Faction Law of the Jungle

[Adelle Bastiel]

Na'an rocked gently with the movement of the shuttle, vaguely aware of Adelle's shape crammed in next to her among all the other bodies. The warmth of her presence there was...comforting. Na'an had never been terribly prone to visions before now, but the textures and scents and sounds that were still ringing through her brain were visceral, vivid to the point of hallucination. The fact that Doc had had the same experience--solid, reliable, good Doc--it made this whole thing something she didn't need to make herself be afraid of. Whatever was down there waiting for them was powerful, but...if Adelle Bastiel was for it, it couldn't be dangerous, right?

Which was good--because if anything, it felt more like home than anything had since Dantooine.

The shuttle cut through the atmosphere easily, winding its way towards the first clearing within view of the battlecruiser above. Na'an found herself leaning into the viewport, straining to catch a better look. She had used Felucia as a comparison before, but on closer inspection this unnamed planetoid was very little like the old Jedi world. It was much less fungal, for one; instead of the pink and purple and glowing blue mushroom forests, the flora here consisted of huge, broad canopied trees, draped with vines and covered in thick furry mosses. The plants all seemed to tangle together, creating the impression of a single continuous organism made of a hundred shades of green. The spots of other colors--a dark brown log, a flash of teal feathers, flowers in scarlet and purple and white--only seemed to make the green deeper by the contrast. Na'an could picture herself, barefoot and loose-haired and silent, easily vanishing into all that overgrowth, letting it close behind her--

The bump of their landing brought Na'an back again, blinking against the green light now streaming against her face. She forced herself to follow Adelle and the rest of the soldiers out of the shuttle at a normal pace, only holding her breath for a moment as her boots hit ground and her face hit the muggy jungle air. As the other soldiers organized, their commander laying out a plan of attack for their expedition, she leaned over to Doc and reached for her hand.
"Next step," she whispered, "is to get good and lost. Right? And I don't know about you..."

She could feel her toes wiggling under the heavy leather of those boots--Imperial standard for any soldier's armor, especially for a guard of the Empress herself.

"But I can't wait to get out of this awful stuff and get going."

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso | Darth Tacitus​

Adelle waved Na'an off, dismissing the idea of sneaking off. "Getting good and lost is the easy part. The Empress is a convenient person to know."

It was harder than she had imagined to maintain the stoic composure of someone associated with the Empire when all she could feel was freedom. The oppressive weight of Dark siders was no match for this planet, and looking at the trees, all Adelle could think about was running full-tilt through the jungle, barefoot and working her body into a sweat. Mentions of 'the Empress' personal request' got them clearance beyond the perimeter around the dropzone. And even though she could hardly hear, much less see, the Imperial soldiers after ten feet, Adelle led the way further in, taking a random route through the thick undergrowth and trees.

Finally, after what felt like forever sweating in the thick grey doctors' uniform, she judged their distance to be far enough away from the Imperials landing site.

"Let's ditch these gods-awful uniforms," she said, already peeling off the light grey jacket. She stripped down to the light shorts she'd worn underneath her trousers and the supportive binding around her chest. Adelle dug her toes into the moist black earth, relishing the delightful coolness on her soles. It'd been too long. But she couldn't linger long. She neatly folded up the uniform and carefully placed the clothes and the boots inside the hollow of a fallen log.

"You good?" she asked Na'an.


Vidalu Na'an

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

"Hold on, gimme a second."

Na'an had been much less deliberate in stripping off her armor than Doc had been with her uniform. Some pieces had already been jammed into the log alongside her uniform--haphazardly, as armor didn't fold--but Na'an herself was still sitting in a pile of the leg pieces, now wearing nothing more than the armor's sleek black undersuit and her boots. The boots followed swiftly, and Na'an groaned as her bare feet hit soft green moss.

"Gods," she moaned, "It's like this place has been waiting for me to get those damned things off."

