[open] another new arrival

[myownprice]

WHO: Boba Fett and you!
WHERE: Cape Canaveral and Maurtia Falls
WHEN: June 14th
WHAT: Boba arrives on Earth and gets acquainted with his surroundings and new powers.
WARNINGS: Brief mentions of drugs and canon slavery



arrival (cape canaveral)
[To say that Boba is unhappy with this situation would be an understatement. He’d been on a job when it happened—chasing down some small-time spice-dealer who had been cutting Jabba’s shipments with low-quality spice. The next second, he had found himself sitting in an air-conditioned room surrounded by armed soldiers. He thought maybe he had been captured, maybe drugged. Even after the woman had said her piece, his only thought had been escape. They'd released him—but not before making their expectations clear. Loyalty. Compliance. Obedience. The woman had tried to make it sound friendly, but the tattoo on his wrist had spoken louder than any of her words.

That tattoo... They had assured him it was harmless, even beneficial, but Boba still wishes he could scrub it off. It reminds him too much of the eyes Libkath had put in the hands of his slaves. A symbol of ownership—and a threat of reprisal if they tried to leave.

Anyone near the military base on Cape Canaveral has a chance of spotting a short-statured stranger wandering the area, wearing light armor and a strange, silver and blue helmet. Though his arms are covered, every once and awhile, one might see him absently rub at his wrist.]

muted (maurtia falls)
[When he had first read the “Powers” section of his profile after his arrival, Boba’s first instinct had been to ignore it. Either it’s a mistake or a very patronizing trick. Boba knows he has no powers—he’s an unaltered human and he’s certainly not force-sensitive.

At least, he knew that until he’s exploring Maurtia Falls and suddenly notices how quiet it is. There’s not many people on this particular street, so it’s no surprise that it’s not loud, but this is… different. It’s not totally silent, but the quiet is unnatural. Unsettling. It’s shortly after this thought that Boba realizes why it’s so bizarre: he can’t hear his own footsteps.

He stops mid-step, frozen in sheer bewilderment. Is he going deaf? He can still hear the rustle of wind and the sound of birds, so that’s not likely. He lowers his foot uncertainly, putting more force behind it than usual. But there’s still no sound. The steel-toed boot hits the concrete and it’s perfectly silent.

Boba does a few more tests. He tries kicking the pavement again, then clapping his hands, then rapping a knuckle against his helmet. Still nothing. He even takes the helmet off in case he’d accidentally triggered some sound-dampening feature he wasn’t aware of. It doesn’t help.

Anyone turning a corner onto that particular sidewalk will see a young boy with a metal helmet in his hand, apparently trying his utmost to make a sound.]

Comments

[applewatcher]

[Maurtia Falls is such a lovely place. It feels the most homely of the imPort cities, by every sense of the word, good and bad. Some of its neighborhoods have certainly been the best places to learn the conventions of local criminal enterprises. At the same time, he is more cautious here. Better not to accidentally begin a feud with an established power when the Brotherhood is still rebuilding. Usually he would simply pretend to be a local and blend in.

But there are exceptions. Coming across an unnaturally silent boy is one of them, he's decided.]

Are you alright? [He manages to sound legitimately concerned, rather than merely fascinated. Some of the more talented enchanters and mages in the Brotherhood can infuse quiet into a person's movements, but this is surprisingly strong, and apparently not desired. Perhaps this is the start of some new minor crisis or another, as this world is so fond of heaping upon them.]

Did someone do this to you?

[myownprice]

[Boba whirls around at the voice behind him, eyes wide. Somewhere under all the bewilderment, he chastises himself for letting someone sneak up on him—even given the very unusual circumstances.

Boba doesn’t know how to answer the first question. He’s not hurt, but… this isn’t ideal. The second question gets a response—of sorts.]

I don’t know, [he says, though the words produce no sound even as his mouth moves. He knows he’s saying the words aloud and can feel them in his throat, but there’s still only silence. His brow furrows in frustration and instead, he points forcefully at his wrist where he was tattooed under his armor. If anyone did this to him, it would be the same people who marked him as theirs.]

[applewatcher]

[Hm. Simple enough to read those words without hearing them. All these damnedable powers keep behaving in ways that are impossible to predict, though he was very fortunate with his own.]

Ah, you are an imPort, then. [Dreadful name, he still thought, but oh well. His voice smooths out to its usual calm baritone.] Have you only just arrived?

