Night and Day

[Abelain Narv'uk]

The warmth and humidity swarmed over the newcomers immediately, swallowing them whole and leaving them encompassed in heat. It contrasted heavily with the artificially cooled shuttle that had brought them down to the surface. The air tasted differently too, much fresher than the recycled oxygen that flooded over any ship that soared the stars. It would be difficult to see the stars upon the surface, even if it were the dead of night. One would need to escalate past the vast foliage covering this portion of the planet.

The distant calls of wildlife gave another example of the rugged wilderness that set the stage for their escapades. Animals; prey and predator, stalked in the darkness, hidden beneath the shade of infinite plant-life. There was a sort of familiarity with the ecosystem, even if it was vastly different from his home; the similarities ending at the variety of life scattered throughout the world, as well as the warmth. It still beat the confines of the Paladin, at least in the mind of the explorer. He took a step upon the ground, fully leaving behind the shuttle and feeling cracked and dry dirt beneath his feet.

A current of wind blew forcefully through the air, rustling trees and exotic foliage. The breeze shaking the fabric of the environment with such force that it erupted into a roar of shaking nature, threatening to drown out the engine of the shuttle with it's intensity. As quickly as the sound had begun, it ended, dying out into obscurity and leaving only a faint memory of it's power. Ahead of them stood an uncut path of plant-life, barely discernible from it's surroundings. It held a sort of tactical ingenuity that could not be denied, natural camouflage that required no additional work.

Abelain stood tall, eyes glancing expectantly ahead of him as if though the arrival of something else had triggered within his mind, subtle imaginary precognition influencing his thoughts. Yet, nothing came from the bush. His head turned, examining his newly minted Esh-Kah guardian and wondering briefly how he handled the sweltering jungle that lay ahead of them. They were here to discover something concealed, hinted at only by the presence of the path. According to information; granted by sources somewhat less than reputable, there lay a structure beyond the path, and within that structure lay a prism; a holocron.

The Arue'tii had searched frantically throughout the galaxy for such devices, awaiting the discovery of one so that he could finally methodically extract it's knowledge. He took a breath, scenting the air for anything familiar, though nothing tickled his olfactory senses, and he made the conclusion that it was safe to continue their journey into the wild. He was locked upon the path, though his voice echoed out from within the 'smile' that spread across his face, "Are you ready to proceed, Blazing Eye?"

[member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Blazing Eye"] | [member="Vorian Adasca"]

 

[Tyberius Fel]

Felucia as a planet, termed with a vibrant, pulsating sort of life. Enormous bulbous plants reached to the cloud streaked heavens with open petals like the grasping fingers of some unfathomably large infant, culminating in a multi colored canopy of trees and flowers that dominated the wild, rolling landscape of weed pocked hills and narrow streams. Struggling to push himself through the oppressive heat and dizzying surroundings, came the silvery hair -- now blemished with specks of dirt and muck -- of the Jedi Padawan Vorian Adasca. Pausing to readjust the ronin-style tail his hair was fashioned in, he reflected on how comical he, a (literal) Silver Jedi and a pinkish Zeltron-Human Jedi Knight must have appeared in a environment where most of the native wildlife adopted a rough coat of brown, beige and green in order to better camouflage themselves.

The holocron.

The remainder of why he suffered through the blistering heat and predators rang throughout his mind. Often times many asked Vorian why he seemed so fixated on collecting knowledge, a question that often puzzled the young Arkanian. Did one need a reason for gathering wisdom? Was not the innate desire to expand one's understanding of the universe that had drove so many sentient species to the stars and forged the galaxy as it was known today not enough? Some prefer ignorance, I suppose. Vorian mentally shrugged to himself.

Casting his gaze about he small muddied stream he currently stood in, he strained to filter out the ambient sound of mating calls and predatory chases. Usually, Vorian would utilize the aid of his pet Snow Eagle, Leto, to scout the surroundings; yet in such a perilous environment Vorian feared that the stark white feathers that gave the beast it's name would rapidly see it's consumed by some monstrous native creature.

Eventually Vorian spotted some dull metal construct in the distance. The Arkanian quickly waddled down the stream, eyes widened as it slowly dawned at him what exactly he was looking at. Propped half submerged within dirt and mud, sat an ancient AT-TE cracked, shattered and nearly buried; like some ancient stone obelisk of a forgotten civilization. Clicking his tongue in thought, Vorian recalled a series of skirmishes waged here by a trifecta the Old Republic Clone Army, the Trade Confederation Droid Army and native wildlife frenzied by the maddening dirge of marching metal feet and blaster fire. Quickly scanning the ground, Vorian identified Acklay skeletons, stained remains of Clone battle armor that was easily distinguished by the trademark helmet slit and the head pieces of Confederate Battle Droids that looked for all the world like the skulls of some metallic insectoids. Which made sense, considering their manufacturers. It was tempting for Vorian to spend a hour or two studying the site, but they had far more valuable artifacts to discover.