She stood, and the moss seemed to support her weight, making her bounce easily on the balls of her feet. It took only a few seconds for her to gather the rest of her armor and stow it away. After a moment's hesitation, she also reached up and pulled at the tightly coiled bun at the back of her neck. The hair came untied easily, and with her fingers she fluffed it loose until it seemed float around her neck in a staticky cloud. A good disguise, perhaps, as nobody on Kalidan had ever seen her with her hair down. Heck, nobody on Kalidan had ever seen her so....well, so like this, period.

But more than that, it just felt good, didn't it? The tingling in her scalp? It felt familiar. Right. Just like, with a quick scan of the nearby brush, going left felt right.
"It's that way, right?" she said, staring into the vine-tangled space between two trees. A pair of white flowers peeked out of the vines like eyes; Na'an blinked once, and she could almost imagine them blinking back.

The rustle at her side told her Doc was with her. Na'an sucked in a deep breath, and the breath smelled like ginseng.

"Alright, whoever you are," she said. "We came all this way. There better be a cup left."

The vines parted easily, and the pair vanished into them.

Adelle Bastiel | Roman Calipso | Vyra Silara ​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

"I don't want to go back."

They had been walking through the jungle for a while, pushing through the thick undergrowth. Sweat trickled from the nape of her neck down her spine but Adelle didn't mind. It reminded her of better days in a fungal jungle, free to run, to feel, to try and grow in the Force. And the more she stayed on this planet, the less she wanted to leave. Thinking about the uniform she left behind, the duties she'd have to do when she got back, settled like a cold stone in her stomach.

And there was more she wanted to say. More she wanted to talk about with Na'an. Without fear of being overheard, or tapped, or seen. But it had been so long since she and Na'an had been able to talk like this. Openly. And once she figured out why Na'an had been behaving the way she'd been, why she'd pushed Adelle to stay back so much, Adelle herself had held Na'an at arm's length. To be safe. To deny any personal attachment to the Empire. To protect them.

She hated it. But she didn't know how to bridge that distance.

She just hoped Na'an was up for talking.


Vidalu Na'an | Vyra Silara (if she's still doing a stalky-stalk)

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

"I know." Na'an let out a small chuckle as she pushed yet more vines aside. "I kinda don't either."

The air in the undergrowth was warm, almost soupy. As the pair ducked under a fallen, mossy log, Na'an could feel her skin sweating, creating cool pockets against her legs, her underarms, her collarbones. The sweat was already making her hair stick to the back of her neck; she pulled it to the side as she reached back to pull Adelle up alongside her.

"You could stay, though," she said thoughtfully, squeezing her hand once before pressing on. "It wouldn't be hard to say I lost you out here. Animals, quicksand, a cliff or a river or something. I wouldn't even have to explain how it happened."

The cool spots on her skin tingled at the thought.

"Whatever's here would be happy to have you, I think. It'd be glad you stayed. And you wouldn't--you wouldn't have to deal with any of this from up there anymore. All the hiding. All the stress, all the death..."

They sidled past a bush too thick to go through, going uphill on what must have been an animal path at some point. Na'an dug her toes into the soft dark earth for purchase, her face tightening.

"All the... her."

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

It had been far too long since she'd taken a healthy hike through a jungle. Adele panted in the thick, humid air, her short hair nearly plastered to her head. Still, even the jaunt this far had been far more enjoyable than drinking on Kalidan. And that was as close as she got to fun inside the Empire. Adelle's frown at the mention of "her" morphed into a smirk.

"I'll have you know," she said, trying not to sound winded, "that I actually like Leigh's company."

She trudged forward, soil pushing through the toes of her feet. "You would have some explaining to do, actually. There's at least two techs and one pilot that know about the dragons incident."

"But," she continued, "that assumes I'd be leaving you and Leigh behind to deal and possibly letting you two kill yourselves. Which isn't going to happen."



Vidalu Na'an

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

"That's--"

Na'an paused at that, turned back to face Adelle with a tight-lipped expression.

"I'm not suicidal. You know that, right?"

She crested the top of the hill, pausing to shut her eyes and get her bearings. Somewhere to their left, she could hear the chirruping of frogs; the smell in the air she'd been following seemed to thicken in the same direction. "If Leigh weren't still up on that ship right now," she continued. "I'd be considering using this chance to escape too--and for more than just some tea party."

