A Living World in the Unknown (Jedi on Zonoma Sekot)

[Nida Heavenshield]

The young Zeltron nearly blushed at the idea of their race being…tastier. Ahem, whatever that implied, of course. So far she admired Rosario’s conversational skills, a trait many Zeltron were versed in but one Nida herself sorely lacked. Her anxiety always flared up when meeting new people.

“Oh! Of course, of course…um, hold on…” She did her best to ignore the Spires of Hell comment for she did not know what it was, and it sounded…terrifying. Instead, she busied herself by rooting around in her bag again, fumbling with jars and this and packets of that before producing a datapad.

Swiping to a picture of some flora, she turned it around to show the two women. “I’m looking for a species of Gabaki plant. When burned, it gives off a relaxing smoke, not dissimilar to…” She coughed. “…pheromones, I suppose. There’s a type of Gabaki that’s said to grow on this world, but there’s not much information on where it can be found. Apparently it is quite potent, which could help some of our more distressed patients as they receive care.” A healer by nature, Nida spent much of her time in medical wards. She’d yet to deal with the aftermath of a battle or a purge, but she’d worked with refugees before and knew that a calming environment could make all the difference in a patient’s outcome.

“Really?” She seemed surprised that Kaiah insisted on accompanying them. What if they were spies? What if she’d been sent to slit their throats? To make them prisoners of who knows what?

These were all things that Nida’s anxiety was telling her. Always thinking of the worst case scenarios. Nida was a cautious individual, a trait she’d learned very early on in life. Though friendly and gentle, she did not trust easily. But she wanted to.

“Well I…I suppose so.” She looked to Rosario for confirmation. While having just met both of them, she deferred to Rosario given their shared race and affiliation. “We’ll be on the lookout for a plant with oval shaped leaves and a dark grey-blue hue.” The image of the plant flickered off as she put her datapad to sleep, activating the location tracker on the off chance that they disappeared in the jungle. Who knew if it would even work in this sort of environment?

“May I ask what it is you are training for?” She inquired while gingerly stepping over a thick vine burrowed partially into the ground, similar to the root of a tree.

[member="Rosario Perlyn"] | [member="Kaiah Nihl"]

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Kyrel looked upon the group through the T shaped visor of his mask. Hiding the scowl he hid underneath watching the group. Wishing nothing more than to kill them, to strike at them. Something of which was nothing more than predatory instinct since the first time he had killed a Jedi. These people talk as if on missions of peace. But if he had learned and known anything for the past few years. The Jedi were nothing more than to be the disease to the galaxy. A disease which must be cured, a tumor to be cut out.

It took everything he had at that moment to attack like a wild beast. Yet he remarkably was able to show some restraint, with his own saber out as a precaution eyeing the group, he noticed several beings. Recognizing the Chiss halfbreed known as Maximilian Rausgeber among them, the Grand Admiral's son above all else was here. Cursing himself already for showing restraint as it was, he gave the boy a single glance before turning to the others. Looking next he saw a two other Jedi, A man that sported a look resembling more a holy man, even reminding him of the look seen in the culture of Atrisia. The next was a man, who had from the looks of him seen his fair share of combat. Even questioning if perhaps the two had faced off in battle before.

A woman stepped forth, a woman he had already encountered before, yet didn't say anything listened as she spoke her name. Claiming that they were on a simple mission, and that this mission was one of the scholarly and academic interests. Satisfied for the moment, although not able to fully trust them even on his own territory, pointing an index finger at the group as he spoke. The mechanical tone still there. "So be it Jedi... Be warned that you do not try anything here... I would like to speak to the leader of this group."

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"] @Robogeber @Senari Gravis [member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He really wasn’t used to making sure everyone was lead around properly. He was hoping that people like Amilthi would help out. Or if Manu Xextos would ever get off his world, he’d be great for it. Coren was a soldier. And now he was helping keep the Praxeum afloat. He needed someone else who could be better at dealing with younglings and wouldn’t run the risk of getting the school overrun because of some of his own leanings and thoughts on the galaxy.

Four and a half. Why did he even ask for the size, it wasn’t like Coren knew anything about it. “It is a special planet. Its why we’re here. Some people haven’t seen this world…”

And he still had that call from the other. He needed to make it over there. “Senari, watch the kid, yeah?” He had a few items and tossed them to the other Jedi. He could feel the darkness from the one that was speaking with Amilthi. He made his way over there, not really looking like he was about to command the leadership role, but he was the one who would put himself between the darkness and everyone else.

“As Amilthi said, we’re not here for any problems. Zonoma Sekot is a world that we are working to learn more about.” Everyone knew it was a unique planet.

