Public Mountains Edge

[Braze]

Tags: Open (any one can join for interaction, multiple welcome: environment hazards are frigid temperatures, whipping winds,staggering heights, un-eaven terrain, and very thin air)

TAGS: @open

In the heart of the towering mountains, amidst jagged peaks that reached towards the heavens, a lone figure stood, bathed in the soft glow of a silvery moon. The night air was crisp and filled with the intoxicating scent of pine, and a profound stillness embraced the rugged landscape. This was no ordinary place; it was a realm of untamed beauty and unforgiving challenges, a sanctuary where nature itself dared any who ventured within its grasp to conquer its trials.

The figure in question was none other than Braze, a young Jedi Padawan with unruly white hair and a fire in his emerald eyes. He had journeyed to this remote wilderness as part of his relentless quest for self-mastery, to push the boundaries of his physical and mental capabilities, and to forge a connection with the Force that ran as deep and powerful as the mountain streams that cascaded around him.

As Braze stood there, his senses heightened by the serenity of the night, he could feel the ancient spirits of the land whispering to him, as if inviting him to partake in a sacred dance of chaos. The stars above blinked like torches, casting a shimmering array across the midnight canvas, and the moon bathed the landscape in a soft glow.

With deliberate resolve, Braze ignited his lightsaber, the vibrant blade casting an azure radiance that painted the rocky terrain with splashes of cerulean. He raised the weapon high, and with a graceful flourish, he began a mesmerizing display of combat against invisible adversaries. Each movement was that of precision and fluidity, a fine culmination of the hours of training and discipline he had invested in his Jedi studies.

But this was no ordinary training session. Braze had deliberately sought out this untamed wilderness, far from the comforts of the Jedi Temple, to challenge himself in a place where the Force flowed with wild, untamed vigor. The mountain winds howled, carrying with them the secrets of the past, and the very ground beneath his feet seemed to pulse with the heartbeat of the planet itself.

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

The Holocron had called this place Aithusa, but that name had not been used here in a very long while.

In ancient dialects long fallen into disuse, it was a word for a mythical white dragon. Though, what mythology had sprung such a reference was itself lost to time. Even in the holocron Maldor had studied, this was referred to as ancient information. And when an ancient artifact mentioned ancient things, they were usually so far in the past that they were beyond the horizon of knowledge.

It might seem strange that a Senator of the Alliance was here, bundled in cold-weather gear, enduring the bite of a barren world. But Maldor Mecetti was more than a Senator. And the power he sought went beyond politics.

He held up a pyramidal device in his hand, peering into its darkened depths for a sign as to whether he'd found the spot. This was a world rich in the Force, despite its apparently barren surface. Some places were like this. For reasons unknown, they occupied intersections of the universal power. Places where the veils and divisions of the wider galaxy were thin.

The Force Users of old had noted such mysteries.

They often placed temples in places like these.

Or other secrets.

As Maldor peered into his Wayfinder, he was unaware of other visitors to this frigid sphere.

He was unaware that he was being watched...



Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Maldor Mecetti

Braze had settled down on the cold, unforgiving floor of the ancient temple, his chest heaving with harsh breaths from his exertions. The intense training had taken its toll on him, and he could feel the weight of fatigue settling in his limbs. As he tried to catch his breath, he sensed an odd, faint sound, and his ears twitched in response.

Slowly, Braze pushed himself up, his muscles protesting as he rose to his feet. He turned his gaze towards the source of the sound, his senses on high alert. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his lightsaber, which he clipped to his belt. With a cautious step, he moved closer to the ledge overlooking the approaching figure.

The stranger's presence felt strange, and Braze couldn't shake the feeling that something unusual was happening. He narrowed his eyes, studying the man below, ready for any sign of hostility or danger. In this ancient and mysterious place, Braze knew better than to let his guard down.

Little did he know that he was not the only one drawn to this cold world, and that he was being watched by someone equally intrigued by its secrets. He however had learned about being too quiet and spoke up announcing his presence. "Hello down there! Are you lost?"

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

Maldor had been so intent upon the wayfinder, he hadn't taken notice of the figure on the rise. The voice gave him a start, but he tried not to show his surprise.

He pulled a cloth from his face, where it had protected him from the biting wind. Then he looked sideways and upwards at the distant figure who was shouting down at him. Snow was good at absorbing sound, but the shape of the valley had excellent acoustical properties. Although there were easily twenty meters between them in altitude, Maldor still heard the words clearly.

