When the levee breaks... (semi-open)

[imported_Akrabbim]

OOC: By semi-open, I mean, don't just jump into one of the major roles. The roles of hostage, hostage-taker, and hostage-rescuer have been taken. Otherwise, feel free to jump in.

IC:
The day had been mostly quiet. But, as per usual, it was not to remain as such. He begins to notice a crowd forming a few blocks away, and decides to see what the commotion is about.

When he arrives at the scene, he finds several members of the local law enforcement setting up a perimeter around a building. From what he can glean from their conversation, someone has taken a hostage, and is currently in the midst of a standoff.

Akrabbim slips away from the crowd and down an unoccupied alleyway. He makes himself invisible, cloaking himself with the Force. Then, he returns to the building and makes a quick Force Jump over the crowd. Once inside the perimeter, getting inside the building is child's play. The door is forced open already, presumably by the hostage-taker himself. Once inside, Akrabbim holds his invisibility and begins some reconnaissance.

[Marcus Telcontar]

About half an hour ago.....

He looked up at the building, thinking this one over again. The palce he wanted was right there, fourth floor. Checking what was under his cloak for the final time, he went to the entrance, knowing the disguise he had on would fool the holocams that watched the entrance and followed him as he walked through the lobby. a bored security guard ignored him as he went for the stairs, climbing them steadily, two at a time. Didnt take long to get to the floor he wanted. Didnt take long to get to the door he wanted.

A gloved hand knocked.

Footsteps on the otherside.

"Who's there?" came a gruff voice.

"Your death, scum"

With a palm heel strike, he hit the door just across from the lock, breaking it, the door flying open and belting the human on the other side. He swore loudly, holding his suddenly bleeding nose, the six other crims freezing as they suddenly saw the newcomer step inside, twin guns raised.

--

He didnt look back at the carnage. Even if he had a reason, a good reason, it never paid to think about it. Always keep moving, step away after it was done, no second thoughts. Just know more scum were erased.

"FREEZE!"

"No" he replied coldy to the security guard, who had run up the stairs and was now puffing and sweating. "You will get out of my way"

"I will get out of your way" he relpied dumbly, droppign the gun by his side. Marcus grinned as he walked past, then jumped caually over the edge at the stairs, landing as only a Jedi could on the floor below. A few statled glances. Others looking up from where the noise of gunfire had come from.

"HEY!!! STOP HIM!"

Marcus glanced up, the security guard pointing his weapon downwards at him. The blaster quite abruptly was torn out of the guards hands, swung through the air and clobbered him on the temple, knocking him out. Marcus shrugged at how easy it was, then continued to walk out, unconcerned. After all, other assasinations had gon smoothly, like this one.....

......

.......

Oh for crying out loud. Of all the foul luck. The authorities shouldnt have stood a chance to be anyere near this place. It looked like a passing patrol had turned up at exactly the wrong time.

"HALT!"

He dived back inside. He sensed the authorites getting ready to charge inside. "I'd think twice about that.... I'll kill my hostage!"

"What hostage?!?!"

Good point.

"THIS ONE!" he yelled back, picking out a random person by the arm and putting the barrel of one of his guns to their head.

--

Present time...

Upstairs. Looking out. Speeders everywhere. Road blocks. Not too hard as yet, not for him. But he would much prefer to get away without being seen.

"Dotn move" he told the hostage. "I've killed seven in here already. Dotn think I'll hesitate to frag you too"

[Jazmyn]

The day started out as it always has. Get up, drag herself into the shower, get ready and go to work. The same routine she has carried out six of seven days a week for the past three years. In those three years, she has never called in sick, played hookie, or taken a vacation. In truth, she couldn't afford to and she really couldn't think of any place she'd want to go on a vacation.

Jazmyn's been feeling a bit restless lately, though. "There has got to be something more exciting than this.", she had said about an hour ago as she walked past the same faces and the same desks which she sees day in and day out.

She's a dreamer. Since she was a little girl, she's dreamed of exotic far away locations, living the life of danger as a smuggler or discovering she's the long lost princess of some remote yet-to-be-discovered planet. "The day we forfeit our dreams is the day we lose our souls.", her mother had once said to her when she explained to her mother that it was her dream to grow up to be the galaxies most well-known adventurer.

If Jazmyn knew of the events which were about to unfold at her ho-drum job on this fateful day - she most likely would have stayed in bed.

Her daily routine is suddenly interrupted by a co-worker as he rushes around the floor ranting about some crazed lunatic running around the building with his guns blazing. Stunned, she and her other co-workers stand there for a minute, waiting for their brains to register what they've just been told. Even before that can happen, though, they are ushered like a herd towards the stairwell; forced to get out of the building in a quick yet orderly fashion before all hell can break loose.

Jazmyn happened to be the last of those trying to scurry down the stairs quicky. Ahead, a few women scream and some men swear as they reach the first floor and throw the stairwell doors open.

"HALT!", an authoritive voice shouts from outside.

A man wielding two guns dives back inside. From Jazmyn's vantage point, now that her co-workers have scurried away like roaches retreating from the dark, she can see the man clearly. Everything happens so fast!

"I'd think twice about that.... I'll kill my hostage!"

"What hostage?!?!"

'What hostage?' Her own thoughts echo the words spoken by the police just outside, their weapons trained on the crazy man. As if watching a movie with the scene passing in slow motion, Jazmyn doesn't even realize she's still standing right there, nearly in the middle of it all.

"THIS ONE!", the crazy man yelled back, Jazmyn by the arm and putting the barrel of one of his guns to her head.

That snaps her to the here and now. The moment he grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him like a human-shield, she screamed. The cold steel of the barrel of the gun now pressed against her head silences that scream and quickly. The sudden rush of adrenaline makes her shake, as well as the fear of finding herself in a horrifying position. Numb, she doesn't even realize that tears have begun to trickle down her flushed cheeks.

