Public The Bordal Border War

[Tiland Kortun]

Bordal. In ages past, before the Gulag Plague, there had been others. None so widespread, but just as destructive in their local environments.

Sadly, Bordal had been one such planet, ravaged by plague and its original cures destroyed by pirates. Countless lives were lost before another planet managed to begin manufacturing them.

But tragedy led to tragedy and Bordal warred with its neighbor until the Palpatine’s empire seized control.

Tiland remembered hearing about that. It had been a disaster and a war whose origins nobody could remember. Yet they fought and died and enacted acts of cruelty.

And not even eight hundred years could always manage to defuse those disputes, even with a galactic level plague destroying the old order of society.

Strange dreams with ill feelings plagued Tiland’s sleep on Qi-Ko until he set out amongst the stars to track down the images he saw through the Force.

In the grand scheme of things, it was minor. Hardly even worth noticing or earning more than a footnote on HNN. A Kuani community had settled on Bordal, purchasing land to establish a new farming community, but times had grown tough, and the crops withered and neighbor turned against neighbor, each looking out for kin at the expense of friends. Arguments turned to fights. Fights turned to theft. Theft turned to murder. Murder turned to feuds.

Tiland had finally found the world after hitching a ride with a disreputable looking smuggler he suspected was running weapons. But it had taken too long and now a homestead was burned, its inhabitants missing, and the communities rallying for war. He had sent a message out to the Pilgrims and the Light Hand.

This was a place where Jedi were needed, of all stripes, and those who supported them. Tiland sat quietly in a cafe, alone in a corner, sipping a cup of tea. The other patrons have him strange glances and he could see colored patches and armbands on the different groups. The looks they exchanged were dark, but there was an uneasy truce.

He hoped others would be arriving soon to get to the bottom of this and resolve it before it turned into a war.

 

[Crash]

As a being immune to plagues, Crash had been assigned to assist in any way he could on the planet of Bordal. Having been hired into the Rimward Trade League following his assistance of one of their executive members on Tatooine, it now came to him to provide more aid. His security droid programming and understanding of law enforcement protocols given centuries of updates he had applied to himself was to be used here. With the inhabitants of Bordal becoming more and more hostile with one another following crop failures, the ability to preserve order was needed now more than ever.

Justice was the only solution that was required for the people of Bordal. Their emotional states had betrayed them and have disallowed them from processing the situation effectively. Strength of community began with unity, something that he had managed to apply to his programming while working with the people of Anchorhead. Though he was armed, another aspect of his programming showed preference toward a peaceful resolution. There was no justice to be found in the undue extrajudicial execution of emotionally compromised parties. He was prepared to process data and work toward a solution to resolve the issues at hand, but until then he stood next to the door of a local business waiting for other representatives of the Trade League to make their presences known.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Bordal
Tags: Tiland Kortun , Crash ​

“Not again!”

The engine of the Philosopher was beginning to sputter again. He knew exactly what it was too. Someone had damaged his ship while he was on Empress Teta. When he came back to retrieve it after the battle, it had taken some light fire, or what had seemed like light fire. Probably a rogue laser from the dogfighting that had engulfed the sky above the city of Cinnegar. Usually, crash landing was fine for Jasper. He was alone most instances where it had occurred. He wasn’t alone this time.

Again? Lana signed. What do you mean again?

“W-well, it’s… er,” Jasper began, fumbling over his words. “Something that’s happened before. Uh…”

“Oh, that’s reassuring,” Pyf responded, hovering above Jasper’s shoulder. “Then you have experience landing the vessel unharmed?”

“Yeah,” Jasper frowned. “For the most part.”

You are a walking accident, Lana informed him.

“Yeah, I know,” Jasper sighed. “Strap in. It’s gonna be a little rough.”

The Philosopher flew through the atmosphere of the nearby planet of Bordal. Luckily, Jasper had both of his foils this time, making it much easier to glide his ship down to the surface. Eventually, they made impact, tearing up the soil beneath. Then, the Philosopher came to a sudden stop. Jasper turned to see his blue friend clutching the bottom of her seat. She let go to sign, still looking a little shocked.

How many times have you done this? She asked.

“Four,” Jasper admitted.

So this is why you travel alone… Lana recognized.

She was right. Jasper didn’t want to risk the lives of her or Dex, which was why he usually went places on his own. Maybe it was foolish, but he preferred that he got hurt over them.

