Cracked Crystal: Trials

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Star
Cracked & Crystal
WARS

http://i.imgur.com/5gN61at.jpg


"The heart of the lightsaber, the crystal is"
"Like the Force user, the crystal is attuned to the Force. Without that attunmenet
the crystal is just a rock."

"...Adegan crystals-precious and hard to find"


"Crystals are living beings at the beginning of creation."

"The Gem cannot be polished without friction nor man without Trial"




*continued from Act 1* (https://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?57244-Cracked-Crystal-Under-Construction)





Shiny things on unfurled cloth was the domain of bohemian street swindlers who smelled like mud & spicy burps. Sirdi had an engine fuel stench though. Despite the way he sat and crossed his legs, he wasn't bohemian neither. Nor was he on the street.

He was on steel panels, light-years from the InterGalactic Bank colony: Mygeeto, the YT-2000’s destination and market for the missing link in his assemblage. An ice age froze the planet frigid, synthetic crystals powered the cities tucked amid the massive crystal glaciation and in less than an hour Sirdi would land in the “gem’s” (Mygeeto means gem in Muunilist conquerors tongue) port.

Until then, his eyes were shut close as demonstrated in holocron projections, manuals, holovids and Jedi Master Kaie instructed in the practice for lightsaber constructions. Each item on the cloth rattled. Sirdi tugged the Force’s strings like a marionette operator, and floated the pommel, grip, copper energy channel & field energizers, wires and etc.. The parts aligned and conjoined to hover with a gap in the middle.

All the components lingered before his shut eyes, even the focusing crystals plotted by his puppeteering strings within the copper-colored chamber planted within the hilt.

“I can see it.”

[Kaie]

Meditating across from Sirdi, Kaie could see everything in the Force and though she wasn't all that thrilled about visiting an Imperial world, she knew and understood his choice to go there. Facing one's fears was the first route to becoming more confident in the Force and claiming to being a Jedi. She had to face that test herself, many years before and though she was still getting to know her new student, Sirdi was proving to be rather unique in a variety of ways. Kaie's upbringing in the Pachmari as a healer was a test in itself, but on top of that she was Hapan which in the galaxy at large meant not only a white witch, but also a femalecentrist. A witch and Hapan was double trouble for any male that she had met and had it not been for her mother's training as they grew up, she may not have ever gone to become a Jedi in the first place.

Now, she was concentrating on the initial stages of Sirdi's lightsaber construction and her mind's eye caught the subtle moves with the various components as he focused on each. Her mind in the Force, she instead replied telepathically. ~Precision is paramount with creating this tool and extension of yourself. The crystal's only going to complete it.~

Beyond them, the galaxy cruised by as they continued on in hyperspace, giving the background in the Force an amazing morass of color to the master.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Like a mechanic reassembles the power cells cords to energize repulsor lifts and corks chasis latches shut, the Jedi's mind shifted parts about with swiftness. In hover, the parts linked. Mygeeto housed the last piece. Sirdi's left eye peeked out from meditation. Across him Kaie folded her own legs. She looked good, in the way a toothbrush would to a decaying tooth; she housed the skills to break down his failures and allow him to shine. Her words whispered into his own brain through some unknown speaker phone, and he inhaled - one eye open - with unremarkable ease.

"Hey, you can jus' talk ta me - I'm rih 'ere."

Behind him, he could hear his BB unit cheering. It was amused. Few adventures prior called to the demand of two Force users. Adventure was both the unit and the owner's specialty, yet they'd never done anything quite as mystical as the construction of the universe's protective sword.

[Kaie]

Realizing now that she probably caught him offguard or scared him a bit, she grinned and opened her eyes, green eyes brightened like sunrays gleaming on tall, wet grass. "When I'm in the Force like this, it's only natural for me to speak telepathically," she relayed, her voice almost ghostly. "It'll become natural for you too, once you reach that level." But, for now the task at hand was about his saber and it appeared that he was about done, allowing the raven haired healer to relax her touch on the Force.

