[Jedi] Filling in the Map

[Coren Starchaser]

The times when he found himself diving off a starship into a scenario that wasn’t filled with the sounds of warfare were terrible rare. Coren Starchaser was turned into the poster boy of warfare from the light side, the thorn in the side of darkness. But since re-awakening from Carbonite years back, he had fallen away from the war that defined him. He had taken up exploration before the founding of the Galactic Alliance. And with the events that have brought the galaxy to the stop they are at now? It wasn’t smart to hold anything back. He had contacted the Jedi Praxeum, the Shattered Order, and the New Republic Jedi for a bit of a training exercise. More an exploration exercise.

He had located an old compass, one that was rumored to be carried by Luke Skywalker before his fall. Found among ruins of Ahch-To, or some other planet. But what he did know was that it lead the way to a number of places. And this unnamed moon was one of them. Planetary scans had showed the remains of some temples in one of the equatorial areas. Among islands. Wood planks and stone work.

Some were flooded, others on what appeared to be an extinct volcano. The Niathal-class shuttle was hovering over one of the drop spots waiting to let its passengers jump off before finding a landing spot on the lee-ward side of the island. Starchaser looked back to the crew. “We’ll hit the water and sink. Scans indicate we do have an entrance, but the droids are turning back, some form of a field… Probably Force interference.” Old tricks died hard, apparently.

He stepped forward, in a neoprene bodyglove to help regulate his temperature. The water was warm, as the area was tropical, but it was going to be a while in the water. Adjusting his mask and rebreather, he checked his lightsaber, a shoto he had constructed some time in the Unknown Regions, and nodded to the rest before stepping off and plunging into the water.

-----​

Elsewhere on the Island other teams were landing, base camp was being established with a moderate amount of automated technology for scanning and translating, while other teams were landing near the caldera, and the remains of the temple up there. This was supposed to be used as a training exercise, a blue milk exploration run. The galaxy was a dark place, and this was a temple that anyone could feel was dedicated to the light… mostly. There were shadows in the Force. In the temple around. Other teams were landing, and they would be experiencing their own issues.




OOC: A bit of a DM’d thread. Land, or join Coren in the submerged temple. Its mostly light side feeling but there will be some protective Force spells, and as always, light creates darkness and shadow. Lets have some fun!

 

[Rick Kaloo]

[member="Coren Starchaser"], other Jedi folk​

​

Rick often joked that he hadn't been able to take a break since he was eighteen. However, the reality was not a joke at all.​

​

He began a company, leading it through highs and lows until it could earn a sustainable income. He sided with the Galactic Alliance at its founding, integrating his company's vessels into its newborn fleet. Rick had slowly but steadily rose up the ranks of the Alliance Navy, while continuing to produce new vessels and weapons for his company. He had fought in countless battles, from Hoth to Skor to Bespin. He had lost valiant crews, and many vessels, against a seemingly invincible First Order tide. Even in his two-year exile from the Alliance, guilt and sorrow haunted Rick at every corner, constantly pressuring him to make the right choice, so his company wouldn't end up like his old flagships. As he left exile to learn of the Alliance decimated in multiple fronts, his grief caused him to abandon his homeworld and take his company's vessels into the Outer Rim. Even now, things were still changing rapidly. At Umbara, Rick had learned of his Force sensitivity, at the cost of his legs. Only now was he beginning to learn more about his unique ability, and why it had hidden itself from him for so many years.

That was likely the main reason why Rick Kaloo arrived at this strange moon, indicated by the tool of an equally strange man. Rick knew that Luke Skywalker had been the last of the Old Jedi Order, a survivor of Order 66, the Empire's reign, and even the beginnings of the First Order. While it took centuries, the legacy of the Jedi had still continued after Luke's death, in the form of the varying light-side Force wielding groups of the present day. Now, Rick would make his own mark on the path of the Jedi.

