A Hearty Voss Welcome

[Rasu Gan]

The last time Rasu had seen the young Padawan, Ar'ekk, had been on Yutan, having been left in the capable hands of Master Taidarious. However Ar'ekk's time at the Republic had come to a close for now. It was time for him to move, so Rasu had arranged for the Padawan to journey to Voss where she would introduce him to the ways of the Silver Jedi.

This would only be the second step in her plan for Ar'ekk. The apprenticeship between the pair would be beneficial for them both. Rasu intended for the Padawan to experience a range of cultures and societies before he would finally choose where to settle down. Not only would this expand his knowledge but provide a better understanding that seemed to be lacking in many of the beings across the galaxy. Fear came from the unknown, however if this became known, there would no longer be a need for fear. Perhaps Rasu could finally see peace return to the galaxy, if only for a short while. Ar'ekk was her little experiment, and of course it was an excuse for her to journey with him and learn as well.

With that said Rasu now stood waiting patiently at the shuttle hangar of the Silver Temple. Staring out through a viewport at the landing pad, the Shi'ido wondered how Ar'ekk would take to life on Voss.

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

Ar'ekk shuttle would arrive eventually to the world of Voss, home of the Silver Jedi. This was the second time he flew to another place, somewhere he hasn't been before at all. He felt the presence of Rasu as soon as the ship landed. The Padawan descended with his bags in hand, ready to face another challenge. The Shi'ido was already waiting for him and he walked up to her with a smile.

The Padawan was eager to know about other cultures and societies that for years were unknown to him. He was intelligent and smart to understand different things. Ar'ekk felt prepared for what was coming.

"That's what I call an exhausting trip." he said, joking about as he always did.

It wasn't of his knowledge what was going to happen in Voss, but it definitely was going to be something rewarding for his future.

"I'm glad to be here."

This was just the beginning of a long journey.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Smiling as Ar'ekk approached the Shi'ido, the woman leaned forward to relieve the Padawan of his luggage. Doing her best to hide the surprise from the weight of the suitcases, the Shi'ido's smile intensified under the strain. Sighing softly as she continued to haul the luggage, she shepherded the man inside as the shuttle unloaded it's cargo and once more returned to the air.

"Geez did you pack the whole of Yutan in this thing?" Rasu joked once safely inside the temple. It had been a few weeks since she had last seen the Padawan, the Jedi realised. Already the changes were noticeable on the young man's face. Obviously the Jedi had him working hard, which was always a good sign. There would no progress without effort.

"How was the trip?" she asked, chuckling at the Padawan's comment. "No dramas leaving Yutan I hope."

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

He returned the smile to the Shi'ido as both made their way into the heart of Voss.

Ar'ekk decided to carry his own luggage so Rasu wouldn't have to do it herself as he laughed about the joke she made.

"You told me to be prepared, master." the Padawan said, laughing along.

Ar'ekk had grown in size and he was no longer the thin initiate the Shi'ido had met in Coruscant. He was now the living image of what a Jedi should look like (Even for a Padawan of his age).

"No problems whatsoever. I've got to say it was a fun trip."

This place made the young man feel weird as this was the first time he's ever left Yutan, besides Coruscant in the first place.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

"Glad to hear it." she replied, smiling politely as the man relieved her of the suitcases.

This was only the third world Ar'ekk had visited on his travels however it was one closest to Rasu's heart. She considered this her homeworld, having been forced to abandon her own during the Gulag pandemic. Voss had seen the woman's greatest achievements and downfalls. It had been where she had raised a family and built her organisation. It was a place she could and would continue to call home. While she wished the same for Ar'ekk ultimately, he still had a long way to go before he could make up his own mind. His journey was one that might take years, if the man was still up to the task of course.

"So I thought we might first take your belongings to your quarters and then we can go explore the planet. Unless of course you'd prefer to rest after the flight?" she said, slowly guiding him through the temple. She had already planned the man's first day before he was welcome to explore on his own and meet others among the Silver Jedi.
"How does that all sound?"

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

"I'm fine with that. Not that I feel tired after all." the Padawan said energetically.

Ar'ekk was eager to know all about Rasu's homeworld. He had noticed how she talked proudly of Voss and couldn't wait to find out everything about its society, history and other stuff. The young man was certain he'd met people from the Shi'ido's past and present.

They walked through the temple, side-by-side. He stood in awe as they did, making small chit-chat with her.

"This is a huge place. I should put my luggage somewhere safe before we begin."

The duo stood in front of Ar'ekk's quarters after a while. The door was locked.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

"Great, then I'll show you to your dorm." Turning away from her student, Rasu departed the hangar. Following the corridors that she herself had drawn up, the Shi'ido's form would switch from green to golden as great glass panels allowed the auburn sun to enter the temple. Rasu had always adored the sight of Voss, with its warm colours and its strong affinity with the Force. Life essence flowed at its strongest here, rejuvenating the woman as she continued down the path, memorising each and every step throughout the temple.

