Cade

A blast sent Cade reeling out of his meditative trance. He had thought this to be a Jedi planet, who in their right mind would be attacking this place? Cade had served on plenty a vessel before, and this was a Mandalorian vessel, a starviper. Cade had piloted plenty of these in his past, but this one was customized heavily. He followed his Master up to the cockpit where a co-pilot seat was found. The controls in the seat gave away the fact that it controlled the main guns, something Cade already knew from piloting these type of crafts in his youth. He manned the guns, so to speak. Firing the guns now to destroy the mines may have caused a chain of explosions that would inevitably damage the ship further. He trusted in Aryian's ability to navigate safely through the mines. Cade sensed there would be hostility soon, he looked towards Elnia. She had certainly not been ready for this sort of thing, but she was a teammate now, and Mandalorians would always watch their families backs.

"I can feel both of you" the words rang through Cade's mind, adding confidence to the inner argument of logic and belief that currently plagued him. Cade was a warrior, not a mystic, and most certainly not a philosopher. To use the Force as a tool, to increase his strength, speed, or reaction time came easily to him... almost instinctively. But what his Master asked of him now seemed an insurmountable task to Cade. Aryian had said that the Force was not a tool, but an ally. Yet thinking of the Force as a living entity that unified all, permeated all.... it seemed the Jedi code would tell its members to live in the moment. This was something that would come easy to Cade, his mindset told him to trust in his instincts and his senses. If the Force truly did permeate all he would simply allow its presence to enter into his senses. His mindset began to calm and taking a meditative sitting position Cade did as Aryian instructed. Creating a mental image of the picture of his family that Cade had kept all these years, slowly allowing it to fade to a white nothingness. A sound, like static, seemed to emanate from the recesses of his mind. This sound was not heard through his ears, even if Cade had been deaf this sound would have still been heard. First a drip, then a flow, then a flood; Cade felt encompassed as he reached out to all of the living beings connected to the Force. So much love and laughter, so much hate and pain. All of the Galaxies inhabitants had their own feelings, feelings that currently overwhelmed Cade's senses. His hair stood on edge, but he pushed further and in focusing narrowed this deluge of connectivity to just the area he was in. He could feel the comforting inner light of Aryian and even Elnia's almost timid presence, his own tumultuous feelings melting away. His eyes were closed, but it did not matter for he still was able to see Aryian and Elnia. Perhaps not through conventional vision, but nonetheless he could see them. Cade remained in this trance, his senses on this level were weak at best. Like with new-born eyesight there remained a fog clouding much of what Cade could feel, but with training he was sure he would be able to master even this aspect of the Force... although it came harder for him than the physical aspects and took all of his concentration to even maintain.

Wow, ever heard of a Philosophical zombie? The poem kinda reminds me of the inner thoughts of one.

Cade travels up the alley Gee pointed out coming to an aging Z-95. Knowing that this must be the ship Cade enters the cockpit and activates the launch sequence. Nothing to do now but wait, seeing as how the ship was basically on auto-pilot. He hoped Gee would send his ship sooner rather than later, Cade had left his armor and most of his weapons on the Scythe. The Z-95 took off, broke atmosphere, and activated its hyperdrive as Cade became lost in thought over the past weeks events.

Assassins following him? Cade had wagered that his actions would earn the wrath of certain people, but he may not have fully understood how bad his situation had really been. If he hadn't made a jump here, and met Gee.... he'd likely be dead by now. Cade began to realize just how bad a situation he had found himself in, and if such an offer was standing he had no reason not to take it. He was shocked at Gee's words that he was force-sensitive, but it might end up working to his favor. "Ni cuyir gar entye, vod. I accept your offer, any place I could have some peace and quiet my conscience sounds good to my ears. I make a pact, I will not forget your kindness to me in this matter. Haat, Ijaa, Haa'i."

This sudden communication readied Cade's hand on the hilt of his DC-17 blaster as he weaved into the alley ready for anything. The situation steadied his demeanor instantly and his only thought was of the aka. Sticking to the darkness, and to the side wall of the alley, Cade followed Gee at just far enough of a distance to not be seen, but close enough of a distance to react to any possible trouble.

