Private In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle.......

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

To say that Jax was in deep chit was an understatement.

He found himself in the jungles of Felucia on a foolhardy quest to regain his connection in the Force. Jax was supposed to meet a man named: Dav Botaar a leader of the Illum Chruch of the Force. Dav claimed that there was an old cave where the Light Side of the Force was strong suggesting that a Jedi Master used their power in attempt to purify the cave which teeming with Darkness. By the time that Jax reached Felucia though, Dav went dark and Jax witnessed a pile of corpses belonging to the Church of the Force. Judging from the scratch marks, the natives ambushed them. Jax had to be cautious, he was just a man with a rifle trying to follow the trail of bloody breadcrumbs.

Leaves crunching beneath his boots, Jax snuck behind an old vine filled wall seeing Jungle Felucians patrolling the area. Checking the corpses and shooting those who moved, a pang of guilt hit Jax witnessing the massacre. The Church weren't soldiers but volunteers who revered the Jedi maybe that was why they decided to help Jax. "Without the Jedi, there could be no balance in the Force." Were the last words Dav told Jax.

The former Jedi placed his head against the wall, even if the rumors of the cave weren't true, he was grateful that there were people who still cared. He knew that Carnifex was waiting for him, daring Jax to reconnect to the Force. Jax had to overcome his fear and come to terms with the fact that he fallen.

 

[Iris Arani]

She'd never been to Felucia before.

The spiraling jungle, so full of life and color, was as peaceful as it could get for her. Plant life was always the most simple life. The most simple in her world of hues and pigments. No emotion to change them, anyway. She took a calming breath as she wandered through. The local animal life left her be, her calming aura easily dissuading them from any hostilities towards her, at least.

A step in her journey to learn the galaxy.

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

Jax heard footsteps approaching his position, his heart began to flutter. Did the natives already find out where he was? Clenching his teeth, Jax raised his rifle hoping to get the drop on whoever was behind him. Moving quickly, the former Jedi remained hidden in the bushes sweat started to form in his brow. Closing his eyes and hearing the footsteps getting closer Jax emerged from the bushes pointing his rifle at the person's head. "Don't move," he hissed his finger grazing the trigger. "Drop your weapon and put your hands up."

 

[Iris Arani]

The colors shifted. Danger.

Without hesitation Iris moved in a flurry of speed. Her saber ignited, slashing right for the gun as it was brought to aim towards her. Closing the distance, eyes narrowed in a calm focus. Bandits, pirates. It wasn't her first rodeo with them.

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

"Wait a minute....." Jax slowly lowered his Cycler Rifle his eyes grew wide seeing the person in front of him. "Iris?! Is that you?!"

Iris Valery Noble padawan, Jax remembered helping her against Carnifex at Empress Teta. He could sense the raw power of the Force within her when Jax held his father off as she ran. People like her were the future of the New Jedi Order, before it all went to hell and Jax fell to the Dark Side he wanted to take the responsibility to pass the torch to future generations. That they wouldn't make the mistakes that Jax's generation did.

"Damn..... Is the Galactic Alliance with you?!" Jax said his words just began to spill out. "How are you?! Did the Jedi Order declare me dead?!"

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris didn't lower her blade. Her eyes stayed narrowed, watching, scanning. The colors wouldn't lie, right? .. No, his colors were off. And not because he was lying. The blue tip lowered, just a little.

".. Master Thio? What are you- Dead? Why would they say you're dead?"

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

"Wait....." Jax shook his head. "I'm not listed as dead. I would think I would be considering I got incinerated by Carnifex."

Maybe the NJO held out hope that Jax was actually alive, he wasn't the first Jedi to be listed is MIA. "Well, it all started at Empress Teta," Jax explained to Iris. "I..... fought Carnifex and he ended up nearly killing me and teleporting me towards the fringes of the Outer Rim. Since then, I've been trying to make my way back to the Core Worlds."

The Jedi held out his hand staring at it longingly. "I've also lost my connection to the Force," Jax whispered. "I'm trying to find a way to reconnect to it, right now I'm rescuing members of the Church of the Force who say that there they found a cave of sorts that has a deep connection the light side of the Force."

