Log Date: 6/17/99 Log Cast: Ignis, Jairen, Shenner, Lon, assorted NPC Square guards, Webb Log Intro: Over the last few weeks Shenner's sword training with Jairen Windchaser has progressed -- and in fact, Shenner's made some progress in learning more about her enigmatic alien friend, his homeworld, and his culture. Although she's wound up having to do a lot of her workouts with a small remote purchased to cover for when Jairen vanishes off to -- well, wherever he vanishes off to, still she has had enough practice sessions with him to demonstrate her improving skill. And to encourage Jairen to test those skills when and where she least expects it -- even if that happens to be in the Fountain Square the day after the assassination in said Square of a prominent Admiral in CDU's defense forces... ---------- You walk into Fountain Square. Fountain Square - Plaxton City The huge buildings in the background threaten to take over this small patch of green that is the center of Plaxton City. A stone fountain -still in place from another time- sits in the center of the square. It depicts a young woman looking into the sky. water flares around her and bursts into a star pattern ten feet above her head. The inscription at the base of the fountain is written in the aging language of a more romantic time. 'Farewell, for all journeyers that leave this place shall always return to call it home.' Wandering the square throughout the day are Caspar Marines; some off-duty and enjoying their downtime while on-duty commandos in full armor and uniform keep watch over the area. Despite the commandos' aggresive appearance, they are viewed with admiration and respect from most of the citizens, some of them even joking and talking with families. The night sky above is clear. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Lon => Ignis => Jairen => Detjin => IGNews Terminal - Caspar => Mail Terminal: Caspar -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- ndbar leads to The Sandbar. outh leads to South Mergansar Ave. - Plaxton City. ast leads to East Blake St. - Plaxton City. orth leads to North Mergansar Ave. - Plaxton City. est leads to West Blake St. - Plaxton City. Pursing her lips in thought for a quick moment after turning back to Jairen, Ignis replies in a carefree attitude, "Oh... I don't know. Don't suppose it really matters yet. I think it really depends where I can go. Unless, of course, you have a suggestion." By the way she lifts her brows, her last sentence is more of a question than a statement. Ignis glances sideways quickly in the direction of the departing Rodian as though to say 'I haven't forgotten about you even though I can't see you' before turning back to Jairen. As Detjin's footsteps fade, Ignis lowers her voice and says, "Are people normally that offendable on this planet? All the more reason to leave, I would think." She seems unaware of the lastest people to arrive in the area. Jairen shakes his head, still standing over the woman as she sits at the fountain. "No, m'lady. People are not in my experiance. However, he is not from here. He is a bounty hunter, and a ruthless one at that. I have had experience with him before, on Tatooine." Great gods and fire of the Force! It's _not raining_! On a night like this, it's almost a shame to be inside. Fortunately for Shenner, she isn't. She approaches the Square with a glint in her eye, her blaster at her side, and a devil-may-care set to her shoulders that belies any concern for recent violence that might have taken place in the general vicinity -- 'cause after all, violence on Caspar is almost as common as rain. She's got her satchel slung off one shoulder, and on her back, a sword in a simple leather sheath. Lon eyes continue to cast careless glances around. However, his strides quicken slightly, moveing his body towards the south. Lon walks to the south. Lon has left. "Tatooine?" Ignis replies. "The name sounds so... bland and boring. I hope that planet isn't as miserable as the name. Well, he didn't seem that bad of a person. Must be fate just gives him that appearance and reputation." Fortunately for Ignis, she doesn't seem to share Shenner's view on violence on Caspar, much less in the galaxy. Ah... ignorance is /indeed/ bliss. After all, she hasn't seen any while she's been here. She tugs lightly on the leash connected to C4 to make sure the little droid is still there. "It is a dull, sandy place with many ruffians more than a planet should." Comes the answer from the swordsman. He glances over his shoulder and sees Shenner striding down the way. He gives a dangerous smirk. "If you'll excuse me for just a moment." He says. Suddenly, without waiting for an answer, he is across the courtyard, weapon out. What could be called a warcry escapes his lips as he bears down on Shenner with frightening speed. Speaking