Private Eye of the storm

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

The war was over.

But clean-up took longer than battles. The Corridor was a mess after the Brotherhood had been driven from it. The worlds that had been under the horde's brief occupation, still struggled under small insurgencies or there had been so much damage done, that it would take years to rebuild.

Batorine was one such world.

With the power struggle between the Alliance and the Brotherhood, smaller undesirables had also moved into the Corridor. Some have moved onto Batorine, oppressing what they can. It was now up to the Alliance to start cleaning up these undesirables. The Jedi, especially, were meant to bring relief.

So Zhea and her newest Padawan traveled to Batorine after reports of a warlord oppressing citizens had reached the Order. Even centuries after the initial atrocity on the forest world, its citizens still couldn't catch a break. Walking into the village after the shuttle had set them down in a clearing outside, she looked at Vay.
"I need you to keep in mind that there is always two sides to a story, Vayl. It's not the Jedi way to pick a side." she explained calmly to the young Zeltron. "It's our job to find out what is going on first - from all parties - before we intercede."
As they moved, Blood Carver eyes watched them from windows.

The two Jedi arrived at what would be the council building in the village. An elderly Blood Carver stood at the top of the steps.
"Welcome, Jedi. We hope you would be able to help us. I am Kor Viktar, Elder of this village." he said as they approached.
"Well met, Master Viktar. I am Zhea Nox, Jedi Master, and this is my Padawan, Vaylaar. Please, lead the way so we might hear what ails your people." the Sage answered with a bow.
The Elder nodded and led them to the council chambers.

"Ours is a peaceful village, Master Jedi. But a year ago, a bad man and his enforcers started plaguing us for what they call toll for allowing us to remain here. Most of our crop go to them. We keep only the minimum for ourselves. Our children go hungry a lot of nights to make the food last." Kor explained as they sat down.
Zhea listened to him, intently aware of Vay. She had taken him on as a Padawan because of his rashness.
"We were hoping the Order could help us by getting rid of this criminal posing as a warlord, Master Jedi." the Elder finished.
"Thank you for the information, Master Viktar. Could you tell me where their encampment is, please?" she asked.
"To the North-East of here. I do not know how far."
"I'll see what can be done, Master Elder, but I can make no promises just yet. The Order requires more information." Zhea said as she rose to her feet, playing for time to investigate further. She bowed at the Blood Carver again before turning to Vay.
"Let's get some speeders from the shuttle and see what we can find out about this warlord, hm?" she asked before leaving the building.

Through it all, she tried to relay some of her tranquility to her Padawan.

 

[Vaylaar D'artagnan]

TAG: Zhea Nox
GEAR: Lightsaber | Jedi Robes
​

Justice. That's what the galaxy needed, what Batorine needed. The Order doubled down on Vayl's attitude towards resolution of problems. This case in particular was especially noted, a case of a warlord stealing and oppressing citizens for their hard-earned crops, food and supplies. The solution felt simple; kill the warlord and his band. But of course... he knew Zhea would critique that, and it became quite evident as despite his lack of inaction thus far on this mission, she went off about "two sides to a story", and all though he wished he could vocalise it, he was tempted to talk back. "It's worse than the expected tragedy of dead civilians." he knew too many cases back on his home planet where similar situations occurred... he couldn't do anything back then, but now? Frustration is the easiest word to say for what he's feeling.

But he played along. Zhea is the one mentoring him after all, especially when... concerns were brought up about his attitude. Deemed right and wrong. Right to stand up when no one else can, wrong to make sure the problem no longer exists. He's wearing a gray robe underneath his dark brown robe, followed by dark purple pants and dark brown boots. The only radiant part of him is perhaps his piercing yellow eyes that seemed to border on being orange, wavy dark brown hair with a pinkish hue and his bright pink skin, screaming his species rather loudly; a Zeltron, emotional feelers and pleasure seekers. The very reason that the Order seeked extra supervision with him, more prone to emotions than the average person.

He patiently sat back, and the more that Elder Viktar spoke of his troubles with this warlord, it became quickly decided what Vayl's stance is to this solution. Wipe out the warlord and his band. His opinion on that hasn't changed. The neutrality that his master gave felt empty; like a politician giving empty promises. When she said no promises, he was quick to follow behind her verbally.

