Nar Shaddaa

Moyr watched the maelstrom of darkness swirling across the Shadow Town, and felt its call. Sweat claimed her forehead, a rare occurrence for a Twi'lek, as she stared into the lingering abyss. It lured her, even though she knew she was not supposed to go there.

"The security is lighter... Let's make it quick, Baes. If we don't, I might just... go there."

She held her hand reaching out back toward the body, then scoffed and turned her back to the maelstrom. "This way." She rasped out, her hands shaking. "He has been stranded just like us."

EE5. Bounty. Stealth. Baes' Assistance. Scrutiny Setback. Sleight of Mind. Modified: Second Attempt, Advantages Boost, Despair.: 2eP+1eA+4eB+1eC+4eD+1eS 1 success, 6 threat


[6 Strain]

Baesal observed her friend and was, without a doubt, worries for her.

Her lekkus lightly enrolled Moyr's and she lightly Kisses her on the forehead.

"I'll make this quick"

She departed quickly in the direction and was quickly out of sight. There was the sound of blaster fire...then nothing.

Capturing the bounty alive: ionsaber, assist, increased diff, setback, destiny, accurate: 2eA+2eP+3eD+1eC+2eB+1eS 4 successes, 2 threat


Baes reappeared, appearing lightyly wounded, with the bound unconscious mando in tow.

"Time to leave honey, I'll call our lift"

She found Moyr throwing up. "This thing there... It feels a lot like... Zash."

The truck came by quickly, R5 at the wheel.

During that time Baesal took the time to notice the swirling evil. She supposed she was less affected by it since she was a Jedi.

''Come on girl, lets move out''

Swaying, Moyr threw herself inside and fell flat on the floor, breathing heavily.

''Get us out of here R5''

Baes was surprisingly calm, she had conquered the vergeance yesterday...mayhaps her mind was not able to be shaken by a similar presence once more.

She tied the mandalorian then wasted to time to get back to Moyr. She raised the girl from the ground and held her in her arms until the darkness passed.

''All will be well'' she whispered softly

"I... don't know." Moyr quipped, still recoiling from her vomiting. There was something wrong with her, she couldn't put herself together, kept shuddering, tears followed.

Baesal hugged closer and took a cloth to wipe out some of the icky remains

''What happened to you dear?''

"Beyond the drugs we talked about? I am just having a bad day." She curled up, slowly recomposing.

''Don't worry about a thing now...and tell me if I can help.''

She whistled to her driver and began rocking Moyr

R5 undersood and began to play:

Moyr Ahaya wrote:The lekku limped, and Moyr closed her eyes. Then, as the guitar played from her datapad, she began singing.

"Waking up is harder than it seems
Wandering through these empty rooms
Of dusty books and quiet dreams
Pictures on the mantle, speak your name
Softly like forgotten tunes
Just outside the sound of pain

Weren't we like a pair of thieves
With tumbled locks and broken codes
You can not take that from me
My small reprieves, your heart of gold

Weren't we like a battlefield
Locked inside a holy war
Your love and my due diligence
The only thing worth fighting for

Change will come to those who have no fear
But I'm not her and you never were
The kind who kept a rulebook near
What I said was never, what I meant
And now you’ve seen my world in flames
My shadow songs, my deep regret

Weren't we like a pair of thieves
With tumbled locks and broken codes
You can not take that from me
My small reprieves, your heart of gold

Weren't we like a battlefield
Locked inside a holy war
Your love and my due diligence
The only thing worth fighting for
The only thing worth fighting for"

''You can relax''

Moyr listened to her own voice in silence. It calmed her, in a diminished way. She was whole by shrinking.

"It was another life, Baes."

''Despite the twists and turns, its still the same life'' she said softly ''We change yet we remain the same...''

"Some part of us stays the same, I guess. I wonder if it's the part that defines us though." She thinned her lips. "Bad memories returned to me today. And with them, regret and doubt. I need to do something to stop feeling adrift like that, to be strong again."

Baesal was silent for a moment, taking slow deep breaths

''For that you will need to answer a question to yourself: Who are you Moyr Ahaya?''

"I can't be one person, Baes. Things that are me don't add up." She answered cogently. It was clear she had pondered this very question many times before.

Baes's lips curled, she seemed to have pondered a similar question

''Do you know why?''

"Because I don't have what it takes yet." Moyr was not inclined to smile in relation to this.

