Caught In The Act (Shyahwyn)

[Renee Murano]

Coruscant - Shopping District

It was busy in the store that morning, with customers of all shapes and sizes viewing the wares and arguing about prices with the employees. Word of a sale had spread like wildfire and had attracted more than a few shrewd buyers, all the look out for a good profit. The madness that was taking place was also a golden opportunity for another type of customer, the type that were difficult to spot and even harder to catch. The customers who did not pay at all or had a five fingered discount to put it another way.

One such customer was slowly making her way around the store, a petite young brunette who looked no older than fourteen. The expression on her face was neutral although she felt anything but inside. Her senses were at their peak and her blue eyes were scanning her surroundings, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. There was also a rush of adrenaline, which was how she always felt when she was about to make her move. She was not just stealing for that purpose though, she needed the money desperately.

When the moment came, the young girl quickly reached out placed a few pieces of jewellery in to her pocket. It only took a couple of seconds and as soon as she had finished, she was quickly on the move again.

[Shyahwyn]

Busy thoroughfares were the norm here on Coruscant, a planet who's city never seemed to end. She had been here once before, but that was a long time and many lightyears ago. Emerald eyes kept an eye on those around her, knowing that most in this sector of the city were always looking for a quick credit and though she never carried her credcard in her back pocket, the witch did carry it in her front pocket. Let someone take it from there, the dark jedi mused as she stepped from the shuttle, one of many in the flow of foot traffic now headed toward the ascending stair.

Having been led her again by a vision of another Force user that needed guidance, the arbiter enjoyed the occasional diversion from the normal duties in the palace's medbay. Avoiding nobles with little else on their mind than her frame was always preferred. Boots beating upon the permacrete floor was drowned out by an army of figures and their voices speaking a multitude of languages as she followed the landmarks to the destination. Soon, she exited the shuttle station and walked out into the under level avenue to see speeders of various types zipping passed, and finding an opening, she sprinted across and to the store that she recognized. The sign advertising an ongoing sale apparently grabbed the attention of many vendors and buyers alike as Shyahwyn found herself outside the door.

She would find this Force user another way, she mused and waited outside as the tall brunette viewed many inside though the large picture window. Hagglers debated with one another as a younger female soon emerged, snaking her way through them and being largely unnoticed. Which was apparently the point.

Shyahwyn grinned as her target made her way towards the main entrance...

[Renee Murano]

The young teenager had almost made it out the door. Her smell size and frame went unnoticed by everyone around her. She zigged and zagged in and out of people, spinning out of the way of a few people that almost bumped into her. For some reason her senses were really coming into their own, as her goal became ever closer. It was like the closer she got to the exit. The more determined she became, the more focused on the task her mind became.

It was like a rush, a euphoric feeling more than just the adrenaline, although that course through her veins as well as she worked her way through the crowd. If she could get away with it then she would eat tonight, it had been a few days since she last had food, and her stomach was starting to complain. All that was left to do now that she had the jewellery in her pocket was get it to a second hand store or a fence and get the credits she needed so badly.

This euphoric feeling only became stronger as the exit got ever closer. So much stronger in fact it made the teenager's breath catch in her throat. Her pace became that little faster as well, ever eager to get away with what was to the teenager the crime of the decade.

Finally the exit was upon the teenager, and she made a sprint for the remaining space out of the store. But just as her heel was about to left the threshold of the door. A guard jumped out of no where, and grabbed the teenager by the shoulder, firmly. She had been made by the law....

"Damn..."

[Shyahwyn]

Watching and waiting outside, Shyahwyn suddenly noticed the emergence of the store's guard, grabbing the young female and holding her and giving the dark jedi the opportunity to introduce herself. Stepping into the door, she opened herself to the Force, touching the man's mind.

"Give it up," the guard commanded, reaching into the girl's pockets with one hand while holding her jacket with the other. "I saw you take it."

Mental influence was easy with weaker minded individuals, one of the first things that she learned and had excelled at. "Actually, the one you saw take it already ran down the street," she stated calmly, using the Force to convince him of the lie.

He eyed the tanned noble of Ruusan, then scanned out into the street, sighing as he let Renee go. "Blast it."

"Sorry, she was too fast and I didn't know what she was running from. Had I known..."

"No, no," he waved dismissively at her and stepped beyond the archon and out into the foot traffic on the sidewalk, scanning through the crowd.

Emerald eyes then turned to the thief, "Should get you home now, huh?"

[Renee Murano]

As the guard reached into her pockets. The teenage thief sighed, and rolled her eyes to the left while a defeated sigh escaped her lips. Not only would she continue to go hungry, but now it seemed as if the teenager would spend a night in a jail cell, with all kinds of questions asked about her background that she didn't want to answer. Not only that but the teenager didn't really know that much about her own family or place of origin. She remembered her mother, somewhat, but other than that she didn't know anything else about her family background. In fact it had just gotten to the point where either she lied about it or just didn't give an answer at all, after so long it was best not to give an answer. It just raised too many more questions that needed answers.