Taking in a deep breath, she chuckled at his droid's excited chirping and beeps, glancing to the droid as it rolled back and forth as if dancing to it's own tune. "Where'd you two meet?"

[Sirdi Kōhō]

The multitude of tale on his junkyard dives and trinkets pulled were plentiful. Those teenage years scouring the galaxy, followed by Rebel Alliance employment on shipyards smeared his hands in ship fuel fluids. One such voyage led him to Hosnian Prime. Spaceports coated in turmoil nicknamed Stormtrooper (aka bucketheads) made good on their lore. They were training. Off-duty troops walked the base without regard, like most men in uniform, and snagged a few gals along the way, taking potshots at the nearest thing mechanical by the bar as their drunken stupors stumbled them back in forth in chuckling-hiccup fits layered over the lady giggles. Blasts popped droids arms off. Owners grumbled, but they knew their place. To speak up, without political armor, would leave a civilian SOL and likely seconds from feeling an E-11 blaster rifles butt smashed into their nose. The BB unit strolled by, dodging shots, bumping droids to push them away and out of zip shots.

Standard nosy behavior for that droid.

"He stuck his lil nodes in some--" Sirdi's eyes cut back to the droid. "--body's biz."

The BB swirled around their meditative circled.

Then rolled away into the cockpit. A beep called out for them; an alarm that they'd soon be exiting hyperspace in the Albarrio sector within range of the Mygeeto system.

[Kaie]

Surprised that the otherwise cheerful droid could be so meddlesome did catch her offguard though she had heard of some droids doing some pretty amazing things. Anyone that thought they didn't develop their own personalities hadn't been around droids long enough. Watching the BB unit speed toward the cockpit, she knew they were about ready to enter the target sector and no doubt, not long after, Mygeeto. "Your business or someone else's," she queried, amusedly.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

The parts floated back to the cloth. He blinked, tilted his head, and shrugged, eyes jotting down memories as they cut to the side. His legs uncrossed, his hands curled the cloth, and he shrugged. "Bittuh both," he chuckled.

Next to them was a string bag. Curled up, he threw the parts back in there, and stood up above her, stretching his hand out to assist the Master back to her feet. "And now he's goin' in de cockpit to mess 'round some mo'"

[Kaie]

Accepting his hand, she stood and then stretched her legs a bit as he replied as to the business of the droid heading into the cockpit and though she knew that Mygeeto was nearing there was little else that she had to do to get ready for their arrival. Other than change out of her Jedi robes, that is. "I'm going to clean up and change before we get there," she announced, turned and headed for the guest berthing. "Do you have any smuggling compartments on this ship? May be a good place to hide the parts and my saber as well in case their customs officials get nosy." Green eyes glanced back to him as she approached the room's doorway.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

A jostle shifted the ship. They'd entered beyond the crew's lounge and into the galley. Sirdi could see down the hall through the galley and into the cockpit. The windshields showed stars and space's darkness. They'd arrived, and the speck & beeps of the rolling BB unit up ahead indicated there was something up. Before slipping pass the crew quarters to his pilot room, he glanced back at Kaie alongside him.

"Ya sho' ya wanna throw ya saber inna compartment." His brows flashed up.

There was no telling what was awry down on Mygeeto. "Ya could jus' hide it on ya self, ya know?"

He came to stand at his doorway, looking back at her, tapping at his own waist side and shrugging at her. There was no weapon there, but his hands were making a gun; he definitely was going to grab up his trusty pistol just in case.

[Kaie]

Stopping at the room door, she leaned on the frame, "If it's an Imperial world then their security sensors are going to pick up on anything that we're hiding on us, unless you're planning on not going to any civilized port. Otherwise, I won't bother."

[Sirdi Kōhō]

The Galactic Empire controlled Mygeeto, the system and beyond the sector. However, Sirdi was acquainted with Imperial security. "Don't worry," he sat in his pilot chair, projecting for distance. "Jus' bring it. We got this."

He hoped.

The ship directed to the planet in the distance. Kaie and Sirdi needed to grab up some heavy-fitted garments. The planet was frigid, and they weren't going to be staying in city bounds. The rendezvous point was beyond the outskirts.

