Private Chasing a Rumor On Epica

[Ben Khal]

Epica City, Epica
The Western Reaches

Nine hundred years after refugees fleeing the Yuuzhan Vong invasion relocated to Epica, upending the economy and social order, the planet is now a booming center of commerce. The Hydian Way Trading Company is headquartered in the capital, overseeing trade with thousands of systems and is the primary supplier of goods to the majority of the region. Class divisions remain a grave concern, as the merchants grow wealthy while the descendants of native Epicans labor at the bottom of the social hierarchy...

Ben stopped reading and rubbed his tired eyes. He hadn't gotten much sleep on the shuttle ride here, and while the local accommodations were acceptable, his mind was restless. Epica was an interesting planet, not so different from Hapes. The palaces and mansions of this world couldn't compare to the splendor of home, but the sharp difference in quality of life between the haves and the have-nots was felt just as keenly. The people he had interacted with at the hotel seemed friendly enough, though they were constantly trying to get him to spend more money. First he found that the only parking available required payment, then the concierge claimed that his reservation was made for the wrong day and couldn't be refunded, so he had to pay double. To top it all off, the following morning he had learned, to his unpleasant surprise, that the hotel breakfast was not complementary.

All of this would have been more bearable if he had a more concrete reason for being here. But Ben was chasing a rumor. Supposedly, a cultist token similar to the one he'd encountered on Ukatis two years earlier had resurfaced in a pawn shop located in the slums of Epica City. The shop owner probably had no idea what it was, nor the danger it posed. Such tokens, taking the form of small coin-like disks engraved from solid gold, radiated the Dark Side in such a way that they could influence people's behavior over time, affecting their minds.

As the streetcar came to a stop, Ben tucked his datapad away and pulled his hood over his head. Stepping off and onto the rainy street, he immediately headed for the pawn shop. He was determined to continue the work Master Oukranos had begun, and that meant investigating every lead, even if it turned out to be nothing.

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA​

"A city... why did it have to be a city..."​

​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal


Home was but a hazy memory, a faraway thought that could still provoke longing upon her lost heart. The smell of flowers, be it poisonous or no, and the humidity breaching your lungs with every breath... It stood no chance compared to the murky air and the rancid odour which met her in the slums of Epica City. But her client could not be disappointed now, not when this was her chance to get more credits in her hands than just the ones needed to survive the day. Her pockets had been practically empty after the ride here, and not to mention the greediness of the Epican traders...

Yet as Soliane tried to navigate her way through the narrow, crowded streets – her hand firmly on her pulsing scanner – the objective became only clearer. One way or another, that artefact would come into her possession. And those words were like a mantra on her mind, a steady word of encouragement in a time of uncertainty. She put on her pace, her boots stepping in the ever-growing puddles. All until she noticed her scanner starting to vibrate against her palm. It can't be far now... The rogue pushed it further up her coat's sleeve and approached a cozy and small shop.

Small was almost an exaggeration, as it was almost an alley squeezed between two other buildings. She did not bother greeting the older Bothan owner, whose fur immediately began to shift a bit at the attitude. It was probably nothing, added to the mantra. Meanwhile, Sol's gaze began to roll over the crowded tables. All of them were covered in common spaceship parts and junk, as if anyone was possibly after that. Only when the far end of the decor was behind her did her concealed scanner beep. Loudly.

Soliane tried to move her finger to turn it off, as her gaze fell upon one of the piles of metal scrap. With some struggle, she pushed it aside, only to notice a glimmer of gold at the bottom of it. "This ought to be a quick job..." She muttered to herself and reached out. Her sleeve dragged past a sharp edge of one of the steel plates, ripping it open. "Kriff-" Yet as she flinched, her fingers managed to grab the disk.

Now came the tricky part...

 

[Ben Khal]

The musty smell of used goods hit Ben's nose as he entered the pawn shop. Various items lay strewn about on the display tables and shelves, running the gamut from old toys to starship parts. He saw no visible signs that indicated how it was all organized, so he turned to the lone employee and asked, "Hello, is there a section for, er... old coins?"

The Bothan shopkeeper looked as if he wasn't used to being asked questions. "No, no," he replied gruffly. "No sections. You find something you want, you pay for it."

"I see." Ben left him alone and began walking around the store, making it appear as though he were browsing the inventory. He closed his eyes and opened himself to the Force. I know the token is here. I can feel it. Let me be the one to find it...

