Corellian Rumble

[Polly Athos]

"Me? 'I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you'!" the Jedi said and it was clearly supposed to be some kind of joke, but Polly didn’t smile or laugh, just stared blankly at him and the joke dropped like a heavy stone. The Jedi had even paused for dramatic effect

"Kid, come on.” the Jedi continued, “Fancy green 'laser sword', black cloak? What do I look like, Senator Binks?”

Polly just stared at him as blankly as before and said in the most dry sarcastic voice, “I do believe I asked ’who’ not ’what’, no? But, hey, maybe I’m hard of hearing.”

It would seem the Jedi finally deigned to give him a proper answer. “Annan Anakin Rainwalker, Jedi Knight. As for how I got here, I was on... business, in Selonia. My droid picked up and decrypted an encoded transmission. Something about stolen Alliance goods. Considering we were just a planet over, we decided to pay a visit."

Ah, so the Jedi was indeed an ally. There was a possibility, however slim, that he lied, but Polly didn’t get a sense of duplicity from him. Polly trusted his gut enough to give the Jedi the benefit of the doubt.

The Sith deigned to speak then and the hatred was palpable, a live thing poisoning the air, sweet and bitter all the same on the tongue. But none of the two Sith attacked. They just left, their threat hanging in the air. Had Polly been as he looked, the words would have no doubt scared him. As it were, he merely let his tense shoulders fall. They had been the only outward sign of worry or emotion.

Annan responded with wit and Polly mentally rolled his eyes at, what was to him, a pointless endeavour and little more than stupid antics.

Then Annan deactivated his lightsaber and the blue-green glow disappeared with a hissing noise. "... Vader wannabes," he muttered as he stared after the Jedi and shook his head in mock disappointment. "It's been thirty years since he kicked the bucket, and still, Vader wannabes everywhere. Why can't they try something new, huh, Bigweld?" He addressed his droid, a curious custom modelled SEP security droid with the head of a KX-unit. A rhetorical question, thus not one Polly would deign to answer. Not the droid either it would seem.

Polly looked at the man who had begun to inspect his wound and shook his head, one small gloved hand reaching down to stop him. “No,” he said, tone mildly stern, “let me.” The man with the bowcaster had already stopped the loading of the crates, but Polly didn’t trust him or his comrade one bit. None had answered his question and he was certain they were no friend of his or the Jedi, nevermind the fact that they were now seeming allies. Appearances were deceiving.

“Oi, Jedi” the man with the bowcaster said, “"I think this is your responsibility?" He gestured to the men with the crates. Polly glanced over at them briefly, before he turned to stare at Annan who was looking down at him.

"Considering these are stolen Alliance goods, I believe so. Boy, were you a part of their crew? Who sent the signal?" Annan paused, before adding, "... and where are your parents?"

It was then that Polly showed emotion for the first time. A wrinkling of the brow, then a quirk of the lips. Confusion followed with amusement. And he laughed. It was a rolling laughter, loud and hearty, and with a naturally sardonic touch to it.

“I’d think that’d be obvious,” he chuckled, his blue eye alight with genuine mirth. “There was no crew.” Polly tilt his head and looked at Annan with mildly interested expectation. “Come now, you know the answer,” dry sarcasm once more.

Would the Jedi get it right? Did he have brains as well as skill with the blade? If he got it right, Polly would stretch out his arms and say, still drily sarcastic, ‘Bingo, give the man a prize!’ If he didn’t get it right, he would tell him matter of factly that it was him that had sent the signal.

Regardless of what the Jedi responded with, Polly would say, “As for my parents, your guess is as good as mine. Long gone I presume. Doesn’t matter really, I’m older than you anyway.” The statement was hand waved away with little in the way of inflection or emotion. It was just a fact, nothing more, nothing less.

[Rhoden Carbine]

Rhoden continued to hold guard over the men, Jorvan stepping up to do so as well when the boy refused his help.

He listened with one ear to the words behind him. glancing sidelong at Jorvan as the boy claimed to be older than the Jedi. Perhaps he was not a human then, and while there were indeed species near enough alike humans that could survive to great age Rhoden wondered now why the boy had in fact turned down Jorvan's help.

His grip tightened on the bowcaster, the only thing keeping him and Jorvan from leaving this mess right now was the possibility of the two men in front of him shooting them in the back. Of course it would be only to easy to dispose of them, but Rhoden had no doubt the Jedi would take issue with this so he contented himself to muttering curses under his breath.