"Fascinating. Sometimes I regret not joining the archaelogical corps." Noted Vorian half to himself and half to Joza. "We should inform the order of this discovery when will return, master." Suggested Vorian, returning his gaze up to the AT-TE. Gathering the force within his legs, the Arkanian blurred to the side of the ancient vehicle, scrambling up it's sides and onto the top. It creaked and shuddered, briefly causing Vorian to lose his balance. "Gah!" He sent his hands onto the gun emplacement to steady himself. Once secure, he slid out a pair of binoculars and began to scan the horizon.

It was difficult to spot anything through the brush.. though there was some sort of narrow path. Did it lead to what they were looking for? Before Vorian could further think, he spotted a creature with flesh that appeared as bluish-black fused obsidian scurrying along. The determined bipedal gait marked it as very likely to be sentinent. The creature was oddly familiar, but nothing was certain considering the view obscuring environment they were in.

"Master -- " He called over his shoulder to Joza. "I believe I've.. spotted something."



[member="Joza Perl"] [member="Blazing Eye"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Blazing Eye]

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Joza Perl"]

Blazing Eye stood just behind and to the left of his newfound commander, his hands behind his back. He was gazing around at the planet they had landed on. It looked like an excellent place to fight. The plants could screen skirmish lines, allowing them to get extremely close to the enemy before being detected. When he was an Esh-kah Ranger, Blazing Eye's primary task was to scout the enemy lines and then attack from a concealed position when the situation demanded it. He would be quite in his element on this world.

Blazing Eye wore his simple Esh-kah battle armor, repaired since his engagement with the creature who now commanded him. His massive war blade was in its familiar place strapped to his back, ready to be drawn at a moments notice. Blazing Eye could almost hear the weapon, repaired and reforged since he had found the original rusting on an ancient battlefield, crying out to be used. The weapon sought blood, and so did Blazing Eye.

"I am at your command," he said to the creature, "Let us press on."

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza was content to let the Padawan explore, so long as he did not stray too far. She’d learned quite quickly that the young Arkanian was eager to expand his knowledge, perhaps a bit too eager. She almost had to snort at his antics, glancing to the side to note how he caught himself before landing face first in a pool of mud. He reminded her of herself in her early days as a Padawan, though she was less occupied with scholarly pursuits and more intent on training herself for combat. Numerous early clashes with Sith had fueled her desire to defend herself.

“Joza.” She corrected, nearly scoffing when he referred to her as Master. It was something she’d picked up from her old mentor who preferred to be addressed by his first name in anything but formal situations. Master didn’t suit her, she supposed it likely never would. A Jedi’s education was never complete.

Joza’s already alert senses sharpened suddenly, and it was as if a brief humid breeze brought to light that they were not alone. She whirled on her heel as Vorian called for her, green eyes immediately tracking to the hulking pair of figures in the distance. Great. Lids narrowing, the pink Jedi would strain her senses, trying to discern what was going on around them. Whoever, whatever was coming towards them had likely already spotted the duo, or at the very least, her. Pink skin and vibrant red hair weren’t the best attributes if one was trying to remain stealthy.

“Vorian, to me. Now.” She commanded with a hiss to her tone. Thought she’d encountered unexpected life on other words, something told her that whatever was approaching was likely not friendly. Steeling herself, the Knight would rest her wrist on the hilt of her saber, not yet drawing the ancient weapon.

[member="Blazing Eye"] [member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Blazing Eye]

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Joza Perl"] [member="Vorian Adasca"]
As Blazing Eye scanned the strange jungle ahead of him, he spotted something in the distance. Locking his highly trained eyes on the source, he spotted a figure, possibly female, with striking pink skin. He indicated the location.

"There commander," he said, pointing, "Something is there. If you wish I will withdraw and see if I can get closer without being detected."

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Blazing Eye"] | [member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Vorian Adasca"]

Something remotely pleasant tickled the olfactory senses of the explorer, awakening them to the presence of something greater than animals. They were sentient, that much was evident based alone on scent and feeling that rippled through the Force, however he had very obviously never encountered their species. One smelled oddly of human, though it's blood was mixed; impure in it's construction and organization. It had not occurred to him yet that the various races might be capable of cross-breeding to produce advantageous hybrids. That would require more physical and obvious evidence, but it seemed to be the case. It was unlikely that they had missed his companion and himself in their marching, especially due to their giant size compared to most sentient life, though they lacked the senses that he himself had at his utility.

