Private Tales of the Jedi Underground: Epoch

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

A HIGH REPUBLIC STORY

"My apologies from not being able to accompany you on this mission," the holographic transmission of Jedi Council Member Brandyn Sal-Soren flickered.

"After the Black Sun Invasion, the council is rather thin on the ground and I am needed to meet with the Lightsworn. Thank you to the three of you for volunteering for this mission at such short notice."

The image flickered to show the planet Epoch, along with some statistics regarding it. Brandyn's voice continued over the image.

"Epoch is among the worlds that has recently fallen to the Galactic Empire. It is still in the early stages of them occupying all the Core Worlds, so it is our hope that you will be able to sneak in and out without raising too much alarm. Use the chaos of the time to your advantage. It may be the only one you get."

A box formed around a continent in the southern hemisphere, and then the image zoomed in.

"Reports of a Jedi Master aiding in refugee flights have come in from this city on Epoch's southern reaches. You will set down outside the city, and enter at night. Keep a low profile. Find the Jedi. And extract them along with any other Force Sensitive students. We are working with Republic Intelligence to aide in citizen escapes. Please keep to mission...I know it will be hard. But our part in this is clear. Save the Jedi...so one day, we can go back and save the Core."

The image returned to Brandyn, whose arms were folded. His expression was pensive, at the very least.

"I will see you when you get back for your debrief. Take care of them, Aiden. May the Force be with you."

| TAG: Elenna Sylari Aiden Porte Balun Dashiell |

Spoiler

Welcome to Episode 1 of Tales of the Jedi Underground. I am your Game Master, Bran. I will give the three of you 2-3 posts on the ship for you to chat and get to know each other as characters. Then someone will need to post that the ship is landing, and that you are making your way into town. Feel free to write NPCs as needed, but I will write the Jedi Master for you. I will also bring other NPCs into the mix that will be necessary to move the plot along. This is a not a stroll in the park thread. This is a high stakes mission where one mistake could cost you or your team mates their lives.

Spoiler

For those of you participating in the Hunt for Cerys Dyn sidequest you will probably want to bond over this as it will become relevant in this thread.

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[Aiden Porte]

Aiden stood vigilant with his arms crossed as he stared at the hologram that was his friend and Council member Brandyn Sal-Soren

After the seizure of the core worlds by the Empire, the core was thrown into chaos. Thousands of civilians that had citizenship with the Republic were trapped and even more Jedi had become waylaid by the efforts of the Empire. Aiden knew of their plight, as he was their on Coruscant with Corazona von Ascania when they were evacuating Jedi and younglings alike. He was their on Chandrila during the attack on the Spaceport in Hanna City to distract those Imperials so those that were trapped would have a chance to escape.

However during all those times he wasn't alone, there was always someone there. All the Jedi would look to stand together to fight against this enemy and safeguard freedom and protect the Republic. The message finished as Aiden bowed his head lightly and looked over to Balun Dashiell and Elenna Sylari

"I wish our meeting was under happier circumstances my friends." Aiden already knew Balun to which he exchanged pleasantries a few times before and Master Elenna he didn't know.

"Master Elenna, its a pleasure to finally meet you." Aiden extended his hand towards the woman. He then looked over to Balun. "It's good to see you as well, Balun."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

TALES OF THE JEDI UNDERGROUND: EPOCH
INVENTORY: Spacer Apparel, Lightsaber & K-16 Bryar Pistol
LOCATION: High Republic Transport destined for Epoch
TAGS: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Elenna Sylari Aiden Porte

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Balun Dashiell stood aboard the Jedi Transport, leaning with his back against the edge of a counter within the briefing room, a makeshift hub for the living quarters aboard the ship, accompanying his fellow Jedi Elenna Sylari and Aiden Porte . Master Sylari, Balun knew only by name and word of mouth from none other than her apprentice Cerys Dyn . She had only spoken of her briefly, yet Balun had taken heed, attentive to the few details that Cerys rarely did offer him in their unpredictable exchanges. Master Porte, on the other hand, was more familiar with Balun and knew him on a first-name basis. However, he would not break procedure and speak to him in such a casual way in front of other students—consideration made out of respect for Aiden, more so than any other.

As he listened to the holo-transmission from Master Sal-Soren, a cigarra held in his right hand, never too far from his lips, Balun subconsciously wore a measure of tension, forgoing his typical practised masking of his emotions, likely an easy read for his peers in that he was feeling pressed thin for patience. On one hand, he was relieved to see that Master Sal-Soren was faring well since the ambush on Sarko IV, an operation in which he had been there to fight alongside Brandyn and Cerys both. Yet on the other hand, everything at the moment reminded him of the unfolding chaos around him, the fact that Cerys had disappeared before they could all safely withdraw from the engagement with the Black Sun Syndicate, not to mention the fact that Balun's Master Ala Quin remained comatosed and enthralled by some form of Force Spirit back on Naboo, surrounded by medical minds that still didn't have a clue how to help her.

"Epoch is among the worlds that has recently fallen to the Galactic Empire...

Imperials.

Balun had been but sixteen years of age when he had first experienced a real wartime battlefield against the Empire of the Lost, fighting alongside other Rebels in the Tingle Arm Coalition. Before that, the Dark Empire had enacted the first invasion of Coruscant, where Balun had returned to defend his former family before discovering the Dashiells and his true origin.

At twenty-three years old, he had hidden the endless trauma of war and fatigue of constant conflict, the loss of comrades, convincingly well. That aforementioned mask, a habit that he had learned from an early age in hiding his insecurities and vulnerabilities from others to safe face in light of his reputation and other peoples views towards him; Yet there were times where the constant struggle of trying to appear as though he had his chit locked-in tight, felt impossible when the scales of life kept tilting afar at his expense.

Atleast with Cerys, Balun had the company of someone who didn't sugar-coat the nature of the Galaxy around them. The small moments of thrill in their back-and-forth discourse, the way that they bickered while trying to compete with who could be the bigger smart ass and trigger the other more, at the same time trying to better understand one another in a relationship that was part rivalry and part...-Well, whatever they had been doing.

"I wish our meeting was under happier circumstances my friends."

Balun smirked, a response that came without thinking. Cynicism instantly reared its head before he dropped his gaze and tried to cover the mistake with a quiet, feigned chuckle, ever insistent on looking the part. "Nature of the life, isn't it, Master?" he replied. The question was rhetorical. He didn't want an answer, truly. Balun knew what he had signed himself up for in the first few months following Ala's acceptance of his apprenticeship.

He decisively took another drag from his Cigarra, to spare a glance back to where the Holo-transmission had been displayed from the emitter. "Do we know what kind of resistance to expect should our cover be blown?" he asked. It was easier to focus on the mission ahead of them. Better to bottle everything else and keep his mind on the objective at hand.

Balun would never admit it, but the wear and tear of the last ten years was beginning to unravel him. He chose to remain in denial, unaware of the silent emotional cancer that was quietly building inside. Denial had served him well enough this long. Never truly at peace but simply trying to stay one step ahead of the chips as they fell, a game plan that had been his self-destructive approach to life ever since Nouqai Veil had turned his life upside down, and not for the first time.

Perhaps Judah Dashiell had seen this coming, the old man's recent dry-spoken remarks about his Son's lifestyle, Or his brothers concerns coming to fruition in how he shared his doubts about Balun's ability to keep his head above water. Neither of which were wrong to be concerned...

Jedi Master: Ala Quin
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​