Private Abandoned Jedi Temple on Pitann: A Hunt For Artifacts

[Muntenli Joskar]

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Pitann. A barren planet, except for the boomtowns that covered the northern hemisphere of the desert world. These towns sprung up when rich veins of ore were discovered just below the surface, and as a result, many moved to this planet, hoping to make their fortune. The mining operations began a while back, but the Sho'ban Do's, the native species, inhabited Pitann long before that. So far back, in fact, that they were there to assist the ancient Jedi Order when they constructed a temple, carved into the sandstone. The temple was built in the southern hemisphere, away from all of the boomtowns. Even the Sho'ban Do's communities lived far away from the temple. Not for religious or superstitious reasons, but because the temple was so remote and far away from any civilization. This meant that anyone who wanted to travel there would be by themselves if anything were to go wrong...

This planet was exactly where Jedi Knight Muntenli Joskar was headed. Muntenli was an artifact hunter by both profession and hobby. Artifacts were his thing- he could understand them, repair them, and catalog them like a boss. Artifacts were also why the Pyke Jedi was about to jump out of hyperspace above Pitann. Legend had it that the temple in the southern hemisphere of Pitann held some holocrons that hadn't seen the light of day since 10,000 BBY. If Muntenli recovered them, then he would be renowned in the Jedi Order for his discovery, and the Order could gain some new, and potentially useful information.

But besides being important, this mission could also be dangerous- and that was why Muntenli had asked Valery Noble to accompany him to Pitann. The Jedi Master was a capable fighter, and a good companion. Valery was the kind of person you wanted by your side when things went wrong.

Speaking of Valery, Muntenli thought, I had better contact her once I come out of hyperspace.

Another person he had to contact was his Padawan, Jyr Tal. This was easy, because Jyr was sitting right behind him in the Jedi shuttle they were taking to Pitann. Jyr was a good Padawan- quiet, and somewhat distant and introverted, but he was a skilled Jedi who was always eager to learn.

"Jyr, we're going to come out of hyperspace in a moment. Get your things ready" said Muntenli.

On cue, the blue light of hyperspace faded away and was replaced by a view of the dry-looking planet Pitann, surrounded by blackness with little pinpricks of light scattered everywhere. Muntenli turned on the hologram projector; now he could contact Valery.

"Hello, Master Noble. Jyr and I have arrived at Pitann. We will meet you on the surface, I presume?"

While he waited for a response, Muntenli masterfully guided the shuttle through the atmosphere to come in for a smooth landing on the planet's surface. They were stopping in one of the towns close by, to get directions to the temple. Muntenli stepped outside, and motioned for Jyr to follow him. It was time for the mission to begin.

Valery Noble ll Jyr Tal ​

 

[Valery Noble]

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Location: Pitann​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Muntenli Joskar Jyr Tal ​

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There was a time when Valery had briefly stepped away from the frontlines to devote some time to finding artifacts and helping the Lorekeepers take care of the archives. It was right after she had gotten badly injured and needed to take some time off to get physically back in shape for a return to the war.​

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While it was a short period of time, she gained a lot of experience during it. So when she was asked to accompany a Jedi Knight and their Padawan on a mission that involved the recovery of artifacts, she was quite interested. It would allow her to combine her skills as a fighter with the few things she learned during her time as a Lorekeeper.​

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After several hours of traveling, Valery arrived in her X-wing and received the transmission from Muntenli, who had already moved down to the surface with his Padawan. She opened the channel again and finally responded.​

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<Transmission>​

"I'll be down with you both in a moment."​

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Valery then took control of her fighter again and quickly brought it down towards the village where they had agreed to meet. It wasn't quite like the big spaceports she was used to, but she wasn't really scared that anybody would touch her ship. Not on a planet like this.​

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After making her landing, Valery opened the canopy and stepped outside with all her gear ready. She was wearing her typical outfit, had both her lightsabers attached to her belt, and she was ready to offer her fellow Jedi the protection they needed.​

