RPlog:Johanna is a Witch

Danik rubs his face and lets out a deep yawn. It had been a long day for the old man, and now he was on his way home. It was a week of hard work, with activity in the Empire at an all time high in the wake of Guardian's destruction, keeping Danik up at intolerable hours, only to be compounded with planning for the invasion of Cochran. But he finished his work and jumped at his chance to get some rest before the big operation went underway; a week of vacation at his old estate on Corellia. Sitting in the back of the repulsorcar, driven by a local Corellian he was paying, Danik gazes out the backseat window at the Corellian landscape. It was good to be home. His last visit didn't end up so well, though. The trouble with Johanna and Ai'kani, and that bloody Smitherbodkins.. but this was a fresh start for Danik, he was certain of it. There would be no Thrasks lurking about his estate with a sword, no Jedi to grip his throat in an invisible hold.. no, none of that. This was Danik's week, and it was going to be relaxing. The car approaches the ocean bluffs, the outline of several houses and other estates appearing from his window..

It amuses Johanna to no end to find herself unimpeded by any Imperial interference as she makes her way from the spaceport through the streets of Coronet. After all, that whole incident with Danik had been blamed squarely on Ai'kani, and the Jedi snickers to herself as she trudges towards the bluffs, stopping among the trees to inhale a lungfull of the ocean air wafting over the hill. It's pleasant under the oaks and she squints into the distance, the slowly dying rays of the sun providing a faint glint on the water. Why, exactly, has she come here again? Oh, right. The snicker grows into a decidedly vicious smirk and she wheels about to make the rest of the journey towards Danik's estate, knowing full well he is on his way. Gathering intel on the poor old man isn't a difficult matter! What will her reception be like? Will he flee, or just stand around looking confused? If she knows him at all, neither choice is very much in keeping with his nature.

Danik was oblivious to his current plight. He tried his best to conceal his arrival and presence on the planet, as he wanted to keep knowledge of his stay at the estate a secret, but it was no easy task to hide from a Jedi. A very determined Jedi at that. He starts to doze off in the repulsorcar, the soft tune from the front seat aiding him in falling to sleep. His sleep was short lived, however, as the repuslorcar comes to a stop in front of his estate. Danik's eyes bat open and he takes a look outside to see the Kreldin estate. Happy to see the old place, he hands a few credits to the driver and opens his door, stepping out on to the pavement and taking his suitcase with him. He packed light for his trip, certainly when it came to weaponry and protection. He was clearly expecting this to be an uneventful, relaxing trip for him. As he waves good-bye to the driver, he approaches the gates to his estate but stops before entering. There was a tingling sensation in the back of his neck, and an uneasy feeling fell over Danik. Shaking his head, Danik rubs the back of his neck and shrugs it off as nothing.

"Danik Kreldin. What a fine estate you have," comes the voice from so disconcertingly close by, though there isn't anyone about, "Such a pity that you don't have anyone to share it with." Johanna seemingly materializes out of one of the long shadows cast in the twilight falling over Coronet before this part of Corellia turns its face just that much further away from the sun and the dusk dims into a soft shade of night. She blends in with the dark rather well; it likely accounts for any difficulty in having seen her earlier. "How are you?" From somewhere inside her overcoat she procures a smoke, lighting up and eyeing the aging fellow with something like curiosity, "I haven't traveled in military circles in a long time, but news does spread. Aren't you getting tired of that whole routine... for the glory of the Empire, and all that rot? I'd think that by your age you'd be bored with the pompous airs your government puts on."

Danik always had a vidid imagination, which he tossed the uneasy feeling he got to. So when he first hears the voice he questions his own mentality. Maybe he finally was losing it. All the stress and hard work and thirty years of bloodshed definitely had its negative affects. But fortunately for the old pilot he hadn't completely lost his head yet, as the Jedi seemingly appears out of thin air. He is taken back by Johanna's sudden appearance, and his mind flashes to their last confrontation aboard the Dauntless. She had apologized for her actions last time on Corellia.. so surely she couldn't be here to raise trouble with him. "My mother still lives inside. In fact, I was about to go pay her a visit.. she's quite ill, you see," Danik says, setting his suit case down on the street next to his foot. "Fancy seeing you here, Johanna.. though I doubt you're here for a simple social call," he says to the Jedi, watching as she takes out a smoke. Johanna smoked? News to him. "But if you must know.. I'm doing quite fine, thank you.." In reality he was overstressed and overtired, and anyone, not just a Jedi, could see that. "What I do with the Empire is my own business, dear. I'll continue to serve until the terrorists are stomped out. It's my duty as a citizen of the New Order," Danik shoots back, that uneasy feeling resurfacing. So much for an uneventful vacation.

Johanna moves forward fractionally before she checks herself and snorts instead. "So defensive," she muses, making a derisive clucking sound with her tongue before taking another drag from her smoke, "And here I was just trying to make friendly conversation! Oh well. I suppose I can't always win, can I? Hey... you think your mother would like to have a chat with me, maybe?" Of course the answer is no, but the pilot has always been a little socially perverse like that. A beat, then, "No, I don't suppose she does. She must be like a hundred years old or something. I guess a former Republic General would be a little too much for her delicate nerves. But what about you, Danik? You're never worried that someone younger and with better reflexes is going to vape your ass in space one day?"

"You call sneaking up on an old man being friendly?" Danik asks, crossing his arms across his chest. He suddenly wishes he had brought some of his equipment with him. He would feel a lot more secure if he had a thermal detonator up his sleeve. He had already tried his luck with flash grenades against the Jedi, which proved ineffective, so he naturally assumes a thermal detonator is the only way to get a dent in the being. But fortunately she was being truthful, and she was just here to be friendly. After all, if she did anything to him, she would make a lot of enemies in the Empire.. right? "Somehow I doubt it. My mother is very.. paranoid," he says, making up some excuse to keep the Jedi away from his elderly mother. She was far too old to be bothered by the likes of a Jedi. "And she's only eighty-two, mind you.." What a rude girl. What he would do to whack her across the face. But his memories flash to the incident aboard the Inquisitor, where even a Jedi apprentice like Ai'kani managed to beat him up good. He looks over Johanna and knows he didn't stand a chance like this.. maybe he should go get his equipment.. "My reflexes are fine, Johanna. I still have it in me, as I prove nearly every day.. in fact, the only people to ever beat me are you bloody Jedi and your Force.. unfair advantage, I say," he replies, a hint of anger behind it. He knew that if she wasn't a Jedi she would be on an equal playing field with Kreldin.. but there wasn't anything he could do about it. That's never stopped him from engaging her before, but it never ended with the results he wished for. "Now I must really be going, Johanna. This is supposed to be my vacation."

