Log:A Broken Saga

A Broken Sage

OOC Date: May 31, 2022
Location: Eshan
Participants: Vega, Jax Greystorm, Ax, Ewan Eroh, Ban Iskender Saga Kae

Lord Saga Kae had managed to outrun Yuun and Ewan, given that the Echani had been injured when he was young and that had taxed his mobility that was a feat in itself. What exactly was going on with Vega's identical twin? Well, they were here to find out!

The initial search for him had been called off given that the Jedi had more pressing matters. Ones rogue brother was not one of the priorities and Vega herself even had to bow out due to obligations. Now they were back and armed with a very short list of where this budding Force User might be.

"He probably thinks I don't know about this place." Vega tells the group as they approach the overgrown doors to what is some sort of underground shelter. "I just ask that nobody kills him. I don't think he's in his right mind and I'd really like to not take my brother home to be buried when we can do other things." she turns to look at the group. "Otherwise, happy hunting." the woman bows her head to them before she reaches out to try the doors, finding them locked. She then calls on the Force to help, "Ah...well...guess I should have healed up before we headed out." she mutters.

~

"That probably would have been a good idea, at least gotten a bacta patch or something," Ax says to Vega, following along with her and the others. While he was an Echani, the smuggler was raised on Socorro and was pretty far from being a traditionalist, therefore he'd spent very little time on the planet and knew little of its localities.

"If it boils down to a fight, I do hope we can capture him. I'd hate to see you witness your brother's death, Vega." While it wasn't a conversation Ax wanted to have, it was one that he for some reason felt necessary given the circumstances.

~

Ban Iskender asks evenly of Vega, "Is the gentleman like to greet us with violence if cornered? I daresay preserving his life ought not be difficult, but I ask as a matter of preparation." The dragoon's pistol is drawn out of it's thigh holster, set to stun, and reholstered, as he takes note of the closed door. "Further, I must inquire whether he is capable of preparing tripwires or other more subtle pitfalls against pursuit."

"If it makes you feel any better," Ewan says, stepping into view to meet with the others, "He doesn't like me much. I wouldn't be surprised if he held a grudge." The words were matter of fact, and seemingly lacking in emotional surprise. Ewan understood the pathology, even if he didn't believe in the logic.

Jax wasn't dressed as a jedi, he often didn't. The Corellian nods his head as Vega's request to not take his life. "We will do what we can." Then at Ewan's statement Jax laughs. "Well then Ewan. If he doesn't like you then he just can't get along with folks." Then a glance at Vega, "How do you want us to do this? You seem somewhat familiar with the place."

Vega gives a look to the others as they talk and she manages to call on the Force again to swing the heavy doors open. "If you kill my brother you may as well just add another body to the pile." the little Echani states grimly. "But I appreciate the restraint if it is possible. He's never been violent physically until this last time where he attacked our parents." she tells them. "I think...if we can get the mask he's wearing off that we might be a bit more himself? There is something odd about it. While Saga is an aristocratic cad he's never been...violent. So it's concerning." she frowns to them.

"No, he's never been one for making booby traps, Lord Ban. He's the pretty one. I'm the crafty one." she tells the group. "He does have force abilities...but it's untrained at best. So expect things to be thrown if he does become angered." she points out.

Then Ewan appears and there is a chuckle, "Ah, well...I wonder why he doesn't like you, Ewan?" she asks. Then she's turning to head down the stairs into the crypt tunnels.

~

Ax nods to Vega. "I'd likely feel the same were I in your position," he says to Vega. Ax pulls the pistol from his side and makes sure it's set to stun. "We'll do what we can, definitely. If the mask he is wearing is Sith in origin, then who knows what demented wisdom it might impart. It might be some form of holocron for all we know. Or, it might just be an ugly damned mask."

~

Ban Iskender nods once to the answers Vega provides, but offers no further questions or comments in stepping to descend into the crypts along with the others.

"He doesn't like me," Ewan begins, pausing a moment as he begins to follow. He reaches out with his senses to stay alert. "Because he was relegated to another clan when he lost our duel. Any other factors, well, I couldn't say," he says, rolling his shoulders. "He took it ... personally, for many years. He petitioned for a second bout and the Daska refused his request. He blamed me. Maybe I would have, too, I don't know," Ewan admits. While he explains, his icy voice drops to a low, barely audible whisper of an explanation.

