<div class="floatright">(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/786589781341966338/89su4zNj.jpg)</div><strong>Character Name:</strong>Septimus Cortess (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=269894.msg13313651#msg13313651)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Pad 29, Tenxi, Ord Mantell<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Everyone<br/><strong>Defense:</strong>0/0<strong>Soak:</strong>3<strong>Wounds:</strong>0<strong>Strain:</strong>0<br/><strong>Injuries:</strong>None<br/><hr/>Septimus had not known what it was which drew him back to the middle rim of the galaxy, closer towards the Empire, the organization which had killed and destroyed everything in his life which he had held dear, which had hunted for being tied to an organization which had cast him out.  No, it was not true.  He knew what it was calling to him, but it had been so long since it had done so to the extent which it penetrated the emotionless void which he had surrounded himself in.  He had not used the Force in so long, doing everything he could to hide from the Emperor's hunters, and from his apprentice, Darth Vader, and the so called Inquisitors Septimus had managed to stay a step ahead of, sometimes by only hours and far too close for his liking.<br/><br/>At one point Septimus had believe the Dark Lord could be defeated, have even heard of surviving Jedi Knights and Masters meeting at Kessel in an attempt to strike back at the Empire.  Perhaps it was because no knew he survived, or the the fact Septimus had left the Jedi order he had not heard about the meeting in a timely fashion, or in a way it could had been the Force protecting him for Imperial propaganda wasted no time in informing the galaxy at who had fallen at Kessel to the blade of Darth Vader.  Fifty Jedi Knights, yet Septimus knew the number to be false, by how much he did not know.  At least twenty of the names released were Jedi killed during Order 66.  Twelve of the names were new however, and five of those names belonged to Jedi Masters.  Koffi Arana, Tsu-Choi, Jastus Farr, Shadday Potkin, and Sia-Lan Wezz, all Masters and all far more skilled in combat than Septimus.  They had after all fought in the war and honed their skills for combat, Septimus had not.  If Vader had killed twelve Jedi at Kessel, then he could had easily killed thirteen if Septimus been present.  It still made him ashamed however he was not there, and he was glad for it.<br/><br/>Perhaps it was guilt which caused him to heed out this calling of the Force.  He had failed those he had once called comrades and friends once, could he live with himself if he were to do so again?  So it was he found himself on a smuggler's freighter coming into Ord Mantell.  It had cost him near the last of his credits, not that it was a huge imposition.  Ord Matell would like have a large underworld, and as long as he limited his time, and did not win too much, Septimus could move from one gambling den to another.  He was wary about attempting, for Ord Mantell was far too much under Imperial control for his liking to stay there long, or even to touch the Force for fear of one of the Emperor's hunters sensing it and to be ut right back upon his trail.<br/><br/>The crew of the ship was the right type not to ask questions, to poke and prod into his background.  Septimus was fairly certain his ID would hold up to anything but an in-depth background check.  Victoria had taught him a few tricks and she herself was not entirely above board, needing at times to have different ID's and backgrounds to match the ship transponder she was using at the time and it all had to match.  While Septimus did not have near her skills in slicing, she did teach him who to go to, whom he could trust, the stories to spin to get them to take his credits and the work.  It was what most of his money had gone into, the false ID he carried.  As long as the Empire did not get a DNA sample he was relatively safe.  He could not fool a DNA match.  His DNA would have been in the data archives of the Jedi Temple, and he did not believe for a second all that knowledge was destroyed without being copied and backed up someplace.  It was far to valuable even if the Emperor was trying to wipe the Jedi from history.<br/><br/>For two days Septimus wandered the streets of Tenxi, hoping once more to feel the pull of the Force, yet in a way hoping not too as well.  If he could feel the pull after all of this time, then others sensitive to the Force could as well, to include the Inquisitors.  He at least breathed a sigh of the relief after he did some minor checking.  While there were Star Destroyers in orbit, none of them were the<em>Avenger</em>, and none of the Stormtroopers he had seen about in the streets bore the emblem of the 501st.  All pointed to Darth Vader not being there.  If he did not feel the calling, then others perhaps had not as well.  Septimus hoped not for he was not the Jedi he had been.<br/><br/>The Force was indeed a living and breathing entity, present in everyone and in all things.  It was a powerful alley, when used often and regularly.  It was in part why Padawan Learners train so hard, physically fit in both mind and body for it created a link, a causality in which where as exercise strengthened and conditioned one's body, so did use of the Force deepen one's connection, able to draw upon it deeper.  Even mediation severed a purpose when one was in connection with the Force.  However, the opposite was true and just like if one did not exercise, muscles atrophied and grew weak, so did not using and drawing upon the Force caused one not to be able to use it as they had in the past.  Septimus still had some connection  to the Force, but not as he had been when he was a Jedi Knight, he was certain, and ashamed.  He knew it was necessary, all part to survive, yet it did not make it feel any better inside of him.<br/><br/>It was on this say he had felt it, the subtle tug upon his clothing, the faint, almost unheard whisper of<em>over here</em>which drew him to the Cantina.  It was as unlikely a place as Setimus had ever heard of, yet the reason why he did not walk out right then was because it was an unlikely place.  It would not be the first time.  After all was it not upon the sands of Tatooine Qui -Gon Jinn found Anakin Skywalker?  Deciding it could not do any harm, Septimus sat down, and putting down a few credit chips, ordered what was perhaps the worst ale he ever had to experience, and he and Victoria had some memorable failures at a still when on long hyperspace hauls and due to the tight margins they were on, could not afford decent ale for the trip.  Septimus had been nursing his drink, reminiscing when things went wrong.<br/><br/>The protest outside turned violent, with Imperial civil guard letting loose with deadly force against the protestor.  It was equally clear the Imperials cared nothing for collateral damage as Septimus had a moments warning.   He moved fast, faster than a man his age should, knocking over a table and bringing down a girl with him.  There was something there as he did so, but he ignored it as he looked over the table.   He had not pulled his own weapon as he was certain it would make him out as a target if he did.   No this situation was deteriorating rapidly and no good could come of staying here,  He saw the woman with the streak in her hair take off towards the back of the cantina, and a Twi'lek female do the same out of the corner of his eye.  Septimus was never too proud to admit when others had better ideas than him and he followed in their wake.   He needed to get off planet as something like this meant in depth background checks on anyone passing through an checkpoint, and it would be Septimus death warrant if he was around when the Imperials stabilized things and locked down Tenxi tight.   It would happen in less than two hours, which was how much time he had to get off world.<br/><br/>The docks were the only place for him to go, but still there was a bit of surprise when by the time he had finished casing the outer landing pads he would find himself with the woman he had knocked down behind the table, and the Twi'lek who had caught his attention at the cantina.  This was not sure luck.  No as was per an old Jedi saying, there was no such thing as luck, only the Force.  A brief introductions were made as they watched the more likely of their prospects.  Septimus listened to their comments and he could not argue with them.  He still closed his eyes and reached out with the Force to see if there was anyone on board while he spoke.<br/><br/><strong>"Stealing a ship is not always as simple as walking on board.  If they have a lock on it, we are not getting very far on it.  If it doesn;t and we fly away, then we need to find its transponder and change it, or we will have a  ground lock on us the next time we land at a port, or need to run for our lives at the sight if any Imperial ship.  Still I am willing to take the risks if both of you are.  I do not thing it is simple luck which has us there here together at this time."</strong><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body"><em>Force Check, using Simple Sense Force power checking for life on board the ship or near them.</em></div></div>