What will they learn from it?

[Pinda Solthar]

Weeks of research led her and her comrads to one place; The Maw. They were in search for the original copy of the ancient manuel known as the "Jedi Path". Proposing the idea to Grandmaster Corvus for the construction of the new guide, the first step was to salvage what was valuable from the original. From putting together bits and peices her clues led her to The Maw. Due to the fact that she had recently been tasked to guide another student she was apart of the original team comprised to retrieve the text.

Not knowing the exact dangers from within they were sent in a group of three. But reports finally reached back to the temple that that team hadn't reported in and seemingly vanished. Another task force was sent in after and the exact same results were brought back. Shmi herself examined the situation herself.

"Missing Jedi? What could possibly have gone wrong with retrieving a book? Perhaps they lost their way and never even made it to Shelter..." these were her thoughts on the matter.

She dropped everything and went to investigate herself. From her ship she saw Shelter, a space station utilized during the Yuuzhan Vong War so long ago. Onboard held the guide, at least all clue led here... Before proceeding herself she had sent a holo recording to the grandmaster...

----------------------------
When the message was recieved, a blue, shimmering image of Labooda would sprout to life, miniture in figure.

"Master Raaf, as you know we have come across clues that have pointed us into the direction of the original edition of the Jedi Path. I believe it is aboard 'Shelter' a space station utilized during the Yuuzhan Vong War to house Jedi students still undergoing training. We have sent out two teams to retrieve the text but none have returned or reported in...they have simply vanished? I have arrived, and have no further plans of proceeding without your permission or without assistance. I shall await further directions."

With that, the figure of the mastered bowed and dispersed into light.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

The Jedi Path. Of course Corvus knew of it, she was a scholar after all. It was a manual for students of the Force – pure and simple.

It dated back to her favourite period in history, well just after – given it was first published shortly after the Ruusan Reformation.

But being all dewy eyed about an ancient text was of limited value given where they she was heading. She’d received the message from Master Labooda and immediately acted. She almost ran to her ship, gave instructions for others to pick up her classes until she returned and set off for the Maw.

Of course only a complete idiot would go to a place like that – but she was an historian chasing an invaluable text – that was the next best thing. She was of cours worried about the loss of two previous teams dispatched to recover the book, which is why she travelled alone. The black holes themselves represented a significant hazard – as the Kessel system was slowly being drawn into the Maw. One false calculation and the ship would never return.

But she’d made it safely to the proximity of the space station that was believed to be the home of the book. And she called her fellow Master on the intercom to confirm her arrival.

“Well I’ve made it here as agreed. I presume the defence system on the station is inoperative?” She looked at the thing. It was – even by space station standards – ugly. “So, I’m in your hands. What next?”


[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

She was sitting in deep thought, starring off into the Maw when she heard the beeping of the intercom. She suddenly snapped out of her daze and her eyes b,inked quickly as she scrambled to press the button down to recieve the message. She assumed it was another task team sent to aid her, but the voice she heard surprised her; sorta.

"Master Raaf! I wasn't expecting you to be the one to come all this way. I assumed you would be sending another team, though I guess I couldnt have asked for a better partner." she said softly anickering behind her remark. She did wonder though, what exaclty was going on, it was as if things were eluding her.

"Yes, the defense mechanisms should be down, if not rusty. Shall we board?" she asked before slowly pulling her ship into the open and slowly proceeding towards the station. She squinted her eyes looking around... She noted there wasn't any debris scattered...

Either it was sucked up, or there was just no conflict...

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

“Given the recent events, it made sense to come myself or not at all. And this piece of treasure is too good to pass up, believe me.”

She manoeuvred her ship to access the station. “Have you scanned it for systems? Will we need suits or can we turn the life-support on for example?” As she spoke, she tapped in a few codes to initiate docking protocols – which the station fortunately accepted – and so far no turrets had opened fire.

She’d operated in a suit and used the Force once before – it was perfectly possible but not entirely comfortable. And on that occasion they’d had a few Sith waiting for them. But she was a Padawan way back then, and she reflected it was a very long time ago.

“Docking in two minutes, see you inside.”

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

"Suits shouldn't be necessary. We can turn the life support on once we board." she fastening her seat belt around her person. From the corner of her eye she noticed Corvus' ship slowly passing her and heading towards the station. She followed behind the woman intending to meet her down there once they boarded.

"Alright, will see you soon Corvus."