He trudged forward, his feet trampling upon the dry and cracked dirt and spattering a thin cloud of dust directly behind him as he walked, allowing it to intentionally be swept away by the flicker of his vibrant red cape. There were no attempts at hiding their presence, instead Abelain simply continued forward as though oblivious to the presence of a possible threat. His eyes scanned the horizon, awaiting the first sighting of the newcomers, and they found their reward in the flicker of movement from something pink. It seemed not to camouflage well with the browns and greens of the jungle, and immediately he knew where his threat stood.

His harsh chitinous foot stamped down roughly upon a metallic object, shattering it beneath his weight and scattering it's remnants across the ground. The final fragments of it's existence floated weightlessly upon the air, blowing away into hidden obscurity, but not before being identified for what it was; a helmet. It was of an archaic design, though it held obvious similarities to the helmets worn by stormtroopers. Perhaps it's spiritual predecessor, that would mean that this jungle had been occupied during an armed conflict of some form. The inferior beings were gradually becoming more visible, and it appeared that at least one of them was raised above the ground, lying atop an ancient metallic beast that had long since expired.

It had not occurred to warn his companion of the potential danger, but he expected his expert training to allow for his detection of the outsiders long before they finally reached them, and it was revealed when he spoke, alerting his master of the coming danger. That knowledge was received only with a knowing nod. He stepped from the path, allowing himself to stand completely visible in the minor clearing that the others occupied. His voice was calm, gently rolling from within him with the same force of a freshly conceived storm, "Whom might you be? What are you doing here?" Rapid interrogatives would allow for answers as to the reason of their occupation of the elder battle site, but already conclusions were being drawn by the bright Arue'tii.

These were with the Sanctum, but in what capacity?

 

[Tyberius Fel]

The rasping voice, the gait, the membrane of blue-black chitin. Vorian's eyes opened wide with recognition. This was the creature, the Sith (or perhaps Dark Jedi?) beast that he encountered on a far flung planet in some backwater of the galaxy. The Jedi Padawan stood to his full, lanky height upon the decrepit back of the ancient clone transport, robes and dirt encrusted hair swaying gently in the breeze that occasionally tore through the Felucian canopy. "I know of this creature, Master Per--.. Joza.." In a manner both amusing and thematically fitting, the Zeltron Jedi had requested for Vorian to refer to her in a informal manner, something Dune Rhur had also done during a training session. Of course, Vorian had difficulty in overwriting the formal article of address that was drilled into his brain during his young years as a initiate, and even before that, as an Arkanian noble.

"It walks Bogan, yet reason is not foreign to him. I have convinced him to see logic before." Vorian dismissed Joza's command of retreating to her side. Perhaps it was classical Arkanian arrogance, but Vorian was certain he could use his words far more effective than his lightsaber, if things came to blows. Besides, he thought, sudden movement may awaken latent predatory instincts within the creature. The total white orbs that Vorian perceived the world through now focused on the vaguely insectoid head of the Dark Sider. The Jedi Padawan inhaled, consciously manipulating the subtlest twitches of muscle and body language in order to effect a sort of calm on the creature -- though even Vorian was skeptical of it's effect on such a odd species.

"Dark Sider, Felucia sways under the banner of the Silver Sanctum. When one intrudes on another's home, it is salt to the wound of rudeness to further make demands, is it not?" Vorian smiled gently, ignoring a massive blood sucking insect gulping it's fill from a vein on his neck. "Let us be civil. What are you doing here, friend? Perhaps we can aid you on your task or escort you to safety if you are lost within this labyrinth of a dense jungle."

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
[member="Blazing Eye"]

 

[Joza Perl]

A thin brow arched at Vorian’s words, surprised that the Padawan had encountered this…beast before. “Oh?” Was all she would give him, turning her gaze back to the strange darkened creature. She hadn’t the faintest idea of what he could be, thus she found herself analyzing him as he drew near. Size mattered not, she had found in her numerous bouts of combat—but that was not what worried the pink Jedi. His skin, blackened and a hard seemed to serve as some sort of shell if the way the earth moved beneath him was any indication. Gone were the days when she would rush heedlessly into battle out of quelling her own nerves. Now, she preferred to hang back if possible, and take in everything—their opponents, surroundings, the atmosphere. Anything could be of use, and anything could be their downfall.

What’s this now? The Zeltron’s sharp eyes moved back to the apprentice, catching the subtle shifts of his body as he addressed the creature. She would have likely given a sharp reprimand for his disobedience had there not been something more interesting afoot. As if to aid the apprentice, the woman release a torrent of calming pheromones. Would they affect the pair of creatures? She did not know, but she could tell that the young Arkanian was attempting to broach the situation as pleasantly as possible. She would approach Vorian swiftly, her movements deliberate and non-aggressive.

