Log:Jedi Order: On What Wings

Jedi Order: On What Wings

OOC Date: July 26, 2021
Location: Ylesia
Participants: Jedi Order: Aryn Cortess, Kasia Ashkuri, Jax Greystorm, Rune, Zandra naMuriel, Vhe Tenara, Qutha Buvu Pah, Yuun, Chani Tahn, and Rey Skywalker with Chewbacca and Ben Solo

"JED-I!" The booming deep Hutt voice rings out with singular clarity in the otherwise muddled Huttspeech, echoing off the side of the train the members of the Jedi Order are standing atop of. Piercing spotlights shine down on them, making the dull metal of the train sparkle like the stars in the night sky above. HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

After the encounter in the swamps of Nal Hutta, they'd been sent on a wild mynock chase across two different systems in search of the kidnapped Dathomiri, only to find that the trail lead to Ylesia, a Hutt-controlled world used for the training of slaves. After a rocky landing through the famously challenging gravitational shifts, the Jedi had quickly busied themselves with the task of infiltrating the slave training camp in search of those poor kidnapped prisoners.

It was all going according to plan. The Dathomiri matriarch and her witches had been loaded onto a maglev train bound out of the camp, and it had been simple enough to climb atop to reach the access hatches; however, as they prepared to make an entrance, the lights had blasted on and a familiar greeting split the silence.

It's not every day one is caught attempting to jump a train. Squinting through the bright lights, Ben glances around at the others, then peers into the darkness surrounding them.

The train itself is a long metal tube, of course, mounted on a singular rail elevated high above the slave camp and studded with access hatches along the top, along with any number of irregularities and actual handholds. In the darkness beyond their circle of light, the black metal of weapons gleams in the hands of guards blocking their escape down either end of the train.

The Hutt's translator, the Mirialan woman, speaks through some sort of amplifier. "Jedi scum! You find yourselves surrounded and at the mercy of Mighty Oobla! Throw down your weapons, and there may yet be mercy!"

"That is an odd pair of statements. First we are at the mercy of someone, then we are to cast down our belongings to gain more mercy? I daresay, Hutts /are/ confusing." Aryn remarks, clearly frustrated at being caught but also not surprised, because sneaking into anything had never been her forte. Unsure of what to make of the situation, Aryn unclips her lightsaber and holds it aside. Defiant, it seemed, and unwilling to part with her Jedi weapon. To convey her defiance, she activated the weapon to produce its sapphire beam and held the humming device at her side. "I am disinclined to comply with your request. How might we proceed?" She calls back.

"Oh, so now we're Jedi scum?" Kasia's diplomacy of yore seems not to be making a reappearance the way the Mighty Oobla has. "That's not the way you greet friends and allies, or have you changed your mind?" The tone used to convey the question makes it pretty clear she thinks their status has definitely changed to expendable on the Hutt's social media. Rather than continue on conversing, or complying with demands, instead she closes her eyes for a moment to gather the force around her to serve as armor should things go bad.

"I think this proves bad faith on your party, Master Oobla. I would like the return of my property as collateral." He says pulling the force around him as a shield. "Then we can discuss who would be surrendering to who?" Jax says with a smile. "But the negotiations seem to have gotten off to a bad start."

Rune finds himself in agreement with Aryn, the only thing he is certain of is the uncertainty of what to do. They're at their objective but now that they've been discovered it's not likely that Oobla will allow them to walk away with the slaves. That will most likely require a measure of force and, without his lightsaber, Rune isn't terribly imposing or forceful... not yet at least. So off the belt the surprisingly together hilt comes, nary a piece flies off into the night, and with the press of a button an emerald column leaps to join the sapphire one in extension.

"I would agree. Perhaps we should start over seeing as how you are at a disadvantage." Rune can't see past the lights but, knowing this lot, the Hutt and his crew are most certainly not prepared for what awaits them. Feeling the Force spring from Jax and Kasia, Rune steps slightly in their direction for a measure of protection when the blasting begins.

Zandra's hand goes to her lightsaber, but not to give it up. She's not letting it go at all, really. Her fingers are on the buttons, ready to activate and whirl into action. She too reaches for the Force, quietly, with a little bit of a meditation exercise tossed in. Keeping her cool. She looks to see if she can spot unexpected attackers, in case there are any about to pounce from other than the obvious directions. She winces at the spotlight though, not able to see much around the glare it creates. "Ugh." A glance up at it, and a thoughtful look.