[member="Amilthi Camlenn"]
[member="Robogeber"]
[member="Senari Gravis"]
[member="Kyrel Ren"]

 

[Senari Gravis]

Well, I guess he doesn't know mister tall, dark, and sinister over there, Senari thought to himself as Maxamillian ducked behind him and away from Kyrel Ren. Relatively quickly, Amilthi put herself between the pair and Kyrel, and then Coren provided yet another layer. Senari shrugged, glancing at some of the items that Coren had tossed to him. Just as well that he was busy keeping up the improptu babysitting, rather than putting himself in position to get in a fight with somebody that reeked of the Dark Side.

"First Order four and a half, eh?" he repeated, leading the way for the pair of them back to the ship. "We should have something fairly close, though it'll be a looser fit than you're used to." Unfortunately, none of what Coren had handed him was anywhere near the right fit. So, Senari set himself to looking for clothes that would be a better match; he also elected not to speak further about the boy's run-in with a carnivorous creature, considering that he doubted anything he could say would prove particularly useful.

"So, brought here by your father?" he started again after a moment, making some small talk while he pulled out a tunic that was the right size from a drawer. "To see his...tomb? Does he just like to be really prepared for the future?" He reached into another drawer, pulling out some pants as well. "What's your last name, anyways? All you told me earlier was the Max part." He also pulled out some clean socks, setting the various clothes on a short table next to the short kid. "Refresher's down the corridor, first door on the right."

[member="Robogeber"]
[member="Kyrel Ren"]
[member="Coren Starchaser"]
[member="Amilthi Camlenn"]

 

[Robogeber]

POV: Maxamillian Erwin Rausgeber

The child backed into the vessel, unsure of what lay next. Part of him wondered if the myriad of Jedi were about to set off and begin one of their legendary fights. Perhaps there would be carnage, and ergo, his curiosity did in fact catch him quite eager to watch. But, sensibility also crept in. There was no use watching now. It would be better to follow the shaggy haired jedi, who began giving him articles of clothing. The same derisive look overtook Maxamillian. "Is this really all you have?" He callously scoffed.

The young child however stood at the door, and listened to Garvis pile on the questions. "Yes, Father bought us here, to look at the tomb." He paused, as Garvis asked the easy follow up. What was this tomb? "It's not only a tomb," The child corrected, "Father had a small settlement built into it. Not large enough to warrant a hangar, but large enough to house us for a day or so." He paused, as he considered how to answer the other question regarding the future. "Father is in a... limbo." He gave another pause, "He's not quite alive, and not quite.... dead."

His eyes lit up with a menacing glow when Max was used. "It's Maxamillian." The child commanded, "Not some lesser name." He aggressively snapped, "Maxamillian Erwin Rausgeber." The half chiss answered with bitter snark, "And I'd be damned if anyone were to use otherwise." Taking the baggy clothes, the small child marched down the corridor with military precision, before slipping into the refresher with much gusto.

[member="Senari Gravis"] | [member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Amilthi Camlenn"]

 

[Zef Halo]

Unknown Regions, Alien Vessel.

Deep Meditation.

Ember’s presence lifted light years away from its current location. It lingered aimlessly in the depths of the Unknown before it found the beacon of Light flickering so far away back in known space.

Zonoma Sekot.

Old friends and new faces bound together by the Light side of the Force. The Jedi Praxeum’s soul shaped not in the form of a sword of the light but that of a saving grace.

A rather strong but soothing aura would embrace the Jedi on the planet aiding them in their quest, sharpening their senses and lifting their confidence.

Those who knew him would feel Ember’s presence so near, yet too far.

End.

 

[Amilthi Camlenn]

It was just like the Sith and the First Order to view the world in terms of hierarchies, to see a group and automatically think of a leader. The spirit of contradiction stirred in her. "Not all groups have one leader, or indeed a leader", she remarked with a quizzical smile. On a hunch, she briefly turned her head and found Coren stepping up next to her.

"But if you must name some people so, you are now speaking to two of them." It was something of a stretch to say that, but she had a point to make. While she was a teacher and among the senior Jedi in the Praxeum, she wasn't much of a leader figure; not someone who others looked to for guidance, or who would just naturally take the reins. Rather than steer a group in a direction she liked, she was prone to withdrawal if it did not conform to her ideals. Now that the issue came up so clearly in her mind, she flagged it as something for later review. It seemed she might have stumbled upon a serious flaw in herself here. - Still, the point needed to be made, and she needed to remain standing between this dark-robed figure and the rest of the Jedi who had come on this journey.

For some reason, she found her desire to mess with this darksider's mind and notions transform into a less belligerent form. A deep calm filled her, and the figure began to seem less threatening. The place just seemed fundamentally alright, with or without him. "What can we do to ease your mind?" she asked with a polite smile, almost friendly now.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Senari Gravis"] | [member="Kyrel Ren"] | [member="Robogeber"]​

 

[Rosario Perlyn]

Rosario peeked over the little girl's shoulder as she showed the picture of the plant. "Sounds a bit boring, isn't there synthetic stuff that calms people just the same, if they need something? Not the best way to deal with it when you're anxious, anyway. They should just be talked to and taught to meditate. Doesn't do people any good to just dull their minds." Not that she had really thought this through. "But I suppose it smells nice, that's something."

