Private Memory Lane

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

Outside in the cold environment of Illum, Silas Westgard was preparing for somewhat of a special mission. For the first time, he would take out Aris on a patrol of Ilum and check out an anomaly that had been bothering some of the systems back at HQ. They weren't entirely sure what it was, but considering the things they had found before on this mysterious planet they could run into pretty much anything. Silas was sure it could be a good experience for the young padawan in his growth as a Jedi, just like it helped him when all that time ago.

Silas had contacted Aris the day before to wrap up warm and bring along the equipment they had been supplied on time. As a Jedi, you needed to have good coordination not only with time but the things you'd need for the mission. For this one, Aris needed to collect a camera to take pictures of evidence and heat pacts just in case the temperature plummeted. If he did that, it would prove to be a good start.

At the meeting point, Silas could only wait patiently leaning up against a stationary speeder while snowflakes slowly fell to the ground around him. It was admittedly beautiful, yet deadly if admired for too long...
​

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris didn't make Silas wait long. The Padawan arrived, packed and dressed rather lightly for the frozen world they were on. There was training here for him in that regard. Valery Noble had taught him how to heat himself, so now he was going to use that to the fullest. So as he approached and raised a hand in greeting, his skin was slightly glowing in color.

"Master Westguard. I brought the camera. When do we begin?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

Right on time, the young Noble appeared with the camera no less. Nodding with a slight smirk, Silas pushed himself off the speeder "Perfect, we began now Aris. For now, keep the camera in your backpack. We don't want it flying out of your hands while we traveling" the knight said as he teasingly ruffled Aris's hair.

"We're going to be doing something your mother Valery Noble did with me when we first met. I was around your age when she took me on my first patrol of Ilum. Now it's your turn to experience this wacky planet yourself"

Silas casually went back to the speeder and sat himself down in the driving seat at the front. Lightly, he tosses over a pair of goggles to Aris to protect his eyes from the snow and other things going into his eyes while they zoom across the surface.

"If you have any questions ask them now. I'm afraid I won't be able to answer too well while we're on the move."​

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris caught the goggles, putting them on almost immediately. They made sense to wear, especially if they were going to be taking a speeder around. He took his seat, already running through his thoughts. "Are we expecting any trouble, Master Westguard?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

"Unfortuneately, you never know with Ilum Aris. Throughout my time as a Jedi, I've seen things on this planet you wouldn't believe" he said with a lighthearted tone before turning on the engine "Our main task of the day is to check out a disturbance at one of our kyber caves. The folks in HQ have picked up some unusual activity and want us to check it out. So please, keep close to me and only separate when necessary, got it?"

Sharing one faint smirk to the Noble behind him they then suddenly set off at high speed towards the caves. The baron white land seemed quiet and lacking activity for now, but as Silas knew well with Ilum things could soon go up a notch in the blink of an eye.

<"If we do find someone or something our main goal is to take them in alive. Their information will be key in finding out their motive, so try not to make any rash moves that may prevent them from doing that.> ​

 

[Aris Noble]

That sounded.. Uncomfortable. Like many unknown possibilities for trouble. But to go in with some thoughts on what exactly it might be would only make it easier to miss other possibilities. Keep an open mind to avoid jumping to conclusions was a smart thing to do. <"If we find something rather than someone, is it still wise to try and take it alive? Depending on what it is, I mean. Wild animals should be left where they want to roam for the most part. Shouldn't we just scare them off into a better environment?">

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

<"Exactly, wild animals will more than likely be protecting their territory rather than attacking out of sport. Speaking of which, we encountered a large, aggressive worm during my first patrol with your mother. We had to knock it out in the end, but it seemed to ease the problem">

Coming up to their location, Silas began to slow down the speeder up until they halted behind a large boulder that hid their transport well from the cave up ahead. Silas casually got off and turned back towards Aris, who so far had been asking good questions about what was to come "Alright, I'm going to take the lead. Stay behind me and keep an eye out on our surroundings, we don't want anything sneaking up on us"

Briefly nodding Silas began to slowly head over to the cave using rock formations as cover. They were only a few feet away when Silas held up his hand to stop. Were his eyes playing tricks, or did he briefly see the shining of a light coming from the entrance?

"Did you see that? Something is wrong here..."​

 

[Aris Noble]

A giant worm?