"We will stop this warlord. We will not return until the problem is taken cared of." A message with two intentions; to provoke his master and jab at her words lack of promise over action, and to give warmth to an elder clearly concerned. The moment that they walked in, Vayl could feel his emotions. Fear. Desperation. None of that changed as Zhea gave those words, but the moment that Vayl stepped in? Some form of assurance? A shift, although weak and fleeting, there's a burst of hope that arose within the elder, an emotion that Vayl smiled at.

He nodded to his master about the speeders, though imagined she'd have quite a few things to say about what he just did.

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

Of course he didn't keep quiet.

At Vay's outburst, Zhea had smiled at the Elder and had given him a look of "kids will be kids" and had said "We'll do what is right." and they had left.

But on the walk back to the shuttle, she looked over at the young Zeltron. He reminded her so much of a different Jedi that struggled with the execution of keeping the peace.
"I understand your desire to do good, Vay, but we can't go around taking sides without hearing both sides first. That's what diplomacy requires as well. We are Jedi. Not the Empire." she said calmly. She wouldn't fail this young man like she had failed another. But she didn't say anything more about his outburst. All Jedi had to start somewhere.

They got the speeders and took off in the direction Viktar had indicated. Zhea kept her eye on the radar for any sign of an encampment. When the blip appeared on the small map on the speeder, she slowed to a stop, flagging Vay to do the same.
"Before we go in there, I want to make two things very clear. You are not to act hostile in any way - that saber stays on your belt as well. And the second is that you are to listen and listen well. Not all things are what they seem at first glance. Got it?" She was much more serious this round. "We are only two and if you cause an attack on us, it can go awry very quickly." The Sage required him to understand the gravity of the situation. That rash decisions could get them killed.

She waited for his confirmation before leading them to the encampment.

As they approached the erected walls, she slowed to a stop again, holding up her hands to show that they meant no harm.
"State your business, Jedi!" came a disembodied voice from the ramparts.
"We come in peace! I wish only to speak to the one presiding over this encampment in confidence!" she called back.
There was silence for a few heartbeats.
"No funny business!" came the voice again before the gates swung open. Zhea nodded before rolling forward and into the camp.

"Remember what I told you." she whispered to Vay.

 

[Vaylaar D'artagnan]

TAG: Zhea Nox
GEAR: Lightsaber | Jedi Robes
​

Diplomacy... He is always mixed about that word. He's not against it, but when lives are violently affected? Diplomacy has already been thrown out the window. While they, as Jedi, are wasting their precious time talking with a warmongering warlord feasting on the work of others, they could be doing better things. If they wanted to talk, they might as well help the civilians rebuild. Something clearly more productive than compromises with the likes of a madman.

"Master, I just... fail to understand the need for diplomacy in this case. A party has been wronged already. We should already be cutting our plasma through their walls, let them feel consequences for their actions." his blood boiled for justice. It reminded him too much of the injustices inflicted on him and those he cared about back on his planet. Again, he couldn't do anything about it then but now? He can do so much more to help, and the only person stopping him is his master.

He only gave a mild acknowledgement in the action of a small nod of her points; for his lightsaber to stay on his hilt and to listen. No promises. The speeders soon hummed to life with a deep, throaty sound that echoed across the barren wasteland. Or one that looked like it anyway. The village itself held an impressive structure, making it seem like an attractive and liveable place compared to the outskirts of... nothingness. Rocks, rocks and more rocks. Maybe some dangerous wildlife, it felt like one of those planets.

With both of their hands up to show a form of "peace", they were quickly let into the encampment. The flicker of campfires were close and far, bringing light to the ragged tents and makeshift shelters of ruined buildings that stretched across the wasteland. The air itself was thick with scents of cooked meat, sounds of laughter and conversation carried throughout the wind. Just that laughter alone was enough for the Zeltron to get his blood boiling; the elder, his civilians were suffering from their raids, and they have the audacity to laugh about it?!