[Kaie]

Doubting his confidence, she instead entered the room and closed the door, continuing on then to the refresher and once inside, took a quick sonic shower. Cleaning up since she had been unintentionally kidnapped, Kaie brushed out her hair and then put it up in a ponytail. Getting dressed in the room, she stuffed the dirty clothes into a washer standing in one corner, tucked between a locker and the outside of the refresher wall. Though she probably wouldn't be here to fold them, at least they would be clean, she mused. Pulling on her boots, the white witch then grabbed her lightsaber and continued on from the room to the large locker containing an assortment of heavy clothing as well as two G suits. Donning the large coat and insulated pants, she then grabbed a pair of gloves and goggles as well as a heavy scarf. Seemed rather excessive, but she knew the outside temperature was going to make her glad that she had put these things on. The Force could only do so much.

Moving on to the cockpit, Kaie sat down in an adjacent chair to Sirdi as he brought them in. Clouds surrounded them and passed by as the ship descended, the misty vapor falling to the surface soon giving way to majestic, snow capped mountains and deep valleys. Mygeeto was beautiful in it's own way, she noted as the ship's captain sought out a good landing spot.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Kaie entered to Sirdi in his own insulated brown bottoms, black boots and the thermal long-sleeve to keep him warm. There was plenty more to be adorned if he wasn't going to die frostbit. Beyond the windows was white and more white. Glaciers stood like spires from the earth. Land masses riddled with urban sprawls poked from the mountains, icy islands and circular bases beacon his landing. A city up ahead filled with speeder buzzes was his landing point, but not before throwing on his jacket. Fur ran across the collar. He zipped up, and pulled at the levers as he slowed for a landing.

"Finally," he murmured, the repulsors blaring underneath as his freight's legs braced him for a plop in the dome landing bay.

[Kaie]

Green eyes took in the interior of the dome's hangar area, the long, slender window on the far wall where the control employees could look into the cockpit's large windows. As Sirdi went through the shutdown procedure, Kaie rose and slowly began moving back toward the rampway, formulating in her mind what she may have to encounter, even though Satkia would remind her to always let the Force guide her along. Some old habits were hard to break it seemed. Through the hallway, conjoining various other rooms, she soon reached the closed interior door and turned and waited for the pilot. Mygeeto was his destination and she had no intentions of getting in the way. The Force was going to lead him to his crystal here, though if the Imperial officials here got in the way, that could pose a whole new list of problems.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

The ramp creaked down. He swung his jacket over his body, arms slipping through the holes. In a brisk break to the door, he reached out and called to his bag. It zoomed to his hand from across the chambers. None of the parts were suspicious, but what they were going to get was going to be. The Imps out the window staring in, handling the controls, weren't of his concern. They'd done nothing wrong, yet.

It was the getaway that'd be a problem.

Walking by Kaie, he trotted down the ramp into the frigid chill. A freeze bore through his bones. The cold sent an involuntary shiver under his zipped jacket, thermal and undershirt. No layer could stop the breeze; they needed to get off this planet fast. Years on Druckenwell, Ord Mantell and Nar Shaddaa had gotten his body accustom to nice temperature. Especially when the sun was smiling down on them.

"Frell," he grumbled, gripping the bag. "Lets get de frack outta 'ere and back inside." He could barely look back at Kaie, as he began stumbling his way out from the open dome into the port for clearance. There was definitely going to be some traffic inside. Many ships flew in at the same time. Yet, his mind was on renting a speeder. They needed to get out of town as soon as possible for the set time with his contact.

They had about 2 standard hours from what his watch said. Not that he looked at it. He was too busy trying to flee the Mygeeto freeze and get inside.