Her pace quickened downwards; her voice turned bitter. "And you know what? Now that I've said it, I wish I'd stopped to think of that, honestly. Of bringing her down with us. Whatever you two've been doing, maybe it wouldn't be necessary if I'd just stopped five minutes to think. We wouldn't be stuck on Kalidan at all if I weren't such a damn fool--"

She swiped at the brush at the bottom of the hill angrily; it rustled, beetles swarming out and over her toes from underneath. Their carapaces were black, shiny and wet with more than just the humidity. Na'an couldn't hear the falls yet, not with her ears, not without diving into whatever strange hold the planet had on her brain, but the river had to be close.

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso ​

 

[Lord Malleus]

A smirk traced its way on Malleus stoic posture, a reaction of amusement on the operative doings " Yes I do ". Cold and concise was the answer to Edward's hopes.

The dark lord turned around, the aroma of roasted meat was now as intense as ever, the smell enveloped everything around them, and through the humid trees and the flourishing bushes came together a familiar sense of blood, sufference and incredible power. Such essence trailed all its way from a not so far away place, he could feel it, together with his roaring stomach.

" There are many other force sensitives around these lands, and we don't know the extent of such invitation... we could go there straight and weak in numbers, or... We can gather stronger allies ". He put on the dark mask again "Follow me, operative". The active filters chanted the twisted and deep sound of Malleus voice as he now started to walk away to the source of the aroma.

ATTN: Mythos / Edward Ashcard​

 

[Mythos]

Armor off, movement turrets on, automated systems and security grids made it so that the swamp was Mythos'. Troops patrolled and shot anything with teeth, barbed tails, fangs, wings or anything else that could be misconstrued as dangerous. In the center chunks of the beast were pulled, cut, diced and thrown in the meat burner.

Mythos sat on his Swep speeder, one hand in a glass of cold wine and the other in a large, greasy, blubbery mutton of cooked flesh. Every once in a while he barked orders to his men, sped the cooking of food and while he ate watched the holomovies of Kritieg Dawn, famous outlaw and smuggler.

"That's not possible. You can't jump from one moving fighter to another." He remarked as the holomovie told the tale of the remarkable yet fictional character. Once he was done eating and had his fill he lit up a cigar and patrolled the swamp calmly. A few soldiers came up and informed him that a small squad was approaching the camp.

Mythos nodded, took the information and gave the order to search, document and let the newcomers join the feast.

"Dont deny them a plate of food trooper, we could use all the help we can get"

Lord Malleus​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

"That's--"

Na'an paused at that, turned back to face Adelle with a tight-lipped expression.

"I'm not suicidal. You know that, right?"

She crested the top of the hill, pausing to shut her eyes and get her bearings. Somewhere to their left, she could hear the chirruping of frogs; the smell in the air she'd been following seemed to thicken in the same direction. "If Leigh weren't still up on that ship right now," she continued. "I'd be considering using this chance to escape too--and for more than just some tea party."

Her pace quickened downwards; her voice turned bitter. "And you know what? Now that I've said it, I wish I'd stopped to think of that, honestly. Of bringing her down with us. Whatever you two've been doing, maybe it wouldn't be necessary if I'd just stopped five minutes to think. We wouldn't be stuck on Kalidan at all if I weren't such a damn fool--"

She swiped at the brush at the bottom of the hill angrily; it rustled, beetles swarming out and over her toes from underneath. Their carapaces were black, shiny and wet with more than just the humidity. Na'an couldn't hear the falls yet, not with her ears, not without diving into whatever strange hold the planet had on her brain, but the river had to be close.

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso ​

"Hey—"

That's not what she had meant but Na'an charged ahead, leading the way down a hill, words tumbling from her mouth. Adelle caught her by the arm as she swept her hand at the undergrowth nearby and turned her to face her.

"Na'an," she said, without the Force or any kind of real power beind the name. "That is not your fault and you know it. I chose to follow you. Silara asked you to come without giving us the details. Silara chose to bind herself to a godsdamned Sith lord."