The stench of dust and grime faded into the background. He felt the pulse of life around him, the bodies and souls of the people inside like flames flickering across his consciousness. And below that was the Cosmic Force, which bound the universe to its will, its destiny, its judgment. It pronounced the orientation of the stars and the fate of whole worlds. But right now, it served him as a map of Light and Dark, guiding him to the source of the evil presence he had sensed as soon as he opened the door.

A shrill beeping caused him to open his eyes. At the other end of the glorified aisle which was the store building there was a woman. Short in stature and delicate looking, she held a scanner in her small white hand. Ben's brow furrowed, trying to figure out what exactly it was scanning for. Precious metals, perhaps?

The glint of gold seemed to confirm his guess as she picked through the pile of junk to retrieve a small disk. But it wasn't just any gold. It was the token!

Ben's heart leaped into his throat. There was a sound of tearing fabric - her sleeve had gotten caught on a jagged metal edge - and then the woman turned to walk away, her prize clutched in her fist.

He had to get it away from her. There could be no question; the token was a dangerous item imbued with the Dark Side. There were various ways he could go about taking it, but the one which minimized the risk of her retaliating or trying to flee was the one which required him to act immediately. "Excuse me," he said, getting her attention. "I wouldn't buy that coin if I were you. It's... bad luck."

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal


Clumsiness was the result of inexperience, the not-knowing how or when to act. It was a foolishness that only time and practice could remedy. But such ponderings were of little use when she had drawn the eyes of not one, but two individuals in the shop. Her dark eyes dotted from the furred alien, to the hooded figure that appeared to be in certain... meditation? Was it a trance of sorts? Did the golden disk have any influence over it? A petty suggestion.

Soliane tried to find another escape... On one side there was the entrance, with a horde of people moving about, a cover, or an obstacle. Then she noticed the rain drip through the holes in the ceiling, if she were quick enough-- Bad luck, the stranger had said. A warning, that when grazed would show its spiky threat. Yet, coming from a boy almost a decade younger than her. Should she truly be concerned? Soliane wasted her time by looking over her shoulder, sliding her hood back just a bit. "For an obscure token in a junk shop, you're quite... knowledgeable about it." Her voice tinged with something foreign, something not from this region of the galaxy.

Her eyes trailed over the few features she could notice, her head tilting in unison. Whilst there was an underlying curiosity regarding the identity of this young stranger, her mind alerted her of the risks. She had been wasting time and revealing too much of herself to the wrong parties. In a swift motion, she tugged the hood further over her head and began to pace (then run) out of the shop, sliding the token into her pocket. Taking a sharp left into the ever-growing horde of Epicans trying to get home amidst the worsening weather.

Soliane had planned to deliver the artefact in the wealthiest part of the city, if she could even make it there in time...

​

 

[Ben Khal]

It wasn't a very good deterrent, a vague warning of bad luck. Even as the words left his mouth, he didn't expect her to buy it. So he dropped the act. "I know more about it than you do. That thing is dangerous--"

The woman suddenly bolted. The Bothan shopkeeper's fur stood on end as she ran past him. "Hey! You gotta pay for that! Thief!"

Ben wasn't far behind, racing after her as she fled out the door. But she was fast, and he was already at risk of losing her in the crowded streets. Desperation gripped him. This was his only lead, the one thread he had found connected to the cult. He had to get that token!

Though he had hoped to keep a low profile, Ben saw no other choice than to use his Jedi powers. An unseen force would shove suddenly against her back, knocking her down. Then the boy from the pawn shop would catch up to her, kneel down by her side, and reach for the golden disk...

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal

Every few mini-steps, Soliane was bumping into one alien and then another. What possessed them to walk slower than one might in their sleep? Whether on purpose or no, the Chandrilan sought to push her way through, if she could... The answer was swiftly given to her, a firm no. In these times, she wished she had built more muscle, for her pushes were no worse than gentle pats. A Chagrian even looked over its broad shoulder, suspecting another alien had touched his back, and seeking the confrontation. This was her window--

A sudden blast hit her back, and the rest was history.

Within seconds Sol lay on the puddled street of Epica City, barely grasping what had happened before. A hand dove into her pocket and grabbed the disk, and she lacked the energy to fight back against it. "What did you do, boy?" The Chandrilan grumbled, as she sought to get up again. Gazing hazily at the young lad, making no move to steal the artefact back. He bore no stun gun, not that she could see, at least. Besides, there had been a crowd around her, how did it single her out? "Are you some sort of trickster?"