She approached slowly, and with that as she came around to board her vessel she noticed another already here. It seemed to belong to them, but there was no guarantee. What happen next? Of course Shmi began to think and analyze...

---------

She hopped out of the cockpit and walked closer over towards the absent ship, she squinted her eyes...to herself she began to think

"This doesn't seem right.."

She lowered her head and her eyes shot off to the side. She wondered what Corvus thought.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

As her ship began to land in the hangar, Corvus reflected on the history of the place. Once owned by the legendary Lando Calrissian, she wondered what the Younglings thought of the place – as they came here after the Academy on Yavin IV was attacked.

But she was also aware of the here and now, and noticed the fact that another ship was already present. There were no life readings according to her ship’s sensors, so either its occupants were somewhere on board Shelter, or they’d succumbed to whatever the previous Jedi parties had.

She was able to access the life support systems from her own ship – but was intrigued to see they were already active. But there was no way of telling if that was a recent action or not.

So she did what she always did – she trusted the Force – implicitly. If there was something to worry about, it would soon tell her. So she opened the door that allowed her access to the ship and glanced around, waiting for Shmi.

Her fellow Jedi soon appeared and headed towards that other vessel. “Indeed, it feels very wrong,” Corvus echoed at the Master’s words. “We should expect company.”

And then she smiled. “But meanwhile, do we have any intelligence on where exactly the book is most likely located? It’s a big station if we have to search each and every room.”

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

A very ominous feelings clouded over everything, things just were very unusual. "It doesn't quite make sense. The team made it to Shelter this ship is evidence of that. Plus, there's the fact that the Life support systems were already enabled." she turned to her fellow Jedi and nodded slowly when she agreed that they should definitely expect company. "Though the question is...is it friendly or hostile company?" she said.

"From piecing things together, we've concluded that the last known owner was Luke's son Ben. He was given the book, when his parents were sent off to war, to help aid him in his training. I would say we investigate the dormitory area first." she nodding. It wasn't an exact option but she thought it was the best step.

"Ben cut himself off from the Force due to the pain he felt during the war. I would assume he was over and done with Force temporarily. My assumption leads to the fact that maybe he just threw away the book, locked it up in storage and forgot all about it."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened and nodded. An optimist would suggest the ship belonged to the crew that disappeared and that they would find the book in the dormitory, take it and leave.

But they were Jedi, and although planning for success as the first step, they also had to plan for failure.

“OK, if you can lead the way to the dormitory, it makes sense to start there for sure. I’ll keep my eyes open for any unwanted guests.”

A wry smile came over Corvus’ face. In truth she closed her eyes and entered Force Sight – an ability she’d been taught by her then best friend, a Miraluka, some two decades ago. Quickly she had a three-dimensional three hundred and sixty degree map in her head. Organics and inorganics were easily recognisable and walls were transparent enough to see through. She could see no colours but Force auras were visible where applicable.

“Let’s move on then…”

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

OOC: Sorry about that Corvus, had a crazy shift at work for a couple of weeks.

Shmi nodded to the plan. She turned to look around, and then she began to think. One of her greatest strengths was the power of her mind, she immediately began to think over everything, piecing together the clues and events of history to help aid her in her quest to enhance the future. She moved to exit the hangar, and as she approached the door it acted on her presence and opened automatically.

The hallway that separated them from the main part of the station was dim, the lighting was ancient. It was so quiet that it was loud to her ears, and the only true sound she heard was a slight hum of the machinery utilized in the building process of the space station.

She proceed walking down the long narrow passageway, her robes bounced around as she took her steps. She couldn't help but be just slightly paranoid. In the back of her head she had a feeling that they just weren't alone.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Spoiler

No worries at all – RL always comes first

Corvus fell into step behind Shmi. She let her fellow Master take the lead and focus on the correct route, whilst Corvus paid most attention to any potential and unwanted company.

And sure enough, they hadn’t gone far when she saw whet they were both expecting and wishing to avoid. Not only were there figures up ahead, but their auras said they were Dark-side. Corvus counted six in total. They weren’t all together, which suggested they had purposefully split up. Perhaps to search?

“We have company,” Corvus said in a low voice. “And if I can see them, they can possibly see us." Corvus pointed. "When we turn this corner there is a long corridor. Three are in the first room on the right and three on the left. We could split up, or tackle them together. What’s your call. Oh, and they’re Force Users and not friendly.”

