KAZ MAEKON
ROGUE KNIGHT
EPISODE IV
FALSE ADVERTISING
They're here...
He knows it. Tracking them was easy. Let's face it, those two stick out like a gundark in an ewok village, even in this place.
The cold, dark figure stood on the catwalk above the crowd. A black hood covered his face as he glowered at the array of spacers, sodiers-for-hire, and other dregs of the galaxy bouncing from table to table looking for the newest, shiniest, deadliest weapon off the market.
With a strange stillness, even in movement, the cloaked man flowed through the crowd. Despite the horde of people, the man walked without bumping into even one of them. They instinctively avoided him. Many doubtlessly didn't even notice him, even considering his black attire. People rarely ever saw him, except perhaps just out of the corner of their eye, but even then did they actually see him, or was it their imagination? Confusion, it's what the he wants. It's what he's good at. He remains in the shadow and observes.
Oh yes, they're here.
They're definitely here.
* * *
"We're here." Kaz said with pronounced enthusiasm as he, Vin and 0Z-1E walked through the main gates of the Rogen Convention Center on Malistare.
"Why are we here, again?" the droid asked still trying to get accustomed to his new surroundings which, it seemed, were changing constantly lately, having just been semi-kidnapped by these two humans.
"Ozzy, this is the Mallistare Semi-annual Gun and Weapon Show. All the new models of blasters, carbine riffles, turbo lasers, concussion weapons, they can all be found here" Kaz said with a gleeful voice which was a gnat's wing too gleeful for his companions' comfort.
"Not to mention any other new or experimental devices designed to further shake the foundation of the Republic." Vin piped in as he scanned the room with his holo-recording specs. "I'm off to find out if there's anything the Republic should know about."
"I'll bet the Republic already know about everything here. Don't you bio-forms make it your business to know absolutely everything?" Ozzy asked. He's heard too many convincing conspiracy theories about the Galactic Republic to think that there's anything that would slip their notice. "I'll even wager the Republic designed most of it."
Kaz just laughed it off. "You'd be surprised what little the Republic actually knows about Oz. And I don't think they've designed a weapon since the the Star Crafters fifty years ago. All the designers who know how to make those things are smart enogh to realize that the real money lies in the enemy's hands." Kaz took a deep clensing breath as he looks at the various tables in the large hall. "You go ahead and take notes, Vin. Call me if you find anything really cool."
Vin raised an eyebrow.
"Er...I mean really dangerous." Kaz corrected himself. "In the meantime, I'm going antiquing."
The two Jedi split into opposite directions. Ozzy, left alone in the center, shrugged as best as a droid can and biefly considered heading back to the ship and selling it off, but opted to follow Kaz instead.
The endless rows of death-filled tables was one of the few things that made Ozzy feel at home. He grew up around guns and gun dealers. When Ozzy was newly built, he remembered that his family of droids only dealt weapons to bio-forms, never to fellow droids. "Keep the weapons in the slums. If the mushies are crazy enough to use them, they deserve it." was what his designer, EZ-240 always told them. Of course now, only thirty years later...well, plans tend to backfire.
No, Ozzy didn't mind the guns. It was all the bio-forms he didn't much warm up to. He never liked them, though to be fair he never actually knew many. He lived on droid stations and droid worlds his entire life.
Still, even though all the mushies made him uncomfortable, he did notice that aside from appearance they weren't all that different from many of the mechanicals he knew. They pushed and shoved to get what they wanted. They had no problems openly threatening others. It kind of disappointed him. He was raised to believe that droids were entirely superior to bio-forms. But he had formed his doubts when he was sold to SKV-X to help him with his dumb scams. Sold like hard merchandise.
Ozzy almost laughed when he remembered that the whole reason for the Mech War was because the droids thought they could actually live better lives then the bio-forms. They failed of course, but Ozzy took comfort in the fact that they we're not the first to fall for the "utopia syndrome" and they won't be the last. There's always someone who thinks the can force the galaxy into a better station.
* * *
Kaz stopped by a table run by a scruffy looking Talz wearing an "I break for furry aliens" T-shirt that was too small for his gut. Still, kaz was openly enamored at the grand selection of antique weaponry available to him. He always had an affinity for classic weapons.
