieved a tip from an unknown source saying that Archer had been spotted in a bar called 'The Headless Horseman'. The intel was sketchy at best, but it was a start.

--We are headed to a bar I recieved a tip off about. Be on your guard though. From what I hear it can get pretty rough. Keep yourself to yourself and stay out of trouble. We go in, grab a drink and sit down quietly. We don't want any unnessesary attenteion drawn to ourselves. We can evalute the situation once we are inside. Its not far now.--

The ground was wet and sludgy from the rain earlier. No one seemed to care about keeping the place tidy round here. A foul smell loomed in the air and it seemed to saturate everything around them. Up ahead, they could see the bar draw closer.

[Kale]

The Force'll guide us, huh? Kale thought. Great. I hope it doesn't mind if I keep my eyes open for a little extra guidance.

Until Oriadin had mentioned the Force, Kale had practically forgotten he was still on Jedi business. He was used to keeping himself inconspicuous as it was. The atmosphere was no different from hundreds of other neighborhoods that dotted the region known as the Southern Underground--the cold, silty grime on the streets, the septic smell, the vagrants meandering the sidewalks, the slithmongers openly selling deathsticks on the street corner. Kale even saw a girl several years younger than him lift a wallet from a kindly gentleman's pocket while she thanked him for picking up the doll she had dropped in the gutter.

Ah, the unfairness of gender discrimination.

Even though the rain had stopped a good ten minutes ago, there were still steady streams of water pouring from the storm drains above. It took a long time for rainwater to find its way from the pinnacles down to the lower levels, and it took even longer for the puddles to evaporate. Sunlight came in narrow shafts if it came at all.

"That the place, Ma--er, Ori?" Kale pointed ahead to an old-fashioned hanging bar sign over a doorway to the right. The sign was adorned with the faded painting of a headless cloaked rider on a rampant demonic horse. Instead af a sickle, the rider held high a frothing mug in his skeletal hand. The nearby windows were rattling with the noise of raucous bar chatter and an overpowering beat of heavy techno.

Oriadin led the way in. The door was heavy--probably blast-proof. As the Jedi knight pulled it open, a soused Rigelian who had been leaning on the other side spilled out onto the doorstep to a chorus of rowdy laughter. Kale stepped over the crumpled form of the much-confused alien and into the smoky, shadowy dining room of the bar.

The tavern was pretty well packed with creatures representing at least two dozen worlds, several of which Kale couldn't identify. He spotted several serious-looking Omja matches unfolding at the card tables as well as many customers bonding over platters of questionable barroom fare. In the corner, a pair of crab-faced Nausicaan thugs were locked in a bout of arm-wrestling with a dagger mounted on each side of the table as punishment for the loser. Several others had gathered around the snarling, swearing duo to place bets. It was near lunchtime, so most of the patrons were there for a midday meal and gamble. It wouldn't be hard to slip in unnoticed.

[Oriadin]

The place seemed... musty, smokey and had an odd smell about it. Most of the seats were taken but a table with three chairs appeared empty. Oriadin indicated for his Padawan to grab a chair before anyone could get there first. He did so and Oriadin joined him soon after.

It was in the ideal place really. Not too far up against the wall so you'd be cornered if there was trouble, and not so close to the middle so they could listen in on conversations and spy on people without their noticing.

Oriadin turned to his padawan, and spoke softly.

--Take a look round the room without making it obvious what your doing. I want you to try and spot any suspicious looking people, or people who may look dangerous.--

[Kale]

Kale nodded; that wouldn't be too hard. He was used to checking out situations for potential targets to loot. All he had to do was look for the characters he wouldn't dream of picking.

There was a Toydarian manning the bar, fluttering between the different liquor fountains. Amazingly, he managed to keep all the drinks on the tray he was carrying upright as he flew them to paying customers. The lineup at the bar was your average mix of barscrapings, mostly humanoids. The one on the end was constantly fingering a katar strapped to his left hip. He struck Kale as the kind of man who thought someone could be looking for him. Those were always dangerous.

He returned his attention to the table, then reversed direction and looked over his shoulder. The gambling tables were full, and there was a pair of hulking Acamars, seven-foot tall, pachyderm-like humanoids, just sitting down at separate tables. Kale had experience with Acamars. Despite their huge, pudgy fingers, they were pretty good technicians, but they had notoriously short tempers and an unbelievable stamina for fighting.