A force pull quickly saw his lightsaber into his hand, and many of the bandits were quick to step up, wearing mismatched armor and carried a variety of weapons; blasters, vibroblades, makeshift weapons such as clubs or spears. Even the proper weapons such as the blasters and vibroblades seemed to be older models. Despite that, Vayl knew that they could still deal some damage.

All sorts of weapons were pulled on the Jedi duo; none of them making a move. Three were quick to step up from the crowd, more armored, better weapons. It became quickly evident that these were the leaders. The front seemed to be a masculine figure with golden-tinted armor, a sign of status... this has to be the warlord.

"Put your lightsaber down, Jedi." the blade itself wasn't ignited, but it seems that these people knew the threat of jedi well enough. Peace and diplomacy... as much as it was clear Vayl didn't want things to go that way, he heeded his masters word closely. But he'd do it his way at least. "Then tell your people to stop laughing over the ill-earned gains of the civilians you raided, and take us seriously." the crowd of bandits looked to each other, this entire time... there were subtle details that he missed.

The bandits themselves were hesitant the moment their weapons went up, hardened men and women with scars. Something in their body language suggested they weren't as fearsome as they appeared to be. Eyes heavy with exhaustion, some slouched. The warlord took a few moments to register what was said, his hands beckoning downwards for his bandits to put their weapons down. "Back to your business. I'll deal with this." and with that, the golden-tinted armored man walked up to the Jedi duo whilst the rest of the bandits went back to their business, albeit reluctantly due to their clear concern of their leader. In response, Vayl placed his lightsaber back into his hilt.

"Let's talk in private. We don't want prying eyes." and with that, they would be led to a proper... well, house. Despite a few corners torn and a few cracks here and there, it's a salvageable house with lots of rooms, one that he clearly took advantage of. Makeshift lanterns were placed all over, acting as light sources.

A long wooden table dominated the middle of the room, mismatching chairs surrounded it and the table itself contained essential documents; maps, papers, resources, logistics. The moment that anyone would take a seat down, the chairs creaked in response. A sigh came from the warlord as he sat down, muffled by his golden mask. "I knew someone would step up eventually, but I didn't expect Jedi... well, I have a good idea of what this is about but I'll play nice. Why are you here?" Vayl was confused. He clearly stated what they were after before... but unbeknown to him, the warlord himself didn't want this to end in violence for either party. He wanted to talk, playing dumb to open conversation. His focus is more on Zhea, who seems far more level-headed than Vayl is.

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

Zhea sighed internally

That hilt just couldn't stay on his belt. It all escalated out of her control as the camp reacted immediately, words being exchanged between her Padawan and who seemed to be the leader of the group before she could intervene.

She stepped forward to lay a hand on Vay's arm holding the unignited hilt to encourage him to lower it as the warlord said that they should speak in private. She nodded respectfully.
"Of course. We shall follow your lead, Sir." she said. As the man turned to lead them to the only proper building in the area, she shot Vaylaar a look of disappointment, but said nothing.

After waiting for their host to sit down first, Zhea then took her own seat across from him. It was evident to her that he made no effort to hide any intelligence from them.

"I knew someone would step up eventually, but I didn't expect Jedi... well, I have a good idea of what this is about but I'll play nice. Why are you here?"

"We are here to hear your side of the story, Master Warrior." Zhea started. "We were sent here after received reports, but I am not someone that jumps to conclusions. So I wish to hear from you why the Blood Carvers believe you are exacting tribute from them?" Her tone was calm, conversational even. She had seen the state of the camp outside. She knew there was more at work here. It was just to get her Padawan to see it too. He was a sharp young man. She knew he'd see it eventually if he tried to put aside his personal feelings of the situation.

"The Order wishes to reach a peaceful agreement between all parties."

 

[Vaylaar D'artagnan]

TAG: Zhea Nox
GEAR: Lightsaber | Jedi Robes
​

Vayl intentionally ignored the disappointed gaze that his master tried to pass along, shifting uncomfortably. He knew deep down that he failed to maintain his composure, to meet the expectations of his master, and he couldn't bring himself to meet that disappointed stare, focusing purely on this warlord to push away that thought.