"Can I see the two Clippers?" Kaz asked the Talz referring to a pair of ancient sidearms locked in the case.
The Talz removed the ancient weaponry from the case and handed them to his potential sale. Kaz took them, feeling their weight in his hands, careful not to haddel them roughly.
Ozzy looked over Kaz's shoulder at the guns. "What? A couple of slug throwers? You're actually interested in buying those?" Ozzy never thought much of mushies, humans in particular, but the concept of buying archaic projectile weapons in this day and age was just plain dumb.
Kaz looked back at his mechanical friend. "First of all, these are Clippers. At one time the Clipper Company built the very best weapons money could buy. They conquered a thousand worlds before the concept of a 'droid' was ever even dreamed up. And yes, I'm considering it."
The droid looked unimpressed. "Those things must be nearly a thousand years old. I'm surprised they're even in one piece."
At least that Kaz could agree with. They were in very good condition considering their probable age which was really closer to seven hundred years than a thousand. The golden etching over the wooden handles was in place and untarnished. The triple barrel shafts were perfectly aligned. Not at all warped as one would assume. The set even came with a case, holsters and ammunition clips. The set was so complete and in good condition it was suspicious. "Are they copies?" he asked, turning to the Talz.
It gibbered off an answer in his own language. It annoyed Kaz that he found the one salesman in the galaxy who didn't seem to speak basic.
"He says that he ran across a vacu-case of the weapons in deep freeze orbiting Vallasama II." Ozzy translated, noting Kaz's distress. "Most likely ejected from a ship during a smuggling run would be his guess."
"Makes enough sense. How much?" Kaz asked.
"Three hundred for the set." Ozzy translated.
It was a very cheap price for something Kaz considered so valuable, but he wasn't surprised. Something's only valuable if someone else wants it and no one wanted old weapons anymore. Everything's faster, better, cheaper nowadays. Even the Jedi to some extent are the same way. There's no room for art and style anymore. Nothing can simply just 'be' anymore. There are only results or there is failure. But not today. Today there would be style. Style unhindered by practicality.
"I'll take 'em." Kaz said as he reached for his wad of credits he won in his recent Bago scam.
"I can't believe you'd want something so obsolete." Ozzy said with half humor and half disgust.
"You may not think so sharply when you're the one who's obsolete." he remarked to his friend as he accepted his purchase. "Anyway, it's a good deal, and who am I to pass up a bargain."
Ozzy started to answer but thought better of it. Kaz was his ride, after all.
* * *
"My friends, the new SettiSystems Security Patroller Mark V is the best security system available anywhere for your home protection needs." The slick barker bragged in his thick Coperate-Arm accent. "The main system, compatible with most power sources, controls the five, count 'em, five patroller droids solely dedicated to keeping your merchandise and your family safe and intruders out!..."
Vin paid close attention as the barker spoke of his miracle devices. It wasn't particularly threatening to the Republic, but he was making claims that seemed...unlikely.
"That's right ladies and gentlemen, the shields are strong enough to repel an orbital attack. And with additional patroller droids sold separately, this system is powerful enough to protect your valuables, and your loved ones, from even an onslaught of destroyer droids and troops." he continued as he waved his cane around at the gaggle of gawking onlookers.
Once again Vin had to sigh at another boast he would like to see backed up. Although he had once heard a story that a battle droid attack was fended off by a flock of Gungans...hehehe...Gungans. Come to think of it, Vin thought it was sad that the Empire took the time to hunt down and destroy nearly the entire species from the galaxy after they finished with the bulk of the jedi. He had always wondered what brought that on.
"How's the search going?" came a voice from behind him. Vin turned around to sense Ozzy and Kaz. He also senses a great fulfillment in his friend.
"Hey guys. Am I to guess you finally got those damned archaic slingshots you've always wanted." Vin said half mockingly as he remembered Kaz's fascination with slug throwers as a child.
"Damn straight." Kaz said, defending his 'archaic slingshots.'
"I swear, I'll never figure out your fascination with those things." Vin said, dismissing the entire situation.
"That's what I said." Ozzy added.
Kaz dismissed them both. "So, what's going on here?" he asked his friend.