Her smile was reassuring, she rested her head on her's

''You have what it takes Moyr, you simply have forgotten it.''

"Enlighten me then, dear, for you seem to know better." She paused. "Though please spare me the Jedi spin."

''How about the Moyr spin then?'' she replied

''Remember what you told me: The greatest obstacle to unbridled personal liberty is not the existence of evil regimes, but the deluded belief in the existence of good ones?"

"I still cling to that, dear. This hasn't changed." She raised her brow, wondering where Baes was heading with it.

She booped her on the nose

''No, no you do not.''

She began slowly to stroke the twilek's lekku

''Believing that your regime is good will make you stop asking questions, will make you accept thing you should not and will fill you up with comforting lies so that you do not challenge it. The first thing it does is that it will obscure the truth about itself, then the world around it and without truth, there is no freedom.''

She paused looking in her eyes

''The Republic is corrupt in various degrees and the Jedi can be cowardly in their wish for peace. I realise that...So despite being part of both I still challenge the authority of both when I think they are wrong. Yesterday I told a Jedi Master that she was an idiot and proceeded to explain why. On my way to Naar Shaddaa I learned that my master knew about us and I told him I refused to part with you. I have refused the accept things on account of authority and the only things I do accept are those I took time to understand fully.''

She got a sad look in her eyes

''But you, you believe in your Master. You believe the Empire is the and the Sith are the good regime...and you let yourself be split into various characters that mirrors parts of you without them ever truly being you.''

She hugged her closer

''I'm I being wrong?''

"You are."

Moyr didn't have the strength to throw a fit or even a decent tantrum. She just looked at Baes with sadness, but decided to explain.

"Don't condescend me, Baes. I know you're smart but I can have my own thoughts in order too. I uphold the same beliefs that I always have. There might not be compassionate, tranquil and friendly enough for you, but I come from a different background than you. I have no recollection of ever being sheltered, of having a sanctuary. No memory of security I can fall back on. My life has been rife with conflict with those who have tried to chain me down, oppress and violate me. And there will always be those, everywhere. I don't care whether they dress blue or red, do or don't have legs. I'll be opposing them until my dying breath or until a time when I'll be powerful enough to keep them at bay. I won't be anyone's toy, ever. And I am not a blind believer in what my Master says. He's been as much help as he's been a disappointment. But this is how I pay for my shot at freedom. This is my path, dear. And you have no convincing argument that would sway me from it. Because what I can get from what you're saying is that you are getting used to living in hypocrisy, nestling in it, with occasional calling them out on their bullshit being a stitch holding your conscience together. What change do you bring about by this? None. It's just for your personal convenience, to stay where you're disturbed the least in pursuing your technical revelries, where you can get a pat on your shoulder for selling your skills away."

She rubbed her eyes, trying to banish tears. Saying this wasn't easy for her, no there was any satisfaction for doing so.

"I have been called out on my ties with you. I don't give a shit, and provide no excuses. I am used to the thought that everything can be taken from me as long as I am weaker than those who want to do it. Except for my desire to be free. And believe me, that one is stronger in a blatantly evil, unforgiving regime than a corrupt, hypocritical one."

Baesal was silent, she listened intently

''I hope you are right'' she replied with a hint of worry

''I might have been a tiny bit condescending...but so have have you. I guess we are both a little full of ourselves'' she gave a sigh

''I had a home once...but it was taken from me and burned to the ground and veryone was killed. My own little sister included. I was spared for my technical skills and forced into serve those who ripped my world appart until they discovered I was a force sensitive but event then I was still treated like an servant by the Sith until I reached Korriban.'' she smiled gently ''You know the rest...''

"I don't live in hypocrisy my friend, I just fight with ideas instead of murder. I aim for a change of paradigm.''

She paused

''What will you do once you have enough power?''

"We both have our grievances, dear." She sighed, pulling Baes closer, but then pulling back a little to look into her big Togruta eyes. "Not in my life would I do anything that could help perpetuate the Republic, at least in its current form. It's probably both political and personal, I can't draw a line between those any more than you can." She paused. "What will I do with my power? I will start flipping tables. Those tables where the entitled and the endowed feel secure to gamble with the fates of many, hiding behind their golden walls. I will democratise fear, I will rip impunity from their thinking about the galaxy, and by this I will also democratise opportunity." She would smile ferally, but she didn't have the strength for it right now so the ignition in her eyes was the only reaffirmation of her commitment.