Rosario gave a shrug. "Sure, let's go", she said lightly, having no idea why they should hurry, or where they were even going. It didn't seem to matter. She was happy to stride out in a random direction, despite her lanky and sometimes oddly clumsy-looking form managing to avoid quite well the pitfalls of roots and hanging branches and slipping through between bushes.

She stopped after a few metres when the reached what was not exactly a clearing, well in the shade of the trees, the sky hidden behind leaves, but still an area where the ground was relatively free from shrubbery. She turned around and looked over Kaiah once again. "Good question, by the way. You look quite in shape as you are! What are you training for?" But almost as soon as she had spoken, she turned her attention away and let her gaze wander over the ground. "Grey-blue, dark, oval..." she muttered by herself.

[member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Kaiah Nihl"]​

 

[WolfMortum]

For an envoy of the First Order, [member="Seto Du Couteau"] appeared to be nothing if not courteous and welcoming, a stark contrast to the view that many of his fellow Jedi had voiced of the Imperial Galactic Power. When the young man approached the Zabrak Jedi Knight and his Padawan Learner, [member="Chiassa"], he would be met with a formal bow accompanied with an appreciative smile in that there seemed to be no need for secrets or deceptions between them.

Bekk Mag'ra hadn't run into any First Order personnel before this day, and fortunate was he to keep an open mind, reserving his opinions for his experiences that he might make up his own mind in how he perceived those alike their welcome party. "Thank you for your Hospitality my friend, though we would prefer good company over that of a 'servant" the Zabrak replied genuinely, soon to introduce himself and the young Tholothian beside him; "I am Bekk Mag'ra, and this here is my student, Chia" he turned to glance to his Padawan with an approving smile and a hint of pride in her place under his tutelage.

"I feel we're rather fortunate that you've come to meet with us" Bekk soon turned back to Seto with something of a quiet chuckle, admitting their ignorance of Zonoma Sekot; "This is our first time visiting and we know little more than the stories of this World, lacking a good deal of factual basis for what we're to expect in this venture. We'd be most appreciative, were you to accompany us and share what you might know of the World?" The First Order had apparently approved their visit, and so Bekk was gladdened to find no hostility between them. While he hadn't openly admitted to being a Jedi, the nature of his student's learning under his guidance had been left for their new friend to assume...

"My young friend here is quite interested in the Sekotan Starships for example, though I've urged a word of restraint as I didn't expect that we'd get very near to such a marvel and rare sight to behold".

[member="Chiassa"] | [member="Seto Du Couteau"]​

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Kaiah Nihl, Disciple of Ren
Equipment: Crimson Lightsaber.
Nearby: [member="Nida Perl"] | [member="Rosario Perlyn"]

​

The humid air of the jungle pressed in close to the trio, the latent heat of the day warming her skin. She smiled, stretching as she basked in the dappled sunlight. One of her fellow Ren had once called her The Lizard, a title she’d contested until he pointed out he caught her sunbathing on a rock.

“Gabaki” Kaiah repeated, nodding. “It is a plant I am familiar with. I have not seen any as of yet, but it should not be too difficult to find”. Her early ventures out of Nagi had seen her exploring the forests of Dxun, learning its dangers and secrets. Excepting the last couple of years with the First Order, it was one of the most dangerous experiences of her life but had filled her with a keen enthusiasm for exploration.

“And do not be too critical of aught which calms” Kaiah continued, skipping across the roots of a great tree. “The mind is a weapon, a double-edged blade that cuts you as easily as others. This much I am very familiar with”. Her eye twitched before stopping abruptly. “A shattered mind may not form back into what it was, but a new shape may bring new features to the fore”. She grinned mischievously. “A candid and forthright nature perhaps. Or an unhealthy dose of whimsy”.

The sun was struggling to shine through the canopy now, casting the surrounding area into twilight. The heat continued unabated, however. The jungle floor had a way of trapping the hot air. She pushed up the sleeves of her robe and tied her hair back. Thankfully, she had already omitted footwear and her feet felt cool.

“Yes, this is perfect” Kaiah whispered, she spun around to the others. “My training is simple. My master sent me to strengthen my connection to the galaxy, to seek places in the galaxy strong in the force. I didn’t not understand at first, but now I see clearly”. She threw her arms in the air and let out a burst of bubbly laughter. “A living planet! Can’t you feel the life pulsing through the dirt? Whispering through the air?”

