Anakin Skywalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
morally_cryptic) wrote2015-04-15 10:49 pm
morally_cryptic) wrote2015-04-15 10:49 pm
Entry tags:
[fic/rp] across the galaxy
[ooc: Just prompted by a little mental image of Anakin "stargazing" that popped to mind earlier.]
On Coruscant, it was impossible to see the stars, even if one was looking out from the Council room at the top of the Jedi Temple. An unfortunate side effect of so much light from so many buildings and various forms of transport speeding around the airways. Not to mention that there was simply so much starship traffic, one likely wouldn't be able to tell the lights of ships from the field of stars behind them anyway.
Anakin had discovered this unfortunate fact not long after he came to live at the Jedi temple. He'd thought that, surely, so close to the center of the galaxy, the sky would be full of stars to see that he'd never been able to see before on Tatooine. Instead it turned out that perhaps the only thing that was better about Tatooine than Coruscant was that the desert planet was so sparsely inhabited and that the skies were so clear. Even out on the Rim, the sky was full of stars and the spiral arm of the galaxy could be clearly seen arcing across it.
He didn't try to watch the night sky on Coruscant anymore, but he still kept up the habit of at least looking for a moment whenever he found himself on a new planet. At the center of the Republic, however, he has to content himself with substitutes.
Which is why he can be found in an empty classroom surrounded by a holographic rendering of the galaxy. He's been spending all afternoon, so far, carefully marking off different star systems in various designated colors. Technically the entire exercise could be done by a computer but that wasn't Anakin's purpose in doing it. It requires concentration, but it doesn't require him to spend much effort in actually thinking so the whole activity is almost meditative.
The first batch of colored systems is simple: yellow for those that Anakin has already been to. Naboo might possibly be a subtly brighter yellow than all the rest, as if he'd lingered on that one for a moment longer than the others. He'd once told Qui-Gon he was going to see them all and certainly he had a better start on most other inhabitants of the galaxy, but it was still extraordinarily minute compared to the sheer number of systems represented on the map.
The second batch are green, signifying systems where battles of the Clone War have been fought and the Republic retained (or gained) control. Another group are blue, for the Separatist-won battles.
And finally, there's a sprinkling of red dots across the galaxy, mostly concentrated Rimward, and these are for those systems where battles are currently raging. Places he should be where he could be doing some good and making a difference. Staring at those flashes of red, it was almost enough to have him just commandeering a starfighter and heading out somewhere...anywhere. After making sure orders somehow just happened to make it through the system so that Rex and the 501st would be meeting him, of course.
But it wasn't, quite, enough. Contrary to some people's beliefs, he did have enough self-awareness to recognize that any action along those lines would likely not end well. That didn't mean he didn't still feel the temptation and it's that thought that has him swiping a hand through the starfield and systematically clearing everything out again until only dots of yellow remain on the map. He stares at those longest before they're wiped clean as well.
On Coruscant, it was impossible to see the stars, even if one was looking out from the Council room at the top of the Jedi Temple. An unfortunate side effect of so much light from so many buildings and various forms of transport speeding around the airways. Not to mention that there was simply so much starship traffic, one likely wouldn't be able to tell the lights of ships from the field of stars behind them anyway.
Anakin had discovered this unfortunate fact not long after he came to live at the Jedi temple. He'd thought that, surely, so close to the center of the galaxy, the sky would be full of stars to see that he'd never been able to see before on Tatooine. Instead it turned out that perhaps the only thing that was better about Tatooine than Coruscant was that the desert planet was so sparsely inhabited and that the skies were so clear. Even out on the Rim, the sky was full of stars and the spiral arm of the galaxy could be clearly seen arcing across it.
He didn't try to watch the night sky on Coruscant anymore, but he still kept up the habit of at least looking for a moment whenever he found himself on a new planet. At the center of the Republic, however, he has to content himself with substitutes.
Which is why he can be found in an empty classroom surrounded by a holographic rendering of the galaxy. He's been spending all afternoon, so far, carefully marking off different star systems in various designated colors. Technically the entire exercise could be done by a computer but that wasn't Anakin's purpose in doing it. It requires concentration, but it doesn't require him to spend much effort in actually thinking so the whole activity is almost meditative.
The first batch of colored systems is simple: yellow for those that Anakin has already been to. Naboo might possibly be a subtly brighter yellow than all the rest, as if he'd lingered on that one for a moment longer than the others. He'd once told Qui-Gon he was going to see them all and certainly he had a better start on most other inhabitants of the galaxy, but it was still extraordinarily minute compared to the sheer number of systems represented on the map.