"This guy is making the weirdest claims about his security system. Apparently the thing can repel a horde of doped up stormtroopers or something. I'm just sticking around to see what else it can do." Vin said adding a gentle note of sarcasm to the last few words.
The barker continued. "Yes, my friends, all this and more. Now how much would you expect to pay for this modern marvel? Two hundred thousand? Five hundred thousand? Don't answer yet my friends, what if I told you that this system could even repel a Jedi attack! Now what would you pay?"
The last boastful statement recieved more than a few gasps from the crowd.
"I bet you'd pay upwards of one million credits for such a device. But no, this entire system can be yours for only -"
"Why don't you back that up?" Kaz shouted, cutting off the pitchman's sales line.
With all his momentum lost the barker turned to his heckler. "Excuse me, sonny boy?"
Kaz pushed he and his friends forward. "Well, you make some pretty bold statements. Are any of them true?"
The barker simply smiled. "They're all true. Every last one of them. I've seen it with my own three eyes."
"Then I say we put it to the test for these fine people. I happen to have a Jedi Knight right here." He pushed a reluctant Vin forward. "Let's see who can take out who."
Vin turned back to Kaz. "I'm not doing this. I don't need to prove anything." Vin said reciting training which Kaz already knew too well.
Kaz leaned in to his friend's ear. "Come on Vin. You know you want to. Besides. I haven't seen you in action. I wanna see if you ever got any good while I was away."
Vin sneered. It was an obvious bait. Kaz knew, although he would never admit it, that Vin was his better at the academy. Still, Vin was intrigued.
"Besides, it's what you get for insulting my Clippers." Kaz added.
The barker waved his cane at his bald headed challenger. "Well then, come up here, boy, Let's see what you can do. And more importantly, what the Mark V can do."
Hesitantly at first, but then with eagerness, Vin walked into the demonstration area. The barker patted the shorter Vin on the head. "You're a young one, aren't you?" He quipped.
"Age counts for nothing. The only things that matter are clarity, wisdom, experience and the Force." Vin replied with calmness.
"Yes, well, in any case. Let's start on level one." The barker laughed as he raised the protective shields around the demonstration area so no bystanders would be hurt.
Vin performed a brief stretch and took a deep cleansing breath as he ignited the emerald blade of his lightsaber.
Two hovering droids flew out into the arena. They seemed well armed but only had blasters trained of their target. Vin smiled. He now knew why Kaz insisted that he do this instead of taking the system himself. With Kaz's adeptness his defense would simply be to pop the circuitry inside the machine itself. No, Kaz knew that these people needed to know that no one topped the Jedi. Kaz needed to put on a show so he sent in Vin.
The two droids both shot out a bolt at their target. Vin deflected both easily with his saber sending the energy bolts splashing against the shielding.
Not that Vin approved of displays of power. Jedi do not utilize fear or awe to get respect. They speak through their actions. A Jedi is humble.
Three more shots deflected harmlessly away.
Still, Vin didn't like scam artists and if he could prove the barker wrong he would.
Five more shots ricochet off Vin's blade.
Like Kaz, Vin could also do it rather easily at this point, but Vin decided this would be a good chance to test his skills.
The barker held in a sneer. He skipped up the switch to level three. Two more droids entered the field. The droids took an orbital approach around their target, shooting randomly as they circled Vin. Spinning on his heels, the Jedi deflected each shot as they came. He sent them back to their source when he could but the droids were moving to fast to be caught for the most part, and the ones he did hit immediately raised a powerful shield to repel the blast, then dropped it again to power it's blasts once again.
One droid dove downward making a run for Vin's legs. Leaping back, the nimble youth escaped the blast. A soon as he landed, he instinctively hit the floor as another droid zoomed overhead with a barrage of blaster bolts. With a quick leap, Vin was back on his feet taking a defensive position as the four droids regrouped at the other side of the ring.
They were learning. Vin could tell. Their movements were more than just preprogrammed tactics. They've been attempting to anticipate Vin's movements. Maybe this was something the Republic should know about after all.
The barker smiled. He knew what was coming next. Vin did as well. Eventually, when people are shooting at a Jedi they all try the same thing, and to their credit it often works.
