First Reply Ancient Rest

[Persephone Dashiell]

SALAR'S REST

Salar's Rest
​

Sweat formed across her brow, hand coming to wipe it away. Stopping, she listened carefully, the jungle was still speaking. A good sign that she wasn't in any real danger. There were local populations and she wasn't aware if they were friendly or not. Historical data was iffy, some knowledge lost to war and lack of proper record keeping. According to what she knew - her history professors, the research she had done - Salar's Rest was basically lost to time. There were some adherents to the Ashlan religion, yet they were few and far between. Not exactly forthcoming about their secrets either. All to keep people like herself away from their holy sites.

Add in the fact the elite universities never came out this far to research. It was clear she would be poking around with half-truths and legends to guide her way.

Trailing shortly behind, her pink-tinged security droid, Zee, was looking around frantically for threats. She could tell the droid would rather be anywhere but a humid, hot jungle but there was little choice in the matter. Her parents insisted on the security, worried she would be kidnapped for ransom. It was possible, she supposed, if someone knew actually who she was. Most had no idea about Persephone Dashiell.

Datapad came out of her back pocket, pausing to take some notes as she approached the ruins. Notes she would assemble in due time in an academic paper to submit to a journal. Blue eyes lifted from the datapad, searching the ruins yet again. Carefully, she inched closer, worried about any traps or tricks one would have left - even holy sites could have their security measures.

​

 

[Kiran Arlos]

What brought the young teen here, wasn't fortune or fame. It was clearly the exploration and his own inquisitive nature. Since he was a young child he was fascinated with what the other worlds carried. Bookworm by nature, yet his own physical nature carried such a hidden strength he was never able to figure out. He had researched star system after star system, beyond the deepest reaches of space that he could find. And somehow he stumbled upon this place, by pure happenstance. Donned in his own attire fitting for that of a kid with light pockets, living his life from day to day. Not sure where he was going to end up next.

The attire of a smuggler, it was something comfortable. His datapad at his side, for all his needs. That included pictures of his family that were long past gone. A blaster pistol at his side, and a pair of binocular scanners.

That and his own hidden talents that continued to elude him, such as the force.

Kiran stood on one of the lower branches, yes still high enough to keep out of sight, his light-footedness providing him great cover.

"What do we have here?" Kiran muttered curiously as a young girl came into his view. She seemed to be doing something with a datapad as she was near the ruins. The young teen moved from tree to tree, trying to get a closer look until he lost his footing and fell to the ground.

Flat on his back....

"Chit....." He coughed and muttered under his breath as he moved to stand up.

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

SALAR'S REST

Persephone was moving closer when she heard the trees rustling then the crash. She had just been about to enter the ruins themselves via a side door when she sharply turned. Fingers curled closer on her datapad, blue eyes searching the jungles for any sign of life. The teenager didn't have to wait long, spotting someone laying face up on the ground.

Carefully she moved closer, Zee hot on her heels. It wasn't unusual to spot people at these things. They were shrines, memorials. While the Ashlan Crusade may have died out, there were still adherents. In a galaxy full of billions, even a small percentage was still a massive number. The person in question could be coming to complete a pilgrimage. On a scholarly trip. Or, the worse, here to raid the ruins of their items. A touchy and hotly debated subject.

"Chit....." He coughed and muttered under his breath as he moved to stand up.

Zee stood over the newcomer, optical sensors glowing.

[ I do believe he is alive Miss Persephone. Good news for us, our excursion can continue.] Zee paused. [ I never enjoy burying a body.]

Persephone rolled her eyes - when was the last time Zee killed someone?

"You okay?"

 

[Kiran Arlos]

[ I do believe he is alive Miss Persephone. Good news for us, our excursion can continue.]

[ I never enjoy burying a body.]

"What?" Kiran asked, before he could fully stand up, he was in a sitting position looking up to a droid whom appeared to be scanning home. "Nope!"

Kiran stood up quickly, brushing himself off, and picking up the binocular scanner from the ground, clipping them back to his side. "No one, will be burying me today." The young teen spoke then quickly let out a haughty jokingly laughter which trailed off pretty quickly.

Not that anyone would miss me, The young man thought to himself, as the young girl spoke.

"You okay?"

"Yea I'm good. Name is Kiran, I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here. You caught me by surprise." He spoke with a light smile as he held his hand out for a high five. Whether she did it or not was something else, but it wouldn't have bothered him otherwise. It was just something to break the ice.

He looked between them both, his eyes bouncing back and forth between the two. "What you are guys doing here?" He inquired with a soft and easy tone.

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

[ He's alive. How unfortunate. ] If a droid could sound bored and disappointed, Zee managed to do both at once in his statement.

Persephone looked at the raised hand, not understanding the gesture. The teenager had introduced himself as Kiran, perhaps this was a gesture much like a handshake. Should she also raise her hand in that manner? No, it could be seen as culturally insensitive and being out here alone meant she had to take precautions. There was Zee, but this Kiran could have a literal army hidden out in the jungles.