The second batch are green, signifying systems where battles of the Clone War have been fought and the Republic retained (or gained) control. Another group are blue, for the Separatist-won battles.
And finally, there's a sprinkling of red dots across the galaxy, mostly concentrated Rimward, and these are for those systems where battles are currently raging. Places he should be where he could be doing some good and making a difference. Staring at those flashes of red, it was almost enough to have him just commandeering a starfighter and heading out somewhere...anywhere. After making sure orders somehow just happened to make it through the system so that Rex and the 501st would be meeting him, of course.
But it wasn't, quite, enough. Contrary to some people's beliefs, he did have enough self-awareness to recognize that any action along those lines would likely not end well. That didn't mean he didn't still feel the temptation and it's that thought that has him swiping a hand through the starfield and systematically clearing everything out again until only dots of yellow remain on the map. He stares at those longest before they're wiped clean as well.
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"They have to be locals...or be working with locals. We're past all the checkpoints and they dropped out of hyperspace almost right on top of us. This close to the planet, that would get pretty tricky."
Hopefully, that suggested they weren't Separatists.
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"And you are correct. They could have another ship waiting for a signal to jump in, take the cargo, and then destroy the ship. But why destroy a ship when you can use it for parts, shelter, or storage?" Because a lot of cargo ships have specialty holds meant specially for whatever it is they're carrying.
"And as for not searching us, how would anyone know to start bringing weapons to fight off pirates? Taris has been keeping this under tights wraps, lest the wrong people try to exploit the situation, and no one's returned to tell their story."
oh god, I just imagined Anakin hiding his lightsaber in his arm
"And no...there haven't been any stories but don't at least some merchants carry weapons, especially when they're transporting valuable cargo?" Just in case? If nothing else, it seemed sloppy of them not to check.
He cocks his head suddenly, listening to the thrum of the engines through the body of the ship. "I think we've jumped to hyperspace."
Now I'm tyring to figure out the logistics of that....
Obi-Wan frowns at the mention of hyperspace. "What are the odds that Taris isn't our destination?"
Re: Now I'm tyring to figure out the logistics of that....
[you and me both. :)]
Anakin shakes his head, "who knows? Maybe they have other cargo to pick up."
They really didn't have enough information yet for this one. Frustrating.
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[I was going to move it to them finally arriving to wherever, but wanted to give Anakin a chance to react to the meditating bit :) ]
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That didn't mean he didn't pace anyway, taking measured steps and setting his heels down just enough to make a soft thunk. Not because he wants the noise to disturb Obi-Wan--though if it does, he figures the other man will get over it...or start talking again--but there's something a little soothing about the rhythm.
If he had something mechanical
besides his arm, he's probably be fiddling with that instead.Anakin is fairly certain they drop out of hyperspace at least once before they jump back in. Course change or perhaps they're actually heading back to Taris but leaving their 'guests' to think they'd actually gone much farther? That he couldn't tell.
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He pulls himself out of his meditations, and just as he opens his eyes, he says softly, "I think we're there."
The guards come back shortly thereafter, as if summoned by his comment. Obi-Wan's guard sneers at him, and offers the gruff command of, "On yer feet, Merchant."
Obi-Wan allows several seconds to go by before he actually complies, testing how much defiance these two will take without the presence of their master.
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Anakin raises his eyebrow at 'his' guard before raising his hands in a gesture of submission. "No need to be rough now, I'll play nice."
His guard doesn't look particularly like he believes a word of that but he opens the cell all the same.
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"No need to shove," he says nicely. "Joints get a little creaky after sitting for so long; didn't want to hurt myself getting up."
"Boss don't care, so I don't care." He escorts Obi-Wan into the corridor and through the ship toward what the Jedi can only assume is the way off the ship.
Which is good, because they'll finally get to see where the kriff they are.
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The sunlight as they step out of the ship that Anakin is left blinking for a few moments, letting his eyes adjust from the relative dimness within the ship's interior. It's also enough that his momentary half step of pause has his own guard giving him a shove in the back. "Keep moving."
"I would if I could see," he mutters.
Only then does he get a good look at what surrounds them.
The ship has landed of a large open area surrounded by high walls that remind him a little uncomfortably of the arena on Geonosis. The difference is that here there are buildings up against the walls, presumably for storage and possibly as housing. There also aren't any Geonosians in sight but there are plenty of people moving with purpose and a small gaggle obviously waiting for the ship and escorting crates on a hovercart.