Glancing past the door they had come in, he saw what a threadbare curtain drawn over a small side chamber. A dim interior light cast the silhouettes of a party around a private table on the curtain. Kale could make out four figures inside--two of them seated, the other two standing like body-guards behind one of the seated figures.

Kale, keeping his face as disinterested as ever, turned back toward his Master, but he got sidetracked on the way as a young Twi'lek female caught his eye and winked as she walked by a few tables down. Kale decided she required a little further scrutiny, and his eyes followed her across the room. He found it very suspicous indeed that such a lovely young lady would find herself in such a setting, particularly wearing so little clothing. This sort of thing required very careful attention...

[Oriadin]

Oriadin caught sight of the young lady after seeing Kales attention slip him. He watched the young learner for a moment, allowing him to watch the young lady.

Finally Oriadin kicked Kale's chair. It made him jump and lose the attention he had on the woman.

--You do that after you've completed your training, you'll probably end up dead and in a gutter somewhere. Always have your wits about you. Concentraite.--

Oriadin tried to act stern, but the truth was he found it amusing. Kale was a young lad, but he needed to be ready for anything in a place like this.

[Kale]

The kick caught Kale by surprise, but it did snap him back into reality. A bit miffed, he glowered at his master and said, "Well, you know, if I didn't act natural, people might think something was up..."

It was a weak excuse, and it fizzled on the way out. Kale decided the best thing to do would be to get back to business.

"Ahem, well, in a place like this, anybody could be trouble," he said, "but there were three spots in particular that caught my eye. The guy at the end of the bar, a human--he looks nervous to me, and he's got a death grip on that knife of his. Ten to one somebody's lookin' for him, and it's gotta be somebody nasty to scare him that much."

A roar went up from the gambling tables as one of the Acamars scored big on a wild hand. That brought Kale to point number two.

"The Acamars at the gambling table," he said. "I don't think they're really involved in anything too sinister; they're usually not that smart. But I've learned that one Acamar with alcohol is trouble, and two Acamars with alcohol is a good way to get things smashed. Especially if they're good friends. They look on a good fistfight as the best way to bond."

Carefully, he took another look directly behind him at the curtained room. "There's a closed meeting in that sideroom back there," he said. "Sure, that in itself don't count for much, but the guy at the head of the table has two bodyguards behind him. Could be a drug boss. He might not be affiliated with Archer, but chances are he'd know about him. Every crime boss keeps close tabs on everything goin' on in his circuit. I know; my old roommate works for a man named Gucchi. He offered me a job, too. A real humanitarian."

Kale smirked, then looked over at the arm-wrestling match. "Then there's the Nausicaans," he said. When his master looked at him for explanations, he simply said, "They're Nausicaans."

[Oriadin]

He smiled but managed to contain his laugh. Kale had done very well in his observation task. As well as could be expected of any padawan. There was one person Kale managed to miss though. How important it was, Oriadin was unsure but it should be noted non the less.

The Jedi Knight had the advantage of his Jedi training. Using the force, along with his ability to read people he could usually tell what someone was feeling. Of all the people in the room, a single man stood out like a sore thumb.

--Discreatly take a look over your left shoulder. There is a man sat in the corner, alone and quiet. Take great care when you look, because he is studying the room himself. What his intentions are im not sure. He could be recruiting, he could be looking for potential dangers, he could be looking for us, or he could simply be taking and interest in the room. He is the only one trying to keep out of the way though.--

[Kale]

Kale nodded once and did as he was told. He craned his neck over his left shoulder as if he were stretching a kink out of it, and he rubbed his right shoulder to add to the versimilitude. In a glance, he saw the man his master was talking about. He didn't strike Kale as anybody out of the ordinary. His clothes looked dirty and worn just like everyone else's, and he was hunched over a bowl of the house chili and a mug of golden lager.

Kale turned back to his master. "I don't see much special about him, but I didn't get a look at his face. You don't..." A look of urgency crossed the young padawan's face. "You don't think that's him, do you?"

[Oriadin]

Oriadin couldnt be sure without taking a closer look. It was dark in that corner, and the man did a good job of hiding himself away.