The authorities back off, though they do keep their weapons trained on Marcus as he forces Jazmyn to remain in front of him while he pulls her back upstairs. She trips on one of the steps and loses her shoe. As he looks out some of the windows, he is sure to keep her right in front of him; just in case the authorities try to take a shot at him or have managed to get a sniper up in one of the buildings across the way.

"Don't move", he tells Jazmyn. "I've killed seven in here already. Don't think I'll hesitate to frag you too."

She doesn't voice a response. Instead, she nods her head quickly while murmuring her pleas for him to not kill her.

[imported_Akrabbim]

With continued stealth, Akrabbim glides through the corridors, searching for the hostage-taker. Unfortunately, he had arrived on the scene after the conversation between the man and the law enforcement, and thus has no idea where the man might be.

A scuffling sound down the hallway alerts him. Throwing his back to the wall, his katanas are in his hands almost instantly. He readies himself, but for no reason. Apparently, the hostage-taker was only trying to hold onto one person. The rest of the occupants seemed to be making their way out on their own. He lets them pass by his cloaked form. No reason to reveal his position just yet. If nothing else, it lowers the number of casualties to worry with.

After a few more moments searching, Akrabbim decides for a slightly more logical search. Since a Jedi would never take a hostage, and Dark Siders rarely performed such grand-standing feats, a search via the Force may help. He moves into an out-of-the-way corner and takes a seat, concentrating deeply. He reaches out with the Force, looking for signs of life. Within a minute or so, he locates two life forces in very close proximity. For some unknown reason, though, one of the signatures seems somewhat familiar. But, since there's no way to pinpoint who this is without much closer study, he rises and resumes his stalking. Remaining invisible, he creeps up the stairs to their position on the fourth floor...

[Marcus Telcontar]

He glanced out the window, taking a good hard look at the units outside. Still just plain ol' troops, no real heavy stuff. Still nothing that as too much of a problem. He still preferred a unseen way out, which, given this situation, would be difficult for a normal beign to gain. Or even a Jedi.

"Stop your whining" he snapped at the hostage. "Believe it or not, I would much prefer to not be anywhere near you, human and I would prefer that you were wasting your life in your boring job... or whatever it is you do. Now, if you want to live, your goign to do exactly as I tell you, when I tell you. Right now, your going to shut up for a moment"

Yeah, with a hostage, a normal human would have exactly zero chance of escape. But for starters, he wasnt human, even if his real form he looked it.

Human morality must be rubbing off on you... you would have thrown the screecher out the window by now

Dont worry, I'm still considering it

He sat down, keepign the gun trained on the hostage, while reaching out with his mind, seeking.. seeking...

Buildings were always full of vermin and other small animals. Big ones had whole colonies that thrived int he crawl spaces and ducts. There was the occasional small feline too, the animal he had the best conenction to. Stig might be his most notible cat and he was tainling Natia, but any cat or animal would do. Animals had different and hieghtened senses.

He frowned, Mental pictures of the crawl spaces and air con ducts were clear, but soemthign wasnt right. Plus..

"Someone's drawing on The Force. I feel it. They are looking for us" he told the hostage. "If your lucky, it'll be a Darksider. You'll get to be a hero. If it's a Jedi...."

He got up, crossing to the door silently. Opening it a bit, he glanced out, still uneasy.

"If it's a Jedi, dont get between us. They are the reason I do what I do...." He moved over to her, grabbed her arm and dragged her along with him. Back to the stairwell. Listen. Smell. Something was very wrong...

"I'd advise you to stop there and reveal yourself" he said coldly, puttign the gun to the hostage's temple once again. "I cant see you, but I know your there. You breathe so loud, I could shoot you dead right now - so if you want this lass alive in the next five seconds, make yourself visible"

"5..."

[Jazmyn]

'This cannot be happening', is all Jazmyn keeps thinking over and over in her mind. 'Why me? I'm just plain ol Jazmyn! A nobody'. A whirlwind of thoughts pass through her mind. Mentally, she invisions getting thrown out the window, plummeting to her death and she sees her entire boring life flash by in her mind in a splitsecond.

How depressing.

"Stop your whining" , he snaps at her; the grip he has on her arm tightening to emphasize his words. She winces, mouthing an 'ow' as he does.

"Believe it or not, I would much prefer to not be anywhere near you, human and I would prefer that you were wasting your life in your boring job... or whatever it is you do. Now, if you want to live, your goign to do exactly as I tell you, when I tell you. Right now, your going to shut up for a moment."

Cringing, the tears flow harder, glistening against her porcelain cheeks like tiny crystals nestled between the grains of a white, sandy beach. In truth, she'd rather be wasting her life away at her boring job instead of being used as a human shield in the tight grip of this madman.

"Ok, ok. Just please, don't kill me, I beg you!", she pleads with Marcus; all the while wondering just what it is about her, a human, that seems to utterly disgust him.

'Knock it off you dumbwit! You're being held hostage and you're worried about what he finds so disgusting about you!?', she chastizes herself.

As he sits down, he pulls Jazmyn down with him. Though he has a good grip against her bicep, she uses her other hand to pull her skirt down as it rode up her thighs from the force of being pulled down to the floor.

"Someone's drawing on The Force. I feel it. They are looking for us." If your lucky, it'll be a Darksider. You'll get to be a hero. If it's a Jedi...."

Teary-eyed, she darts a few sideglances towards Marcus, her thin manicured brows furrowing deeply as he cuts off his words; leaving her to wonder what will happen if it is a Jedi.

Jazmyn swallows; a hard, dry swallow and sniffles a few times, trying to keep the sound as muffled as possible.

"If it's a Jedi, dont get between us. They are the reason I do what I do...." He moved over to her, grabbed her arm and dragged her along with him. Jazmyn stumbles for the first few steps, losing her other shoe. The grip he has upon her arm is the only reason she didn't fall to her knees.

Back to the stairwell.

"If it's money you're after, I have some. You can have it! Just please! Let me go.", she continues to plead with the man. The only response she gets is a tight squeeze of her bicep. "If you're looking for another way out, I know a way. If you let me go, I can tell you where to go."