of violence...! The redheaded singer has just enough time to snap a startled green gaze up to mark the location of the bellowing silver-haired demon closing in on her, and fast, before he's all too dangerously close. She doesn't waste breath on yelling an oath, though the urge does come to mind. Instead, she throws herself sideways into a long-practiced, hard-learned roll, to give her space enough to whip out the training sword riding in the sheath on her back. Well... no reason to ruin a perfectly good character concept. So with that in mind, Ignis continues sitting on the fountain listening to its faint gurgling. She jumps slightly at the cry of Jairen's 'warcry' but quickly stops worrying about it. After all, if there was really danger, C4 would be ever so disobedient and try to tell her despite her annoyance with the little box of circuitry and direct orders to the contrary. Mildly she wanders just what Jairen may be up to. Some prank? Nah... she's never known him to pull a prank in her short time her, and doesn't seem like the type that would. It couldn't be violence because C4 would tell her. Quietly she thinks, or rather tries to with the distraction of noise about. Ignis's lack of vision doesn't stop other people from looking at the seemingly now insane swordsman as his blade whirls at the young singer in a blur of combinations, pressing in an attack, moving her backwards towards a wall. The guards on the street don't seem to think this is a good thing either and start moving towards him, weapons raised. Well, after having seen three Jedi duel in the Square, and having seen an Admiral assassinated, and a significant number of other sorts of acts of violence, it's no particular surprise that the local constabulatory might get a trifle miffed at two apparent lunatics going at it with swords. I mean... swords. Who the kark fights with swords these days? Jairen and Shenner, apparently. The latter, about ninety percent certain that this _is_ another of her teacher's training exercises -- after all, hasn't he told her, more than once, that a properly trained warrior needs to be ready for anything, any time, anywhere? -- and so she's not quite as thorough as she might really need to be. She's also not nearly so blindingly fast as Jairen, and it's all she can do to ward off his swifter blade from her anatomy even as he inexorably drives her towards that wall. Fate! Ignis should have thought of that sooner. It must be Fate. Taken control of Jairen and he's no longer in control. Well, that might mean this really is violence (and the only valid excuse for it in Ignis' mind), but... still, he seemed so normal a minute ago. Well, if it is fate... you can never be too safe. Slowly Ignis stands up and tugs on the leash of C4 and whispers, "Come on, C4. This might be a good time to leave before he goes for the easy prey." She tugs the leash again, waiting for C4 to make a move. Jairen continues on his blade-wielding path against Shenner, his blade actually picking up speed, eyes intensely staring directly into hers. He seems ignorant of the guards approaching. However, despite the speed at which he's fighting, the swordsman seems to be leaving himself open in some cases. Some obvious some not to passers-by. To anyone who knows anything about swordplay, those openings could be deadly. Ninety percent certain this is a training exercise means Shenner's ten percent uncertain of Jairen's intentions. The blue fire of his gaze, the breathless speed at which he's striking out with his blade, and the moody behavior he's exhibited around her lately leave _just_ enough of a niggle of doubt that she begins to try to go into more of an offensive mode. Sweat sheening her fine-boned features, bent on assuring herself that Jairen's not actually flipped and bent on protecting herself and the precious harp in her satchel on the off-chance he _has_, she dives in for the next opening he leaves her. After Jairen is killed, people will probably start look for who he was with last, and that would be Ignis. All the more reason to leave before others think she's next to be possessed like this. You never can tell with Fate. It just seems to strike when you least expect it. Now, for example. She tugs the droid leash again, this time a little harder, "Come on you bucket of bolts. Move it." The droid beeps at her annoyingly. "How would you know? It's fate, so let's move, or I might be next and you'll be ownerless..." although the droid might like that, Ignis appends mentally. Slowly (and seemingly reluctantly) the droid starts rolling eastward away from the two. An opening indeed. A careless one. And if Shenner's sword had a point, a deadly one. Her training blade strikes Jairen squarely the ribs. With a mild grunt, he suddenly freezes in place, lowering his blade. A wide smile spreads across his