The person hailing him was pale, with white hair. A contrast to Maldor's dark brown hair and multi-layered red winter robes. Those robes were made of silk, rather than any sensible cloth. A ludicrous expense for a lonely jaunt on a barren winter world. Only its thickness and layers offered him the protection this environment demanded.

He stood out like a bloodstain on the landscape.

Beneath his robes, Maldor's only weapon was ready for action... but he made no move to retrieve it.

"Hello there," he called out, "I know where I am." That was mostly true. "But are you lost? There are no settlements nearby." At least, Maldor hadn't seen any, besides an apparently abandoned stone structure on the cliffs above.

But Maldor was sure he knew what sort of observer had called down to him.

This was a force nexus, after all.

And Sith were not welcome in this part of the galaxy.

At least... not anymore.

"Make your way down, if you need a hand," he offered. "It's too steep for me to climb. That structure up there is no longer in use. You'll find no supplies there. I have a shuttle a couple kilometers back. Food and a refresher aboard, if you need it. I can get you where you need to go."

The heir to House Mecetti was fairly sure he could close the distance between them in short order. Even vertically. But he didn't want a Jedi to suspect he had such powers.

Curse his luck, to have to deal with a Jedi when he was so close to his goal...




Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Maldor Mecetti

Braze squinted as he tried to get a better look at the figure in the distance. The man's appearance was indeed peculiar for this snowy wilderness, and Braze couldn't help but wonder what had brought him here. He pushed himself up from the cold, snowy ground, his breath visible in the frigid air. He keyed his comlink and replied to the stranger's questions.

"Yeah... I'm atop a mountain in the wilderness," Braze responded, his voice carrying through the clear, cold air. "Structure? What do you mean by structure?" Braze was genuinely puzzled by the mention of a structure in this desolate place.

As the man offered help to transport him back to a shuttle, Braze considered it for a moment but shook his head slightly. "Thanks, but I don't need transport," he called back. "I came here for a reason." Braze paused, then continued, his curiosity piqued.

"I'm taking advantage of the harsh environment... what brings you all the way out here? You don't look dressed for a hike or any kind of martial arts training at that... and as you said, there are no settlements out this way."

Braze's gaze remained fixed on the stranger as he awaited a response. The situation was becoming increasingly mysterious, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this encounter than met the eye.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mountains
Tags: Braze , Maldor Mecetti

​

"Yeah... I'm atop a mountain in the wilderness,"

Jasper had situated himself on the other side on the other side of the hill, trying his best to relax and meditate while Braze trained at the top, which wasnt to far. Suddenly his comm-link was live, and the voice of Braze came through, though not directed at him. It was a conversation with a stranger.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Jasper sighed.

It was always when he left Braze alone. The poor kid couldn't keep himself from getting bothered by strangers. Jasper got up to his feet, trudging his way up slowly to the foot of the peak, just behind visibility for whoever was on the otherside.

<I'm here,> the knight relayed. <I'm gonna stay on this side for a sec. Who is it?>

Something felt... dark. There was a potent energy in the air, faint but noticable. There was clearly something wrong with whatever the present situation was. He'd keep low for now, wait and see if the stranger was a threat. They wouldn't be up at their remote training location for no reason. Jasper just needed him to blab a little more and reveal his hand...

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

Maldor looked up at the figure, wondering if he was being mocked... or whether the young man truly did not know.

"I assumed you were here because of it," Maldor explained cryptically.

He paused before saying more. "Ancient Force-wielders once built temples on this site. This world is a nexus of Force energies. And this site is a crossroads, where the veil is thin." The veil to what, or between which things, he did not say.

Maldor shrugged, though the white-haired young man would not be able to see the gesture at this distance, "Perhaps by now the temples are a ruin, almost indistinguishable from the rocks of the mountain. Perhaps they are higher up, or further out, than you are. I only know about them because they were written about.

The course of galactic events moves people. The places they dwelt within get forgotten, except for the tales they leave behind.

But the reason they came here?

That remains."

Maldor weighed the possibility that this person would recognize him if he got a good look. In this wide galaxy, how many people could identify one Senator from a room where hundreds gathered? How many people even paid any attention to politics? Even in the Mecetti province of his home, it was the pomp surrounding him that led him to be recognized by most. Not his face. Out of context, he was just a man in the snow.

"I am an amateur Historian," Maldor shouted up, "Such things interest me."

He looked out across the valley floor, again. An expanse so white and bright it almost hurt the eyes. Somewhere out there... not far, now...