In the stairwell, the madman seems to pause, turning slowly and looking around as if seeing something she cannot. 'Oh God! Please help me!', she prays, raising her hand to swipe the moisture from her cheeks.

"I'd advise you to stop there and reveal yourself", he said coldly, putting the gun to Jazmyn's temple once again. She winces sharply, the cold barrel pressing hard against her temple causes a quick headache to form. She moves her head to the side, trying to get the gun off of her head to no avail.

"I cant see you, but I know your there. You breathe so loud, I could shoot you dead right now - so if you want this lass alive in the next five seconds, make yourself visible"

"5..."

Precariously held in front of Marcus with her head leaning to the side in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure off of her temple, Jazmyn looks to the thin air, eyes the color of deep jade moving left, right then up. 'Whom is he speaking to? I can't see anyone and I don't hear anyone coming up or down the other stairwells.', she wonders.

Marcus must be holding her relatively close to his body. From that, and the grip he has on her arm, he can feel just how terribly frightened she is by how badly she is shaking. Besides feeling it, it's visible. The stray red hairs on her head tremble, the hem of her black skirt quivers, the slightly billowed sleeves of her emerald green satin blouse ripple gently and her fingers shake each time she cautiously lifts her hand to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. She's not a bad looking woman, in all honesty. She isn't the supermodel type, that's for sure. But, she isn't the type of woman that men would think twice about. Perhaps if she let her red hair down from the french twist its always bound up in and added a touch of make up to her porcelain cheeks ...

At one point, she might even have tried to loosen his grip on her arm, though she cannot remember if she tried or not. Everything feels as if its going in slow motion, but its going so fast at the same time, everything's a blur.

"Who are you talking to? There's nobody here.", she asks in a whispered mousy voice.

[Jacen]

An hour ago...

Jacen was a downstairs when all the commotion started. The young Padawan watched the girl get snatched up and taken hostage. At the time he had been tempted to try and stop the man who had taken her, but from the looks of the guy he wouldnt have lasted long and he would be in a better position to help if he didn't get himself killed. He kept back against the wall and watched, helpless, as the man dragged the girl upstairs. He wasn't the adept at the Force, but he could feel the woman's terror as though it were his own.

As the pair disappeared up the stairs, Jacen decided to make his move. He slowly crawled that way trying to calm the few people in the lobby as he passed them. Man I wish I had a lightsaber now, or atleast a blaster, the teen thought as he came to the first step. He looked upwards, but saw no one. I wonder were they went? He looked around and saw an elderly man huddled on the floor. "Hey you there, go call the law eforcement agenc and tell them what happened. Tell them to get here now."

Jacen turned back towards the stairs. He could sense the woman's terror, and somethig from the man, but he couldn't tell what. Whoever he was he had control over his thoughts. Must be a professional. Well I got a few tricks of my own. Jacen moved towards a window and looked out and up to see the fir exit above him. Well, I might not bee all that much, but I am a Jedi now, and I have to try and help, Jacen thought as he reached out to the ladder and pulled himself up.

Present...

Jacen had climbed the ladder to one floor above where he thought the hostage was and now he was making his way down stairs. He stopped right before he exited onto the floor the man and gilr was own. He reached out into the Force and frowned. Now he could feel another's presence, but he didn't know who it was. He shook his head to clear his mid. Now was not the time to be getting scared. He should have gone back to get help, but he couldn't just leave the girl now. The least he could do was try and get some information to the local authorities.

Jacen took a deep breath and opened the door ever so slightly. It bumped against something, but when he looked again, he couldn't see anyone. How strange...

[imported_Akrabbim]

As Akrabbim moves along the now deserted hallway, he feels a door bump into his back. He reaches out with the Force quickly, detecting the presence of a young man. So as not to give away his position, he sends a brief message through the Force...

*Get outta here, kid... you're way over your head.*

With luck, the youngster will heed his warning and leave. However, knowing the young, he'll think he "needs to help", or some such garbage, never realizing that he may be a hindrance.

But before he can put any more thought into the matter, a voice rings out. The man's voice he hears is familiar... all to familiar. Curiouser and curiouser, indeed. Though there's no way it can be, he keeps reminding Akrabbim of a Jedi. His contemplations are cut short, though, when the man starts counting.

Akrabbim is down the hall from where the voice comes from. Now it's time to get a bit tricky. He drops any amount of stealth, and calls back.

Stop! I'm just here to talk to you! I'm coming to the doorway... please do not fire...

With that, Akrabbim begins a slow advance, his soft-soled shoes echoing a steady cadence on the duracrete flooring. Just before he enters the man's view, he launches an illusion. The illusion continues into the doorway, hands raised unthreateningly, feet still making noise. Akrabbim sends his Force signature along with it. The man in the room could not have heard Akrabbim, so it only stands to reason that he sensed him via the Force. No use taking chances. The real Akrabbim cloaks himself in invisibility, and steps behind his illusion. He sits silently to the ground, and continues concentrating. The illusion is difficult, but not outside the realm of his abilities. He still has just enough concentration left for one more trick.

He draws one shuriken from his gi, and holds it aloft. Bearing the now-invisible shuriken along, he slowly floats the weapon toward the hostage-taker's throat. However, with his consciousness so diverted, he won't get it there any time soon. So, he must buy some time. The voice that the

Now... there's no reason to be hasty... just put the gun down... we can talk about this...

[Jacen]

Jacen felt the message through the Force, but he couldn't make it out into words. To him it only felt like a wave of warning. Was whoever it was trying to tell him he was in danger? Or maybe the person needed Jacen's help. He peaked around the corner and no one was there. He leaned back in and took a deep breath, ready to run across the hall to another hiding place. He leapt out of the door, but froze. There was a man standing in front of a door, talking to someone, probably the kidnapper since his hands were up. But where had he come from? There was no other entrance to this hall except the stairs he was in and the turbolift, but that was on the other side of the stairs and surely Jacen would have noticed him go pass him but there he was.

