Roots

[Trextan Voidstalker]

“Yes...yes...back to the shade too.” He offered a smile before pulling his goggles and mask back on. As he scrambled to his feet he realised he had no bearings at all. The pad with the map was back at the bike but Vee and Choli had set off without hesitation.

The guards didn't worry him as much as the notion of a walk in the brightest sun. The suns. Both Vee and Choli must have been capable to working out their alignment using them. Their sense of direction still impressed him.

As they crested a dune and stepped sideways down the other side the sound of the guards waned. It took a few seconds but he started to realise how oppressive the heat had become. Whilst he had a spare bottle of water Choli would probably advocate sipping it slowly.

They were in danger and he was still thinking about the kiss. How still made him feel, raised his spirit. It had always been such a tentative thing to initiate but that time it had happened with almost no thought at all.

“How far did we travel underground he asked?” He tried to focus his thoughts and work out how far those guards were. He listened out for the sound of a speeder.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


[SIZE=9pt]Choli brought her hand up, catching her breathing mask and clipping it back into place. Nevermind the tingle in her lips or the inability to wipe the grin that was stuck to her face. The breathing mask might have hidden it, but it was there, along with the cobalt green glint in her eyes. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Now that the voices of the guards had waned, Choli took a brief stop to turn back and answer Trextan. Her hand came up, pointing towards a distant series of cliffs and plateaus. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Do you see those three points? ] she began, indicating three distinct pillars with burnt orange rings around them, the eons of winds having worn them down to reveal the bands of red, beige and deep tan. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ The Three Sisters are about two klicks from the oasis. ] so a ways. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ We will need to move fast before the suns reach their zenith. ] the Rogue's modulated voice explained, the young woman turning towards Vee Three. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Tell us as soon as you are able to contact Arr Four. I know it might not work as well, but perhaps that bouncing signal will help amplify it.][/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[Understood.] Vee kept fairly low to the ground. Trextan tried to imagine what it would be like to have the ability to fly and be kept from it for years. Often he had stopped to imagine a world without prosthetics where we would never feel with his right hand again. At least he was - thanks to Choli in part - more happily integrated with the arm. As she had suggested it had been entirely his fault. He also had the thing to thank for making him interesting to the pilot when they had first met. Despite the heat he grinned inside his mask at the thought.

The heat reflected right off the sand so that it felt as if he as being baked from both directions. There were less insects and small creatures visible. Perhaps through the midday heat they buried themselves from the sand to keep cool. Trextan had a sudden memory of being sat with Jacen watching holographic nature programs when he was small. To a Coruscant boy they had been fascinating. He was less enamored with being in the extreme conditions himself. Dagobah had been quite unpleasant too.

Trextan trudged along behind Choli keeping his thoughts to himself to keep his mind from the sun. She seemed to glide across the dunes without leaving much of a trail whilst he scrambled up and down the dunes.

[I've got him.] Vee announced. [He is… not happy about being left alone for this long]

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[ Not surprised.] Choli managed to say, glancing up at the sky with a squint behind the protection of her goggles. From her hip, she withdrew her canteen of water. Unclipping her mask, she opened the bottle and took a quick sip. The water was warm but would quench the thirst she felt. The longer they were out here, the worse the heat of the Twin Suns would be.

[ Tell him we are on our way. Maybe twenty minutes? ] If they were quick on their feet. Turning towards Trextan she gave him a quick appraisal.

[ You doing okay?] nevermind that just seeing him there with the lingering rush of adrenaline and that kiss brought its own warmth across her body. Attraction heightened that awareness in light of the earlier excitement at the success of having destroyed the water pumps. Her eyes for the briefest moment would darken to a deep blue.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

The heat bore down upon him. The elation he still felt was like a shield that kept him walking under that oppression. She hadn't just kissed him back, she had been grinning before putting her mask back on.

"I'm okay. Twenty minutes seems a long time but.. One foot in front of the other."

There was a rhythm to walking across the dunes. A pace to keep from sinking with each step and or dragging his feet along too much.

"Shade would be good."

