2.0 - Lure of the Lost

Dagger follows swiftly after Mal into the room. Whoa! Interigations have gotten a lot more...intense since the last time I've seen them.

Not quite sure what's going on, Mal uneasily asks um.. everything ok in here?

I'm sure these two have this all under control, I say, putting a hand on Mal's shoulder as my other hand, obscured by Mal standing there, reaches for my own lightsaber.

Aaaaaall under control...right guys?

"Don't know, the boy here seems to want to practice his swings with the troopers and me in front of him." Heyop states not taking his eyes off Urik still maintain a defensive posture.

Told him that sword was a bad influence... young people never listen. he thinks to himself as his jaw sets.

Urik locks eyes with Heyop. His face is contorted with rage, hate and exhaustion. For a moment, Heyop can feel his lightsaber blade being pushed down, as Urik uses his superior strength and the extended grip on his lightsaber as leverage. You can see fresh blood on his shoulder, possibly a reopened wound.

Then something in Urik's face breaks. He seems to twitch, then slides back quickly, so your blades are no longer locked, but his lightsaber is still lit.

"That one armed bastard almost killed me! And these two would have gladly helped...why are you protecting them? They would have killed you too, ALL OF US! HE ALMOST KILLED ME! ALMOST K-" Urik's lightsaber switches off, and drops to the floor as he falls to his knees.

His horse shouts have turned to huge wracking sobs. His face is a molten mess of pain, tears and snot. You are all suddenly very aware of his age; of the fact that he is no soldier, has no training to deal with these situations. He suddenly looks every bit the broken and lost 15 year old that he so diligently hides most of the time. Through sobs, he gasps, "Tried...to...kill...us...cut...me...

Urik falls forward, burying his face in his hands. His exposed back bucks and heaves with the weight of his sobs.

Aaaaaaall under control, I say as I silently put away my lightsaber, out of view. I move past Mal and lean down to put a hand on Urik. We should go, it looks like you've reopened one of your wounds, c'mon, I say, trying to get Urik to get up and follow me out of the room.

Urik follows Dagger's lead willingly, leaning heavily on his friend. The wracking sobs have faded to harsh, irregular gasps. Dagger can feel Urik's whole body shaking, as if he's very, very cold.

Heyop's jaw is still as he stares at Urik still unmoving and unyielding. He stands poised in a position to defend his charges and watches Urik. Now wasn't the time to box sense into the boy or rip him a new one nor would he likely listen and gain anything from it. Too emotional to predict he simply waited. He'd wait to see if Dagger could coax Urik away giving Csillag more work it seemed if she wasn't fatigued from before. "Have Csillag check him for blood loss so he doesn't go into shock." Heyop suggests still not moving.

"As you can see Corporal I honor my promises. No one else has put forth such a promise and may not honor it. Be mindful for your own safety." Heyop states his face still rigid as he flicks his light saber off still watching Urik until he's left the area before he stores the hilt.

looking off in the direction urik went, Mal ask Heyop Is he usually a loose cannon, or is he a solid man?

Once Dagger and Urik are alone, and Urik has had a chance to calm down a little, he says, "Is it always like this? Is everyone just out to kill people like us? I can feel the Force...but right now that feels more like a curse than a gift. Why did they...just, why?" He slumps into his bunk (I'm assuming that's where Dagger would have taken him).

Do you remember stories of the Jedi?, I ask Urik as I get him resting more. I continue without waiting for an answer. The Jedi were a force for good in the universe. They fought for those who couldn't.

I sit down at the end of the bunk and look down at my own hands, now having a small amount of Urik's blood on them, They were the good guys, and look what happened to them. Their own allies turned on them and murdered all of them. Do you remember the stories of Order 66? It caused all of the Jedi's forces to turn against them and destroy them.

I close my hands and look over to Urik. There will always be people that want to kill you. Those who follow orders because they think they are doing the right thing. Those that follow crooked orders from evil men to try and get by in the universe. IronArm...maybe he deserves it. Maybe he will get his from your blade someday. But for now, those men in there are just guys following orders and trying to get by.

I try to search Urik's face to see if what I'm saying is making much sense, or landing. Talking was never my strong suite.

"I've never heard of Order 66. What happened with the Jedi? I...honestly I hadn't really heard anything about the Jedi other than brief mentions in history class before...before Malefax. And he spoke of Jedi with disdain. Order 66...this was the Clone Wars Betrayal? I learned it as the Jedi betraying the Republic."

It depends on who you ask, I say, The way I've heard it is the troopers who fought by the Jedi's side simply turned their guns the other way. All following an order. In some cases as many as 20 troopers shot the Jedi in the back as they marched together. My face becomes intently serious. Hardened almost. Then it softens.

Of course you can believe what the Empire says. It would seem their troopers are very accepting of potential Jedi, don't you think?, I say, giving Urik a grin.

Urik's eyes are drooping shut, and his voice has gone soft and dreamy, "Who? Who gave the order?"

Heyop did, I joke, realizing that Urik isn't listening so much anymore. I get up and go find Csillag to see if she can keep an eye on his wounds.

As you get up, Urik's hand reaches out and grabs your wrist, you look back to see his eyes wide, face feverish, "Who?" he croaks.

Holy krif, it was a joke. The order came from the Emporer, from what I heard, Dagger says, startled by the sudden grip.

Urik's grip relaxes, and he passes out.

"Keep an eye on who's wounds?" Csillag shockingly asks Dagger as she immediately jumps to attention trying to cover for the fact that she had been dozing off.

"What have you guys been up to while I've been back here sle... er... working?"