When it looked as if the game was well and truly over. Someone came over, and some how managed to convince the guard that he had the wrong person, when clearly he hadn't. As the guard moved off. The teenage thief watched in slight shock over the situation. For a minute there a night in the cells was a certain outcome. But now she was free. Not only free she had a pocket full of stolen goods that would see the thief eat for a week.

Now that the two were left alone. The teenager turned her attention to the one that rescued her just in time to hear her ask about getting home.

"I don't have a home, lady. Unless of course you call a hole with a bed in it down on the lower levels a home." There was a slight hint of sarcasm in the teenager voice. Almost as if she wasn't all that grateful for the strange woman helping her out of a sticky situation a few moments ago.

[Shyahwyn]

Emerald eyes studied the young brunette as Shyahwyn moved away from the store with her, heading the opposite direction from where the guard was searching. The revelation of the girl's sleeping accommodations didn't surprise her for some reason, it was all there in the girl's blue eyes.

"Some have lived with less, but," she shook her head. "No, I guess not." Motioning back to the guard, "I could just as easily have left you with him and kept going, you know. Poverty doesn't give anyone a reason to steal."

[Renee Murano]

For some reason Renee followed the lady that saved her. Any other person and she might have just done a runner, without so much as a thank you for the rescue. But with this lady Renee was following her as she walked off in the other direction. It was like the teenager was being pulled by a string, and there was no real way to escape. Did she even want to escape for that matter? Renee didn't know the answer to that just yet. All she knew was that she wanted to follow this lady where ever she led, and that in of itself scared the teenager slightly.

When the lady mention about leaving her with the guard. Renee stopped in her tracks, and gestured both her hands just above her mid-drift in a calm down manner. "Okay..okay fine. Thank you. Happy now? You saved me from a night in a jail cell. Now if you'll excuse me I have my hole to get back to." The desire to just walk away did rise in Renee's body. But her legs didn't response, she just stood there with a slight frown upon her features, finding this situation a little surreal.

"Do I...I mean do you know me or something? I feel like I know you somehow?" Just like when she stole the jewellery. The teenager's senses were going crazy, and she didn't really understand or know why.

[Shyahwyn]

Stopping, Shyahwyn turned to face Renee and though they hadn't met before she couldn't tell her how the dark jedi had come to the world in the first place. That was a discussion for another time. "We haven't, but there are other things that work in the universe that allow people to cross paths sometimes." Others meandered around the two as they talked, largely ignoring the attractive brunettes as far as Shyahwyn was concerned. As long as they didn't touch her, she ignored them as well.

Motioning to Renee's pockets, "I take it you've been at this a while. How have you not been caught before?"

[Renee Murano]

When the strange woman mentioned about things that bring people together. Renee canted her head backward, slightly, and let a soft ahh escape her lips. "You're talking about the force aren't you? Yeah that explains a few things." The teenager then folded her arms over her chest, as a triumph smile spread across her lips, like a student that had worked out an answer to a question before the teacher had even asked the question. Renee was well aware of the force, the Jedi, and all the rest of it. Hell, most of her...'family' were a part of it in one form or another. For a time her father was a Jedi. At least that was what Renee could remember of the man, she hadn't really seen him since she was nine years of age.

At the question about doing this sort of thing for long. Renee looked toward her pockets, and then lowered her arms back to her sides with a slight shrug and a nod. "I've been doing this long enough to know a few tricks of the trade. Be sides I can do things that most other thief's can't do, and I'm small so I don't get noticed...you know all that often." Renee was trying to act the hard line street rat, but it wasn't really coming off all that well, which made the teenager a little nervous and uncomfortable.

[Shyahwyn]

Keeping her eyes on Renee as she spoke of the Force, Shyahwyn tried her best not to seem skittish about the subject, not knowing who was in the crowd of foot traffic passing them by. There could always be that one, she mused. Emerald eyes took in the pretended tough look and words as the dark jedi could tell that the girl wasn't that good of a con artist, but she tried.

Motioning away, Shyahwyn led Renee away from the store and any more temptations that she may not be able to get her out of again without making a mess. "I have a room nearby, maybe we could talk a bit there," she glanced to Renee as they walked, speeder traffic passing by and the sounds of the city allowing their discussion to be largely private. "There's also another bed and room service, so you can keep that stuff for later." After all, Renee hadn't agreed to the archon's proposal to become something better than a petty thief yet.

[Renee Murano]

This encounter was a little surreal to say the least of Renee. One minute she was about to face a night in a jail cell, and in the next minute she was talking to this strange woman who seemed rather out of place somehow. By now Renee had heard enough to assume that this stranger was a force user, what kind of user was still beyond the teenagers knowledge.