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]


He isn’t used to this heat, the thought went racing through Choli’s mind, the woman darting back to glance at the Jedi. He was holding up well but in a few hours time the heat would be unbearable for someone who wasn’t used to it. Not to mention the wear ones legs and feet world feel after traversing over sand after a while.

[ Hey, walk with your feet rolling from the outside in. It will help with walking across the sand. ] a small tidbit of information.

[ If we move quickly enough, we can make it back to Arr Four and try to find a place to rest. ] there was a brief hesitation in her voice. With what they’ve done, it wasn’t going to be safe around here.

[we might need to travel to another location… once the news of the oasis having water again… it won’t just be the Sand People showing up.] not to mention the underground caves that would be filling with water, the Womprats which had made the previously dry channels no longer hospitable until the waters receded. They might even see more of them out in the open now. Cause and effect. That wasn’t even counting anything larger that might have been disturbed due to the blasts.

[ Maybe another hour’s time. ]

So much for the shade idea anytime soon.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

Watching the way she walked he tried to follow the instructions. It seemed to tire him out as much as it helped but he stuck with it. Training under the sith had almost always involved discomfort to teach a valuable lesson. He could see the trail they were leaving behind them. She was right; they would need to find new shelter. At least the bike made its own pleasant breeze.

After he felt like he'd made some progress he turned his focus inwards. Using Jedi discipline he tried to push the discomfort away. He'd drunk his full from the pumping plant before they'd left and didn't really need to drink more. Just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Think about the smile on her face before it had been covered with that mask.

As they walked so too did the flow of water make its progress beneath them. Nature's balance was changing. He could sense the shift. A vein of life in an organism perpetually on the edge of death.

He recognised the shelter as it came to view but reminded himself they weren't staying out of the sun yet.

As they closed a little ball rolled down from the cave mouth rapidly. It beeped and whistled as it went, coming to a halt before Choli with a loud hoot. Trextan didn't know the language but he got the impression she was being admonished.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

R4 was angry. He chittered and gave a ferocious series of hoots that said he was not happy at all about being unable to contact her.

[ it wasn’t as if we were doing it on purpose! ] Choli cried, defending herself. Granted, the Pebbledrone immediately reacted by bumping the Rogue on the shin, as if that wasn’t enough of a reason.

[Hey, HEY! That hurt! ] Choli cried, glowering through her goggles at the droid. He made to bop her again when the girl managed to sidestep away. [ Alright! Alright! Next time you come with me! ]

The droid gave the closest approximation to a harrump, before eyeballing Trextan with his ocular sensor.

[ look we need to get moving, come on. Get back to the speeder. ] now that brought up another series if beeps.

[yeah well... I told you we were going to look into why the oasis is dry. We took care of it — now we need to get moving. ]

Already the young woman was hotstepping it towards the place where they had hidden the speeder. Anyone curious to what the booms had been earlier were going to come quick.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

Trextan wished he had the datapad with the translation module on him. Especially when the droid turned and gave him a stern glare. He would have to get the translation loaded onto his wrist unit. An idea formed as he approached the bike.

"Vee, did R4 say anything about me that time?”

[He did not, no.]

A series of shrill whistles followed.

[No I did not betray all droids. He asked me a direct question.]

Parp!

"Come on, let's get you loaded up."

They moved quickly to get mobile again. Trextan stowed anything that was loose on her person before they could set off. As he straddled the back of the bike he reached forward and held her more closely than was necessary. There was nothing tentative about his grip as he leaned close and whispered: "Well done." He felt a strange mix of pride and respect for Choli in what she had insisted they did.

The water was close to reaching them now. He could feel the effect it had on the world. Creatures stirred at its passing. But in moments they would be taken far away from it all.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

Hearing those two words shouldn't have made her grin as wide as she did, yet it did. A secret smile drew across the Rogue's lips under her breathing mask. That Trextan had supported through this meant something. Meant more than she could even verbalize or admit.

"Thank you." the blast of sand and wind would garble the slightly robotic drone from the girl, but it was loud enough for the young man securing himself behind her to hear.

"For helping." she added. A simple nod would follow, the Rogue drawing back her attention at the breadth of the desert opening up in front of them. "Keep a look out. There might be Tusken sharpshooters on any of the upcoming cliffs we pass." she explained. The rumble from the underground explosions would draw their attention, so hopefully they would be able to pass by unaware.