"It's only unfair if I got it handed to me on a platter," the pilot counters, mood decidedly less friendly now that Danik has chosen to be prickly and difficult, "True, most Force sensitives are born that way. But to even begin to master that other sense requires many thousands of hours of training that would render most beings useless lumps of flesh within a week of having begun the regimen. I'm sure that as a combat pilot, you can appreciate the practice and the learning it takes to acquire sufficient skill to even fly a starfighter, much less operate one when things get a little hot and the shooting starts." She's decidedly more close to him now, peering at him with those coal-black eyes of hers as she flicks the remainder of her smoke to the ground and grinds out the paper embers with the heel of her boot. "I can feel that you'd like to have at me, but you possess the sense to control that impulse. That's good. And yes, I do know that you have good reflexes, but age catches up to all of us. Incidentally, Danik, I put a good many of your officers into the ferrocrete long before I discovered my connection to the Force. The Republic trained me very well in the ways of single combat." Her hands slip briefly into her pockets before emerging again and she closes the gap between herself and the Imperial.

Danik merely shrugs at her initial comments. "I don't pretend to know what you Jedi go through. I'm just very familiar with the end result. You're not the only Jedi I've ever fought or fought with, Johanna," Danik says, trying to get some sort of edge in this escalating.. conversation. It is true that Danik had served under many notable Jedi during the Clone Wars, and fought even more notable Jedi in the wake of their rebellion. Johanna was but one of many, but definitely hit a more personal string in Danik than any other. He stands still as the Jedi approaches, unwilling to back down or be intimidated by the woman. She was right, though. Age would catch up to him eventually. Eventually he would be permanently stuck to a desk or bridge, no longer able to fly in an Interceptor. The sad thing was that age would never catch up to Johanna, as far as Danik knew. He saw old Jedi pull off some amazing stunts during the War. He knew Johanna would be no different. "Well, it's a shame we never met on the field of battle before you.. discovered your connection," Danik says, peering at the female as she drew closer. "It would have been a most interesting battle, don't you agree?" He brought his arms down to his sides, preparing to get into a defensive stance if need be.

--< Force Skill: AFFECT MIND >-- Johanna declares her ability of AFFECT MIND to the room. (ALTER) This power is used to alter a sentient's perceptions so that he sees an illusion or fails to see what the Jedi doesn't want him to see. It can be used to disguise a Jedi within the mind of a target. This power can also be used to permanently change memories so that a character remembers things incorrectly or fails to remember things at all. This power can also be used to alter a character's conclusions so that he changes his mind. This power can only be used on one target at a time. A character believes that he is affected by a successful illusion. If he believes that he is struck by an illusory object, he feels the pain. The pain is real to the character, but the wounds are not real. A character that believes he has died only falls unconscious. This power can only effect living things. Certain races such as Hutt are not as susceptible to this power as others. This power was used extensively in the movies, "..these aren't the droids you're looking for.." and has a better chance of working on the 'weak minded'. This power uses the ALTER skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

Savvy to the fact that Danik has no intention of making this into anything less than a struggle, the Jedi resorts to other means. She isn't in the mood for a fight this evening, it seems. Her hands slide back into her pockets and she pitches her voice rather low so as not to startle the older man. "You don't want to argue, you'd rather come with me." It's simple and direct, but the ingress to the area of his brain that control his willpower is primed to torque his sense of reality. Now the questions remains: has she succeeded? Or will he just stand there blinking at her before he calls for backup and has his friends haul her off or otherwise bother her?

Danik was no stranger to Jedi mind control. Bloody Aurejin. Unfortunately Danik never saw it coming, or ever realized it. Johanna's words resonate in his brain until he caves in and submits to the Jedi's will. He blinks for a few times, staring blankly at Johanna, until the thoughts placed into his mind by the Jedi come about. "I don't want to argue, and I'd rather come with you, dear," Danik says, smiling at Johanna. What did he just say? What? He has to go with Johanna. Arguing won't get him anywhere.

"Excellent," Johanna praises, slipping her hand into the crook of Danik's elbow and gently leading him away from the estate as if it were the most natural thing in the world and the older man but an idiot child, "We're going to have such a good time." She's all smiles now, her tone encouraging. Yes, surely they are going to have an excellent time! AN EXCELLENT TIME WITH DANIK IN CAPTIVITY, THAT IS. IN CAPTIVITY ON THE HELLISH WORLD KNOWN AS TATOOINE, WHERE THE KRAYT DRAGONS ROAM AND EAT THE... uh, wait. Anyway!

Danik is rather oblivious as the Jedi walks him away from the estate, his eyes just staring ahead into open space. "Yes, we're going to have such a good time. I can't wait," Danik says, flashing a smile again. Good time? What? Oh, with Johanna. But wait! Danik abruptly stops in his tracks, and then looks back to where he was. "My suitcase. All my fresh clothes! Can I take it with me, dear?" Danik asks, looking back to Johanna. He has an almost child-like expression on his face as he looks at Johanna, like he's pleading for his suitcase.

She figures she better say yes. If she says no, it's likely to agitate him. "Sure," Johanna replies, "You can take your suitcase. How good of you to remember it. What would we do if you didn't have a change of clothes?" Really, Johanna! He isn't five years old. Still, she can't quite help it. She does have four kids, after all. Suitcase retrieved, the pair make their way down the winding road that brings them off the bluffs. Ere long they will arrive in Coronet proper, and then it's but a short trip to the spaceport, and the adventure beyond...