Rick had arrived in a shuttle filled with other Jedi, including a certain Starchaser he knew from his Alliance days. He could still consider the Jedi a fellow commander, since Rick's Alliance service ended under a week prior to the current mission. After Rick's revelations in Umbara, he switched factions to approach his new life as a potential Jedi, feeling that the Silver Jedi Order could teach him in a way the Alliance-in-Exile was currently incapable of. As the shuttle emptied out, Rick took a few steps out, his prosthetic legs being installed just days ago. Another consequence of Umbara, though one far less beneficial.


Rick carryied a large brown backpack, airtight and waterproof. It was filled with exploration gear, from translators to a well-sharpened axe stored in an appropriately sized sheath. He wore a synthetic suit designed by the Mon Calamari to keep out water, while still looking and fitting like a typical shirt. Since Mon Calamari were natural swimmers, the suit would not need to be tight or specially shaped. That way, if there were water operations, such as what seemed to be the case, Rick could simply jump in and stay in for hours on end. At the same time, the T-shirt and jeans were casual enough that they could be used for anything else, and no one would realize their qualities until they saw for themselves.

As Starchaser equipped his scuba gear and descended into the tropical waters, Rick followed, his Mon Calamari biology becoming his natural breathing mask and flippers. As Rick felt the warm, soothing water surround his body, his prosthetic limbs automatically sensed that they were submerged and flippers emerged from the tips of the metal feet.

Rick descended into the deep, following the Jedi into a temple not visited by Force-sensitives in millennia.

 

[Romi Jade]

A step or two, she was cradling the edge of the shuttle before peaking out; a quick glance of their tropical surroundings was more than enough to take in for the moment. Pursed lips, she said nothing. Her indication of understanding their situations after Coren briefed them was a repetitive head nod before she backtracked further into the shuttle.

Walking away however, a few words were made audible "Alright. So were going deep..."

Finding some sort of center, she was quick to pin her hair up. Using some sort of reflective surface as a guide. Securing whatever zipper's she needed to be completely ready for the dive, she retraced her steps back towards the edge. These sort of bodyglove suits were her thing...

That was the part she didn't mind. Now the water however....

Those stray thoughts soon faded before her inevitable plunge into the murky tropical water; warm to the touch. She could deal with that she supposed.

To force herself to completely be use to it she submerged herself underneath again, hair crawling through a stasis; those were the strands she failed to secure completely.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Hannah]

Snap. Crunch.

Barely a second passed, Hannah felt herself drop, her body sailed downwards along with a broken branch to indicated how she had fallen to her predicament. Increasingly so, her speed certainly gave her slight worry but with both hands faced towards the forest ground, the Force gathered around her palms. With a large amount of undisciplined Force blast, Hannah slowed her decent and with her new fall speed, the large thump, she landed on her feet without adding too much strain to her servos. An annoyed look and escaped sigh later, she looked up to where the fall took place and wondered if she had miscalculated her weight and strength of the branch.

Without much further investigation, Hannah declared to herself it'd be best if she simply stayed ground level. She doubted that another fall would seriously bring any harm to her body, but her concern pertained more towards the trees. After all, it hardly mattered if she learned to be slightly more agile, with how dense her cybernetics and augments had been it would not benefit her much to practice or train in such way. Though it was fun. She admitted bitterly to herself, her foot kicked a rock in a slight undignified fashion.

Hannah had sensed several different Force signatures, well, sensed was certainly an overstatement of her ability. In fact her augments and enhanced cybernetic senses could detect others far better than her Force sense could presently. In fact, she had learned quite recently that felt rather strange to pull information from other than what had been built into her. To say it was almost symbiotic would be a stretch in Hannah's opinion, but it gave her a certain duality she hadn't ever felt before in her life.

Her tail continued to flick across side to side behind her, her appendage emoted far greater than her facial expression, and even if she felt rather calm from her recent stumble and fall. Her tail certainly demonstrated that fear still resided in her brain somewhere, past the cybernetics and wiring, and somewhere Hannah had little awareness of.

