Public Arda: Storm of the Century

[Tass Arceneau]

OCEAN WORLD OF ARDA
TINGEL ARM
FORMER LEVANTINE SANCTUM TERRITORY


Technology was rare across Arda, but many of the larger settlements maintained at least a tenuous connection to modernity. Two connections, more often than not: medicine and weather prediction. In one such settlement, a place caught between - yet distant from - both traditional life and the planet's ATC port, Tass Arceneau watched the storm approach. The locals were all hunkering down. Tass, being stupid and knowing he was stupid, still hung out outside the log-and-fiberplast shelter where travelers were congregating. Rain began to slap at the slate-gray ocean in broad, loud waves. Tass put his hood up and eyed the storm's extent on his datapad, whose feed was tied to the distant port and its satellite overwatch capabilities. The storm looked, if possible, even more intimidating on sensors than across that long ocean horizon.

The rain was intensifying; he stayed outside for now. Tatooine had brutal sandstorms, but this was something wholly different. Ride out a storm like this, he figured, and he might learn something about himself, or about the kind of life he wanted.

The storm began in earnest. Tass tucked his cold wet hands in his armpits and watched that long horizon.

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

Breathe in...breathe out. Kostodu had said that same phrase to himself maybe... ten times before he was calm, and no longer needed the mantra. The sounds of the ocean waves washing against the sand and crashing into the weathering rocks were the most soothing melody he'd ever heard. Forget paying three hundred credits for therapy; this was enough, possibly even better.

Soon, after reflecting on himself as a Jedi, and his goals for the future, he started to lose concentration. It was as if his mind was calling him back to the present for something urgent. Kostodu opened his eyes...and where before there was a calm, crystal-clear azure ocean, there was now a thrashing mess of gray seawater, slapping mercilessly against the shore.

"Woah!" the Padawan exclaimed, climbing to his feet and reaching for his tan robes. He looked into the sky. More unforgiving gray. Rain was starting to fall to the ground in sheets, and lightning flashed across the horizon. A terrible storm was approaching.

Finally getting his robes and sandals back on, he ran through the fluffy layers of sand, filling up his shoes with the sediment as he went. Really, why did such an annoying terrain have to exist?

When the Padawan found himself back on a sidewalk overlooking the beach, he sighed. Maybe he'd just have to wait it out here. But...he didn't want to get his robes all wet. So Kostodu looked around for a hiding spot. As the Force was his ally, the Jedi in training found it quickly. A log shelter.

Kostodu hurried over to the safe haven, finding other people headed that way too. Great. I come here to meditate, and I get a storm.

One way or another, he had to make the best of this trip. Maybe meeting new friends was the key.

Tass Arceneau

 

[Tass Arceneau]

Since humans populated most parts of Arda almost exclusively, a green Twi'lek stood out. Otherwise, Tass might not have clued in on what the outlander was wearing. The early rain dampened the warmth and color from Kostodu Xyston 's robes. Tass was already feeling the same wet chill, and the real wrath of the storm hadn't come in yet. He ducked into the shelter. His resolve had failed.

The shelter was a simple structure of local logs knitted by offworld fiberplast. A dozen travelers — Ardan sailors, outlanders, and people whose identity, preferred technology, and/or aesthetics were caught in the middle — sat on benches around a healthy fire. Tass picked an empty spot. Heavy rain started thunking on the log roof. No, better to be inside.

As the Twi'lek came in, Tass got a clearer look: about his age or a little older, and definitely a—

"Ey, Jedi," he said over the fire's crackle. "What brings you t'Arda?"

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

Ah, at last. As the door slid shut behind him, blocking off all access to the cold, biting air, Kostodu relaxed. This room he was in had a certain coziness to it. Whether it was the crackling fire across the room, or the din of the people within, he didn't know. Either way, this place was awesome! When he heard someone call for a Jedi, the Padawan perked up.

Sitting on one of the benches by the flames was a man. He had red hair and brown eyes. No; Kostodu had to correct himself on his earlier assumption. This was not a man. He couldn't have been any older than the Twi'lek was.

"Ah, hello!" he greeted cheerfully, walking over to take a seat on the edge of the bench. "I was here to meditate by the ocean. However, it seems the Force has other ideas for me! Say, what's your name? I'm Kostodu, Jedi Padawan," he said, holding out a hand.

Hopefully he wasn't left hanging like the last time he greeted a stranger.