Joza wanted to snort as the word civil was dropped. You’re dealing with a dark sider here, kid. Civility typically runs skin deep with them. She’d no doubt that this would not end pleasantly. Interaction with the Sith rarely did for her—and their intentions, she could feel, were about to clash with their own. Part of her wanted to cut it out with all this pomp. Pleasantries would only prolong the inevitable, she could feel the Force strain with warning.

“Jedi Knight Joza Perl and Padawan Vorian Ascada of the Silver Sanctum Coalition.” She offered in a smooth voice, one hand sweeping to the side in mock greeting. Her voice was not as pleasant as Vorian’s during her introduction but held a notes of both warning and vague respect. “It’s quite curious to see Sith in Sanctum territory.” Her eyes continue to study the enormous pair, her head almost shaking in irony. Wouldn’t be the first time. Though he was still a learner, she was a little more than curious to see how Vorian would continue to handle the situation and was content to give him the lead for the time being.

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Blazing Eye"]

 

[Blazing Eye]

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Joza Perl"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
Blazing Eye could practically feel the resentment streaming off the pink-skinned female, though she spoke calmly. He could feel some strange feeling of calm wash over him, but he knew that it was not coming from his own mind. One of these Force-using strangers was trying to affect his mind somehow. It would not work. Blazing Eye was a warrior of a thousand battles; once on a path, he could never be swayed. He stepped a little closer to his commander's side and spoke in heavily accented basic to the two.

"May the stars shine on our meeting," he said formally, trying to give the impression of civility the Padawan obviously sought, "I am Blazing Eye, Ranger of the Esh-kah, Honored among the Esh-kah, Blood-Blade to Abelain Narv'uk." Blazing Eye was a warrior first and foremost, but the teachings of the great Hallow Voice were to seek peaceful means before battle, and if it did come to blows, to fight honorably.

"I do not know what brings us here," he said, "My only purpose is to serve Abelain Narv'uk. However, I see no reason why this must come to blows. Direct us to what we seek, or do not interfere, and nothing bad will occur." The words would contain their own hint of warning. Blazing Eye had easily caught the warning in the words of the pink woman, but he did not know what she sought to accomplish. She spoke to a veteran of the Great War, a veteran of a thousand battles. Blazing Eye had fought hordes of enemies, and enemies twice his own size. He was a warrior born and a warrior raised. He did not have the Force, but he had his blade, and the massive weapon, now strapped to his back, was easily capable of cleaving either one of these Force-users in half.

"I defer to you, dark one," he said, backing up to his customary position behind and to the right of Abelain.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Blazing Eye"] | [member="Vorian Adasca"] | [member="Joza Perl"]

Familiarity and recognition rushed to the forefront of Abelain's mind as he laid eyes upon the pale individual approaching them. He had seen this specific Jedi before, on a planet that had since escaped his memory due to it's general uselessness. It had been a trip that had promised artifacts of ancient times and their restoration, and the Arue'tii distinctly remembered his hope that they would provide vital and interesting information about the greater galaxy that had been obscured or muddled in official record. Instead, he had been assailed by an unknown assassin, and a petty one at that. A female had tried to murder him in the street, causing a panic and fright at the same time, all because the vessel that he flew was under the authority of the One Sith. It had added water to the rapidly solidifying concrete that was his dislike of the Jedi in all orders and forms.

The inferior addressed him in a similar manner to the Esh-Kah now under his service; Dark Sider. The speech of the pale humanoid was reasonable, and it's logic was irrefutably correct in terms of manners. He mentally withdrew his questions from his mind, instead focusing on those that were given by the Jedi. The Arue'tii found itself drawing increasingly near to the man, stopping only a couple of meters away and staring derisively down towards him, examining him with eerie precision as they spoke. Finally he spoke, his voice deep and infused with general respect that contrasted heavily with his examination, "You are correct. It is not the place of the guest to commonly question the tenant." He cast a rapid glance over to the companion, the one whose pigment was pink and easily notable among the landscape.

Curious though he was of her species, he redirected his attention to the negotiations taking place with the man. The Jedi pleaded civility, and Abelain had no intention of denying it, especially as there had been no hostile action yet taken against him, nor any conflict of interest. Should those details change however, he was not opposed to violent action for accomplishing his goals; the end result neatly outweighed the means. The question came quickly of the purpose of their arrival, and the Arue'tii was not inclined to lie of his goal, "I assure you that we are not lost. We seek an item of knowledge." While not a lie, it was also intentionally vague in case of treachery on the part of the Jedi.