"Come down if you want to talk," he said at last, "This shouting is hurting my throat."

Maldor held up the Wayfinder once more, peering into its depths. These ancient devices were shared between Masters and Apprentices, conveying secrets about places which only they were meant to know. It was a tradition that had gone on for a thousand generations, leaving countless examples strewn across the galaxy, waiting to be discovered.

Each worked a bit differently. Whatever electronics had once existed to read his device had long since fallen into disuse.

Maldor was left to use the Force to interpret the swirls which churned in its darkened depths.

Sadly, his ability to sense things with the Force was not as keen as his physical talents.

Still... he was close. He was sure of it...

Jasper Kai'el
Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Maldor Mecetti Jasper Kai'el

​

Braze looked down at the strange triangular artifact in Maldor's hand, his curiosity piqued despite his reservations. The ancient history of the Force-wielders and the nexus of Force energies sounded fascinating, even if the man before him seemed mysterious.

"A historian? You sure you're not just a tomb raider? Do you work for the Corelian Conservation Museum?" Braze asked with a sly grin, his eyebrows raised suggestively. He couldn't help but add a touch of humor to the situation. "I mean, I get it. Old stuff is cool and all, but most people don't hike up snowy mountains for a history lesson."

He moved closer to the edge of the cliff, perching himself on it as he continued to eye the mysterious figure. "What's with the weird triangle thingy you have?" he inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Braze wasn't entirely sure if he could trust this stranger, but there was an odd sentiment that made him feel as if something was off. "Digging up and stealing old stuff from dead people and being rude is a kind of boring hobby. I don't think they would appreciate a stranger rooting around their belongings. In some cultures, that's sacrilege," he commented, voicing his concern about Maldor's intentions.

"What's your name, Mr. Historian?" Braze finally asked, hoping to learn more about the man and his motivations. Gabriel Pryce came to mind when the topic of history came to mind.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mountain
Tags: Braze , Maldor Mecetti

​

"What's with the weird triangle thingy you have?"

Weird triangle thingy?

A chill went down Jasper's spine. Based on the faint dark presence, there was really only one clear answer without looking at what the man had with him: A Sith Holocron. That was bad. It most certainly explained why some random was out here looking for ruins. Maybe there was something far more sinister to his being here.

<Braze, I think that's a Holocron,> he told the boy telepathically. <The Sith kind. Can't you feel it's darkness? Like the tomb on Lothal where I killed that Sithspawn dragon. I... think you should keep your distance.>

It was better to be safe than sorry. There was an off-chance that he was some random wandering historian who had no idea what he had on him, but to come out to an old ruin with such a device in a remote location without understanding? The odds of that seemed astronomically slim. Jasper quickly prepared himself to jump into action, just in case the man decided to get hostile and go on the offensive over the questions his student was asking.

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

The figure on the rise kept shouting down comments or questions, but Maldor merely turned away from him. He'd told the youth to come down if he wanted to talk. There was no dignity in carrying on a conversation across wide distances... unless you were doing it on a com system.

Instead of continuing with the shouted discourse, Maldor continued to walk through the valley. He took a dozen, or perhaps two-dozen more paces when the Wayfinder began to glow a bright crimson.

This was it. This was the place.

He looked down at the alabaster field beneath his feet.

How many meters of snow separated him from the object of his quest?

And what about the spectator?

Maldor's right hand separated from the surface of the Wayfinder and reached under his robes, resting upon his light-foil as he contemplated the necessity and wisdom of murder...



Jasper Kai'el
Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el Maldor Mecetti

Braze concentrated as he tried to sense the stranger's Force signature while also keeping an eye on the peculiar triangular artifact in the man's possession. The combination of his various Force techniques, of tapas, mental shields, telepathy, and breath control, all whilst in the heart of a force nexus made it challenging to focus solely on the newcomer's aura. Nevertheless, he persevered, trying to discern the intentions and alignment of this strange figure.

The stranger's presence in the Force felt, well... strange, and not in a reassuring way. There was a darkness about him that sent a shiver down Braze's spine, a sensation he had rarely encountered before. It reminded him of the malevolent presence he had felt in the tomb when he had met Aliris Tremiru .

He lowered his voice and transmitted his thoughts directly to Jasper through their telepathic connection. <I'm not sure what he's doing, Jasper,> he began cautiously. <His little red triangle thingy is glowing... looks like a weird, fancy magic compass. Doesn't look like a holocron to me...> He paused, struggling to find the right words to convey his unease.