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[Jyr Tal]

A Hunt for Artifacts: PITANN

Hyperspace. Quiet. Master...​

His master's voice was telling him the shuttle was coming out of hyperspace. Jyr stood from his seat to flit about the cabin, collecting his possessions. A deep-hooded robe to cover his simple tunic. His wristcom, datapad, and lightsaber were all charging on the wall. He checked his saber briefly, before clipping the tool to his belt. The floor under his feet shuddered for a moment as the shuttle came out of hyperspace, and then his master was winging them down to the arid planetside.

At his master's gesture, he took a deep breath and followed the Pyke off of the shuttle ramp. It was an odd feeling, to not be told to stay with the ship. A new chapter of his life was beginning, here in this dry golden wasteland. It was time for the initiate to start acting like a padawan.

Ensuring his outer robe covered his saber hilt completely, Jyr walked beside his master through the dirty little town, doing his best not to look like a tourist. His hood blocked the harsh sunlight, and obscured his face from the curious looks and hostile glances shot their way. Of course, he'd known there'd be those few who viewed strangers in strange clothes with suspicion, but getting those looks still didn't feel good. Jyr did his best to smother that emotion. If the citizens of the galaxy could afford the luxury of treating Jedi poorly, it meant they were in no great need of salvation from darkness. In a way, it was a good sign people weren't cheering at the sight of them. It meant that nothing was drastically wrong....

But even as he thought this, a strange movement in the Force began to tug on the edge of Jyr's perception, something he couldn't quite put a name to. He looked to his master, and opened his mouth to speak, when;

<"I'll be down with you both in a moment.">​

The padawan shook his head. Of course. The approach of such a powerful Jedi Master was sure to cause something of a disturbance. That must've been his feeling. Nothing more. The pressure was on, to perform adequately for his new teacher, on his first assignment, with a famous Master Jedi observing as well. Despite this, the boy was relieved. Surely, with such experienced friends, this mission would go off without a hitch...

 

[Muntenli Joskar]

Location: Pitann

Muntenli walked through the small town with Jyr trailing behind him. He observed that the townspeople were seemingly interested with their presence, most likely because they were Galactic Alliance personnel. You didn't see many out here. In fact, this was considered "lawless" space, and no major faction really controlled far-off planets like Pitann. Sometimes, however, lawless was better in Muntenli's opinion. Especially because things were cheaper. No government, no taxes.

"How much to rent three speeders?" the Pyke asked, as he walked up to a Nikto who was offering transportation.

"How much ya got?" countered the Nikto.

"I have some credits" replied Muntenli.

"Credits aren't any good out here. What else?"

"Credits will be fine" said Muntenli with a wave of his hand. He didn't really like to take advantage of people, but Master Noble would be here soon, and he wanted to have transportation ready.

"Credits will be fine" agreed the Nikto. "1,500 for each speeder bike."

"Deal" said Muntenli, and shook on it. The transaction occurred immediately, and the Jedi Knight was now in possession of three speeder bikes for ten hours.

"Guess what, Jyr?" he asked as they walked away. "You get to ride a speeder bike by yourself. Try not to crash and die, alright?"

Muntenli was in a good mood, and so he provided one of his rare jokes. Master Noble would be here any minute now- then they could begin their mission, and recover some of those ancient holocrons. The Pyke could hardly wait to get his hands on those prized artifacts; they would certainly be a jewel in his crown if he could find them.