It is clear after the momentary blinding light that peppers the after images across her gaze that things are not going to go well and thus Vhe reaches for her own weapon as the others take up their defensive positions. The woman lowers, to try to gain whatever tactical advantage there is to their position atop the transport.

Fingers curl around the cylindrical presence at her side as she slides it free and down when Aryn's sizzles into being. Her finger brushes over the button and the blue blade expands and angles back behind her for the moment.

Her gaze narrows, trying to search behind the expanse of the spotlight that has them targeted presently. She blinks rapidly as if the added reduction of glare might help but whatever she is seeking does not come readily enough.

Well, Aryn's lightsaber is out now, then Vhe's, then Kasia is talking about shifting allegiances and the Zelosian is just lucky he hasn't been shot, smacked or thoroughly insulted to the point of being unfit for social function for the sheer embarrassment he would be clearly experiencing.

His mouth opens for a moment, then closes, open... shut. No he shouldn't add to this - but others have already drawn their weapons... foolish to leave himself open and force others to protect him.

So the stunsaber comes out and a sad frown with it. "Bother..." Qutha finally utters, deflating slightly.

It's hard to hide and sneak around when you are a Wookiee and not in a forest. Chewie stays low, listening to their greeters. Cautiously, he edges his head up a little to try and get a look out into the darkness, not at all liking to be spotlighted. His bowcaster is brought around into hand. Unless he should get close enough for hand to hand. In which case, Chewbacca has the choice of ripping people's arms out or using his Ryyk blade.

For the moment he leaves the talking to the Jedi while he tries to pinpoint however many potential hostiles he can locate.

Yuun followed the others and has kept quiet. He honestly didn't mind all of the sneaking around but now that they are being surrounded, the dark skinned initiate just breaths. He really did hope that not all hutts were the same but oh well. Yuun infuses himself with the force and he continues breathing slowly, "Please stand down." he directs his to the Hutt.. This is all he says.

Chani remains silent in the face of the beaming columns of illumination highlighting their position. She glances out into the dark sea beyond, where the telltale hints of weapons trained on them does more to threaten them than the words of the Hutt they once treated with to set terms. Other than adjust her right arm towards her left hip and secure the metal hilt from the belt hidden beneath the feyd-cloth robe draped over her shoulders, Chani does nothing but wait with eyes slightly eased shut against the glare. Rather than trust just her own physical senses, Chani instead keeps her mind open to the call of the Force and the symbiotic relationship she shares with it, hoping that should things turn for the worse, it will prepare her with some warning.

Rey's gaze is on the ones standing in their way. She parts her lips as if she's wanting to say something but she doesn't and instead simply looks to her companions as they draw their weapons.... which is very wise in this situation.

Her hands are on the strap of her satchel and her hood is drawn up over her head. She releases a light exhale as she puts her right hand down on to the grip of her blaster pistol. Her left stays on the strap of her satchel but she drops it down toward the clip to the bag itself...

The spotlights make it hard to tell exactly what their situation is regarding the number of enemies they're facing and where they are; all that is really clear is where the Jedi are, under the harsh beams. Their lightsabers flare into life, and the slaver camp guards that lurk just beyond the ring of light ready their weapons.

Then the train abruptly jolts underfoot as the magnets switch on.

"You had your chance, Jedi, and you respond with yet more insults and mockery. The great Oobla finds you here, among his property? Poised to do violence? After our honest bargain? And still you persist in threats of violence? The great and powerful Oobla is just. You must be punished."

The train begins to crawl forward, its acceleration minute for now but how long will that last? If it's any consolation, the forward movement takes them out of the bright lights and into the moonlit darkness, the sudden shift leaving little time for eyes to adjust as the murky figures of the guards spread out, some moving in closer towards the Jedi while others choose little bits of the train to anchor themselves to and cover behind.

"The only insult here is your grasp of diplomacy. The time for diplomacy ended with your betrayal," Aryn called back, waiting no longer to enter the fray. The train began to move and so did she. Her first attack is intended for one of the guards training their weapons at them. She swings her weapon, elegantly slicing, stabbing, and finally connecting with a strike that only went deep enough to end the threat. Her blade created a static sound upon connection and concluded with a wave of ember ashes when the sapphire length emerged from their side.