Once they were inside, seated down and talking to this man, with him more focused on Zhea. Towards the end of her last words, he removed his helmet and pushed down the hood to reveal himself as a human; very old. Gray hair, wrinkles relentlessly stuck to his skin. If he weren't wearing the armor, one would get the impression that he's an elderly person, someone who needed help. His voice finally came back out, but with no muffle this time.

"I see..." he then stood up, going to a nearby table, shaking what seems to be a glass of red wine towards the both of them, a sign of asking if they wanted any. Vayl shook his head. If Zhea wanted one, he'd pour her one as well, otherwise he'd only come back with one glass for himself, sitting back down on the opposite side. "This used to be a mining district. AurumCorp are the people we used to work for, this planet had rare minerals. They picked up workers who had no where else to go, people in debt, chased by criminals, or criminals themselves trying to turn a new leaf, you get the gist." he pointed towards himself, being a bit forthcoming about his own past.

"Turns out the mining operation was a bust, the planet held something called Aurium, it's basically some kind of dark gold metal with durable properties. Nothing comparable to something like beskar though, it's only good for buildings or starships." he swigged down some of his wine before placing it back on the table. "Whole thing was shady from the start. You could call it a pump and dump. Invested into the operation, profited it by selling it to other corporations and planets, and left everyone else in the dust, being us, the actual workers. Because of our past, they can get away with it, deny hiring us in the first place and all that."

He let out a sigh, fingers tapping against the table. "Like I said, most of us here have... questionable pasts. Being here is easier than being back out in the galaxy, but this isn't a forgiving planet. The few spots of this planet that can be used for farming are held tightly by the carvers. We tried talking with them, but they pushed us away thinking we were still apart of the corp. We had a lot of hungry people, so, when a mining district have ex-soldiers and ex-criminals working together to survive, what do you think comes next?"

Extortion. Intimidation, were the things that filled Vayl's mind. When the doubts started to seep in, his zeltron senses tapped into this man's emotions. Worried. Fear. Not for himself, but for his people. And everything on that hinged on him, and his master.

He then stood up, putting all of his blasters on the table and undoing some of his armor plates, which clinked against the floor. The act confused Vayl, with this situation not being what he expected at all. "Again, I knew someone would step up to stop us. If you need a scapegoat for the tribe, I'll be it. Just leave the rest of my people alone, they're innocent in this. I chose to raid the tribe." Vayl didn't know what to say. He grabbed the wine, swigging the rest of it and placing it back down. He's convinced that he's ready to be taken away, and he's approaching it with a new emotion that Vayl didn't see before; he's dauntless in his decision. And it's completely selfless.

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

The man revealed himself to be human.

Zhea wasn't surprised. The living Force surrounding him had told her as much. She had misjudged his age with a few years, however. He seemed older than she initially thought.

When he offered them wine, the Sage lifted her hand respectfully to decline and was glad Vaylaar declined as well. Her Padawan was studying the man intently, it seemed. It was a relief that his aggression had died down since they had come inside. That meant he was at least listening and paying attention. There was hope for the young man yet.

When the warlord took his seat again, he launched into his telling of their situation. The Kiffar Master listened intently. She had expected another side to the reports that the Carvers had given, but she did not expect it to be this dire. When he gave his rhetorical question, she kept her face attentive but blank, choosing not to say anything just yet. But she could feel the Force start to shift around Vay.

Then the man stood up, laying his arms on the table.

"Again, I knew someone would step up to stop us. If you need a scapegoat for the tribe, I'll be it. Just leave the rest of my people alone, they're innocent in this. I chose to raid the tribe."

Zhea made her decision in a heartbeat. She stood up gracefully, holding out a calming hand to halt the man.
"The Order is not looking for a scapegoat, Master Warrior. Keep your arms for now. We are not here to take anyone into custody just yet. I would, however, ask you and your people to remain in the camp for the time-being until I have reported back to the Council." she said. "We will remain on-world until a decision is reached, so it shouldn't be too long." she added before motioning for Vaylaar to stand as well. "Thank you for your hospitality and patience. It is greatly appreciated." She gave a slight bow.

With that, she and Vay took their leave. After departing the encampment, Zhea stopped just out sight and earshot of the walls.

"Do you now see why we should always remain impartial, Vayl?"

