Private Red Sands

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

Jedi temple guards.

It wasn’t really the role that Ko had envisioned for himself post knighthood. Yet it was a new role he didn’t find issue with. In his heart Ko felt that it would be a welcomed change of pace for himself. Yet part still lamented the idea of being kept away from most frontlines in darkness. But it also meant he may be able to have a greater presence in a certain teen’s life.

What Ko hadn’t expected was to be sharing this new role and responsibility with Braze. The Kel Dor had not imagined that it would be a position that the young knight would’ve wanted in any way. Gearing more towards the path of the Shadows. Still even as temple guards they were able to still find themselves adventure it seemed. As there were many smaller temples and enclaves throughout the galaxy. Allowing still a fair bit of travel for the two Jedi Knights.

One such place was off in the outer rim. A sacred world for Jedi steeped in tens of thousands of years of history. As significant to the order as Tython. The planet was a strange mixture of hostile and tempestuous red deserts and lush forests. A world that has been through several planet wide ecological upheavals. Reforged time and again into wasted and fertile lands. Centuries ago the ruthless alien vong civilization had new life to the planet, much of it still remained.

Ossus even now wasn’t the most technologically advanced planet. Many of its inhabitants still live nomadic lives even with its wider reconnection to the galaxy. Now the world was no longer under the influence or governance of any of the major galactic powers.

Now Ko and Braze were sent out to check on the old Jedi enclave and library. A place that has been reclaimed, absconded, neglected and reclaimed again over and over throughout the many years of its existence. Now the Kel Dor and Echani Knights would see if there were currently any unwelcome interlopers. Currently trekking through a red desert in the backs of two Eopies well adapted for traversing the galaxy’s deserts.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Braze was sorely missing Jasper while diligently working on the new skill Corin Trenor had recommended. As he and Kaelos Vryn prepared the Mud Duck for a longer journey, they knew they needed to get the ship in better working order and replace many outdated systems.

Braze had immersed himself in work, hunting down enemies of the order as a shadow and crossing paths with Maple Harte once more. It was all he could do to keep his sorrow from overwhelming him. He kept himself extremely busy, sleeping only in small, periodic increments, pushing himself to dedicate every moment to his service in any way he could. He had now also followed his brother-in-arms into the sacred position of temple guard.

Yet, beneath the surface of his new found dedication lay the dark reality of his coping mechanism. The intense focus on his duties served as both a distraction and a barricade against the grief that threatened to engulf him. By immersing himself in work, Braze sought solace from the suffocating weight of loss, but that very immersion risked leading him towards burnout. But then again he always had an un relenting drive that was fuled by the pyers of obsession.

His relentless drive, while admirable, had begun to blur the lines between duty and self-neglect. Emotions that begged for attention lurked just beneath the surface, stifled by the idea that he could outrun his pain through sheer willpower. In his quest to honor Jasper's memory, he had unwittingly forged a prison of responsibility, where the true essence of healing lay just out of reach, waiting for a moment of vulnerability to break through.

But today, Braze was resolutely focused on their goal. As the moment arrived when the location came into view, Braze urged his Eopie mount forward, feeling the steady rhythm of its gait beneath him pick up speed blowing back his long cloak. The desert winds whispered vauge secrets as they approached, the stillness that enveloped the scene ahead.

With a swift motion, he dismounted, and before him lay the remnants of Empire troopers, scattered about the entrance like discarded junk of a bygone era. Armor pieces lay half-buried in the sand, and blasters glinted under the sun light. He felt a weight in his chest as he surveyed the area, trying to discern what could have happened here.

He waited looking back for Ko.

​

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

The pair had traveled along an old gorge where a slow and shallow river led them to their destination. The great jedi library, the ancient structure, had been carved into the rocks and cliff flanking the river. The local Yassana peoples did not accompany the two jedi but had ensured them that it would be safe to travel and that the two of them wouldn’t be harried.

Once Ko approached Braze atop his own steed he glanced around, peering through his temple guard mask at the scattered pieces of armor. Leaning in some the Kel Dor patted the Eopie and gently spoke for it to rest. The lanky creature bent its legs and rested on its calloused knee pads against the red sand before Ko finally dismounted.

Walking closer to the remains Ko leaned down and picked up an old stormtrooper helmet, sand cascaded and fell from the white armor. The Kel Dor examined it. Noticing a hole within the side of the helmet and showing it to Braze.

“Look here, there’s no scorch marks around it. They were struck with a slugthrower…” When Ko was little his brother used to tell him little facts about stormtroopers. How their armor was nearly impervious to all manner of solid weaponry. “The Ysanna are said to be famed for their marksmanship. They use The Force to influence the velocity and trajectory of their slugs mid-flight. Even with fully automatic weapons. Even plastoid armor can’t stand against it.” Ko explained, looking to impart a bit of information he learned before coming here. “These soldiers, they probably never knew what hit them.” Then with a fair bit of care Ko gently placed the helmet back down onto the sand. Growing up, the image of a stormtrooper was synonymous with a courageous hero.