Danik looks relieved as Johanna retrieves his suitcase. Smiling again, Danik allows Johanna to lead him once more through Coronet and towards the spaceport. Poor Mrs. Kreldin, though. She was in need of some attention. Danik, however, is no longer concerned with his mother, but rather, with Johanna. "So, dear, may I ask where we are going so abruptly? What's going to be so fun?" he asks, tilting his head towards Johanna. "I hope it doesn't take too long. I have to be back in the Empire in one week for the big battle. They need me!" he shouts, not even realizing he was given out military secrets to the likes of a Jedi. Poor Danik Kreldin. Nothing more than a tool now, his pride tarnished, if he realized what was going on.

--- Later, on Tatooine...

It had been a long trip for poor Danik. All he could remember was boarding Johanna's ship at the Coronet City spaceport. He agreed to follow her to wherever it was she wanted to go, but he couldn't quite remember why he agreed to it. Then, next thing he knew, WHAM, something hit his head hard, and he was out cold. And now, his eyes slowly flicker open, but he could not see anything. There was just a glaring light that blinded him. Where was he..? "Turn off the lights.." Danik mutters to himself, rubbing his eyes. Whereever he was, it felt weird, like he was in Zero-G, something he was quite use to. And sure enough he's able to roll around, just like he was floating in a vacuum. Uh oh. Was he dead? Was he on his way to the great beyond? That treacherous Johanna! But his fears are soon relinquished, however, as his eyes finally adjust themselves to the light and he sees the sand dunes of Tatooine - and the Great Pit of Carkoon, directly below him. "Sweet mother of Palpatine! Wha--who--someone, help me!" he shouts, his arms reaching out to thin air, trying to grab onto something.

It's been a long trip indeed for poor Danik. Now at the mercy of a power he cannot entirely comprehend, he floats suspended by forces unseen over the yawning chasm at whose bottom lies only a slow and painful death. At a safe enough distance from the precipice stands Johanna, garbed in a tattered old robe and her customary black togs. She watches the old pilot intently. A slip of her concentration will spell certain doom for him. "I thought you might appreciate the feeling of zero gee," the desert woman begins, reaching out a hand to guide the Imperial into an odd trajectory that takes him further yet towards the center of the pit, "Personally, I find it comforting. I also like to shut off the acceleration compensator from time to time. There's nothing quite like feeling the old-fashioned effects of one's manuevering, wouldn't you agree?" Slow, measured steps trace their way around the perimeter of the pit as the fallen Jedi holds her prey captive.

Danik was very confused. Why had he agreed to go with Johanna in the first place? Oh no.. the same thing Aurejin did to him years ago. Bloody Jedi. As Johanna moves him ever closer towards the Sarlaac, its "head" peeking out, patiently awaiting its victim, Danik nervously reaches around his body for any signs of his equipment. A grenade, blaster, knife - nothing. He ignores Johanna's taunts regarding her love for zero-g, too focused on trying to save himself before he was food for this bloody creature. "What is this about Johanna? I can make you a deal! Would you like your own personal Star Destroyer? How about a superweapon? I haven't done anything to you!" he shouts, cursing as he still can't anything to shoot Johanna with.

Danik's pleas are met with a brief two-meter drop, face first, bringing him just that much closer towards the hungry Sarlaac. "I dunno," Johanna muses, "It looks hungry to me. What do you think?" As if it would help her see better, she squints into the pit and sighs loudly. "Yep! Last time this guy ate was probably back in the days of Skywalker and his antics here. Hell, and Fett escaped... so I wonder. Poor creature. Must be years since it started to digest anything new!" She continues her slow circling of the trap, finding amusement in dropping Danik another half meter before the Force lifts him back to his original postion as she casts off her cloak and a savage expression contorts her otherwise pretty features. "You can keep your ships. For all your firepower, your army is nothing to the Force but an annoying insect... just like you are nothing more than a passing morsel to this ancient creature here." Her pacing comes to an abrupt halt. Danik is righted and at least he's not in a prone position anymore, he can look her in the eye now if he so chooses, albeit from a still precarious, right-over-the-sarlacc area. "This is about me getting some answers, Danik Kreldin."

Okay. Maybe begging for his life wasn't such a good idea, he muses when he is dropped even closer to the Sarlaac's mouth. "You're a witch, Johanna. You said I could trust you!" he shouts back at, not quite sure what she was talking about. He didn't know enough about Tatooine to know much about the Sarlaac. Just that it liked to eat people. But according to her, Boba Fett escaped from its tummy, so maybe he could too? "Where's my jetpack when I need it..." he mutters to himself, his mind flashing to his enhanced armor. "Yeah, you say that now, but once the Empire discovers what you've done, you won't be able to stop an entire fleet, Force or otherwise," he retorts, all too cocky. As he's elevated to face Johanna, he lets out a nice wad of spit for Johanna's lovely face, unsure if he was even able to reach it. Who cares. "I'll give you nothing."

Suddenly he's dropped again, much further than last time as Johanna wipes the spittle off of her cheek. "My concentration must have slipped," she comments when Danik stops a scant three meters from the jaws of the Sarlacc, "Maybe that's because someone spit in my face. I didn't realize you were in the habit of being so uncouth, Danik. It really doesn't become you in the least." Again he is raised, though not far enough to repeat his last offense. "I am no witch. I can't recall saying you could trust me, either... I must have been lying." Harsh, ugly laughter booms out for a moment before the unique acoustics of the desert swallow the sound entirely and she resumes her pacing. "The Empire? Oh, Danik. They're not going to come for you, dearest. You're too old and too used for that. No, they'll cross you off their long list of acceptable losses and move on. It's the mark of all corrupt and bloated governments. No Danik, you're going to float there and tell me the answer to everything I ask."

Danik appears victorious as Johanna wipes away the spit, but his smile quickly vanishes as Johanna drops him even further. "Argh! I swear, Johanna, I'M GONNA KILL YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN!" he shouts out, his arms clawing upward as if trying to climb up and away from the Sarlaac. He knew the Empire would come for him. They had to. He was still.. useful.. right? Doubt begins to cloud Danik's mind. His world was caving in on him. All he fought so hard for.. to be ended by this insane woman? No. He would not tolerate it. This was not the end of Danik Kreldin.

