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[IC] Clone Wars (Attack of the Revenge of the Menace)
Posts
No reason had been given for the meeting. The Council was becoming more secretive with each passing day. This seemed like a prelude to another unfriendly negotiation. Another security act in the Senate. Another nick taken from the blades of the Jedi.
They had stood outside the doors for at least ten minutes past their appointed time. Nar Aval couldn't help but suppress a slight smile as his mind, patient as it was, inevitably wandered a bit. It occurred to him that Kenobi must be in there... he always talked too much.
"It is best, Casso, to trust in the Council's decisions. We will know what we need to know when we need to know it. We are, as you say, an arm, and we leave it to the head to think." Nar spoke calmly and precisely, and it was often difficult to tell if he spoke earnestly or in jest.
"Step forward, Jedi. The council has an important matter to discuss with you," intoned the deep voice of Master Windu.
Nar Aval walked to the center of the floor, his Padawan staying close behind. Though he had stood before the council before, they reamained somewhat intimidating... perhaps enhanced by the mysterious nature of the meeting.
"The Chancellor has recieved a transmission from a planet called Bunduki a distant part of the galaxy, the Parcanth Reach," continued Windu. "We believe that the Separatists are attempting to bring them to their cause. This part of the galaxy is all but unknown to the Republic, and the Chancellor wishes you to convince them of the Republic's merits and keep them from the influence of the Separatists. He believes he can make a convincing case to give them a seat in the Senate."
"At the edge of the galaxy, the Dark Side I sense," spoke Master Yoda in a serious tone, "To discover the true nature of this threat, your talents we trust. Great care you must take. When prepared you are, to the Senate Hangar go and meet Master Tiin. When clearer this situation becomes, contact the council you must."
"May The Force be with you."
"As you wish, Councilmen; Force be with you."
Nar turned his head to face his padawan; Nar felt it was important that those involved should have their say, and would not leave without allowing Casso his own opportunity to speak.
"You can have faith in us. May the Force be with you, Masters."
In the hallway, his lekku shivered; "Politics," he said with a grin, that same damn grin he wore whenever he was near other Jedi. "We shouldn't delay. Is there anything you need before we head on to the hangar?"
Nar Aval walked on at a comfortable pace, not moving hurriedly nor leisurely. "The Parcanth Reach -- does that sound familiar to you?"
"What was the planet's name? Bunduki?... Bunduki! That's where the Steel Hand martial art originated! It was only a small part of my training, but Master Koon knows more about it, I think. Anyway, that's all I know about the Pacanth Reach."
Nar continued on for some time, silently.
"We'll have to see what we can gleam from the ship's library on the trip about the Reach. I'd rather not be going into this blind, and if there's a Dark Side presence..." Nar trailed off as the pair stepped through the hangar doors.
Master Tiin approached as two Judicial Forces members clad in slate-gray uniforms boarded the ship. True to the reputation that he went to business with little formality, the Iktotchi's greeting was only a nod. He handed the Knight and Padawan each a cloak and a belt.
"Take these, from what little we know about Bunduki you're going to need them. And perhaps I'm being a little cautious, but I insisted that you take the Reckoning V here," he said, proudly motioning to the Consular-Class ship behind him, "She's been modified for minimum crew and a couple of turbolaser turrets... well concealed of course... as well as a small hangar. There are two of the new Delta-7's in there. Most Jedi haven't had the chance to pilot one. If you run into any trouble they'll do nicely."
Master Tiin straightened a bit, looking behind the two Jedi. "This is an unexpected surprise..." he said quietly, and as the Jedi turned they saw the approach of Chancellor Palpatine, flanked by a pair of Senate Guards. Palpatine, now known as "Supreme Chancellor", was growing more powerful all the time. It seemed as if each day the senate voted him more power and more responsibility. It was surprising indeed to see him making such a candid appearance to bid his goodbyes to two Jedi.
"Greetings, Master Tiin. I don't mean to delay this mission, but I wanted to give personal thanks to your young Jedi. The necessity of this task cannot be underestimated, and I am glad you have seen fit to put two of your finest up to the job."
"Of course, Chancellor," said Saesee Tiin with his usual militant seriousness, "the Jedi are always proud to serve the Republic."
Palpatine faced the Knight directly, wearing his signature smile with a touch of sadness, "Nar Aval... it is unfortunate that we have not met until now. Master Sifo-Dyas was a great asset to the Republic, and his foresight... and friendship... are greatly missed. I am glad to see that the Council has recognized the worthiness of his successor."