That could make all kinds of trouble, especially if it was something truly massive. Hopefully that wouldn't be the case today, but he figured that if there was something that big there'd be reports of seismic activity and such. There wasn't anything like that from what he could tell. He gave a simple nod once they got off the speeder, immediately looking around through the snowy landscape.

"Did you see that? Something is wrong here..."

"No, I didn't see anything. What did you see? And where?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

Silas points in the direction of a large cave, shrouded at the bottom of a white cliff face "Over there in the kyber cave, the very same place HQ pointed out to investigate" he said while keeping his eyes on it at all times. It was one of the few on the planet that was rarely used due to its instability, making it an ideal place for a hideout if needed.

"I doubt many creatures on this planet have the ability to create light, which makes me think it was a man made object"

Finally looking to Aris, he pondered for a few moments before resting on a thought "There have been times when we have encountered people, I sense this may be one of them" he stated with a warning in his tone "If things get heated, promise me you'll retreat and find help when things get too hot. You are here to learn, not to get hindered.

Silas wasn't worried about Aris's ability, he was already a talented padawan in his own right. It was the fact they didn't know what they were up against which concerned him the most. ​

 

[Aris Noble]

"There are none that naturally live here."

At least in the books he'd read anyway. He nodded once though to Silas's instructions. Somewhat. "If things are too hot for me I will leave to get help." What that point was, though, was hard to actually say. Aris had no issue with remaining to assist while he thought he wasn't being outpaced or threatened in a way that's too dangerous. "Shall we head in quietly?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

"Indeed, follow my lead and stay close"

Silas gave Aris a brief nod and quietly stomped his way through the deep snow toward the cave entrance. For now, all they could hear was the snow crunch beneath their feet and the wind blowing against them mildly. Approaching the large opening, they could see the first part of the tunnel system was pitch black and showed no signs of life.

The knight held his hand up and listened close as he stopped just under the archway, his breathing slow and irregular to try and pick up anything unusual. All he got in response was silence, which could make any sane person have a chill up their spine. It was creepy to say the least, but the young warrior had faced more horrors than a ghost mine.

<"We're going to use our sabers to guide the way. Be prepared for anything and do not let your guard down"> he warned as they began to delve deeper into the cave <"Trust your instincts, I'm certain the force will warn you of a danger way before your eyes see them">
​

 

[Aris Noble]

"It won't."

Aris didn't feel the Force in that way, at least not in a useful way to sense where danger was coming from. Only that he would be, if he was. He followed after Silas, his eyes scanning through the shadows as he ignited his blade. It would be a handy light source of course, but it meant they'd be targeted easier. He heard it before the danger actually triggered in his mind.

A blaster hum just before it shot. He turned, his blade swiping up to deflect the shot in an instant.

"Ambush!"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

Just before Aris alerted him Silas sensed a disturbance and snapped his eyes to the left. Tooked away in a side passage, a man had his blaster raised and ready to pull the trigger. In a flash, the knight slashed upwards and sliced off the end of the barrel to make the blaster malfunction and leave the attack vulnerable to a counter. A vicious punch connected with the man's jaw and sent him falling back to the ground in a heap, his form knocked out and motionless.

At the same time, another had appeared from his hiding spot with a large knife. Trying to take the smaller padawan off guard, he looked to slash at the boy's chest with a quick lunge forward "You're not leaving here alive pipsqueak!" the man grunted with a growl as he made his move, confident in his ability to take on the younger foe.

That confidence however would be his downfall.
​

 

[Aris Noble]

A knife?

Aris turned his eyes to the blade before frowning just a little. In the blink of an eye he caught the blade in his hand. The blade itself couldn't cut him, not while he was focused on it. He tightened his fist, outright crushing the blade before he brought his saber up. Entropite sent the man right to a deep sleep before he looked back towards Silas and the others.

There were a good number of threats here, weren't there?

"Who do you think these people are?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

Silas turned around just in time to see the man fall to the floor safely in a deep sleep, dissolving the danger and keeping their intel intact "Good job" he said with a brief nod as he dragged the unconscious scout he punched against the cave wall. They didn't have any cuffs to tie them with but he was certain they'd be out long enough for them to complete the job.

"I'm unsure... although they looked pretty organized from what they're wearing and the equipment they are using."

That answer would be found later. For now, they needed to take care of the rest of them. Turning off his saber, he carefully began to walk further ahead with Aris in tow. He was certain whoever was left had heard the commotion by now and preparing for a fight, one that both parties could avoid if they cooperated. That however was yet to be seen, for their sake, they needed to see sense.