​

 

[Ben Khal]

The woman made no attempt to fight him off as he took the token from her. The danger neutralized, he stepped back, quickly producing a pouch from his belt and tucking the token away.

"What did you do, boy?"

Ben blinked, looking down at her fallen form. Every rule of decorum and deference drilled into him since infancy by his Hapan noble upbringing was screaming that he needed to help her up. Eventually he caved to the compulsion, keeping the pouch with the token out of her reach as he reached down to offer assistance.

"I am sorry. You left me no choice."

"Are you some sort of trickster?"

"No." He hesitated, briefly considering telling her what he was, before deciding it was too risky. He changed the subject instead, asking, "Why do you want the token? If it's money you're after, I can compensate you. But I cannot let you have it."

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal

Her mind was rampaging, a warzone of cussing and regret. The pain lingering as a distant memory, compared to the irritation that had consumed her every thought. For now, due to her reckless approach, the token had been acquiesced by the foreign lad. Separated from her reach, whilst her client remained waiting on the other side of Epica City. As if she had a bounty of contracts to pick from, this was her shot at becoming more than just an obscure 'girl' seeking credits like a beggar.

Sol could not protest as he moved to lift her up, still taller and stronger than she could ever hope to be. "Right... There were other ways to stop me, even a stun would have been more pleasant." The snarky remark left her lips without further thought, as she shook his hand off. Her hood had fallen off her head, revealing her lengthy yet sharply cut hair. The cold rain trickling down her face. And for a second she stood there, pondering whether to make her motives clear. But if it would spare her possible persecution by Epican law-enforcement, maybe it was wiser.

"I have been contracted to retrieve the token for an official here. He reiterated that it was of great importance and clearly had been found by the wrong folk." She tried to remain vague about her employer's identity, whilst highlighting the necessary parts. "So, why do you so desperately require this disk?" Soliane asked in turn, raising her eyebrow slightly, whilst crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

​

 

[Ben Khal]

Ben's face flushed crimson. She was right, of course. Stunning her would've been more effective and less risky. His shove was the work of an amateur, with little regard for safety.

His embarrassment was swiftly forgotten, however, as she revealed key information.

"I have been contracted to retrieve the token for an official here. He reiterated that it was of great importance and clearly had been found by the wrong folk." She tried to remain vague about her employer's identity, whilst highlighting the necessary parts. "So, why do you so desperately require this disk?"

"It's a calling card for members of a group of religious extremists," he answered. "It has an engraving of a minotaur, representing the deity Tophet, whom they worship. They believe that Tophet demands they perform... atrocities, to prove their devotion to him." He left the details vague, instead turning his attention to the fact that she'd been hired to find it. "You must tell me the identity of the official who hired you. If they are involved with the cult, their life could be at risk." Or the official could be one of them, in which case they posed a danger to others.

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal

Religious extremism? Did she look a fool to him? A dimwit swayed by the feeblest of stories? In her youth, shadowing her scholarly mentor, Sol had been forced to skim through endless data disks with information on the Path of the Open Hand, the Bando Gora and countless others. Their zeal was rarely or never subtle. Ideology was brandished like a blade, not hidden in slim trinkets. A token in place of a mask or dagger… it was difficult to fathom.

"Tophet? In my years of study, I have not once read that name or about a cult related to that deity." Her eyes stared him up and down once more, pursing her lips in doubt. "I do not believe you, lad. For all I can guess, you will hunt down my client as you tried on me." Soliane guessed, her mind flicking to the pocket in which he had hidden the disk. If she could just- In a sudden rush of adrenaline, or foolishness, Sol slumped forward, feigning a sudden dizziness. Before grabbing the pouch from him.

In preparation for his odd tricks, she clumsily grabbed her blaster with her other hand and aimed it loosely towards the boy. "Now if you are done telling fairytales, I need this more than you do. So please, allow me to deliver this to my client, and maybe I will tell you afterward who he is." The smile on her face proved that there was not a single truth to her words.

​

 

[Ben Khal]

Not only did she not believe him, she seemed offended somehow that he expected her to accept the facts. Granted, this cult was something previously unknown to them, a fringe group which had only just been discovered in a previously isolated region of the galaxy. But he didn't have time to educate the woman before him. She was already turning against him once more.