Standing up straighter he looked towards the large entrance to the great jedi library. “It’s exciting to be here. At least for me. It’s the first time you and I get to be in a place as steeped in Jedi history as Tython. Now with the Deep Core secured once more and free access to Ossus, things might be looking up for the Order.” To Ko that was the silver lining for the devastation that has been endured so far in the conflicts currently raging. He couldn’t tell if the NJO or any other derivative Jedi organizations would properly establish a presence on Ossus, but the potential alone was an encouraging thought for the Kel Dor.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Braze stepped closer to Ko, scooping a helmet from the sand. He turned it over in his hands, frowning at the pitted surface.

" That's a bit terrifying to think."

The vocoder gave the words a strange levity, intoned like a joke, but landing flat, the mechanical cadence dulling the edge.

He let the helmet fall back into the sand with a soft thud.

"Think anything remains ? We can bet on if the last resident went full library bonfire or looted the place clean ?

A short burst of static fuzzed through the tail end of his last word, the vocoder crackling like a worn-out speaker. His sigh followed—long, pent-up, but what emerged beneath the mask was closer to a serpent's hiss, filtered and twisted by the machine's profile.

With a fluid sweep, he pulled back his cloak and fished a treat from a pouch on his belt. His mount snorted softly as he offered it up, the creature lowering to rest at his gesture. He tossed another treat toward Ko's steed before starting toward the entrance, white boots darkening as they pressed into the red sand.

​

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

“Likely not, kind of like how a lot was relocated from the temple on Coruscant when the Dark Empire was likely to capture the planet, the same may have happened here not too long ago. But there’s really no way for us to know if its been emptied because of looters or from Jedi.” The Kel Dor explained as they approached the entrance of the great library.

Stepping inside it seemed as though plenty more red sand had been blown into the temple. It was a ruin now, but not a particularly ancient ruin. Not that long ago, before the Empire of the Lost had the world within its sphere of influence the Sith had raided the enclave.

“Ack, it’s dark… I need to get used to darkness again.” Ko commented as the pair entered the structure proper. “It is nice to have a better sense of time however.” He pulled out a sturdy flashlight from his backpack and turned it on to create a cone of light. The dust in the air creates a clear image of the lights’s focus and path.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Braze padded after the older Jedi.

"It is pretty nice to be able to see the sky, isn't it?"

Braze mused as he followed along.

"You know, I've always had a fear of losing parts of myself."

. . .
"I would be very upset to lose my sight forever... but I think I would prefer it to this. I hate prosthetics. Something I feel guilty about when I'm around people who have them... and most of my family and loved ones have them. And now I have one."

"I hate it so much. I hate how it looks. How it feels. It's not part of me. It's weird and foreign and freaks me out."

He admitted following along.

​

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

“It’s pretty nice to see a lot of things honestly. Read things on screens and holograms, see the vibrant fruits on my bonsai tree, or if my tea has been steeped too much. My gratitude only grows for it now.” Ko spoke as they moved through the ruined library. On occasion the two of them still found old imperial armor. What was notable however was that much of the armor seemed largely undamaged.

As Braze began to vent Ko stopped and listened carefully. Taking in the young ecahni’s frustration. Sensing some twisted form of envy from the knight regarding their respective losses. “It’s like a cage…” Ko stated before eventually lowering his flashlight and turning to face Braze.

“You can’t live with it, but you can’t live without it. And other people look at you… at you…” Ko said, almost choking up at the end and repeating himself. His tone was soft and somber even though his own vecoder. Speaking with knowledge and experience.

“I’m confident that you won’t be needing it for much longer. It’s much easier to find or make spare parts for people like you.” Ko said before placing a hand on the teen’s shoulder. “When you get fixed up again you’ll walk away bigger and more whole than you were before. I believe this…” Ko said, without any hint of doubt. Stating his prediction more as an observable fact than some optimistic idea. The Kel Dor didn’t seek to uncover the insecurities in Braze. He already understood and lived it himself. There was nothing else for Kel Dor to say except for some words of encouragement.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Braze heart ached in a way he couldn't convey when listening to Ko speak and such such things. He sighed shoulders going slack before moving to shake his head rather forcefully. "That's kind of you to say. " He murmured lightly. Finally the path diverged offering two different directions to take, left or right. But which should they take? Braze hadn't been here before nor had he studied any of the more recent blue prints for the place they may or may not have had on file in one of their archives.

Braze deferred to Ko in this choosing to let the older Knight lead them. He made no motion to step away from Ko. He wanted his company and dind't think spliting up would be wise. " Which way?"