Twisting about, her poncho whips loudly, and the weapon in her hand hums as it's directed to the next. Of all things to be thankful for, Aryn was most appreciative that the blinding light had moved on. "Before long, we will have physics to contend with. We should find a path that ensures we can withstand the train speeds!"

Kasia leaves the response to other people, she hasn't anything to add to the conversation that could be considered even a little bit productive. Insteadd she reaches down to the saber at her hip and pulls it free, thumb sweeping over the button so a pink blade appears. Her robes whip around her as she shrinks back and ducks from the guard's attack, then dark eyes settle on the nearest target that is subjected to the unpleasant end of her blade. One falls, and then a second. She steps forward for a third, but the swing of her blade doesn't connect with anything but air.

Jax pushs back his robe and instead of quick drawing a saber he goes for his blaster. The first shot goes wild but the second shot finds a target. "Are we surprised by a Hutt lords sudden and inebitable betrayal? I mean I gave him my saber as collateral and I'm not surprised by this. I'm just glade we really didn't let him keep Qutha."

Then Aryn's talking about physics. "YOu got a flight plan in mind?"

More threats from the Hutt spokesperson and the train begins to move. Rune too is thankful the lights are no longer blinding the group, instead the crew being illuminated by the differing colors of their lightsabers as they flare to life. As the Jedi move out to deal with the guards, the younger Ysannan shifts to do the same.

His vibrant blade of green swings in an attack, the guard able to see the first cut and dodge it easily. This was not the case for the return slice, the shimmering length passing through the guard's body to bisect it before it slides out the other side. With that one target dealt with, he turns on another. This one is a bit more aware of his antics and slips away from the humming light before it can cause any harm.

"What about going down below?" Rune calls out as hazel eyes lock onto the guard before him, wary of the attack that is sure to come in retaliation. "We can cut open the hatches?"

Zandra has her lightsaber in hand, and it's a moment only to hit the button to have it activate. That done, she swings at the nearest guard behind them, the first slice missing, but no dobut that guard could smell the ozone. She swings wildly on her spin, the sound of the lightsaber whooshing through the air as she barely maintains her momentum and concentration. Then she swings again but the guard she's facing has eaten his huttabix and dodges. Zan moves to take a defensive position, but she too heard the comment about physics. "That's a good idea, any idea where?" If nothing else, she's hopefully keeping the guards in the back busy, along with whoever else is there helping.

Shots are fired, quite literally and one zips past Vhe's shoulder, the smell of charged air and heat that makes her hair curl with its passage. The saer once held back sweeps up and forward as she closes the distances to the trouble that nearly left a mark on her in the front. Her foot falls slide just a little on the slick smooth surface before her saber extends, trying to clear the distance. All she finds is air and with a furrowing of her brow she brings the edge of the blade upwards and between to slice her target from navel to chin so that he crumbles to the ground.

The third swipe is dodged easily as the woman glances to Aryn and those engaging the men at the front. Leaving room and working in harmony she gets her footing once more.

"That was fast." Qutha sighs, instinctively ducking when the bolts start flying and lightsabers begin dismembering. He still has but a stunsaber, but really that may be his preference even once he is able to begin his work in crafting his own energy blade. But the guards are swarming and he's doing what he can to attend to matters, such as they are.

"Please! Rethink this!" saber hissing past the shoulder of one while the plant man starts to backpedal, giving a wild second swing that thumps against their armor and does more to help his retreat than stop their advance.

"Bother!" hop, hop, back hop "I. Erm. Can anyone help me?" ducking under a swing of a rifle butt, "Bother and blow!"

Chewbacca gets up from his prone position once the train starts moving out of the light. He didn't want to be easily skylighted before but once the train eases back into the darkness he's up and moving forward, bowcaster in his large hairy hands. He wails and rumbles, "Slaver scum! I knew we couldn't trust them to keep to a bargain!" Solo would have known better too. Alas, his buddy isn't here to help him out of this fix, but Rey and others are!

Big Wookiee feet move quickly over the train's topline. Chewie stops suddenly when one of Oobla's enforces pops his head up over the side and looks about to take aim! The bowcaster qwangs and sends a bolt into the interloper, knocking the fellow off into the darkness. Chewie roars, "Come and get it!" Unless the Jedi who don't want to hurt people, the Wookiee's ire is getting up. No love lost for slavers, no!