Soon enough, echoes of talking were heard up ahead. They almost sounded frantic about the situation, as if this wasn't how things were meant to go. A simple mission had now turned into a nightmare for the trespassers "< Be careful with these two. Desperation can make smart people do stupid things>"

Not daring to walk into the large cave clearing just yet Silas leaned up against the wall and decided to announce himself first "Hello fellas, it appears you've gotten yourself into some trouble huh?" the Jedi said, making the pair of them jump and aim their blasters at the entrance "Stay where you are, take a step in and you'll be smoking!" one of them grunted back with fear in his tone, clearly not fancying his chances against two Jedi "Hey hey, simmer down. Me and my friend here have just come to talk that's all" Silas explained with a calm look to Aris, giving him an opportunity to hone his negotiating skills.

"F-fine! What do you want, and be quick with it!"
​

 

[Aris Noble]

"We want to know who you are and what you are doing here. There have been numerous threats here in the past now, so we are making sure there aren't any more lingering."

Aris hung by the entrance beside Silas, not daring to peek into the room just yet. He could hear the hum of blasters. They were armed. A lot of people here were armed, so he doubted they were here on anything good.

"Explain."

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

A brief silence followed once Aris demanded them to explain their business, almost as if they were unsure of what to think of the young voice at first "Is that a kid?" The wimpy scout said while briefly looking at his partner with fear beginning to soak through his expression "You do realise what that means right?! That's a damn padawan!" the man hissed with uncertainty. His stone faced companion on the other hand wasn't moved by that fact at all, Jedi or not he just wanted to get out of there.

"We're not here to cause any trouble boy. You see, my friends and I are doing scientific research on the local wildlife inhabiting this planet. Nothing more nothing less" he said with a slight smirk on his lips, attempting to trick the youngster and his partner into a false sense of security "You can come to see our research if you wish, just as long as you keep those lightsabers tucked away and guarantee we won't be hurt"

Of course it was a trick, Silas and Aris weren't born yesterday. However, Silas didn't want to interrupt just yet. He was still quite curious as to where the young Noble would take this...
​

 

[Aris Noble]

"Your friends earlier tried to shoot and stab us. If you were truly here on peaceful terms, such a thing wouldn't have happened. Lay down your weapons and come peacefully, you will not be remaining here."

Aris lifted his saber, keeping his expression rather calm despite what he was saying. He wanted to avoid making trouble or bringing harm, but he would certainly stop those who sought to the same to others. He was ready. Hopefully Silas was too.

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Ilum
Objective: Safely complete the patrol
Tag: Aris Noble

Tundra - Skyrim soundtrack

"Our friends? they probably mistook you for a raider!" he grunted back to him "You do realize we're in a baron land boy? We have no idea what could be walking through that cave and when something does we have to act. It seems to me you and your friends are cold blooded killers" the man ranted on, unknowing that his friends were still alive and "almost" healthy.

"We will be staying here and there's nothing you can do about it. Isn't that right?" he said over to his buddy who looked quite unsure of the situation. The man holding the blaster tilted his head and narrowed his eyes towards his partner "What are you doing you whimsy kark, raise your blaster before I-" However, as he was about to berate his friend Silas suddenly made his move while the man wasn't looking.

In a blink of an eye, the knight was already in front of him and grabbing hold of the blaster. Violently twisting the hand that grasped it a loud yell erupted from the man's mouth. In reflection of the pain he instantly let go and left himself vulnerable for Silas to kick him hard in the direction of Aris, who needed to think quickly as to how he was going to deal with this helpless foe.

As soon as he chucked him his way, Silas lunged and managed to pin the scared recon man against the wall just as he fumbled for his weapon "Now now, don't be as dumb as your friend!"
​

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris was surprisingly quick to act as Silas did. He stepped into the room, his saber active and ready. Silas had it handled, already, though. So much so the Padawan took a moment to just watch and study for his own future use. At least until one was practically thrown his way. There was no hesitation as the boy swung his silent saber out. Entropite would send him into a deep slumber without harming him.

It was ideal for situations like this.

"Are there others?"

He asked the one that was still awake. The one that had hesitated. They wanted to be done with this, he assumed. Hopefully that meant he'd be willing to answer.

Silas Westgard