Heat Wave

[out_of_order]

WHO: Cal Kestis and you
WHERE: Temba & Sh'Ka
WHAT: Just keeping at it
WHEN: Post-Storm
WARNINGS: N/A


I. Finder's Keepers (Temba)
There are worse things than reliving memories. Cal had already been subjected to such, haunted by his past, hiding from it. But he's grown a lot since then. He's learned to accept things, to own up to the decisions he'd made and to learn from them as he kept going.

It's why he feels that the past storm hasn't been outright terrible, but he knows that others might not feel the same way. But it still hasn't gotten them any closer to figuring things out, and all that he thinks he's gained is a good soaking aside from a trip down memory lane.

The shift back to such awful heat surely isn't any better. At his feet, BD-1 borbles his concerns as they pick their way out of a collapsed building. Rain had weakened the foundation but also revealed some places to pick through, and despite the heat, Cal considered his efforts well-rewarded.

"Heh. Yeah, got it buddy," the Jedi replies as he unhooks the water bottle from his belt to take a long drink. There's way too little shade along the roads but it's the only way to get back to the workshop. "We can stop at the diner and I'll see about grabbing something to eat."

He can't help but smile crookedly as he spies someone else out and about in the sun, and he raises a hand to wave. "Guess we're not the only crazy ones."


II. Second Thoughts (Sh'Ka)
"Maybe we should just migrate for the summer," Cal suggests as he looks out from the shadows of the entryway he stands at. It's quite the contrast feeling the coolness of the air at his back, protected from layers of the stone edifice behind him, and the warmth that sat like an invisible wall in front of him, warmth he can feel on his face, stretching greedy fingers towards him.

BD-1 hoots pensively in consideration before turning a question towards his Jedi friend.

"Yeah, ready to go when you are. I know, I know- that'd make this so much easier but this way's kind of fun too, right?" He grins, stooping down to hold an arm out as his droid titters and hops up to clamber behind him again.

The paths between some of the places around the city here are at least plenty shaded by the plentiful and sometimes towering trees. Honestly, there are a lot of things that make Sh'Ka more preferable to Cal than Temba. But then there's plenty of reasons that it might not be the most ideal place either...

Coming across the Jedi, one might find his behavior a little odd then as his steps have slowed to a crawl, his attention drawn upwards towards the thick foliage above. He turns his head as he senses that they've got company, looking towards whoever's happened in this direction, and he raises his hands in quiet warning before gesturing up with a nod of his head.

Almost camouflaged against the deep greens, the large Deleons however are quite noticeable once one knows what to look for, and for the fact that there are perhaps an unsettling amount of them. A few stare back down with unsettling intensity.

Comments

[sinistral]

Cal could have been injured indeed. Or perhaps the things would have passed him by and wandered across the Soldier instead. It would have been a lot for one of them to handle; together they make a pretty effective team.

Not that his mind is on the creatures. No, they're far from the Soldier's thoughts now that the book is in his hands. He starts to open the cover but can't bring himself to see what the pages hold. His life, his existence, distilled down to one small instruction manual.

"You could have kept it," he says, quietly. "My... programming is in here. I could have been in your complete control."

[out_of_order]

It's almost a pained smile that touches the Jedi's face then.

"Why would I want to do that? Why would I need to do that?" He shakes his head. "You're a person, not a droid. No one has the right to 'program' anyone. Even BD-1 does his own thing, sometimes against better judgment," Cal adds, casting a brief, teasing look at the little droid, whose response sounds suspiciously like an electronic 'Me??'

"Anyway, we said we'd find it. What happens to it should be your decision."

[sinistral]

"Other people would not have your altruism." Once activated, the Soldier would carry out any order given, no matter what. Not many people could overlook that kind of power. In his eyes, not many people would willingly give up the book.

"I am in your debt. I can never repay you for this." For freedom, limited as it is with the Agrii. For the chance to destroy the book, to keep it from ever being used to control him again.

[out_of_order]

Sometimes... it isn't all about power. Cal knows how easily a taste of power can get out of hand. But he also values his friends, and that one of them had been used as the Soldier was? Is just unsettling. It's like what had happened to the Inquisitors, former Jedi and padawans, tortured and twisted until all they felt and clung to was the Dark Side, just to be used to hunt down other Jedi, other padawans. He thought of Trilla, the memories he'd seen of the process of her turning.

"...you don't have to," Cal says quietly, lifting his eyes back towards the man. Not a weapon. A person. "What happened that involved that? Wasn't by your choice." He'd taken care not to touch it directly, glad he'd at least had a description of what he was looking for, and BD-1 to help confirm things once they'd come across it.

"I'm not asking for anything in return. This is me just wanting to help a friend."

[sinistral]

Fortunate that Cal had touched the Soldier's arm previously, perhaps, enough to know the kind of feedback he might get from the book. Fortunate that he had the wherewithal to wrap it up, or maybe even to have BD-1 handle it instead, if it needed to be touched.

"I still would, if you needed anything that I could provide." Cal may not insist on any payment or favors, but the Soldier doesn't know how to express the depth of his gratitude. "I will destroy this book, so that I can't be used again and so that no one can get any ideas for shaping another in the same way."