His guardian, Blazing Eye spoke their names in greeting, and the names of the Jedi were also exchanged. It added a new depth of personality to the foes of the Sith; suddenly they were not simply beings, but people. It was an irritation that his mind was shifting to think of opponents so harshly, but realistically it was necessary given how great the conflicts had been thus far, it was unreasonable to view every soldier as important. He scented the air whilst breathing, focusing intently on the blood of his companion. He trusted him to uphold his bond of honor, and that trust was further solidified when he discontinued his conversation, choosing instead to defer to his new master. Abelain shifted his head to the side, speaking over his shoulder while his eyes remained lock on the Jedi, refusing to look away, "I am grateful for your loyalty."

It seemed that the female was in charge of the pair, though she seemed unable to remove the more inexperienced negotiator from conversation, an evident sign of weak authority. He chuckled gently from behind the 'smile', a low and guttural noise produced within his innards.

 

[Tyberius Fel]

"A item of knowledge?" Parroted Vorian contemplatively. His eyes studied closely the chitin clad visage of the one known as Abelain Narv'uk before snapping his attention onto his companion, a creature that had identified him (it?) self as 'Blood-Blade,' a charming name. Esh-Ka. How familiar it was. Vorian recalled hearing the name being tossed about several times in a class on early Galactic History, but for once the Arkanian Jedi failed to recall this particular snippet of information. The Jedi Padawan made a mental note to research the two species these odd dark siders belonged to, then returned his vision onto Abelain -- though never letting 'Blood-Blade' out of his peripheral vision. How did he keep getting into these confrontations? Perhaps I should get a transfer to the archaeological corps.

Vorian shot a glance over his shoulder to the Zeltron Jedi Knight that he accompanied. "If I may be so bold and perhaps so foolish, I say we show them to the holocron." The Arkanian made no attempt to refrain from acknowledging the existence of the holocron of Kyle Katarn. If these two were in Silver Sanctum territory, heading on the correct path, then odds were that they were certain of exactly what they were searching for. "I doubt they'd be able to open it. The Holocron's Gatekeeper isn't like to reveal it's secrets to followers of the Bogan anyhow. Besides--" He began with a wink and smirk seen only by the Zeltron Knight. "There's the rest of the Jedi Archaeological Corps only a few kilometers away." It was a thing of untruth, but Arkanian surprised himself with the ease that the lie escaped his lips. Falsehoods were better than blood shed, anyhow.

The Arkanian returned his gaze on the two dark siders, who he expected to be stammering to come up with excuses to flee after hearing of another (fictional) contingent Jedi in the area. If they didn't take to their heels, then perhaps that pointed to the dark siders themselves having reinforcements in turn.

Or simple arrogance.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
[member="Blazing Eye"]
[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza continued to study the pair in their path with a curious but wary eye. The Knight was rapidly becoming impatient with all of this flowery rhetoric and falsified respect, as she saw it. But was it because of her distrust for these creatures, or did it run deeper than that? The Zeltron refused the idea of her own bloodlust being born out of who-know’s-what, yet there was something there that yearned for a good fight. Whatever it was, all of it was kept far away from the surface, hidden under the typically calm exterior of a Jedi.

Resting her hands in the sleeves of her robe in front of her chest, Joza lofted a brow at Vorian’s suggestion. Glancing over at the darksiders once more, her green gaze took in their hulking forms and their apparent polite demeanors. Did they expect to be allowed to wander freely on a Sanctum planet? The demand made by the armored one almost made her bark with laughter. Typical Sith arrogance.

But the Arkanian had already spoken, his wink and smile not going unnoticed by the elder of the duo. Hands still in the sleeves of her robe, the Jedi turned to the newcomers and shrugged as if she had no strong feelings either way. “I’d suggest for you two to turn around and leave Sanctum space.” There was a hint of fatigue in her voice, one that she was sure that would not go unnoticed by the observant creatures. “But if you’re intent on staying, I suppose we must be good hosts.” She cast a quick glance to Vorian before moving her gaze back to the Esh-kah. “Tell me—Blazing Eye?—how do you see this situation playing out for you and Abelain?” She removed one hand from her sleeve, her movements deliberate a she reached up to idly pat some flyaway hairs back against her head. Her words held no malice, but she remained guarded as always.

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Blazing Eye"]

 

[Blazing Eye]

[member="Joza Perl"] [member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
"I live to serve," Blazing Eye said to his commander. Then the obviously younger Jedi spoke, speaking of more possible foes nearby. Blazing Eye's veins began to flow with familiar adrenaline. He did not seek battle first, but if this confrontation was to result in death and destruction, they might as well go all out. He was pondering the younger Force-user's words when the older one spoke, strangely directly to him.

"I foresee we part ways, the dark one and I find what we seek, and then we leave," he said, "Conflict is not necessary." Then Blazing Eye turned to his commander.