No verbal jousting will solve the hypocrisy present in their situation. Chani leaves it to the wayside and instead seeks to solve the situation by removing the instruments of violence meant to cause them harm. Stepping towards the gathered guards who have their weapons raised, Chani's thumb depresses the activation stud on the hilt of her lightsaber and the blade coalesces into existence with a noisy, electronic screech and a cast of brilliant blue light to accompany it. The weightlessness of the weapon allows her to utilize a singular hand and devote the other to balance. She adopts a stance not unknown to those of noble, Alderaanian houses, and ensures her body is on line with the blade as much as her feet are in a solid stance. When she moves, the tip of her blade does so without overextending. Rather than flesh, it finds the weapons the guards are wielding, and a short series of three sharp cuts leaves a trio of the guards with much to think about.

As the others rush in with lightsabers drawn, and even a couple blaster weapons being fired too, Rey just advances on foot and at a semi casual pace. She watches the fighting begin, the saber blades swinging and growling as the train passes out in to the darkness. Her focus is merely on the bodies of the guards in the way and she reaches out with her mind to control their flow in the Force, choosing one closest to her. She grabs the guard with the Force and sends him flying backwards to collide in to a solid wall while she continues to walk onward, and ahead.

"The time for diplomacy is over, Jedi," the Mirialan woman intones somberly over the loudspeakers. "Along with your pathetic lives."

The maglev train has begun to pick up speed, but almost more problematic is the upward slant the rail train-sitions onto. The incline starts slow, just like the acceleration, but rapidly increases to nearly forty-five degrees. A Wilhelm scream wails from the rear of the train as one of the guards loses his footing and falls off. The wind picks and tugs at articles of clothing and long hair, though it has yet to become painful.

Looking ahead into the gloaming brings a troublesome sight as eyes adjust to the darkness: the track corkscrews upwards away from the ground, high into the air.

"That's going to be a problem," Ben mutters, activating his own lightsaber as the blaster bolts start to fly with reckless abandon from both ends of the train, showering the Jedi and the guards that move into engage in hand-to-hand combat both with fire both aggressive and friendly.

"Cover me!!" Surprising that Aryn even knew what such a soldiering statement meant! Nevertheless, the young blonde knight plunges her lightsaber into the roof of the train car and begins to carve out a hole that ought to serve large enough for them to pass through.

Aryn thought it obvious enough what she was doing, so she didn't call that out. Blaster shots intended for her miss, miraculously, and spark off the hard metal roofing they all stood. Uncertain but devoted to her action, Aryn focuses on making the molten metal give out so they have a place to escape the dangers of high winds and physics.

Kasia's luck at not getting shot holds for now, and the luxury of not being shot is that she can look ahead to the aforementioned trouble. "Oh, that is a problem," she agrees with Ben, head turning to look back at Aryn as she begins to carve a way for them off the top of the train. Rather than offer cover, she carefully steps around the Jedi and turns so she can mirror the move. She braces herself as best as she can on her feet before plunging the pink glowing weapon into the roof of the train, both hair and robes whipping around her as they begin to pick up speed. "Cut faster, cut faster," she urges, largely to herself, because she doesn't want to see what happens if they get to that corkscrewy part of the track with them all still up here.

A blaster bolt strikes Jax but the Force protects him as his hooded cloak flows around him in the wind. At Qutha's words Jax pivots and starts to open fire. His twin shots missing their targets, "I miss my Dl-30!" He says dropping down to a prone shooting position.

'A problem' Ben says, as hot plasma bolts fly haphazardly around the Jedi and the train begins tilting upward. Fortunately, as he's waiting for the attack from the front, the Force calls out to Rune and, as he turns with lightsaber extended, he sends one particular shot that was going to strike him back to its sender. The impact is denoted by a spray of sparks that erupt from the target and scatter into the night.

Unfortunately, he was not near or quick enough to help Chewbacca as the great Wookie takes a similar blaster bolt in the torso. With a noticeable wince, Rune calls out, "Chewie, you alright?" He starts to move his direction, if nothing else to help defend against further attack while sounds of those cutting into the train sizzle from behind him... seems he had the right idea to go down and in.

