Kathracite, Pontite and Mephite

[Thel Antares]

Ilum​

Ilum had been a sacred planet for the Jedi for thousands of years. Although the layers of ice on the surface of the planet left much to be desired, the true value to the Order lay deep beneath the ground. Hidden within a lone Jedi Temple was the entrance to the crystal caves, but it was not just any crystals that the Jedi would seek upon exploring the planet - instead they were looking for the Kyber crystals. Many generations of Jedi would come to Ilum for this singular purpose and many considered it a vital step in their training.

The original Jedi Temple had begun to crumble, it had been there for thousands of years and elements have begun to erode structure. That, which had once been one of the most sacred places for any lightside force-user, had was now reclaimed by ice and appeared to be abandoned for years. The Temple witnessed infrequent visitors who would seek the ancient crystals caves and the Kyber crystals that lay beneath the surface. Even with the thousands of Jedi who had explored the caves, many of the deeper areas had never been seen by the eyes of any sentient being.

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This was a new situation for Thel. The Jedi padawan had rarely left his Temple, and had never travelled off planet without his master. However, this was a task he must complete on his own... at least that's what he had planned.

Unfortunately the task he was to complete for his training was located in the Outer-Rim Territories, and as he did not know how to fly, Thel had to employ the services of a "transport company". The padawan had an innocent mind and failed to realise that those who had agreed to take him were just smugglers, and were completing the job for an extremely inflated price. But the price did not seem to concern Thel as he considered this mission, to obtain a Kyber crystal for his lightsaber, to be of the upmost importance for him to further his training within the Jedi Order.

It would seem that the smugglers had other customers interested in visiting the planet at the same time, therefore they had decided to pile them all within the same freighter. And so, this solo task had become the conjoined effort of a group of smugglers, two other interested parties, and of course, Thel. The smugglers were in the cockpit, undoubtedly enjoying their luscious payday at Thel's expense, whilst Thel sat in the crew quarters. With little to do, the Jedi found himself using the force to levitate a bolt that had been found on the floor of the spaceship.



[member="Ultimatum"] [member="Kirk"]

​

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum was used to traveling with smugglers. Since his reawakening, the droid had used various forms of 'public' transportation since he had been unable to acquire a starship. Though, he realized, he had the capital to spend on a purchasing one, or even have one built for him. He just hadn't taken the time to do so. It did not matter overly much since at this point he was already on a bound for the world he had visited only once before. Ultimatum knew not to ask questions regarding cargo or other people, criminals like this would not have appreciated those sorts of questions. Being an administrator in monetary funds, as one of his original jobs, Ultimatum had been quite cut-throat with his payment to the smugglers. They had received more than would have been normal for a trip of this length, but not by enough for them to happy with the profit. Or so Ultimatum calculated. Organics behavior, for all of its spontaneity, was calculable.

The robot had been pouring over a datapad for most of the time up till this point, taking breaks now and then to spend in more in-depth thought. Upari was bored by the documents and the Shard inside of Ultimatum was more excited for the trip on Ilum than this waiting part. The datapad contained information on the latest economic standings on Bonadan, a thoroughly dull subject to those who had no stake in its well being, which Ultimatum did. He had finished with the primary predictions of the entertainment sector's value, which was unlikely to affect the droid since his work was mainly the police area. Laying the datapad down, Ultimatum stood and took a few steps in either direction. Seeing the others, Ultimatum decided to make a couple of acquaintances. Pointing to the levitating bolt the droid asked, "I would guess you are going to Ilum for the crystals?"

[member="Thel Antares"] [member="Kirk"]

 

[Thel Antares]

- Clang! -

The question came to the surprise of Thel and breached his trance-like state, causing the bolt to fall to the metal flooring of the ship. "Uhhhh-" He began to reply, before bending down to pick up the bolt from the ground. "-I'm sorry. Yes, I am here for the Jedi Temple and the crystals that lie within!" The young Jedi was enthusiastic about his first solo Jedi task. It would be clear from his demeanour that he had not spent long away from his Jedi Temple and was unaware of the dangers that these Outer-Rim Territories posed.

"Are you too here for the crystals? Have you ever been before?" Thel's curiosity was beginning to get the better of him, however he decided to stop barraging the droid with questions, to avoidance becoming an annoyance. He would then return to his previous task of levitating the bolt just above his hand, although this time he would keep attention focused on the droid, awaiting a response.


[member="Ultimatum"] [member="Kirk"]

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum was about to apologize for the interruption. He recalled that using the Force could require most of a being's attention. Upari, the Shard that was secure inside of Ultimatum's chassis, had spent many hours meditating before. The droid would have smiled, if he could, when the Jedi began enthusiastically speaking. Ultimatum wondered if he had visited the world before, or it he was prepared for the harsh conditions they would endure there.