--I cant be certain either way. Given Archer's background, id be fairly suprised to see him stay in once place too long, therefore I wouldnt expect to see him here. I had hoped we could pick up a trail on the man. He could still be around if he has unfinished business though...--

Oriadin thought for a moment.

--You did well on your observation Kale. The fact that the man in the corner blends in so well, made him stick out. He fits in a little too well. Although the loud ones can be dangerous, they are drawing your attention to them. They arent THERE to cause trouble. They are the ones that trouble usually ends up with. Its the ones who purposely dont want you to notice them you have to be carefull of. Im sure you must have used similar tactics in your streeter days.--

[Kale]

Kale wasn't sure what his master meant by saying that the man in the corner "fit in too well." Maybe it was a Force thing.

"Sure I did," he replied. "But people down here, as a rule, try not to notice each other, as long as it doesn't involve them personally. Everybody's got their own problems. Nobody wants to get involved in somebody else's, unless they've got a credit to make, or a point to prove. And those kinds of people aren't very well liked down here."

Still, he took good note of his master's advice. As a thief, he always catalogued bystanders into the categories of factors and non-factors--those who'd probably make trouble for him when he made his move, and those who'd just chalk it up to someone else's problem. Now that he was a Jedi, everyone in the bar could be a factor.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked. "I'd feel a little funny walkin' up and sayin' hello."

[Oriadin]

Oriadin nodded in agreement. Simply going up to the man would seem suspicious too.

Just then, the man got up! He collected his drink, finished the last of it and walked over to the bar where he placed the empty glass. He made his way for the exit but on the way stopped next to the Jedi table. He glanced down towards Oriadin, which enabled the Jedi to get a better look at the man. It wasn't Archer, but he was a sinister looking fellow.

"You want my advice? Finish your drinks and leave. Good day."

There was no time for Oriadin to say anything in reply before the man walked out the bar. The Jedi knight glared over to Kale with a puzzled look on his face, as if to ask what just happend.

--Well, that was... odd.--

[Kale]

Odd was a light way of putting it. What-the-frell-was-that was more like it.

Kale returned his master's puzzled glare with one of his own. "Does that mean we're blown already?" he asked in a low voice. "How? He didn't see me, did he?"

The padawan was genuinely spooked. He couldn't figure out how they could've been discovered. Maybe their phantom voyeur just happened to have picked them out as suspicious when they came in the door, but Kale had been using the best street sense he knew how.

He jolted in his seat as when one of the Acamars howled triumphantly over a winning hand at the omja table. Dang it, now he was nervous. Kale put a clamp on his nerves and relaxed back into comfortable anonymity.

[Oriadin]

Oriadin could sense his padawans nervous position. It was perfectly understandable. The Jedi Knight himself felt uneasy at the comment the stranger had just made. Perhaps he'd just said it to any random people on his way out, and it was simply by chance that it had been Oriadin and Kale...

--I think we should drink up and see if we can see where the man was headed. We are not likely to find anything out by sitting here. I think we should go ask our friend a question or two. How are your tracking skills?--

[Kale]

Kale cracked a smile in spite of himself. "Depends on how many credits he's carryin'," he said quirkishly.

He quickly cleared his throat and added, "Uh, well, I usually don't track people too far. I can keep an eye on somebody through a crowd, but don't expect me to sniff the street an' tell you which way he went. If we're gonna follow him, we'd better get goin'."

The teen quickly downed the last of his bubbly, brown beverage the Horseman passed off as root beer and stifled a burp. "Only thing is this. All we know about this guy is that he thinks somethin's up with us. If he sees us followin' him, he'll know somethin's up. So I hope you've got an idea what to do with him when we find him."

[Oriadin]

Oriadin downed the last of his drink in time with Kale finishing his and got up from his chair. Oriadin took a quick glance around the room and headed out the door, shortly followed by his padawan.

--Dont worry Kale, I'll think of something! He cant say something like that and just expect people to understand afterall.--

It was raining hard again outside. The mud and the sludge on the ground had become very slippery. A few steps outside and Oriadin sensed something. Something wasnt right...

Oriaidin looked over to Kale with a look of horror!