Sesti was the one in the family with honor duels. Jax did what he does when they come up for her. He simply nods his head and pretends to understand. "I see." Then he looks at Ax, "Or worse, possessed by a sith spirit. You remember A'isha's lightsaber." He shakes his head. He reached out to the force pulling it around him as a force shield and moved to go down into the catacombs.

"Our relationship is...complicated at best." Vega states to Ax and the others. "But I love him and I want to make sure we can save him, even if he goes back to regular hating me and not some dark side haze hating me." she admits. There is a look down the dark hallway and then she reaches to see if the switch for the lights will come on. But it doesn't. "He's still into his theatrics as well." she mutters to them.

The woman starts to try to work with the lights, but the others would quickly hear and see that there was something just standing off in the darkness, Ban can hear the scraping of metal on stone. "I was expecting you to come on your own, Vega." comes the smooth baritone. Definitely not Vega. But then the form emerges and they can definitely see that it's like a clone of Vega, just with a more angular face. His bright eyes shine from behind the black and gold mask he wears, looking out over the group, "Ah, Ewan." he tchs. "Always hanging out with the rabble." his snotty voice states. "But these others look like fine gentlemen, maybe we can all come to an agreement?" he asks as he lets the tip of his blade stay pointed towards the ground.

~

Ax looks over as the voice speaks. "The agreement is that you come peacefully, relinquishing the mask. It is likely the only way you walk away from this," the man says, hand reaching for the hilt of his saber with one hand, his blaster with the other. His odd lightsaber was not one that could be wielded single-handedly with any ease, but he could drop the blaster fast enough to utilize the blade if necessary.

"Vega cares for you, as you are family. While you might believe you are powerful, you cannot defeat us. Do not let the lies of the dark side convince you otherwise," Ax continues. "It would happily lead you to peril, for your best interests are of no concern to it."

~

Ban Iskender allows himself a dignified groan as Jax speaks of possible Sith possession. "Such would be *most* unfortunate." When their quarry reveals himself, and Ax begins diologue, Ban adds, "An agreement would be greatly welcome, sir. Might inquire as your necessities?"

"

Ewan's weapon remained clipped to his waist, though his hands folded in front of him in such a way that he was far from helpless. A serious look overtook his face. "You've never been unwelcome in my company, at my table or in my house," ewan clarifies, at the comment of the 'rabble' that was his present company. To be fair, one of them was a Noble, Ewan thinks.

"You've encountered such a problem in the past?" Then they're in the dark and Vega's sibling is there with the theatrics. Jax seems to not be bothered by the dark and turns to look right at Saga. At the statement of being a gentleman, Jax repressed an urge to look at Ax and tell him they need better publicist. "I didn't think Echani were know for coming to agreements over words. Though if you have an offer we are listening. I can't promise that we will accept but we will listen and consider. Everyone just wants to go home."

The lights come on with a bit of a flicker and Vega gives a bit of a small clap for herself. Then she scoots off to the side to look at her brother, "You look ridiculous." she whispers. "I mean, the robe colors are great. The mask, not so much." she admits. "Now, if you want to have a knock down drag out fight and we see who walks off from it I am absolutely ready to beat your spoiled hide into the ground." she growls at him.

"You almost killed mother. Saga. You love our mother. What in the world could be more important than what she thinks of you? Do you think if you had killed them that you'd be any closer to attaining any semblance of what you want? We don't do evil things to gain power. You're not a Sith! We are not Sith!" she stomps her foot on the ground. "Now, take that mask off before we have to forcefully remove it from your face." she shouts at him.

Alright, maybe Vega wasn't a Sith, but she was angry!

Saga watches his sister, given they are the same height this is an easy task, "Had you been crushed all those years ago I'd have less problems in my life you goblin." he spits out at her. "Or is it Gremlin still these days? You do love to be everything but the Lady you were born to be." he muses to her.

"Come and take it if you think you can, Jedi!" he calls to them and then he's off again, turning back to run down the hallway. But not towards the exit!

~

Ax sighs. "Your brother's an ass," Ax mutters, pulling his blaster. "Where's that passage lead?" he asks before he decides whether or not to give chase. It's not the exit, but he has no idea where it might lead. Looking to the others, he shrugs his shoulders, asking them what to do. He was a warrior more than a diplomat. He could lie and get past customs fairly well, but talking a Sith recruit out of the order wasn't his cup of caf.

