The Jedi Iroh
"Hmmph." The word escaped from the old man's lips as he flipped through ancient looking notecards that were grimed and discolored with age. In front of him, a wooden bowl full of herbs sat in front of him. Beside it, a pestle sat. "It needs something still..."
Tiland turned away from the table and looked through the countless shelves of herbs that lined the massive room, that was almost entirely herbs and teas. He scratched his beard as he wound his way through the collection. As he reached a certain section, he began to look more closely at the fine scrawls that labeled each jar, tapping each with a finger as he wandered down the line.
Finally, he settled on one specific jar.
"Oh, dear," he murmured as he lifted it from the jar. He studied it carefully, but it made no difference. There was nothing left in the jar. It was empty. After a moment, he shrugged. "Such is the way of things..." He set the jar back on the shelf and returned to the tea-blend that was in process. It needed that herb to balance the flavor and accentuate the healing properties that he would use as the basis for the rest of the project.
He flipped through the notes again, this time looking at where he found them. Varunda IX. A smile drifted across his face as he remembered the pleasant jungle world. Many Ithorians dwelled there and followers of the Tyia. It was where he had learned such a thing, in fact, and become one of its practitioners. He hadn't been back in decades. Perhaps it was time that he returned for a visit.
Sifting the holonet, Tiland searched tickets on public passenger lines for the moon until a frown etched its way across his face. First Order territory? Had that really gone that way? He couldn't remember anything like that happening, but perhaps he had been busy elsewhere.
It was a terrible unwise decision. No reason for him to go into hostile territory. It would be an enormous risk. But, the properties of this tea were dependent on the herb, that could only be found on Varunda IX.
With a deep sigh, Tiland sent a few messages.
========================================
Several weeks later...
Tiland strode down the ramp of the passenger ship into the New Habat spaceport. It was a pleasant, bustling place, although more modernized and guarded than he remembered. But, that was no concern of Tiland's. He was not here for Great Galactic War shenanigans, as the media had taken to calling it.
Tiland was here in the name of tea. That was his quest and he would fulfill it. As such, all that he had brought with him were what he would need to find the herb. It was incredibly rare and only grew in the most remote corners of the planet's jungles. So, he had brought camping equipment and herbology references, and rations for a long expedition.
His only aid in seeking the plant was knowing what it looked like, its preferred ecosystem and growth range, and the fact that it had a slight aura of the Light Side of the Force. It wasn't from this moon, it had been brought from elsewhere by the Ithorian's who settled the planet. Unfortunately, the record of its origin had been lost to history.
So, to his knowledge, and the most knowledgeable herbalist's in the galaxy, the herb was only found in these jungles. He hummed to himself as he wound his way out of the spaceport and into the city itself.
First stop, the university to consult with their library and any biologists that they had on staff. They likely knew the area better than he did at this point. See if things had changed in the planet's ecology or if climate bands had shifted. Still humming, he strode off down the street to the school, walking stick clicking along with his rhythm.
Tiland turned away from the table and looked through the countless shelves of herbs that lined the massive room, that was almost entirely herbs and teas. He scratched his beard as he wound his way through the collection. As he reached a certain section, he began to look more closely at the fine scrawls that labeled each jar, tapping each with a finger as he wandered down the line.
Finally, he settled on one specific jar.
"Oh, dear," he murmured as he lifted it from the jar. He studied it carefully, but it made no difference. There was nothing left in the jar. It was empty. After a moment, he shrugged. "Such is the way of things..." He set the jar back on the shelf and returned to the tea-blend that was in process. It needed that herb to balance the flavor and accentuate the healing properties that he would use as the basis for the rest of the project.
He flipped through the notes again, this time looking at where he found them. Varunda IX. A smile drifted across his face as he remembered the pleasant jungle world. Many Ithorians dwelled there and followers of the Tyia. It was where he had learned such a thing, in fact, and become one of its practitioners. He hadn't been back in decades. Perhaps it was time that he returned for a visit.
Sifting the holonet, Tiland searched tickets on public passenger lines for the moon until a frown etched its way across his face. First Order territory? Had that really gone that way? He couldn't remember anything like that happening, but perhaps he had been busy elsewhere.
It was a terrible unwise decision. No reason for him to go into hostile territory. It would be an enormous risk. But, the properties of this tea were dependent on the herb, that could only be found on Varunda IX.
With a deep sigh, Tiland sent a few messages.
========================================
Several weeks later...
Tiland strode down the ramp of the passenger ship into the New Habat spaceport. It was a pleasant, bustling place, although more modernized and guarded than he remembered. But, that was no concern of Tiland's. He was not here for Great Galactic War shenanigans, as the media had taken to calling it.
Tiland was here in the name of tea. That was his quest and he would fulfill it. As such, all that he had brought with him were what he would need to find the herb. It was incredibly rare and only grew in the most remote corners of the planet's jungles. So, he had brought camping equipment and herbology references, and rations for a long expedition.
His only aid in seeking the plant was knowing what it looked like, its preferred ecosystem and growth range, and the fact that it had a slight aura of the Light Side of the Force. It wasn't from this moon, it had been brought from elsewhere by the Ithorian's who settled the planet. Unfortunately, the record of its origin had been lost to history.
So, to his knowledge, and the most knowledgeable herbalist's in the galaxy, the herb was only found in these jungles. He hummed to himself as he wound his way out of the spaceport and into the city itself.
First stop, the university to consult with their library and any biologists that they had on staff. They likely knew the area better than he did at this point. See if things had changed in the planet's ecology or if climate bands had shifted. Still humming, he strode off down the street to the school, walking stick clicking along with his rhythm.