"Indeed. We've been once before and are going to have a more in-depth study of the planet, hopefully. Last time, we found a crystal in the Crystal Caves, the ones used for Jedi tests in ages past. Have you visited the world? Do you know what to prepare for?" Ultimatum was prepared for possibility of conflict, but guessed it would be unlikely. As long as they avoided the deep caverns there would be a very low chance of coming across threatening fauna. Ultimatum did not really feel barraged, most organics asked questions a lot of them. While not entirely new, it appeared that a droid under his own control was just odd enough to be interesting.

[member="Thel Antares"]

 

[Thel Antares]

"Yes! My master has been telling me stories of those crystals, I just hope I can find one of my own today." The question from the droid worried Thel slightly, what did he have to prepare for on the planet? Surely his master would not of sent Thel on a potentially dangerous expedition on his own, especially as he knew the padawan's viewpoint on violence and his inability to fight back should the situation arise. "I've heard its cold down there; is there anything else I should know?" Indeed Thel had prepared for the cold weather conditions but the young boy had little more than his coat and small satchel containing only the most basic of supplies with him.

A sense of relief washed over the young man upon hearing that his new acquaintance has visited the planet before, maybe they could stay together and the droid could show Thel where he had found his Kyber crystals last time he was here. It had puzzled Thel as to why a lonesome droid was visiting Ilum, however it seemed sentient and it may have appeared rude if he was to ask.

"Five minutes 'til touchdown! Hope you boys brought your winter coats." The voice rang around the metal cabin and belonged to the captain who resided in the cockpit. Now Thel felt excited travel through his body, he couldn't wait to reach the ground below.


@Ultimatum

 

[Ultimatum]

Here for crystals, the droid remembered when he and Upari had first gone to Ilum, searching for their own gem. It had been a journey, fortunately without any conflict, with a rather strange tale. He believed that it was reasonably common for Jedi to have different experiences when hunting for their crystal. Ultimatum hoped that [member="Thel Antares"] was up to the task that was ahead. Surely, the organic's master would have given him some idea of what to expect. Though that might be part of the test, but Ultimatum did not know the mind of his master.

"It does have its fair share of dangerous local fauna. Do you have any equipment to protect yourself?" Blasters, swords, even the Force would have been useful. Ultimatum was planning on relying on the Force and his lightsaber, if it came to it. He didn't want to have to deal with any animals this day, but if a beast created problems then he would deal with it as it came. "If not, I'd be glad to join you."

Upon hearing the smuggler captain, or pilot Ultimatum could not tell from here, the droid ran through a diagnostics check. Not a full check, that would have taken a few minutes and been quite obvious. It was a quick general overview, that was finished in under a second and cause no outward change in appearance. His body, and the Vizier suit that held two upari crystals for the Shard, also named Upari, to draw upon through the Force should the need arrise. The robot was ready for the icy world. It had dealt him a light hand before, perhaps this time would be different.

 

[Dano Dil]

Dil had been looking for work. Strangely enough it came to him in the form of a group of smugglers.

It began with the smugglers arranging to use Dil's ship for their operations, and they were paying him nicely, but it got interesting real fast. A Jedi padawan and a robot had requested safe passage to unknown regions, some sacred planet to the Jedi. The smugglers convinced the two to pay more, and Dil was getting a cut for his... hospitality.

He had called back to the passengers to tell them they were landing shortly. He looked out the cockpit at the desolate world. Huge cliffs of ice rose up around a large ancient structure, the smugglers claimed it was a Jedi temple. He slowly landed on a flat spot nearby the ancient temple.

"Alright boys" he called back to the two. "We've touched down. It looks rough out there. I've got something to ask you though." He stepped into the back where the two resided. "I didn't come all the way out here to sit in my ship. I'm interested in the Jedi, to say the least... and I'm coming with you. Plus I'm sure an extra blaster can't hurt." He hit the button that opened the bay door, out into the blizzard. He returned quickly to the cockpit and made sure to lock the ignition and turn of his astromech, he didn't want any of these smugglers double crossing him.

With the ship safe from being jacked, he began walking down the ramp into the frigid wastes, as he pulled his fur coat over his shoulders. This was going to be fun.

[member="Ultimatum"] [member="Thel Antares"]

 

[Thel Antares]

"I don't believe in any form of weaponry that can cause harm to others." Thel was a pacifist and it was it upmost belief that conflict cause always be resolved with diplomacy, however he did see how this could be an issue if they were to deal with wild animals on the surface or within the caves. The Jedi chuckled slightly, "Although if danger does come, I've been told I run quite fast!"