"Dark one, if you wish it, I will scout the area," he said, "If there are more of them here, I will ensure they do not interfere with your activities here." The adrenaline continued to flow. Blazing Eye had practiced such delaying tactics before; after all, long range patrol, recon, and interception was his specialty. He could keep an entire company of enemies scratching their heads and looking twice at every tree. He relished the opportunity to do so again.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Vorian Adasca"] | [member="Blazing Eye"] | [member="Joza Perl"]

A flicker of interest passed Abelain's eyes at the mention of simply allowing them to retrieve the holocron, it was an unexpected, and entirely unorthodox idea on the part of the Jedi. Of course, the pale Jedi explained his reasoning by revealing that the gatekeeper of the holocron would be unlikely to part with knowledge, especially to followers of the dark side. "You'll remember, that Master Katarn was an avid practitioner of both the light, and the dark." He had never personally encountered one of the triangular objects, but it seemed fair to assume that the one created by Kyle would be accessible to himself given the master's history. There was the possibility that it would deny their attempts at opening it however, but it had not been proven and therefore gave opportunity to be tested.

The Arue'tii gave particular notice to the statement made by Vorian about the presence of a contingency of Jedi archaeologists near their objective. At first he was unsure was to what the relevance of that knowledge was, but a moment later he came to the conclusion that it was a veiled threat given by the Jedi in an attempt to ward away their foes. There was the possibility that the army of Jedi existed, but there was no evidence that it did other than the word given by a potential hostile. In the end, it was irrelevant to their objective, especially when one considered that archaeologists did not spend their time fighting battles and wars, but instead studied them.

If they existed, they posed no threat to himself nor his companion. Abelain leaned forward, eerily glaring into the eyes of Adasca as he made himself level with his face, lowering himself to the position of the inferior to speak softly to him. "My thanks for the speedy expedition, it's been tiresome awaiting our goal aboard the warship." He hissed, a vile smirk emanating from behind the 'smile' wrapped around his face. It was his own threat, one concealed in a similar manner to the statement given by the Jedi. His own threat held more logical truth behind it than Vorian's; at least to himself, after all, he hadn't walked to Felucia.

The pink female Jedi; the superior, spoke her wishes for the meeting openly, almost as if she wanted the conflict to finally erupt. Despite that condemning tone, she acquiesced a moment later to her role as host. They had come not as invaders, nor murderers, nor assailants, but as guests and explorers. It would be inherently hypocritical of the Jedi to strike at them when they had done nothing warranting the action, and they needed to uphold their facade of peacekeeper to ensure the support of a majority of the galaxy. They were demagogues, giving promises of peace and prosperity, and achieving tyranny as their tribute. It was sickening and pathetic.

It was pleasing to the Arue'tii that Blazing Eye seemed to share his own thoughts on the matter of conflict, and it simply cemented the usefulness of the Esh-Kha within his own mind. The Ranger offered to scout ahead, and to examine the area for the presence of potential hostiles and dangers, and Abelain thought of the humorous situation that would occur upon calling the bluff of the Jedi negotiator. "Do as you will." He spoke mirthfully, his voice lessening in intensity as his glare pierced into Adasca.

"You will take us to the Holocron?"

 

[Tyberius Fel]

Vorian watched, unnerved, as an hollow caricature of a smile crept around the blue-black chitin plated visage of this odd being known as Abelain Narv'uk. The Arkanian was genuinely unsure as to whether this dark sided creature was attempting to be friendly or was making a effort to intimidate him. Perhaps it was both? Certainly there was a venomous threat hidden in the honey of his thanks 'for the speedy expedition.' Warship? Would the Dark Jedi be truly so bold as to insert a warship into Sanctum territory? Vorian would have attempted to read the expression of the insectoid creature, but he found it utterly inscrutable, alien.

The Padawan swallowed, keeping his composure.

"If I recall my histories correctly, Kyle Katarn lived his last as a distinguished Jedi Master. Sympathetic to the ruinous influence of the dark side? Perhaps, but I doubt the gatekeeper would happily spill it's secrets to your ilk without the extended prodding you likely intend to give it upon your... 'warship.'" Vorian exhaled through his nose as the creature inquired if they would take him to the holocron.

"As I've said, we'll happy to show you to show you to the holocron.. once you file a official request for authorization from the Jedi Committee for the Preservation and Categorization of Knowledge and History." Vorian nodded with a cordial smile.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
[member="Blazing Eye"]
[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Clever darksiders. The Zeltron kept her lips from upturning into a smile, content to see where Vorian would take this. She had to applaud the young Arkanian for his skills in diplomacy—her own had waned as her more reckless behavior took over, strangely after she’d been Knighted. Perhaps it was her initial suppression of normal Zeltron urges that caused her undoing, or the Jedi lifestyle just wasn’t a good fit. Either way, now that she’d found more freedom after completing her apprenticeship, she’d been getting into more trouble. Even in this moment, she struggled to act Jedi-like.