She paused for a moment, the words inside her all vying to come out first. "I don't follow fools, Na'an. But I'll follow you to the edge of the galaxy and beyond, okay? We're in this together."



Vidalu Na'an

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

"You shouldn't have had to follow me to Kalidan! Neither of you!" Na'an didn't pull her arm free from Adelle's grip; the Healer's hand was warm even in the humid air, familar. Somehow, knowing the trust in that grip didn't help at all.
"I should have seen Vyra was hiding something from me back on Elenthaeus," she continued. "I should have figured out what was under all those pretty words when she finally told me what she'd been planning all those months. I shouldn't have agreed to any of it. But instead I slid right back into what I always am--a stupid nerfherder perpetually being batted around by geniuses and supermen and all these goddamn perfect people--"

The frustrated noise that came out of her then sent birds flying overhead; they called raucously in reply as they vanished into the canopy. Na'an watched them go, sucking in and releasing a shaky breath.
"I'm not smart enough to fool myself into thinking I know what I'm doing. Not on this planet, not up on that ship, not anywhere. Up there, all I can hope for is to use...whatever reason Vyra has for keeping me around, to keep eyes off you and Leigh. Maybe save a couple lives in the process. And here...I don't even have that excuse."

Her eyes turned back towards the path ahead. Somewhere in the distance, if she strained, she could hear the sound of rushing water. Her hand covered Adelle's on her arm. "At least you're here with me. If you weren't I'd think I was going crazy, convincing myself the planet wants me for something."

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso ​

 

[Roman Calipso]

Roman hummed a melody from his childhood as he waited patiently for his guests. It was a simple thing, composed of several tones changes that melded together seamlessly to create a peaceful and calming song. His fingers tapped the stone table rhythmically in sync with his voice. The song didn't have any words, or if they did, he had been too young to fully remember them. But the melody itself he felt, were as important as any lyrics. As he did this, he used the Force to arrange the cups on the table, before uncorking his thermos and filling his own cup, reaching out and grabbing the old piece of folded metal and sipping from it. The tea had a soft, subtle taste of vanilla to it, with notes of a sweet and savory spice within it as well. In his years on the world, he'd experimented a lot with what was edible and what wasn't, and had more than once poisoned himself on accident. Though only one of those incidents were near-fatal, he took it in a positive light, as it allowed him to train his abilities in detoxification.

From his side he pulled out a rather full pouch, which when unlaced revealed it contained various kinds of nuts and seeds. Taking a handful, he popped several of them into his mouth, chewing on them as he enjoyed the mix of salty and sweet flavors among them. For a brief moment, he allowed his eyesight to drift away from what was in front of him, and see what lay beyond. Two women made their way towards him, as did several men. They all were about to break the treeline that enclosed them, and would soon be able to greet him in person.

"Come now, if any of you delay any longer, your tea will get cold. And unfortunately, I don't possess the ability to warm them up again." He said loud enough in his normal voice for any to hear.

ATTN: Vidalu Na'an , Adelle Bastiel , Aaran Tafo , Lord Malleus

 

[Sakri]

They all were about to break the treeline that enclosed them, and would soon be able to greet him in person.

"Come now, if any of you delay any longer, your tea will get cold. And unfortunately, I don't possess the ability to warm them up again." He said loud enough in his normal voice for any to hear.

The Speaker's voice greeted her before she emerged from the treelines, giving her pause. She had followed the path laid before her, making her approach toward the source of the pull, and had managed to keep a relative distance between herself and the others she had sensed nearby. Now, though..

Might as well.