"Mandokarla, vod... Mandokarla." Cade said these words to no one in particular, but in reference to Grezzik. To find someone who not only offered him a new life, but even knew Mandalorian custom.... Cade may not have been born Mandalorian, but after the death of his parents they were the society that accepted him and he had grown to trust that society without fail. Finishing his drink he read the datapad and secured it within a pocket under his robes- while armor was a great part of the society he felt a part of even he knew that the display of such armor could lead to unnecessary violence. Cade rose with that subtle grace that those who perceive destiny is within in their hands so often have and left the bar heading to the location outlined in the datapad.

A new life, Cade thought to himself, an honest living, a good living. The words rang through his head. It might have been the drink affecting him but he could swear he felt an inner peace at the mere prospect of it. Could Cade trust this man? His life had been full of failed ventures that came from trusting others, yet somehow this man seemed different. It was as if the man had no reason to lie, nothing to gain from Cade saying yes or no; he was genuine and that was something new to Cade. Besides a man with a laugh like his wasn't planning on double crossing anyone. "I'll be a Di'kut and bite, what are you proposing?" Cade returned to gulping his drink, for once in his life anticipating a response.

This man had somehow been able to see into Cade's inner turmoil, his murderous past, perhaps his darker edges. It seemed unwise to lie to him and for whatever reason Cade felt compelled to give him the truth. "I'm a murderer, a gun-smuggler, and a pirate. I've been killing people for as long as I can remember. I'm hardly a man, more a living weapon. But on my groups last run we attacked a civilian freighter and were planning on massacring all of them, taking what we could get. I saw a girl, about the same age I was when I lost my family. I couldn't bring myself to kill her, I snapped and killed 2 of the men that hired me and ended up running to get them to chase me. I resolved for a different life after that, maybe a life of peace, and did a blind hyperspace jump to whatever was the most desolate place in range. I got here, as to why I'm here...... I want a new life, no matter what it takes." Cade took a few more gulps, downing the last of the liquid, and sat feeling as if Gee was looking completely through the mask Cade wore. The stare made him slightly uncomfortable.

Cade's temporary loss of focus was broken as a fellow patron sat down across the table from him. Taking the drink eagerly he joins the man in gulping it down. Cade watched attentively as the man spoke, noting a sly smile on the mans face. "My story? It's simple really, I made enemies with some bad people for good reasons and bit off a bit more than I could chew. So I ran. Bravery may be honorable but he who runs fights another day, and my luck got me to run here. Where, thanks to the kindness of strangers, I'm enjoying a nice drink. So, stranger, what's your name? I'm Cade." Cade didn't really believe in random kindness, obviously the man had approached him for something bigger than a friendly chat. Perhaps the man had noticed an able bodied assistant for some work, that seemed reasonable enough.