 

[Iris Arani]

"You were what?"

Iris, for all her faults, still didn't pay much attention to after action reports and the like. She was the least likely to know anything about what happened to Jax, especially since she ended up near comatose shortly after. She glanced around towards the jungle, almost frowning though. He was trying to make his way to the Core, but was here? .. Why didn't he ca- Oh. Oohh.

The loss of the Force put it all into perspective.

"Have you had any luck? Reconnecting?"

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

"Nearly killed," Jax said frowning turning around to scout out any possible enemies who would ambush them. "And although I do feel snippets of the Force flowing through me I wasn't able to reconnect."

The Jedi gripped his rifle cursing himself for giving in to the darkness. There was a war going on and Jax was in the Outer Rim feeling sorry for himself and trying to pick up the pieces. But now thanks to his friends, Jax unlocked hope it wasn't much but it's not like Jax was filled with optimism during his trek in the Outer Rim.

"The Church of the Force chapter claimed that they might have a way." Jax said. "The problem is, they've been ambushed by the locals on this planet. We need to rescue them and make sure they're safe, then again this is Felucia and there isn't a place that I can confidently say that is safe."

He and Iris might as well get these survivors into space.

 

[Iris Arani]

Well, at least he could still feel an echo. That was better than not at all, right? Maybe. Iris wasn't too sure what to make of it all, but at least it could be a place to start. And.. Oh. Oh no. The Padawan nodded once, her eyes narrowing just a little in determination. "Alright, where do we go? How do we help these people? What other information do you have on it all?"

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

"You see that encampment over there?" Jax knelt down pointing towards the place where the Felucian warriors were patrolling. "That was where the Church of the Force were setting up their base before their disappearance. For three days I've been following these warriors trying to gather information in where they took them. So far I was walking in circles."

The Jedi shook his head. "Right now, the plan is to take these guys out and look for any clues in the camp," Jax muttered. "The problem is a chit ton of Felucian Warriors. I tired negotiating with these guys but."

Jax pointed to the deep cut on his right cheek. "It didn't end well." he said.

 

[Iris Arani]

Negotiation was off the table, then? Not something Iris wanted to hear, but with there being people's lives very much on the line she had nothing to suggest as an immediate alternative. Her gaze shifted to the camp, scanning through the colors. They were on edge. Probably because of Jax's earlier attempt. "What if we lure them away?" Fighting the whole camp wasn't something Iris wanted to do, for a couple reasons. Jax didn't have the Force. They'd probably end up having to kill them. She wasn't that good.

Luring them away though, that could spare a good number of lives, right?

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani

It was times like this that Jax wished he had his Force abilities back, he could've easily created an illusion to scare off the Felucian natives. Now he'll have to get creative if he doesn't go on a killing spree. Thankfully Iris was here and could easily do what Jax can't at the moment. "Go ahead," Jax said. "I've been studying their patterns for several days and they seem particularly spooked by a Jungle Rancor that's been lurking in the lands somewhere."

Jax turned to Iris. "Either you can create an illusion imitating a Jungle Rancors roar which I'm familiar with." Jax said remembering his close encounter with the creature and nearly got his ribs broken in the process. "Or we can lure the Rancor out and attack the warriors."

 

[Iris Arani]

One of the Rancor's, huh? Iris hummed in thought before just nodding. Yeah, that could work. "If you can guide me to where they are, I think I can make them a friend, rather than a threat on it's own to us. Sound good?"

Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Felucia
Equipment: Adventuring Gear!, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain, Cycler Rifle
Tag: Iris Arani


"Got it," Jax said getting up. Having a Rancor to fight your battles for you is less messy especially if your Force powers have been stripped. Jax had to be more creative in how he dealt with enemies during his journey. It was a humbling experience to say the least, brushing away the branches the Jedi lead Iris towards the cave full of moss and crumpled bones. As Jax got closer he could also smell a foul stench that almost made him want to hurl.

"Rancor chit," Jax mumbled. "The Rancor is definitely there we just need to find a way to lure it out."