"What you are guys doing here?"

"Watching strange boys fall from trees." Tone was deadpan, not that she had seen him fall from the tree but that was beyond the point. A few more beats before stating her true reason for being out on the planet. "Researching Salar's Rest."

A small pause.

"Why are you here? More important, why were you creeping on me from a tree?"

 

[Kiran Arlos]

"Watching strange boys fall from trees."

"So I haven't been the only one then?" The young teen spoke with a laugh that trailed off once more, even after she rejected his high five. He would understand that, she didn't know him and situations swapped around he would've probably done the same things too.

"Salar's Rest, eh?" Kiran asked as he looked at the ruins, reaching for his binoculars again and checking out view from here. "That's impressive, I didn't know it was called that."

"Why are you here? More important, why were you creeping on me from a tree?"

A mock laugh escaped Kiran's mouth as he shook his head. "First off, I slipped, its better to have the high ground. Secondly, you aren't even that pretty. Why would I be creeping on you? You and your silly discombobulated robot. Thirdly, I'm just looking around."

Kiran's eyes glanced between them two again, although he was clearly lying when he mentioned about her looks. She was very much a pretty girl, pretty eyes, hair....

Meh......He shook that from his mind as he focused on his task at hand.

Kiran adjusted the strap to his satchel before he placed his binoculars back in his pack.

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

A mock laugh escaped Kiran's mouth as he shook his head. "First off, I slipped, its better to have the high ground. Secondly, you aren't even that pretty. Why would I be creeping on you? You and your silly discombobulated robot. Thirdly, I'm just looking around."

Why do I always encounter the weirdos?

A forced smile and deep breath as the teenager explained himself to her. Not that it mattered, she had no authority here. It was more a general inquiry regarding the situation and how one ended up in the trees. That was the sticking point for her. Having the 'high ground' made little sense but perhaps in the world of boys it did.

"Best of luck, try not to fall again while standing on the high ground. Enjoy your day."

Another forced smile and a small nod of dismissal. She had a great deal to get done before the evening was upon them. Wasn't ideal to be in the jungles late. There had already been enough time wasted on Tree Boy. Persephone hoped he wasn't out to vandalize anything, a shame otherwise. Zee could easily handle him if something were to happen.

Without another word, she turned to head back to the ruins and Salar's Rest. This time she didn't stop to observe the ruins from a distance, now knowing there was an entrance on the side. It was already half-open, as if someone forgot to close it. The teenager stopped to look for Zee and waved him closer to help.

[ Good day. ] Zee spoke, turning after Persephone as she walked away.

 

[Kiran Arlos]

"Best of luck, try not to fall again while standing on the high ground. Enjoy your day."

They both said their peace and goodbyes and Kiran watched them start walking back in the direction of the ruins. They were headed towards the side entrance to the ruins. He glanced around and shook his head slightly, letting out a small sigh.

"Well, Hey, wait up!" Kiran called after them, as he jogged to catch up to them. Just as they had arrived at the side entrance. "Look, I'm sorry, its just been a rough few days for me. I'm sorry for being a jerk."

The teen gave an apologetic look. "Start over?" Kiran asked as he was about to hold his hand out to try and shake hers. But he recalled the high five he had tried a few moments ago.

"Let me at least get this door open." Kiran braced himself against the door, getting him as much leverage as he could. This was the first that his strength would be shown, not that he recalled why it was like this. He had an unnatural strength and other such things about him, he couldn't ever figure it out. He figured he was just a freak or something of that sort.

Perhaps that was why nobody like him.

A few moments later and the entrance was open completely. He let out a small satisfied sigh. "You mind if I tag along? What sort of research are you doing?"

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Persephone was about to ask Zee to move the ancient stone door open more. She wasn't sure how much light was available and secondly, if something was inside the semi-ruinous resting place, she wanted to be able to escape quickly. No way she was getting trapped inside if some cultist was in worshipping and decided to go insane.

"Umm, thank you." I think.

"You mind if I tag along? What sort of research are you doing?"

Considering this was a relatively public patch of land, what could she say, no? Persephone had no claim on the area. Certainly not a claim on Salar's Rest. In fact, she wasn't sure if anyone did anymore. Perhaps the fringe followers had some type of fund to upkeep the buildings and sites - the ones not taken over by the government.

"I can't stop you."

As the teenager spoke, she entered the ruins, entering a long hallway. Depicted in the hallway was images of some of the Ashlan myth, currently a work of finely cut small tile mosaic that depicted a battle.

"The religion known as the Ashlan Crusade. This is the second site I am visiting. Taking notes on the mosaics and their impact on art, if any. Their pattern, style, symbolism. I am also looking for artifacts that may have been previously not cataloged."

A small pause.

"So again, why are you out here?"