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius Droma stooped low, eyes squinting as he inspected the markings on the moss-covered rubble. The sun was coming in at the perfect angle, hitting it with a bright spotlight. Despite that, it would be hard to translate, due to the moss, erosion, and also the fact that the stonework itself had been broken into several pieces that didn’t all match up so well.

Sighing, he took out his holocam and took a quick snapshot, saving the three-dimensional image for later inspection. This was just a preliminary overlook, to map out the territory and note anything of interest. The next few days would be for more careful study of the region.

He’d been one of the first to arrive – once he’d heard of the find, he’d packed up one of the modified U-wings and headed off. The Stardust was still being worked on, and an A-wing wouldn’t be sufficient for this long of a trip. T-4D4 had stayed behind too, as there was still a lot of work to be done on Teth, and an archaeological expedition seemed a little frivolous at this time.

Hearing the noise of a transport passing overhead, he checked the time on his datapad. The aquatic expedition had gotten here earlier than he expected… he had hoped to join them once he did the preliminary check on this separate temple. It wasn’t often he got to do underwater exploration, after all. Stepping over numerous felled columns and stepping out into the open air, Cassius looked out over the water. He was high up, around a hundred meters, with a steep cliff face leading to the water below.

For some reason, he suddenly had a flash, a rush of different emotions. Rain. Rocks. Thunder… Eadu…

Romi Jade.

Squinting in confusion, Cassius reached into his pack and pulled out his electrobinoculars, holding them up to his face and clicking the controls to focus. He could see the transport, and as he saw a few bodies leap into the water, he spotted a familiar one – indeed, it was Romi Jade, his old master.

Hm. It had been quite some time since he’d seen her, and they hadn’t corresponded much since. Would now even be a good time to approach her? Looking back towards the temple, he considered avoiding the water all together now. His mouth quirked to the side for a moment. He could come back later to finish the preliminary check on this temple.

Heading back towards his U-wing, he grabbed his diving gear.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Rick Kaloo"] | [member="Romi Jade"] | [member="Hannah"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Hitting the water, Starchaser could feel the surrounding energy of it, the movement. He was a Jedi, but he was a spacer first and foremost, and that meant he knew the history of his kind. They came from water, so many millenia ago, Corellians set out to sail on the rough waters of their planet, and even dive beneath the waves. Once he hit the water, he kicked himself to the surface, and watched the others jump from the Mon Calamari shuttle. As he tread water and watch the rest dive, he waved the shuttle off, so it could land.

The teams were growing by the minute and he was glad. The one he hadn’t expected was [member="Rick Kaloo"]. The Mon Cal had been there since the start of the Alliance and that was all that Coren had to say about his character. Moving into the Silver Jedi was what some folks had done, and so long as they came running when the beacons were lit? It didn’t matter. “You got point, if you want it, Admiral.” He grinned, knowing that despite ranks, the Alliance operated differently, and despite changes in service, he’d consider Rick to be a permanent comrade. And the Mon Cal was the best suited for leading.

Especially because he could sense the anxiety in [member="Romi Jade"] and looked at her when she was touching down. A look and a side nod was all he needed to make sure she was situated, or to allow her to tell him something was wrong.


Elsewhere, the temple was coming into view. There were sections that were completely overgrown. Marked by animals, stonework eroded by the test of rain, wind, and sun. The age of the temples and the grounds would give anyone pause to wonder what had been seen. Why had this moon been off the maps, and what was the point and purpose of the area? Anyone with retrocognition would be able to tell there were training grounds outside, martial and mystical.

Before even entering the temples, though, images of Force users training, of trees, and writings referencing Ashla, and Light, were found around. But more was found inside.
[member="Hannah"]
[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

The water was cool, but did not chill her to the bone as she'd originally thought it might - her diving suit, and the helmeted visor she wore, protected her body and gave her the ability to breathe while submerged. Drystan kicked, urging herself onward to join [member="Coren Starchaser"] and [member="Rick Kaloo"] in the first team to enter the ancient temple they'd come to explore.