[Annan Rainwalker]

“So I'm guessing you sent the transmission, then?” Annan said, inquisitively, knowing the kid was trying to irk him on purpose. Kids. He had always been polite and responsible as a kid. Zulara had been a handful, and considering she was his aunt, that was something. But kids these days; thinking they were smarter than adults, who were several decades ahead of them biologically, psychologically, even spiritually, not to mention much more mature and decent, good mannered, and--

Annan almost fell over in surprise.

“You are what now?”

Older than him? But he... and... so small... short... cracking voice... lack of facial hair... short?

It took of Ani's Jedi training to calm his emotions down and respond by placing his hand on his chin and drawling in a precisely calculated tone: “In-teresting...”

At that point, Annan consciously registered that continuous prickling in the Force, and followed the threads of the Force that ultimately led him right back to the boy (man? old lady?) in front of him. Annan sighed and crossed his arms, his black-gloved prosthetic hands disappearing under the elongated sleeves of his black robes, as he probed into the boy with the Force. An eyebrow raised as he saw the boy or man or old lady or zombie or whatever he was registered across his Senses as a beacon in the Force.

“Hmm... okay, 'Old Lady', have you noticed anything... strange, about yourself? And do you have anyone, anywhere or anything you wish to go back to? I'm assuming you didn't come all the way to Corellia with a bunch of low-lives willingly, right?” he inquired.

Annan then turned to look at the apprehended ones, before glancing at Rhoden. “Bigweld, apprehend them,” and the customised Security Droid responded by opening a compartment in his torso, pulling out two pairs of binders which promptly found their ways onto the wrists of their prisoners. Jedi Rainwalker turned to look at Rhoden, as he brought the black hood of his cloak up and covered his head, the shadow of its eave concealing his face til the tip of his nose, “I'm sure you two won't mind me taking these three back to Naboo? Unless you have a better use for them...”

He had counted Kayt, the third, among their captives.

[Polly Athos]

The good Jedi got it right then. Polly smiled and spread his arms out, ”Bingo, give the man a prize!” he said with sarcastic mirth. His arms fell to his side immediately afterward and he silently observed Annan’s reaction to the flippant comment of his age.

”You’re what now?”

It brought a slight smile to his face, just a little tug barely visible but a smile nonetheless. He didn’t respond, but nodded instead in affirmation once, and tersely at that.

Annan placed a hand on his chin and drawled in a calculated tone, ”In-teresting.” He took it surprisingly well,or gave the appearance that he did at least, for it was clear he’d had to collect himself. Polly hoped the man wouldn’t faint in surprise. That would be embarrassing for him and annoying for Polly. He would hate to have to wait for him to wake up or worse yet, drag him with him. It didn’t happen, because of course it wouldn’t. He was a Jedi.

“Hmm... okay, 'Old Lady', have you noticed anything... strange, about yourself? And do you have anyone, anywhere or anything you wish to go back to? I'm assuming you didn't come all the way to Corellia with a bunch of low-lives willingly, right?” Annan inquired.

Polly stared blankly at him for a couple seconds, eyes distant. ”Yes?”, he said slowly, ”No… I-” His face scrunched up in confusion as words and memory escaped him, and for a moment, he was utterly empty. A husk.

But awareness came to his eyes and a tinge of deeply buried and forgotten emotions lit in them for a second. Anger, confusion, worry, fear. They were all overshadowed by a glare of annoyance.

”Other than the fact that what I see in the mirror is not the truth? That I’m stuck? No, I suppose I'm completely normal.” Biting, cutting. His tongue didn’t hold, but he realized quick enough his loss of control and shook his head in distaste of himself.

”Nevermind.” Polly looked at Annan seriously, ”You ask a lot of questions, Jedi. No doubt you have more. It would hardly be fair to answer them all without equal return. A question for a question, and an answer for an answer. But not now. The answers are for your ears alone. And mine.”

Annan turned to the the prisoners then and told his droid, Bigweld, to apprehend them. He obeyed without pause and the Jedi turned to the bowcaster man.

“I'm sure you two won't mind me taking these three back to Naboo? Unless you have a better use for them...” he asked.

Polly hadn’t noticed Kayt had arrived by their side. She was staring at him and he met her gaze evenly. My, my did she look angry. There was a comment on his tongue, several in fact, one biting and cruel, the other worried and compassionate. Would he gloat or ask her wellbeing? Neither it would seem, for he pressed the comments down and replaced them with an answer for Annan.