Jacen unfroze and dashed into an open door, catty corner of the hostage and her kidnapper. He looked around and sure enough the man was still there. What is going on here?

[Marcus Telcontar]

If he was talking to Jacen, he would have agreed - what the hell was going on here?

He saw Akabbrim come around the corner, hands up - " Now... there's no reason to be hasty... just put the gun down... we can talk about this..." he said. and now there was ANOTHER Jedi far too close, tho not as powerful as the Jedi Master facing him off.

"Damn it, you couldnt you be Tondry or another one of those contemptable snots?" he snarled. "Why someone I actually respect?". Shooting, then was out of the question for now. He instead whirled the hostage around and flung her at the wall - Before she hit the wall, his mind lashed out, smashing a hole through it so she landed relatively unhurt. His hand touched the floor as he began to move, to follow...

Noise. Light. always when his ability to track came to the fore. It sensed where someone had really gone, allowed him to track a quarry unerringly. It came stronger for the time he spent blinded, sensing how things connected both on the physical and within the Force..... He saw himself, crouched, ready to spring, semingly frozen in time. In a blink he saw the other Jedi, a young Padawan. A twit and he saw Akabbrim.....

"OH CRAP!"

He tripped up in surprise on debris, rolling and coming up to his feet. Grabbing the hostage by the hair, he hauled her upright.

"Door. OUT"

He glanced over his shoulder and paused.

[Jazmyn]

Jazmyn saw the blur of a shadow move past the door and duck out of view. For a split second, hope filled her heart that someone was here to rescue her, to put an end to this nightmare. The snarl from her captor goes to reassure her that this is not going to end anytime soon. In fact, the tone in his voice fills her heart with dread. 'Just try to remain calm and do as he says. It'll be fine in the end.', she tells herself over and over in hopes that her own reassurance will help keep her from doing something stupid.

What the other two do not realize is that the more agitated Marcus becomes, the tighter the grip becomes on her arm. Bruises have already begun to appear, though they are not readily visible to anyone else because of the sleeves of her shirt. A few mewed cries of ow escape her pouty lips and she winces each time fresh pain arises.

When whirled around, her nylons cause her to slip and slide. Flung to the wall, she physically braces for the impact, her muscles tightening and her eyes squeezing shut. The initial impact never came. Instead, she finds herself stumbling and then falling, landing awkardly against her right hip. If it weren't for her hands slapping against the rubble strewn floor in the nick of time, she would have cracked the side of her head against the floor.

Everything's moving so quickly now. As soon as she realizes she's out of Marcus' grasp, she begins to crawl quickly across the floor. Alas, her escape attempt fails as she cries out from both surprise and pain as she is lifted upright off the floor by her hair.

"Door. OUT!"

Shoved out the door, she does her best to keep the minute amount of distance between she and Marcus so that movement doesn't jostle his grip upon her hair. Having one's hair pulled hurts!

"Ow! Hey, not the hair! That hurts!", she draws in a hissed breath, reaching up to try to pry Marcus' entwined fingers from around her hair.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Of course, this couldn't be easy. With just a few more moments, he would have been able to start a stalemate... but not now. No time to worry about that now, though...

He rises to his feet, calling the shuriken back to his hand. He replaces it in his gi and runs off after the suspect. He does not, however, dispel his illusion. Instead, he keeps it moving about three feet in front of where he actually is, just in case. Fortunately, since all he's doing is mirroring his own actions, this illusion isn't taxing him too heavily.

Good thing, too... he's beginning to think this is going to take every ounce of trickery in his body. He begins calling out after the man, hoping to end this quickly.

Wait! There's no need for this!

[Jacen]

Jacen watches the scene unfold before him in horror. This really is too much for me..., the Padawan thinks. But what can I but help?

He stands up from his hiding place and runs after the fleeting man and his hostage. The negoiatr isn't that far ahead of him so he calls out to him. "Excuse me sir. What can I do?"

[Marcus Telcontar]

He paused as he saw what he thought was Akabbrim come to the hole in the wall

"Wait! There's no need for this!"

"No need for what? Just leave Jedi, there wont be anyone hurt..... oh..... my....."

GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!

He took off, smashing a door down with a well placed shoulder. He had the hostage by the arm as he moved bewilderignly fast, as only a Jedi Master (or ex Jedi in his case) could. He barely saw the stairs before hurtling up them. Up another three, four, five floors, he wasnt counting, all he wanted to do was to just put as much distance between him and that Jedi. Which, as he slowed down and entered a corridor, the hostage still being held onto, was rather odd. Since when had he wanted to run from a fight? Since when could another Jedi even hold their own against him in a fight?

He pointed at a door, unlockign it with his mind. In he went, knowing he had put on enough sudden speed to gain that critical few seconds to hide. The door closed behind him, the lock clicked.

Okay, just what got into you there? You ran?

Something had felt badly wrong.

He rewound his memory, using a Force enchancing technique to slow down the images, to freeze frame if you will.

Dust in the air. Dust on the floor..... floor?

"Frell me, no footprints! That was an illusion?!?!?" he said outloud, disbelievingly. He looked at himself, his clothes. Fine for what he thought was here, but not for what he faced now, a Jedi with skill enough to even hoodwink him with an illusion. Okay. That wasnt good, but he could deal with it. Now he knew, he could prepare.

He glanced out the window of the room he found himself in, before glanicing at the poor woman whom he had grabbed as a hostage. Good agaisnt the forces outside, but not with Akabbrim.

"I'm not going to harm you, believe it or not" he said to her, taking his jacket off and dropping his gun belt to the ground - in her direction no less. "In fact, I am sorry it is your fate to be here. But I had a daughter, about your age. She was betrayed by the Jedi and she died because of that betrayal"

Come to me, king of the air! Bring me what is mine!

[Jazmyn]

Still within Marcus' grasp, Jazmyn's jerked as he bolts. She yelps outloud when he breaks down the door, her shoulder muscle pulled to the point of hurting from the force he used to barrel through the closed door.