The blonde Jedi had come prepared; looped over one shoulder was a sleek black pack filled with a small number of items; necessities she felt might come in handy, as well as a small supply of rations and fresh water should they remain below for longer than anticipated. Attached to her belt were a small number of pouches as well as her Shoto - a silver bladed shorter saber she often carried when discretion, concealment, and size & weight considerations were an issue. She had not believed it was necessary to bring a full-size lightsaber on the expedition...

Inwardly, she hoped that had been a wise decision.

She was close to Coren & Rick, but had said little; preferring to remain focused on the flow of the Force, and her own mind.

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I'd come along to this exercise I supposed the exploration of a temple warranted my time. As it was I needed to be away from the solitude I'd been in......Perhaps whatever lay on this planet could grant me some kind of inner peace.

If nothing else the weather was nice and I rather liked the look of the waters, there'd been several to go under the waters already. I'd seen the first group go in and I simply put in a rebreather and broke the surface of the water myself. The gear I'd brought was in a sealed dive bag and I moved fluidly along to match pace with the others. As it was my sabers were clipped to my belt and the holsters held both my slugthrower pistols and my modded DC-15s blaster pistols. The knives in my thigh sheathes were here as well secured in place with magnetic locks. My robes and clothes were treated with a blend of chemicals to act as a barrier against water and various other elemental hazards. As it was I wore my beskar cuirass under the robes for the sake of protection should I need it.

I swam along behind the group and to the right keeping pace with the group. I noticed a familiar sense though.... Swimming a little faster I made my way over closer to the group. Guess I'd find out who I was workign with soon enough.....Probably a good thing I'd gotten off Kashyyyk anyways. I needed to learn how to work with others...

[member="Drystan Marakos"] ~ [member="Coren Starchaser"] ~ [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Rick Kaloo]

[member="Andorreth Vikar"], [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Drystan Marakos"], [member="Romi Jade"], other Jedi folk​

​

Water was another form of air to the Mon Calamari, able to effortlessly travel through it for hours on end.​

They had never lost the strength of their fish ancestors, nor the comfortable feel of soaring through the water. As Rick continued to dive deeper without a hitch, his confidence in the mission and finding his identity increased even further.

As Coren Starchaser addressed him, Rick felt a smile of his own creep up upon hearing the rank. "It would be my pleasure." Rick replied. "At the very least, I can consider this my last action as a member of the Galactic Alliance. Keep it alive for me, would you?"

Rick dove even deeper, descending at a 60 degree angle. As the water grew darker, Rick attempted to reach out with the Force as so many Jedi have done before, to try to find a signature. Surely enough, Umbara had revealed a Jedi in Rick, for he began to feel a wall of stone about thirty meters in front of him.

"Follow me!" Rick yelled through the water, as he began to close in the distance.

As he drew closer, he realized that there was an opening in the wall, representing an entryway long eroded. It was part of a stone wall running along an incline on the sea floor, one unusually high and circular for any sort of natural occurrence. At ten meters away, his eyes confirmed that what he saw in the Force was reality, with the entryway likely being large enough to fit two people at a time.

Crossing the last ten meters in only a few seconds, Rick beckoned for the others to follow and entered the ancient, submerged temple.

 

[Finley Dawson]

A call had been put out to all Jedi by Master Starchaser to join him in exploring a newly discovered submerged temple. It was one of those rare opportunities explore a temple that probably hadn't already been ransacked by tomb raiders and mega corporations.

Of course, the Pathfinder couldn't resist.

