Crisis on Lothal

[Ayden Quell]

Crisis on Lothal!

Reports were bad. Lothalite farmers attacked with increasing frequency, their crops destroyed, many and more nerfs supposedly dead or missing. The consensus was that the local fauna--loth-bats, loth-cats, loth-wolves, and neks--were exhibiting unnaturally high levels of aggression. Ayden Quell was dark on the hows or whys; in fact, everyone was. A small security force was sent to investigate, but things didn't go well. Several were injured and one reported missing after they tracked the small aggressive population to a cave in the northwest. That left the Jedi, naturally, to do what the others couldn't.

The Jedi Council had chosen Ayden Quell for the mission. His blue-gray eyes scanned the glowing datapad in front of him. He was going through the reports, gaining information that could prove vital for the mission. It was his first mission without a master by his side, and that turbulent mix of anticipation and fear weighed heavy on his body and mind. He wasn't completely alone, however. Another padawan, [member=Dune Rhur], had been assigned as well.

"ETA two minutes, Jedi."

The shuttle lightly rocked as it ascended into the alpine mountains. Ayden nodded, set his posture straight, and a pale hand went to his belt to check for his lightsaber, his blaster pistol, and the other gear he'd brought along. His eyes found Dune, a young Jedi who was proving himself wise beyond his years and a formidable sparring partner. "Ready? This last report," he waved the datapad in front of him, "indicates there's no room on the face of the mountain for a landing zone. We'll have to drop in alone and then wait for evac once we've finished inside."

Dune probably knew that already. He'd most likely have read the reports, but saying it aloud made it seem more real. They'd be alone with a significantly delayed rescue time, if there would be a rescue operation mounted at all. Whatever happened in those caves, Ayden knew, the two young Jedi would have to exercise extreme caution. There was no room for error.

Then the ascent seemed to be over. The shuttle swayed but its elevation was unperturbed. The doors slowly opened and the cold wind nipped at Ayden's face.

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"] repeated the assignment briefing almost verbatim, but Dune didn't mind. He was also a tad nervous. Not of what waited for them, it was just a desire to do well. This was their first assignment.

It could not be all that dangerous to let two Padawan handle things. However, he wasn't ready to lower his guard until it was done and they were back in the Temple. They'd indeed be alone, but, this was a kind of trial. A trial that would be passed.

As the shuttle came to rest, the human was first to the ramp. Dune pulled up his hood against the chill wind as the ramp came down. He looked to Ayden. "Go ahead, I'll be just behind you."

 

[Ayden Quell]

Ayden gave a nod to the padawan who was just behind him. It felt good to have the Bith here with him. There was something about his presence that was calming, determined, but most of all stable. If he could have chosen anyone to go on this mission with, it would have been Dune Rhur.

Long, braided ropes of fibercord looped into the metal harness around Ayden's body. The ropes, expertly crafted using state of the art flexsteel, were clasped to a descender and hooked up to a lane running along the inner ceiling of the shuttle. A routine set-up for rappelling.

"Good to go, Jedi," the pilots informed them. Then the green GO-light sprang to life.

"See you soon," he said to Dune. Ayden's slender fingers grasped the side of the shuttle as he shifted his weight forward and out the door. The wind immediately snapped at his clothing, his body dangling as he began the descent down. They were only about one hundred meters from the surface of the mountain, but it felt longer. Though his heart beat faster than he would have believed, he had enough courage in his bones to repel valiantly - or die trying.

But after a time his black boots touched down with a thud. Dirt and dust kicked up into the air, floated, and settled back down. He unhooked the rope from his harness and looked up, waiting for his partner to join him.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune was right behind, his boots hitting the rocky ground seconds later. Unhooking his harness, he then reported their safe landing. The pilot acknowledged this before wishing them luck and informing them he'd be at the extraction site at the set time. With that, the ship made a tight turn and was off. The apprentices watched the ship go for a moment before proceeding.