The fright heightens as Marcus seems to build up a speed which seems inhumanly possible, charging up several flights of stairs in what feels like the blink of an eye. Jazmyn can't keep up. She trips numerous times, practically getting dragged in his wake, twisting an ankle. The pain shooting up her leg, causes her to cry out, pleading with the madman to slow down; even just a little.

Once inside of the new temporary hideout, Jazmyn slinks to the floor, curling her fingers around her swelling ankle. Fresh tears begin to trickle down her cheeks and when she has the need to sniffle, she does it as quietly as possible. She has no idea what will send this crazy person into a tirade - aside from the Jedi.

A spark of hope enlightens her heart, though. There's a Jedi a few floors down. Perhaps she will be saved and she'll come out of this mostly unscaythed.

Carefully, Jazmyn lifts her gaze upwards from her ankle to settle on the man a few feet across the way from her. He's sorry?! He's the one who put me in this predicament!, she thinks to herself; though her expression doesn't give her thoughts away. Still, he may hear them in his mind all the same.

"I'm sorry for you, Sir. For your loss, I mean. But, if you're not going to harm me, then why do you keep me?", she asks of him with a shakey voice. Thin manicured brows dip gently and she swipes away some of the salty tears from her cheeks, now flushed from the mad rush up the stairs.

Jazmyn swallows a hard, dry swallow. It hurts her throat. Trembling, one hand still curled tenderly around her ankle, she hopes that the mere sound of her voice doesn't set the guy off. Her gaze shifts to the discarded jacket and gun belt. So close. It's so close. 'Maybe I can just slowly reach out and grab it. Yeah. If I can get his weapon, I can get out of here.'

She waits until Marcus' attention isn't focused on her or her actions, then very slowly begins inching her arm forwards, leaning in. By all appearances, it looks as if she is just rubbing the tips of her fingers over the top of her barefoot as she begins reaching for the weapon.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Akrabbim works hard to control his frustration. For a second there, it seemed as though he may be able to talk the man now. But, thanks to this younger Jedi getting in the way, the man has run off...

Blast...

Look... you can help by getting out of the way.

Without even waiting on the young man to answer, he rushes up the stairs after the hostage taker. Unfortunately, the man has already rushed into a room. Akrabbim arrives before the door just in time to hear the lock click in. The time for diplomacy is over.

Akrabbim moves beside the door and sits on his knees, opening his mind to the Force. He reaches out, sensing the positions of the people in the room. It seems as though the man is no longer holding his hostage... the two Force signatures are now several feet apart. After a few more moments of searching, he detects Dark Side emanations from the figure standing in the center of the room. Now that he has his target found, he can launch his attack.

He summons two shuriken, causing them to hover horizontally before him. They begin spinning, moving faster and faster until they're literally humming. While they spin, he moves them to the door next to him. The razor sharp shuriken begin biting into the door, cutting into it. In moments, a small round hole is cut.

He allows the shuriken to stop their spin, letting them drop so that they cannot be seen through the hole in the door. He takes a moment to gather his strength, and then attempts an attack. He creates an illusion of one of his katanas, causing the shuriken to hover where the katana appears to be. The illusion-covered shuriken hurtle through the opening, heading toward the hostage taker's chest.

[Jacen]

Jacen didn't know how this other Jedi was but he couldn't just tell Jacen not to help. Besides he probably didn't even know what he was up against with the hostage taker. Maybe he needed help and didn't even know it.

Jacen ran up the steps just in time to see a sword go into the door through a small hole. What is this guy thinking? What if he hits the poor girl...or what if he is trying to. What is I've been trying to help the wrong person all along. Oh man, I wish I knew what was going on, Jacen thought as he rushed towards the guy sitting down.

"Wait what if you kill the girl on accident!?"

[Marcus Telcontar]

Even with his back turned, he could sense what the woman was trying to do.

"If you want the gun, all you have to do is ask" he said. "The safety is on the right, near the thumb. It wont really good if your thinking of using it against me, I warn you......"

Marcus paused. He wasn't using The Force, but his other senses. Something made him pay attention, his mind coming to full alert.Three years ago, he had been blinded in an accident, which had forced him to not rely on visual, but on touch, smell, hearing. A valuable lesson he had forgotten from his youth, so long ago. The ability to track a quarry depended on so much more than what the eye could see, the detection of danger as well. The Lost Jedi Master turned his head and closed his eyes, before quite abrupty grabbing a table with one hand, throwing it at the door. Something thumped into it as it flew, before the table slammed into the door. To be joined a few seconds later by the very heavy cooler. Then a lounge. Then the rest of the furniture, except what the woman was sitting on, creating a barrier between him and the outside corridor.

That damn thing better get here soon!

He knew it approached, but if that Jedi had any skill (which knew Akabbrim did), then the furniture wouldn't stop him. Speed was his ally, keep moving until he was ready to turn this little parry into a battle. And the woman...

Why was he towing her along? That was a good question. for now there wasn't goign to be an answer as he picked up the guns, his shirt and her, turned on his heel, stepped and leapt out the window. Plexiglass exploded outwards, but instead of falling downawards, they somehow seemed to defy gravity and go several stories up the Force liftimg them. A quick grab at a rail, a swing, another explosion of plexiglass and they were in a new room. Just flat out impossible for a normal human. He was cut by flying glass, she had been shielded.

A screech sounded in the distance. Marcus smiled.

[Jazmyn]

As soon as Marcus speaks, warning her that he knows what she is up to, she cowers away from the gun. It wouldn't be wise to go for it now. If she still had the element of surprise, maybe. Though, she most likely never truly did have the element of surprise.

Jazmyn watches Marcus like a hawk through tear-filled eyes. With the throwing of each piece of furniture, Jazmyn cringes and covers her ears, pressing harder and harder trying to drown out the noise.

Just as she removes her hands from her ears and looks up towards Marcus, he's upon her; lifting her bodily over his shoulder. "Put me down! Please!", she shouts as she arches her back deeply, trying to look around while the madman seems to gain speed.