--Quickly!!! Take cover!!--

The Jedi knight and padawan made a dash for a nearby broken up wall and hid behind it. Seconds later a large explosion went of. Coulds of dust engulphed the surrounding area. Debris scattering all over the street. They peered over the wall, to see the pub they were just in, in ashes.

--You ok?--

[Kale]

Kale's reaction time was a bit slower than his master's. Oriadin's warning was so unexpected that Kale instinctively ducked and looked frantically over his shoulder to see what the problem was. His mind had just registered the relatively serene facade of the Headless Horseman when he felt his danger sense kick in. Instead of the usual uneasy prickling, it was like a sledgehammer hitting the back of his neck.

Panicking, Kale floundered for another critical moment, then dove after his master toward the safety of the wall. As he skidded onto the muddy pavement, he heard a blast so loud it drowned out every other sound on the street, and he felt the shockwave jar through every bone in his body. He wasn't quite behind the wall, so he buried his face in the ground and covered his head with his hands. Dust and plaster stung his legs through his jeans and jacket, and a spinning shard of glass grazed his right leg. Startled by the pain, he wormed forward through the muck and felt Oriadin grab him and help him fully behind the wall.

When Kale sat up, he was a mess--slimy mud covered the front of his body from head to toe. He wiped the grime away from his eyes and looked down at his dust-covered jeans. There was a bloodstain on his right calf. He rolled up his pant leg and pressed against the injury.

"I'm fine," he said with a grunt. "Just a scratch. What the frell happened..."

Kale trailed off and cautiously peered around the edge of the wall through the dust at the blown-out front wall of the pub. The street was littered wood, metal, plastic, and glass ejecta, and slicks of alcohol burned brightly in the twilight. The inside of the bar was scorched and broken nearly beyond recognition. Reeling, Kale stumbled forward and slipped on something soft. He tumbled to the ground and wheeled back to see a bloodied and burnt arm that was missing its owner.

Turning away, Kale clutched his stomach and threw up his breakfast on the street.

[Oriadin]

Seeing Kale bring up the food he'd eaten earlier in the day was not the most pleasent of sights, but after the explosion they had just witnessed it certainly wasnt the worse scene of the day. Oriadin went over to his padawan and lay a hand on the boys shoulder to help calm him.

--A Jedi's life is never as grand as people make it out to be, as you now see.--

Oriadin began looking around for injured people to help as Kale finished up. A small group of people had gathered to see what had happend before one man looked over at the two Jedi and called...

"There they are!! I just saw them leave the building! GET THEM!"

--Kale, this is a good time to start running! Start going in any direction, I will follow your lead. You have a better head for the lower streets of Couruscant than I do!--

The mob of people looked around and picked up scatterd pieces of wood and metal. They had seen the Jedi leave the bar unharmed and assumed they had something to do with the incident. There were far to many of them to simply talk things over, and time was against them. The only option was to run and get the hell out of there.

[Kale]

Kale was spitting the last of the bile from his mouth when he heard the shout. He could tell the crowd was about to get ugly real fast.

There was a clot of onlookers converging on the blast site, neatly blockading the street in both directions, and it didn't take long for Mr. John Doe's allegations to spread. Kale didn't like the idea of trying to break through all those angry bodies. His eyes fell on the bit of fractured wall paneling he and Oriadin had used as a shield from the blast--beyond it was an open alley that cut through the city block to the next street.

Spinning, he made a break for the wall, slipping momentarily on loose rubble. He vaulted over the top of the wall and landed in a roll on the wet pavement in the alley. Kale sprang quickly to his feet and kept running, weaving smartly between piles of refuse. Once he'd broken out into the street, he hung right and sprinted down the sidewalk.

Kale could tell they were drawing attention. Everybody for a kilometer had heard the blast, and a pair disheveled figures fleeing the scene was bound to arouse some curiosity. Kale threaded and juked through a cloud of startled pedestrians, then cut back into another alley--check that, a cul-de-sac. A pair of graffiti-ridden dumpsters and a towering stone wall stood before him. Glancing left and right, he spotted a concrete staircase descending to a sunken basement entrance.

He threw a quick look over his shoulder to make sure his master was still behind him, then slipped beneath the pipe rail and dropping to the landing before the door. It was locked, most likely, but at least he was down and out of sight. He huddled in a corner to catch his breath.