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

Noticing the fork in the road that Braze was referring to Ko looked over. Approaching it he checked one side and then another. One of the paths seemed to be leading down, deeper into the earth. “Hmm, we should stick together. I don’t have any maps, and I’m not sure if they would be useful or not. Likely whole chambers are in disrepair and might be falling apart.”

As I spoke a noise came, echoing from one of the paths. A low and deep rumbling sound that came from the pathway leading down. A sound that shook their very bodies rather uncomfortably. Then it happened again, and again. “Perhaps some sort of creature has made a den or lair here. If someone has taken residence here we should investigate."

With that Ko chose where to go for them. Leading them along the path that seemed to descend further into the great library. As they did so the air grew more humid. The moisture being a strange departure from the rather arid climate that they found themselves in here on Ossus. As the two continued a few bugs began to even buzz around in the air as well. The sound they heard only grew louder and louder as they got closer. Soon enough the two Jedis made it into a very large chamber that once likely housed generations worth of knowledge.

There was water, likely half of the room was submerged. On the far side there was a large cracked and crumbling wall where water from the river outside poured into. Now Ko and Braze were making all the noise. It was a frog, a massive tan frog. It had to be the size of a light freighter, simply sitting within the water. The moment its large colorful eyes noticed the two Jedi it stopped its croaking.

It was possible that the gargantuan amphibian heard the two of them earlier. Braze’s and Ko’s voices likely echoed through the halls and alerted the resident here who had made this part of the great library its home. Suddenly the giant tree frog inhaled, its neck inflating to the size of a small hot air balloon and it croaked once more. The vibrations echoed off the walls and sent many ripples through the water moving away from it.

This whole time Ko was frozen and he kept his hand up and placed it against Braze’s chest. To keep the younger knight from moving. “Careful…” Ko said very quietly though his mask after the frog was done croaking. After raising Daisy Ko understood well enough that these kinds of creatures were ambush predators and two of them just wandered into its home. Worried that any sudden movements might trigger its predatory instincts and view them as prey.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Braze started to sloooowly back away from the frog creature. He didn't want to piss it off and watch a repeat of what happened on Bogano. He kept his mouth shut, didn't trust the vocoder's volume not to draw more unwanted frog attention. If they could just retreat slowly enough, maybe they could regroup and come up with a plan to lure the massive thing out… and convince it to live somewhere else.

He gave Ko's upper sleeve a tug, trying to coax the older Jedi into following his lead.

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

Ko often gave himself crash courses into the ecosystems of the worlds he visited. So he wasn’t too surprised to see such a massive amphibian. But he hadn’t expected to find one here. His eyes peered down into the murky water that it was half submerged in to see if the giant frog was guarding a nest. But he couldn’t see any collection of eggs around it. Although with the fresh supply of water it would be an excellent spot to hatch a swarm of tadpoles.

Feeling the echani tug on him Ko began to back away as well towards the entrance to the room from which they came. Being slow as to not trigger its predatory instincts. But just as the two of them were about to leave its threat range Ko instinctively tensed and the giant frog suddenly acted after squinting its eyes.


Its massive maw opened and with it a tongue shot out like an industrial spring under tension and snapped towards the two Jedi. Not willing to let new food simply wander away from it without a fight.

Reflexively Ko raised his hand up towards the slimy appendage just before it reached him and Braze where it collided with an invisible barrier. Providing them with a brief moment to rush back the way they entered to get out of sight of the ambush predator.

“This is gonna make things a bit more difficult.” Ko said before letting out a deep exhale. “And here I thought we were just going to be seeing the sights letting the order know that the abandoned temple is indeed still abandoned…” Now it seemed the two of them were going to need to evict a rather imposing squatter from the premise. Perhaps they should check and see if there were any other dangerous obsticals here.​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Once they had scampered to relative safety, Braze let out a long breath of relief. The kind that hissed out through his prosthetic like steam from a cracked pipe.

"Well... that's one angry unauthorized tenant," he muttered, half to Ko, half to himself, still catching his breath.

He leaned against the nearest wall, glancing back toward the chaos they'd narrowly escaped.

"Maybe we can shoo it out if we electrify the water or something..."

​

 

[Ko Vuto]

​

Location: Ossus
Tag: Braze

“Can’t say that they’re angry, hungry maybe. It could be hard to gauge the emotions of amphibians and reptiles. Often having very stoic temperaments." Straightening his posture, Ko thought for a moment as Braze shared their idea.

“Shock the creature? Sounds rather mean to me. I’m sure we can find some way to draw it out however. Then I should do a bit of earth shaping to close off the gap so that it can’t come back in.” Ko didn’t want to torment the creature too much for the crime of finding a nice home for itself. If he was a giant frog he could think of no better place to settle down in. Plenty of fresh water pouring in from the river outside, nice and safe from other beasts.​