Braze understood the potential danger of the situation and was prepared to heed his mentor's advice while remaining vigilant for any signs of hostility from the mysterious stranger.

Braze moved to stand up on the mountain's edge bracing himself against the biting winds as he eased back a step or two seemingly watching from a distance taking a step or two towards Jasper's location.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mountain
Tags: Braze , @Maldor

​

"That's because it isn't a holocron, kid," Jasper spoke.

He had stood up now, staring across at the stranger, catching a glimps of the object that the man had with him. It was a wayfinder. Jasper had only ever seen one once before, back when he was a padawan in the Second Great Hyperspace War. It had taken a full team of Jedi Masters to decode the one they had found that lead to Exegol, where the final battle against the Maw would take place. Whatever the thing lead to, he assumed it was dangerous.

"Alright," he sighed. "Keep your guard up. I think there's not many options for a way out of this one..."

Jasper would step forward, casually but in no way not calculated. He was a veteran of the war after all. There was very little in the way of movement he did without purpose. His duelist instincts could never fade. All of that was far too ingraned in his mind. He wore a smile, but the knight knew that it wouldn't last. This was a man here for a purpose.

A dark one.

"Hey there," Jasper called out. "I think you have something that you probably shouldn't... but I have a feeling that you already know that."

Just another day.

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

Another voice in the night.

A memory flashed in Maldor's mind. Something one of the Holocrons had revealed to him.

There are always Two - A Master, and an Apprentice.

Had it been true of the Jedi as well as Sith?

Of course, it hadn't always been true of Sith. The holocrons Maldor had studied were very old, but there had been a time when the Rule of Two was not adhered to. And of course there had been new developments with the Light Side and the Dark Side since then. The old rules no longer applied. Otherwise, there could not be a vast Sith threat out in the galaxy.

Two individuals.

Probably Jedi, since they were complaining about his Wayfinder, now. Still, these two had not descended to where Maldor stood. They persisted in shouting into this cold night.

Were there more than two of them?

Murder was ill-advised until he knew more.

He shifted his hand from the hilt of his foil to his com unit, and picked it up. "Chex. Come to my position. I will need the shuttle."

His executive shuttle had parked behind a ridge, only two kilometers away. It did not take long for the ship to crest the mountains and become visible in the night sky.

Maldor took a chemical light from under his robes. It was a plastic ampule that could be snapped, shaken, and caused thereby to glow with a flourescent yellow-green light. He did that, and then hurled it a dozen yards in front of his position. It was a visual marker, to show the shuttle where to land. The glow-stick was only a little brighter than the moonlit snow field around it, but the droid would be able to tell the difference.

Maldor had brought his chauffeur droid on this quest, as he hadn't wanted to listen to a human pilot's complaints or questions. But now, knowing there were two potential force-wielders nearby, he wished for the human pilot.

At least the Mecetti House Guard could be counted on to gun down a Jedi if ordered to do so.

Maldor doubted that his droid's programming would be so liberal with an act of violence that wasn't in self-defense.

Something to resolve in the future...




Jasper Kai'el
Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: @ Jasper Kai'el . Maldor Mecetti

Braze's curiosity was piqued as Jasper approached him from behind. He briefly acknowledged his mentor with a glance before redirecting his attention to the strange figure below, listening intently to Jasper's words.

"I'm not so sure he's the friendly type, let alone someone who knows how to make friends," Braze cautiously remarked. He took a tentative step toward the edge, his energy betraying his restless curiosity. It was as if he were a well-trained puppy, torn between his master's orders and an overwhelming desire to investigate, like spotting a squirrel or a small creature in the distance.

The sudden noise of the ship's ascent startled Braze, causing him to flinch and jump cautiously. His gaze darted between the sky and the stranger below, his attention divided between the two intriguing points of interest.

"Maybe we could approach him diplomatically," Braze suggested, his words laced with a sly grin that hinted at mischief. "Who knows, perhaps we could even teach him how to loosen up and crack a smile. It seems like this anxious fellow is just waiting for an opportunity to stir things up a bit. And I REALLY want to see what he's up to. Plus I'd rather be closer to him than his ship's firing systems ya know?"

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mountain
Tags: Braze , Maldor Mecetti

​

Plus I'd rather be closer to him than his ship's firing systems ya know?"

"I'm not sure about that one," Jasper noted with a frown. "Did you see the way his shoulders were moving? He has a weapon on his hip that he's ready to grab. We hold our ground, let him know we're just as much of a problem for him as he is for us. Besides, we have our own ship."