The Bith turned to the human and gestured for him to lead on....

[member="Ayden Quell"]

 

[Ayden Quell]

"Well, now that the Council's left us alone up here to die... we better get to it," he said dryly. Ayden tapped his commlink, pressed down the button, and tried to speak into it. Static. The electromagnetic radiation from the alpine environment would be the most likely culprit, interfering with the signal's radio waves. That, or something in that cave was deliberately sabotaging communications. He withdrew his handheld navigation computer to check that, too. It did, indeed, share the same fate. "Guess we'll have to stick together. If we separate, I'm not sure we'll ever find each other again. Most likely our beacons won't work either - this mission's a real piece of work, ain't it?"

Putting the devices away, the young Human began making the slow ascent along the face of the crescent-shaped mountain. The mountain itself was a giant fist, indignantly thrusting its way up from the crust of the planet. One last rebellious act, a middle finger to the 'verse, Ayden thought, a smile dressing his pale lips. There were small ravines, too. They cascaded and crisscrossed all along the upper part of the mountain. Like shadows, they seemed to be following the two Jedi. The further they got, however, the less water there was. Up at the top, he knew, there would only be room for ice.

They walked further on, close to their destination. "You seem pretty stoic about this," he said by way of conversation to Dune. Although truthfully the Bith was always aloof. At least to Ayden. Whether that was an impressive feat of self-control, a consequence of biology, or something else entirely remained unclear. "Don't you ever get scared?"

By the time Dune made a reply, the pair would have found themselves at the ominous mouth of the cave.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"] spent much of their journey up the rough path talking. Dune didn't mind as it eased some of the nervous tension. He was nervous too, of course. He was merely more rational due to his genetic makeup.

He realised that the Council would not dump them into some suicide mission. He also knew there was always some amount of danger. They were Jedi, and Jedi did not live lives free of risk. Neither did any being, really.

Instead of needlessly worrying, he accounted for what possibilities he could. They had warm clothes, fire starting materials and three days of emergency rations. Clean water would not be a problem here. Dune had also refreshed his knowledge of the environment, its flora and fauna also.

As they reached the mouth of the cave, Ayden asked his question. The Bith felt a little puzzled by it.

"Scared, of course. I'm afraid of failing."

That was the plain and simple of it, though Ayden probably meant a fear of death and danger.

"Danger, injuries and such not so afraid as concerned. So I prepare as best I can. As far as death," he paused "A little, but I think I'm more afraid of dying before I accomplish my goals."

 

[Ayden Quell]

"Oh yeah, what are your goals? And don't give me the whole defend the innocent and protect the weak speech. I've heard that enough times I could puke." Ayden reached around his belt for his flashlight. He'd learned in the depths of Ilum that while a lightsaber was a great tool, no amount of hubris could take away from the utility of a flashlight. Pushing the activation button, the light jettisoned out. As the pair descended into the foreboding mouth of the cave, apart from what little light their flashlights afforded, they were surrounded by darkness. The wind no longer nipped at them this deep inside, though its howl could be heard moving between fissures in the mountainous rocks outside. As they went deeper, the only sound that followed them was unnerving silence.

As they moved through the terrestrial entrails of the mountainous beast, they came upon a fork in their path. Several different tunnels opened around them, each one as dark and gloomy as the ones before it. A little look of uncertainty plastered Ayden's face. His blue-gray eyes found Dune. "Which tunnels concerning you the most right now?" he teasingly remarked, friendly but snide.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"]

Their progress was slowed down by the minimal light available so they'd taken their time. The silence wasn't total for the Bith's sensitive eats. He could hear faint whispers of air stirring. Other than that, eerily silent.

Dune was thinking about how there should be more, albeit not very loud, noise. Caves were dwelling places for the wildlife on most worlds. A patter of feet or claws, a stirring or some faint growl. Instead, just currents of air.