This was the truth behind her transient friendly and trusting nature. She was drunk on the planet; the energy brimming everywhere was intoxicating.

 

[Seto du Couteau]

Seto Du Couteau, Ren
Equipment: Two Lightsabers (Emerald and Ruby)
Objective: Observe and Report
Directly Addressing: [member="Bekk Mag'ra"] | [member="Chiassa"]

​

With a flash of his teeth Seto nodded towards Bekk's introduction, he gestured towards the duo "-Teacher Bekk Mag'ra and Student Chia, a pleasure to be given knowledge of your names." Seto responded. His eyes bounced between both of them, neither appeared fearful of him or angry of his arrival. Which, if I'm going to be honest, is a relief. Though Bekk Mag'ra's question of Zonoma Sekot would be difficult to answer completely, even if Seto had read the reports of the First Order's control of this system, there were quite a bit of red tape.

Even a Knight of Ren aren't always privy to restricted information. "You are quite kind," Seto's own smile grew, his senses expanded as he searched for his brother and sister. I wonder if they're enjoying themselves. "- But I do apologize for my knowledge of Zonoma Sekot extends to merely to it's geography. So Sekot's telepathic abilities are something beyond my understanding." Seto explained, Honestly past knowing a few locations and the dangers of the wildlife here, this planet feels beyond foreign.

Though when it was mentioned that the Student Chia was interested in the famed Sekotan Starships, Seto focused his attention towards her, "-Oh, do not preach words of restraint! Go ahead and grab whatever you desire." Seto winked once, "-While such ships are rare as they are expensive to produce, we can certainly visit a village of where some Langhesi could be seen preparing seeds." Seto urged Chia to indulge with her curiosity and sense of adventure or excitement.

Seto extended his right arm outwards, his head bowed, and hand pointed the direction of a nearby Vong settlement. "-While I may not posses the authority of my brother-" Seto started as a flash image Kyrel appeared in his mind, "-Nor the gentle touch of my sister-" Kaiah then appeared in his thoughts, "- I do hope to provide an opportunity to learn and achieve what you have set yourself to do on Zonoma Sekot." The Ren were a tricky lot to properly label, honestly Seto found the colors of the robes quite bland, hence his own attire being what it was currently.

Also the fact that most wildlife ignores groups of people, so until I figure out what happened to Kaiah, we'll survive together.

 

[Nida Heavenshield]

“Oh, uh…” Nida flinched as Rosario’s words sunk it, suddenly doubting herself. Would this plant really be of that much use? She felt silly for wasting her time researching such a mundane thing when she could have been doing something more useful. “We-well yes…” She swallowed thickly. “There are different medicines and herbs we use in the medical wards, but something like this can reach a large number of people simply by being burned. It can also be ground and added to different herbal mixtures.”

Nida tried to smile, hoping that her thoughts made sense. Still, her voice was soft if a bit crackly at times. “I'm not sure if meditation would be…um, not be very feasible with injured civilians and refugees…” She went from looking at the two women to the side, to the ground, to her datapad, and back again in any order.

They both seemed amenable, which was a relief. Nida felt a little bit better about traversing the jungle with two confident women at her side, even if one had faceplanted from the treetops. Perhaps unconsciously, she bit her lip while watching Kaiah glide across a moss-covered root.

Pink hands tightened against the sash of her bag as the grey woman whirled around to meet them. Living dirt? Whispering air? The Jedi sometimes spoke in an abstract manner, but in a different setting it made her wonder.

“Um, Kaiah…do you…did you hit your head when you fell? I don’t mean to be rude!...but, ah, even a mild impact can cause a concussion or brain bleed.” Nida took a step forward, sincerity written on her face. “I could examine you, if you’d like.” Her preceptors would have encouraged her to be a little more…encouraging of medical treatment, but they were not here and Kaiah was not a charge placed directly under her service.

[member="Rosario Perlyn"] | [member="Kaiah Nihl"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

This was definitely not what he was hoping for. On one side, children, and the students, on the other the First Order showed up. Ren were around. He didn’t want to get involved in a conflict, but the opportunity to have his Sekotan ship arrive here. And to teach the Jedi about the living worlds that they may sometimes encounter. Not that they moved all that much, but Sekot was unique in the galaxy, and he was actually glad that the First Order didn’t just send the Ren here to strike at people.

Though, Senari stealing children, that was a bit unplanned. So as to not spark a war though, he took a step back. Letting [member="Amilthi Camlenn"] handle [member="Kyrel Ren"]. If it was Coren? Who knew what would happen if a saber was raised.

“Sorry.” He pointed off to Kyrel. “Now, Maximillian.” Best to not make the kid even more ornery. He didn’t catch the last name. Wait, where was the child.

“What did you do with him now, Senari?”

[member="Robogeber"]
[member="Senari Gravis"]