Public Crystalline Entity

[Juno Sabat]

Juno looked into the pool that called them out to the Padawans in the Force and noticed the opaqueness it held, despite her glowrod. The darkness was unnatural, in a way that didn't seem right in what was a legendary cave of lightsaber crystals.

"Swim?" Juno asked, her head turning to address her companion Rhemti Totriddiam .

"Yeah, I can swim." She replied, and took off her jacket, laying it by the pool. Her glowrod was actually waterproof, so she kept it in hand as she dove into the pool. Presumably Rhemti jumped in at about the same time. She'd follow his lead, expecting him to be the better swimmer.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The moment they dove under the surface, all they'd see was darkness. Juno Sabat 's glowrod would be swallowed by the inky depths. Rhemti Totriddiam wouldn't be able to breath. Yet down below the echo in the force continued to call them. Something needing help. The faint glow seemingly so far away brightened as they went below the waters. The worst of this, however, was the reality that they could no longer surface. Like being trapped under the ice of a frozen lake they could see the lit cavern above, but they couldn't surface.

Then the whispers started. Unintelligible and quiet at first, but if they gave into panic they would grow clearer. Rhemti's family, panicked and yelling. Under attack by the pirates that had put a bounty on Rhemti's head for his act of kindness. Juno's master. Mocking, angry. Hateful.

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

Rhemti did follow, though his unease grew as he went beneath the surface, his chest tightening when he realized they were effectively stuck. He'd already had the inkling that he couldn't breath in this liquid, making sure he took a deep breath before he dove on in, but that didn't make it any less terrifying. His eyes were well equipped to not only see underwater but in low light as well, which the faint glow down below graciously (and probably unknowingly assisted with.)

His chest felt tight, panic starting to rise, well, until he looked towards Juno. He normally could breathe under water, but she couldn't. Was this.. more terrifying for her? Then his masters words came back to him; stay calm. If he began to panic, she might panic. No matter what happened on this journey, they'd only be able to move forward if they kept their emotions in check.

He couldnt take a breath, well, for once anyway, but he closed his eyes for the briefest of moments, pushing his fear and panic away so as to be there, calm, regardless of whether or not Juno needed that sort of reassurance at that moment.

Rhemti would look to the female Twi'lek, wanting to check in on her first before he pointed down towards the glow, well, if she could see him do so in the dim light.

Juno Sabat Kahlil Noble

 

[Judah Lesan]

OSSUS CRYSTAL CAVES

Judah watched as each student turned into the cave. He looked to his chronometer wondering why Justice was so late. This was a test for him as much as it was for the others. He sighed knowing the young boy like was still sleeping hard post injury. Even with the cybernetic and the bacta, the young body was still healing, and that would take time and sleep. Judah did not want to push him more than the boy could handle.​

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His mind focused on Dagos as the young man found himself looking. Judah had explained the crystals meant for them would call out to them, but what he had not mentioned was they would have to earn it. As Lossa Aureus and Dagos Terrek made their way deeper into the cave, rock walls suddenly surrounded them on all side. It was an illusion, of sorts, a trick Judah had picked up a while ago. He wanted to see how they would handle it. More importantly their response would be picked up by the crystals around them.​

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The test had begun.​

 

[Juno Sabat]

Juno could have sworn that Rhemti was following her into the pool, but she couldn't see anything but a faint light beneath her. She could feel the glowrod in her hands, hear the hum that indicated it was active, but no light shown in the water.

Juno dived, following the faint blue light and call of the Force below her. Periodically she would glance around for Rhemti Totriddiam , but instead she found the image of a tall Zeltron man swimming beside her. Jaxton? No, he was gone. He couldn't have come here.

"What are you still doing here?" His voice rang through her head, though his mouth stayed closed.

"You still haven't made your own lightsaber? I should have never given you mine. You just used it as a crutch." His voice pushed, and his face took on an anger she'd never seen before.

"You've lost your friend already. How long have you known him again? Is he safe? Is he injured? Do you even know? How are you supposed to find your sister in the criminal underworld if you can't keep track of a Jedi Padawan for thirty minutes?" Jaxton's voice continued to press. Feeling of inadequacy and shame overwhelmed the Twi'lek.

"It's a good thing I left. You're never going to be a good Jedi. You were always a waste of my time." Jaxton yelled, and it begun to click.

He wasn't really here.

Get out! Her mind screamed, trying to banish the illusion, vision, or whatever it was. If she managed to dispel the image she'd wave her glowrod around, hoping it provided just enough light for her to find Rhemti. She couldn't lose another friend, another family member, another person.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

Nothing was as it seemed here in this cave. Rhemti has thought he'd have been able to see Juno but he couldn't. He couldn't find her. They hadnt been too far from one another so he should have been able to see her? Unless she moved..? He felt the panic start to rise again, almost making him nauseous, but he shoved it down; he needed to focus on finding Juno, not get distracted by the whispers or his own fears.