He was just about to remark on that when Ayden asked about his goals.

"Complete understanding and mastery of the Force," he said in all seriousness. He wasn't certain Ayden believed him from the look he got. Dune had intended to clarify when they came upon the fork. "What concerns me is the lack of noise."

As ever, Dune looked to the Force for guidance. He steadied himself and reached out as far as he could, trying to sense what was ahead. "We should go to the right," he said suddenly feeling some kind of pull. It felt...unnatural as if it didn't belong.

 

[Ayden Quell]

"Nice pipe dream," he replied honestly. For Ayden, complete understanding and mastery of the Force was like trying to lick your own elbow while doing somersaults across a bed of fire while a herd of enraged banthas threatened to trample over you. In other words, he thought it was impossible.

Ayden nodded to Dune's observation. He'd noticed the eerie silence, too. "It's creeping me out, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up." Not that the Bith understood what having hair felt like. Lucky him, Ayden thought. "Those sonic ears of yours can't hear anything? You sure?"

At the room with a dozen tunnels, Ayden tried to shake off a foreboding feeling. It was like Coruscant, he reflected, it made him want to crawl out of his skin. He nodded again when Dune suggested the eastern most tunnel. As they marched down it, Ayden silently swore to himself to never take a mission that involved a cave again. First Ilum, then Ossus, then Ilum again, and now here on Lothal. He'd had enough of dank, dark, dingy caves for a lifetime and then some. Besides, something was bound to go wrong and he could use a fething break.

Once they'd gone a few dozen meters, a sound materialized around them. It sounded like rocks shifting, he thought, as the echoes seemed to reverberate into his soul. Sonic ears weren't a requirement for this sound. He motioned for Dune to stop, and then moved the flashlight around the darkness. The little circle of light followed the path in front of them; frantically, he pointed it to the walls, then the ceiling. "You heard that, right?" he said softly. It was in a transitional movement, readjusting the flashlight's luminescence back to the path ahead, when he saw the face of a vicious beast with great white teeth leap in front of him.

"Dune..." he tried to yell, but the darkness seemed to swallow his words. Ayden dropped the lightning device as he felt the rocky ground come up to meet him from behind. Pain suddenly laced his entire spine as darkness settled over him. In that moment his trembling hands forgot where they were. They forgot he had a lightsaber on his belt and a blaster pistol adjacent to it.

Instead, his sole consideration--mind and body--was on the heavy, dark mass of flesh that pinned him down. Two small eyes that shone like liquid amber seemed to emerge from the darkness, and then a hot, damp breath was warming his pale face.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"]

"No, I just hear the air shifting," came his reply. At least that was what the Bith assumed the scratching noise initially was. Then it gew more distinct. As he was trying to determine what it was, Quell asked if he'd heard it.

He was just opening his mouth to reply when the shape decended in a shadowy blur. The creature knocked the flashlight from Ayden's hand as it crashed into him. It pinned him there and Dune reacted without though. He raised his hands, sending a wave of telekinetic energy at the creature.

The pulse slammed the beast into the rocky wall to the right and it let out a sharp yelp. "Loth-wolf!," Dune said in recognition of one of the planet's apex predators. The wolf recovered quickly, getting up to it's feet and squaring up with the Bith. It was low to the ground, it's hackles raised and growling menacingly. Dune braced himself for the coming lunge, ready to throw up a barrier....

 

[Ayden Quell]

Those liquid amber eyes were a reflection. They showed the fundamental quality of mindless aggression. Mindless blood-lust. He stared at them and saw only death.

His mind seemed blank, yet his thoughts felt like a wild stampede. The one thought that stood out among the others was how stupid he felt. He'd frozen again, frozen when he shouldn't have. Like on Coruscant - an action that could have very well ended in death. Not just for him but for others. For the people he swore to protect. Evidently something was looking out for him, because he was saved that day and this one, too. Could you really be a protector, he asked himself, when you needed one?