Palpatine continued as he looked toward Casso: "And I must say that I am quite impressed that House Antilles maintains its reputation as a defender of the Republic, though it no longer may boast a senate delegate. You are the spitting image of your brother Raymus at your age... truly there is no end to the sacrifices the noblest house of Alderaan will make for the Republic."
The Supreme Chancellor nodded to his guards, preparing to leave.
* All-Temperature Cloak (2)
grants a +5 Equipment Bonus to Fortitude Defense against Extreme Weather
* Utility Belt (2)
contents:
3 day supply of food capsules
medpac (bandages, bacta, synthetic skin, coagulants, stimulants, misc. medicines)
small tool kit (hydrospanner, power calibrator, shock probe, sonic welder, wires and connectors)
1 power pack, 1 energy cell, 1 glowrod, 1 liquid cable dispenser w/ small grappling hook
aquata rebreather
canteen with water purifier
The last records of the Pacanth Reach dated to before the time of the Ruusan Reformation nearly a thousand years ago. History remembered these days as the Dark Age of the Republic, when the Sith Brotherhood of Darkness clashed with the Jedi Army of Light.
The Pacanth Reach was a place of intese fighting during this period. The Sith rampaged through the galaxy, and during part of their campaing they waged massive battles against the Jedi and Republic in the Pacanth Star Cluster. Panatha, Fornow, Ravaath, Sorimow, and Bunduki all sustained heavy fighting from ground assault as well as orbital bombardments.
Many Sith and Jedi perished on these worlds, felled not only by conventional weapons. Twisted creatures born of Sith Alchemy and cybernetic experimentation were unleashed with horrific results. Previous records indicate that either Lord Kaan or Darth Ruin may have been the leader of the Sith forces in these battles, and that the manipulation of The Force employed by the dark lord was devastating to native life forms.
There were a few maps of the inhabited worlds, including Bunduki, but little else. Sentient life on Bunduki were predominantly human, and also many were of a near-human species known as Epicanthix, native to the nearby planet of Panatha. The climate appeared to be a bit cold, due to the near-continual storms that cover its skies and reflect a great deal of solar radiation.
Nar reviewed the information that the Chancellor's Office had provided the Jedi. Its militant brevity left something to be desired.
"Recieved Contact from Lady Pike, Governess of Äslajä. Assassinations and terrorist activity in central government areas. Her reports strongly suggest Separatist influence. A show of negotiation without force from the Republic may bring stability to the Pacanth Reach, prevent further Separatist Encroachment. Chancellor has significant support from the Loyalist Faction, can offer the Pacanth Reach a seat in the Galactic Senate. Pacanth Reach is somewhat isolated, some effort may be required to demonstrate to the threat that the Separatists pose to peace and security."
Nar leaned back in his seat, staring at the screen. Something was missing...
I wonder how bad the situation is, he thought as he stood up and jumped down from the fighter. The Chancellor doesn't just come to see every Jedi off on their missions. Lost in thought, he shut the cockpit slowly and began to walk idly up and down the hangar.
After landing, the pilots stayed aboard the cruiser, hoping to get a bit of maintenance done during their stay. The Jedi exited and drew their cloaks about them in the howling wind and rain. After what seemed like a long walk from the landing platform, they entered the city through a large sliding door.
Inside they were greeted by three figures, a woman flanked by two guards. They were all at least six and a half feet in height, dark-haired, and quite attractive by human standards. Nar caught some strange looks from the guards... they had obviously never laid eyes on a Twi'Lek before. The female, however, maintained an air of diplomatic grace and betrayed no such surprise.
"Welcome to Äslajä, friends, I am Governess Pike," she said, with a slight bow. "We are happy to recieve the Republic... but I had thought that perhaps there would be... a few more of you. Please follow me, we can find a place where you might dry off and we can talk further."
After introductions, Lady Pike led the Jedi into the City. The seemed to be standing upon the uppermost level of Äslajä. Overhead, rain could be seen furiously pelting its transparent roof. The city was filled with the dull roar of the downpour and the activity of the citizens below.
"I am relieved that the Republic has answered our call for help. We have recently become threated by terrorists, and our intelligence indicates that they are being aided by a group from outside our cluster... one that we have heard the Republic struggles with as well. Do not worry, though, the upper level here is quite secure."