Hoping her Padawan could keep up with her fast pace, Rasu smiled as the pair passed by a group of Silver Jedi. Giving a polite nod in acknowledgement, the Jedi made a quick glance back to ensure Ar'ekk was keeping up before continuing forward. It was not long before the pair had entered the dormitory. Passing through the archway, the Shi'ido stopped at the admission desk. Quickly typing up an application for Ar'ekk on a datapad, the Jedi Master turned back to the young man after receiving confirmation.

"You're all set. Let's go get you settled in." Once more taking off through the narrowing hallways, Rasu would finally come to a stop outside a small door. "This is it. Welcome to your temporary home."

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

As the duo made their way into Ar'ekk's dormitory, he put his luggage on top of the bed. The place was comfy enough and looked great for his standards. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the Shi'ido.

"This looks great. Thank you for giving me a place to stay, Rasu." he said, thanking her for the warm welcome.

The Padawan turned back to Rasu, making an inquiry. "Voss looks big enough to have a lot of room for activities. What do you do in your free time?"

His luggage was wide open and you could see inside his brand new crafted lightsaber. The blue crystal was visible deep in the core of it. Ar'ekk slinged the lightsaber to his belt, making sure it's tight enough not to fall. His signature Padawan braid was taken care of almost at a perfectionist manner.

As he looked around the room, trying to get acquainted with its sorroundings, he began to ask questions non-stop. The curious side of Ar'ekk began to flourish.

"What are we going to do next? I feel pretty good to start right now, do anything you'd like."

He waited for an answer with a smile upon his face.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Following the young man into his dorm, Rasu smiled as he busied himself unpacking. It was pleasing to see him fit quite comfortably into the new quarters. Already she could sense the curiousity begin to swell within him as questions began to fly from his mouth. Rasu would of course, do her best to sate his curiousity.

"Well there's lots of time for me to study and train. But if you're after some more excitement, there's a lot of history here as well. I thought we might visit some of the ruins here first as a introduction to the planet."

She already had a set in mind. They weren't too far from the temple, and far away from the corruption that was the Nightmare Lands. Voss had a great history, seeing Force-sensitives teeming across the planet. The Voss had been introduced to the Jedi milllenia ago, during their Great Schism, as a result the ruins that littered the planet stood as a testament to the war that had plagued the world. Rasu hoped the ruins could prove to be interesting as well as teach the young Padawan a bit about the Jedi and their sworn enemies, those who wield the dark side.

"Just tell me when you're all unpacked and we can head off."

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

The Padawan unpacked all his belongings and put them inside the drawers and the closet. You could already see the hand of the Jedi molding Ar'ekk, the way he organized everything to be executed in the most smooth and orderly manner possible. The way he talks, acts and interacts with others has been improved.

"Sounds intriguing. I'll be pleased to learn more from what Voss has to offer, please led the way when you please."

Ar'ekks hunger for knowledge was big and he showed the Shi'ido that interest by asking many questions. There was no such thing as a dumb question so he wouldn't hesitate to blurt his questions out.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

"Perfect. Let's be off then." she said, gesturing for the Padawan to exit before she finally followed after, locking the door behind her. Once more, Rasu guided the initiate through the winding corridors and halls of the Temple, before they arrived at a hangar similar in design to the one Ar'ekk had only just arrived in. However this time, the expansive chamber was filled with more local transports, intended for travel across the planet rather than space travel. Guiding her student to a specific speeder, she patted the seat gesturing for him to sit down.

"I'll be right back, but make yourself comfortable in the meantime." she said, swiftly running over to a supply closet. Retrieving several items she deemed important, she stuffed the contents inside a rucksack before returning to the speeder. Attaching the pack to the speeder, she checked to make sure it was secure, prior to saddling the speeder herself.

"Ready for an adventure?" she asked, placing some goggles over her eyes, knowing how bothersome it would be to have dust blur her vision. Flipping a switch on the control panel, the speeder jumped into life, thrumming under the motor's vibrations. Inputting the coordinates for the ruins, Rasu leaned forward as she prepared to set off.

"Hold onto me, okay?" she instructed, twisting the accelerator and gripping it tightly as they shot off. Whizzing out of the temple and out into the jungles of Voss.

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

The Padawan wrapped his arms around [member="Rasu Gan"]'s waist, making sure he was hanging tight enough not to fall of the speeder. He never rode one before, so the feeling of it igniting and floating caught him off guard, rather surprised.

"Wow. This thing really moves." he said, laughing.

Ar'ekk took the rucksack from Rasu, making sure it's strapped good enough on his back.

Minutes within the trip and finding themselves in the deep jungles of Voss, the intitiate began to ask his usual questions.

"Where are we going exactly, master?"

The young man has never seen so much green in his life, considering he spent most of his life in the deepest part of an urban city. He was in awe and couldn't help but ask much about the sorroundings and the planet itself.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Rasu smiled as the young man laughed. It was nice to know he was enjoying himself so early into the trip. Voss was teeming with life. Strong in the Force, the planet had seen much action throughout its history. Ruins hinted at the events that took place thousands of years earlier with one such set suggesting occupation of a long forgotten sect of Jedi.