She cranes her neck sharply, just in time to see that they are approaching the window. Jazmyn screams as loud as she possibly can. Her body goes limp and she covers her eyes, still shrieking as the glass shatters. Though morbid, it's unavoidable; she opens her eyes to see the ground stories below. The sudden fear that envelopes her mind is too much and Jazmyn passes out. Her body lay like a ragdoll's over his shoulder as he shuttles them upwards with the Force.

In the new room now, she begins to come around. "Ugh what a horrible nightmare I had.", she mutters as a hand rakes back through her hair. Her brows knit deeply and she startles, realizing that it wasn't a nightmare but that it's all been real.

"P-please p-p-put me down.", she whimpers, noticing that she's still dangling over the madman's shoulder. 'My God, when is this going to end?', she wonders silently, praying for rescue.

[imported_Akrabbim]

The loud crashes caused by the flying furniture cause Akrabbim to lose his concentration entirely. His eyes pop open as he loses all control over his shuriken. He hears the glass shatter inside the room, and the shouts from the young woman who's his hostage. At least she still lives.

He resumes concentration, focusing on the hostage taker and his captive. He senses them move upward, and then end up several floors above him. He moves his concentration back to his shuriken, finding them trapped between a large amount of furniture and the door. Reaching out with the Force, he causes them to spin quickly, sawing through the door. After several minutes, they are able to extricate themselves from the detritus and return to Akrabbim's awaiting hand.

He now turns his attention to the bothersome young Jedi.

The girl was across the room, young Jedi. If you had taken the time to reach out with the Force, you would have known this. And since you seem incapable of staying out of the way, make yourself useful this way... I want you to hang back, but be ready. If I can get the hostage free, I'll need you to get her out of here while I keep the hostage taker busy. He's a rather powerful Force user... stronger than you need to be dealing with. Do NOT try to fight him... are we clear?
[/i]
Hopefully the young man will do his part... and not do anything stupid.

He turns his attention to the situation at hand. Trickery appears to be useless in this situation. No matter what illusion he throws at this man, he appears to simply retaliate with large telekinetic attacks. Perhaps the direct route will be more useful.

He cloaks his Force presence once more, and begins rushing up the stairs as stealthily as possible. Once he reaches the room where the man and woman are, he takes a breath and prepares himself. He could try to probe the room, but such a move would reveal his location. He moves in front of the closed door, summoning his concentration. He drops his signature mask, and immediately slashes two vertical lines in the door to weaken it. He follows behind with a kick, blasting an opening into the room.

He leaps through, eyes quickly locking onto his target. With a loud shout, he unleashes a heavy blast of Force Confusion, sending a myriad of sights and sounds into the man's mind. Without hesitating, he rushes toward the man, swords at the ready.
[/i]

[Jacen]

Jacen was taken aback by the older Jedi's words, but nodded in agreement. When he leapt up the stairs, he tried following, but he was to fast.

Luckily Jacen got to the top of the staircase, just in time to see the other Jedi kick the door down. He crawled over to the door to get a better look. Hopefully he could see the girl and grab her while the other two fighted.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Without ceremony, he drops the woman to the floor, ignoring the thud of her landing. He's more interested in the screech outside and in a few seconds, a large hawk-bat bearing a bundle. Originally, he had been intending for the bat to meet him blocks away, but now, the situation had changed. The animal came into the room, settling it's bulk on the floor, chirping to the Jedi.

"Thank you, winged-one. Thank you for coming so fast" he replied to the bat's greeting. "You took care of what is mine?"

Another chirp.

"Good. Stay close, I may have more need of you". He bent an picked up the bundle, bulky in the middle, with something long and thin poking out both ends. Quickly, he untied the knots, knowing time was of the essance. Inside was revealed a knot of clothing and a few other items. He glanced at the woman, then took his pants off. What she must have thought could only be guessed. What she was thinking five seconds later as Marcus howled in pain, his skin shifting, his face seeming to melt then come back, the smooth skin replaced by a network of scars and old wounds, the young man replaced by a human of early 40's, hairsut and unkept.

His real form, or at least the one he had chosen for now. Damn, the change hurt. frankly, he could have stayed as he was, but the Jedi he faced deserved to face him, not a cover.

He was into his travelling clothing in a blink, pulling the cloak over himself just as he noted the hawk-bat turn it's head. It's hearing was so much sharper than a human - or his for that matter - that it could only mean one thing. Marcus scooped up his belt, put it on, then pulled the cloak's hood over his head, hiding his face in shadow. For a few seconds he calmed his mind, even as the door comes apart. Perpared, his mind steeled against ....

He was expectign an illusion. The attempt at confusion still hit his mind's defences, hit hard. He raised his hand, for his predetirmined plan was still going to work - his hand gestured and Akabbrim went abruptly flying back the way he came, right back out the door. Along with some furniture as it was a Force Push against anything in front of him.

The long thin object that was in the bundle was revealed as a long sword, which came out of it's sheath with metallic hiss. He raised the blade in front of his hood as he stepped forward in salute, without word or emotion, he advanced.

[Jazmyn]

An soft oomph accompanies the thud when Marcus drops her to the floor. The last round of screaming has claimed her voice. Of course, who can blame the young woman, really? Certain that Marcus was just going to drop her; let her plummet to her death, Jazmyn's resigned herself to the fact that there is no way she is going to get out of this alive. Even if she does make it, she might be wishing that she had been killed when all is said and done.

The screeching outside hurts her ears, so presses her palms over them to drown out as much of the high-pitched noise as she can. Teary eyes look to the window, wondering what is making that God-awful sound. The sight of the hawk-bat makes her scoot up snug against the wall, wishing she could crawl right through it. She's never seen such a creature and of course, with the given situation, she's sure that the creature is going to eat her.

Though her body is curled up in a protective position against the wall, legs drawn up to protect her left side and an arm curled around her head, she dares to look at the creature again; curiousity getting the best of her. Jazmyn peeks over the crook of her elbow, trying to keep her sniffling quiet. She watches the madman as he talks to the thing, wondering how it is that the two communicate with each other because the creature seems to understand every word Marcus speaks to it; and vice-versa.