“Pffft…” Joza couldn’t help but let out an inkling of a snicker at the Padawan’s last words, shielding her mouth with the sleeve of her robe. Oh man, this was getting good. She’d gleaned enough from the dialogue already, having lost interest in the holocron at this point. Was she itching for a fight? Perhaps. It would be better if they weren’t here, but they were. Drifting forward, she would place a hand on the taller Jedi’s shoulder for a brief moment as she’d come to stand beside him.

“If I couldn’t sense the dark energies seeping from you,” She nodded her head towards Abelain in acknowledgement. “Your arrogance surely marks you as Sith. You come unto a Sanctum planet seeking a holocron, and expect us, Silver Jedi, to bend to your will?” A pair of thin red eyebrows would raise as she withdrew her hands back into the sleeves of her robe before turning her attention to the sword wielder. “You are right, Blazing Eye. Conflict is not necessary.” She addressed his earlier words in a cool tenor before her eyes sharpened. Voice hardening and dropping an octave, she addressed them both with a careful, unyielding tone.

“Begone from Sanctum space, and you will have no conflict.”

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Blazing Eye"]

 

[Blazing Eye]

[member="Joza Perl"]
Okay, now Blazing Eye was getting ticked. He had spent every word to try and make this situation fruitful for all parties, but it seemed that no matter what he said the pink woman continued to respond with hostility. He not-too-thinly veiled threats nearly pushed him to the brink. Trusting his commander to pull him away if necessary, Blazing Eye moved to stand right in front of the pink woman, ignoring the taller and younger Jedi. At over two meters tall, Blazing Eye towered a good foot and a quarter over the pink woman. He stood at his full height and stared down at this woman who dared to think she could stand against him.

"You would be wise to consider that which you know, and that which you don't," he said, his voice still civil but dripping with venom, "You trust your strength, but you do not know mine. It is unwise to make threats, verbal or otherwise, before you know who you are dealing with." Blazing Eye's eyes locked on the woman's own and bored deep.
"We have come for the artifact, and we will obtain it, whether you like it or not," he said, "I have done everything possible to keep this civil, as I have sworn by my blood on the ground to protect Abelain Narv'uk to my last breath, but do not think that I am not capable of making this encounter turn very ugly very fast should this poorly hidden threats continue."

Blazing Eye hoped his intimidation would work and the woman would back down, but somehow he knew that she wouldn't. Therefore, he invisibly braced himself. This woman knew the ways of the Force, that was clear, and he had to be ready should she try to strike.

"I apologize for this intrusion, dark one," Blazing Eye said to his commander, never once taking his eyes off the woman, and never once dropping his guard, "But I am sure you believe yourself above such petty squabbles." Blazing Eye knew he probably should have let his commander handle it, but since he saw himself as the first line of defense in case of an attack, he had to be ready to shield his commander, and plus he wanted to knock this high-and-mighty Force-user down a peg.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Blazing Eye"] | [member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Vorian Adasca"]

There had been such hope for the conversation. There was the hope that it would have been a peaceful journey as he had originally planned, a venture into the seemingly unknown in retrieval of an item of power and learning. Of course, that expedition would likely have involved conflict involving the wildlife, or the variety of flora that made up the majority of the ecosystem, or even hidden traps and chambers, but it would have been an easier quest. Instead, the Jedi had created something utterly detestable in their manner of negotiation, and turned the conversation from rewarding to futile. The idea that the Sith would request something through official channels that had not been publicly claimed by the Sanctum was absurd, and the constant hidden threatening towards them was infantile at best.

His eyes darted sideways, casting an irritable glare upon the female who spoke of leaving Sanctum space to avoid conflict, but before he could respond personally to the affront that the Jedi called 'negotiation', his loyal Esh-Kha responded to the threats in a form which seemed to relay his own thoughts of the entire ordeal. Finally, after finishing his volatile rant against the deceitful Jedi, Blazing Eye apologized for his breach of procedure to which the Arue'tii responded, "There is no cause for apologize. You speak my own thoughts, I do not keep you under my service solely for your physical aspects."

He returned attention to the nearby Vorian Adasca, glaring downwards towards him with obvious ire and disdain for his kind. Already, thoughts of potential battles flooded his mind, and his body seemed intent on providing the conflict that the Jedi obviously wished to occur. However, despite the intensity of his anger, he restrained it, searching instead for a clever scheme to allow for their intrusion into Sanctum territory whilst avoiding unnecessary danger. Finally, his mind settled upon a particularly curious idea, one that would either succeed in earnest or fail rather rapidly.