“I don’t have spare parts,” Jasper explained, hanging his head. “We’ll need to go into town. I think I saw a settlement when we entered the atmosphere.”

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Crash Jasper Kai'el

"Ah, Ranger Crash, yes?" Tiland asked as he looked up from his tea at the table towards the entrance, where he recognized the old battle droid model. "I am glad you were able to make it. We will need the impartiality of your programming and your analytic capabilities, I think."

He paused for a moment and raised a finger. "Do you have any capacity for agricultural evidence analysis? I am a herbalist, but that is not always applicable to commercial agriculture, nor on evidence that can resolve disputes." He would have to see if Pyeth Raffinki would be available or Pretri Mapore .

Tiland was about to say more, but he felt something through the Force and gaze up into the sky. Something streaked through the sky.

"Do you think that ship is crashing?" He frowned, stroking his mustache. "It is very fast, is it not?"

 

[Crash]

"My primary programming is for security and defense, but I will work with the data provided as best as my abilities allow." the droid said in that old battle droid voice. He stood ready for whatever happened though, as the need to drink and eat as those in the cafe was not something he required.

As the vessel was pointed out to him, he looked up and followed the trajectory with his programming and offered his appraisal, "The vessel does not seem to be crashing, but it is on approach far too quickly. I believe that the ship may be damaged and requires maintenance but it will last until landing. If the passengers and pilots are in distress then we must render aid. Follow me, I have an approximate point of landing that they seem to be on track toward."

Tiland Kortun Jasper Kai'el

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Bordal
Tags: Tiland Kortun , Crash ​

“Looks like she blew a few valves,” Jasper explained, fiddling around in an open hatch on the top of the Philosopher. “There was a gas fire briefly that killed a few circuits. It’s probably why damage didn’t come up on the central computer.”

Jasper slammed the hatch closed, brushing off his hands. He knew the parts he needed, but not where to get them. Unfortunately, finding such parts wasn’t exactly a simple task.

“Jeez,” Jasper sighed, palming his forehead. “Dex is gonna kill me when he finds out.”

Relax, Lana comforted him. We’re still in one piece. He’ll get over it. You’ve had a lot on your plate. You can’t take responsibility for everything.

“Yeah,” Jasper nodded, scratching the back of his head. “Everything’s just been weird since Teta…”

And it hasn’t been before? Lana asked with a grin. You want to help people. It’s in your blood. You just gotta remember to help yourself too. The twi’lek’s eyes began to shine with a certain determination, one that reminded Jasper did when he first met Dex. When we get off this planet, we’re finding this Jastile guy together. Okay?

“Alright,” Jasper agreed, smiling softly. “Thanks. On the topic of this planet… where are we, Pyf?”

“Bordal,” Pyf explained. “It has a history as an Imperial holding and was hit particularly hard by the Gulag Plague. The population seems to be in the process of tearing itself apart.”

“Well that… complicates things,” the duelist frowned.

It was shaping up to be a long day.

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

​

Location: Bordal | Cafe
Objective: Gain Access to the Dig Site
Status: Frustrated
Equipment: Black + Red Robes | Purple Lightsaber
Tags: Tiland Kortun | Crash | Jasper Kai'el

​

Kaiah scowled, hands on her hips as the farmer calmly explained that access to the dig site was impossible. "Three months of work, wasted!" Kaiah said, exasperated. "Not to mention a generous pile of credits. You agreed to let me work until I found what I wanted". She was considerably taller than the Kuani male, and she towered over him as he stuttered out a reply. "I...I...I know what I said. It's just that..." the man looks around nervously before continuing. "Your digging makes folks nervous. Things are already bad enough, throwing around your cash is making people suspicious". She turns away from the farmer to see who he is looking at, but no one meets her gaze. "I can handle troublemakers" Kaiah says, turning back. "As soon as I'm done, I'll be out of your hair". Despite her intimidating presence, the Kuani remains firm. "It's not you I'm worried about. I'm sorry, but its too dangerous". He drops his head and shuffles out of the cafe.

Kaiah grits her teeth, letting out a low growl from the back of her throat. The petty feuds in this settlement had already cost her a good deal of progress, and now it threatened her entire operation. She walked out of the cafe, breathing in the cool air. Leaving isn't an option she thought. What must I do to continue my work? Do I have to solve these idiot's problems myself? She steadied her breathing, trying to calm herself down and regain her composure. She focused, closing her eyes, and reached out with the force, searching for something, anything, that could help her.