[Kaie]

Her goggles on and scarf pulled up, the inconspicuous Jedi knew that all of this covering would be more then enough to keep her from being identified by any scanners right away, even if the cold and damp seemed to find every other crevice and small opening. Kaie moved along with Sirdi, agreeing with him that they needed to get inside as soon as possible. Groaning from the servomotors behind them announced the raising of the ramp which would keep the frigid weather out of the ship at least. Blustery snow blew across the tarmac, yellow blinking lights denoting the edges of the landing area barely visible as the two moved to the entryway and soon entered the main transport hub. Inside, the warmer air gave them some respite from the biting cold as maintenance droids and repair technicians worked in the shops to either side, others passing them in the wide hallway.

Once through the initial area and unmanned security station, they walked through the scanners easily enough and Kaie then noticed the pair of security droids within the room to her right, replacing any flesh and bone officer that would have to keep on watch with the blasting chill coming in. Opening wider, the main concourse offered an information kiosk in the center, giving them directions to various shops as well as a speeder rental office not far from them. Announcements echoed from unseen speakers, mixing in with the voices of mainly human staff as well as crew from other ships here. Raising the goggles, she pulled down the scarf which allowed her to breathe in the recirculated air. Pointing to the shop marked on the kiosk, "Here's a speeder rental that you were looking for."

[Sirdi Kōhō]

"Finally," his impatience soaked his tone.

His hands went into his pocket to check for his credchip. All his precious belongings were on a clip. Credits were still coming in from his term in the Alliance military services.

Sirdi ran through the list. His eye caught the SoroSuub's RGC-18; low mileage, premium condition and more importantly heated. With a click, pushing and pulling slip of the chip, they waited as the speeder swooped by the exit - the receipt & clearance codes with terms of agreements with authorization signatures coming up on his data pad.

"Let's get outta 'ere." He clicked his data pad one last time to send the signature and open the clearance codes as he walked to the gate where the valet stood by the rental.

[Kaie]

Watching as others continued on with their own daily duties, Kaie then followed Sirdi from the rental office and out through a nearby door, allowing them to then approach the enclosed speeder. Opening the driver's side door, the valet handed Sirdi the keys as the white witch slid into the passenger side and closed the door. Buckling in, she relaxed in the comfortable leather seat, turning to look over the seat and into the back where the long couch would allow guests. She only wished now that they could have thought about any survival gear, though she had a feeling that the trunk had more than enough if they got stuck.

As they began moving, Kaie took in their surroundings as the garage was soon exited. "How long do you think it'll take to get to this contact?" Glancing to the center console, she noticed a topographical map in the small computer screen as well as other options.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

They were the moving blip. Out from the garage complex and into the flow of durasteel, repulsor lift engines purring and beeps, Sirdi thumbed the screen for coordinates.* He diverted the map into a wide shot and poked a waypoint.

"Thirty," he announced as the directions and pathway lined the screen. Sirdi settled into his seat, gripped the wheel and looked out at the traffic ahead into the streets.* Buildings topped the horizon and surrounded highways.

He pushed the center console, out blared the music. Drums beat as horns blew in a chorus of foreign hoots jointed with guitar roars.

[Kaie]

Nodding quietly, Kaie turned her green eyes to the fields and distant mountains of white as they passed more buildings, most conjoined with one another via upper walkways. She had visited many worlds in the past and this one was just another that would be listed as beautiful in it's own right. Majestic mountains rose high into the sky, some cut off by a thick layer of clouds and as they cruised toward their unknown destination, the Jedi Master did her best to ignore the music knowing Sirdi enjoyed it. During one break between songs, she turned to him. "What made you wish to become a Jedi?"

Since they had met, she still knew little about him as most of his replies had been one or two words.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

"My superiors," was the short answer. The long, extensive, full response that would award him a passing grade on the sociable scale involved an tell all on how he lost his parents, watched after by his sister, who carried on the traditions of beast handling and talks of seeing the past through touch. A bit of that and she might get a bit of insight into why a curious spacer might be fine with an assignment from flipping burgers on a grill when he signed up to be a flyboy.

But, he kept it at that, for the most part. "Useta fix up ships on yards fa da Alliance. Got bumped down take fry duty afta a silly run in with a Zeltro b--" he paused and gathered his words with a smirk, eyes still on the road.