face. "Ah. Very good Initiate." his voice is heard, quite normal except for a little bit of labored breathing at the exercise. "Ver good indeed. Your reaction time is improving." He still seems to be ignoring the rather large number of soldiers that now circle the pair, weapons primed. The sounds of a number of weapons primed and ready make Shenner freeze as well, panting, sweat now streaming down her face as her body abruptly halts its exertions. Jairen's uncommonly broad smile and the words of praise might under other circumstances set off an enormous smile of her own, but right now, it seems to the redheaded lead singer of the Womprats that she probably shouldn't twitch without permission from this rather irate-looking group of armed individuals. "Uh, hi guys," she croaks out breathlessly, trying to look as innocent as possible with a drawn sword gripped in her sturdy hands. It's a ploy, Ignis thinks as she hears Jairen. Fate is just trying to trick people into lowering their defensives. I've seen it before... when... when *sniff*. The thought doesn't finish, but she keeps moving, wishing the little droid would move quicker, only being halfway to the edge of the square, hoping this doesn't become a repeat of the last manifestation of fate that she endured. Jairen also looks around at the guards as if just noticing them. "Oh dear..." he says, not seeming worried. Suddenly, with a flash and a loud pinning sound that leaves a notch in one of the soldier's weapons, he's not there. Shenner can't help it. Jairen's disappearing acts under most circumstances are annoying enough, but here and now, leaving her surrounded by even _more_ irate-looking armed soldiers, she bursts out with an aggravated "_Bastard_!" when the swordsman to all intents and purposes vanishes without a trace. As some of the ring of guards split off to chase after him, Shen is left to veeeeeerrrrrry caaaaaarefully lower her blade, keeping her hands out where the keepers of the peace can see them, and try to figure out exactly how the _kark_ she's going to get out of this. Unfortunately for Shenner, Ignis has no idea what has really happened and so won't be helping her, although her imagination really isn't /too/ far off. But she's still concerned. After all, that would be just like Fate to chance Its Hand to disappear like that. Or would it be? She can't actually sight any examples, but... it does fit with her belief. Well, no reason to wait to see if and when he'll reappear. Perhaps by the time she gets back here to try to find this 'Shenner' person that Jairen said she should talk to, things will have cool down and she'll know if it was really fate and violence or just something else. Of course, by this time, the droid finally speeds up a little bit and she reaches the eastward edge of the square. [And shortly...] Webb walks into the square from the east. Webb has arrived. "And I'm tellin' ya, again, it was a _training_ exercise!" Shenneret Veery's voice peals out in protest to the stern-looking guard tapping notes on the situation into her datapad. "He's my _teacher_!" _The rat bastard. How the -kark- does he get off leavin' me--_ "He wasn't _attacking_ me!" "Ma'am, we lost him," a junior guard reports, coming up to snap off a salute to the woman with the datapad. A military landspeeder screeches to a halt beside you. One of the doors opens and Webb clambers out to matter of factly inquire, "There a problem here gentlemen?" Webb peers at you in a manner which would indicate a certain level of curiousity as to how exactly you got into this degree of trouble. Oddly, tiny whisps of white mist drift off of his field armor, steadily dissipating into the night air. When you inhale your next breath, you'd quickly become aware of the opressive scent of tear gas hanging about him... sufficient in intensity to drop many a lesser trained soldier. "Disturbance of the peace, sir," comes the crisp reply of the woman with the datapad, as she flashes a sideways glance at the arriving vehicle and the man who emerges from it. "This... -musician-" -- and the uniformed female's voice takes on a faint note of disdain -- "and an individual she refuses to identify were engaged in an armed altercation. We've lost the other suspect, and are questioning this one." Most of the guards who had converged on Jairen and Shenner have dispersed already, in search of the vanished silver-haired swordsman, leaving one who's confiscated Shenner's blaster and her practice blade, as well as the underling who'd just reported in. In the midst of the three guards, Shenner doesn't exactly light up at Webb's arrival, but palpable relief flashes across her eyes nevertheless. [OOC note: Webb and Shen couldn't finish the scene; it is assumed that Webb successfully argued the guards into letting Shen go about her business. To be continued...]