Message from the author: I fully expected to be able to update this far more frequently, but as things often go what is expected rarely happens. Life decided to speed up for me, so I apologize for the lengthy times in between updates. I will continue the story, however, the posts may be shorter as I don't have as much time as I'd like to fully flesh out segments of the story. And now back to your regularly scheduled program I sat and wondered what the letter could be about. Even if Nick had been real, what could he want from me? The contents could be horrible; what if was only sent to mock me, to break me, to sink me further into despair? Still, what if the letter was the key to the gates that kept me imprisoned behind an endless depression? Could this letter be my way out? Could it be my very own golden ticket to a better life, or would it crush me? If nothing else, could it explain my fractured mind? After what seemed to be an eternity of deliberation my curiosity had bested me. I apprehensively opened the letter, taking care not to damage the contents inside. As I read the first line my reality seemed shattered. I fully expected the letter to be from Nick, the truth broke my expectations a hundredfold. It started simply enough. Greetings, Michael. If you have received this letter then my plan has come to full fruition. We, or rather I, have found a way to keep ourselves alive far beyond the extermination date assigned unto us so unceremoniously by our good friends at N.A.D.a.R.D. I stopped at that point and re-read the segment at least five times. The writing made no sense to me, surely Nick had decided to mess with me. The date, perhaps that would give me some clue whether the letter was a fabrication. I glanced at it, it was dated from December 11th, 2078. Almost five years ago, almost the exact time as my failed experiment. What was going on here? Even the signature was an exact replica of my own, only it carried an air of arrogance I only remembered in a false past. I continued reading the letter. Done pondering over whether this is real? Yes, yes it is. I'm a decently intelligent fellow, so I'm sure by now I've figured out the origin of this letter. You wrote it to yourself, or rather me to you. I'm not entirely sure whether you're me, you see. The only thing I am sure of is that you can be me, and that I don't want to discontinue existence just yet. You can throw this letter to the winds, if you so choose. Wallow around in the most terrible conditions I could ever have imagined for myself, or you can follow the breadcrumbs and on the path rediscover what we already know- we're meant for great things. Done deciding yet? I thought so, not a real choice when analyzed is it? Then again, I'm not in the business of letting you screw up us. Now, if you'd pay attention. As your first directive, you will call this number (561-642-4235) at a payphone. The answering machine will have the address you must go to. Do not question yourself, believe me in that I have the best intentions for me. Even if me is currently you. Sincerely, Yourself.

Cade checked his sensors, the pirates pursuing him had been lost in the hyperspace jump- thankfully. As Cade had let Scythe's computers do the loading he only now saw the planet he had basically randomly jumped to. Dantooine, a peaceful enough world and a good place to hide from those he had only recently escaped. No longer would he work in the business of killing, his mercenary days were over, and the haunting memories could finally be put to rest. A shame to waste greatly honed combat skills, perhaps, but the life of a gentleman farmer on a back-water world almost seemed welcoming in its serenity. Cade needed a way to escape his own inner turmoil at the atrocities of his life, and for whatever reasons his escape brought him to Dantooine. He activates Scythe's landing sequence and heads for what his computer tells him is the capitol city Khoonda. He believes it is a good place to rest for a while, visit a few taverns and find local information, and plot his next course of action- whatever that may be. Landing Scythe Cade leaves his ship, and heads off to a local bar.