The Force whispered what she would do before she acted; he foresaw that she would try to steal the token back. He could not allow that. His hand reached down to seize her wrist before she could pluck the pouch from his belt, holding it in a vice-like grip. Meanwhile his other palm summoned her emerging blaster to it with telekinesis, fingers closing around the barrel as he pointed it harmlessly downward. If anyone in the crowd around them noticed the struggle, they didn't try to intervene or even stop to watch. They simply gave the pair a wide berth.

"If you won't believe me, believe this," he said in a low voice, pulling aside the edge of his cloak to reveal the lightsaber hilt hanging from his hip. If she was truly as learned as she claimed, she could not fail to recognize the symbol of the Jedi. Or perhaps she would think he was Sith, though he didn't think this thief would care much about the distinction. "I will give you one more chance to tell me who your client is. If you refuse, then I will have to detain you for questioning."

The words came out of him automatically, as if he had been trained to say them. But for a moment after he spoke, the hardness in his blue-eyed gaze softened. He didn't like doing this. He would prefer to have been a scholar, content to conduct his research in some quiet, private abode. But necessity had forced him out of his solitude, made him act the part of the enforcer. "You could actually do some good, if you help me," he muttered.

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal

As swiftly as she had reached for the disk, it was gone, slipping from her grasp like water through her fingers. Her eyes trailed on the emptiness of her palm before lifting, disbelief flickering in her gaze as it centred on the lad before her. Rain pattered down the narrow slum-street, beading on his robe, and with the faintest shift of the soaked fabric she caught sight of a metal object. Its shape was recognisable, akin to the ancient lightsabers and protosabers she had once scavenged with her mentor's crew. The metal, the lines of its design, spoke more of the Jedi than the Sith, or any other force cult. "Hm." Was all that left her lips, Epica fell under the jurisdiction of the Alliance and thus also the Jedi. It would be most unwise to not yield to his word.

After a moment, her head gave a slight tilt before snapping back upright. "Very well. It would be unwise to tempt you into using those… mind things on me." She waved her hand half-heartedly, feeling utterly ridiculous as she did so. Soliane drew closer, trying not to draw the ears of any locals on her word. "My business is with an Epican trader. Specialises in artifacts, studies them, then sells them to the highest bidder. Zavrar is his name. A Mikkian, I think. The one with the floating tendrils?" The Chandrilan pointed out, her hand gesturing above her head to give some semblance of what people of that species looked like. A trace of worry still pulling at her, hoping this information wouldn't complicate future contracts.

​

 

[Ben Khal]

Just like that, the woman completely changed her tune, afraid that he might use his Jedi mind tricks on her. Ben did nothing to try and alleviate her fears so long as it helped his cause. Sometimes the Hapan boy could be quite ruthless.

"My business is with an Epican trader. Specialises in artifacts, studies them, then sells them to the highest bidder. Zavrar is his name. A Mikkian, I think. The one with the floating tendrils?"

"Where can I find Zavrar?"

Soliane Desari​

 

[Soliane Desari]

CHASING A RUMOR ON EPICA
"A city... why did it have to be a city..."
​

Location – The slums of Epica City
Objectives – Retrieve the artefact for her patron
Tags – Ben Khal

The intelligence she had already provided was more than she should have. The continued probing for more was a risky endeavour from the lad, and one she did not fancy. The rain proceeded to pour over the slums of Epican City, thunder gradually beginning to accompany the droplets. Soliane crossed her arms over her chest, unwilling to yield all of it for the price of none. "You mentioned yourself that payment was not out of the question... How about you provide me some creds and I will tell you what you need to know about Zavrar." A risky offer, but as her stomach began to growl, it became a necessity to acquire something to live on... Soon. "Or don't, you have something to work with." She chose to up the pressure by turning away from the 'wizard'.

​

 

[Ben Khal]

Of course she wanted money. Ben had a very modest Padawan stipend from the Order, and some funds allotted for his travel expenses… But the finances of his family, the rulers of the Hapan planet Harterra, were quite substantial. He wasn’t sure what an appropriate price for the info would be, so he chose a number at random.

“Very well. I will give you five thousand credits for all the information you have on Zavrar, his whereabouts and his activities.” He paused, then boldly added, “Ten thousand if you help me get to him.”

Zavrar was her client. He would be expecting her. Ben could use that as an in.

Soliane Desari​