But the thought evaporated quicker than it appeared. Suddenly the beast was off him and was now ready to pounce on Dune. Ayden's hand felt raw. Raw, yes, but he could still feel it. It wasn't numb like it was before. As the beast leaped Ayden's trembling hands reached for his belt. The blaster was out. Cold steel in his hand. Then the loth-wolf was down. A smoking wound appeared through its rib cage. The event was like a series of pictures to him, he realized, the in betweens vanished without a trace.

Ayden made his way towards his fellow padawan, close enough that they could make out distinct features. His tempestuous blue-gray eyes found Dune. His irises were reflections of the sea, his pupils two weary sailors amid the stormy waves. The look on his pale face was one part gratitude and two parts apologetic. Words rose in his throat, but got stuck when an ominous echo of claws on rock and angry growls surrounded them. Their commotion with the one loth-wolf, Ayden saw with dismay, drew a dozen others.

Their fierce glowing eyes were the only sources of light in the darkness.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"]

"Ayden, now is an excellent time for your weapons," Dune said quietly as the pack began to approach. He suited his own words by unhooking his hilt but not yet igniting the blade. He would try one last non-lethal option, even now. The Bith reached out and touched the minds of the Loth-wolves with the Force.

He felt hunger, excitement for the hunt, a desire to do violence so primal it almost defied words. The feelings came as brief flashes of color and motion, some memory, as opposed to coherent thought. The violent urges were especially potent as they began to circle whilst growling all the while. Nonetheless, Dune attempted to pacify the predatory beings, encouraging calm and peace.

"Something is fighting the Force," he said as he felt himself repulsed....

 

[Ayden Quell]

OOC - Sorry for delay. Lost the muse. Hopefully found it again.

Fear cut through Ayden's bones like a lightsaber. There was a sickness in his throat but he tried to swallow it down. Sweaty hands tensed around his blaster pistol as Dune's words found his eardrums. "Right, you take the right side. I got the left." The loth-wolves hung low to the floor, enveloping themselves in the pitch black darkness. The ambient light of the caves revealed more of their features as they sauntered closer.

Ayden briefly glanced at his partner. The Bith had his lightsaber drawn, but made no movements, though he could feel his use of the Force. He even mentioned something about the Force, but Ayden's mind was too focused on the immediate threat before them to take his words into consideration. With his heart thumping in his ears, he whispered hoarsely to Dune. "Well don't just stand there..." And before Ayden could finish his sentence, the loth-wolves made their move.

With senses open and ready, Ayden began firing. Blaster shots flew through the air towards the beast. One went down, another fell back from an injured paw, black and bloody. But then another made a leap towards Ayden, who used his off-hand to Force push the beast away. It's furry, yet gaunt body went flying past Dune. A second loth-wolf circled to Ayden's side and pounced. His pistol wasn't sufficient for close combat, he decided, and dropped the thing instantly. A steady hand went to his belt, retrieved his lightsaber hilt with deft, and then ignited blue through the beasts torso. The body limped and dropped to the floor.

He almost felt confident, but then another dozen animals strove forward. Not just loth-wolves this time, he realized, but loth-cats and neks, too.

[member=Dune Rhur]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Ayden Quell"]

Rhur activated his weapon seconds before the first wolf lunged for him. The blade swept across and he felt a pang of regret as he cleaved the beast almost in half. Sentient or not, Dune knew these creatures didn't just attack out of hand. Something sinister was driving them into this mindless aggression.

A nek came for him and he side-stepped, letting the yellow predator's momentum drag it along the blue beam. They came again and again for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he and Ayden stood panting and surrounded by corpses. The Bith was silent as he deactivated his lightsaber.

He surveyed the carnage around him with a frown. There were a mélange of feelings he struggled to contain; guilt, sadness, remorse and even anger. It made him feel like he'd failed. Any time he had to kill was a failure....