Jazmyn watches Marcus closely as he opens the bundle and then looks right at her. If she had any coloring to her face whatsoever, it suddenly drained as he began to remove his pants. Of course, what does a woman think in this given situation when her captor removes his pants? The worst. Immediately, she buries her face against the wall and begins to whimper; drawing her legs in tighter against her body.

Whatever happened to be left of Jazmyn's voice is completely robbed of the woman as she screamed (more like a hoarse, raspy groan) as she heard the howl eminated from her abductor. Of course, as with most others, she cannot help but to look at him; morbid curiousity rules over weak willpower to not look.

As the madman's body shifts and contorts, Jazmyn's eyes grow as wide as saucers. She's never seen a changling, if that's what it's even called. Frozen in place by terror, her mind unable to take anymore, Jazmyn faints just as Marcus draws his sword. Her body slumps haphazzardly against the wall.

[imported_Akrabbim]

OOF!!!

The Force Push catches Akrabbim full-on, stopping him cold. He is flung hard out the door, random pieces of furniture striking him as he goes flying. He lands in a heap against the wall, opposite the door's opening. As he rises, he sees his opponent, now clad in a robe and carrying a long sword. The man offers him a salute and advances.

Akrabbim rises, albeit painfully. Nothing major is hurt, but there are surely several bruises on his body. He bows to his oppent, and prepares himself. Now, it seems, it's time to get devious.

He points one sword toward the man, tip first. As he does, he fires a large blast of Force Blindness at the man. However, the simple attack is not what it appears. The man surely has some defense against mental attack. Let him think that his defense is more powerful than it truly is. A few moments after the Blindness sets in, Akrabbim changes the illusion. It appears to the man that the blindness has waned... as if his defenses have shrugged off the brunt of the blindness attack. Even if the man actually does block the blindness, he should still see the new illusion. To the man, it appears that Akrabbim is nearly on him, rushing in quickly to strike with both swords. In actuality, Akrabbim is a few steps back. Thus, when the man moves to block the illusion, his sword should be in a bad position to defend against the true attack.

[Jacen]

Jacen ducks his head as the older Jedi is blown back out of the door. Debris flies down the hall and some of it gets into his eyes. When he reaches up to wipe it out he runs into the wall, making a rather loud bump. He quickly looks up to make sure no one has noticed him. When he is certain that no one has, he starts moving again, hoping that this time he could do some good. hopefully with the older Jedi distracting the kidnapper he can attempt to get the girl away. or at the very minimum help the Jedi. Oh man...what have you gotten yourself into Jace?

[imported_Akrabbim]

OOC: TTT

[Marcus Telcontar]

Blindness?

Marcus had spend a year truly blinded after a flashbomb damaged his eyes. even now, bright light couldnt be truly tolerated for long. He preferred darkness, using The Force and his other senses to know exactly where he was. He also knew how good Akabbrim was at illusion and was prepared. He could smell the others in the room, hear their breathing, their steps. and there were other ways he could use - now he knew his opponent, he was ready.

Clang!

His sword swept up precisely, the two blades meeting, his natural strength forcring the katana to a stop, even pushed back.

"Turn around Akabbrim and walk away. I dont wish to hurt you. But if you continue to stand in my way, I will. I am stronger than you are - dont force me to do what I dont want to!"

With strength derived from his life on his heavy grav homeworld, he pushed hard, forcing the other Jedi back. "I only offer this chance. Take it. I wont be held responsible for what happens if you do not"

The hawk chirped.

[imported_Akrabbim]

TTT

[Jazmyn]

Fainting is never a fun thing. Right before losing consciousness, your stomach gets upset; nauseas then everything goes black. Waking from a fainting spell sucks even more. Usually there's a mild headache nestled behind the brows and one feels a little disoriented for a few minutes until bearings can be brought around again.

It's no different for Jazmyn as the blinding flash of light caused her to awaken from her fainting spell. For the briefest of moments, she thinks that she's just had one helluva bad dream; that being taken hostage has been the result of too much ice cream before bed while indulging in a violently scary movie.

The twinge of pain which throbbed against her brows when the clang of blades occured only reminded her of the reality of the situation. Taken hostage has not been the part of a terrible dream, it is real.

As she groggily pushes herself to sit up against the wall, she rubs her fingertips across her brows. Another clang of blades brings her fully around to alertness and her eyes shoot wide. She has no idea who Akrabbim is, but she hopes he is here to rescue her. If only he can take the madman down and whisk her away to safety.

Planning on the idea that Marcus is too focused on Akrabbim for the time being, Jazmyn moves - slowly at first. Why she does what she is about to do makes no sense, but the situation she is in doesn't make any sense - at least not in her mind.

Jazmyn springs to her feet and makes a rush towards Marcus from behind, hoping to be able to jump on his back and cover his eyes or something; just long enough to distract him and give Akrabbim a chance to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

[Jacen]

Jacen saw Jazmyn jump forward at Marcus, but he didn't grasp what she was trying to do. He put his hand out, trying to use what he had learned about telekinesis to stop her and pull her back to safety. He could see the two swords flashing around, and he feared the worst if she got to close.

His Force grip on her however would not be strong enough to change her direction, it might slow her down at best, but she would get closer to the two swordsmen atleast.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Akrabbim, from his vantage point, can see everthing that's about to happen. But even with his speed, there's nothing he can do to stop it.

Bad enough that the girl is foolish enough to get into harm's way. And, even worse, the young padawan was doing nothing but making matters worse. Had he actually stopped her, it would have been different. As is...

Akrabbim must act quickly. He rushes toward Marcus, blades whirling. Though a hit would be nice, all he has to do now is distract Marcus. If he were to turn toward the woman with that sword... he'd rather not think about that. He MUST keep her safe...

[Marcus Telcontar]

Attack from behind

Attack from the front

If it wasnt for the fact he was skilled with danger perception, he would have missed the woman's leap at him. as it was, he reacted more out of instinct than genuine thought.