CHARACTER SHEET Update 1/07/09 Real Name: Warren Kincade Nickname: Cade Age: 19 Species: Echani/Human, raised in Mandalorian custom. Height: 6 feet even Weight: 160ish pounds Hair: Silver (whitish) Eyes: Gray Sex: Male Homeworld: Tatooine, but as he hardly spent any time there he considers Mandalore to be his true home-world. Alignment: Chaotic Good Clothing: Currently Mandalorian Armor (pictured, minus the mask). Mandalorian Armor with built in HUD and low-light mode. In battle wears parts of his armor under his robes for enhanced defense and to stick to his Mandalorian heritage. Weapon: Vibrosword, 2x DC-17 hand blasters, 2x Q2 hold-out blaster (concealed in holsters in the arms of robes), and 1x A280 blaster rifle. Twin hilt Lightsabers, Sky Blue in color. Force-User Affiliation: Jedi Rank: Padawan Master: Aryian Darkfire Inventory: Other than the weapons Cade often carries a picture of him as a child with his now deceased family, datapad used as journal and map, and a comlink in the form a wrist band. Posessions: Modified Cutlass-9 patrol fighter. http://jedirp.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=989575#989575 Modifications to self: Cybernetic implants, though limited, allow him to regenerate minor wounds (nothing as big as an arm blown off, but a cut to the bone could heal) and increase reaction time for situations such as piloting at high speeds. This doesn't come without a cost however, Cade suffers high amounts of debilitating pain when using any of these implants for too long. Personality: Cade displays a certain amount of arrogance, he is quick to judge others and perhaps slow to forgive. As the Mandalorians brought him up in their society with their values he generally gets along with those that command respect, do their duty, and are honorable in their actions. He is a bit headstrong and prone to make others nervous by his lack of inhibition. His past plagues him with the deeds he had done, showing that although at one point he may have turned his back on Mandalorian values and became a heartless killer he wishes to redeem himself. He is currently working on the more negative aspects of his personality, but as someone who existed as a living weapon for hire this may take time. Currently Cade is hoping to reclaim honor to be able to once again call himself Mando'ad and to redeem himself for his past life. In part to this he also hopes to combine the Jedi Code and 6 Actions within himself. Background: Cade was born on Tatooine to an Echani father and Human mother. They were traders as far as he knew, and spent only four years on Tatooine to raise him to an age where they felt comfortable taking him on their missions in space. For three more years he lived with his parents, learning very little of his own culture other than some almost playful combat with his father. At the age of seven his parents ran into trouble on an independent backwater planet after they had sold a weapons shipment to pirates and after a brief combat were killed by the same pirates they had sold the weapons to. His mother told him to run as she was riddled with blaster fire. He froze as a pirate put a blaster to his face and told him he was to be a slave. A passing Mandalorian patrol, who were being payed to wipe these pirates out, saw the situation and opened fire. In the combat Cade picked up one of his father's DC-17 blasters and killed the man who had threatened him with slavery. The leader of the Mandalorians took note of the young Cade's actions and took him to be raised in Mandalorian custom on their home planet of Mandalore. After 8 years of being brought up in the tough Mandalorian way Cade took leave of Mandalore to seek out his fortune as a mercenary and during this time he deserted many of the tenets of his culture and had according to himself become dar'manda. He committed many atrocities that began to weigh heavily on his heart during his tenure as an assassin and mercenary for many criminal groups, causing him to choose to no longer think of morality and slowly losing his self. At this point he did not know that it was the influence of the Dark side slowly corrupting him because of his force sensitivity (which he did not even know of). However, during a raid on a civilian freighter he finally snapped back to normal when he was about to fire on a female child about the same age as he was when his parents were killed. Disgusted at what he had become Cade killed the other pirates and mercenaries on the ship and escaped to Dantooine to pursue a new life. Current RP History At 19 he arrived on Dantooine and after visiting a local bar ran into a local named Garret (Gretz, Gee) who offered him the Jedi way as a new life. Cade chose to take the offer and was transported to Helix station where after meeting with Master Aryian Darkfire he was taken as his Padawan. A short time afterward he constructed his twin lightsabers. After coming to from a brief unconsciousness after constructing the sabers he went back to speak to Aryian and learned that another Padawan would be trained with him- a Mirulaka named Elnia Nexma. Images: At 15 during a practice raid equipped in Mandalorian custom At 17 in armored battle robes during an assassination mission At 19 in robes during a relative time of piece