Valery Noble ll Jyr Tal​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Pitann​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Muntenli Joskar Jyr Tal ​

​

Having stepped out of her ship, Valery walked the last bit to their meeting point and used her senses to locate the Jedi she had agreed to meet here. There wasn't much she knew about The Knight and his Padawan yet outside their interest in Jedi artifacts, but she had a feeling this trip was going to change that quite a bit.​

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"Knight Joskar?" Valery asked as her senses took her over to the Pyke. Thinking about it, the chance it wasn't him was very slim; how many of his species would even be out here, after all?​

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"I'm Master Noble, it's a pleasure to meet you in person." she offered a smile and turned her fiery eyes to the speeder bikes he had rented for their journey. Valery was quite fond of traveling this way, so she smirked a little at the sight.​

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"Do you know exactly where we're heading? And if you know anything about the possible threats we can encounter out there, I'd appreciate it as well."​

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[Jyr Tal]

A Hunt for Artifacts: PITANN

Clever. Mean. Bristling....
"Knight Joskar?"​

At the appearance of Master Noble, Jyr decided against remarking on Joskar's handling of the Nikto, or his master's cruel comments. Ok, yes, his upbringing on Tython had largely eschewed vehicular training in favor of automated transit or meditating hikes, but he knew how to make a bike go and stop. Probably.

As the Jedi talked, Jyr moved mutely to the rented bikes and started checking them over. Initiates on Tython were trained to look over rented transport as if assuring mechanical soundness, while actually looking for signs of sabotage or tracking devices. The trick was not to offend the rental vendor with too thorough an inspection.

His hands and eyes swept over each speeder's chassis with dull patience. Repetitive work done sloppily got people killed, so the only thing to do was to embrace the monotone. Getting distracted by a new planet or a speeder of your own or a beautiful legendary war-hero was initiate behavior. A padawan was not so foolish. So he kept his eyes on his task and his mouth shut.

But while Jyr was careful not to let his eyes stray to Master Noble, it was impossible to keep from glancing back inside the rental shop. The owner inside still seemed perfectly happy with his credits, but a few Nikto inside seemed to have noticed the odd transaction. There was a distinct feeling of tension emanating from the doorway, like when a wookie wouldn't stop pacing, or when a wookie got hungry, or when a wookie.... y'know, maybe Jyr was too fond of those wookie analogies. He hadn't even known very many wookies on Tython. 4 or 5, at the very most.

Risking insolence, Jyr calmly walked back to the Jedi to stand behind Joskar, nudging his elbow and simply murmuring "Master." Muntenli could become perhaps a bit wrapped up in things, whether it was work or conversation. But he was also insightful, and when brought back to his surroundings, was quick to grasp any situation. Such as, for example, the trio of leering Nikto coming out of the dealership with questioning scowls etched on their faces.

They might have thought that their friend had accepted credits because Joskar had threatened him. Or maybe they just wanted to rob Joskar. But something told Jyr they weren't looking for a friendly game of Sabacc.

Muntenli Joskar Valery Noble

 

[Muntenli Joskar]

Location: Pitann

Muntenli listed to the Jedi, and then responded.

"Yes, I am he, Master Noble. I too think that it is nice to meet you in person- the feeling is mutual. To answer your question, we are headed to an ancient Jedi Temple about three hundred klicks south. We will be able to make it there in a few hours and still have time to spare before dark, thanks to the bikes and the extended daylight here. As for dangers, there are pirates another one hundred clicks south of this town, who run gladiatorial operations with droid fights, and the like. They shouldn't bother us, unless we give them reason to. I've also heard one or two rumors of some sand serpents, but they are likely just tales; at least I hope so. Now, I just remembered that you know my friend Braekine Florithe back on Coruscant- how is she?"

Muntenli, eager to talk to a famous Jedi such as Master Valery Noble, was becoming so immersed in the conversation that he barely noticed some Niktos nearby glancing at him and growing more discontented by the second. Oh, it's probably just some scuffle or other issue they had earlier, he thought.

Muntenli continued to talk with Master Noble until he felt someone nudge his elbow.

"Yes, what is it, Jyr?"

He looked in the direction in which his Padawan was facing, and saw the problem: the Nikto he had gotten the bikes from had friends who might not have been as happy about the purchase as he was.