"--girl, I took whateva they threw a'me."

They had about an hour to get there and traffic was still thick.

[Kaie]

Brow furrowed lightly as she listened and though he was a man of few words, something as simple as this question seemed to also prompt a short, cryptic response. Watching him as they cruised quietly through the heavy traffic along the narrow, permacrete and transparisteel canyon, she understood that he was like an onion that needed to be peeled in layers. "How did that lead to you wishing to become a Jedi? For myself," she added, turning her gaze to the vehicle before them. "Growing up in the Pachmari, my mother taught us to use our gifts of healing to tend to the wounded witches during our annual gatherings, but at home, on Hapes, she ran a shop which offered natural remedies for ailments. I knew I'd never be able to get more training beyond that at home, especially after the ambush on Baralou, so seeking out the Jedi only seemed natural. Been with the order now for many years."

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Some of the planets she mentioned didn't register. He was a galaxy traveler, but the universe was filled with sectors, systems and expanded regions his feet never graced nor heard stuck in the Corporate Sector, Inner & Outer Rims. Druckenwell was filled with seedy and strange adventurers. Faces throughout the universe stumbled the docks on Ord Mantell. Nar Shaddaa was filled with the peculiar and dangerous; not the kind of crowd Kaie would meddle with.

"Years, eh?" There was talk of the Wheel traveling the starry seas before landing on Ossus a couple years back. He'd wondered if she was with the traveling pack. She'd definitely come in handy: healers were needed amongst the galactic terrors.

"Did ya fight in da Clone Wars?"

[Kaie]

"No. I was just a little girl then," she grinned, glancing at him. The query told her more about him and she now wondered if she really looked that old. "Still not going to tell me why you want to be a Jedi, huh?"

[Sirdi Kōhō]

His eyes shot up for a second as a thought crossed his mind. "Well," he began, cutting his gaze sideways at her as they stopped at a traffic sign. "I'll tellya, ya know, if ya getta 'round tell me if ya were on the Wheel and when ya joined in with the Jedi."

[Kaie]

Sighing lightly, she grinned and chuckled lightly to herself. Getting to know him was going to take a while. Green eyes focused on the traffic around them as well as the advertisements adorning the fronts of various shops and companies, names only meaning something to the locals though a few did ring a bell. Speeder and ship dealers, major corporations delving in freight or affiliated with the Corporate Sector seemed to be established everywhere in the civilized galaxy. A part of her enjoyed being an unknown in this town and with their affiliations with the Empire, it was even better that a Jedi could venture unchecked. At least for now.

Sirdi wasn't ready to be recognized as a Jedi yet, nor did she think he had the temperament. This was going to take some time, but without his help she couldn't do it on her own either. Nor would she try. What truly concerned the Jedi Master was that he was already at the stage of creating his lightsaber. When they got back to Ossus, she was definitely going to have to talk to the ones that trained him up this far.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

His eyes stayed on the road. There was little to be said as they moved through traffic. He was curious, however, about Kaie's past. She seemed an expert in the stranger nature of the Force. She could heal herself. Archives identified it as a trait of the Old Republic's Jedi Order, but not a prominent skill. Yet, she possessed the skill despite her young face. How could that be? It was a question he'd figure out through observation. Her past was not detailed enough for his liking.

He did trust her though - at least enough to watch his back.

For, he sensed trouble amidst, in spite the cool, calm of the Mygeeto city and his slow drive outside the city limits.

[Akilah]

Handed a datapad from the local intelligence officer, Akilah nodded quietly and then began perusing the information that had brought her here in the first place. Scanning the names and places apparently involved, blue eyes soon found the alarm. A private meeting was rumored to be taking place by a local dealer in crystals which to the Empire had already been outlawed. Everything had to be documented and publicly done, so this event meant that someone had found a buyer that didn't wish to be known. Another problem, the Imperial intelligence deputy director mused. Taking a seat within the room abuzz with monitors and computer consoles manned by five Imperial analysts, Akilah knew this meeting was going to have to be interrupted.

"What do you think," the middle-aged male in dark grey, Imperial uniform inquired.