All Renee had to go on at the moment was the way this other woman was acting, and even talking. It wasn't so much what she had said but the way she had said it that cause Renee's inner alarms to go off. Until Renee knew other wise she was going to be cautious going forward with this stranger. Yet somehow Renee knew that she wouldn't come to any harm, in fact if anything, it seemed as if this strange woman was trying to protect the teenager, save her even from her lifestyle. But again it was too early to know for sure.

When the stranger brought up the room nearby with an extra bed and room service. Renee stopped dead in her tracks, and placed a firm hand on the other woman's upper arm. "Whoa lady, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the offer and everything. But I've only just met you, and now you want me to go back to your room. How do I know you're not some serial killer? Or pervert or something?" Even with this inner feeling telling Renee that this woman meant her no harm. Renee's other senses felt the need to at least speak up, and ask questions before just blindly following this stranger back to her room.

[Shyahwyn]

Shyahwyn laughed at the brunette's caution realizing how open she had been with Renee, not having come by her name verbally. Surface thoughts from the untrained potential at her side were as loud to the archon as if reading a book. "You have nothing to worry about, nor do I," she grinned, still amused. "I can take care of myself, and I'm sure you can too."

Continuing on toward the hotel's main entrance, she waited to cross the street as traffic continued zooming by. Emerald eyes turned to the thief, "I'm part of a family that takes in people like you and I. It's one that's been around a long time and there's no obligation for you right now. Just an offer," she relayed and hoped to belay any fears. "Name's Shyahwyn, by the way. Most call me Shy."

Introductions out of the way, she noticed the white marker allowing them to cross as traffic stopped. "It's also one that can help you understand that part of you that you've been asking yourself about now for a while." Leaving it at that, Shyahwyn turned and walked across the street, hoping that Renee followed, keeping it her decision to do so rather than entice her with gifts or promises.

[Renee Murano]

The strangers words helped ease some of Renee's concerns. She could look after herself if the situation called for her to do so. Not only that but the teenager did have a small home made blade concealed in her pants, nestled comfortable in the small of her back. If Renee needed to do so then she could dish out some serious damage. But there was that nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told the teenager that she wouldn't need to do so.

It was starting to confuse Renee. This woman was a total stranger, someone she had never seen before, and yet here she was, following the older woman back to her apartment. With no further questions asked. Renee knew of the force, and she had force users in her family. But she never believed that she too was a force user. Although things in Renee's life had been rather interesting to say the least just recently, and Renee had been wondering for a while if she was like her father and her brother after all. If it was true then it would be a shame. The teenager had spent all this time running away from her family, and yet here she stood with more questions than answers.

As the stranger talked about being a part of a family, and introduced herself as Shyahwyn. Renee felt obligated to offer her name in return.

"My names Renee Murano. Just call me Renee."

When Shy mentioned that this family could help with Renee's questions. The teenager stood silent for a moment, and watched as the older woman crossed the street. It was at that point that Renee paused and weighted her opinions at this point. She could either walk in the other direction, and return back to her hole in the wall down on the lower levels. Or she could cross the street and potential get some answers that would help her find some peace in her life.

After what seemed like an eternity. Renee finally crossed the street, and rejoined Shy by her side.

"I'll listen to what you have to say. But if I don't like what I hear I walk, alright?"

[Shyahwyn]

Pondering the last name offered, Shyahwyn realized quickly that she may have some relationship to Jacob and thought that was a bit convenient that the Force had led her to one of the archbishop's relatives. Odd, she mused. Soon, topping the permacrete sidewalk she soon felt the presence of the eager potential to learn more about herself and Shyahwyn grinned at the statement.

"No problem." Though she knew that would also mean that many of the details would have to be withheld, otherwise Renee would never walk out of her room and she wasn't sure she'd be able to face Jacob again. Inside the hotel lobby, she guided Renee into the turbolift and then to her room, letting the door close behind them. Relaxing a bit, she continued on to the inset com station and sat down, dialing the kitchen. Motioning to the hovering menu now displayed from the small holoprojector, she had to admit that her own stomach was beginning to rumble.

"Pick out what you want and I'll order it, then we can talk." Perusing it herself, she keyed in her own order, then waited.

[Renee Murano]

When Renee was faced with the holo-menu. She was kind of at a loss for a moment, so much choice hadn't been open to the teenager in a very long while. In fact Renee couldn't remember the last time she had a decent hot meal. So to say that she was a little taken back by the offer of anything on the menu was a slight understatement.

After she had a moment to think over her choices, and after Shy had ordered for herself. Renee finally stepped over to the pad, and pointed out what she wanted ordered. It wasn't over the top by much, but Renee ordered enough food to feed two maybe three people. If this was her only chance at a decent meal for a while. Then she was going to take full advantage of it.

Once the teenager was done ordering her food. Renee looked toward Shy with a slight smile, and then wandered around the room with a sigh, as she threaded her fingers together every now and then. "Sooo...do this often?" Renee casually asked as she tried to fill the silence with some kind of sound.