 

[Vaylaar D'artagnan]

TAG: Zhea Nox
GEAR: Lightsaber | Jedi Robes
​

He saw this situation entirely different. He thought they were a threat. A problem to be taken out with the lightsaber, completely justified in doing so from the fact that they stole from other people and in extension, caused pain and suffering from scarcity of resources. He said nothing, and didn't react to the man giving himself up so easily. It's definitely the right thing to do but he just didn't expect them to actually... reach that conclusion? Where both sides were understood and did the right thing? It's rare to see. He never saw it on his planet nor much of it growing up to become a padawan, so why was it such a shock to him? It almost felt like his emotional telepathy was knocked out for the count from the stunlock he's feeling on that one.

When they were leaving the encampment, that's when the true nature of the camp became ever so evident; these men and women weren't doing their deeds because they found a malicious joy in it, they were desperate. They had no choice. It all linked up to what the warlord said, what he initially sensed with them, something that he deliberately chose to ignore, all in the name of justice. An excuse to ignite his lightsaber.

Normally he didn't like admitting to his wrongdoings, but when his master said those words...

"Do you now see why we should always remain impartial, Vayl?"

He understood. It's almost like she predicted it would happen this way. Either she had better knowledge of the situation than he did and she intentionally omitted certain details to teach him this very lesson, or she truly is that patient... or just really good at reading people much better than he is, which is ironic considering his ability to literally feel the emotions of others.

"Yeah. I get it." while he's not one to apologise for his mistakes and his master would know that, she'd know that no comeback, no justification is his equivalent of a "You were right, I was wrong." that she's going to get. "I... need to think on this. What do you think the council will decide?" he clearly isn't able to decide what would happen. He doesn't know how he can resolve it and his lack of patience today clearly showed that he isn't ready for it, but he's curious to learn how the council will handle it. A reference to have for the future for the next time he encounters a scenario like this again.

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

She could see the wheels turn in his head.

She smiled, but said nothing. She'd leave him to work through it himself. She couldn't give him all the answers. That way, he'll never learn. He may be a tad older than the average Padawan, but he still had quite a bit to go.

Eventually he conceded. Zhea knew it was the closest she would come to an apology. The knowing smile stayed on her face. Young men all struggled with the same.

"I... need to think on this. What do you think the council will decide?"

The Sage shook her head. "It can go a few ways. They decide to still take him into custody, send relief supplies from the Order itself or they might defer the matter to the Senate. I mostly suspect the latter." she said.

She started up the speeder once more.
"Let's get back to the ship and hear what the Council has to say on the matter." she said before taking off in the direction of their shuttle. She deliberately avoided the Carver village. They had spoken to both. It was now up to the report to make the rest work.

Upon reaching the ship and the pilots catching a smoke outside, Zhea marched them both inside.
"Tinky, patch a call through to the Council please." she asked her little astromech, hoping that Valery Noble , Kahlil Noble , Amani Serys and Jasper Kai'el would all be available.

As the little droid worked to get the call through to Coruscant, Zhea turned to Vaylaar.

"Let's try not to overreact again, hm?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He really needed to decorate his office.

Kahlil frowned as he glanced over the bare walls, the bare floor, even the bare table. If not for the macaroni art and 'Galaxy's Best Dad' mug he had on it, would people even know this was his office? Currently he was scanning through a datapad for more.. Something. Maybe he could get some of his old artifacts he found over the years to set out? .. No, that probably wasn't a good idea given most of them were tied to the Dark. Last thing he needed was a Padawan deciding to try and take one of those.

So back to the datapad to try and find.. Something that would work. At least until the holocom on his desk started to ring. He raised a brow before clicking it on.

"Master Nox? What's up?

Zhea Nox | Vaylaar D'artagnan

 

[Valery Noble]

Holo-Call

​

Tag: Zhea Nox Vaylaar D'artagnan | Kahlil Noble Jasper Kai'el Amani Serys

Valery was inside her seat within the Council Chambers, browsing through reports from Jedi all across the Galaxy. It was tiring work, but it helped paint a picture as to what was going on out there. Occasionally, a call came in she needed to answer, or Jedi requested her assistance somewhere in the Temple, but most of it wasn't too interesting.