Tass Arceneau

 

[Tass Arceneau]

A handshake ensued. "Luca Barzi," said Tass, lying about his name as he usually did. Oh, the travel docs in his pack said Luca Barzi, but he had more fake IDs than incipient facial hairs. He wondered, too late, whether Kostodu Xyston was the kind of Jedi who could tell if you were lying.

"Some, uh, storm, isn't it? I almost got caught in it right before you showed up. Was hoping to make it to the ATC port to look for work but I don't think..."

He pulled out his datapad and showed a sensor map of the region with the storm marked as a large angry blotch.

"... don't think that'll be happening anytime soon. Not transports running. Not rides to catch."

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

"Ah, nice to meet you Luca!" Kostodu said enthusiastically. His hand was still hanging in open space. He immediately started patting on his robes casually, like that was what he was going to do the entire time. Maybe he just forgot about that hand for a second. Some sense flickered in the back of his mind. Was it something Luca had said? No, probably just the feeling of danger from the storm.

"Yeah, I always thought Arda was a perfect world. Like the sun was always shining. I guess every place has some bad side to it."

Kostodu took a glance at Luca's datapad, and his eyes flew wide. "Wow! That's some storm! I don't think I've seen anything like it," the Padawan exclaimed in awe. Every place did have a bad side. For a world as perfect as Arda, it had to have a really bad downside to compensate for its crystal blue waters.

"Well, it seems we're stuck here for a while. Tell me a bit about yourself," Kostodu said, leaning closer to show his interest. Maybe making new friends was what this trip was really about.

Tass Arceneau

 

[Whuv Asyr]

Twin eyestalks nervously would peek out from behind the safety of the log and fiberglass shelter out to the pair who appeared to be utterly fearless amidst the blowing storm.

The young, pink Ithorian studied Tass Arceneau and Kostodu Xyston with innocent jealousy at their boldness. Oh if he could only be the same.

He was clothed in standard spacer gear, with a large woven plassteel backpack of squarish appearance. It almost appeared as if he was carrying a picnic basket on his back. He had a wide brim hat on top of his smooth head, a wide utility belt, and upon closer inspection, seem to be holding a small item in his right hand.

What were they talking about? The intense need to be a part of the conversation and not miss out fought with his intense shyness. Fresh out of being a pupa, the young teen Ithorian, far out from the familiarity of cafarel bordellos and Twi’lek dancers, oh so desperately wanted to make a friend.

Curiosity and his clumsiness won over, for in his attempt to stretch out his long leather neck, resulted in the throwing off of his balance.

In great, cinematic detail, he went tumbling forward, splattering on the ground. The wind sent his hat flying, while panic grew as the item in his hand, a small potted Ardan cactus, went sailing airborne.

“Noooooo!!” He wailed in stereo, Whuv’s rumbling cry of distress almost as high pitched as the wind of the storm that went whipping around then.

 

[Tass Arceneau]

Kostodu Xyston Whuv Asyr

"I don't think perfect exists," 'Luca' drawled thoughtfully. "I guess the storm's all part of the circle of life here, but the way some of the old guys down by the water were talking, it'll be a mess and then some, even for the locals that're used to it. I'm just passing through-"

He cut off. The shelter was partially open, broadly angled against the usual directions of storm winds. There was a brilliant pink Ithorian out there in distress, trying to make his way to this shelter. Luca squinted as the Ithorian, sans hat and...potted plant?...wailed like a bullhorn.

"Ah dammit. Bet this is what the locals were feeling about people like you and me being out in the storm, that kid's gonna get himself blown away." Tass got up and cracked his neck. His damp clothes were just starting to steam and get warm, but hey, they were damp already; going out couldn't do them much harm. Other than the obvious.

Tree fronts ripped loose and skittered across the beachside walkways. Everyone was inside by now, sensibly.

Tass hesitated at the edge of shelter.

"Feth. Yeah, we've gotta go get him, don't we."

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

Kostodu used to believe that perfection was very rare, if not nonexistent. Coming to Arda had sprouted a new thought in his mind: Perfection was rare, yes, but it could be found if one searched long enough. But now, with the raging storm outside, that thought was crushed, replaced by its predecessor. Perhaps perfection was impossible to attain.

A chill shivered down his spine. What? I'm next to the fire! Kostodu followed Luca's gaze, and found that part of the shelter was open allowing a fraction of the wind inside. Looking in that direction, against the boring slates of storm-gray clouds blocking the sunlight, nobody could miss the hot-pink Ithorian outside, struggling against the harsh winds. It looked like the poor guy could blow away at any second.

