Campaign Holojournals: On the Cresh of the Stellar Wave (RTL/GA/SJC/Praxeum/Scar Worlds)

[Jorus Q. Merrill]

Found this floating in a bright nebula at the near edge of Companion Cresh.

The core artifact, the squared-off hourglass, is as long as my forearm. The surrounding hoop is almost large enough to squeeze through, or would be if I could remove it from around the hourglass. Almost a dozen lesser pieces hold static positions relative to the hourglass and the hoop.

This is ancient and deeply alien technology. I and others don't know what its purpose is. It has an unusually obvious sensor signature, the opposite of a stealth field, or I'd never have spotted it on the scopes.

Cotan Sar'andor Coren Starchaser Juno Sabat Okkeus Dainlei Asha Hex

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

It’s been a week or so now since my last entry to the log. Most of my time has been spent just sublight traveling. Unfortunately nothing interesting of note has come up. That was until today.

(source)
​

Surrounding a medium-sized gas giant was a collection of ancient satellite dishes. Who knows how long this stuff has been around. From the rust amounts I had to guess a few hundred years at least, because oxidization take a a long time out here in the abyss of space.

I made sure to grab a few photos before I headed on. Maybe I can find more information from some natives of Cresh.

(source)
​

Well, it finally came into view today. Stepping into the cockpit to see this sight was amazing. Should be only a handful of lightyears out at this point. Can’t wait for my arrival there.

The journey was taxing, but it was definitely worth it.

Cotan Sar'andor | Jend-Ro Quill | Jorus Q. Merrill | Juno Sabat | Asha Vynea

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Coren Starchaser Jend-Ro Quill Jorus Q. Merrill Romi Jade

​

A few datapads crackled to sudden life back in the main galaxy, a sudden transmission hitting them. One was bound to go unnoticed, though the sender didn't know that for sure, and certainly didn't know why for sure. For the others that received it, though, they'd find it was for a short video message from a contact that hadn't been heard from in years—and judging by the degradation of the signal, it had been travelling quite far to reach them, although it at least made it in one piece. Maybe a little rough around the edges and a bit staticky, but nothing was actually lost.

Cotan brushed his hand through his hair, staring into the camera. "You're transmitting, Kiss?" he asked. His droid. A few beeps and whistles rang out, and he smiled. "Never doubted you, buddy. Just wanted to make sure." He looked almost unchanged from the last time anybody had seen much of him; his hair was maybe slightly grayer, after the struggles on Tython, but he was back to his usual healthy and youthful visage. Just out of focus, in the background, a small homestead could be seen, a red-haired woman in front of it.

"Well. Long time no see, huh? I just checked the calendar and realized how much time has passed. Would you believe I just turned seventy-three? Quill, I don't think either of us knew just how much that crystal could do that day we were chatting about it in your hut. I don't look a day over twenty-nine. Asha, too. It's easy to lose track when the age never actually catches up with you." He trailed off for a moment, looking off to the side. "I sensed something, the other day. Not sure which of you it was, but one of you is gone now, right? All of you send a reply if you can, let me know what's been happening. I can also see that the galaxy is a lot closer than it's supposed to be. Things don't feel right, but I'm..."

He laughed.

"Not allowed to go and get involved again."

He leaned back, the droid's head turning as the homestead and the woman in front of it came into focus. "We didn't have time to find it when we were first came out here, but this is what Asha had been sensing. A new home base, so to speak. It's a lot like the Meissa system was, this place kinda reminds me of Telaat. A bit of Naboo, as well. It's strong in the Force. Like Tython was, or Korriban. Almas or Ambria too, just depends whereabout on the planet you are how it feels. She fell in love with it immediately. There are some locals, from all over Cresh—turns out they've been coming here for generations. Kinda like Jedha. Even some Yuuzhan Vong, whose ancestors had originally flown in on Gadma. There's a few traditions we know, a few that have changed a bit over the time they've been out here, and some brand new ones. It's been an interesting time. They didn't have any issues with letting us set up here, though, and we've even had a few students come through.