Until she received a call from Zhea Nox , a Jedi Master who was currently on assignment.

Valery's blue, holographic form chimed in a few seconds after Kahlil did, and greeted the woman and her Padawan with a smile. "Greetings, Master Nox. Padawan D'artagnan. How can we help?"

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Holo-Call
Tags: Zhea Nox , Vaylaar D'artagnan , Valery Noble , Kahlil Noble

​

Jasper was currently on the frigid world of Ilum. Not for any particular reason, just to hone his body. He was in the process of mastering Tapas, meditating in the icy depths of the planet. There was no other place to learn this. The knight had experienced so much on Ilum. To that end, there was no more fitting location to overcome the trials of the flesh.

A call came in. His holocommunicator. Before long, the visage of the knight would appear on the other end, delayed and janky but still visible.

“Can —- hear me well?” Jasper asked, his voice somewhat robotic and full of static. “What seems to be —- issue?”

 

[Amani Serys]

Councilor Serys was a bit more preoccupied when the call came in. She was off-world at an Alliance research lab, taking part in a medical experiment. Important work, but nothing she couldn't multitask. "Ahem— Hello?" Her hologram flickered a moment, and the audio fluctuated in quality, "Sorry. This place has //zzt//-rible reception." They were a few floors underground, after all.

Amani was staring intently at something off-screen. She grabbed a dropper, and reached over at that same something in question, "How //zzt// I help?"

Zhea Nox - Vaylaar D'artagnan - Kahlil Noble - Valery Noble​

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Zhea Nox Vaylaar D'artagnan Kahlil Noble Valery Noble Jasper Kai'el Amani Serys

​

Master San Tekka was deep in meditation aboard the Prosperity. Late to activate his comlink, the elder Jedi's holoimage joined his fellow council members for this remote session. Zark raised a single eyebrow.

"Master Nox. Padawan. This is a surprise."

He stroked his beard in deep thought. While others on the Council oversaw rehabilitation efforts throughout the Corridor, Zark had turned his gaze toward troubles brewing in the Mid Rim.

"You are not in danger, I trust?"

 

[Vaylaar D'artagnan]

TAG: Zhea Nox Kahlil Noble Valery Noble Jasper Kai'el Amani Serys Zark San Tekka
GEAR: Lightsaber | Jedi Robes
​

Returned to the ship with his master, and prepared himself for a meeting with the council. He never saw all of them in one place... well, they technically weren't, but the idea that this planets troubles would involve them like this. He acknowledged Zhea's words, he knew better than to act rashly in-front of the council. He swallowed, exhaled with a deep breath and prepared himself as each Jedi introduced themselves throughout the commlink.

"Masters." he addressed them first. "Thank you for your time. We've come across a... interesting situation here. We were sent to handle the Carver Tribe being raided by bandits for their crops and supplies. It turns out the bandits aren't actually bandits, but a work force comprised of former criminals and desperate people by AurumCorp. AurumCorp got what they needed, abandoned the workforce on this planet and due to the planet's dangerous environment, they were forced to raid and steal from the tribe just to survive. The warlord responsible for these raids has already acknowledged his wrongdoing and he is ready to be arrested if need be, but... they were dealt a bad hand. We are asking how to proceed with this situation." he hoped he painted a decent picture of the situation and if not, he'd trust that his Master can.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Oh.

Kahlil blinked, glancing to the other displays of the Council, then to the problem at hand. So it was something serious, huh? He rubbed at his chin, thinking for a moment. Then, finally, spoke up.

"I've two questions; have they tried talking with the tribe before? And has there been any bloodshed as a result of these raids or even under AurumCorp's occupation?"

Zhea Nox | Valery Noble | Amani Serys | Jasper Kai'el | Zark San Tekka | Vaylaar D'artagnan

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
SURFACE | BATORINE
TAG: Vaylaar D'artagnan | Valery Noble | Kahlil Noble | Amani Serys | Jasper Kai'el | Zark San Tekka
GEAR: Lightsaber | Collapsible Force-imbued staff | Cortosis-weave Undershirt | Phrik Pauldron and vambraces

BEAT​

Thank goodness most of them took the call.