The other difference between here and Geonosis is Anakin doesn't see any gates in the walls.
He flicks a glance over at Obi-Wan, expression suggesting what he's thinking. They don't look like pirates.
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He catches Anakin's glance, reading into it and nodding imperceptibly to say he agrees. This just gets curiouser and curiouser.
His surprise is further compounded when he catches sight of the woman again, giving orders to a couple of the workers. Which in and of itself isn't out of place, but the fact that her body language is completely different to the stand-offish brute that she portrayed when she and her crew picked the Jedi up.
Far from eliciting fear, or acting the high and mighty lord over the people, she's actually gentle and respectful with them.
A sharp poke in his shoulder draws Obi-Wan's attention back to their predicament, and he pulls his attention away from the woman to favour his guard with a side-long glance.
"Let me guess, we're honoured guests of whomever runs this place, and we're going to be enjoying the same hospitality that we were given on the ship?"
"Shut it," the guard barks. "The Master will be deciding what ta do with yous."
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The guards start directing them in the direction of the closest building, though it's still something of a walk. One gets the impression all this open space is for ships to land since there appears to be no other simple way in and out.
Some of the people give them curious glances, but none pay overmuch attention which suggests that this is both a common enough occurrence as to occasion little notice and also that the people here weren't overly concerned about these stranger who show up out of nowhere.
Anakin didn't get the feeling they were all a bunch of stone-cold sociopaths so that seemed to suggest that they weren't getting herded to their deaths, at least.
But then, where were all the others that had disappeared?
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And as for the people here....perhaps they were the ones who'd been taken?
"Apparently," he replies to Anakin.
"You merchants are all alike," one of the guards growled softly. "Don't think you'd stop talkin' iffin I cut yer head off."
Obi-Wan can't help the tiny smile that tugs at his lips. If the situation wasn't serious, this would actually be kind of funny.
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Though in a way they were. Or at least they wanted these people to buy that they were who they claimed to be.
Anakin can sense the latest shove coming and so he sidesteps as if he'd turned his foot on a rock just enough that the guard's hand misses coming into contact.
"Ow," he mumbles in a rueful tone, stepping lightly on that foot as if he had actually twinged something.
"Serves you right," smirks the guard.
Good thing they're behind him or they'd be seeing Anakin's rather expressive eyeroll.
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They finally reach the building and are ushered inside. The room is round, with stone walls and wooden beams. The wood is an oddity simply because it's a rare building material on planets that aren't heavily forested. And from what they've seen so far, trees are scarce.
On the opposite side of the door is a large table, with a high-backed chair behind it, facing the door. To the left and right are a couple of braziers, the flames crackling heartily as their light bounces shadows upon the walls. There are a few storage containers against the walls to the left and right, as well, between the braziers, but not close enough to the fire to be in danger of anything.
There aren't any real adornments or furnishings, and the entire effect is that this is a foreman's office, or the office of a high ranking dock official.
Two people are in the room: one is woman, half-perched on the edge of the desk directly opposite the high-back chair. Her dress is reminiscent of the woman who took them captive, but her pants are brown, and her shirt is a pale blue. She has long, blond hair, that's pulled back in a high ponytail, and her skin has the deep tan of someone who's spent a lot of time in the sun. Her attention is on a data pad, which is held in one hand, while she holds a stylus to her lips in contemplation. To the right of her from Obi-Wan's point of view, standing next to the chair, is a man standing at parade rest, eyes firmly fixed forward.
The guards halt the prisoners several feet away from this new woman before taking a step or two back themselves. After several moments of silence, she finally looks up at them, a slight surprise to her expression as if she wasn't really expecting them. It doesn't take long for her mouth to quirk up into a quick grin.
"Welcome!" She greets them warmly as the datapad gets put on the desk. She stands and gives them a once-over. "I'm Jade Kylini. Welcome to my little paradise!"
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The room he finds strange. They've obviously got technology, the braziers seem a little pointless. Why not just install a few lights?
Still, the woman and her...guard? Lieutenant? Husband? Who even knew? Anyway, they were more interesting than the lack of ambient lighting and he looks them both over without bothering to disguise his attention.
At her greeting, he inhales as if he's about to say something smart about her little paradise but, wonder of wonders, he bites his tongue and lets Obi-Wan handle the pleasantries.
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Obi-Wan raises a brow at the greeting. "Is that what you're calling this? I must have missed out on learning one of the definitions of paradise during my youth."