”They’d be glad to. Now, let’s go. I want to sit down.” He looked at the Jedi and for a moment he seemed a true human child, voice holding an edge of plea to it, brittle and young as the form he wore. ”Please.”

[Rhoden Carbine]

"Not so much a use, a good bolt through the lot of 'em wouldn't hurt but something tells me that's not your style." Rhoden replied grumpily, "Take them," he said "And if there's nothing else... We'll be on our way."

He lowered his bowcaster, Jorvan lowered his own weapon. Rhoden gave the boy the slightest of glances, but he, she, it, was the Jedi's problem now.

[Annan Rainwalker]

Jedi Rainwalker sighed and closed his eyes, beginning a silent micro-meditation. Recap: he had just discovered a new Force-sensitive being, who was apparently older than him but younger-looking than most of the Padawans back at the Temple. He had also apprehended three hostiles, whom he would have to transport back to Naboo for proper trial and punishment. The Scintillance had more than enough space to accommodate the three prisoners: the Cargo Hold could be converted into a makeshift brig. He had a full crew this time around so there was minimal chance of mishaps.

He focused his attention back to the Boy-Who-Wasn't.

He clearly needed help.

<"Sounds like that holomovie where the magical spirit of the dead guy finds himself stuck in the head of the stuttering professor," Bigweld 2.0 suddenly spoke up in his typical cynical drawl. <"'Larry Shotter and the Philosopher's Meteorite', I think it was called. There was something in it about Mirrors and being stuck."

The Jedi gave the Droid a look.

The Droid looked back.

<"What?">

"We were supposed to watch that one together," Annan deadpanned.

The Droid merely shrugged, before dragging the three prisoners away from the scene. Jedi Rainwalker turned his attention back towards the boy, who seemed to really need his rest. He nodded, and with a quick, "Follow me," the black-robed Jedi Knight began the trip towards the clearing in the forest a short distance away where he had docked the YT-2000 light freighter Mahmudiye Scintillance.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the open entrance ramp. Bigweld 2.0 was already inside, along with Aunt Zula, O.M.5, Annan's RX-24 pilot droid and Drop, his BB-unit, and no doubt Zula and O.M.5 were ready to take them out of here. Annan stopped, and glanced down at the boy, a wordless 'after you' written on his face.

[Polly Athos]

Polly ignored the rambling of Bigweld and Annan’s subsequent response. He stood still and looked at them blankly, silently waiting for the moment they would go on the move. He wasn’t stressed about leaving, but he was tired and was looking forward to getting to the relative safety of the Jedi’s ship.

”Follow me,” the Jedi said quickly and with a nod, and then he began to walk. Polly trailed after him, keeping at a distance of about five feet at all times. As he walked, he pressed the holocommunicator on his glove.

They walked for a few minutes before they came to the ship, a YT-2000 light freighter. Polly stopped and looked it over with an appraising eye. ”Vintage,” he mumbled and turned around on his heels to look the way they had come. He didn’t miss Annan’s glance, but didn’t make a move to enter the ship just yet.
He stood still for a whole minute until, finally, a shape appeared in the distance fast approaching. An astromech droid.

Polly grinned from air to air as the little droid came wheeling up, beeping like mad, its arms out and waving. ”Calm down, Sixxer,” Polly chuckled and put a hand on its round circular head. The droid quizzically beeped and Polly smiled warmly. ”They aren’t a threat, so no worries. They are gonna take us with them to safety and then I’ll be able to spruce you up.” In response, he got an enthusiastic little squeal and a twirl of the droid’s round head.

Sixxer was an astromech droid of undefined make, vaguely reminiscent of the R-series, specifically the R2 line, but also clearly different. He looked like a hodgepodge of droid parts from varying models, his blue and red paint faded so as to be barely visible. He was clearly a homemade little critter.

Throughout his interaction with the droid, Polly displayed more emotion than he had up till that point. His behavior was borderline parental and it was clear that he and the droid were very close friends, evident by how Sixxer happily wheeled around Polly in greeting when he first approached.

The droid wheeled inside the ship ahead of Polly whom, still grinning, skipped after. He looked over his shoulder at Annan as he entered, expression momentary blank, ”You can ask as many questions on the way. Make a game of it.”