Nar Aval's character sheet
Casso Jung's character sheet
Initiative: 26
"We are pleased to be of service, Governess," he spoke, "And whatever information you might have for us regarding the terrorists would only be beneficial." Nar's eyes wandered, picked up every little thing, but he kept his focus on the Governess nonetheless. "We will, of course, do everything in our power to aid the people of Äslajä. There are things the Republic would have us discuss with you -- but I think perhaps we are not as secure as you'd suggest."
perception (1d20+11=27)
I'm assuming that Nar is going to alert the group to the sniper, which means the opponents are aware of each other and combat begins.
Initiative Order:
1 - Casso (27)
2 - Guards (1d20+9=17)
3 - Assassin (1d20+10=16)
4 - Lady Pike (1d20+2=14)
5 - Nar (14, rolled lower than Lady Pike)
It's Casso's Turn!
Feel free to peep the stat blocks in OOC thread, and you'll know if your attacks are successful. Note that the Assassin currently has cover, granting him a +5 to his Reflex Defense.
Map:
Blue dot is the assassin, P is Lady Pike, N is Nar, C is Casso, G1 and G2 are guards. Also, I screwed up because Guard 1 should be in the square directly in front of Lady Pike. All doors on this map are currently closed.
He leapt.
The assassin saw the robed figure hurtling through the air, and opened fire. A blaster bolt ripped apart the air where Casso's chest had been a tenth of a second before as he rolled through the air. Righting himself just as he landed, he skidded sideways in a crouch, putting one hand to the ground and pulling his lightsaber from his belt with the other.
Surge check (1d20+10=17)
used up one Force point to add 2 squares to my movement and 10 to my Jump check. Total Force points: 6
Jump check plus Surge plus Force Point (1d20+35=45)
End result: moved a total of six squares over, six up from his former position.
The Assassin stayed low as the shots blazed around him. From his position, Casso could see the human grab a comlink from his pocket and yell into the roar.
"My cover is blown! Get out here before I get smoked, you karking idiots!" he screamed, before dropping the comlink and quickly firing a shot at the young padawan. Casso ducked, and the blaster bolt slammed into a nearby terminal. He winced slightly as the hot embers of the exploded terminal pelted his skin, suddenly remembering the time Nar had once told him: "look before you leap".
Nar'aval kept his reserve amidst the calm... he had felt that something about this situation had yet to present itself, and the assassin's call had revealed his suspicions to be correct. The turbolift doors before them opened to reveal four more assailants (who appeared to be wearing poor imitations of the uniforms worn by Lady Pike's bodyguards), and a pair of doors behind opened to find three more.
The Lady herself reacted with the steely visage of a military commander. Her manner revealed that her people's fighting nature was not only reflected by their physical build, but in her spirit as well.
"Hold fast!" her charismatic voice boomed above the din of blaster fire, "Show these cowards what you're made of!"
The Lady pulled a small pistol from a concealed holster at her hip and fired upon the men in the turbolift. Though her aim was not true, sparks rained down upon their heads as they hastily drew their pistols and blades.
Nar felt the heightened sense of awareness that came in the heat of battle: the smell of burning metal in the air, the cool water dripping from his clothes... and the weight of the lightsaber at his belt.
Guards: Both Guards stay put, attack Assassin. Both Guards have +1 to hit with Point Blank Shot.
Guard 1 attacks Assassin
Attack (1d20+6=25)+1=26, successful. Damage (3d6=12)
Guard 2 attacks Assassin
Attack (1d20+6=19)+1=20, unsuccessful
Assassin:
Move action: Manipulate Object (comlink)
Swift action: Activate Object (comlink)
Standard Action: Fire weapon at Casso, +1 to hit with Point Blank Shot
Attack (1d20+6=17)+1=18, successful.
Damage (3d8+2=13)
Henchmen
Swift action: Open Doors
Move action: Draw Pistols
Move Action: Draw Vibroblades
Lady Pike
Swift Action: Born Leader, all allies in line of sight now have +1 to attacks for the rest of the encounter.
Move Action: Draws blaster
Standard Action: Fires blaster at Henchman 3
Attack (1d20+2=7), unsuccessful
HP Tally:
Casso: 35/48
Nar:87/87
Guard 1: 21/21
Guard 2: 21/21
Assassin: 15/27
Henchman 1: 9/9
Henchman 2: 9/9
Henchman 3: 9/9
Henchman 4: 9/9
Henchman 5: 9/9
Henchman 6: 9/9
Henchman 7: 9/9
Map:
Casso, of course, is 6 right and 6 up from his current position... I'll have it correct on the next map.