And if anyone still tried, well, the Soldier would not stand idle.

[out_of_order]

There's little Cal can think of that he particularly needs. The basics are covered. The setting always leaves something to be desired, but that can hardly be helped.

"If I think of anything," the Jedi replies, the least he can say. He nods, deciding not to mention Tony's thoughts when Cal had brought up that plan with the book. He can understand the man's reserves about destroying the thing, knowing how Tony acted and having a pretty good idea of how his mind worked. He'd always be thinking of all the possible outcomes and try to stay ahead of them all.

But those were just thinking about the problems for the better of a general populace, and it was easy to forget about the people so directly attached. Or maybe it was easier not to get too attached...

"Good."

[sinistral]

It's the best they can do, a nebulous promise, the knowledge of a debt the Soldier is unlikely to ever be able to pay back. He carefully wraps the book again, before tucking it into the inside pocket of his jacket. Fire is the best way to ensure it's destruction, but even if he had the materials needed, they're far too close to the nest of deleons for him to risk anything that would draw the creatures' attention.

Because it has to be destroyed; there's no other option. No good intentions matter in the face of what the book can do, what the Soldier can be. And there are far too many people smart enough to be able to use the knowledge on those pages; the Soldier doesn't trust a single one of them.

"You are a good man, Cal." Better than many others, or so the Soldier believes.

[out_of_order]

At least Cal knows that the book's in safe hands, and he's pretty sure know one else who had known about it had known it was found. He hadn't been sure anyone else was looking, but the less that were aware of it, the better.

Watching as the Soldier tucked the package away, nodding. A decision's been made and he knows it's the right one. No one should have ever created such a thing.

At the man's words, Cal snorts faintly. "Try to be, anyway," he says.

[sinistral]

Hopefully everyone who might have known about it has forgotten it. And hopefully the number of people who might have known about it was small in the first place. The Soldier wasn't exactly a popular figure to begin with; he didn't know if, when he was under Beck's control, people thought he was acting on his own.

He didn't know if people cared.

But it didn't matter; he had the book now, and he could destroy it. They're was no need for further consideration.

"BD-1 would agree with me." And being a good person didn't mean being perfect.

[out_of_order]

The droid warbles with a little wiggle, a clear confirmation as he turns his head towards the Soldier before looking (somehow smugly) at Cal. The Jedi laughs.

"Guess there are worse things to be teamed up against." He shakes his head, still grinning.

"All right. So now what? Sounds like those things haven't doubled back, but I suspect they'll have to return eventually if that's where they've been gathering."

[sinistral]

Sorry Cal, looks like you might be outnumbered this time. At least the Soldier and the droid meant well. They'd more than proved that out thus far.

But, switching gears away from the safely stowed book to their current situation was smart. As safe as their alley was, it wasn't a permanent solution, especially if the things came back to sniff them out.

"We probably should try for a little more in reconnaissance," he mused. "And this may be the time to do it, if they're away from what I suspect could be a nesting area. But if they return by another route, we could be cornered again."

Not that either man was afraid of defending himself.

[out_of_order]

"Sounds like a plan," Cal replies, starting to push himself to his feet. "The tricky thing is that they're also at home in the trees. We'll have to keep an eye on things above us for sure."

BD-1 tweedles before hopping up onto the Jedi's offered arm, moving to take his usual place at his back.

"Heh, of course you will. We'll be counting on you, BeeDee," Cal grins before looking to the Soldier.

[sinistral]

"Mm-hm." Hopefully BD-1 could also help with the upward surveillance. But still, the combined awareness of a Jedi and a former assassin probably meant not too much would get by them.

The Soldier nods to Cal, then holds up a hand. "I don't take this out often," he explains, pulling a gun from the holster on his thigh. He produces a loaded magazine from elsewhere on his body, slotting it home and racking the slide. "Just in case."

He'd fired the gun once, since the Agrii had allowed him to have it. Once, to check its operation. And while he carried it on his person, he hadn't needed it. Hopefully he won't need it now either, but just in case he wanted to be prepared. They would be outnumbered if the Deleons returned in force.

[out_of_order]

Cal certainly isn't going to question having a gun nor being armed. Around here, or anywhere, really, 'just in case' isn't a bad thing.

"Hopefully we won't have that much trouble," he says, nodding. "Well, whenever you're ready."

[sinistral]

The Soldier tends to prefer his knives these days. Probably in part because ammunition (and variety of firearm arsenal) is lacking. But knives are also a lot quieter, and for this particular excursion that could be important.

"That's my hope as well." Scouting, and combat if necessary. They probably needed at least another person for proper population control, but if the opportunity presented itself they might have to reconsider.

[out_of_order]

The possibility that they'd have to enact their planning sooner than later doesn't slip Cal's mind as he carefully picks his way back towards the mouth of the alleyway. Wildlife is always difficult to gauge, especially when they're more territorial, and while the Jedi can't blame them, they're basically being forced to do the same in keeping their fellow people safe.

"Not sensing anything so far," he says over his shoulder after a moment, BD-1 confirming that the immediate area is clear with a short trail of beeps.