"The Quel-Dora Ruins." Rasu said, angling the speeder onto the Old Path as the thick jungle canopy opened up into an auburn clearing. In the distance, towering columns of stone rose from the horizon, standing out against the green backdrop that was the native Voss jungle. "You can see it now."

Chunks of debris began to appear on the ground, as the pair entered the vicinity of the ruins. Large glyphs could be made out upon these massive columns of stone. Sites such as these truly interested the Shi'ido however she had never really found the time to appreciate them and explore. Ar'ekk provided such an excuse.

Rasu twisted the accelerator once more before pulling the brake. Slowly the speeder came to a stop, nestled among the outer edge of the ruins. Acting like rings, each layer rested upon a higher level of the hill, with the peak of the ruins represented by a rather large obelisk. The ruins encompassed so much that the sounds of the native fauna could no longer be hard, blocked off by the various walls and passages that now made up the site.

Waiting for Ar'ekk to hop off, Rasu dismounted as well, arching her back. As her back clicked and stretched, she took a moment to take in the area. It truly was a place of serene beauty. The Jedi of old sure had a thing for design.

"Feel free to explore a bit if you'd like?" Rasu suggested, "I just have to mark our location and send it to the Temple." Turning her back to Ar'ekk, the Shi'ido returned to the bike, removing the transponder and adding her own equations to the mix. It would take a few minutes before she would get a response from the Temple, however it would not be long before she could return to her student.

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

As he descended from the speeder, he took a moment to admire what Voss had to offer. These ruins once held so many memories about ancient Jedi. The sun rays touched Ar'ekk and Rasu, making it the most beautiful day of the year. The sky was clear and the sorroundings were full of life. However, the ruins from inside felt cold and dark. This wasn't intimidating at all, though.

The Padawan's curiosity to investigate took over, which made him go inside without saying a word to his master. He always found interesting what could be found inside places like this, never imagining the things he'd encounter in a future.

You could hear how the walls were cracking and making their signature sound of giving in within time. This was something natural, considering the ruins have been standing here for thousands of years.

Ar'ekk waited for Rasu to meet with him as he felt it wouldn't be possible to continue without her as she knew this place better than anyone else.

However, there was something strange that attracted Ar'ekk to go deeper within the ruins.

What could it be?

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

In a few moments, a distinct beeping emanated from the transponder, releasing a sigh from the Shi'ido. With their location now on record, Master and student could continue their expedition, knowing that they would not be forgotten should something go wrong. Turning to begin her search for Ar'ekk, she took the speeder ignition switch and began her hunt.

Walking at a casual pace, Rasu ran her hand across the rough surface of a crumbling wall. Ancient glyphs had been etched onto the surface, with the language having been long-forgotten. It was well-known now that these ruins had significance to ancient Jedi and Sith organisations. With this fact many expeditions had been led by the Silver Jedi to discover more of their history. If Rasu could make her own assumptions, she would suggest that these ruins hinted at the origins of the original schisms between the wielders of the Ashla and Bogan. However her assumptions lacked the evidence to prove anything substantial.

As the woman continued her exploration, worry began to creep within her as she remained unaware of Ar'ekk's location. Picking up her pace, she felt herself drawn to a specific cave system. Having been dug out millennia ago, the ancient symbols continued their twisted path into the structure. Artificial re-modelling could be seen on the walls of the cave, as it began to form a tunnel. Unsure of how deep the network ran, she extended her Force awareness, sending tendrils of her consciousness ahead of her in search of the Padawan.

"AR'EKK!?!?" she shouted out of desperation. Her voice was carried in every direction, bouncing off the walls as it echoed throughout the cave system. Worry had now enveloped the Master. She cursed her motherly nature, forcing herself to take a deep breathe before proceeding, each step having been controlled to stop herself from frantically running ahead. Surely he had not gone far.

[member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

The search for Ar'ekk wouldn't be too long for the Shi'ido. As she continued to go deeper into the ruins of Quel-Dora, she'd bump into the Padawan kneeled with his head down, cloak covering him completely. The sorroundings were dark, light was non-existant. Pitch black.

He had walked without keeping in mind how to get out. Feeling drawn to something beyond his understanding, he began to walk in a fast pace. Footprints left behind would make the Shi'ido's work easier to find him.

The Padawan didn't go deeper as the Shi'ido thought as she eventually could find him a few steps away from the entrance of the ruins. He was in a wide room which resembled one of the many old ones in Korriban. Full of energy but also obscure.

The entire room was covered with ancient glyphs and drawings, their significance remained unknown. The ruins gave a pretty creepy vibe as if evilness sorrounded every single part of it.

In front of him a strangely shaped artifact rested and seemed as if Ar'ekk was meditating to it. He didn't say a word despite being aware of Rasu's presence but something weird was happening to him and she would have to get closer to find out what was going on.

Darkness seemed to have reached this place. Or maybe the Padawan himself?

[member="Rasu Gan"]