It is now Nar's Turn!
He stared into the crowd of assailants from the lift; his saber's hilt lifted from his belt and with a hiss, its neon-yellow glow erupted into life. Nar wrapped his hands around the hilt and assumed the stance of an Ataru master, tempered with his own driven determination; even as blaster shots rang out around him, he maintained his calm stillness.
The nearest of the thugs in the lift faltered and began his retreat.
Standard Action: Mind Trick [Terror] @ H3
Move Action: Draw Lightsaber
Swift Action: Ignite Lightsaber
It's Your Turn Casso Jeez
Alright, the damage is done. Time to do well at what I can do. Igniting his lightsaber in a crackle of yellow plasma, he placed one foot on the side of the broken terminal and launched himself sideways, as two red streaks of energy raced by him. He sprinted toward the assassin, batting another blaster bolt aside. As Casso brought his lightsaber around in an arc, the assassin came up with the butt of his rifle and knocked Casso's arm aside. The lightsaber scored a deep gash in the nearest packing crate.
lightsaber attack against assassin (1d20+6=7)
Lady Pike took cover between her guards and pulled a comlink from beneath her coat, and shouted above the din of the firefight: "Security breach on upper level! I repeat, security breach! Immediate lockdown on all levels, any personnel on upper level get to the west turbolift immediately!"
Casso, meanwhile, continued to struggle with the would-be sniper on the opposite walkway. Though the assassin had knocked him off balance, the young Padawan skillfully used his momentum to place a kick to the back of his opponents leg, causing him to fall backwards, discharging his rifle harmlessly to the side. As the assassin got back to his feet Casso regained his focus and tightly gripped his saber with both hands. He assumed the opening stance of Ataru, emulating the aggressive style of his master. He was determined to end the fight with his next move.
Attack Roll (1d20+7=19)+1=20, successful, Damage (3d6=7)
Guard 2 fires on Henchman 6
Attack Roll (1d20+7=17)+1=18, successful, Damage (3d6=12), Henchman 7's hit points are reduced to 0 and his threshold was exceeded -- he's dead.
Assassin
Move Action: Acrobatics check to move 3 squares without provoking AoO, Acrobatics Check (1d20+10=17), success.
Standard Action: fires at Casso, Attack Roll (1d20+7=8), complete miss!
Henchman 1
Move Action: Moves 1 square up to doorway, next to the controls
Standard Action: Shoots at Nar, Attack Roll (1d20+1=7)
Henchman 2
Standard Action: Shoots at Bodyguard 1, Attack Roll (1d20+1=13), success, Damage (3d6=13)
Henchman 3
Double moves off of the right side of the map, fleeing in terror for the next 10 rounds from Nar's Mind Trick!
Henchman 4
Move Action: Moves 1 square to gain cover from Bodyguard 1
Standard Action: Shoots at Bodyguard 1, Attack Roll (1d20+1=19), success, Damage (3d6=5)
Henchman 5
Moves Action: Moves to cover behind boxes
Standard Action: Fires on Bodyguard 2, Attack Roll (1d20+1=3)
Henchman 6
Dead!
Henchman 7
Standard Action: Fires on Bodyguard 2, Attack Roll (1d20+1=16), success, Damage (3d6=12)
Move Action: Moves to cover.
Lady Pike
Standard Action: Fights Defensively without attacking, grants her a +5 to defense until her next turn
Move Action: Draws Comlink
Swift Action: Activates Comlink
HP Tally
Casso: 35/48
Nar:87/87
Guard 1: 3/21
Guard 2: 9/21
Assassin: 15/27
Henchman 1: 9/9
Henchman 2: 9/9
Henchman 3: Ran away
Henchman 4: 2/9
Henchman 5: 9/9
Henchman 6: Dead
Henchman 7: 9/9
Map:
It's Nar's Turn!
Nar initiated his attack forcefully, with a two-handed grip and broad, precise swings.
The first of his targets was removed from the battle with an overhead swing, an opening granted Nar by his clumsy knife-fighting. The lightsaber cut him deep, from shoulder to belly, and he collapsed; Nar continued his assault, for the moment inconsiderate of the death.
Standard Action attack vs h1 (1d20+12=14, 2d8+10=17)
The critical moment: Casso swings his lightsaber. A blaster bolt rakes by his hip, and he twirls to avoid it. In that split second, the assassin ducks and the Padawan slashes a deep gap in the restaurant wall.