Zandra is already at the back, and so she certainly hears Qutha. "I'm with you, Qutha," she calls out, just so he has that in his mind. He's not alone, he's got backup. She doesn't flinch as blaster shots miss, but one shot actually sizzles her robe, and that is a little too close for comfort. Her breath comes out with a hiss, and her eyes narrow. "We can do this together," she encourages. Teamwork, that's the mantra that's seen them through this far. Zan steps forward to engage, utilizing the jedi forms she's been taught. She first slices at that first guard who she missed earlier, and then turns to swing at a second, her steps precision point even with the slowly increasing angle and velocity of the train that is about to become a roller coaster.

Vhe glances back as Aryn calls for cover. A decisive shift forward as her feet stay firmly beneath her. More shots fired and the damaged extended amongst the group as she sweeps forwards into the fray, bridging the gap as her saber claims one and then two, the woman drawing a breath as her gaze sweeps over the fallen before she raises her blade and misses the third time. "How is it coming back there?" she calls out, glancing over her shoulder and risking the uncertain wrath of the Hutt's goons.

OH! OH Dear oh dear! Oh bother and dear! Blaster bolts all around him, -aimed- at him, and it's all Qutha can do to keep from a few squeaks as the force guides his movements. Steered to a narrower and narrower profile - the most he can offer is to help cover those cutting into the roof; particularly because his weapon can't cut butter. Zandra's voice lifts his head. Not alone. Emerald eyes on the brightly coloured haired woman and he gives nod, "Together then! Yes!" thank the Sun.

Head swinging from point to point, eyes wide, Qutha forces himself to take a moment. Calm, no fear, no concern. Only the force to move his body where it was meant to be, his intuition to guide him.

One of those assaulting guards gets too close and the Zelosian finds his hand pointed in their direction. Rapid blinks bat his eyes and instinct is allowed to take over. He pushes, but without moving, enough to punch the sot in the chest with nothing more than willpower to buy him a few more seconds.

"Moving to the group in the front!" Yuun calls out as he quickly rushes forward, his blade not activated until he spins in towards his first opponent. The blade activates, the snap-hiss echoing as they move, the blade angled horizontally, bisecting the guard. The force flowing through him as he moves to engage the next nearest opponent. Yuun's focus was to keep these guards on him and to by Aryn and Kasia as they cut into the train to give them a way out.

With the guards having not targeted him, this made it a little easier for Yuun to close in. Cutting down two more guards, Yuun brings his blue blade up into a guard ready for his opponents.

Focused on not physically harming the guards, Chani is ill prepared for the lurch that sends her feet out from under her. Instinct leads her to depress the stud on the hilt of her lightsaber in the process, lest her arm flail and she accidentally turns the lightsaber on herself. She's not without options in this position. As Aryn begins to carve through the top of the train in search of a way to get them out of this situation, Chani's attention remains focused on removing the ability of the guards to harm them. Reaching her hand out, Chani's fingers curl and her arm flings with a yanking motion that sends a blaster rifle twirling off into the darkness. Then both her hands dip beneath her to push herself up and off her stomach so she can regain her footing.

They were handling things fairly well so far, but Ben's words send Rey's eyes up to the tracks up ahead, spiraling in to insanity. "What purpose does that ser---" She's cut off as Chewbacca is shot in the chest. "Chewie!" Rey shouts as she instantly changes her course and rushes toward him, moving past Jax as he fires his blaster... she raises her left hand and thrusts her saber hilt in to his chest before moving on past him....

Her right hand comes up and she stabilizes the Wookiee with her connection to the Force and is there beside him to reach out for his shoulders to help him as she looks ove rhis wound. Its not great! "You'll be okay." She tells her friend, "We're going to get out of this."

Rey's eyes go back to the others, seeing the escape route cut in to the train by Aryn and Kasia, then looks to the enemies left firing on them....

The train continues to gain in speed, but as it starts to head up the rail's corkscrew, velocity flatlines as the long vehicle winds up and around and around, centrifugal force threatening to fling the hangers-on clinging to the roof out into the void. The maglev is going properly quick now, and the wind is painful, bringing water to the eyes, stinging cheeks, and sending loose garments flapping in the breeze.

As the Jedi begin to cut into the roof while guards are mowed down to the fore and the rear, an enormous skiff, a flying yacht clad in faded gilt paint, looms up out of the darkness, following the train from fairly safe distance, and that booming belly laugh reaches their ears. On the deck is Oobla the Hutt, enjoying the show as the guards come on with renewed frenzy, launching their last-ditch attacks on the Jedi before the speed becomes too great and they're tossed aside as well.