For a moment it seems as if Johanna were contemplating something terrible indeed for poor Danik. The mention of her children clouds her features, veiling all but the savage contempt in her dark eyes as she regards the Imperial floating over the pit, wondering if it would amuse her more to decapitate him before tossing him in. Fortunately for the old pilot, the desert woman's thoughts move elsewhere and the contempt is muted to a dull disdain. "You want to kill my children? Well, good luck finding them. Even I don't know where they are. But I guess it serves me right, considering I married an Imperial who then decided to take up his own cause. Funny how that stuff works out, isn't it?" The heat out here is nearly unbearable and for Danik, so close to the foul secretions of the Sarlaac, it must be horrific. "I don't understand you, Danik Kreldin. All I want are a few answers and we can both be on our way, but you choose instead to insult and threaten me. What gives?"

Perhaps saying he would kill Johanna's young ones was a bit foolish. But Danik was too infuriated to give a damn. All he pictures in his mind is bashing Johanna's skull into a wall. Apparently she wants to know something. What could be so important that she would kidnap him? Why not kidnap Korolov? He was a Force user person, after all. "Well, you're not giving me much option here, love. I'm kind of hovering over a Sarlaac!" he shouts at her. This isn't fair. Not fair at all. "Fine, what do you want to know?! I'll tell you if you promise to set me down!"

Set him down? Very well. Perhaps her point has been made and it's time to be a little more merciful. Offering Danik a small shrug, Johanna guides his helpless form back to the relative safety of the dunes, where he can puff and posture all he pleases without being threatened by the Sarlaac's fumes. "I want to know the target of your next offensive and the timeframe involved," the Jedi begins, her request filling the space between them with an unnatural volume, "Please be aware of the fact that I am asking you nicely. Oh, I have my own ideas about fun, but I'm not one to torture it out of you. There are much more refined ways of obtaining information, wouldn't you agree? A being will say anything under torture just to make it stop. Such a useless method of obtaining reliable information, I have found." She picks up her ratty old cloak from where she'd dropped it and shakes the fabric out before donning the protective layer once more. "And please don't feed me some line about not knowing anything about it. That will just try my patience."

--< Force Skill: TRUTH SENSE >-- Johanna declares her ability of TRUTH SENSE to the room. (SENSE) This allows the Jedi to sense whether a person believes what they are saying is true. It does not sense whether what they are saying is true in the overall reality; just whether the subject believes it or not. This is the Force equivalent of a lie-detector test. This power uses the SENSE skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

Danik's heart starts to slow down as Johanna starts bringing him over towards her, away from the Sarlaac. Good.. he was getting somewhere. He might just make it out of here alive after all. Danik touches down on the sand and he allows himself to fall on his back to catch his breath. But his rest period is cut short as Johanna is on him, barking her demands. At least it sounded like barking to him. Damn Jedi. "..Next target? What's it to you, Johanna?" he says, sitting himself up. He couldn't tell her the truth. No way. She'll expose everything he's worked so hard for. Cochran was going to be destroyed, and Johanna wasn't going to foil his plans. He doesn't appear to be phased by her talk of torture methods, but deep down his stomache turns as he ponders just what the Jedi could do to him. She has a lightsaber, after all. Shuddering, Danik quickly thinks of a way out of this mess. What's a viable target? Oh.. that's right. Putting on a grin, Danik looks up into Johanna's eyes. "What are you, blind? It's obvious to anyone where our next target is; I didn't spend an entire year encircling the system for nothing, you know. Coruscant! Imperial Center. Whatever you'd like to call it. Not like you can stop us anyway."

A sigh escapes Johanna as she nears Danik, shaking her head and planting her hands on her hips as if the older man were one of her children trying to get away with something naughty. "Try again, Mister Kreldin. You're a terrible liar. Of course Coruscant is your long-term project, but it's not your next offensive. Let's be a little more forthcoming, shall we? I want specifics... fleet strength, ground presence, the works." What for? It isn't as if she fights for the Republic anymore. Perhaps Johanna is just a big fat busybody and wants to keep up to speed on galactic events. In fact, given her history and her nature, it's very possible that the latter option is the reason why Danik has been dragged out to Tatooine. That, and her macabre tastes as far as amusement goes.

"No..no.. it's the truth, I swear on Palpatine!" Danik says, his eyes darting around as he tries to look for a means of escape. Nothing but sand everywhich direction. He was trapped. No weapons. No equipment. Nothing but the clothes on his body. Johanna was really asking for a beating. "Why would we abandon Coruscant and go somewhere else, eh? Especially when it's in our grips like so! The death of high command at O'paal really pushed our deadline with Coruscant ahead by many months, or else we'll never be able to take it!" he says to Johanna, digging his hands into the sand behind him. "You have to beLIEve me!" And with that, he pulls his hands out from the sand and throws the sand at Johanna's face, hoping to blind her temporarily with the sand. If she was out for a few moments, he might be able to just grab her lightsaber and end this.

--< Force Skill: SYNESTHETE >--- Johanna declares her ability of SYNESTHETE to the room. (SENSE) The Jedi can shift senses, effectively allowing her to perceive with one sense organ what would normally be the domain of another. For instance, the Jedi can choose to hear energy such as light energy, may see sound waves, and so on. This power may be used to view infrared light, detect certain inaudible frequencies, or using olfactory nerves to discern specific chemical combinations. Overloads of energy with heightened, extended senses may damage the Jedi -- for instance, powerful sound waves may blind a Jedi who is currently "watching" sound. Note that this power doesn't give its user any special abilities with regard to the energy she is experiencing. Even though she can see a comm transmission, she can't interpret it with this power. This power requires "Magnify Senses" as a prerequisite. This power uses the SENSE skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

