Mission The Baron's Hustle

[Credit Wizard]

Nestled within a narrow valley between towering, wind-carved rock formations on the planet of Milagro sits Soji Outpost.

The outpost is a cluster of smooth, reinforced domes and low-slung transit corridors, its weathered white hull stained by the unrelenting humidity of the noble-ruled world. A flat scorched landing area extends from the main structure, seemingly being dwarfed by the ancient looming stone arches that surround it.

The unassuming transport relay currently houses a high-security clearing house for the clandestine trade in force artifacts stolen from the remnants of the Galactic Alliance and the New Jedi Order. If the Republic intelligence reports are accurate, these relics are being funneled through Milagro's borders to fund a shadow agenda that threatens the very stability of the High Republic.

As the transport carrying Voli Cholrass , Dreidi Xeraic and Kudau maneuver through the tight mountain passes, a flickering holographic transmission illuminates the cockpit. A weary-looking Bothan in a Republic Intelligence Service uniform appears, his eyes darting towards unseen monitors off-screen.

"Greetings, Jedi," he begins, his voice strained. "I am Agent Kallan. The situation at Soji Outpost is more delicate than we anticipated. Officially, it's a transport relay station sponsored by the Milagro Nobility. In truth, we have learned its a hub for a major smuggling outfit within the High Republic."

Kallan's image is briefly replaced by a long-range scan of the domes.

"We have confirmed that Baron Ivor Yasmo is on site. He is a key political ally to Senator Monaray Dod meaning he carries enough diplomatic weight to make a standard Republic intervention impossible. Our sources indicate he is personally overseeing the transfer of several high-value containers. We don't know what's inside each container, so this is an extremely dangerous mission but I hope that will not dissuade you from taking out this smuggling ring. May the force be with you, Agent Kallan out."

The hologram flickers as Kallan disappears to leave the team to formulate a plan of action. On the landing pad below, a figure in ornate, flowing silks stands by the entrance of the largest dome, his posture stiff as he watches the mist-shrouded horizon.

 

[Voli Cholrass]

Current Outfit
Pre Built Lightsaber

Though Voli has been making progress in her training, she was still leagues behind her peers. She knew that training to be a Jedi was difficult but Voli didn't anticipate that getting a PHD would be easier than achieving Knighthood. "I'm still here though," Voli thought drumming her fingers on her lap. "I promised myself that I'll see this through."

But it was hard to do so when her home planet: Courscant was taken over by the Sith. The invasion happened a while back and Voli remembered keeping her violet eyes glued onto the Holonet of reports of the New Jedi Order being slaughtered, tens of millions of civilians were killed, and the Sith stood over the ashes of a planet that was the beacon of democracy.

"At least that's what my parents told me," Voli thought her expression becoming glum as she continued thinking about her parents. "Even if what they said was nothing but lies. The Galactic Alliance committed just as much war crimes in the name of peace."

It was through years of researching online that Voli found out about how corrupt the Alliance was. But they were better than the Sith and they didn't deserve a fate like that. Voli hoped that her parents made it out though she was certain that they thought she was dead. The Padawan leaned back against her chair closing her eyes, mind filled with sadness and regret. She needed to focus on her training; a Jedi doesn't dwell on past mistakes. But Voli wondered if it was best to tell her Mom and Dad about her whereabouts. "If they're still alive," She thought.

Dreidi Xeraic Kudau Credit Wizard

 

[Kudau]

The winding path the transport was taking made Kudau sick to his stomach, but he managed to fend off the feeling to pay attention to the transmission, as well as his surroundings. It looks like a meditation prior to the hunt (or rather, “mission”, as his new affiliates call it) would be difficult to the point of needlessness…

Effectively, Kudau had shown up to the front stoop of the Order of Shiraya, begged for food and shelter, and had been taken in like any other stray pup. He took the mission as a favor he owed to the people who had so generously given him a place to live, eat, sleep, train, and grow stronger. He also felt the mission would help him know these people better, and that was a success: neither of the other Jedi on the ship looked familiar, and they seemed far from the Jedi of old from his childhood stories. This would excite him… if not for the unnerving feeling of motion sickness and, because of the foreboding holo-transmission, a growing sense of dread.

In an attempt to distract himself, he changed his posture, leaning back in his seat and letting his eyes fall on the other two Jedi in the transport. Across from him was the young Jedi, likely younger in training, but Kudau could tell she had a strong presence in the force. It was an old habit to try and gauge the strength of the creatures around him, something he couldn’t shake from being a force-adept hunter. However, it didn’t take a force-adept to know…

“You’ve got a lot on your mind, hm?” Kudau asked the young padawan in a benevolent attempt at small talk.

Voli Cholrass (Nearby: Dreidi Xeraic , Credit Wizard )

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Companion: Grisial
Equipment: Lightsaber, Ichor Sword and Nightsister Energy Bow
Tag: Credit Wizard | Voli Cholrass | Kudau

Smuggling rings were always troublesome within any faction. They operated to move anything considered contraband or illegal. However, within the High Republic, that mean items that were dangerous, deadly in the wrong hands so it was important these operations were located and taken down.