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Pinda Solthar]

Hmm, she thought for second, quickly peering off to the side just to think. Time was definitely against them but there was no telling which side had the advantage. It was good that Corvus was watching however, there was no telling what type of trap the two would have walked into.

While she tried her best to avoid physical fighting, as a Jedi it was unavoidable. She turned to her fellow jedi, " I think their plan could be to split us up...we don't know exactly what were getting into. I would suggest we stick this through together." she said stopping at the corner of the corridor. She peered down straight into the wall of darkness.

"I don't think these are sith, to follow us all this way and ambush us over a lost tomb that would more than likely have no value to them, it seems ridiculous. However, these are dark times Master Raaf, and we could be uncovering some other secret they don't want us to find."

She gripped her lightsaber hilt and proceeded down the corridor, just a couple of steps before she reached the door on the right she looked back at the grandmaster, and nodded. Then she burst through the door with her lightsaber ignited. As the emerald blade of her lightsaber casts it shadow she look on with fury in her eyes...

"You're under arres...huh?" her eyes grew big and were full of confusion. These force users were jedi...and they looked to be in a constant state of terror, as if they were completely and utterly paranoid. Faint whispers were heard from them but she couldn't make the out.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was a scholar, as was Shmi. They both knew of the Maw, the history behind the myths.

So when they agreed to keep together but then confronted not Sith but Jedi, Corvus was immediately confused. And then she realised the worst possible outcome had to be considered a possibility.

Those they looked upon appeared to be in a constant state of terror, as if they were completely and utterly paranoid. Force psychosis. And she knew her fellow Master would arrive at the same, obvious conclusion.

But this was a simple deduction compared to the much bigger question that now posed itself. The psychosis was supposed to have been ended by the defeat of Abeloth. So…had Abeloth returned, had someone else bathed in the Pool of Knowledge, or was there another reason for their mental state.

None was exactly a pleasant option.

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07XdvF29h1o

The presumably abandoned space station was pulling up swiftly ahead of Mark Sage's small, green Actis Class interceptor.
He'd been following every lead he could to find this book. If it was aboard this space station, Shelter, in the Maw as some sources had hinted to him, it would prove extremely valuable both to learning more about the Jed Order's past and to the Order's future trainees. If it was the correct edition as he hoped it was, then it could even be classed as a major archaeological find, and would contain writings and signatures from many famous Jedi Masters. Some had even said that the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, had gotten ahold of it at some point and jotted down a few thoughts of his own on the training regimen of a Jedi Padawan.
He pulled the small fighter into the station's docking bay. A few old ships sat scattered around the hangar. Mark prepared to put on a space helmet over his normal, rugged attire and dark brown jedi robes, but the sensors found that the station's life supports were actually online, meaning he could get out at his leisure.
"Strange." he thought. "This place was abandoned who knows who long ago. Why does it still have the power to support life support systems?"
Had he come to the wrong station? Was this one inhabited? He checked his positioning systems and found that he was indeed on the supposedly correct station in exactly the right coordinates that it should have been in. So why did it feel so wrong?
Mark decided to shrug it off for now and let the hunt get underway. He lifted the glass top over the fighter and hopped down to the ground. He grabbed and put on a leather satchel, and slipped his jedi robes over that. He looked around for an exit and saw one on the other side of the hangar. So, he clipped his lightsaber to his belt and began making his way in that direction, boots clicking on the sparkling clean floor in the absolute silence of the abandoned station.
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

It was wrong to say that Corvus was distracted – but there was something new that needed her attention. Then Force warned her and she listened.

So she left Shmi to oversee the Jedi there and headed back to the hangar. She sensed a Light-sided presence and if nothing else needed to warn this person of the potential danger ahead. And it was odd that this place had remained empty for so long but was suddenly drawing people to it – and something suggested it wasn’t a coincidence.

As Corvus neared the other person, she stopped at one end of a long corridor. It would not be a good idea to bump into someone out here. Better to allow the newcomer to see her from afar and get used to the idea of company.

So she stood there, arms folded, and patiently waited.