--< Force Skill: AFFECT MIND >-- Johanna declares her ability of AFFECT MIND to the room. (ALTER) This power is used to alter a sentient's perceptions so that he sees an illusion or fails to see what the Jedi doesn't want him to see. It can be used to disguise a Jedi within the mind of a target. This power can also be used to permanently change memories so that a character remembers things incorrectly or fails to remember things at all. This power can also be used to alter a character's conclusions so that he changes his mind. This power can only be used on one target at a time. A character believes that he is affected by a successful illusion. If he believes that he is struck by an illusory object, he feels the pain. The pain is real to the character, but the wounds are not real. A character that believes he has died only falls unconscious. This power can only effect living things. Certain races such as Hutt are not as susceptible to this power as others. This power was used extensively in the movies, "..these aren't the droids you're looking for.." and has a better chance of working on the 'weak minded'. This power uses the ALTER skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

"Oh for the love of the Maker," Johanna hollers as the sand hits her square in the face, "What are you trying to pull?" Shouldn't she be howling in pain right about now, clawing at her eyes and trying to get the sand out instead of heading right for Danik to grab him by the collar and shake him once or twice? "I'll ask you one more time. What are the specifics of your next offensive?" Clearly the Imperial isn't going to cough things up the easy way... looks like she'll have to resort to a different sort of arsenal. It's how she lured him away from his home on Corellia, after all! She wipes once at her eyes and takes another approach, pitching her tone to be pleasant. "You want to tell me the information I'm asking for," she says brightly, "You want to share it with me."

Haha! Take that, Jedi scum! Danik thinks to himself, smiling as a glimmer of hope appears before him. The sand hit her eyes, and she was blinded. Letting out a laugh, Danik lunges at the woman, reaching for her lightsaber. 'Say goodbye...' But before Danik could fulfill his goal, Johanna grabs him by his collar and lifts him up, immediately putting an end to his crazy scheme. "Jedi scum..." is what he mutters before Johanna puts him under the Force trance. His mind is overtaken by the Jedi's powers, and his defenses are demolished. "Yes. I will tell you the information you're asking for, and I want to share it with you," he says, staring into Johanna's eyes. "I've been planning to invade Cochran for some time now, to fulfill the Empire's long awaited retribution for their part in the Death Star's destruction. We will invade Cochran and demolish the Griffon fleet while in port with a surprise bomb attack, and then turn the planet into molten slag with a concentrated turbolaser bombardment from orbit. Base Delta Zero."

Yes, very good. "Excellent," Johanna praises, pressing on with her line of questioning, "And when is this going to happen?" Those Imperials and their zany BDZ operations! It's a true mark of how twisted the Jedi has become that the thought of a horde of Star Destroyers obliterating any habitable regions of Cochran makes her laugh. She has no intention of going to the Republic with any of this information. In fact, the destruction of Cochran will probably be the most amusing thing she's had to think about in a while. "I need to know the timeframe and then we can go into Mos Eisley and have a drink. You'd like a drink, wouldn't you?" He probably would. The heat out here is ridiculous.

Danik couldn't stop himself. Nothing he could do but spill the beans about the whole operation. Everything. It was down the tubes now. Johanna would certainly go to the rebels with the plan and prepare for it. Probably evacuate Cochran, build up the defenses.. but for Danik, his mind was elsewhere, under the control of the Jedi. "..It's going to happen in less than one week, Johanna.. big fleet massing near Sullust," Danik mutters, his eyes staring intently up at Johanna. "It's going to be a big surprise for the rebels. And yes, I would like a drink very much so, please."

There, it's done. She can let him go. "Very well," the Jedi nods, releasing her hold on Danik's mind, "Let's go back into town and have a drink, then." Danik will likely be a little confused as to what is going on... he can choose to follow her peacefully, or be left out here in the desert to wither into a prune. "You know, it's been a while since I've roamed around the spaceport. Place is pretty filthy, but there are a few hidden charms for those who know where to look. Are you coming, or what?" Great Maker, does she really expect to wander the place with Danik Kreldin? Won't he be recognized or shot or something? Likely she has a contingency plan in mind for that too! After all, she needs him for one more very special broadcast to be beamed out over all of IGN's subsidiaries.

Danik falls back into the sand as Johanna lets go of his collar. The sun was a real killer on the poor old man. He was burning up, especially in this damn, bloody suit of his. He doesn't even know where his fedora is. He loves that fedora.. but first things first, he has to get out of here. He doubt Johanna was gonna let him live.. but even his sand in the eye trick failed. He was out of ideas. Maybe he could trick Johanna into falling into the Sarlaac pit? No, she wasn't that stupid.. what to do what to do... but then, it appears Johanna wants to take him back into town. Town? "No! I can't go to Mos Eisley, Johanna. Karrde and his gang will kill me if they saw me in their territory." What he would do for a legion of stormtroopers and some Star Destroyers right about now. He was fearless in battle, whether he was in the cockpit of his red TIE Interceptor or from the bridge of a Star Destroyer. It wasn't that he was scared, especially of death.. in fact, he accepted death long ago, on Jabiim, back during the Clone Wars. It was just that he didn't want to die at the hands of a bunch of street urchins. Danik's death was reserved for battle. A glorious death in battle. Not beaten to death on the streets of Mos Eisley. But, at the moment, he has no real choice but to follow the Jedi.. she was his ticket off this planet. He would have to risk it in Mos Eisley. "Very well..."

"Don't worry, Danik. The weak-minded are easily distracted. Here. It has a hood against the sun, at least." She sheds her cloak once more and tosses it to him, not wanting to tote a visibly burned old man with her. That sort of thing just attracts too much attention! He could stand to spend some time alongside the scum and villainy of Mos Eisley, though. At least the brand of brigand to be found there is up-front about his or her sort of evil, as opposed to the pompous pseudo-refinements the Empire has to offer. For all its philosophical-sounding rot, the Imperial war machine is just as savage and uncouth as the worst cutthroat lurking in the shadows of the spaceport.