"Whenever I'm off planet, it's because they keep me busy running around and trying to help keep the peace a bit. Big Starweird problem a few years back, although they've all left, for some reason. Something to do with home being a lot closer now, or did any of you do something? No surprises, please."

He laughed to himself again, K1-S5's photoreceptor focusing back on him.

"You all told me I should think about it, and Asha finally strongarmed me into it. Retirement. It feels weird. Life's slow. It's nice, though. Hope the kids are taking care of the place well enough without me there. I'll send you all the coordinates—you're always welcome to come visit, if you get the time. I made sure we got the place made big enough to fit all of you. Locals were more'n happy enough to do it. But, well...that's it, really. Miss you all. Shame we never actually had the wedding, but maybe one of these days we'll have some little ones to send back homeward, eh?"

He waved once, standing up and retreating back towards the homestead. Put an arm around Asha's shoulders, and the pair walked inside. K1-S5 beeped to himself—the droid almost chuckling to himself—before beginning to follow, the transmission cutting off.

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Cotan Sar'andor

A recording, Quill (not as old as he should be), seated, with shelves of alien records behind him:

"Cotan, so good to hear from you. Companion Cresh is about the most off-the-beaten-path retirement I can imagine. I think of the life you must have lived there and I feel so many ways.

"As requested, I'm well. I'm still where I love to be and free of what I need to be free from. My boy Tilon is an expeditioneer like you now — he's co-leading a convoy through the Rishi Maze! If you happen to get this and have the time, any advice I could pass on to him would be appreciated. Or perhaps you'll run into him in your neck of the woods someday! I know he remembers Gadma Station well, if not fondly.

"I'm happy you found safety and peace and companionship. There are few in our line of work who can say their story ends that way."

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Cotan Sar'andor

ZORONHED

After the wake, Skeevi had pocketed an old datapad and sundry articles. They fished the buzzing thing from the dump bin and sniffed it warily. They watched the recording and typed out a return transmission.

GREAT UNCLE J MERRILL DEAD
BLEW HIM SELF UP FIGHTING
SORRY
NICE HOUSE

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The data pad dinged. Coren kept way too many things on this ship of his. Connections to his old life. To who he was. Not as the Alliance but before and after that.

Beyond the Alliance.

Warden of the Sky. Outer Rim Judge. Underground Lieutenant. Smuggler. Explorer. Jedi Sentinel. Order of the Selab.

He was all these things and more. But most importantly he was friend. An old friend.

To some maybe even an ancient froend. Time was different for him. A constant explorer. Time dilation when he ran too close to a few black holes extended him. And he was still in good sorts

The Force and its light side.

"Retirement looks good on most of us. I still can't sit still. Celeste is about. At Kattada. Where I set up a temple. Jedi and Warden. But now? The itch is there. And after the loss of Jorus. Someone has to be out here.

"I set up shop near Xelec. Using its portals to help with distressed pilots. Jared is off to the Rishi Maze. Kaia is handling the company and Wardening. But with everything changing, she may have to pick up where I left off.

"If you ever need me. Call the Dawn Treader. We will dispatch.

"Fly safe, my friend. Hope we see each other before the final star port. "

 

[Cotan Sar'andor]

Cotan had sat down later that day, the replies coming in via way of K1-S5. The droid had broadcast them all, and Cotan couldn't keep a grin off his face hearing from some of his old friends—even if the news about Jorus got broken in a decidedly less than delicate way by Skeevi. "Alright, Kiss," he said to the droid, turning in his seat to fully face the droid again. "Let's get them a reply. Also, think you could send that first recording out to a couple of others? I think I forgot a few."

​

"Thanks for reaching back out, you three. I'm sure I'll get a few other replies soon. Remember what I said about how you're welcome to visit, though, don't just make me ask you to come."

​

A short while later, the first recording, re-sent, came to Valery Noble and Caltin Vanagor in turn. Cotan didn't necessarily know either of them particularly well, but their paths had crossed enough that it felt wrong not to send them something as well.

Especially for Caltin's sake, he included one small text to go with:

You're still the older one.

Better yet, while the joke may be meant for the larger of the two, it applied to both!