Zhea had just opened her mouth to say something when Vayl launched into a telling of the situation in a thankfully respectful manner. It warmed her heart to see how his mind had shifted about the predicament the world found itself in. So she refrained from adding anything.

Until...

"I've two questions; have they tried talking with the tribe before? And has there been any bloodshed as a result of these raids or even under AurumCorp's occupation?"

"To tackle the easier answer first, no there has been no bloodshed. It's merely exploitation of a sort. Food as tribute." Zhea started. "Now for your first question, Master Noble. The raiders claim that they have tried talking to the Carvers first, to make some kind of deal, as the Carvers inhabit all the meager farming land. I can vouch that the raider encampment sits within a wasteland. The Carvers apparently refused them, which is why they resorted to the raids - to feed their own population. Which is why we are now referring this matter to you." she continued. "It is a delicate situation where both parties have been wronged and both have erred, it seems."

The Sage shook back her white hair.
"I sensed no deception from the warlord, Masters." She left the statements as neutral as she could. This wasn't a predicament that could be influenced by one person alone. It was either an open and shut case or it was a greater humanitarian situation.

She just hoped she and Vay could give the people of the planet some news at the end of this call.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Holo-Call
Tags: Kahlil Noble , Zhea Nox , Vaylaar D'artagnan , Valery Noble , Amani Serys , Zark San Tekka

​

"It's good that no one has died," Jasper noted, his signal becoming stronger. "That makes the more pressing issue AurumCorp abandoning employees on a hostile world. We are by no means a judiciary body, but I feel that we have a responsibility to press for an investigation in light of the situation."

Jasper detested corporate practice. It was always looking to exploit one person or another. There would be no protest from him if AurumCorp got what was coming to them. Still, the NJO had a limited reach. They couldn't just take the law into their own hands. It was better for everyone if honest due-process was upheld.

"As for these 'bandits,'" he continued, "they're still liable for their own actions. They may have been forced to raid for survival, but that doesn't excuse any extortion. The Carver Tribe was within their rights to deny aid, cruel as it may seem. Kindness isn't always favorable when resources are scarce. There could always be NJO oversight of humane punishment by local jury, but perhaps it would be for the best if the former employees of AurumCorp were given a means of leaving Batorine. I don't imagine the Carvers would protest a hostile force being removed from their homeland, and if the raiders are starving they may have little incentive to stay."

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Zhea Nox Vaylaar D'artagnan Kahlil Noble Valery Noble Jasper Kai'el Amani Serys
​

"Kai'el speaks the truth," Zark nodded in agreement, "You risk further escalating tensions should you attempt to force the matter. If you sensed no deception from the bandits, then we should investigate AurumCorp and present our findings to the Senate."

Master San Tekka's holoimage glanced at something offscreen before returning his full attention to the Jedi.

"We can dispatch refugee transports at once. Your only alternative would be to convince both the Carvers and bandits to accept Jedi mediation."

 

[Amani Serys]

Amani probably didn't look it given her split focus, but she paid close attention to the story offered by both padawan and master. She let the others speak while she wrapped up her work, by which point there was little to say that her peers had not already said.

There was a messy pop sound that broke through the static, followed by a viscous substance spraying across the mirialan's goggles. She sighed and pulled them off, then muttered into a handheld recording device before turning to face the hologram, "Test Five-Besh is a failure… Yes. It's an unfor//zzt//ate situation. My thoughts are the same as my colleagues. //zzt// Extract the bandits and turn over your findings on AurumCorp to officials. If the the locals decide to pursue reparations against the bandits, they are //zzt// within their right to do so."

If they could come to some sort of mutual understanding in the process, all the better. There was no clean solution to the problem; The bandits didn't deserve what happened to them, but that didn't make it okay to extort the local population. Perhaps the lack of bloodshed would allow them all to move forward on better terms. Be that with Jedi/Alliance mediation, or without. "But with any luck, AurumCorp will be the ones to face real justice." Amani affirmed, her distaste clear even through the grainy hologram.

Vaylaar D'artagnan Zhea Nox Kahlil Noble Jasper Kai'el Zark San Tekka Valery Noble​