[myownprice]

[A wary look comes over Boba’s face. That question—have you only just arrived?—would be a dangerous one on Mos Eisley. For many, “someone new” meant “someone vulnerable.” That he’s currently mute probably doesn’t help dispel that idea. Still, Boba realizes he’s already given that much away and he gives a terse nod. Yes, he’s new. Hopefully, the man doesn’t make the mistake of assuming that means “weak.”]

[applewatcher]

Then this may be your own doing, I'm afraid. The Porter sees fit to dole out new abilities to those it takes, and leaves us to our own devices. [And a new child here would certainly be vulnerable, but one that arrived with armor is certainly more liable to be self-sufficient.

But possibly no more likely to read paperwork than the average.] Did the local guards give you any documents, by any chance?

[myownprice]

[Boba’s frown deepens at that. He doesn’t know how he could’ve done this to himself, not when he wasn’t even aware he had this ability. Still, if this was his doing, maybe he also has the power to undo it.

The question gets another nod. In his defense, he had read a good portion of the pamphlet. He just hadn’t really believed the part about powers and thus didn’t pay all that much attention to that section on his profile. Knowing now that it might actually have useful information, he retrieves his folded up profile from one of the pouches on his belt. Eyes darting between the page and the man in front of him, he finds the section he had ignored earlier. There are three lines of text beneath it.

Silence
Psychometry
Immunity to mind-affecting abilities

“Silence” is no doubt that relevant word here. Still, if there’s any information on how to make it stop, Boba can’t find it. He looks back up at the man, points to himself, and mouths the word “silence” as clearly as he can. It’s the best he can do without giving the man his entire profile to read.

So he has the ability to be unnaturally quiet. It’s not the most useless ability he could’ve gotten, but he can’t say he’s feeling all that positive towards it at the moment.]

[applewatcher]

[He knows that glance, he's felt the suspicion behind it before himself. He takes a step back, carefully out of range to read the text or lunge, arms loose at his sides.]

And there we have it. You have quite a useful power, but now you just need to learn to control it. I assume if you made your way here without incident, this is a recent development. Can you think of anything in particular that may have come with or preceded this change? Any actions you did, thoughts that you may have had? They may hold the key to controlling it.

Maurtia Falls

[generalgrievous]

[Even distracted, it's hard not to notice the seven foot tall cyborg stomping through the city. Grievous doesn't look happy, growling at anyone in his path. His red and grey cloak sweeping grandly behind him, he may just bump against or brush Boba as he begins to pass by, for now ignoring the boy - with his own problems - in his way.]

[myownprice]

[As distracted as Boba is, he isn’t so unaware of his surroundings not to notice the cyborg trudging towards him on the sidewalk. Boba isn’t one to ask help from even friendly-looking strangers, much less the snarling behemoth passing by now. Still, as Grievous shoves past, he may notice that for a moment, his voice, breath, and footsteps are also muted. Boba certainly notices, as the cyborg had been making plenty of noise as he passed. He stares after him, not foolhardy enough to follow, but making a note of the phenomenon all the same.]

[generalgrievous]

[Once within the boy's vicinity, Grievous does notice the change. It takes him a moment to pause and look back in some confusion.]

What are you doing?

[Perhaps the words are not heard; in which case there is only a shaking of the masked face since no mouth was to be seen.]

[myownprice]

[Now that the cyborg is no longer in contact with Boba, his words can clearly be heard. Boba fixes him with a flat stare, unhappy with the implication that he’s doing this on purpose.]

Still trying to figure that out.

[Or at least, that’s what he would say if he could actually make a sound. Instead, the words are completely silent, even as Boba can feel himself saying them. His expression changes to one of annoyance and he gives the cyborg an exasperated look. Is that enough of a demonstration?]

[generalgrievous]

[Clearly something is not right here. He was attempting to communicate but no words...]

Can you not speak?

[No, that's not quite it. The silence had briefly surrounded him, he recalled. A power? Perhaps. But from the boy's expression, not one he can control..? Grievous tilts his head and studies Boba for a long moment. His expression is impossible to read from the mask but the eyes appear more curious and figuring things out instead of angry now.]