[member="Mark Sage"]

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

As Mark listened to the sound of his boots clicking upon the floor, he allowed is other senses to work in the mostly absence of sound. He reached out with the force, hoping to get any sign of where the book might be. Instead of the feel of something old with a touch of light side aura to it, Mark sensed the presence of something living. It was powerful in the force, he could tell that, but whether it was affiliated with the darkness or the light, he couldn't decide. Whether or not this was due to a lack of much training, or a lack of affiliation, Mark wasn't sure. He thought himself to usually be decent at this sort of thing. Perhaps he was too far away from the organism to tell. He kept his hand near his lightsaber just in case.
Mark had now cautiously made it out of the hangar and next to a long corridor. When he peaked around the corner into the hall, he was surprised to find a dark brown haired woman standing at the other end, arms folded. He hadn't expected to find anyone else here. He somewhat cautiously came around the corner and was hit by a wall of light side aura. She was definitely not a Sith.
She seemed familiar somehow to him. He could have sworn he'd seen her before somewhere. Perhaps it would best to approach as a friend.
"Hello?" he began carefully. "My name is Mark Sage, Jedi Padawan. I come in peace."
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

"Hello? My name is Mark Sage, Jedi Padawan. I come in peace."

“Of course you do,” said Corvus, her voice calm and light. “And I am Corvus and my fellow Jedi Shmi is with a small group of Jedi we have found here.”

Corvus’s face gave a flicker of uncertainty before her usual calm exterior returned. “Please indulge me for a moment. I have a couple of questions and after that, feel free to ask me whatever you want.”

“So, what I need to know is…what reason brought you here. And what do you know of the station and its history?”

[member="Mark Sage"]

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

"Oh!" he said, slightly embarrassed as he realized his mistake. "Grandmaster Raaf, I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you from this distance."
He came closer now, relieved that it was at least someone he recognized as on his side.
"Well, recently, there've been rumors resurfacing that an amazing archaeological artifact is located here, a book known as, 'The Jedi Path'. Being a scholar such as yourself, I'm sure you've heard of it at one point or another. It's said there are only a few copies left in existence. One of them, the third edition, is what I'm hoping that is on this station. In addition to a look into the past at how padawans were trained hundreds of years ago, it was also written in by several highly revered Jedi Masters. Everyone from Qui-gon Jinn to Obi Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker jotted their thoughts down into it. It was lost when Luke Skywalker had it, but I hope it can be recovered. And if this one isn't that edition, it may have valuable clues to lead me to that one. Either way, it could be a major archaeological artifact, thus why I decided to track it down through that precarious maze of death outside." he said, pointing back the way he came.
"And of this station," he continued, "I know that it was used during the great Yuuzhan Vong Wars by the New Republic as a safe haven. I believe it was actually owned by General Lando Calrissian at the time. But, when the war ended, there was no more need for a safe haven, and so it was abandoned... Until today that is."
He thought for a moment, then said a bit timidly,
"I do have one question Master Raaf. If you don't mind my asking, what brings you here? I thought I was sure I was the only one here, so when I sensed your presence, I couldn't tell that it was a person, or even sentient. And of all the people to show up here, I would never have guessed it would have been you."
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. “Why should you expect me here? No harm done. And I’m sorry for not recognising you.”

And then she listened and nodded as he recalled the same facts she’d learned. But before she could ask another question, she remembered she’d promised to answer one first, so waited for his query.

When it came she paused for a second before answering. “I was contacted by Shmi. This rumour has drawn two Jedi groups here and both appeared to vanish from the galaxy soon after arriving. So my old friend suggested we send a rescue party and she volunteered. Not wishing to place any more lives in danger than was necessary, I decided to be the remainder of the party.”

She winked conspiratorially. “Plus, I wanted to see if the rumours about the book were true.”

Then her face became solemn. “You are well educated and a credit to your teachers, so tell me. What do you know of Abeloth…the Bringer of Chaos?”

[member="Mark Sage"]

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

"Abeloth." He repeated quietly. The name sent a shiver down his spine.
"Well, the last time it was encountered, it was supposedly destroyed. Master Luke Skywalker saw it last. Why do you ask Master Raaf?"
He hoped to the force that it was just a chance question with no meaning behind it. But, with Master Corvus, he knew that probably wasn't the case.
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled faintly. "That's the problem with supposedly. Some things have transpired here that make me doubt the validity of that statement. Is it Abeloth? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe something was left here that has affected the Jedi I just encountered." Corvus shook her head.

"Records state that the Jedi believed that Abeloth would return one day. Master Skywalker's notes on the subject suggest she was too powerful to be killed in the manner we know of. Maybe we need to seek the Mortis Dagger? I don't know for sure. I hear you're a keen archaeologist. Perhaps that could be your next mission? But regardless, we need to deal with the here and now. So please follow me and I'll introduce you to Shmi."

[member="Mark Sage"] | [member="Shmi Labooda"]