After a surprisingly pleasant layover in Rikh's cafe, Danik might have found himself feeling a little tired. Actually, very tired. With the exertions of the day behind him, what with being dangled over the Sarlaac and all, this wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Still, his exhaustion and subsequent unconsciousness do not stem from the day's events. Johanna had found it laughably easy to introduce a strong sedative into the old man's drink, and ere long she's half dragging, half carrying his dead weight through the trash-strewn alleyways of this incredibly decrepit portion of town. Her destination is more a hole than a hovel, the pitted and blackened remains of what was once an adobe apartment. Its underground storage area is secluded enough to allow her plenty of privacy for the next stage of her plans. "Maker, you certainly weigh more than I thought," Johanna grumbles as she descends the uneven steps into the small basement and lets Danik slide to the ground once she's made certain he won't crack his head open on the hard floor.

Danik kept himself on alert as Johanna took him through Mos Eisley. The scum of the galaxy.. so disgusting, so uncivilized. Hopefully Johanna would protect him. Wait! Johanna? Protect him? Hell no. He had to bust out of here. Get on the line to the local Imperial intelligence cell or COMPNOR cell and get them to give him some backup. Call in the Imperial fleet to rescue him and then glass this bloody planet with the Jedi witch on it. But he felt as if the eyes of the entire planet were on him and him alone. He couldn't get away from her.. he had to accept his fate. Thus, he drank at the bar with her, unaware it was laced with her knock out drug. Dragged through Mos Eisley until he was deposited into a hole in some abandoned building. It is here Danik wakes up. Coughing as he slowly sits up, Danik's eyes once again adjust themselves to the new lighting and his new enviornment. His raced through his memory, trying to piece together what happened to him.. crazy Jedi mother.. Sarlaac.. Cochran.. getting hammered.. ugh.. did he really drink himself to sleep or something? He was never so irresponsible before. "Where..where am I? What's going on..? Hello! Anyone?!" he shouts, rubbing his eyes as he tries to find his way around.

"Sorry about the sedative," Johanna begins very matter-of-factly from where she sits on an overturned crate, lighting up a smoke in the dark and using Danik's body heat to gauge his position here in the pitch black, "I figured that neither of us were particularly in the mood for another mind trick. I have one last favor I need and then you're free to go." She exhales politely over her shoulder and then slowly turns on the lights, allowing the Imperial's eyes to adjust gradually before throwing the switch to full throttle, as it were, and bathing the basement in a glaring fluorescent wash that makes even her blink against it. Oddly (or perhaps not), Cricket the homicidal R2 astromech sits squarely in the room, his little holocam at the ready. "I hope you don't mind my droid," the pilot continues, "He and I have flown a great many sorties together. He's actually Bazil McKenzie's droid, but I kind of inherited him a few years ago." Cricket makes no comment to this, content to watch and idly theorize about all the horrible things that are about to befall one Grand Admiral Danik Kreldin. "You see Danik, you are about to partake in something quite extraordinary."

A voice in the dark. He knew that voice. To the uninitiated, it was probably a lovely, soothing voice; but to the educated like Kreldin, it was the voice of pure evil. He knew better than to be manipulated by her feminine charms. "You.. drugged me? Of all the..." He starting punching at shadows, unable to see anything in the dark. "I swear, Johanna, you have no idea what I'm going to do you. No idea," he says, laughing a bit. But when the lights go on, his eyes overload and he finds himself tripping over his own feet, falling flat to the floor with a big crash. Blood started dripping from his nose, his face bruised and blackened. This just wasn't his day. He slowly gets back on his two feet, wiping some of the blood away with the sleeve of his expensive Corellian suit. He looks at the droid, vaguely recalling it from Corellia months ago, and then peers at the witch herself... "If you're going to kill me, at least let me go out with a death that suits me. Don't tease me."

"Whether or not you die is entirely up to you, Mister Kreldin. I'm not interested in braining you just for the hell of it." Wait, and she was keeping the whole Cochran to herself thing because...? Yeah, those possessed by the Dark Side don't make much sense sometimes. "But I would suggest that you sit down. This is going to take a little while. Don't you find these environs more agreeable than the Sarlaac?" She makes no mention of dragging him back out there, it seems she has other concerns. From behind the crate she pulls a simple placard, about half a meter long, with the words "Death to the Empire, Death to Imperials" lettered on it. "I agree it's not very original, but I had to come up with something," the Jedi sighs, holding it up for Danik to see. "I could have been more artistic, I know."

Just what was this one up to you? Why torture him like this? If she had any bit of decency left in her she would let him go and fight him in an enviornment they were both suited to: space combat. Danik was too old and not conditioned properly for this nonsense, especially in this weather. "Any enviornment with you around is enough to make me sick, Johanna. I find the Sarlaac more suiting than you," he says, backing himself up against a wall. As Johanna produces the placard, however, noticing the words inscribed on it in clear Aurebesh, Danik knows what she has in store for him. He turns white. "You.. you wouldn't. I'd rather die than be dishonored like that," Danik says, clenching his fists. Then it came to him.. putting his right foot up against the wall behind him, Danik shifts his gaze over to little, innocent Cricket and, using the wall as a launching point, lunges at the droid. He didn't have much of a plan after that. Maybe he could bash it into piece before Johanna could react, or maybe he would anger her enough that she would kill him before dishonoring him so.

It's a good thing for Cricket that he's neither little nor innocent. The astromech lets out an ungodly binary shriek and jabs his tazer into Danik's belly as the two go toppling to the ground, the droid howling and bleeping at an ear-splitting frequency. "Ah, I'd get off the droid if I were you," the fallen Jedi advises from her crate, "He has a tendency to use his saw-arm if you molest him for too long." Oh the good old days of Cricket at Imperial functions! How many had he tazered? So many. So very many! To keep Danik from being mauled, she nudges the older fellow away from the droid with a light shove through the Force that scoots Danik onto his bottom a meter away from the R2. "You'll do as I say because I'm not interested in killing you, Danik. Those who serve the Dark Side know that death is far too final a thing to use as leverage. No Danik, you'll do as I say because I have access to your mother in several ways."