She stiffened, her eyes flying open. There was someone else here. Not a farmer, but a force sensitive. She turned toward the source, an old man sitting in the corner of the cafe. She could feel it clearly now, he was strong with the force. A Jedi? she thought. That would make sense, Jedi always seemed to be meddling in the affairs of others. Regardless of what he was, he presented an opportunity.

She approached his table, now seeing his companion. It was an ancient droid, far older than she'd ever seen. It was a miracle it was still working. She turned her attention back to the old man and felt a flicker of recognition. Had they met before? Perhaps. She journeyed much in the last few years and had met many people, Jedi included. Yet she couldn't help but feel a personal connection to the man. It made her uncomfortable.

The droid stood up, as if to leave, so she jumped in and addressed the old man. "You are a Jedi, are you not?" Kaiah asked confidently. "If you are here to deal with the local's troubles, then I'd like to help. They are disrupting my archeological dig, and I need the matter resolved quickly". She felt her lightsaber tap her thigh as it swung from her belt. She'd been wearing it openly, receiving few comments from the locals. She wondered how this Jedi would react. "I've been here for three months now, and have several contacts with the locals. No doubt that would be useful in your investigation?"

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Crash Jasper Kai'el Kaiah Nihl

"Ah, excellent, thank you, Crash." Tiland said, pushing himself up to his feet with his staff as he shaded his eyes with one hand, tracing the contrails left behind by the ship. "I will follow your lead-"

He was cut off by the appearance of someone new- someone curt and direct to the point. Tiland paused for a moment, considering as he sifted through his memories. "Kaiah, is it not? We met briefly once before, I think."

As she spoke, he raised an eyebrow, considering. "Local contacts are always useful, although I am not at all sure this constitutes an investigation. There's not a mystery here, really."

Well, more or less. What was causing the unfortunate weather, perhaps. But that was often part of the cycle of the climate. "If we can meet with community leaders though, after we manage this crashing ship, that would be an excellent start."

 

[Crash]

The path to the vessel was a miscalculation but it was not far off from the triangulation that Crash had done in the short time he watched the ship while the two organics discussed matters. He began to make the trek to the ship, intent to follow through with his programming to render aid to those in need. It was an added parameter to his initial programming to provide security and law, but there were plenty of addendums made to his programming in the past nine centuries he had existed.

Approaching the ship, the cloaked droid held his ancient DC-15 rifle down so as to not present a combative stance. "Organic lifeforms, do not panic. I am here to help you." he said as he walked toward the ship and allowed his optical receptors to try and analyse the ship from the exterior. He was no mechanic, but he did have some experience with pilots in trouble given his time served as the unofficial sheriff of Anchorhead.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Bordal
Tags: Tiland Kortun , Crash , Kaiah Nihl ​

"Organic lifeforms, do not panic. I am here to help you."

An old B1 unit was approaching them, it's blaster positioned in a non-aggressive manner. Jasper turned to the droid, a look of confusion spreading across his face.

"O-oh," he began, "Really?"

I'm not complaining, Lana signed with a shrug. Especially if this place is on the brink of complete chaos.

Jasper nodded before taking note of the individuals who had followed the droid. One was clearly a Jedi, of that he was certain. The other, less so, but they seemed to be working together for some reason. It was doubtful that these individuals would team up just to check on a crashed vessel, especially a smaller one like Jasper's. They were here for another reason. Tiland in particular caught his attention, as he assumed that was the group's unofficial leader of sorts.

"I-I guess it's probably safe to assume you aren't just here to look for downed ships," Jasper reasoned.

 

[Tiland Kortun]

Jasper Kai'el Crash Kaiah Nihl

Tiland followed behind Crash, trusting the droid's programming and calculations. He could sense nothing in particular through the miasma that surrounded the world.

As the droid approached, Tiland leaned on his staff, watching the downed pilot and casting gazes up and down the ship's length. He could tell there was something wrong, but beyond that, he couldn't guess.

Ships and mechanics were not particularly in his wheelhouse. The downed pilot spoke as Crash helped them out of the vessel.

"You would be correct," Tiland agreed, "We are here for a great deal, but duty requires us to look for those who may be injured or suffering from a disaster."