"Let them gather at this location and then send in our teams to arrest them. I need the crystals that they're selling also," she glanced up to the agent-in-charge. "If the crystals aren't there, then we follow them at a safe distance and then take them. But, no one leaves Mygeeto. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded, then turned and walked up to the pair of analysts now overseeing the establishment of surveillance teams. Hopefully they would be in time.

[Kaie]

Clusters of round-topped buildings soon gave way to wide expanses of low, snowy hills and distant mountains. Though something on the far fringes of her touch to the Force was warning the Master of possible danger, she knew that whatever may be awaiting them would present itself in time. She had no illusions coming to this Imperial-leaning world, so any possible trouble would be met and with the Force as her ally, she feared nothing. Regardless of how things worked out, she was more than prepared to meet her ancestors in the Force when the time came. Until then, she enjoyed the ride, the interesting music in the background keeping her mind otherwise occupied.

"How well do you know this contact," she finally interrupted the quiet, glancing to Sirdi.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

"I don't," he retorted flatly.

Sirdi had no idea if the contact was a friend of a friend, or simple a business associate. Yet, he relied on his trust of his connect. They'd never failed him before, and they had plenty reason to. Still, like Kaie, he was aware of the plausible downfall.

Still, he took the risk. It was in his nature. "But, uh--my connections good. If things go south, what'd ya do?" He smirked at the prospect. Sirdi wasn't a planner, and though he saw the danger, he had faith in his improv skills.

Plus, he was there on a good cause: being a Jedi. What was a Jedi without his saber? A kooky magic man. So, as he sped out through the snow hills, glaciers, ice capes, and beyond a trail to the coordinates, he turned the music down to talk with Kaie.

They were no more than 10 minutes away.

[Kaie]

Noticing the music's volume lower, she eased a bit. "We deal with the situation as it presents itself, if things don't go well. Just keep your senses aware and we'll be fine." This task was soon coming into focus as she mused on the possible scenarios, though only briefly. Depending on the Force to warn her of danger was the safest bet and had never failed her before.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Her answer was met with his silence and his eyes ahead. White, ice plains rolled before them. On the dashboard, their marker stopped under the red blip identifying the set coordinates. They'd reach their destinations. He curved the speeder to a stop, and looked around.

"Where," he mused, but did not finish the sentence, simply glanced around from the safety of his transport.

On his lap sat the datapad, awaiting the signal. His back pressed against the seat, legs were wide, but peered annoyed.

[Kaie]

As they apparently arrived at the meeting place, Kaie opened herself to the Force and wondered where their contact was. Though she understood that some businessmen may not be punctual, she also understood that this deal was possibly one that wasn't legal which meant taking precautions. "You have any way of contacting him that we're here?"

Keeping her touch to the Force, she pushed her senses out as far as she could and soon noticed a group moving toward them and she pointed out the small speeder heading toward them. "Think this is them?"

[Sirdi Kōhō]

What she felt seemed accurate.

Ahead was the speeder. It bobbled across the snow. Sirdi stared. In the glare of his eyes reflected the shiny transport without a roof. In the planet's cold, it seemed stupid, but there was an enormous box in the backseat to justify the stupidity. Sirdi judged without an expression. Every second they neared, his gaze sharpened to find no one was manning the speeder.

"Where are they?"

When the speeder pulled to a stop in front of Sirdi's rented vehicle, he looked about. Up above hummed an engine. A hovercraft toppled down with four masked men. They landed behind the speeder. A short man stepped out first. The others surrounded him in a flank. They were the bodyguards. Sirdi stepped out his speeder, feet pressing into the ice snow. No words were used for greetings by the four men. Only a gesture. The short one lifted his hand and nodded.

Sirdi walked over in the quiet of the white snow.

His trots sounded like papers being crunched.

They had business to handle.