He arrived to the alien moon with a small party of other Silver Jedi, now standing near the dive spot affixing his equipment over his skinsuit. On his back he carried a large sealed pack full of sensors and other survey gear, and at his feet was an aquatic drone for probing. A gray scuffed up lightsaber hilt was stuck to the right side of his chest, the only real weapon the Jedi had in his possession.

"I'm all ready to go," he told Charlie at his side. Again, the Padawan had joined him for another adventure. "How about you?"

[member="Charlie Nooran"] [member="Andorreth Vikar"] [member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Cassius Droma"] [member="Hannah"] [member="Romi Jade"] [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Charlie Nooran]

A pair of hammers strapped onto the back of a small girl. She wore a suit like Finley’s since they were here as a survey team. Underneath the hammers a small pack was strapped to her and hugged her lower back, inside were other tools for survival and anything that the team couldn’t carry themselves. She shoved a granola bar into her mouth and munched quietly as she waited

Finley spoke directly to her and she wiped off the granola bits from her face and smiled. “Mhm, I’m ready.” She adjusted the pack that hung on her waist and tightened it slightly. “Do we have any idea of what’s out there?”

A slender finger scratched the tip of her nose as she pondered what they were going to face on the alien moon. A part of her wondered if there was going to be something like in the holofilms she watched, with a large mechanical looking alien that hunted a few what she assumed was rangers. Shrugging it off, Charlie dusted off her clothes and waited for the others.

[member="Finley Dawson"] [member="Andorreth Vikar"] [member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Cassius Droma"] [member="Hannah"] [member="Romi Jade"] [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Romi Jade]

She'd tread close to Coren of course, catching his look at the last minute. She'd casually nod in reassurance; she was fine. Just...water wasn't her strong suit. However, she did what she had to. They were mastering that silent form of communication...it was becoming unnaturally natural? It was weirdly second nature for them to just get what each other were thinking and saying.

They knew why of course but...

Giving into the sway of the water itself, she and welcomed and encouraged the banter between Coren and his contemporaries. Looking on between the two, it was always nice to witness the camaraderie in effect. Given all that happened....

Conscious now of the sound of her breathing, it was all she could hear when the talking itself ceased. She went for the dive, cutting through the body of water to propel herself forward in preparation to follow their lead. She held her momentum steady, with the consistent movement of her feet. Soon the shadows from below began to engulf Rick as he descended at a much faster speed than they would.

Coming to a halt, she allowed herself to float in place,

"So he found an opening?" she became lost in her own thoughts for a second, staring off.

What would be the catalyst for knocking her from her trance was a chill that crawled the length of her back. The water itself was warm...this was a feeling if anything. She quickly contorted her body, twisting as fast as she could through the friction of the water itself. It was a familiar presence she was honing in on....

She figured she'd address it later if anything. She fell back into formation with the others...

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Rick Kaloo"] | [member="Cassius Droma"] | [member="Finley Dawson"] | [member="Charlie Nooran"]

 

[Jsc]

​

South of the Crater
Caldera Base Camp

It was a fear of deep water that kept Cinto away. Her small starfighter landing among the smooth wet rocks of the mountains. Her boots touching the edge of the cliff and the beginning of the cloudy skies. She smiled out into the vast expanse overlooking the nearby aquatic shuttles. Already she could see others diving right in. Gracing the tropical waters with a new lustful grasp at adventure. Cinto brushed away a small strand of hair from her face. Letting the wind whip at the ground and fill her nose with the smells of a bright new world. Crisp, bitter mountain air.

Jackie was nearby. Talking with the engineers over by the X-Wings. Watching the droids deposit the first of new prefabs and moving aside as the scout teams moved out into the hills. They'd both be muddy and smiling within the hour. Such was the nature of milk runs. Such was a reunion of the Jedi.

"Corsica! Yo. We're going inside! Come on girl. You won't want to miss this. Woohoo."

Cinto smiled and waved from her perch on the mossy edge,

"Coming!"