After taking a breath to steel herself, Sakri stepped forward through the parting in the trees. Beyond them, there was a collection of boulders arranged around a dead tree stump, and sitting amongst them was a single man. With no one else around -- for the moment -- it was fairly simple to figure that he was the one who had put out the call. There was much that tugged at her curiosity, but she knew that others would be here soon; they could likely ask her questions for her, and she felt no need to put the Speaker in a position to repeat himself. Green eyes swept over the seated man once more before she lowered her head in a respectful bow. This lasted only a few seconds, but it was more than she afforded most casual passersby. Upon straightening, she took another breath, then an intrigued sniff as the scent of the tea finally caught up to her. For a moment, her gaze turned distant as she pondered it.. then she snapped back to the present, moving towards a seat at a right angle to the man in the circle, still regarding him cautiously and silently..

ATTN: Roman Calipso

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

"You shouldn't have had to follow me to Kalidan! Neither of you!" Na'an didn't pull her arm free from Adelle's grip; the Healer's hand was warm even in the humid air, familar. Somehow, knowing the trust in that grip didn't help at all.
"I should have seen Vyra was hiding something from me back on Elenthaeus," she continued. "I should have figured out what was under all those pretty words when she finally told me what she'd been planning all those months. I shouldn't have agreed to any of it. But instead I slid right back into what I always am--a stupid nerfherder perpetually being batted around by geniuses and supermen and all these goddamn perfect people--"

The frustrated noise that came out of her then sent birds flying overhead; they called raucously in reply as they vanished into the canopy. Na'an watched them go, sucking in and releasing a shaky breath.
"I'm not smart enough to fool myself into thinking I know what I'm doing. Not on this planet, not up on that ship, not anywhere. Up there, all I can hope for is to use...whatever reason Vyra has for keeping me around, to keep eyes off you and Leigh. Maybe save a couple lives in the process. And here...I don't even have that excuse."

Her eyes turned back towards the path ahead. Somewhere in the distance, if she strained, she could hear the sound of rushing water. Her hand covered Adelle's on her arm. "At least you're here with me. If you weren't I'd think I was going crazy, convincing myself the planet wants me for something."

Adelle Bastiel | Vyra Silara | Roman Calipso ​

"Like I'd let you waltz into The Maw without me," Adelle retorted powerlessly as Na'an's hand covered her own. "Honestly, it's like you don't even know me."

Echoes of an old conversation with Leigh played in her head. She'd meant to talk to Na'an about things that seemed to have happened forever ago. The things that haunted her. The reasons she wanted Na'an and Leigh around. But things had happened so fast; and Kalidan suppressed everything. Maybe, just maybe, this jungle planet could change that. Give them some space to breathe, a moment to be.

"Trust me, Na'an, you're—"

Roman hummed a melody from his childhood as he waited patiently for his guests. It was a simple thing, composed of several tones changes that melded together seamlessly to create a peaceful and calming song. His fingers tapped the stone table rhythmically in sync with his voice. The song didn't have any words, or if they did, he had been too young to fully remember them. But the melody itself he felt, were as important as any lyrics. As he did this, he used the Force to arrange the cups on the table, before uncorking his thermos and filling his own cup, reaching out and grabbing the old piece of folded metal and sipping from it. The tea had a soft, subtle taste of vanilla to it, with notes of a sweet and savory spice within it as well. In his years on the world, he'd experimented a lot with what was edible and what wasn't, and had more than once poisoned himself on accident. Though only one of those incidents were near-fatal, he took it in a positive light, as it allowed him to train his abilities in detoxification.

From his side he pulled out a rather full pouch, which when unlaced revealed it contained various kinds of nuts and seeds. Taking a handful, he popped several of them into his mouth, chewing on them as he enjoyed the mix of salty and sweet flavors among them. For a brief moment, he allowed his eyesight to drift away from what was in front of him, and see what lay beyond. Two women made their way towards him, as did several men. They all were about to break the treeline that enclosed them, and would soon be able to greet him in person.

"Come now, if any of you delay any longer, your tea will get cold. And unfortunately, I don't possess the ability to warm them up again." He said loud enough in his normal voice for any to hear.

ATTN: Vidalu Na'an , Adelle Bastiel , Aaran Tafo , Lord Malleus

The Speaker's voice greeted her before she emerged from the treelines, giving her pause. She had followed the path laid before her, making her approach toward the source of the pull, and had managed to keep a relative distance between herself and the others she had sensed nearby. Now, though..