The Niktos walked up to him menacingly, and began shouting in Huttese. The Jedi Knight quickly translated for his companions.

"They said we had better give them the bikes back, or they'll have their pirate friends come after us. You know, I think we might have just angered some of those pirates I spoke about before. We should probably leave now."

Muntenli mounted his bike, hoping the others would do the same. He didn't want to botch the mission in front of Master Noble, but already it was off to a bad start.

Valery Noble II Jyr Tal ​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Pitann​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Muntenli Joskar Jyr Tal ​

​

Pirates and sand serpents? Well, it could be worse — pirates were not likely to go after a group of Jedi unless they had a really good reason to. Aside from their lightsabers, they typically didn't have much on them worth selling, and to try and fight a Jedi was risky regardless of how skilled the pirates were.​

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She did hope there weren't going to be any dangerous sand creatures though.​

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"I'm sure she's doing quite well. But I have honestly not had much time to keep up-to-date with everybody. There is just too much to do." she said with a soft smile before her own eyes followed Muntenli's into the direction of the Padawan, and then the three Niktos who came at them rather aggressively. Not having seen the prior interactions to hire the bikes, Valery tilted her head in confusion but was ushered to the speeder rather swiftly by the Jedi Knight.​

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"They said we had better give them the bikes back, or they'll have their pirate friends come after us. You know, I think we might have just angered some of those pirates I spoke about before. We should probably leave now."​

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Valery nodded to Muntenli and looked at the Niktos, now believing that they were wanting to rob the trio of Jedi. "They won't take these bikes from us but to avoid complications, let's get moving. We know where the pirates are down South, so I'll keep an eye on them as we go." ​

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Mounting her own bike, she was ready to get going, believing it best to avoid a group of people wanting to steal their bikes. Of course, she had no idea they were acquired using credits they had no interest in.​

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[Jyr Tal]

Muntenli Joskar Valery Noble
A Hunt for Artifacts: PITANN

Mischievous. Unnecessary. Fun.​

Jyr hopped astride his bike, observing how firing up the vehicle seemed to agitate the shouting trio, who were now running towards them. This gave Jyr an idea, and, knowing what he wanted to do, set about trying to justify it in the context of the mission.

Ensuring my master can depart without complication. Yeah, that oughta do it. He jammed on the throttle. The bike sped straight at the angry Nikto, who dove to avoid being struck. Spinning on a quick brake, the padawan drifted his bike around the men in a circle.... once.... twice.... three times, and then shot off after the Jedi on their way out of town, convinced the offending thugs had learned their lesson.

I am so getting a lecture after this.

 

[Muntenli Joskar]

Location: Pitann

Muntenli knew now that he had made a mistake using a Jedi mind trick on the Nikto, but in his opinion it was somewhat justified because they couldn't have gotten the bikes any other way.

Well, the trouble was over now, since the three Jedi were on their bikes and heading in the direction of the temple. Or was it.

Muntenli watched, aghast, as his Padawan turned around and drove straight at the trio of Niktos, who dove out of the way to avoid being hit. After circling around the pirates, he took off and rejoined the Jedi. As he pulled up next to Muntenli, Jyr evidently knew that he would be receiving a lecture. But Muntenli was now in a different state of mind.

"Well done deterring those pirates, Jyr. I would normally be mad at you, but it was my fault that the Niktos were after us in the first place. Thank you."

He said all this out of earshot of Master Noble, or course.

After consulting a map, he addressed the group: "All right, everyone. I have the route here on this datapad, so you can follow me to the temple. As previously mentioned, there are some native species to this planet that could potentially be aggressive, and of course, there are the pirates. But for now, we should be alright. For future reference, when the sun is in the middle of the sky, that is the general direction in which you should go. The temple is directly south of the small town we were in."

Muntenli made some quick calculations.

"And at the speed we are traveling, we should arrive at the temple in a few hours. Any questions?"

Valery Noble ll Jyr Tal ​