When Aryn and Kasia complete the hole and the roof falls in, a circular steaming skylight left behind, the view inside is hugely encouraging. Cages, lining the walls like cells, and about a dozen shocked eyes staring up at them from ashy faces.

When the hole is finished, Aryn looked up to Kasia and grinned. "Good work!" This has to be yelled because of the rushing winds and noise of everything around them. Aryn begins to yell to the others, "An opening is made! Follow me inside; make haste!" Without further hesitation, the blonde doctor drops inside and lands below, moving quickly from the opening to scan the interior for guardians waiting to ambush. She raises the blue lightsaber to cast its glow over the occupants in their cages and along the bulkheads to ward away the shadows. "Be easy, we are here to save you," Aryn said with a bit more conviction.

The hole in the top of the train is completed and with it done she withdraws her saber to allow the metal around it to cool from it's current molten in spots. She glances up at Aryn and flashes her a grin in return. "Likewise." Once Aryn is in, she leans forward to look into the space open below. "Look there are--" Her words end abruptly with a gasp, and then a started scream as her feet go out form beneath her, and then the train as a whole is no longer there as she finds herself slipping, off the edge and then out of sight.

Jax fells a the press of Rey's saber into his chest as she goes running past. In one smooth action he holsters his blaster and the raises his hand with a quick motion grabbing the saber as it begins to fall. His finger sliding to the ignition of the saber. The twin crystals spinning around as a golden blade emerges from the emitter. A smile slips on across Jax's face. Then he takes off at a run hot on Rey's heels. As she moves to help, Chewie the force flows through Jax as he leaps over them and coming down onto a roll along the train. Then springs up as the golden saber slashes into one of the guards cutting him in twine. Jax spins around to take another one out on a back slash then another summersault and lands to decapitate another guard. He points the golden blade at the skiff. "Oogla the Hutt, It is not too late to negotiate. Choose the wise path."

More blaster fire comes their way and it's all Rune can do to deflect another shot, the screaming red bolt being sent deftly back toward the rifle that launched it. Unfortunately, so much concentration was spent on protecting and deflecting that he failed to notice the sharp bend up ahead until it was too late... and by too late, meaning when it arrived his legs buckled and he was already bouncing over the top of the train, lightsaber squealing off, while his free hand scrambles for any purchase it can find. "Poodoo!" Rune exclaims when nothing is located to arrest his progress toward the side of the train. With flailing limbs and a string of curses, the youngest Ysannan slips over the edge and out of view, right after Kasia.

Zan's plan is to duck down the hole, but she spies folks going flying. She pauses, turning to try to pull Kasia, pink saber and all, reaching out with the Force with a fast movement of her free hand. This is perhaps too fast, as she can't quite seem to get a hold of her fellow jedi. "Kasia!" she calls out, alarm in her voice, as she tries hard to grab the other jedi, standing there instead of being smart and ducking into the train. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The quickened pace of the transport causes Vhe to finally lose footing, one sliding out from her to begint he curved decent only for the woman to grasp roughly at a small indentation in the surface. She strains to keep herself from slipping as the screams of her fellows alert her to the mishap of those behind.

Turning her head, dark braids slides across her view, whipped around by the rush of air as they start to pick up more speed. Her saber deactivates as her hand still grasping it reaches out and behind her as she stays low to keep from being ripped off the thing.

The force reaches out and at the sight of Rune's quickly disappearing form she snaps a hold of him. She strains against the movement of the transport forward and the weight of her target, easing him back towards the train so that he can get a hold. The sudden whipping of her braids blind her but it matters not now that she helps secure her fellow back where he needs to be.

Struck, dead center, eyes going wide and in a split second Qutha is trying to remember why he's looking at the sk-wait is he falling? The scenery suggests he's falling. A quick look down to his feet and he finds them obscured by the smoldering cloth and the smoke rising from his chest before the pain sets in so swiftly that it runs roughshod over the shock and all he can do is a wheezing start of a gasp before his chest hitches and his body spasms.

Jaw working, there's an instinctual movement to touch a fingertip against the edge of the wound which results in a cough and full tensing of his form; which only results in further agitation.

"Zan?" monosyllabic - easy enough to work. "Vhe?" that's two! Well done Qutha.