The final bell rung and the students rushed out to whatever they had planned for the rest of the day and coming weekend. As for me, I just let out a sigh of relief. Weekends were just as horrible a routine as the weekdays, but the only messes I had to clean were at least mine. A few more places to clean up, a few hallways, a restroom or two, and I'd be on my way home. Journal Entry 421 January 19th, 2084 When I finished up sorting away my supplies I glanced at a clock hanging by the main office, 5:34 p.m- I had finished early today. Another pointless conversation with the attendant at the office, then I clocked out. She motioned me over to her and let some bad news out. Usually my paycheck would be given to me at the office, but due to a few errors on their part I'd be receiving it in the mail. She talked to me about weather or something, I'm glanced at the clock- 5:44 p.m. A few more minutes of banter- 5:52p.m. A whole twenty minutes wasted talking to someone about topics I don't care about. I excused myself from the attendant with some mentally prepared lie, then I walked to my breaking-down car and drove to my apartment. Dinner, however microwaved it was, sounded good to my hunger and as such I decided to eat. Watched some t.v, nothing really interesting except a news story about a fire at a local military research site killing a few employees. Made this journal entry, and am going to sleep. I stopped typing into my journal and looked over the entry, it was boring, exactly as boring as all 420 entries before it. Honestly, I didn't know why I kept the damnable thing. My life wasn't exactly something worth chronicling. Maybe I half-expected one day I'd open an entry and be amazed at what I had done that day. I got up and headed to my bed. Sleep, the one time my restless thoughts from a failed 26 year old life quiet down. I had at one point suffered horrible nightmares about the events that put me in my situation. The failed experiment that would eventually get me barred from any college, taking away my chance at a degree and a great life. Over time these slowly went away. Tonight promised to be an exception. I drifted into sleep same as always, with the t.v playing some random sitcom, darkness entering my mind, slipping away into blank nothingness. "Michael, the cycle is accelerating too quickly!" his voice shattered my slumber. Memories of that night haunting me again. Nick Taggerty, the man who screwed me out of everything I deserved. The man who, only five years ago, stole my plans for a better future and sabotaged my machine to make a fortune. Nick Taggerty, the current project leader of the National Advanced Defense and Research Division. My fortune, my position, stolen by my so called best-friend. I know now that night my particle accelerator cannon was tampered with. Nick, who had been my right hand man during the whole experiment, wanted me to fail to unveil his so called "improved" version of my weapon to the military. I trusted him like a fool, and I reaped a fools reward. The nightmare follows the same as always. He cries out that same phrase and then a bright flash emanates from the cannon blowing away reality into a blank white abyss. I wake up, still in the dream, in a hospital bed. No one knows of the experiment, they treat me like I'm crazy when I speak of it. The college I attended for 3 years acts like I never existed. I try to find Nick, but to no avail. My parents tell me I disappeared for 3 years after graduation and this is the first time I've spoken to them since. Then I search for anyone that remembers my existence and find that the last people who do are the staff at my former high school. For whatever reason I have nothing to my name, no money, no awards, no acceptance letters to any college. A friend on the high school staff gets me a job as a janitor, and I wake up in a cold sweat. I've never understood how a dream could follow reality so well. Over time I've accepted that I never went to Grasbrow Tech, that after I graduated the stress must have gotten to me and I must have had a nervous breakdown. For three years I must have just coasted in a catatonic state until I was found and brought to a hospital for some arbitrary injury where I regained consciousness. It doesn't make any sense, but neither does three years of memories being proven non-existent. I got out of bed, did the standard morning routine, and went to see if my paycheck had gotten in the mail yet. Two pieces of mail tubed in as I hit the request button..... no one mailed me anything, I wasn't expecting any bills. I figured one was the paycheck, but what was the other? I looked at it's front. N.A.D.a.R.D offices Washington D.C. Nick Taggerty My head started to ache, Nick?! I had just accepted him to be a fallacy of my mind..... and yet here was concrete proof of 3 years of my existence lost. I sat down in my chair and nervously fumbled with the letter. Apprehension kept me from opening it, curiosity compelled me to do otherwise.

I'm kind of new to this whole fan-fic thing, but I need something to keep my writing skills adequate until college starts up in January. So I've decided to do what I always did in English class during the lulls and write a story, only this time I'll make it public for all to critique me Another pointless day in my wretched existence. Some kid puked all over the cafeteria floor. As I mopped the putrid mix of cardboard pizza and low grade milk I couldn't help but start thinking. How did I end up becoming a janitor anyway? My own senior year in high school I was loaded in advanced classes. Physics, calculus, music composition, computer sciences- all of these and more. My future had looked bright. "Cleanup in hallway 1001," my radio buzzed at me as I let out a sigh. My life sucks, my life sucks, my life sucks. That phrase echoed in my head over and over as I once again shambled my way over to the inevitable puddle I'd have to mop. I was meant for far greater things than cleaning up after the messes of teenagers. Life had become a disgusting routine. I'd wake up in my apartment, make a meager breakfast, head off to a job I hated, work for eight hours, come home and have a depressing dinner, and sleep until the next morning for the cycle to repeat. Little did I know all of this was to end, abruptly. Destiny or fate or whatever you want to call it had knocked on my door, and its force blew away my whole life.