Might as well.

After taking a breath to steel herself, Sakri stepped forward through the parting in the trees. Beyond them, there was a collection of boulders arranged around a dead tree stump, and sitting amongst them was a single man. With no one else around -- for the moment -- it was fairly simple to figure that he was the one who had put out the call. There was much that tugged at her curiosity, but she knew that others would be here soon; they could likely ask her questions for her, and she felt no need to put the Speaker in a position to repeat himself. Green eyes swept over the seated man once more before she lowered her head in a respectful bow. This lasted only a few seconds, but it was more than she afforded most casual passersby. Upon straightening, she took another breath, then an intrigued sniff as the scent of the tea finally caught up to her. For a moment, her gaze turned distant as she pondered it.. then she snapped back to the present, moving towards a seat at a right angle to the man in the circle, still regarding him cautiously and silently..

ATTN: Roman Calipso

Adelle stopped abruptly at the sound of the speaker. It sounded projected through natural means, not by the Force. Which meant they were close. It was the "any of you" that made Adelle frown. The green dimness that had pervaded their journey brightened into sunlight a few meters away and Adelle could see the trees thin out ahead. She could sense at least one other presence, dark like the shadows cast by thunderclouds but not the icy void she'd experienced with the Empire.

"There's someone else," she muttered. On the periphery of her senses, she felt two more: one the icy oil slick of the Dark Side, the other as bright as a summer sunrise. Adelle looked to Na'an, wondering if this planet had also altered her friend's perception.

"How do you want to play this?"


Vidalu Na'an | Sakri | Roman Calipso | Lord Malleus | Aaran Tafo

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

Na'an had gone very still, her head turned in the direction of the voice. Her hand, still resting over Adelle's on her arm, squeezed suddenly, catching the Healer's fingers in a tight grip.

"I..." Her mouth was inexplicably dry, even in the humidity; she licked her lips and tried again. "I don't think we need to play at anything. I think we just go, and whoever that is...we figure out what he wants."

The sound of the falls was more distinct now, coming from just beyond a cluster of trees and vines arching over the river. Just beyond it, Na'an could see the brightness of open sunlight. If they ducked down low enough, and waded through the water, it would only be a couple steps until they were through to the other side. Na'an licked her lips again.

"Okay then. Okay," she said to reassure herself, and stepped down into the river, pulling Adelle Bastiel along by the hand.

The water was warm, and deceptively deep in the river's center; the two women braced against each other as they made their way through the cluster, brushing back vines and only once stumbling against a stone hidden by the current. By the time they broke the treeline, squinting against the sun, they were both wet well above the knees. Na'an aimed for the shore as soon as her prosthetic adjusted to the new light balance, letting go of Doc only long enough to scramble up the slippery riverbank. She was about to reach back to pull Adelle back up with her when she saw him.

It was as if he'd been waiting there forever. He was old--old enough for his hair to have gone white--but with a placid, unlined face that made it hard to tell exactly what his age was. He was sitting on one of a series of large smooth stones, all arranged around a half-rotted stump as if they were chairs at a table, sipping calmly from what looked like crude debris fashioned into a cup. There were more cups on the stump, as if he'd been expecting guests despite being in a clearing in the middle of the jungle on a planet not on any maps. And indeed, he already had another guest--a girl she didn't recognize, sitting awkwardly on the far stone and watching him warily.
For a man in the middle of the jungle on a planet not on any maps, he was also...surprisingly clean. His robes didn't even seem especially dirty. For a second Na'an found herself aware of how ridiculous she must look, in an imperial bodysuit soaked with sweat and river water, barefoot and wild-haired and muddy-kneed. She couldn't even imagine what expression she must be making right now.

"Um," she said. She pointed at the cups on the stump, feeling foolish. "Hi. Um. I'm sorry, is...is one of those for me?"