He ducked and rolled out of path of both attacks with all the speed that he could produce. So, instead of his back, she was now faced with Akabbrim's blades.

[Jazmyn]

Things became even more surreal for the young woman being held hostage by a man she considers to be truly insane. Everything seems to slow down - as if watching a film in slow motion - and she gets the feeling of floating in mid-air as opposed to lunging forwards at the back of her abductor.

A strange feeling enveloped her body. A feeling of being held by invisible arms which allowed her to physically remain in motion, though slowed some. It's all very odd to Jazmyn. However, the embrace doesn't last very long. As Marcus ducked and rolled out of the way, Jazmyn looked up in mock horror, seeing that she was heading straight for her savior's blades. Her life flashes before her eyes. Eyes which grew as wide as saucers upon the realization that this is how she will die - by her own stupidity.

If she could stop herself in mid-air, she would. If she were a stunt woman or versed in the arts of the force, she could perhaps prevent what was about to come. Unless Akrabbim adjusts his blades or moves altogether - Jazmyn will end up impaling herself upon the mans weapons.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Akrabbim's eyes widen in shock. He should have seen this coming. Unfortunately, he did not. The only thing now is to totally throw himself off balance.

He flings his arms out wide, chest slightly forward, hoping not to harm the woman. As she collides into him, he feels her left hand brush one of his blades. As sharp as they are, he's sure she must have a nasty cut now. At least she's not dead.

He lands hard on his back, the woman atop him. He knows that he must rise, and quickly, or Marcus will be on him. He rolls the woman to his right, away from Marcus. Unfortunately, this exposes his back in the process. He lashes out with a hasty shot of darkness, hoping to blind his opponent long enough to recover. He can only pray that it works.

[Marcus Telcontar]

He hadn't attacked. In fact, he had backed off and was on his knee, staring in surprise at his sword.

His sword that was now broken about 30 cm from the hilt

How in the Galaxy had it lasted only these few years? Granted, it was nothing special, but surely it should have been able to last better than this. Cursing, he threw the now useless hilt aside, his other hand going for under his cloak. Under it was the weapon he almost never used anymore, for it was too distinctive. It would give him away to any Jedi whom he had shared the Temple with. But really, he wanted to get away. right now, that escape path was blocked by Akabbrim. This would mean that he would be vey likely be counted as an enemy of the GJO.

So be it. If it was his path that this was the final and irrevokable chism with the Jedi, then if it was the Will of The Force, so it would be.

The lightsabre was twice as long as normal. It had a very sword like hilt in the middle, so there was effective two hand hold places, above and below. The lower section had a look that could only be gained by something for great age and indded, this lightsabre was a thing of great age. It had been rebuilt since it came to him as a gift, it was a blade tha only a genuine Jedi master could learn to use, with Jedi arts given to it that set it apart. In the hand of a Jedi whom could weild it, it was a blade of unusual effectiveness.

In Marcus' hands, who knew it's secrets, it was much more.

Held in one hand, it came alive. The blade glowed red, before it changed note, sounding much more like a gas flame than the normal hum. It also began to colour shift, the blade slowly going blue, then green, then white, then red once again, in a cycle. His mind became blank of emotion, it became ice cold.

He waited for Akabbrim to right himself, his cloak moving in the breeze from the broken window, sabre colour cycling.

[Jazmyn]

Luckily, Akrabbim seen her sailing directly at him in the nick of time and moved his weapons aside. Of course, it left him exposed of taking the brunt of the woman's lithe frame slamming into him. With an oomph, Jazmyn knocks the man over and falls atop of him, realizing with shock that she isn't dead. Of course, she has no time to consider this miracle as she's roughly rolled over so Akrabbim can get up and continue with trying to bring an end to this ugly situation.

Scrambling across the floor to get out of harms way, she gets to her feet; hurriedly pulling down the hem of her skirt which had ridden up her thighs when she ran directly into the one she has dubbed in her mind as her Savior.

Limping to the wall, she presses herself against it, watching the two with wide-eyed horror and awe. 'This isn't happening, Jazmyn. Really. You're stuck in a nightmare and can't seem to wake yourself from it.', she thinks to herself. 'Maybe there was an accident on the way to work and I'm stuck in some hospital in a coma. That must be it. There is no way I could ever be in a situation like this. Ever. Exciting things never happen to me - plain ol' Jazmyn. The girl who is overlooked for everything.'

Marcus and Akrabbim are focused on each other and the part of Jazmyn that refuses to believe that this is in fact real and not some coma-induced nightmare, whispers to her; coaxing her to simply leave and go home. Jade colored eyes shift from the two combatants towards the broken window behind Marcus. They're pretty high up and the chances of being to escape out the window are zero - not too mention suicide.

'There has to be a way out. If I can only get to ...' A door! Far across the room there was a single door. 'Must lead to the stairs to the roof.', she reasons mentally.

Cautiously, she begins edging her way along the wall, shifting her eyes from the door, to Marcus, and back to the door again.

[imported_Akrabbim]

The shock of the woman landing on him is nothing compared to the shock at not being immediately killed by Marcus. He begins to rise, suprised by the man not taking the easy blow. In a situation where lives are at stake, Akrabbim would have taken it without question.

All thoughts as to his strange behavior are abandoned as the distinctive snap-hiss of a saber is heard. The blade is much longer than either of Akrabbim's katanas, but his twin swords even out the lack of reach. The strange blade color-shifts as Akrabbim watches it. He has no idea what it means, but he doubts seriously that it is simply decorative. Without turning his head, he calls to the young padawan, hopefully still in earshot.

Get her out of here!

With a bit of concentration, Akrabbim creates a distortion illusion. His arms appear to be multiple, while its true position is sometimes at the front of the images, sometimes behind, sometimes in the middle. Thus, when swinging, Akrabbim's true position will never be obvious. The same occurs over his whole body, as if he had split into three overlapping bodies that were constantly trying to realign themselves. Covered thus, he moves in on his opponent, swords at the ready.