Jasper would pull out his communicator.

"Toth," the knight spoke into the device. "We got contacts. Bring the Redwind to our possition."

"Ten-four, Big Kahuna," a voice came through. "I see them. Bringing her up now."

From there, the whirring of a second vessel echoed through the ridge, with the much larger frame of the NJO's retriet transport rising up from behind the peak that they stood on. Highly durable and armed with ion cannons, they had very little to fear from the standard transport shuttle. Jasper had ensured that the Redwind could survive a warzone. Now it was a matter of taking care of whatever the man was doing.

Jasper would approach now, making his way down the slope to begin closing the distance, gesturing for Braze to stay back a little.

"You know, it's rude to ignore people when they speak to you, pal," Jasper noted with a frown. "The wayfinder. Where did you get it?"

He wasn't here to play around the truth. Maybe others would, but not him. He didn't wind up on the council avoiding problems after all. Now was the time to take care of business, whatever that wound up entailing.

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

As Zephyr set down onto the snow at the indicated spot, Maldor heard the roar of a new set of engines in the valley. He looked up, seeing a horrid insult to the principles of ship design crest the mountain rise, headed in his direction. It wasn't bad enough that the ship was unattractive. It was also fairly large, and clearly outgunned the Zephyr.

Things were becoming worse by the minute.

But this ship wasn't the only arrival to worry about. One of the- Jedi? Probably Jedi. Though, wouldn't it be nice if they were Sith? Much easier to murder a Sith without getting into trouble.

One of them had come closer, into speaking range.

"It is you, or your friend, who has ignored me," Maldor said without turning to look at the man. Instead, he advanced to the side of the Executive Shuttle. "I informed him that he should come down if he wanted to talk. I told him that shouting was hurting my voice. Then he kept blabbering on like a confused Gonk droid. And you joined him."

Maldor lifted his com unit once more, "Engines to 1/3 lift-off power. Angle thrust at 115 degrees towards ground. We want to get the top layer of snow off."

He took some steps away from the shuttle now, as the sound of its engines was becoming too loud for comfort. The angled thrust from the drive cones was blowing away a huge amount of snow. Some of it was vaporized by the heat of the engine exhaust. Boiled away in seconds.

Finally, Maldor looked at the man who had spoken, "Do you like it? " He held out the Wayfinder for Jasper to take if he wanted to. "I bought it from a trader on Millenus III. It's called a Wayfinder. There are hundreds of these in the galaxy, probably. But few know what they are, and fewer know how to interpret their secrets."

The thrust of the shuttle continued to do its work, and the topmost part of a stone structure began to be revealed. Stone structures in the mountains were hard to detect on sensors. They were made of the same stuff as the mountain itself. Maldor would have never found this place without the help of the Wayfinder. He could have even lived here for a hundred years, and no melt may have come to reveal the secrets underfoot.

"There. The power of knowledge."

Maldor shifted his gaze to the pit in the snow, where a symbol was revealed as a mosaic in the underlying stone.

Around the symbol, ancient words were carved. Maldor couldn't read them, but he did recognize them from prior studies. He spoke them aloud, from memory, "In the light, there is a darkness and in the darkness, a light."





Jasper Kai'el
Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Maldor Mecetti Jasper Kai'el

Braze, taking his master's lead, was relieved that Jasper didn't order him to stay back this time. He maintained a cautious distance but still followed behind, eager to see what was happening.

As they approached the landing area where the ship touched down, the snow around them sizzled and vaporized under the heat of the vessel's engines. Braze took this opportunity to get a better look at the mysterious man who had arrived. His curiosity got the better of him.

He had undertaken his own private studies after his recent adventure with Master Zark San Tekka . During that time, Braze had compiled a list of public senators, and politicians along with their faces, names, and short descriptions of their affiliations. It had been like a minor memorization game for him, a way to keep his mind sharp and ready for any situation.He even set it up as a fun game of 'guessing who was who'. As he squinted at the man approaching, Braze realized he recognized this individual's likeness.

"Hey, aren't you that one Senator of Obulette?" Braze called out over the loud winds and roaring engines, hoping to strike up a conversation and gain some insight into the situation.

"So... you wanted to find a... picture made of rocks?" Braze inquired, his tone curious and intrigued, though he couldn't quite fathom the man's goals yet. His youthful enthusiasm often made him eager to learn and understand new things, especially when they were as mysterious as this.