She hoped down from her endless ocean view and her gasping blue sky. Skipping down the last few happy steps past the starfighters and around the shuttling coms equipment. Dancing past the kneeling engineers, the chirping cargo droids, and the scouting parties last few adventurous cliff-side stragglers. Down the wet mountain grass. The was an old temple structure just around the corner. Maybe she and Jackie could get it working again as part of the expedition. A new light bulb here, a diesel generator there. Well... Ya just never know?

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan kicked her feet, plunging into the depths of the water as she swam, taking up a rear-guard position in the small group of swimmers she'd joined with. She would perform her duties admirably if anyone were to fall behind - similarly to a rear guard position in ground warfare or in space, she would let none of her flock pass her or be left behind.

The visor she wore sealed off her face from the murky waters, and she was able to breathe naturally thanks to the rebreather device built into the helmet - it would protect her well against drowning. Her wetsuit kept her dry but not as warm as she might've liked. As she swam, following Coren's lead, she allowed her spirit to stretch deeply into the force... Feeling out the world they'd come to, the journey ahead, and the path behind.

She could feel a number of other Jedi in the forests surrounding the temple, and the feelings of anxiety, mild concern, excitement, and other such emotions in her comrades. Each of them, professionals... and each of them, prepared for whatever might be found in the depths ahead. She hoped they wouldn't be swimming long.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Romi Jade"] [member="Charlie Nooran"] [member="Finley Dawson"] [member="Rick Kaloo"] [member="Andorreth Vikar"]​

 

[Cassius Droma]

The green painted, modified U-wing coasted over the water to the drop point. Cassius sat on the edge of the large doorway, his legs dangling over the side as he clutched a strap above him. With his pack of gear secured to his back, he slid a lightweight gauntlet-looking device over his left forearm. With a few taps, he programmed the U-wing to head back to its original landing spot within thirty seconds. Doing a quick pat-down on his gear, including a few items that were located on the straps of the pack, he was ready.

Cassius grabbed his rebreathing helmet and slid it over his head. It was a bit clunky, with a large light on the upper right for him to see while he was in the dark water, but he knew that it wouldn’t be as much of a problem once he was under. The helmet also covered his nose and mouth with the rebreather and comm system, so he could breathe and communicate at the same time.

Launching off, Cassius scissored his legs together as he hit the surface, keeping his head and shoulders above the water for the moment. Looking up, he watched as the U-wing took off, back towards the temple he’d been surveying originally. With a few deep breaths to make sure the rebreather was working properly, Cassius dove under.

He brought up the rear, catching up as best he could due to his tardiness. He didn’t try to make some sort of introduction for himself – he just fell into formation. It was still too dark to see the entirety of the temple up ahead, but already Cassius’s mind was taking in as much information as he could. Reaching up to a strap on his pack, he firmly pressed a button that went from solid back to glowing red. A scanning device on his pack would start recording everything in a certain radius for holographic viewing later.

Cassius continued along with the group, following the Mon Calamari that had taken point. His gloved fingertips traced the walls as he swam, and he remarked absentmindedly, “Stonework is nice… looks maybe older than the others up top…” Of course, there was no way to definitively tell until they took samples.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Rick Kaloo"] | [member="Romi Jade"] | [member="Hannah"] | [member="Drystan Marakos"] | [member="Andorreth Vikar"] | [member="Finley Dawson"] | [member="Charlie Nooran"]

 

[Viviana]

There was a large splash as another last minute tag along joined the water team. The ten foot white bear quickly caught up to his companions, gliding through the water with relative ease. He grew as a fisherman on the Beorni island on Midvinter after all. He hadn't bothered with a rebreather or any other equipment, the Force and his natural long held breath was all he would need. The Icehammer on his hip glowed a faint blue to help add to the light as the darkness of the depths came around them.

