(Holy cow. Intense day for this thread. First of all, good luck to Roan and Jelena. Now, secondly, I warned you Gallagher, that the Abbot could be in on this. And Andro would certainly have reminded Gallagher, calmly but firmly, that those responsible for the Tranquil Repose murders are going nowhere. Of course, that leaves us with our little... no HUGE pickle.)
After Varm fell, the few remaining Synod gunners apparently decided they liked living and fled the area. Andro let them go, taking a quick moment to order his mind. There was no mistaking it, for an instant Andro felt gratification when he impaled that monster. It passed quickly, but it was there. He would have to think further on that in the future, but there was more to do right now.
Andro limped out onto the landing pad, holding his injured arm close. He stopped dead at the sight before him. Zaland, apparently dead, on the ground a few feet from a very distressed looking Gallagher. Kathya, standing on a Synod freighter, and there in the middle the Abbot himself, escorted by his men.
And then he head it. The Abbot was behind the whole thing, and here he was trying to justifying it all to a Jedi. But Gallagher seemed conflicted, he wanted to let the Abbot go. Andro reminded him of their responsibility to the victim's and their families. Then again, stopping the Abbot really would be causing the death of billions, like he says. Hhmmm...
(Whatever happened to Ithrorn? Hehe. OK, I've read through several times now, and I have an idea. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, (or too little...), but it seems to me that Gallagher can not in good conscience act here. Does that mean Andro can't? I believe that he is aware of the vision, but I wonder if it forewarns of the Abbot's fate causing the death of so many because GALLAGHER acts?
The way I believe Andro would see it is he's here to complete a mission, bring justice to the peoples involved. He wants to arrest the Abbot. Killing him kills billions more and is clearly wrong on every level, I believe. Letting him go, as was said, is simply turning our backs on the atrocities he's committed. I'm left wondering if his arrest would end his cause at all. Bring the whole thing out in the open, and let the galaxy see that although the Abbot was very wrong in his actions, his cause was just and a serious disaster can yet be avoided, saving those billions of lives.
I can still see how that wouldn't work out, though. But I cannot accept this as a stalemate. Like Kirk in Star Trek II, I don't believe in a no-win situation. Wow, the pressure, though! What if I'm wrong? Let's all cross our fingers again.)
Andro starts forward, slowly but intently, saber lit but at his side, walking directly toward the group in the center of the landing area.
"Abbot Sienar, Primate of the Synod of Ferradyne, you are under arrest. As a Jedi Knight of this Republic, I hereby charge you with the murders of the entire population of the the Tranquil Repose, and for the illegal collection and transportation for distribution of the stimulant aspidrol."
He stops, standing in front of Zaland's still form and looks up at Kathya. "The same goes for all who work under you."
(Okay, I made some assumptions there, I know. This is Andro's intent though, but I'm curious about how much of that Kathya and her men will actually let Andro get out. I'm also assuming/hoping that Arresting the Abbot would not necessarily defeat his goal. Blowing the cover off of this whole thing, in my mind at least, could help to reveal the plight of those billions of people. I was also thinking, if we get that far down this path, that perhaps Gallagher could decide to take up the Abbot's mission. His family has money, and he's a Jedi. Surely something could be done.
That or Andro just sealed the fate of billions of the galaxy's starving and will soon have a place in the dark side thread...)
Well, you don't quite have Gallagher's lockdown, Andro, because Gallagher has the double-edged sword of his talent with the Force which is making him all the more certain of the consequences of action. Not you, though- you are perfectly entitled to think that things might still work out, and so are in no mood to be blackmailed.
Must be said though, you really didn't expect what happens next.
"Ah, so we turn to the way of violence and death again," says Sienar, looking at you, Andro. "An attack dog of the Jedi Council sets himself against the Church. Very well. So be it."
Gallagher, when you were checking over Zaland's body, you were confused, trying to find the wound that has downed him.
And now you are seeing more clearly... now that your senses have stopped deceiving you... which in of itself you now think is very suspicious... you just noticed the problem.
His windpipe has been crushed. You look up in alarm as Sienar loses his weak hunch and draws himself up to his full height.
With a snap hiss! the lightsabre ignites, its red blade stretching forwards slowly, an act which causes everyone around to stop and stare for a few moments.
Music- near end part of The Clash of Lightsabres. Being a medley this is difficult to precisely discern, but it is the part that plays when Vader is throwing stuff at Luke before he falls out the window in ESB- the slow, evil version of the Imperial March.
"Well then, Jedi," says Sienar. "Would you match your skills against mine?" He holds his lightsabre aloft in his right hand oddly. For a start, the handle is unusual, but from here you cannot see it right. Nut also his stance is odd, the blade being held away from his body on his right side, and high in the air. However, this is because he is taunting you with his left hand, though 'hand' is charitable. He stretches the arm forwards, and from underneath his robes a skeletal remnant emerges. He holds the hand upside down, and slowy one finger points forwards from the others and beckons towards you, in a crippled version of Morpheus's beckoning to opponents from the Matrix.
Roan- what are you planning to stand on, exactly? Besides, Jumping then Flurrying is impossible; she would simply move away between those two actions. You are too slow without Flying Charge.
But still the bigger problem is that she is running on a sideways surface.
Jelena, you manage to leap clear and atop another shelf. You can see your assailant moving off into the distance.
(Good Lord I didn't see that coming! I don't suppose that Darth Abbott there would let Gallagher get away with a medicine roll on me? Hehe. How's Gallagher's lockdown now?)
Andro just blinks for a second, his mind processing the scene before him. he recovers from the shock of it all, then straightens and answers the Abbot's question.
"I will." he says simply, snaping his saber to a high guard position. He advances slowly, his senses and muscles coiled, ready for the battle ahead.
Gallagher is standing looking at Sienar, almost slack-jawed, Andro.
You advance forwards, trying to size up your opponent. He's a cripple, after all, so how good can he be?
"Ahh, typical Jedi," says Sienar. "Never quite looking in the right place."
"ANDRO!" yells out Gallagher in sudden warning, as he realises too late.
In these last few seconds, Sienar has used Focus of Power to double his Force rating to 32.
His outstretched hand is not beckoning you, Andro. He's using the Force.
With an almighty noise, the main support strut of the roof above you wrenches free of the roof and with great speed drops down towards you, Andro.
Sienar is laughing.
Desperately, you Blur out of the way of thefalling support beam, Andro...
... only then to be hit by one of a dozen crates now flying through the air from the loading bay. The first impact, other then dealing you ten points of damage, knocks you to the floor.
Gallagher- you watched, speechless, as you saw all the crates in the cargo area behind rising up, one at a time.
You are just so shocked and stunned about how the Force led you to this man, that you simpyl cannot think what to do.
Andro- lacking its main support strut, the roof is collapsing. You struggle to get free of the crate, when another one lands on you, and then all around you is darkness.