They still had to get to the Wound, and now they were doing so without a break in between. But perhaps..

"I might have a place in mind that can work..."

Here's hoping it did.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

Trextan had merely nodded against her back at the thanks. This was new territory for him. For several few years he had been taught only to destroy. For the Sith connections were only there if they brought personal gain. Balance was something to be torn down if it didn't bring you your desires. He had just been following Choli's lead but she was grateful for his help and now he was struck by the sense that he had done something to restore balance to a small part of the wastes. Trextan knew he didn't understand what the natural order was. Choli did. Yet he could still sense the good they had done.

When had he last done something that brought him satisfaction like this? Skor. When he had stopped his internal struggles and placed his faith in the Force. They had stood firm against the horde and bought those villagers the time they needed to escape. Choli had been there too. She had been there for much of his journey back from dark places. With her blunt attitude and surprising insight. He held her just a fraction tighter.

Bweeop!

Trextan didn't know what R4 had said but it knocked him out of his reverie. His eyes had been on the rocky formations ahead but he followed Choli's gaze off to the far horizon. At first he saw nothing. Then the orange line that started to rise up into the sky. It was kilometers away, but it stretched far and wide. Choli twisted the handles and the bike accelerated.

​

​

​

There were no sandpeople above ground at the canyon they came to, but Vee reported life-signs within a few hundred metres. Choli slowed up the bike as they angled down. The rapidly encroaching wall of sand vanished from view. As she slowed up Trextan realised they would be stopping to take shelter here.

He reached down and un-clipped Vee. The droid bobbed and then oriented himself to follow alongside the bike. When the pulled up alongside an entrance he zipped away. Trextan slid off the bike and drew his saber. The light started to dim. Looking up he saw the first signs of the approaching storm. The sky was slowly changing colour. The blue shifting into a dull yellow.

[This one is clear!] Vee called as he emerged. [Should go deep enough to provide some cover]

Trextan looked up. The shallow canyon would provide some cover and the cave was set into the wall on the side the storm was coming from. They didn't have time to do more of a search than this. As Choli took the bike inside Trextan walked behind, keeping his eyes on the other entrances. Only when the walls of the cave shielded him from danger did he turn around.

​

​

The wind howled as it cut across the opening of the cavern and flecks of sand floated gracefully down from higher ledges. The light kept fading and now the sand was thick enough in the air outside that Trextan could see it looking across the canyon itself. He followed Choli deeper, well away from the opening. Nothing stirred down here, there were no signs of recent habitation. The young Jedi was glad of that. He couldnt imagine what it would be like to curl up in the tent and wait for a storm to pass. How deep would they have been buried within a few hours?

"How long do you think it will take to pass?" he asked. He voice echoed back from deeper in the cavern.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

That was a loaded question with several answers. Neither of which would likely appeal to him, Choli mused, turning on a halo chem light with a snap. She shook it vigorously, the chemical reaction providing a hazy blue glow amidst the fine dust floating around them. The further they went the clearer the air would be. Also the colder.

[ Your guess is as good as mine. ] It was an honest reply, the young woman happy at keeping her breathing mask and goggles on. [ It could be anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.] there had been stories of some of the greatest sandstorms lasting for up to an entire season, blanketing the desert with darkness, baking it under the heat and cold.

[ Here's hoping to a few hours.] she added, boots crunching under the soles of her feet.

[ At least there doesn't seem to be anything that made its home down here.] well, so far. [ We'll need to get deep enough to avoid suffocating with the sand. Set up a small camp and rest.] getting a few hours of sleep would do them good.

Beep, boop, beep!

Choli gave a roll of her eyes, unable to halt the half chuckle. [ No we won't leave you behind. Just try not to fall over.]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

Their water wouldn't last a few weeks. If the sand was heavy it would clog the engines of the bike no matter how much filtration it had. Those thoughts made Trextan a little nervous. It wasn't a good nervous. Not at all like what he felt when he realised she saw his furtive sideways glance at her. It wasn't his stomach lifting. It was it being dragged down.

What were so many emotions tied directly to the middle of a person? He wondered. Even with that new it was hard to drag his buoyed spirits down. It would stay that way for a few hours.