[Oriadin]

It was obvious that Kale was used to running through the streets with crowds of people all about. His quick feel and nimble body movements were a sight to behold. The force was strong with him. Oriadin had to concentrate hard to keep up. Being that much bigger and not so good at dodging the crowds of the busy streets the Knight could feel himself slipping behind somewhat.

Kale dived into a quiet alley way and this gave Oriadin the chance he needed to catch up with his padawan. He ran down the concrete stairs and rattled the door handle. Just as Kale suspected, locked.

The face of the Jedi knight suddenly went stone faced as he focused on the door. He didnt move for a few moments, he just stared, or so it seemed. Slowly his right hand came up and aimed roughly at the doors lock. The crowd of people could be heard getting louder and louder as they closed in on the two Jedi. As they were out of sight, it took them a few seconds to figure out where they'd gone, but some footprints left in the sludge from the rain betrayed them. They made a charge towards the stairway!

Suddenly there was a click and the door swung open.

--Kale, make a run through that door. HURRY!

[Kale]

Stupid, Kale thought bitterly. You can't outrun a mob by going one block. The onlookers pointed 'em right to us. I'm getting rusty.

No sooner had he finished chiding himself than he saw Oriadin do some kinda hand-wavy thing toward the doorknob, and the door popped open.

Any port in a storm. Kale leapt for the open doorway and skidded headlong over the dirty cement floor in the hallway beyond. Trusting his master would be right behind him, he scrambled to his feet and rushed down the corridor under the green-gray glow of ailing florescent light panels.

After about thirty feet and two more closed doors, the hallway turned a corner and dropped down another three stairs into what looked like a cross between a storage garage and a living room--there was a rug of cheap orange carpet covering most of the floor, and stacks of plasteel crates covering the rest. A tattered sofa occupied the far wall, an old wooden table with two chairs dominated the center, and there was a bookshelf with a few worn volumes and a radio tranceiver. But Kale's attention was drawn foremost to the huge massiff sleeping on the sofa.

A massiff was a creature something between a pit bull and a hyena--a solid canine with a thick neck and jaws that could crush a cinder block. This one outweighed Kale by a good twenty or thirty pounds, and he guessed he'd rather be in the middle of that mob than within twenty feet of that thing if it woke up.

[Oriadin]

Oriadin skidded to a hault just behind his Padawan and his face turned hard and stern. He could do nothing but look at the Massiff for a few seconds. He'd never actually come into contact with one before, but had met others who had. He'd read about the fierce creatures and listend to the stories others had to share. They were nasty, VERY nasty. Both Jedi stood in the middle of the room still and silent for a second, not really knowing what to do.

The dog like animal stirred and its eyes opened slowly. Oriadin put himself between his young apprentice and the beast.

--Kale, stay calm and don't move until I tell you its ok.--

Oriadin's voice was strong and commanding. Not even a hint of fear could be heard. The Jedi Knight took a few deep breaths and stared long and hard at the Massiff. The Massiff stood and growled but made no attempt to advance. Oriadin closed his eyes and focused, using the force to comunicate with the beast. Slowly the animal moved to the doorway where the two Jedi had just entered the room. The distant chants of the angry mob getting closer and closer.

--Ok Kale, slowly move through the door at the other side of the room.--

As they slowly made their way out, the mob came in sight of the beast and their chants suddenly stopped. They obviously knew what a massiff was. The look of horror appeared on their faces and they they slowly and quietly backed away back out into the streets. They talked amoungst themselves for a short time and decided the two they were chasing were probably long gone by now and went their seperate ways.

Smiling to himself at turning the situation around, Oriadin turned to his padawan.

--Kale, always remember to keep your wits about you and to stay focused at all times. Its possible to control the weak minded through the use of the force, but you need to keep your emotions in check to do it. This is something im going to have to teach you as it could save your life one day, as it has today. You did well back there.

So, interesting day so far it seems!--

[Kale]

Kale watched slack-jawed as Oriadin calmed the massiff down like something out of a bad nature show and sent it for the door. It didn't take long for the mob to indulge the better part of valor--confronting a massiff in a narrow corridor was a fairly foolproof way of losing at least one limb.