[myownprice]

[Boba supposes that the hulking cyborg being curious about him rather than angry is an improvement, though he can’t say he enjoys being a novelty to examine. He crosses his arms and stares back, studying the being’s peculiar construction. If it weren’t for those clearly organic eyes, he might suspect that the cyborg was some sort of strange, prototype droid.]

Figured it out yet? [he asks, words just as silent as before.]

maurtia falls!!

[ct_7567]

[ When Rex spots Boba, he freezes in his steps. He's known for a long time now that this place steals children from their homes, but to see another clone here, particularly one of this age, is a startling, awful thing. He's thought for a long time now that he's been out of place in comparison with most others from his galaxy - amongst the Jedi, Sith, politicians and leaders, people of true power and prestige, well accustomed to making a more direct difference than any clone, he's not sure why he was brought here - but bringing in a clone of this age means that this whole thing is becoming ludicrous. He can't be more than six years old, not even close to completing his training and certainly not prepared to live on his own.

It doesn't occur to Rex that he could walk away, that he could decide that this kid isn't his problem. This kid's one of them. That means he's Rex's problem now. When he approaches, he's expecting the same response he gets out of any of the young clones, on the rare occasion that they come into contact with him: either the poorly-concealed awe of one nervously awaiting the day that they enter service to become a soldier like Rex, or the ballsy petulance of one who's of the opinion that he's already battle ready despite his limited experience.

He is not, suffice to say, expecting Boba Fett. He walks up to the kid, trying to look mildly less intimidating than he normally does and failing miserably at appearing to be anything other than the stern soldier that he is, posture habitually ramrod straight, mouth set in its usual line. ]

Hey, kid. What's the matter?

[myownprice]

[Boba’s reaction is not of awe, but it might be mistaken for it. That voice, familiar and yet alien, causes him to freeze on the spot. When he does turn, it's a careful movement and he doesn’t meet the clone’s eye. It’s not deference, nor fear, however much it may look like it. It’s aversion. He’s always been unnerved by the clones and that feeling has only gotten worse since his father’s death. He thought he’d seen the last one for awhile when he arrived Tatooine. It’s just his luck that they’d be here, too.

If he were wearing his helmet, he might brush off the clone’s concern and walk away, but that option is more complicated now that this clone has seen his face. No doubt he assumes that Boba is one of them and would be more persistent in hounding him. Nor can Boba make a convenient excuse without speech, even if he had one to give. Irritatingly enough, it seems like honesty is his only option.

Still not making eye contact, he demonstrates the problem by tapping one plasteel gauntlet against the other. Rather than the material’s trademark clack, there is only silence.

Throughout this exchange, Boba is careful to keep the visor of his father’s helmet turned away from the clone. It’s less immediately recognizable as Jango’s like that. If he’s lucky, this conversation won’t be prolonged by the clone interrogating him about how a cadet got his hands on their progenitor’s Mandalorian battle helmet.]

[ct_7567]

[ When you're surrounded by nothing but your own face for your entire life, you quickly learn to become very, very good at reading expressions and body language. If you don't, good luck on ever being able to distinguish between your brothers - or on ever being able to make friends while you're at it. You have to be more attentive than a natural-born, just to get by.

Which means none of what this kid is doing now makes sense. Rex has no choice to read it as fear - why fear? - because it fits in better than the alternative. Maybe he's just overwhelmed by being here and is too shamed of that fact to face one of his own. Who knows? All Rex knows is that he has to solve the problem in front of him, which appears to be a power that's heaps more useful than the one Rex got. ]

Right. I'll hazard a guess and say that that's one of the powers you received when you first arrived. They should have given you a communicator at Cape Canaveral - take that out and use that to communicate with me.

[myownprice]

[For just a moment after Rex speaks, that “fear” on Boba’s face is replaced by a flash of defiance, maybe even resentment. He doesn’t enjoy taking orders from a clone—as if he were just another of their rank, bred for a life of obedience. But if he wants to communicate with any effectiveness, there’s no reason not to listen.

He fishes out his communicator, eyes flickering between the clone and the screen as he decides where to start. There’s part of him that wants to drop the charade immediately, to make it clear that he’s not one of them. Except with his face, doing so would be as good as admitting that he’s the true son of Jango Fett to a Republic underling. If Boba had his blaster with him, maybe he’d risk it. But now, it might be better to let this clone believe what he will.

Instead, he focuses on the problem at hand. At least this clone seems to be more knowledgeable about it than he does. He types out a single sentence and then flips the screen around.]