Alright, so perhaps it wasn't the best idea to tackle Cricket. The tazer sends an electric shock throughout Danik, and his grasp on the droid is lost, his plan backfired. Well, how was he suppose to know the droid was hooked up with defenses? "Stupid..stupid..stupid.." Before he loses his arm to the saw, he is once again levitated through the air and set down a few meters away. He takes a few moments to catch his breath - though, unfortuantely for him, he loses his breath at the mention of his poor, defenseless mother. An old lady, in her late eighties, in the confines of the Kreldin Estate, with nothing but a few servants and security men. "Leave her alone, Johanna. She has nothing to do with this! She is innocent! She's never done anything wrong in her entire life," he shouts at the Jedi, ready to try his luck at lunging at her, although he knew he would met with just another failure and a waste of energy.

"The people of Cochran are innocent," Johanna snaps, her anger flaring and a brief flash of pale blue flame igniting near Danik before dissipating as quickly as it appeared, "But you're going to butcher them anyway. All of them. Why should I care about your mother? She raised a man who is willing to kill simply because he is told to do so. That alone makes her culpable. You haven't got a braincell that you can call your own, Danik Kreldin. You let your government tell you what to think. Since you can't think for yourself, you should find this new -- albeit temporary -- role quite simple. Now get the hell down onto your knees before I make a simulcast out of your mother's end and your humiliation." She is strange to behold, a thing of heat and rage that manifests itself very tangibly as a glow about her form. She'll ignite every last air molecule in here if that's what it takes to convince Danik that this isn't a joke.

--< Force Skill: PYROKINESIS >-- Johanna declares her ability of PYROKINESIS to the room. (ALTER) This power allows the Jedi to manipulate the temperature of the air or objects around him to produce heat. The user may concentrate on any object to heat it up to the point of combustion, but difficulty increases with objects of lower combustability, and the power can not be directly focused on living things. The user may, however, focus on a localized area of air and create a ball of flaming gasses, which can then be used as a projectile. The difficulty of this ability increases with the size of the projectile. This power uses the ALTER skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

--< Force Skill: FORCE LIGHTS >- Johanna declares her ability of FORCE LIGHTS to the room. (ALTER) This power is typically used by Jedi to light darkened areas, but it has it's uses as an offensive power and a heat source as well. When activated unfocused, the Jedi glows with the desired intensity so long as it is achieved. Heat and light radiate outward from all points on the Jedi's body. At any intensity greater than "Fluorescent", the Jedi and others around him receive damage. This power uses the ALTER skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

Ouch. How was he going to retort to that? There was no way, really; she was right, whether he was willing to accept it or not. There were some many ways he could rationalize it, but none of it was acceptable to him. He was a broken man. He lived for the New Order; for peace and justice. One side of him knew the people of Cochran had to die. They were terrorists, responsible for atrocities just as he was. After all, the destruction of all three Death Stars have taken lives in comparison to a small planet. Was what the Empire did any more wrong..? No.. the Empire wasn't wrong.. no.. Alderaanian weapons of mass destruction.. Sluussi terrorists.. Gastus IV.. terrorism. To Johanna, it would like Danik was about to crack; his blood was boiling, his nerves at their very end. He wasn't even phased by her pyrotechnic display. Just one thing on his mind: kill Johanna. But could he betray his Empire? His beloved New Order? He had never betrayed the New Order in his life, even when he was in the Neo-Empire, a cause he was eventually rewarded for. But his mother.. his mother was old, near death. Senile. Probably didn't even know where she was anymore.. Danik barely saw her anymore. Would it be such a loss to him? The Empire.. his mother.. the Empire.. his mother..

Horrible laughter thunders through the enclosed space. "I don't believe it," the pilot cackles with a savage glee, "You're actually weighing your options. Oh, you are truly a piece of work, old man. As vicious as I can be, I would never consider trading the life of one of my family members for the sake of my government. You are almost beneath my contempt. I should just leave you out to die in the desert and let the wind strip the flesh from your bones... but that death is too clean for someone like you. No... you deserve everything I am about to unleash upon you. Now pick up that sign and hold it and tell the galaxy that you, Danik Kreldin, denounce the actions of the Empire as evil."

The laughter sends a shiver up Danik's spine, and fills him with dread. Her taunts flow through him, and he the thought of being left out to die in the desert of Tatooine sounds merciful compared to being with Johanna any longer. No one ever before had roused so much anger, so much hatred, and so much fury in Danik than this Jedi. She had broken his spirit, humiliated him, threatened to kill his mother, and is now forcing him to give up on the one thing Danik would never give up on: his Empire. He did not spend thirty-six years fighting and shedding blood to just give it up for this witch. Didn't watch as his comrades perished just so this monster could tear it all apart. It was Johanna and her kind that plagued this galaxy, the plague Danik has been fighting against for so long. And he was losing. But he would go down fighting. He shakes his head, kicking the sign towards Johanna with his feet. "Shove it up your ass."

--< Force Skill: AFFECT MIND >-- Johanna declares her ability of AFFECT MIND to the room. (ALTER) This power is used to alter a sentient's perceptions so that he sees an illusion or fails to see what the Jedi doesn't want him to see. It can be used to disguise a Jedi within the mind of a target. This power can also be used to permanently change memories so that a character remembers things incorrectly or fails to remember things at all. This power can also be used to alter a character's conclusions so that he changes his mind. This power can only be used on one target at a time. A character believes that he is affected by a successful illusion. If he believes that he is struck by an illusory object, he feels the pain. The pain is real to the character, but the wounds are not real. A character that believes he has died only falls unconscious. This power can only effect living things. Certain races such as Hutt are not as susceptible to this power as others. This power was used extensively in the movies, "..these aren't the droids you're looking for.." and has a better chance of working on the 'weak minded'. This power uses the ALTER skill. Non-Jedi may use a default counter check of their Willpower skill if no other skill seems appropriate. < Star Wars Force Powers >--

Johanna is having none of it, however, the full force of her own wrath slowly building at Danik's recalcitrance. "You WILL obey me," she thunders, trying for another assault on his mind even as she sends him thudding into the adobe behind him, a wall of Force-energy knocking him backwards, "You will get on your knees and tell the galaxy that you denounce the Empire and want to apologize for the evil you have done in their name." Curses, she should just have done this from the get-go! Johanna has never been much of a tactician and is too ruled by her emotions now to think clearly. Surely he will cave in again like he did near the Sarlaac!