~

Ban Iskender extends his senses as green eyes hold for a long, unblinking moment of focus on the masked Echani. "My good sir," the gentleman begins in a steady and polished voice, "I would ask a question of you and hear an answer, ere we resort to violence. Is this.. who you wish to be? The manner of man who brings violence against his own kin? I do not sense that you are so.. I sense a powerful guilt in you. And that if you are not such a man, then that violence sprang from another. Thus, I ask this: keep the mask in your hand, but draw it off your face and tell me: do you wish to be your own man... or do you wish to continue watching those nearest to you suffer at another's whim?"

Ewan could sense it, the sudden run. He didn't like chasing, but, it seemed it couldn't be helped. Drawing inward, Ewan focused on pushing himself forward by yielding himself somewhat to the Force, guiding his movements. It helped him arrive in time to come to a sliding stop just in front of 'Lord Saga'.

"You could beat me in a foot race. You could beat me in a duel. Is that what you want? There's no reason for this," Ewan says, his hands again folding across his chest, "What is it you want?"

Jax lets out a sigh as Vega's brother takes off at a run. He reaches out to touch Vega on the shoulder, "Vega... Siblings are hard. I argue with my sister more than I do anyone. It's often over my mother too. Don't let him get to you... or don't let him know he is. He is feeding off you being upset and building off of it. Rely on your jedi teaching, and use it to defuse the situation. We want him to give up peacefully. YOU are key to that." He gives her a wink. Then he turns to walk down the passageway following Ewan and Saga. "Ewan if you take a turn, call it out. We're behind you."

Vega gives a look after Saga when he starts to run and she rolls her eyes. Then she looks to Ax, "Oh yes, that is correct. He's always been like this." she chuckles to him. Then she looks to Jax, "Yeah...he's just always been...I don't know. Him." she waves her hand in that direction. She should have known he'd be a force user as well. It just seemed to be their luck.

Saga stop abruptly, which causes him to bump into Ewan, but his gaze finds Ban in the hall again, "I can take this mask off if I wanted to." he tells him. But the moment he brings his hands up to do just that there is an overwhelming pain that spikes through his head. "Yes...anytime I wanted to..." he mutters as a shakey hand reaches up again.

Vega looks up, "The mask won't let him take it off." she frowns. "Ban, your words are helping, he's thinking...but it might be too strong." the woman frowns. ~

Ax runs after the others, blaster in hand. "Remove it, kid. Don't let it rule over you," he adds. Then, in his hardest voice possible, "If you cannot, or refuse, we will take you down by force. I assure you, neither you nor your sister will like the outcome of that, but it is a necessity."

~

Ban Iskender moves with haste to keep up with the fleeing Saga, as the other is cut off by Ewan. Both the nobleman's hands are still empty. "You can. And you may put the mask right back on again afterward, if that is your choice, sir. But only for a moment, to prove to us that you are strong enough.. take it off your face. Hold it in your hand, and you may do with it as you see fit: put it back on.. Or be free of it." His own gloved hand is extended, not close enough to grab for the mask, but close enough that it can be handed over.

Ewan understood the darkness, the soft whispers, and the way it spoke to folk. He knew well what the mask was driving inside of Saga, and he sympathized, but action was required. Ewan focuses his mind on striking out, on attacking, on defeating Saga in one complete defeat with a single strike. His hands twitched a little in anticipation, even. The look between the men grew more tense, more fierce, as Ewan readied with every part of his being to reach out and cut the man down.

The white robes moved swiftly, with Ewan anticipating a counterstrike, or some attack that would break the intersection of their physical challenge. But as his body moved, he didn't end up reaching for the lightsaber. Not in the end. While his off hand reached to grasp at the sword's hilt, Ewan closed the distance that remained between them. He focused on the attack, the lightsaber swinging wide from his waist to end the discussion once and for all. He focused so hard on it there was no other outcome anyone could see, save the very wise. In the end, no slice came from the icy, notorious blade Ewan carried. It never even ignited as Ewan stepped around Saga's form deftly, with his primary hand rising not to strike, but to provide just the right pressure on the helmet, just enough force to create a gap, or a weakness. A moment later Ewan had stepped entirely past Saga, one hand on the lightsaber hilt, and the other slipping into a resting position near the lining of his collarbone.

Jax catches up shortly later. He turns his head and nods at Ban. "Saga, I'm Jax Greystorm. Is there something that one of me or one of my companions say help you remove the mask? I would like to think so....." Then Ewan engages Saga in combat. "Alright." Then Jax stands back and just watches to see how this plays out.