Kostodu leapt to his feet, eager to help. Unlike Luca, who paused by the exit, the Padawan walked out into the onslaught of rain and the strong gusts without a second thought. Sure, his clothes would get wet, but that was nothing compared to the fear the Ithorian was probably feeling at the moment.

The Twi'lek winced at the feeling of the hundreds of rain droplets slamming into him, and the gradual feeling of the water soaking through his newly dried robes. "Excuse me! Do you need help?" Kostodu yelled to the being. Even though they were only three meters apart, the howling winds shut out the majority of the other sounds.

The Padawan fought for every step forward, stretching out a hand to the Ithorian in case he needed it.

Tass Arceneau Whuv Asyr

 

[Whuv Asyr]

Tass Arceneau Kostodu Xyston

By now, the poor Ithorian was drenched. It was terrible! Pitiful eye stalks went stretching up towards the Twi'lek who offered aid. With a mournful and embarrassed, "Please!" Whuv did his best to try to right himself.

Unfortunately, with as much rain and wind pelting on them all, there was, perhaps, no saving his beloved cactus now. It had fallen to the side, the pot broken, its potting soil drenched, and the cactus itself taking a beating from the downpour.

His anxiety spiked, along with his mortification. All he wanted to do was make a friend.

 

[Tass Arceneau]

Right off the bat, Kostodu Xyston hustled out there to selflessly help Whuv Asyr . Tass, who had hesitated for a perfectly normal and sensible amount of time so far as he was concerned, was treated to a thirty-second crash course in why Jedi garnered admiration and resentment in equal measure. He followed Kostodu to offer shelter and help keep the pair of them from being blown off their feet. About halfway he realized that since all three of them were about the same height, weight, and age, give or take, he wasn't exactly contributing.

"Hustle!" he yelled over the wind. "Get in there, it's-"

He'd spoken out of urgency and didn't have an end to that sentence in mind. Whatever he was going to say became an eternal mystery as a storm-driven wave blasted up the beach, tore into the walkways and trees, and smashed against nearby rocks shelter. Water grabbed at Tass's boots, filled them, yanked his lower legs-

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

The Ithorian's hand brushed Kostodu's and the Padawan clenched it tightly. Hopefully it wasn't too painful for the victim of the intense wind. With a groan, the Twi'lek pulled with all of his might, taking large steps back and bending down low to help prevent slipping. The durasteel floor didn't help much.

Suddenly, there was motion from the left. Luca was here to help. "Hey, could you grab him for-" Kostodu watched, seemingly in slow motion as Luca was starting to slip. The Padawan's free hand shot out, grabbing the human's shoulder and righting him. "Are you okay?!" he shouted.

Meanwhile, he was edging ever closer to the shelter. By now, a few adults had come over to help the victims in the downpour. One of them, a hulking mass of muscle, practically carried both Kostodu and the Ithorian into the shelter, setting them down by the fire. He went back to get Luca.

The Padawan turned to the Ithorian. "Are y-y-you ok-k-ay?" he asked, teeth chattering violently. An elderly Nikto hustled over to them with blankets, draping the fuzzy things over their shoulders.

Tass Arceneau Whuv Asyr

 

[Whuv Asyr]

Whuv felt terrible. Not only were his saviors soaking wet and their clothes ruined, but both also almost lost their lives to his folly. Eye stalks would glisten with the threat of tears, blending in with the droplets of water that clung to his leathery skin.

Shivering enough to prompt a chatter from both mouths, Whuv stammered out in choppy basic to Kostodu Xyston , "Y-y-yes." a rock and shift of his weight left to right in anxiety would join the endless shudder. "T-t-thank y-y-ou."

"Are you crazy kid?!" a sudden shout from the adult with a hulking mass of muscle, a bedraggled wet Tass Arceneau in tow, appearing much like a drowned Loth-cat and set accordingly by the fire with as much care. It was evident that the chaos had placed many at risk and the one who bore the fault lay on the pink Ithorian.

"I-I-I a-am sorry," he bellowed in that deep thrum, the teenager's hands gesticulating with growing anxiety. "I d-didn't--"

"Watch what you are doing. You could have gotten someone killed!"

Whuv visible winced, ducking his long neck inwards defensively as a turtle would.

 

[Tass Arceneau]

While being dragged out of the surf and into shelter, Tass found himself trapped in a barely-nonverbal death spiral of get your hands off me don't you know who I AM which would be just massively counterproductive. Ungrateful too, as he'd probably just had his life saved by that massive local.