He backed off. This agent was pretty good.
lightsaber attack against assassin (1d20+6=12, 2d8+5=11)
The Jedi Knight evaded more clumsy vibroblade attacks... these ill-trained thugs were little match the quick and evasive footwork of an Ataru master. One cut he actually had to block with his saber... and Nar was surprised to discover that the blade met the saber without being sheared against it's energy beam, instead crackling with resistance and throwing sparks.
Nar's hapless Padawan still had his hands full. The assassin had dexterously avoided his attack yet again, and retreated under a hail of sparks, bringing his weapon to bear upon the young Jedi once more. This time the assassin's feet were squarely beneath him, and Casso was barely able to deflect a well-aimed blaster bolt that would otherwise have burned a hole through his chest.
Attack Roll (1d20+8=10)
Bodyguard 2 moves, attacks Henchman 5
Attack Roll (1d20+8=24), success, Damage (3d6=12), henchman's damage threshold is exceeded, he dies
Assassin withdraws, shoots at Casso
Attack Roll (1d20+6=19), success Damage (3d8+2=16)
Henchman 2 attacks Nar
Attack Roll (1d20+2=5)
Henchman 4 attacks Nar
Attack Roll (1d20+2=9)
Henchman 7 shoots Guard 1
Attack Roll (1d20+1=20), success, Damage (3d6=3), Guard 1 is unconscious
Lady Pike
Attack Roll (1d20+3=13)
HP Tally:
Casso: 19/48
Nar:87/87
Guard 1: unconscious
Guard 2: 9/21
Assassin: 15/27
Henchman 1: Dead
Henchman 2: 9/9
Henchman 3: Ran away
Henchman 4: 2/9
Henchman 5: Dead
Henchman 6: Dead
Henchman 7: 9/9
Map:
edit: Shit, G1 should be unconscious in the square just north of G2.
It's Nar's Turn!
Jim: Casso's in trouble... he might consider using Force Slam or adding a force point to his attack roll next round.
The attackers were clumsy and moved like molasses next to the Jedi knight, who used his weapon like an extension of himself -- it did not take long for both of the remaining henchmen to be slain, each sustaining several fatal wounds before collapsing to the ground.
Nar reclaimed his calm as the duo hit the floor, and cursed silently for their deaths.
a place
dark black and bright vivid white
passion and calmness
the arteries of the universe
picture your presence in the FORCE
let its currents guide and warm you
reach out
take hold of it just one strand a ribbon
bring it to you make it your own revere it cherish it ask its forgiveness
use it
Casso's left hand flew out, fingers spread and palm toward the assassin. The man was flung backwards into the restaurant wall, as though struck by a club his size fivefold. He dragged himself to his feet, scalp bleeding where he had struck his head, breath hitching where he had broken a rib.
A hit! A palpable hit! For reserve, I'll lay by some venomous distillment!
...of the Force!
Lady Pike ran to her fallen soldier nearby, stripping off his vest. Nar glanced back for a moment, and could feel that his life force was waning... the Governess attempted to revive him, but to no avail. She shouted into her comlink: "Man down! Repeat, Man down! Where the hell are you?!"
Meanwhile, the assassin had got to his feet, and snarled at Casso, wiping the blood from his forehead. "Karking j'dai!" he shouted, letting off a single decisive bolt. Casso swerved and failed to block the blast with his lightsaber, and it stung him in the shoulder, burning through his robes... and he could not contain a shout of pain and surprise. The assassin laughed through his own pain as he backpedaled, taunting the young padawan with a "come hither" gesture.
Nar paused for a moment as he heard the shout... he hadn't exactly said "Jedi"... but it was pretty close, and how could a man this far out have known? The thought passed as the retreating assassin came into view, and the eyes of the knight and his padawan's tormentor met one another.
With a glance, the Assassin saw Nar, saber drawn, cool and collected, with the fallen bodies of his comrades around him... a look of panic crossed his face, and he cursed loudly in a strange language and flipped a switch on his blaster carbine. Nar was quite sure that he wasn't setting the weapon to stun... the man's next shot would be a lethal barrage of automatic fire.
Move Action: moves to avoid henchman's cover
Standard Action: attacks Henchman 7, Attack Roll (1d20+8=13), success, Damage (3d6=13), henchman dies.