That kiss has been the most natural, the most exhilarating. Did it make him odd to have felt that way kissing her after what they had been through? Everything here was new territory for him. Trextan liked that it was new for both of them. It wasn't like be shown down a well-worn path by an experienced guide. It was fresh, thrilling. Scary.

Not as scary as the storm. Worry about the storm Trextan.
At his own mental chastisement he picked up his pace.
[I've found the back of the cave. No threats.]
Vee nearly made Trextan jump.

“Where do we set up then?” Trextan asked. He was glad he had used the GADF kit before. The first time it had taken him some time to just work out how to unstrap the bedroll.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]Choli didn’t have to be a Lorrdian to tell that her detailing of the sand storm circumstances hadn’t sat well with him. When he shuffled over to inquire on where they would set up, the Rogue went reaching over to curl her gloved hand around his upper left arm. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][Hey,] she began, peering up at him through the slight orange tint of her goggles. Her glow stick illuminated the pair in that faint blue glow, casting dark shadows over the Jedi’s face yet just bright enough to see his eyes. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ We’ll be fine. ] her hand gave him a comforting squeeze. From under her breathing mask, one could hear the faint tones of mild amusement amidst the metallic tinge of her voice, [ I wouldn’t be much of a guide if we ended up a pair of skeletons stuck in this cave for the next few eons. ][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Turning back around, Choli gave a nod followed by a gesture of her left hand. [ We’ll set up camp here. ] camp was a broad definition. Setting down a couple of bedrolls followed by a small firepit at that. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ We can set down our bedrolls here. ] it was right alongside the cavern wall, a flat area of about seven meters. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ I’ll see if I can find a place where we can use as a refresher. ] she could have been crude and said, ‘urinate’, but likely might have disturbed Trextan’s sensibilities. Was he even used to having to go out in the wilderness? Did he know what he had to do?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]There was a sudden query in Choli’s expression as she swung her attention to look at him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ You know what to do if you need to go… right? ] she couldn’t be the only one whose bladder felt as if it was about to burst. [/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Choli Vyn"]

Trextan genuinely appreciate the small gesture, even if he felt slightly embarrassed that she sensed his apprehension. It was far from the worst state Choli had seen him in and she was still here.
“If I end up a skeleton I'm lying down in the shape of a letter so that future explorers think I'm a clue,” he said. Trextan didn't often try to be funny. It was a good distraction whilst he tried to work out what she was asking him.
“You mean like, how to pee?” Confusion was clear on his face. As soon as he'd said it it occurred to him what she might have been getting at and he felt his insides collapse into a knot of embarrassment.
“Oh, like how we dig holes when we're moving with the army?” he asked as quickly as he could. He was used to move across grass covered terrain. The cave had a thin surface of sand over hard rock. Trextan realised he really didn't know and would have just gone and splashed against a distant wall. He turned to fetch the bedroll and tried to chuckle at his silliness.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]Was it childish to snort at that? Likely. Or maybe that was just Choli’s own half embarrassed reaction. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]What are you even doing?![/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Wouldn’t that be a bit tricky?] she replied, attempting her own shot at humor. Bending down, she unslung her own pack and set it to the floor. R4 came rolling alongside her.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ I think there are only two aurabesh letters that you might be able to make --] a pause. [ Unless you intend to unhook your arm to make that an accent?][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]As for the pee question -[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Yeah. Same deal here. Just don’t expect to find anything deep enough to dig. I’ll make sure at least there aren’t any sudden holes for you to fall into.][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Great,[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]remind him that he likely might fall and break his neck.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Heat rose on her cheeks. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Stay here Arr four, keep a look out.] Coming back up, the girl thought to herself that she could set down her own bedroll after. Her bladder was protesting rather incessantly. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][Get something to eat if you like; whatever is fresh first.] from what his uncle had packed up for them. [/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

That sounded an ignominious way to go. Falling to his death as he tried to find a space to relieve himself.
With the bedroll on the floor Trextan took two steps after Choli. A sudden look made him realise that she wasn't expecting company on this search. It was very obvious why and Trextan turned sharply back towards the bedroll.
Moron, he chastised himself. R4 made a little series of beeps when Choli was out of earshot that sounded rather like a quiet chuckle to him.