[Rhoden Carbine]

The two began to walk off and Rhoden turned to the now dead beasts on the ground. "Come on," he said to Jorvan "there should be enough of 'em left to get a good hat off--maybe a nice fur cloak." He knelt down and began to examine the creatures. Jorvan, a look of resignation on his face, knelt as well.

The two took what they needed, and headed off into the Corellian wilderness--in the direction opposite the Sith and the Jedi. Hopefully the rest of their little vacation would go uninterrupted.

[Annan Rainwalker]

Patience was a virtue that was mandatory for the Ideal Jedi. Ani was not an ideal Jedi, far from being one - yet. He had only been inducted into the Order three years ago, and had only just been knighted for the past two. Still, as his age and experience grew, so did he bloom in his wisdom, and right now that little voice in the back of his head taught him that being patient was the best thing in this situation.

This kid... infant... grandfather... school girl... whatever he was, was tired, and also happened to be one of the strangest beings he had ever encountered.

Even that green little Force Ghost he often heard from hadn't been this weird.

Okay, maybe Annan wouldn't put Polly that far up the Weird Scale. At least not until he started speaking in anastrophe.

Thus Annan just stood there, patiently observing and waiting. He knew Polly wasn't trying anything evil - not yet at least. The Force would have warned him if that were the case.

"Vintage,” he heard the strange little creature mutter, and Jedi Rainwalker smirked, looking up at his vessel with an admiring green eye. He crossed his hands over his chest as he did so.

"She is a beauty," he said. "I've got another one, a YT-1300. She's pretty sweet too, for an old model. You interested in starpiloting?"

Jedi Rainwalker then glanced at the direction of the incoming droid. The eyes of a Jedi were replaced by the inquisitive and interested eyes of an engineer, as he examined the droid and Polly's interactions with it. He smirked, placing a hand on his chin, "Well, well, well, Little One. It appears we may have more in common than we thought. I was an engineer, before I became a Jedi, and I'm still pursuing a doctorate in Droidotics. Did you assemble him yourself? The motivators and processing capacitors must have taken a lot of adjustment, to work efficiently with so many different parts..." he observed, the last line more to himself than to Polly, but loud enough he could have listened in.

[Polly Athos]

”You interested in starpiloting?” Annan asked and Polly nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. The Jedi was shaping up to be not so bad a fella.

Polly’s blue eye turned to focus on Annan as he revealed his engineering past and interest in the subject of Droidotics. One more point in his favor.

”Took me years to assemble him.” His face was lit with enthusiasm and he smiled broadly. Pride was clear in his voice. ”Had to scrounge the parts. He’s modelled after the R-series, but got a few C1-series parts. A bit of I2AM. Some T7 for the wiring. A bunch more from a myriad of places, mostly forgotten and outdated. Old, old models, but mech parts aren’t easy to get a hold of way, way out there.” He gestured to the sky absentmindedly, too excited about the topic matter to reign in his over-enthusiastic hand movements.

Sixxer booped and extended three clunky little arms. Polly chuckled. ”Yes, you’re perfect and dashing. I would never say otherwise.”

”He got a X10-D droid brain and a homemade personality matrix. It’s screwy and makes him zany-” Sixxer poked him with one of his arms and Polly pushed him away with a smile and a pat on the head, ”-but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Polly stood up and looked at Annan. ”The processor, a heuristic one it took me a long time to find, and the motivator are of the same make and model, but modified to fit the rest of the components. The wiring and the power cables were particularly hard.”

Glancing down at Sixxer for a moment, Polly pursed his lips thoughtfully for a few seconds before he turned to look at the Jedi. He had collected himself enough to suppress his excitement and now he regarded the Jedi with his usual stony expression. He had rambled like a foolish idiot; like an excited child. ”You owe me two questions, Master Jedi.”

Polly finally lifted his hands to remove his broken goggles. In the process he also removed the red, unflattering cap he’d been wearing. Black, curly, wild hair poked out at odd angles as soon as it was free from the cap, puffing out as if electrified. Polly made a half-hearted attempt to flatten it, but gave up almost immediately. Then he focused his one blue eye on Annan.

The left eye - and the majority of the left side of his face - was bandaged, the dressing having been covered up by the goggles and the cap. A bit of skin was, however, visible, and it was clearly scarred and burnt.

”You obviously think me Force sensitive-” his voice suddenly turned sardonic “-yes, I just remembered I know what that is and no, I didn’t know I was. Or perhaps I forgot.” Pollu became serious as if by the drop of a hat ”Where are you taking me and what are your intentions?”