"We will not leave." He stated, his voice conveying only mild frustration. "We will be locating, and retrieving the artifact." At this point, the wisest course of action may have been to draw his weapon, to give himself more notable authority by brandishing a deadly lightsaber, but he refused. He glanced casually back towards his guardian, speaking gently to him, "Do not draw a weapon unless they strike at us." He was confident that they would not strike towards them, doing so would rapidly validate the aura that they tried to portray. The Jedi enjoyed being seen as keepers of the peace, but when there was no disruption of peace, would they stoop to striking the first blow? Even if they did choose to strike, he intended to be the target; his hide would protect him from any attempted murder.

Statement delivered, Abelain began to walk forward, stepping to the side of Vorian and continuing forward along the path with no intention of stopping, or even of acknowledging their presence.

If they wanted to kill him, they could strike him as he was; unarmed, non-aggressive, and with his back against them.

 

[Tyberius Fel]

The muscles of the tall, thin Arkanian Padawan immediately tensed in response to the digitigrade creature swaggering over to Joza, seemingly paying no mind to him, sprouting a series of thinly veiled threats and promises from it's elongated snout. A wrinkle of agitation rippled Vorian's pale countenance but he quickly reassured himself ( in an attempt to nurse the wound that was dealt to the small amount of pride that the otherwise humble Padawan maintained ) that the casual manner in which he was underestimated was a boon, a result from his cunning diplomacy. After all, It was all the more easier to deal the fatal blow to the one who does not anticipate which direction it comes from.

Right?

Vorian flickered his gaze to the clever chitin clad creature. It had strode forward boldly, claiming immunity from the strikes of the Jedi as long as they did not draw weapons, which was true in a sense. It was utterly inexcusable for a Jedi to strike down a unarmed lifeform, especially from behind whilst they proclaimed peace. A small portion of Vorian could appreciate the scheme, infact, if by some twist of galactic fate he had somehow become a Sith, Vorian could imagine exploiting the Jedi's mantra of non aggression in a similar manner. The Arkanian suppressed a smirk, somewhat delighting in the war of falsehoods and ruses they waged over the treasured holocron of Kyle Katarn.

"Jedi are guardians are peace." Reaffirmed Vorian shotshooting an almost scolding expression to Joza, despite their vast disparity in rank, as a response to her vocal intonations that seemed she would relish a fight. Is it the Zeltron blood? The Arkanian's gaze briefly lingered to Joza, then refocusing sharply on the two dark siders. "However, if you violate the sanctity of Silver Sanctum property, we have a right to place you under custody, with authorization to use force if you resist." Vorian slicked back his sweat soaked hair, awaiting the next moves of the two dark siders.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]
[member="Blazing Eye"]
[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

While Vorian and Abelain seemed content with a bout of verbal sparring, the Zeltron’s patience began to run thin. To the Jedi Knight, dealing with hostile beasts would be far more welcome than interacting with darksiders—at least they would be allowed some leeway with their lightsabers. The dark creature’s pretty words and cordial mannerisms had begun to both bore and irritate her—why couldn’t he simply be the murderous villain type? Win or lose, it would make things so much easier. His companion seemed to be partial to assumptions which made her question his experience in battle…and yet, she was not one to go speaking on her own experience as a Jedi. Who ever heard of a perfectly code-abiding Jedi raised on Zeltros?

As the Arue’tii passed her by, Joza had to admire his collection and confidence—likely born out of arrogance, but what did it matter? It was there all the same. She was also able to get a closer look at his chitinous exoskeleton, nothing that it appeared to be sturdier than she first thought at seeing him from a distance. Was it just for show, or would it protect the hulking beast from the wrath of a lightsaber?

She’d likely find out soon enough.

She acknowledged Vorian’s quasi-glare with an unamused look of her own, not intent on getting into a fight with her fellow Sanctum Jedi and ally. Aside from almost bursting out laughing, the Zeltron had taken care to keep her inner thoughts from surfacing…had some of them leaked though onto her face and into her words when she’d not intended? It wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities, given the fragility of her emotions. Maybe she had been too rude and unyielding. Maybe this Jedi thing isn’t working out.

Casually resting her right wrist on the hilt of her saber, the Knight would inhale deeply, immediately regretting her decision as her lungs filled with humid air. Gross. She exhaled quickly, using the deep breath to help steady her heartbeat. One last shot then. She sent a glance to Vorian, suddenly wondering how the taller of the pair faired in combat. She couldn’t say that she’d seen him fight before.

“Abelain Narv’uk and Blazing Eye, I ask you once again to leave peacefully.”

[member="Vorian Adasca"] [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] [member="Blazing Eye"]