Shortly after, they made landfall on the planet. The conditions outside were indeed rough; the wind from outside could already be heard hammering the outside of the ship. Thel had never encountered such extreme weather conditions due to his isolated life within his Jedi Temple.

"The more the merrier! I do hope we encounter no threats, but you and your blaster will be appreciated should the situation arise." Thel had no objection to the Captain coming with them. If the pilot was with the group there would be no chance of the two of them being stranded on the planet with no way back.

Wrapping his coat around his body and pull the hood over his head, Thel would exit the ship via the ramp. Master told him Ilum was cold. Cold was an understatement.



[member="Dano Dil"] [member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Dano Dil]

"Gotcha man, the blaster stays holstered till we're in really deep, although i have a feeling not much can live out here."

Dil took his first step off the ramp and onto the cold ground. The snow was thick, good enough to stand on.

"So you two are Jedi of sorts? The Jedi fascinate me very much, but I can't figure out why the protectors of the Galaxy would come to it's most remote parts, or anyone for that matter."

[member="Thel Antares"] [member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Ultimatum]

It was an understandable mentality. Ultimatum had a friend who was much the same, or at least she had been. She had preferred the pacifistic route, hoping to avoid conflict. In dealing with sentients, Ultimatum would agree that conflict could be avoided, for the most part, through diplomacy. But animals didn't stop just because one asked. Creatures of the nonsentient sort needed to have a physical reason that would prevent them from attacking, usually in the form of the appearance of a more significant threat.

Ultimatum was always ready for more to come with them. Greater numbers increased survivability and in this case mitigated the chance of betrayal. He was no fool; there was little trust for the smugglers who had been paid. The droid stepped down the ramp and into the cold. There was a strong wind, which carried snowflakes in little flurries. Insulated against the extreme temperature, the droid nonetheless was glad that his internal mechanisms could produce enough heat to counteract what did penetrate the outer suit.

The robot hoped that the wind would pass, for he wanted to see the sky. Last time it had been night, and the view from this world was beautiful. The stars were almost entirely visible, a sign of the world's lack of pollution. "I believe that is a question for you," Ultimatum stated, looking to [member="Thel Antares"]. The droid did not consider himself a Jedi, for he had not ascribed to their philosophy and had only minimal experience with them, in the form of his teacher who was a Jedi.

[member="Dano Dil"]

 

[Thel Antares]

The fight site of the ancient Jedi Temple was awe inspiring for Thel. This was the Temple that so many Jedi had visited in past generations and had been able to stay a staple in Jedi culture for thousands of years. This same amazement almost caused the young padawan to miss the question he was asked. "Oh yes - I'm a Jedi. Only a padawan though. I'm here for the Kyber crystals within caves that are through there." Thel pointed towards the entrance of the grand temple ahead of them. "Master has told me that the Jedi have been coming out here for generations, as these crystals are what power Jedi lightsabers."

Thel took the lead of the group, his anticipation of entering the temple clear to the others. "I could go on for hours about what my Master has told me, but I don't want to bore you."

What lay in front of the group was a fascinating piece of architectural work, considering the age of the structure and how far it was from civilisation. A large stairway led to the main doors of the temple. These doors were made of a sturdy metal and hard survived much of the cold conditions. The rock walls of the temple had not fared as well as they had begun to crumble and break away due to the severe weathering conditions outside.



[member="Ultimatum"] [member="Dano Dil"]

 

[Dano Dil]

"I'm sure your stories would not bore me as much as you think. I find it interesting that Jedi come here to get their lightsaber crystals. I have never seen a lightsaber in real life. My mother always told me the Jedi and the force were a superstition, but even in my short time away from home I've seen them many times."

He followed behind the padawan, also eager to get inside. He hoped it would be a little warmer inside, and if not, at least the wind wouldn't being slapping his face.

As they entered the temple, he was amazed by the architecture. Anything this old in the Coruscant Underworld was far beneath where he grew up, and certainly worse looking.

"Alright you two, you know what you came for, lead the way to these caves, I'll just admire the architecture"

 

[Ultimatum]

"We would be interested in such also." Ultimatum, and to a lesser extent Upari, was always interested in learning more about Force using societies and beliefs. It was the best way to learn more about the Force, at this point. It was better to learn from those who had come before, rather than reinvent the proverbial wheel.

The robot followed the two others, taking more time before entering. The building was impressive, the design and work were fairly standard for the time period according to Ultimatum's databanks. He wondered if any of the rooms still contained any volumes or tech of value. Ultimatum did not care for monetary value, not here anyways, he was looking for educational value. When he was working in a more Force centered mode, the droid was wholly focused on learning all that he could.
He confessed to the padawan, who was probably older than Ultimatum, "We've never been to this temple before. We traveled to another crystal cave."