Trextan unravelled his bedroll. There was a faint musty smell from fabric from the time it had spent wrapped tight. The GADF moved quickly through theatres and didn't send troops marching and camping across the ground very often.

He turned sharply at a noise from towards the entrance. It was a mix of deep howl and a threatening hiss. He couldn't sense any life and R4 made no warning sounds.
It was just the wind passing the mouth of their cave. The sand cascading down.

The elation from their victory had seen him through the walk through the most intense heat, but the young Justicar could never forget that whilst his family roots were deep here this was not his world.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[SIZE=9pt]For a second, Choli was led to believe that Trextan was going to follow along with her. If he had to relieve his business as much as her, she couldn’t fault him for it. Not like it wasn’t a natural biological act. Of course, while one part of her mind would tell her that it wasn’t a big deal, another part of her, the one that was acutely aware of Trextan and the rather silly thought that the possibility of him having to [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]hear[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] her pee for a minute straight was enough to flood her face with heat again. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Thankfully, the Jedi did a quick about face, both teenagers moving to their own prospective corners of the cavern. Trextan, back to where the Pebbledrone and the scouting drone were waiting. Choli, to her own dark area where the shadows hid her flaming face and well, lengthy stream she released after a few minutes of double checking to see if she wouldn’t fall or end up with Trextan following her again.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]By the time she came back, the light within the cavern had dimmed another few degrees. Now they would be able to hear the distinct howl of the storm overhead. Even this far in, the natural acoustics of the cavern managed to create some rather interesting, if ethereal sounds. Keening cries that made one wonder if there were ghostly apparitions searching for what they had lost. It was almost spine crawling. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt][ Should be good to about ten meters out. There’s a sharp pit to the right about three meters from the dip, so don’t get so close.] Choli had to raise her voice a bit just so that Trextan could hear her over the wails of the sand storm. [/SIZE]

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

“A pit? Right then.”

He didn’t need to go now. Between how little he had drunk and the profuse sweating on the walk there wasn’t much left. The howling grew and then faded away with a crackle. Rocks falling down the side of the gorde he imagined. Fortunately the sound had drowned out anything Choli hadn’t wanted him to overhear.

Trextan was sat along the length of his bedroll. He’d removed his boots and socks and shaken most of the sand out from them. It left his feet faintly tingling and he kept wiggling his toes against the soft bedroll. Vee had slowly lowered himself to the ground and entered a power saving mode. R4 however seemed wide awake.

“Should we have some food then rest?” he asked. Food would be good. He had been over an hour without so was hungry again.

 

[Choli Vyn]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

[ Yeah, ] Choli said with a quick reply. R4 took it upon himself to give a few mocking tones.

Beep, Boop, Hoooot!

Of which, Choli gave a roll of her eyes. Although the pink of her cheeks lingered for a few moments. [ Maybe you take Vee Three’s powering down as advice to do so on your own? Or do you need me to start checking for any extra sand in your bearings? ]

The mere suggestion prompted a sharp almost indignant reply, the little Pebbledrone insisting that he was just fine. He gave a rock in place, before turning his head dome towards Trextan. One would almost believe that he gave a slight huff.

Choli’s chuckle managed to wane a bit of her earlier embarrassment thankfully, those orange tinted goggles turning back towards Trextan.

[ Yeah, that’s a good idea. You’ll need to keep your energy up. The heat will drain you just as easily out here as the cold. ] nodding at his comfortable seat, Choli brought herself closer to the Jedi. Without further ado, she plopped herself down, sitting down beside him.

[ Hope you don’t mind?] she was asking after the fact, so perhaps a bit rude but she also needed to get her own bedroll out. Dragging her satchel over to herself, she set it down between them.

[ Should look in the medium sized pocket out there in the front.] came her instruction, the girl already tugging at her own bedroll. A glance at his bare feet prompted a faint upward curl of the right corner of her mouth under her breathing mask.

[ How’s your feet feeling?] she couldn’t quite see in the dim light, but she figured Trextan would be able to tell if there were any hot spots or blisters that needed tending.