How do I make it stop?

[ct_7567]

[ Huh. Something's up with this kid. Rex doesn't know what, doesn't know what trainers he's had or what experiences he's had with older clones or the world they've both found themselves in, but something's up with him. For now, though, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that he needs help and Rex is likely the only person who'll stop in his tracks to provide it. ]

I don't know, [ he says frankly. ] I don't have the same powers as you. But I can run you through the same things I did to get control over mine. The only way to figure this out is trial and error.

[ He glances around their surroundings. They're on a public street, in the public eye - a high-stress context for something like this, and certainly not a place where the kid can find any sense of inner peace long enough to truly focus on the matter at hand. ]

Step one's to find somewhere quiet. C'mon, kid. Follow me.

[myownprice]

[Trial and error. Great. Boba wonders if this is how Force-users have to learn to use their powers—he can’t say he envies them right now.

The order to follow gets some hesitation. Since being on his own, Boba has encountered many helpful-seeming adults who hid their malicious intent behind shows of concern. By now, it’s the kind of thing that sets off alarm bells, especially since “somewhere quiet” often means “somewhere without witnesses.” At the same time, clones aren’t exactly known for their tendencies towards crime. Boba isn’t even sure if they’re capable of it.

In the end, he decides that the minimal risk is worth potentially learning how to control this “power.” He follows behind the clone—though at enough distance that he can make a quick escape if he needs to.]

Cape Canavarel

[marr]

[Marr has seen enough Mandalorians wearing different helmets to recognize the general style of them. The armor has less metal than he's used to seeing, but it's familiar looking enough to give Marr pause.

For his own part, he's wearing a dark coat over the middle and under layers of his own armor, with dark pants. His lightsaber is at his side, and he's also wearing his own helmet.

He approaches calmly, and stops a reasonable -but nowhere near safe- distance away. He towers over the average person to pass him by on the street, but looks even taller near the small armored figure.]

That mark is very unpleasant, isn't it.

[When Marr had found himself marked by these people, it had been enough to actually make him experience some emotion instead of his usual calm.]

[myownprice]

[The stranger’s height and armor is enough to get Boba’s attention. However, more than either of those things, it’s the lightsaber by the man’s side that puts him on edge. It’s enough to get him to back up a step when the figure approaches, though he’s not willing to give up much more space than that.]

Yes, [he agrees carefully, watching the man’s hands. He doesn’t know whether he’s Jedi or Sith, or perhaps just someone who’s killed one or the other—in any case, he’s someone dangerous.

Not that Boba is going to make his apprehension obvious. His voice remains calm and his helmet angled up, providing the illusion that he’s looking the man in the visor rather than watching his hands for any sudden movements.]

Were they telling the truth about the nanites? Or is that just something say to make us play along?

[marr]

[Marr has a long standing habit of gesturing with his hands, or comfortably folding them up. For now he makes a gesture at his own marked wrist, hidden beneath clothing and armored gloves.]

They were. So far I have been unable to catch them in a lie, nor have I uncovered evidence anyone else has.

[His hands return to a neutral position for a moment.]

I am Darth Marr... and you are a Mandalorian.

[myownprice]

[It takes effort to concentrate both on the man’s words and his movements, especially given how unbelievable the former are. Some of the things said in the pamphlet went far past unlikely into the realm of fantasy. Could it really all be true?

The man continues, introducing himself as Darth Marr. A Sith, then. From what Boba knows, the Sith can be volatile and just as dangerous as the Jedi—but they don’t have their counterparts’ distaste for hiring bounty hunters. The comment about Boba being a Mandalorian gets a terse tilt of the head.]

Is that a problem?

[marr]

[The lack of reaction to his name is telling. The fact that the young Mandalorian even has to ask if it's a problem even more so. The young man is not from a time when Sith and Mandalorians are allies.]

Not at all.

[His words are calm and even, giving no indication if he feels anything at all about Mandalorians.]

Unless any others arrived this month, you're the only one here.

[It's information that costs Marr nothing.]

[myownprice]

[If the man is expecting Boba to be at all dismayed by this fact, he’ll be disappointed. The only other Mandalorian Boba has spent any amount of time with is his father and he’s long since gotten used to his absence.]

And Jedi? Are any of them here?

[If one class of Force-user is here on the planet, it’s not unreasonable to expect the other as well.]