"Uh, yeah, you could say that," the teen replied breathlessly. "I've seen massiffs kept as guard dogs, but I ain't never seen one kept inside--"

The massiff padded stockily back to the living room entrance and stopped when it saw the two intruders. It seemed to be pondering them, as if it couldn't quite figure out what to do with them now that it had driven the mob away from the door. Before either of the Jedi could react, there was a clatter from the hallway, probably from one of the other rooms in the dismal apartment. Astoundingly, the massiff craned its head over its shoulders and began panting like a happy dog. Surely its master would know what to do.

Kale had backed up and was feeling the wall for any sort of exit when an angry-looking bear of a man burst onto the living room stoop gripping an iron crowbar. He was almost as tall as Oriadin and about twice as far around, and his salt-and-pepper hair was in a state of profound disarray. His bagged and hooded eyes snapped fiercely between the two Jedi. With a wave of a meaty hand, he snarled, "Masher, krietze!"

The massiff pounced eagerly onto the orange carpet somewhere between Oriadin and Kale, but it stopped short and looked back imploringly at the large man. Somehow, it was still convinced the Jedi weren't enemies.

The man stayed on the stoop, gripping the crowbar more uncertainly. "Who are you?" he demanded in a thick accent. "And what are ye doin' in my house? Speak up! I've got a blaster right where I can reach it. And what're you lookin' at, kid?"

That was the first Kale realized he'd been staring like an idiot. He swallowed in a vain attempt to get some moisture in his throat, then said, in a cracked voice, "Malborn..."

The man blanched and held the crowbar close to his chest. "I said who are--wait... Stars! I don't believe it... Kale?"

Kale nodded tersely, dumbfounded. It was only then that he noticed the man glancing questionly toward Oriadin.

He gestured limply toward his master and said, "Ori, this is Klaus Malborn..." He swallowed again. "...my old employer."

[Oriadin]

At the sight of the man enter the room, thoughts ideas and stories to come out with were flooding the Jedi's mind. How to get out of the situation in one piece was the priority. Oriadin felt they were in danger, and although most people wouldnt be much of a match for a Jedi knight, it was against everything they stood for, for an innocent bystander to get caught in the conflict. Somehow, a peacefull way out had to be the only option.

The tension in the room was immense and Oriadin dared not speak while this very large and dangerous looking man demanded answers. Amazingly, it turned out that Kale infact knew the man, although Kale's reaction didnt help ease Oriadins concerns for the situation. He hoped this Malborn and Kale were on friendly terms...

--Your old employer you say Kale?--

Oriadin turned to the man with a concentraited look, but as warm and as friendly as he could muster given the events that had taken place so far today.

--My name is Oriadin, and I am a Jedi Knight. Kale... Kale is learning a few things from me. Seems like I might have you to thank for many of his best attributes, and perhaps some of his worst!--

A slight smile appeared upon the Knights face, hoping to ease the tension somewhat. He knew nothing of the man before him, and little more on his relationship with Kale. Hopefully, thins would not turn sour.

[Klaus Malborn]

Malborn remained motionless as he apprehended this development. "A Jedi Knight!" he gasped. "Stars... But you could not... you did not expect to find me?"

Masher the massiff plodded slowly toward his master and gave a plaintive whine, and Malborn scratched the back of his neck absently. Then he opened his mouth in a broad, gold-toothed grin.

"But, to be sure, any friend of Kale is a friend of mine! Make yourselves at home, owning that it ain't much of a lodging for such as your Grace. Times have been hard since last I saw Kale."

He shot Kale a meaningful look, then turned toward the hallway.

"Please, sit down. I have a pot of bjorta simmering on the stove. It has been far too long since I have had guests."

[Kale]

Kale caught the look Malborn had thrown him. He'd seen it many times before--it was a look that said, "Don't think you're getting away with this, kid." For a moment, Kale felt like the clock had turned back about four years, but then he remembered Malborn no longer had any power over him. He clenched his fists and scowled.

As the old man lumbered off, Kale glanced furtively over to Oriadin. "I'm not sure you shoulda told him you're a Knight," he said. "All he's gonna do is see if he can use us to his advantage, and if that means blackmail... he'll do it."

He checked his tone by the last three words. For a moment, it had sounded more like a bitter grudge than an honest warning, and, to tell the truth, there was more than a little of both mixed in his attitude. This was the last thing he'd expected to encounter today.