Calder would go last through the entrance, mostly to keep an eye out on the waters behind them.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Romi Jade"] [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Seemed like the team was moving on. That was good. The Jedi Master was perfectly fine letting the Mon Cal lead. It was, after all, his primary environment. Starchaser knew better than to step on anyone’s toes when it came to who was better at what. Wasn’t like someone would opt for anyone but him to lead a space expedition. Well, maybe Jorus Merrill, but that was someone Coren was fine being second valachord to. Not that it mattered, they’d all get where they were going anyhow.

A quick nod to [member="Rick Kaloo"] and Coren would be making sure the team was ready to go. He reached out into the Force and nudged the Jedi around before giving a tug towards Rick and the Temple. He could tell the others were a coming from a number of Orders. There wasn’t much to say, not much besides the briefing. Explore the temple, see what they could learn, and work together. All the Jedi were taking their own path, but that didn’t stop them from working together. Mutual learning, mutual understanding, that was what was important. In no way was Starchaser about to try to run down that road, of unifying into one Order. He knew a fool’s errand when he saw one.

“You alright?” He asked [member="Romi Jade"] through the link they were developing as an almost second nature. He was here and ‘directing’ the expedition but it didn’t mean he was going to be leading. Keeping an eye on the Silver Jedi, he was wondering just where [member="Jyoti Nooran"] was. But first things first, he had to get the team through. And Rick would start to see the temple, the location here was older than the rest. The water was definitely not natural, but not… unnatural.

The location of the temple was one that could be, if the weather permitted, flooded, possibly even seasonally, but the statues and engravings in the stone were large and deep, many showed the wear of age and the trials of the water. While Coren would be telling Rick that he didn’tneed to be so dramatic, he still shook his head with a grin. The halls would be wide enough for people to walk, or in this case, swim, side by each, at least three wide. And somewhere in the temple, either to the right or left, the group would be able to hear the lapping of water on dry stone.

Or at least exposed stone.

The language was an older dialect of aurebesh, and basic, but the imagery were showing a vast group of beings, some healing, and some warriors, in both physical and mystical combat.

The teams on land of [member="Hannah"] and [member="Corsica Cinto"] were going to be finding similar imagery, a bit more defined and sharp. The etching was definitely done with more advanced tools, not as precise as a lightsaber, but more likely a torch of some kind. And the sounds of creatures in the temple depths. The one thing that was certain, the temples were from the same group. With the people moving into the temple, especially around Corisca, anything inside was moving away, but the temple directions were a bit more obvious as to where anything of value may be located.

[member="Calder Icehammer"]
[member="Cassius Droma"]
[member="Drystan Marakos"]
[member="Charlie Nooran"]
[member="Finley Dawson"]
[member="Andorreth Vikar"]

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I closed the gap and ended up taking up rear guard along with the young woman. Only thing was I'd turned around and was swimming with my eyes facing back to the open waters, I reckoned I could look at fancy carvings and such once we were inside this temple. I was paranoid in general but I didn't want any surprises and I certainly wouldn't leave anyone to be blindsided. Stretching out into The Force I felt around me, the signatures of people...The woman behind me seemed all business but intrigued as well, the Mon Cal seemed like he was reminded of home or just in his element. I felt.....a pull. A personal pull to this temple though....What was it with The Force, me and underwater temples? Last one I'd been in had been.....unexpected. Not fun at all I was still trying to figure out about what I'd learned on Corellia... Bringing my attention back to the present I continued bringing up the rear and waited to enter this temple....

[member="Drystan Marakos"] ~ [member="Jyoti Nooran"] ~ [member="Coren Starchaser"]~ [member="Rick Kaloo"]

 

[Rick Kaloo]

[member="Andorreth Vikar"], [member="Coren Starchaser"], [member="Drystan Marakos"], [member="Romi Jade"], [member="Finley Dawson"], [member="Charlie Nooran"], other Jedi folk​

​

Rick entered the gates of the temple, wary of whatever may lie within.​

​

As Rick swam forward through a short, straight hallway, he realized two things. First, ancient symbols and hieroglyphs filled the walls, representing a group of people engaged in a battle. Below them, an ancient language was written in long, thin symbols, and Rick had no way of translating them. Secondly, the hallway was slowly angling upward, until a submerged staircase lead to an opening, free of water.

