suitably_heroic | Citadel Station, Some Time After Last (Reply)

Atton Rand	"I knew it! That stupid T3-unit stole our ship! It's probably joyriding through the system right now, laughing at us! ... laughing at me!" It had only taken a detour to help out some disenfranchised Czerka employee who served up his girlfriend as collateral, another detour to save a Sullustan from some guys trying to beat him up, another detour to-- well, you got the point-- before Atton had managed to get it through to Meetra that they might as well take another detour to at least get their ship back. Unfortunately, it had not gone as planned.
Meetra Surik	"The TSF droid said that it hadn't left the vicinity of the planet," Meetra pointed out with a sigh. "It's on Telos. There's nowhere else it can be." Not that she thought facts were going to stop Atton from ranting, since he'd been doing it for a while now.
Atton	"I told you," Atton retorted. "Telos's surface is highly corrosive outside of the shielded restoration zones. And it's not there. So it can't have landed on Telos." Maybe if Meetra had had the common decency of letting him grab a drink in the cantina instead of running off to save yet some other poor schmuck, he wouldn't be this annoyed.
Meetra	Meetra let out a sigh, but she was, thankfully, saved by their arrival at the Ithorian compound. "Hello," she said, striding up to the desk. "Moza sent me to speak with Chodo Habat." The Ithorian behind the desk brightened. "Ah, you are the Jedi he spoke of! I will open the doors for you, and inform Chodo Habat of your arrival. He will be pleased to see you." The inside of the Ithorian complex was nice enough - there was significantly more vegetation than in the rest of the station.

Meetra	They found Moza in one of the smaller rooms, accompanied by several other Ithorians. He greeted them warmly. Then he bowed and took a step aside. The Ithorian behind him gave them a nod. "Ah," he said. "It gladdens me that you came. I am Chodo Habat, leader of the Ithorians here. I am sorry to impose our worries on you, but I did not know where to turn until I sensed your arrival." Meetra tilted her head. "You 'sensed my arrival'?" "I am a priest of my people," Chodo said, "an adept in the Force. I sensed an echo within the Force upon your arrival... it is a subtle disturbance, unless one is listening for it. I suspected you were one of the remaining Jedi, and hoped you could help us. This is why I sent Moza." "Moza said you could heal me," Meetra said quietly. "What do you mean by that?" "The echo I felt upon your arrival was not a natural thing," Chodo replied. "It spoke of a great pain, not of the body, but of the spirit. It is as if you once felt the Force flow through you, then it was torn away, brutally and quickly. The echo comes from the hollows where it once flowed through you." Ah. Well. That made sense. "I once felt the Force, yes," she said. "And it is slowly returning to me." "It is a most unusual wound you carry," Chodo Habat observed gently. "If you would permit me to examine you, I could help restore some of what was lost."
Kreia	"Your speech is filled with 'maybes' and 'perhaps'," Kreia interjected. "You are bold to make promises of healing, while the world under your care burns and dies. You may be able to help, but there is always a price, is there not?" Chodo Habat bowed again. "Do not mistake me," he said. "It is not our desire to see any living thing suffer, but the suffering of Telos consumes us. Tell me, do you know of the problems our restoration project face?"
Meetra	Meetra pursed her lips. "You refer to the Czerka Corporation," she said. "Yes." "The Republic provided a droid intelligence to Citadel Station that would help with the logistics of the operation," Chodo Habat explained. "It... vanished... some time ago. At great expense, my herd has acquired a second, somewhat lesser droid intelligence to take its place. It will arrive at Citadel Station shortly. The Telosian government has offered an escort, but I had hoped you might see the safe transition from the docks to here. Might you aid us on this matter?" "Yes," Meetra replied without hesitation. "My thanks. I will send word to my people. They will be awaiting your arrival at Bay Two, Dock Module 125."

Atton	Atton was a little fuzzy on how they'd gone from talking to some peace-loving Ithorian Force-priest to hurling grenades at a bunch of Exchange thugs in a hangar bay, but he had a feeling this was the kind of situation he was signed on for as long as he kept hanging around the Jedi. Well, at least they weren't Sith - not nearly as hard to kill, for one. Just took a couple of grenades, a few vibroblade hits... "I'm grateful for your assistance," a young Ithorian panted, severely out of breath. "That was most terrible! I wonder who could have orchestrated such a thing!" Well, Czerka, Atton thought. The only thing about the situation that surprised him was the fact they'd only sent this few thugs to deal with it all. Maybe nobody had warned them about the Jedi. Either way, he was keeping his mouth shut. "Master," a protocol droid said, ambling up to the Ithorian. "One of the assailants was carrying this."
Meetra	"An assassin's tool," the Ithorian rumbled. "It is no surprise that killers would carry tools such as this." "It looks as if this blaster has been heavily modified," Meetra said, picking it up. She examined it. "Interesting," the Ithorian said. "I believe you are correct, though I am by no means an expert. Such modifications are illegal on Citadel Station. Lieutenant Grenn should be informed so that he may conduct an investigation. I shall leave it with you. But more importantly, you should take the droid to Chodo Habat. I fear there may be more attacks if we do not see it to safety."

Meetra	They made it back to the Ithorian compound with relatively little fuss. No one had the guts to attack them while they were out in public where TSF could keep an eye on them - and that was working strongly in their favor. "I am grateful for your help in this matter," Chodo Habat said. He sent the droid off with a wave of his hand. "Please, accept this gift from my people." "Is there anything else we can do to help you?" Meetra asked.
Atton	You know, if you asked Atton, she could at least make some effort not to immediately volunteer them for every problem by any person they met, anywhere. You know. Hypothetically. "The incident at the docks confirmed one of my fears," Chodo Habat said. "The gunmen were from the Exchange - Czerka has hired the criminal syndicate to work against us. Long have I suspected the Exchange and Czerka were working together. Now, with the TSF keeping a closer eye on Czerka activities, the corporation has arranged for the Exchange to be its fist on the station."
Meetra	"What is there to be done?" Meetra asked. "I have tried to meet with the leader of the Exchange here," Chodo Habat said. "A Quarren named Loppak Slusk. He has refused my every invitation, and allows no one within the Exchange suites. I fear he does not take us seriously. The Jedi, however, are renowned as warriors and diplomats both. Perhaps you may speak with Loppak and show him the value of a restored Telos." "I'll go speak with him," Meetra promised.
Atton	Ten minutes later, trapped behind a desk and getting shot at by at least half a dozen Exchange mercenaries and Gamorrean guards, Atton finally found it in him to bellow, "WE NEED TO STOP HELPING PEOPLE!"