Things slow down considerably in the space of those moments. The smooth words from Ban that help to lull the Lord into a bit of a confidence. He could do this. He would just take it off and everything would be fine. Then Ewan is sliding past him and he doesn't realize that the trance he's been under is broken until he feels the icyness of the lightsaber behind him. The smaller Echani reaches up to touch the mask, even though it physically pains him to remove it from his face. He looks to it and then to the others that were talking, "Does...anyone have a case or something we can put this in I don't really feel like it's safe to leave out?" he asks and there is no trace of the snotty spoiled brat that had been there. Then his eyes roll back into his head and he falls backwards.

He fainted.

The masks clatters to the floor, skittering to a stop in front of the the Jedi that had not cut him off.

Vega crouches down with her gloved hands to gather up the mask, "It's...do you feel the pull?" she asks them. It was palpable, but everyone manages to shake off the want to slap it on their face. Which is good...because a stronger Jedi or force user getting this on might be more of a problem to handle. "Thank you for not hurting him." she whispers to her fellow Jedi.

~

I have a small bag that it might fit in," Ax says, pulling one from the inside of his robes. He has to empty the contents, a pair of carefully wrapped bottles of expensive booze, which he gingerly places in individual pockets of his robes. "I'm glad it didn't come to a fight," Ax says holding the bag open for Vega. "I think we should get that bag and your brother to Tempes. We might learn from this so that we may be better prepared against the Sith."

~

Ban Iskender starts to raise a hand as Ewan forcibly restrains Saga, but the necessary step has been taken, and Saga has shed the mask. A slow exhale. "I've a more secure case at my ship, should such be desired. But yes," he nods to Vega. "I feel it." A nod to the notion of taking it to Tempes. "At the very least, I daresay we might better learn how to see it destroyed. Such relics are alas not oft unmade simply."

"Yes, because no Jedi in the history of our Order has ever fallen to the Darkside by studying dark and ancient relics," Ewan says, raising an eyebrow towards the others. His lightsaber hilt did, in fact, appear this time. Though it remained quiet and extinguished, his intention was clear. At the mention of it being difficult to destroy, however, Ewan had no return. "Whatever presence remains can haunt the nearest sun to us," Ewan offers, "Safe from influence."

Jax purses his lips in thought, "I don't know if I'd do that. I've seen these things find a way to escape gravity." He moves over to check on Vega's brother to make sure he's just resting and not in danger. "We may also need to meditate to make sure it's not connected itself to Saga in more insidious ways. If it had bound itself to his life force."

Vega looks to the mask, turning it over in her hands and there is a moment that the white haired woman looks like she's going to try it on, but she reaches out to slip it into the bag that Ax offers. "We can put the bag in Lord Ban's case. Double security until it gets back to Tempes." she nods to that. She then looks to the gathered and dips her head to them, "Thank you for this. We're not the most loving set of siblings but I didn't want to see him hurt or worse..." she admits. Then she reaches out a gloved hand to try to lift her brother with Telekinesis and she gets him about three inches off the ground before she loses focus.

"Oops..." she whispers out.

"We'll load him onto the Charybdis and take him back to Tempes. I can break the news to the Count and Countess that both their kids are force users. They will be thrilled." she states, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Getting back out of the crypt is the least painful part of this whole experience!

~

Telekinesis is something Ax has been working on quite a bit of late, it was no longer one of his weakest abilities. With a wave of the hand, Saga rises back off the ground and begins following the others. "After you, Vega. I'll try not to bonk his head on too many things on the way out."

~

"I am disinclined to cast it at a sun and trust to hope that so fell a relic remains lost, sir. I would see it destroyed if such is within our power, and will accept seeing it cast into a black hole, or buried in a star if we cannot." A pointed look to Ewan. "You may replace your sword, sir." A dip of his head and the gentleman moves to withdraw alongside the others, nothing to Ax, "Deftly done, sir."

"We should take great care carrying these dark things to our new and secret home. They are not impossible a trail to follow," but, that was all he said. He was moving on, stoic and quiet. Confounding the mechanism on the helmet was about all he could offer, this wasn't his discussion any longer, and he was clearly out-numbered. With a heavy weight on his mind, he walked off, into the sunset.

Jax sighs, "It's always a kriffing mess with darkside trinkets." Then there's a moment laughter, "It's a shame that just not the nature of the light side. I'm just imaging our earnest while opposite complaining about annoying jedi artifact leading to them being haunted by jedi telling them the jedi oath and encouraging them to do good."

Ban Iskender sniffs in sharp amusement at Jax's imagination. "I confess to taking solace in the thought, sir. The image of our counterparts snarling and struggling to rein in the overwhelming urges to thank strangers or possessing them with an unrelenting patience."