Numb in mind and body alike, Tass got in close by the fire until he steamed. He did his best to ignore the yelling. Some of it was his fault and some wasn't and he'd figure out how to feel about that tomorrow.

While hitching a ride to the port. Someone had to be making that run, right?

He fished out his datapad to call up the orbital weather scan. The pad oozed sadly. He put it beside the fire to steam.

Kostodu Xyston Whuv Asyr

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

Kostodu gave his best grin when the Ithorian said he was okay. "That's great then! Tell me, what's your na-"

Suddenly, the adult that had saved them started ripping into the Ithorian savagely. Surely it hadn't been the poor man's fault; where else would he go if he was caught in the storm? The Padawan scooted closer to the pinks-skinned victim and held out a hand towards the muscular local. "Hey, I'm sure this isn't helping right now."

The local turned, snarling at Kostodu. "You three troublemakers... if I was in charge of this place, I'd kick you out!" he shouted, pointing outsisde.

The Twi'lek grimaced, and decided that ignoring the man was the best thing to do. He turned to Luca. "How are you feeling?" he asked, still shivering.

Tass Arceneau Whuv Asyr

 

[Whuv Asyr]

Whuv’s shoulders scrunched together with that last lingering flinch from the adult. His neck shrunk into itself and his eyes stalks rotated to the floor, dejected. At least the man left after that.

The warmth from the fire was slowly starting to warm the Ithorian up, but he was still dripping water from his clothes.

At the kind query from Kostodu Xyston drew Whuv’s hesitant attention. His long, knobby fingers gingerly plucked the hem of his shirt to try and squeeze out water. He did not want to take off his shirt in front of so many people just to have them stare. There weren’t many pink Ithorians around.

“I-I am better. Thank you. Just wet.” His mouths reverberated with the deep sound of his voice.

“A-are y-ou both o-okay?” He asked Kostodu Xyston and Tass Arceneau .

 

[Tass Arceneau]

"Eh, 'm fine."

Tass found himself glowering, first at the large angry man and then just into the fire. He hunkered over toward Whuv Asyr and Kostodu Xyston .

"Saw that guy land on the beach the other day about a mile from here," he said, very quietly, trusting the fire and the storm to cover his words. "Real nice little yacht. Bet he got caught outside by the storm. Bet it's a lot warmer in there..."

 

[Kostodu Xyston]

"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking," Kostodu replied to the Ithorian. Fine, other than the fact that his only set of clothes was soaked.

Now...what to do. He had come to Arda for meditation, and all he found was chaos. Wet, cold chaos. He looked over at Luca, who was muttering to himself, staring at the fireplace. "Hey Luca, what did you come here for? Relaxation? Business oppurtunities?" he asked.

He might as well learn everything he could about his new friends. He had an interminable amount of time to do so.

Whuv Asyr Tass Arceneau

 

[Whuv Asyr]

Whuv took turns studying Tass Arceneau and Kostodu Xyston . While the redhead had muttered low, he did catch a bit of what Tass said. Granted, as gullible as Whuv was, he didn't catch the intent behind them.

"Oh, i-is his yacht still out t-there?" Whuv asked, only to turn to the Twi'lek. He mentioned Luca; was that the redhead's name? "W-would it be s-safe out in this s-storm?"

Upon Kostodu Xyston genuine query, the Ithorian teenager leaned in his long neck, eye stalks shining with curiosity. He wanted to know and participate in the conversation. A bit too anxiously so, as if fearing he would miss out.

"I'm W-whuv." he said, introducing himself. That would be good, right?

 

[Tass Arceneau]

Kostodu Xyston Whuv Asyr

"I was passing through the ATC port for...a family thing and didn't have anywhere to be afterwards. Been getting some day work on fishing docks and riding sailboats around some of the islands. Call it a working vacation." That was all pretty much true. He had a reasonable allowance, enough to facilitate bouncing between ports for this kind of excursion in hopes he'd find something - some business angle, some place, some cause - that really clicked. So far, nada.

The idea of stealing the angry man's ship, however, already felt like it was going to stick with him.

"I bet we could make it," he said quietly. "To the yacht, I mean. It's on the backside of the island, a bit more sheltered from the wind. Not the easiest run but it's only a mile. I've spent a lot of time on ships. I could probably crack the hatch and get the three of us in. Nice warm clothes, eh? Dry in there? Better than sitting here clammy waiting for my lungs to seize up. What do you say?"