Lady Pike
Talks on comlink, attends to fallen bodyguard
Treat Injury Check (1d20+6=14), fails.
Assassin
Standard Action: Fires at Casso, Attack Roll (1d20+7=17), success, Damage (3d8+2=10)
Move Action: Moves farther out of range
Swift Action: sets weapon to autofire mode
Lady Pike
Talks on comlink, attends to fallen bodyguard
Treat Injury Check (1d20+6=14), fails.
HP Tally
Casso: 9/48 (!)
Nar:87/87
Guard 1: unconscious
Guard 2: 9/21
Assassin: 4/27
Henchman 1: Dead
Henchman 2: Dead
Henchman 3: Ran away
Henchman 4: Dead
Henchman 5: Dead
Henchman 6: Dead
Henchman 7: Dead
Map
It's Nar's Turn
Jim: don't forget your "second wind".
His lightsaber hummed through the air as he began to move, not slowly at first but from a stand-still to a full-on run, all but threw himself at and onto the assassin with his lightsaber whirling like so much water down the drain;
And the assassin danced about Nar's blade, ducked and bobbed and swept; one-upped the Jedi Knight, who kept his calm and maintained the attack -- kept his calm and maintained his assault until the assassin faltered -- and took the assailant down in one last graceful swing.
Swift Action: Use the Force: Battle Strike (1d20+17=31)
Move Action: Seven right, One up
Standard Action: Attack vs Assassin (1d20+13=19, 2d8+3d6+10=35) Hit
The Jedi had survived the day... above the Lady's shouts for assistance over the 'com and the sound of approaching footsteps, the rain could once again be heard pattering upon the roof of the city. The smell of burnt metal, blaster exhaust and seared flesh filled the air.
Casso held his smouldering blaster wound. He was lucky to have taken it in the shoulder... but he still felt the blistering heat of the blast in his flesh, and his body beaded with sweat, slightly shaky. A look from his master caused him to gather himself and stand up straight and tall.
Soon, a troupe of more guards showed up, and seemed to be making straight for the Jedi with hostile intent. The Queen ran up, shouting at them: "Stand down, you idiots! These are ambassadors from the Republic, and if not for them we would all be dead... no thanks to your lack of speed in responding to the call of your commander-in-chief!"
"I apologize your Ladyship," said a trooper wearing an officer's insignia on his vest as he stepped forward, "The citadel was under attack as well... a small force, but enough to delay us. I can only assume that it was meant to distract the guards from the assassination attempt. I believe they had some sort of short-range frequency disruptor... we tried to hail you as soon as they attacked and could not reach you."
"We must get back to the Citadel quickly! Lead the way, Captain Del. And get Kor over there into medical as soon as possible... do it quickly, he's fading fast."
"Yes, my lady."
As four troopers deployed a stretcher and ran to the Citadel as quickly as possible, the Lady and the two Jedi were escorted by a contingent of fifteen troops. After a moment of silence and looking around, the Lady seemed to fall back into her more affable and diplomatic manner.
"So..." the Lady said, turning her head toward Nar, "Am I correct in my suspicion that you are -- and I apologize if I am not pronouncing this correctly -- Jedi?"
"I think we have quite a bit to discuss, but first: One of the assailants fled; we need to capture him before he can escape to his superiors. Can your men be trusted to handle this, or should I go myself?"
Though Lady Pike seemed quite sure of her city's security... but the Jedi sensed in her the overconfidence that many rulers adopt in troubled times, when there is little else to which one might cling. Attachment was dangerous indeed... even the wisest can be blinded by it.
Nar shook his head. "Do not be offended, ma'am. I will find the survivor -- even on lockdown, there are countless places he might hide." Nar turned to face Casso and spoke; "Stay with the Governess -- learn what you can from her, yes? I will return."
Nar turned away from the governess and his padawan, and closed his eyes -- he scanned all about himself for the tiny disturbances of the Force that every dark sider left in their wake.
Casso blushed. Stop that, he told himself. You've already messed up being a Jedi once today, don't go running your mind on lewd thoughts too.
The Lady was grinning. By the Force, how much of what he was thinking could she tell?! He consciously pushed all thoughts from his head and regained his composure.
"Milady, I'm sorry our introduction to your fair planet has been so marred. Hopefully, after this unpleasant business has been resolved, I'll be able to see the sights. However, until then, would it please you to tell me a little bit about Bunduki? Specifically, this city, Aaslajaa."