Danik watches as Johanna seemingly intensifies, and he actually cowers as she demands his obedience. But he is then launched backwards by an invisible energy, and he slams into the wall, nearly blacking him out. It was a powerful blow, and he was sure he broke something in his back or some other bone. -That- was going to really hurt his efforts at escaping. He falls down to the floor face first, adding to his collection of bruises and cuts. Just one hell of a day for Danik. But even with the beating, he was not going to relent... as Johanna probes his mind and tries to take control once more, he pushes her back and out of his mind, refusing to allow himself to be corrupted anymore.

And she does intensify. It is more a mark of her inability to control her emotions that anything having to do with skill; the shiny haze around her brightens into a distinct glow as she advances. Her dark eyes harbor something terrible. "I will not be so GENTLE this time," the Jedi snarls as she presses on the psychic attack, attempting to smash the surprisingly strong resistance she encounters from the aging pilot. Perhaps Danik's fear has made him stronger, his willpower buttressed by the surge of adrenaline that must no doubt be coursing through him. "Denounce the Empire. Apologize for all you have done." She picks up the sign and tries to press it into his hands.

Danik had to admit. He was scared. She was glowing, for Palpatine's sake! And that was usually a bad sign. He tries his damnest to get up, but his back does not allow it; he falls again, trapped here with this glow rod who was intent on taking control of his mind. He had been able to push her out before, but as Johanna once again delves into his mind, his mental defenses are crushed and he is at her control once more. "I will denounce the Empire. I apologize for all I haev done," he says in a near robotic tone, taking the sign and holding it for Johanna to see. "I am sorry."

"Say it for the camera," Johanna orders, getting out of the way and righting Cricket so that he might begin recording, "Say it nice and loud for everyone to hear. Tell us your name, your rank, and say you denounce the Empire." Oh, she has her vengeance now! He's holding up the sign and everything. She can cross Danik Kreldin off of her list of those who owe her their pain and suffering. And though she retreats now to be out of Cricket's field of vision, the haze does not diminish in brightness. She forces herself into more of his mind now, invading his awareness, propelling him towards her will.

Johanna has truly fallen.

Danik turns to face Cricket, completely under Johanna's spell, displaying the sign for the camera, and the heresy display on it. "I am Danik Kreldin, an Imperial Advisor and former High Admiral. I denounce the Galactic Empire. I apologize for all the atrocities I have committed. Down with the Galactic Empire... Please forgive me." Those last words, still in his robotic monotone, were probably more meant for the Empire than the people he was suppose to be apologizing to. It was done, though. Danik had denounced himself, his life, his New Order. Johanna had her sick revenge. Who knew what the Empire would do to him now. Would they believe he was under a Jedi spell? Fortunately, though, that spell is broken several moments after the completion of his testimony. Realizing what he had just said for the camera, he the throws the sign at Cricket, though is unable to go any further due to his back. "No! It's a trick! A trick! Johanna.. she's tricking you all!" he shouts at Cricket, reaching out for the droid his hand. Unfortunately he had no way of knowing it wasn't live. No matter what, the galaxy would hear his heresy.

=
====================== IGNews =================================== Message: 10/4                     Posted        Author Danik Humiliated? Thu Feb 09   Johanna -- A rather lumpy-looking fellow with a terrifying mustache appears with the IGN logo in the background. He looks as if his suit was tailored by a blind Jawa whose sense of fashion borders on the macabre. It's Bruce Mach, of course. He clears his throat and then begins to speak:

"We at IGN have just received some footage which we felt was startling enough to be shared immediately with all of our loyal viewers. Please be advised that some of our younger audiences might find it a little disturbing."

The footage begins to play. Against a brightly lit adobe wall sits the battered form of Danik Kreldin, his face visibly bruised and scraped. He's also holding up a sign that reads "DEATH TO THE EMPIRE. DEATH TO IMPERIALS." Blinking once at the camera, Danik says, "I am Danik Kreldin, an Imperial Advisor and former High Admiral. I denounce the Galactic Empire. I apologize for all the atrocities I have committed. Down with the Galactic Empire... Please forgive me."

The footage then plays for a moment longer before cutting to black. Bruce Mach clears his throat once more. "Well, there you have it. You saw it here first. This is Bruce Mach, IGN."

=
=================================================================

Finally she withdraws, satisfied that he has caved to her will. "You just made my day, dearest," Johanna replies as she nods to Cricket to stop recording. "I told you all I wanted was this. And look at you! You had to go and make it so damn difficult for yourself! Would you like me to have a look at your back? I'm sure you've bruised one of your vertebrae." She's being facetious of course, and makes her way back up the stairs, Cricket slowly following behind her. Thankfully for him they are shallow enough to allow for such an ascent. "We are finished now, Danik. You needn't worry about me coming after you again. Give my regards to your mother." And the wicked laughter follows her until her form has disappeared.

"You.. you.. BITCH!" Danik had been building that up all day, using words such as witch to kindly disguise it. But it was too much for Danik. She had much more than ruined him. He was devastated. Tears were forming in his once proud eyes. He was now an empty shell of a man, a shadow of his former self. Oh, the Dark Side was a cruel task master. He watches as she begins to depart, the stupid droid following in her tow, and all Danik can do is lay there on the floor, left to his fate. He starts to crawl forward, trying to follow after Johanna.. but finally it became too much, and he fell into darkness.

=
==================== IC Rumors ================================== Message: 8/2                      Posted        Author Bad for your health               Thu Feb 09    From the streets... -- Rumors are abound that Bruce Mach, the man famous for breaking the story about Danik Kreldin's apparent defection, has disappeared from his luxurious penthouse on Coruscant. There is no trace of the reporter, his apartment bringing up no clues as to what could have happened to the man. Apparently the Empire, known for making people disappear, doesn't appreciate stories such as the one Mr. Mach made public.

=
=================================================================