Once inside, the droid turned to [member="Dano Dil"] and offered the lightsaber he had made some time ago, "Here, if you'd like you can look it over, and maybe use it a bit." Ultimatum hoped he didn't have to add the all too obvious, don't an arm or leg off.

[member="Thel Antares"]

 

[Thel Antares]

Inside the temple maintained the chilled air but the lack of wind reduced caused a slightly warmer air temperature. Still, it was too cold for any outer layers to be taken off.

Thel had not said much since entering, he was now too absorbed in his surroundings. There was not much left in the main chamber of the temple, years of neglect made the room seem dull. Any banners that had once proudly displayed the symbol of the Jedi Order had decayed long ago.

To the left of the group were the housing for the Jedi who had once lived here; there were simple beds and various tables scattered about. The harsh conditions may be destructive outside, but inside the cold was able to get this furniture perfectly preserved. On the right was an old training room which peaked Thel's curiosity, however they were here for the Crystal caves, which the opening for should be nearby.

"There it is!" The padawan spotted the cave entrance. This was the only area where natural rock met the shaped rock of the temple. It would come to the surprise of Thel; the importance of this location made him think that the cave would be bigger, somehow grander. "I thought it would be bigger. These caverns are meant to go on for hundreds of miles, should we leave a trail of bread crumbs?"


[member="Dano Dil"][member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Equinox]

Equinox had received word of the new group of people checking out such a desolate planet. He didn't intend to kill anyone, he just wanted action, so protecting them was his best cause at this moment in time. He knew this planet, although he wasn't from here, he had hid here when he was being chased, before slaying and cutting down a Jedi who had hunted him. He was known through the galaxy for his power, but he planned to be nice, for once...

In the Light Sky he entered the atmosphere of Ilum, at lightspeed, before promptly breaking at a safe distance from the surface. It wasn't long before he saw the crew and group that had landed not long before him. It didn't look safe, but he always liked a little bit of action, he knew that maybe a young Padawan would fear him, as most people do, but he didn't want it this time. He just wanted crystals to sell, and use.

But if anything attempted to hurt him, he would not hesitate to destroy them. Besides this thought, he swiftly landed behind the ship that had just unloaded it's passengers, not far from the cave entrance that the group were soon to vanish into. He left his PPAS group in the ship, and he was the only one to leave down the metal, clunking walkway to the ground. It was cold and fresh, but he smiled, and quickly ran towards the group in his Force Imbued Armour. He carried on until they noticed him.

[member="Thel Antares"] [member="Ultimatum"] [member="Dano Dil"]

 

[Dano Dil]

Dil tapped the padawan on the shoulder before entering.

"We may have a bigger problem than getting lost. Look." Behind them stood a tall, dark figure. The red glowing eyes didn't help the case. Dil put his hand on his blaster but didn't draw.

"Who are you!?" Dil was getting nervous. This looked bad.

He turned to Ultimatum and pushed the light saber back to him. For all it's elegance and power, Dil didn't know how to use it, and the droid might have a better time with it should things go down hill.

@Equinox @Thel Antares [member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Equinox]

"I am Equinox, i'm glad to hear someone doesn't know of my dark past, and present, and future. However, for once in my life I don't want to hurt anyone, just don't start anything with me or you'll regret it."

He clutched the hilts of his lightsabers and stamped his foot with a wider leg stance, as his foot hit the ground the sabers extended, one white, one black, glowing in the darkening outside.

"You see?"

He withdraws the lightsabers and puts them back in his belt, and with open arms, approaches the group. "I don't want to fight, but I will if I have to, i'm here for the same reason you are, the crystals" he says as he points at the Padawan, a lot smaller than Equinox is.

"Let's get this show on the road."

[member="Dano Dil"][member="Thel Antares"][member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Dano Dil]

Dil just about soiled himself when the figure ignited his lightsabers. He took a step back.

It must have been a hot time of year to come get lightsaber crystals, not that anything was hot on Ilum. Dil had come in to see the wonders of the ancient world, but this, this was already more interesting, even if it was quite scary.

"Look, uh, I, uh... don't go using those things will ya?"

@Equinox @Thel Antares [member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Equinox]

"You look scared" Equinox laughed. "it's fine" Equinox said.

He jabbed out a hand into the air as a sign of peace, saying "I won't use them unless I need to, or want to, shake on it"

He smiled and waited to see what the lifeform would do.

[member="Dano Dil"][member="Thel Antares"][member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Dano Dil]

Dil reluctantly shook the man's hand. He waited to see what the others would do.

[member="Thel Antares"] [member="Ultimatum"]