Adelle Bastiel | Roman Calipso | Sakri | Lord Malleus​

 

[Roman Calipso]

And so one by one, the guests revealed themselves. He'd have been lying if he said he wasn't surprised by their timidness in revealing themselves. Had a multitude of ships been caught in the Disturbance, and been shunted all together here? The Force was muddled by their uncertainty, their confusion. That'd make things a bit... tense. Especially if they were members of any of the various orders of Jedi or Sith. Still, the planet had brought them here for a reason. It just seemed it was up to Roman to figure out that purpose, and whether he'd once more need to ignite his weapon.

As Sakri approached, he offered a nod of greeting, gesturing towards one of the cups in in front of her seat. Soon after, two more emerged, Adelle Bastiel and Vidalu Na'an , both women looking as if they'd had a rougher landing than most. They were lucky, as he could recall many such instances where the occupants of ships that crashed did not survive. "If your parched and willing to try tea brewed from the plants of a foreign world, then yes. Though I recommend not doing so unless you have some sort of antidote on your person." Smiling, he took another sip of his own cup. "I'm kidding, of course. I've already identified the poisons on this world, so it's safe. Probably."

"Tell me, are you members of that capital ship that skidded across the planet's surface? Or just some unfortunate travelers caught up in it's tail wind?"

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Na'an had gone very still, her head turned in the direction of the voice. Her hand, still resting over Adelle's on her arm, squeezed suddenly, catching the Healer's fingers in a tight grip.

"I..." Her mouth was inexplicably dry, even in the humidity; she licked her lips and tried again. "I don't think we need to play at anything. I think we just go, and whoever that is...we figure out what he wants."

The sound of the falls was more distinct now, coming from just beyond a cluster of trees and vines arching over the river. Just beyond it, Na'an could see the brightness of open sunlight. If they ducked down low enough, and waded through the water, it would only be a couple steps until they were through to the other side. Na'an licked her lips again.

"Okay then. Okay," she said to reassure herself, and stepped down into the river, pulling Adelle Bastiel along by the hand.

The water was warm, and deceptively deep in the river's center; the two women braced against each other as they made their way through the cluster, brushing back vines and only once stumbling against a stone hidden by the current. By the time they broke the treeline, squinting against the sun, they were both wet well above the knees. Na'an aimed for the shore as soon as her prosthetic adjusted to the new light balance, letting go of Doc only long enough to scramble up the slippery riverbank. She was about to reach back to pull Adelle back up with her when she saw him.

It was as if he'd been waiting there forever. He was old--old enough for his hair to have gone white--but with a placid, unlined face that made it hard to tell exactly what his age was. He was sitting on one of a series of large smooth stones, all arranged around a half-rotted stump as if they were chairs at a table, sipping calmly from what looked like crude debris fashioned into a cup. There were more cups on the stump, as if he'd been expecting guests despite being in a clearing in the middle of the jungle on a planet not on any maps. And indeed, he already had another guest--a girl she didn't recognize, sitting awkwardly on the far stone and watching him warily.
For a man in the middle of the jungle on a planet not on any maps, he was also...surprisingly clean. His robes didn't even seem especially dirty. For a second Na'an found herself aware of how ridiculous she must look, in an imperial bodysuit soaked with sweat and river water, barefoot and wild-haired and muddy-kneed. She couldn't even imagine what expression she must be making right now.

"Um," she said. She pointed at the cups on the stump, feeling foolish. "Hi. Um. I'm sorry, is...is one of those for me?"

Na'an led her into the river's current and Adelle followed. Helping Na'an through the deeper parts and relying on her when her own footing became uncertain gave her mixed feelings. A wild idea, one that sang of soaring skies and freedom, tugged at her, begged her to pull Na'an close and tell her everything. But that would muddy the waters when they returned to the ship. They had to keep their distance, for theirs and Leigh's sakes. She stopped at the riverbank to splash some of the water on her face, mostly to ease the torrent of sweat and heat, and partially to collect her thoughts. When she turned back, Na'an had stepped forward and spoke to their unseen host. Adelle gathered herself and sprinted up the muddy bank, trying to avoid getting dirtier than absolutely necessary. Uniforms weren't that comfortable with mud and dirt underneath.