After passing only a dozen short steps, Rick emerged from the water, his clothes dripping as he shook himself off. The small, narrow space caused the dripping to echo and become louder than normal. He took a step forward, the thump of metal against stone reverberating throughout the staircase. Then, Rick sped up, walking briskly up the staircases. Finally, about sixty stairs up from the start, the floor leveled and came to a three-way intersection.

Suddenly, a vision flew through Rick's head. To the left, a great chamber loomed, supported by dozens of pillars. In the center of the room, on a raised podium, lay multiple graves. They suddenly let off a yellow glow, becoming incredibly intense. Then, the glow turned green and the vision ended.

At that moment, Rick knew which path he would take. "I'm heading left, something in the Force is beckoning to me there." called Rick. "Meet back here in a few hours, unless something interferes."

After all, Rick knew perfectly well that the vision could have any sort of intent. For all he knew, he could be walking into a trap. Because of the uncertainty of the recent series of events, Rick drew his axe from his bag, unsheathing it and wielding it in both hands. Additionally, Rick took out his headlamp, since it was nearly pitch black in the hall. As he turned it on, a beam of white light shone strongly in front of him. As he looked around, he realized that long-extinguished torches, half-rotted, lay on the walls, perhaps the previous form of lighting for the temple.

Rick took the left path and followed the torches, his grip on his axe tightening.

 

[Jsc]

South of the Crater
Volcanic Temple Entrance, p2
nearest [member="Hannah"]

The scout trooper raised his rifle out towards the dark glowing passage within. His mounted flashlight billowing down into the cold black shadows beyond. The white sunlight of the nearer sky lightly graced his back. They had only taken a few steps within this soggy tomb when suddenly they heard it. Something was moving deeper within. Something was scurrying about far, far below. So the scout trooper quietly raised his comlink to his chin, just loud enough to whisper.

"We got movement. All teams. Be on alert. Ready probe droids and set to stun."

Corsica and Jackie stood only a hair's breath away. Both looking at each other in confusion. Jackie, a spunky Jedi Knight for the Shattered Order, nodded to Cinto first,

"Hey. Corsica."

"Yeah?"

The blond whispered back. Careful not to move as the team of scout troopers began slowly stalking forward. Flashlights abounding off of every decorated stone wall. Dazzling the once dark passages into a light show of strafing illumination beyond. Jackie made a motion with her hands,

"Look. At the walls."

Corsica Cinto, one hand on her lightsaber, turned slowly to eye the tall etchings that surrounded them. She shrugged,

"Yeah, so?"

"Take a picture, duh."

Cinto seemed to relax a bit at her remark. Oh... Right. I suppose they were here to do some exploring. Might as well get about it. Let the scout teams worry about giant spiders and the like. Corsica relented and moved her hand away from her saber and down to her phone.

"Oh. Right. I suppose we could catalogue a few things. Pictures and such. It's... Mostly safe up here. Right."

"Well. Nothing you and I can't handle. Heh."

Jackie sounded confident but her own posture remained cat-like. Poised for trouble and nervous of anything that moved down the hallways below. Almost out of time too. Already one of the scouts up ahead was motioning for the girls to follow the rest of the team. Otherwise they'd eventually become separated as they slowly stalked further up the connecting passages. Flashlights leading the way.

"How much further Jackie?"

"We'll stop at the first set of chambers. No rush. Besides? Whatever is moving down there is probably just as afraid of us and we are of them. So. We'll keep our distance. For now."

Corsica nodded and inched her way slowly up the dark passage. Recording everything she saw with her phone in her left hand. Honestly hoping deep down inside, that they didn't find anything interesting in here at all.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]