Rey's question is a GOOD one. What purpose does it possibly serve to have the tracks go up and up and corkscrew around like that anyway?! The speed of the train is really starting to whip his fur around in his eyes. Chewie warbles, "grarrrl is rwowoal my best day ever." His bowcaster is on a sling so he lets go of it once he feels Rey's hands on his shoulders to stabilize his slide, rumbling, "Thanks, Rey." Getting his feet underneath him and hurting, Chewbaccay lays both hands to the access hatch he wants to try and rip open.

Only the angle is getting ever steeper. He slips and falls again, even with Rey trying to hold onto him, and Chewie almost falls off the edge over the side. His paws grab hold of a hand hold just in time to catch himself but it HURTS, while his big feet and hips hang off the side of the train! "If only this were a rwowoal!"

But maybe he can still climb up, now there is shouting that there's a hole to access the interior.

Gotta get there, first. It seems Chewbacca is a hard Wookie to kill and somehow has gotten himself a second wind to some degree. Nostrels flaring against the pain in his chest, he tries to climb back up. Wookies are GREAT climbers but the mag train's surfaces are slick, lending him little purchase.

The Force is flowing through Yuun as the incoming fire comes towards him, moving from side to side as he watches as he red energy lances sings towards him. Yuun catches the shift of the train as it takes the sharp turn and crouches and braces, though as he does he glances back and grits his teeth as he did feel himself moving aa little but he's able to stop himself.

He hears the others as Kasia goes over, "Not today!" he grits his teeth as he shoots his left hand out towards her, his fingers splayed as he uses the Force to catch Kasia, he feels her and his grip around her. "Got her. Someone get her!" he calls as he lifts Kasia up and back onto the train, and he quickly turns his gaze on the attackers he's facing using his right hand to keep his guard up as he helps his comrade.

As soon as Chani regains her footing, every pore of her skin seems to contract at once. There's a flash of an image in her mind -- a preternatural glimpse of a few seconds into the future -- and Chani surrenders both her mind and body to the influence of the Force. Before the trigger is pulled, Chani whips around with the use of lean muscles that are whiplike from the intense physical demands put on her since joining both the New Republic and the Jedi Order in their time of peril. The lightsaber in her hands reactivates and she makes a sweeping, almost batting-like motion that collides with a blaster bolt that was meant for her back and now zips off into the darkness. Moments later, she's feeling the lurch of the train for a second time.

Chani grounds herself not only in the Force, but against the train itself to resist the snappy motion of their makeshift ride. It's no simple effort to stay upright, but she does. What she doesn't is hesitate to rapidly move for the hole Aryn has carved into the roof, seeking the safety inside rather than be exposed to not only the guards and the physics of motion, but whatever weaponry the Hutt skiff might have to bring to bear on them out in the open.

Rey's eyes go over to the barge as she can hear the Hutt chortling at their predicament. She scowls for a second before the wind ripping over them has her looking away again. She loosk to Chewie who's in trouble, and reaches out for him to take hold of his left arm and help him up. "Come on." She shouts over the wind. Her eyes scan around for the others but the chaos is great, its hard to concentrate on anything but survival. She helps guide them toward the place that Aryn and Kasia had dug out of the train and motions for the Wookiee to go in ahead of her, his weight drawing her in with him soon after though!

With the speeds of the train increasing, and even Jedi being flung off the side, it's easy to imagine how the ragtag Hutt strike force is doing. Not well. Despite preparing for this specifically with some rudimentary climbing gear, as the maglev train only continues to accelerate, those that remain are whipped away into the wind one by one, sailing off with trailing screams.

At the sight of things going poorly atop the train, Oobla rumbles his discontent, ordering the skiff down and away, dropping back into the darkness to nurse the injury to his pride.

Within the train, the Witches of Dathomir, finally found, crowd against the bars of their individual cells, some reaching hands out to their rescuers, some keening with relief and joy. It is a moment of celebration.

The train jolts again; the car the Jedi are riding on shakes, sparks flying from the rail as the giant magnets keeping it levitating clash against it. A terrible harmonic groaning fills the air, setting teeth on edge as metal comes under incredible strain. Another jolt, and the car separates from the engine ahead, its breakneck pace grinding to a halt as the engine pulls away.

There down in the engine's severed coupling, still glowing red where it was cut free, a masked man in dark robes rides away from them, a familiar blue lightsaber held in one hand. The glowing blade rises in a salute as the engine flees into the darkness, then vanishes.