And so one by one, the guests revealed themselves. He'd have been lying if he said he wasn't surprised by their timidness in revealing themselves. Had a multitude of ships been caught in the Disturbance, and been shunted all together here? The Force was muddled by their uncertainty, their confusion. That'd make things a bit... tense. Especially if they were members of any of the various orders of Jedi or Sith. Still, the planet had brought them here for a reason. It just seemed it was up to Roman to figure out that purpose, and whether he'd once more need to ignite his weapon.

As Sakri approached, he offered a nod of greeting, gesturing towards one of the cups in in front of her seat. Soon after, two more emerged, Adelle Bastiel and Vidalu Na'an , both women looking as if they'd had a rougher landing than most. They were lucky, as he could recall many such instances where the occupants of ships that crashed did not survive. "If your parched and willing to try tea brewed from the plants of a foreign world, then yes. Though I recommend not doing so unless you have some sort of antidote on your person." Smiling, he took another sip of his own cup. "I'm kidding, of course. I've already identified the poisons on this world, so it's safe. Probably."

"Tell me, are you members of that capital ship that skidded across the planet's surface? Or just some unfortunate travelers caught up in it's tail wind?"

She raised an eyebrow at the older man as she sat down on a stone. "I think it was just the atmosphere or I would've been up to my elbows in casualties."

The presence of dark clouds and promised downpours belonged to the other young woman seated at the stump. Her manner of dress said not-Imperial but all the same, Adelle was glad she suppressed her own presence. It itched, like a bug bite between the shoulder blades where a body couldn't reach to scratch it. But she didn't relax her guard, despite the planet's invitation. She didn't know who she could trust anymore.

Vidalu Na'an | Roman Calipso | Sakri

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

Na'an's hands were damp; she used them to smooth down her hair nervously. The old man's eyes were warm, however, as if he didn't even care how his guests looked, but was only glad they had finally arrived. She followed his gesture to what must have been her seat and picked up the cup there, looking it at it with mild surprise.

"We were on the ship," she said uncertainly, "Unfortunately. But it's not that simple, is it? If it were, I don't think we'd be be here."

The cup at her lips was warm, the liquid inside fragrant in a way that shouldn't be as familiar as it was. Na'an sipped at it, her mind racing faster as the taste of it hit her tongue. "I haven't been able to tell if it's you who's been calling, or the planet, or if I'm just going crazy," she continued. "But I've been crazy before, and this...doesn't feel like that."

Adelle Bastiel | Roman Calipso | Sakri | Lord Malleus​

 

[Sakri]

"If your parched and willing to try tea brewed from the plants of a foreign world, then yes. Though I recommend not doing so unless you have some sort of antidote on your person." Smiling, he took another sip of his own cup. "I'm kidding, of course. I've already identified the poisons on this world, so it's safe. Probably."

"Tell me, are you members of that capital ship that skidded across the planet's surface? Or just some unfortunate travelers caught up in it's tail wind?"

Once their host spoke of antidotes, Sakri reached for her cup; when he mentioned he was speaking in jest, she exhaled softly and hid a subtle smile with her first sip of tea. For the next few moments, it seemed as if the rest of the world had drifted away, the fragrance and flavours taking her attention from those around her. In truth, however, she was allowing the (admittedly and attractively aromatic) tea to serve as a distraction while she observed the others' arrivals and interactions.

She had initially raised an eyebrow at Vidalu Na'an , but then again, everyone expressed awe in a different manner. The golden-skinned woman regarded Adelle Bastiel with a similar curiosity, as well; but when she spoke of hypothetical casualties, Sakri's eyes narrowed. She could feel a small sneer starting to pull at the corner of her lips, and this, too, was quickly hidden behind the rim of her cup. This woman's words were unnecessary and hyperbolic; her muddied companion seemed prone to musing, yes, but that at least served some point. The Firrerreo's curiosity turned back to this first visitor as she spoke of craziness, before finally lowering her cup and turning her gaze back to the Speaker.

"My ship was caught in a disturbance." Briefly, her eyes flicked back over the other two before refocusing on their host. "I came alone."