[Kaie]

Kaie watched the situation and felt something was off about all this, but not with the landing speeder or the men that now escorted the supposed seller, but something elsewhere. Out of sight. Green eyes scanned their surroundings, toward the rocky hills and forest. Reaching out with the Force, the Jedi calmed herself and let the energy now flowing through her to alert the white witch to anything amiss. Soon, her suspicions were confirmed. They weren't as alone as Sirdi was hoping and as she mentally watched the group of those hiding beyond the treeline, Kaie now wondered if these unseen men were part of the seller's entourage and only here just in case, or if they were something else entirely.

Opening her eyes while she kept her mental tag on the unseen ones, Kaie watched the deal as it went down, knowing she was going to have to warn Sirdi if the others made a move.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

The short one hid his hands behind his back and folded them. Flanked by his guards, he walked forth only two trots. Sirdi met him. He towered over the seller, but not his behemoths. They were Whipid size. Sirdi didn't even give them a look. He simply stared down at the black masked man.

Out from behind the mask, a mechanically distorted voice croaked through the cold, "I am Cracked Diamond. You are Kōhō. I have the productt."

No one budged. Sirdi spoke flat, "I have the funds."

"Good." Without any movement by the three, the cargo in the speeder popped open. A container was there. In a pivot, turn, and stomp, one of the masked mammoth men went to grab the goods.

In his silent return, he dropped it before Sirdi and the seller clicked the top. What was revealed as it opened was a shimmering crystal in soft cushion. Sirdi did not blink. He simply glanced. Then, diverted his eyes back up at the merchant. Hand up, he halted the mammoth's as he reached slowly into his back pocket.

He pulled out his datapad and with a few clicks, a holo visual floating atop the pad, he sent the funds. A beep could be heard coming from the merchant.

"Transferred. Good day." The three turned and trotted to the lift.

[Kaie]

Now that the deal had been done, Kaie immediately notice the hidden group spring into action. Mentally, she reached out to Sirdi, ~Run!~.

Sliding over to the driver's seat, Kaie revved the engine to the speeder and raced to gather the pilot, pushing open the passenger door with the Force, sliding the vehicle sideways toward him. Beyond, the two speeders now housing the mysterious group raced out into the open, windows down as they fired into the sellers from one vehicle while the second was now bearing down on them. Keeping herself as calm as she could, the white witch entrusted the Force would help them escape whoever this was.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Her words shot through the deep, silent, void from the Force into his head like a bullet. Sirdi ducked. He crouched. His eyes follow the shots, cutting his glare each way. They were surrounded. Not only was Kaie and he targetesaid, but blaster bolts blazed after the small seller. There was no time to figure out why.

The was only time to move. While shots were fired, he heard engines blare and gears clunk behind them to the blazing repulsors burn of ice. Kaie was fast at work; so reliable she was. Without even looking back, Sirdi folded into the speeders passanger seat. "Go," he shouted.

Another wayward blaster bolts blasted and flew over the speeder's roof.

"Go!" He repeated.

[Kaie]

The moment that Sirdi hit the seat, she punched the accelerator, now attuned with the Force, she used it's warnings of blaster bolts as well as other obstacles as she maneuvered into the light forest, avoiding trees and boulders and used what little cover she could to avoid being shot. Shooting through the trees, the driver of the pursuing vehicle was good, but not as good as someone using the Force's energy as a guide. Green eyes negotiated the route through the undulating terrain and large trunks, narrowly avoiding collisions within a hair's breadth at times, finding a route soon that would lead them back to town and away from these attackers.

"You have a gun," she finally asked, turning the steering vanes violently as she kept her foot on the accelerator pedal and pushed to the floor.

Soon, their journey took the rental speeder across a small pond which fed into a river, and allowed Kaie to then open up the speeder even more as the attacking vehicle continued bouncing off of rocks and trees, slowing them down considerably. Winding along the river, she knew without any overhead surveillance, they would escape.

Unfortunately, she wasn't privy to the probe being used to help the Imperial team, high above.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

Sirdi was privy. He'd dealt with Imps. They always had probes. Unlike Jedi and blasters. When Kaie asked, he shook his head no. He left his gun aboard his ship. His arsenal only consisted of his training saber and an imagination. Luckily, he was resourceful and had the Force. While they banked off the icy riversides and dodged frozen trees, he scrounged.