Braze didn't seem too anxious to reach for his blade either he was going for a diplomatic approach.

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

Maldor lifted his gaze towards the younger of the two Jedi.

A Padawan? Most likely.

Unfortunately, the pup had identified him. Civics courses must be getting better nowadays than they used to be. Either that, or the prominence of Obulette in galactic affairs was rising.

"I can tell you are young," Maldor said as he waved a hand towards the revealed mosaic image, "as you express more curiosity about people than about things or concepts.

Behold what has been uncovered here: Intricate mosaic tile work depicting an individual in balance with the Force. Half light-side. Half dark-side. But together, in one entity. And without conflict.

This is a site that predates the petty squabbles of the Sith and Jedi.

This is a site laid down by those who eschew conflict, in favor of understanding.

And it has been here, under this snow, under your proverbial feet. For thousands of years. Perhaps many, many thousands of years."

Maldor signaled for the shuttle to shut off its engines, and then approached the large crater in the snow that was left by its exhaust. There was now a ten-foot-diameter dais of stone, upon which the intricate tilework sat.

The Senator from Obulette stepped onto the stone. Still warm from the exhaust, but not hot enough to melt the soles of his shoes. Nothing stayed hot for long in this climate.

He walked over to the dark-side half of the figure, standing on the dark tiled circle.

"This is too instinctual to be a puzzle. It is an instruction."

He pointed to the light-side circle, "Stand there, young one."



Braze
Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mountain
Tags: Maldor Mecetti , Braze

​

"Stand there, young one."

"Hey, don't order my student around," Jasper snapped. "You will not be using him as a pawn for whatever it is that you're trying to gain here, sir."

Nobody would be using Braze. It was his choice to make, not the whim of some quack on a mountain. This was all a lot. Braze recognized the man as a senator? He must have been studying the political side of the GA after his meeting with Zark San Tekka . That had been his area of expertise at one point in time before the responsibility fell on Kahlil Noble .

"Besides, it's all just rocks," he noted. "Truth is what you define it as, and understanding comes from forming your own perspective. Petty squabble or not, the Sith kill millions to extend their own lives... sacrifice the many for the few. You can't live between both worlds, not without going mad. Now, I see no reason to waste my time any further..."

His glare became more intense.

"You have a weapon under that cloak," Jasper stated. "You stand like a fencer. Your shoulder keeps moving like you want to grab your blade. Am I correct?"

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Maldor Mecetti Jasper Kai'el

Braze's curiosity was a flame that burned brightly within him, often leading him down paths of intrigue and discovery. As he stood there, listening intently to the senator's words, the cold winds and the roar of the engine seemed to fade into the background. His mind was racing, trying to piece together the puzzle that was unfolding before him. Why would a senator be here, in this remote location, with such mysterious devices? The intrigue was almost overwhelming, and Braze found himself drawn towards the unfolding mystery like a moth to a flame.

His eyes, a somber shade of jade green, reflected curiosity. The senator's words about the mosaic, its depiction of balance between the light and dark sides of the Force, resonated with Braze. It was a concept that was fascinating and complex, stirring a deep-seated desire within him to explore and understand.

As he took tentative steps towards the rock-like mural, Braze felt a tug of war within himself. His training as a Jedi warned him of the dangers of such unknown artifacts, yet his innate curiosity urged him to delve deeper. The mosaic, seemed to beckon him, promising secrets of the Force that were ancient and profound.

However, Jasper's interaction with the senator snapped Braze back to the present. The tension between them was evident, and Braze could sense the undercurrents of a potential conflict brewing. His analytical mind began to assess the situation, considering tactics and strategies should a confrontation arise. He noted the senator's stance, the subtle movements that hinted at a readiness for combat. Braze's training had taught him to be observant, to read his opponents, and this situation was no different.

"What do you hope to gain with this re-found knowledge?" Braze asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity yet cautiousness. He drew closer to the mural, his eyes scanning the intricate tilework, trying to decipher its meaning. The senator's response to this question would be crucial in determining Braze's next move.

Braze's gaze flickered between the senator and Jasper, weighing his options. He knew that the outcome of this encounter could have significant implications, not just for him but for the broader context of the Force and the galaxy. The senator's presence here, the mysterious mosaic, and the tension in the air all pointed to something much larger than a simple archaeological discovery. Braze stood at the crossroads on how to proceed; would he be guided by his training and heed his Master's wisdom, or would his insatiable curiosity win out?