The first droid of the row shot out rippling circles of stun waves at it's target. They grew in size as they approached Vin, far to large to be deflected by a saber blade. Yes, this usually works on a Jedi.
But it won't work on Vin.
Holding out his hand, the waves reversed in mid air, sailing back to the droids. The large crowd that gathered gasped in awe. Even Kaz was impressed. It's something that not many Jedi could do, but one of Vin's talents lay in the ability to shunt and redirect energy. It was made all the easier because of his blindness. All Vin could do was sense and manipulate the Force and all the Force was, was energy, thus Vin could manipulate energy in practically any form with enough practice. It's quite possibly the most powerful tool any Jedi Knight could hope to have and Vin Wander had it.
The barker was openly angry at this point. This little twip of a Jedi was making a mockery of his system. Still, that was only level three. All together, there were ten. He reached down on the control board and clicked the lever all the way up.
Ten more droids zoomed into the arena, all with their vast array of weapons fully powered. Vin took a low defensive stance. He thought he was ready but he was mistaken. Few would be ready for what was to come. The droids cloaked themselves which would severely handicap other men but made no difference to Vin, but it was the extra armaments they were powering up that made him gulp down his confidence. He sensed them circling around, waiting to strike.
Waiting for a perfect opportunity to get past Vin's defenses.
Vin was in trouble and he knew it would hurt. But then, a twinge... A twinge of an idea popped into his head. The shields were the droids weakness. Vin could turn the shields against the droids if he could only activate them first.
It was possible, but everything had to be right and Vin had to be the one to shoot first.
"Now!" he thought as he felt all the droids fall into the right place. Vin launched his lightsaber into the air, guiding it with the Force. The blade brushed against the first droid's shields, which were instantly raised as it detected the attack. Once the shield was raised, Vin reached out collapsing the energy shields back into the droid, zapping it. With it's systems temporarily short-circuited it fell to the floor.
Vin moved on to the next one but it was too late. They had learned an immediately changed their tactics and they began to fire rapidly. Vin ducked and dodged. Recalling his saber back to him, he deflected as many bolts as he could but they were coming too fast. More stun blasts came. Vin dodged and redirected them but he just wasn't good enough to handle it all. It was all to much. He was in too far over his head.
Then it got worse. Vin detected them before they were visible to the crowd, but there was no way he could mount a defense on this level. Three lumbering battle droids thumped their way through the arena with their short stubby legs. Vin was about to accept his loss when all of the sudden the blasts as well as the droids stopped.
The droids crashed to the floor, powerless.
Vin huffed a deep sigh of releif as he used Jedi breathing techniques to slow his rapid pulse. He then regained his posture and left the arena. Turning to the barker as he rejoined his friends he said "Next time, be sure you can back up your claims before you write your sales pitch."
"Call us when the Mark VI comes out." Kaz added, mocking the pitch man.
"Yeah, and, um, I want those droids fixed 'fore I come back." Ozzy barked, feeling the need to chime in.
The barker sneered once more, and with that everybody left.
* * *
On their way out of the Rogen Convention Center Vin thanked his friend for the assistance.
Kaz feigned a blush. "Aw, how did you know it was me?"
"As if anyone else in the room could have shut down those machines."
Ozzy was surprised. "What? What did you do?" he asked Kaz.
"He probably twisted up the internal components of the droids. It's one of his tallents" Vin responded, remembering that Kaz had used that tactic on many prior before.
Ozzy stopped in his tracks. "What!?!" He shouted, not believing his audio sensors. "You sicko. You just killed those droids? It was only a demonstration!" The droid rattled, disgusted at the very thought. All his prejudices seemingly vindicated.
"Whoa, wait a minute. That's not what I did." Kaz defended himself. "I don't do that unless I have to. I like droids. They make better company than most people I know."
Ozzy cooled down slowly, but Vin's interest was peaked. "Then what did you do?" he asked, extremely confused.
Kaz shrugged and walked past the two, heading back to the docking ports. "I did what you should have done. I turned the damn thing off."
Vin looked at Ozzy, then back at Kaz, then downward. "Rats."
The three continued back to the ship.
END