The speeder manuals flew to the backseat. Device chargers flung from their outlets. Then, Sirdi stopped. He held up a tiny datachip. It was issued with the card. Often, the chip was used for file transfers for datapad use. Some drivers used the chip to store music for the ride. Sirdi had other plans.

In a swirl, he tossed it out the window. The chip flew up. Sirdi opened his other palm wide as if holding a ball. He shifted his wrist and watched as the chip shot through the sky unnaturally. The Force commanded the chip to move at blinding speed. It darted right into the floating probe beeping above like a bullet.

"There," Sirdi grumbled, the probe falling to it's fate.

The toppled probe banked off the ground into the way of an incoming attacker. "Frell," Sirdi groaned, looking back out the window. More blaster bolts followed after them. Somehow, someway, Kaie was going to have to get them out of there. "Still not'n de clear, damn."

[Kaie]

Banking hard to the left, Kaie hit the brakes as she rounded a large boulder, covered in ice and snow and used the terrain to help conceal them from the pursuers. Focused now on the lifeforms within the vehicle, she used that reference to keep tabs on them as she rounded the large boulder and soon emerged behind them. The engines from their own speeder whining once again with the renewed acceleration. Not one to ever use the Force to hurt someone, she instead homed in on a large stone in the path of the Imperials, pulling it free from it's moorings and into the path of the speeder.

Avoiding the collision herself, she glanced down as the attacker's speeder slammed into the stone, sparks and bits of metal flying in every direction. Soon, a trail of black smoke rose into the air as Kaie and Sirdi escaped toward town. Breathing a sigh of relief, she knew this wasn't over yet.

"Find us another route back to the starport. Can't use the same way we came."

[Sirdi Kōhō]

As she ordered, he followed. Sirdi pressed at the nav-computer. The map loaded. There was not enough to see. There was a lot of tundra en route to the city. They'd have a way around that could avoid some of the following attackers.

"We get goin' west." He pointed. "But den switch up when I say so."

Sirdi slumped back, fingering the navcomp, awaiting for the next turn. There was no telling if anyone else was watching their moves, but going about the city bounds it would be best to avoid the traditional routes. Entering in a different high way into the cityscape could easily throw off the idiots who rained down on them.

[Kaie]

Nodding as he accessed the navicomputer, tucked in the center console below the temperature control and radio, Kaie then banked hard to the left and continued driving, using the terrain to hide them from anyone in the city perhaps helping these people track them. Rolling, snowy hills kept them concealed and soon she felt they had gotten away. With their speed, it would be some time before their pursuers in the crashed speeder would wake and be able to call anyone. She only hoped that they didn't have friends waiting for the two Jedi when they arrived at the ship.

Relaxing again, she allowed the Force to warn her of any other dangers, cruising through the narrow cut carved by a frozen river underneath them now.

[Sirdi Kōhō]

There was no telling whether or not they'd be welcomed by another force of danger at the ship docks, but they'd soon find out. The two Jedi lay slumped in the seats. Both their eyes were alert. At any turn there could be an onslaught awaiting. Yet, Sirdi's mind was elsewhere. He was concerned with more than their return to the ship. If the Empire was alerted, they'd have a hard time flying out. Who knew what they were planning, and what they knew already.

"You dink dey kno' tho," He didn't turn his head, his eyes still on the off-beaten road ahead. "Dat, ya kno', we are Jedi?" Sirdi was certain their pursuers were alerted they'd come for the crystals. However, their allegiances would cause more than just a bust.

It'd be a full on assault. Jedi were a hot commodity in the galaxy. Newly returned to the public eye, but still scarred by propaganda of the past - there was a lot of miseducation out there. It was was even worst with the Imperial Knights rewriting what it meant to be a guardian in Imperial space. Jedi had long since been seen as traitors. Sirdi shook his head at the thought. The crystal was worth the fight, but not the death; they were in deep poodoo and only minutes from hitting a highway straight to the starport.