It was a new mission that Dreidi caught wind of and figured that it would be good for Voli to get more experience in and hopefully distract from the fears and dark thoughts that surrounded Coruscant. With the fall of the Alliance and the New Jedi Order with it, there was a lot of people who felt despair and ideas that they had been abandoned by the Jedi who swore to be beacons of peace and justice. It was more important now than ever before that Dreidi helped the next generation of Jedi live up to that potential. With Voli, with Aileni. With anyone who sought out her lessons.

No matter how unconventional of a Jedi she appeared and acted.

"Seems there is not much to work with here. But having someone who works with a Senator operating a smuggling ring... That isn't good." The High Republic was meant to show themselves as better than the corrupt republics and alliances of old. However, there always seemed to be a couple of bad apples in the barrels of senators. If this was truly a dangerous, and highly illegal operation then Dreidi needed to inform the council to maintain an eye on the senator and his allies.

But the issue was, she didn't know this agent Kallan either, this was the first time working with him, so Dreidi was naturally suspicious that this could be a ploy to stumble into an innocent operation that backfires on the Jedi's public image. There was a balance that was needed to be figured out and it had been something that took years within the GA for Dreidi to understand.

"Let's try and approach this mission cautiously, no throwing accusations and unless we have hard evidence of illegal activity, no arresting anyone." Dreidi mentioned, looking over to Voli, who Dreidi had seen jumping to conclusions and stumbling into trouble far too often. Sitting down, Dreidi noted that Kudau wished to hear the thoughts going on in Voli's mind.

Thoughts that Dreidi had figured out long ago, but waited for Voli to express them to her. Hoping that if she did not pry too much then Voli would not feel the need to continually be secretive around her. So far, a decision that had not bore the fruits she had hoped it would.

 

[Credit Wizard]

The transport emitted a low groan, its thrusters turning with a mechanical whine as it commenced its final descent toward the surface of Milagro.

The ship sank beneath the jagged edges of the rock formations, forsaking the open sky for the confined passage of the valley floor, which was the only area nearby where sensors would struggle to penetrate.

The landscape of the planet was dominated by towering sandstone pillars, contorted by ages of fierce winds into forms that looked like twisted hands, casting shadows over the ship. Beneath the surface lay a mosaic of mud and intertwined moss, glowing with a subtle, unhealthy green luminescence. The atmosphere felt stifling under the radiance of the High Republic.

With a rhythmic thrum that vibrated through the floorboards, the transport touched down on the scorched landing pad. The engines cycled down into a low, metallic hiss, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.

Outside, the mist wrapped around the ground as if it were alive, swirling at the base of the white domes. In the distance, the metallic clatter of robotic feet echoed as they struck the floor, drawing nearer and nearer, for BAF-09 "Green Warden"s had been sent to explore the valley for an expansion of the Outpost above.

It was unclear whether Dreidi Xeraic , Voli Cholrass , and Kudau had noticed them yet; however, if they had, they would immediately have many questions with the main one being....

What were Imperial Balmorran Arms Droids doing on a world this far into the borders of the High Republic....

 

[Voli Cholrass]

Current Outfit
Pre Built Lightsaber

"Huh?" Voli moved a lock of her silver hair over her shoulder trying to get a good view of the wolfman asking her if she was had a lot on her mind. Even though Voli made friends over the past few months as a Padawan, she still was reticent especially among strangers. "It's nothing," Voli responded to the person. Who was this guy? She could feel the Force within him, but she never seen the wolfman before.

"It's the first time I've ever seen someone like him." Voli thought. "I remember reading about these guys when I was bored scrolling. They were isolationists keeping to themselves, even on Coruscant they liked to hang around the lower levels."

Her stomach churned a bit feeling uncomfortable around the wolfman but part of life is being exposed new places and cultures. There's only so much Voli can learn from behind Holoscreen. "It also shows how much I've been living in a luxurious bubble." Voli thought. "The higher levels of Coruscant love to ignore poor and despondent. They're convinced that Coruscant starts and ends with them."

Voli sat up straight when Dreidi Xeraic began to explain the mission. A smuggling ring linked to a senator was not good at all. As far as Voli knows, the High Republic was the only faction that was considered "good" in the sea of depravity. It was the only place where a person wasn't an Imperialist, a criminal, or a Sith. It was amazing how the Jedi was easily reduced to a handful in the span of a few months. Every one of them were scattered, defeated. It almost felt hopeless knowing that the High Republic Jedi were the last.

"Right," Voli said trying to maintain her wavering confidence. "We're keepers of the peace not policemen."

She had to grow up but it was hard to do so with so much uncertainty. "Master," Voli whispered to Dreidi. "I have a question. Are we the last Jedi in the Galaxy? After seeing the Galactic Alliance and my...... home destroyed. We're the only people left that's even fighting."

She turned to her Master, it was one of the few times she opened up to Dreidi. "How do you maintain any semblance of hope?" She asked. "How can anything go back to the way it was after so much bad happens?"

Before Voli could speak further, she sensed a disturbance in the Force. The Padawan got up her breath hitched, they were making their final landing but already something was off. "You sense that Master?" She asked.

Kudau