The comment draws a bigger smile out of Jade. "Kista warned me about you two."
"Is that so?" Obi-Wan replies, filing away the name and tagging it to the face for later. "And what, pray tell, did she warn you about?"
"That you two leaned more to the defiant side of things; said you gave her quite a chase before she shot you down."
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So of course he can't help the smirk that curls on his lips.
"A lucky shot," Anakin interjects. "We were almost to hyperspace." Which, any self-respecting--and they're all self-respecting-- pilot would have had to interject there. Anakin's just sorry it couldn't have been him doing the shooting down.
That comment prompts a somewhat skeptical raise of the eyebrows from the man standing behind Jade. To all intents and purposes they had had the 'merchants' between their ship and the planet's gravity well. Or more to the point, nowhere near where they should have been able to make the jump into hyperspace.
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"Whatever you say, Ace," she says, a hint of laughter pulling at her words. "Point is, she caught you, and now you're here."
"For how long?" Obi-Wan asks.
Jade's only answer is her smile. "Boys, take these two to their quarters. Let them get settled before we give'em the tour."
wall o' texting you right back
There were no theatrics this time as he mentally gnawed on the problem. Their status as not-exactly-prisoners was oddly unsettling. Sure, they had guards but there were no chains, no cuffs. He wouldn't have had to be a Jedi to get away from their escort a dozen times over by now. All of the people they'd seen so far appeared to have the run of the place. Then again, there didn't appear to be any way anyone was walking out of here either, so maybe they just felt they didn't have to do anything more to keep people in. Then on the other hand, there'd been no real guard set on the ship when they'd landed that he'd seen and if one was keeping prisoners, one would certainly want to ensure said prisoners had no chance of getting to transport out of there.
It was a puzzle, for sure.
His guard, at least, it happy he's cooperating.
As they are herded to their new quarters, he looks about again outside but still it just doesn't feel like a prison. At this point, he's broken enough people out of them to feel like he's an authority on the sensation.
They walk several hundred feet before they get to an opening in the wall and are directed into a passageway inside. The hall feels like there is a gradual curve and slope upward, as if they are following the wall still just..inside. Periodically, there are doors, most the old-fashioned kind that must be opened by hand. At least, Anakin thinks, it's not lit by torches.
Inside, they pass no one else, not even a droid--come to think of it, had they seen any droids since landing? One wonders if there just aren't that many people or they were being actively kept away from any other inhabitants. At least until the tour, presumably.
Before the curiosity and urge to start asking questions completely overwhelms Anakin, they finally stop before a door that looks just like all the others they've passed. "In here," grunts one of the guards before other pushes it open.
Inside is...a room. Nothing fancy, two low cots and a small lamp. The walls are made of the same stone as the rest of the wall and there are no windows but Anakin is fairly certain they aren't right on the exterior at this point anyway, windows would be useless. One wall, at least, looks to have an arched opening that Anakin assumes leads to a 'fresher. But otherwise, that's it.
"What?" he finally asks, "no HoloNet?"
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Obi-Wan looks around at their set-up and he points at a cot. "I call that one," he declares, and promptly sits down with a heavy sigh. He tries to sense if a guard has been left for them, but he can't find any nearby presence except for Anakin.
"Why do I get the feeling that we're missing something here?" he says finally. He's not entirely sure they aren't being spied upon, but everything he's seen so far doesn't lend itself to surveillance of the population.
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Instead, he just flops down across from Obi-Wan. "Because we are?"
He'd complain about intel never giving all the important details, but they've both had plenty of experience with that phenomenon throughout the war.
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"Which means we go over the facts. What we know by first-hand observation. Then we can see what theories we can come up with."
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"They've either got help from someone on the inside or they're already inside the checkpoints themselves in order to stop traders the way they've been doing. Or both, probably." Since, according to reports, their victims didn't always go missing from the same place. That would've made them easier to track, of course.
"While they were shooting at us, they weren't shooting to kill. While they obviously wanted our cargo, they could've boarded the ship with lethal force but...they didn't." It would have been cleaner on their parts, he thinks, if they just killed their victims and then sent their bodies on a collision course to the nearest star. But instead they captured the whole package and brought their captives...here? Where they weren't exactly prisoners. "Or is that special just for us?"
It might take him a moment realize Obi-Wan hadn't been privy to the line of thought between those two comments, but he probably gets the gist anyway.
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The Percentile Die I just rolled says that behind Door Number One is...
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Wall o'text, ahoy!
/boggles
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