He waved slowly out around with his hand, searching for Juno, going all around until his hand connected with something, an arm. Rhemti hoped it was Juno's. He tapped gently with his forefinger three times, in the hopes she might respond in kind, to verify it was her and that she was there. The sounds of screams and blaster fire sounded around him, quietly at first; he was giving into his panic more than he thought he was.

Hopefully the arm he held did belong to Juno, and that she'd respond to his signal, because he started to swim down towards the light at the bottom after a response; that had been their goal after all.

Juno Sabat Kahlil Noble

 

[Dagos Terrek]

The path they were on was lined on each with large natural pillars eons older than either of them, large jagged teeth grew from the top of the cave glinting in the light from the cave's mouth that grew dimmer and dimmer with each step taken toward the cave’s heart.

Their path was wide enough for the two to walk side by side reasonably comfortably. Occasionally their hands would bump or brush against one another as they headed deeper into the caves. Dagos did his best to keep his cool each time it happened but he could not help that his pulse quickened everytime that it did.

Dagos had been looking almost staring side eyed at the girl next to him. Thinking of something cool to say to get them talking. As he thought of a way to tell her about the time he caught a few hijackers, the path in front of them was gone, blocked by a solid rockwall that he knew had not been there before.

Instinctually he stepped in front of Lossa with his arms out to the side in a protective manner. He wasn’t sure what he was protecting her from exactly but something here felt off, how much use he would be was also up for debate, he hadn’t brought his lightsaber.

“Are you okay?”

Lossa Aureus Judah Lesan

 

[Lossa Aureus]

Location: Crystal Cave
Equipment: Weighted Training Robes, Concealed Sling Bag, Concealed Device, Double Bladed Lightsaber
Tags: Dagos Terrek Judah Lesan

The dark didn't bother her too much, nor did the brushing of their hands. So much of Zeltron culture was free and intensive towards emotions that the idle things hadn't struck her as different for others.

Comfort, security, fellowship.

All things idly sought through touch that she hadn't put much stock in what Juno had meant before Dagos had jumped in front of her to stop her from walking into a wall that had appeared before them.

"I'm fine. Weird that a wall would just...appear." She moved forward, scooting around him. Her hands sliding across his shoulders to make sure she didn't push him over to look at the wall better.

Even being so daring as to put her hand forward and press against the wall before them.

 

[Juno Sabat]

Juno flailed about the pool, searching for Rhemti with her glowrod. She then felt a hand on her arm. It tapped once, twice, thrice. Was it real? It had to be. She move her glowrod in the direction of the hand and saw just enough to make out the Crimson and white face of Rhemti Totriddiam .

Rhemti would probably catch Juno smile, though she fought the instinct to sigh in relief. Jaxton had shown her how to use the Force to slow her breathing, but she'd only done it once, and with him watching. Another jedi might have been able to swim for hours with the Force, but Juno didn't have the luxury of time.

The Twi'lek dived down in the direction of the faint glow she'd seen before. She'd stay within a meter or so of Rhemti, just close enough to keep track of with her glowrod.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The Padawans swam down, further into the darkness. Away from the voices of fear and panic. The deeper they went, the less light Juno Sabat 's glowrod seemed to provide. Until they reached the light at least. They broke through the darkness and into air. As if breaking through the surface of the water they emerged. Then fell. Not far, only a few feet, but they'd drop into the cavern, glowrods bright and lighting up their surroundings.

It was a mirror of the chamber they'd entered in the first place. Except now they were on the ceiling. And in the center, just a few meters from them both, the pulsing of crystals could be seen. The two that had called Juno and Rhemti Totriddiam here waited for them to reach out and take them.

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

Rhemti had never had to gasp for air before, but he did now, even as him and Juno fell the few feet to the chambers 'ceiling'. The red and white skinned Nautolan lay there for a few moments, trying to catch his breath before he turned to look at Juno; the crystals may have been their mission, but the safety of his comrade came first.

"Hey-" Rhemti coughed, chuckling dryly at how he must look; a Nautolan who found water they couldn't breathe in. "Juno, you alright?" He'd extend a two toned hand to help her up if she needed it, having just pushed himself onto his feet moments earlier.

Juno Sabat Kahlil Noble

 

[Juno Sabat]

Juno continued to swim downward until she was waving her hands through the air. She met the ground in an ungraceful handstand that quickly toppled, her back hitting the ground with a thud. Juno took a deep breath and looked over to Rhemti Totriddiam 's extended hand. She extended her own with a smile and pulled herself up.

"I'm fine, just a little sore." She replied before looking over at him. "You look a little winded Rhemti. You okay?" She asked. The pulsing of crystals was in the peripheral of the Twi'lek, but Rhemti had coughed. Juno was a bit concerned as a result. Was he supposed to do that?

Kahlil Noble

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

"Yeah." Rhemti coughed again, chuckling sheepishly. "I couldn't breathe.." He looked back to the water, concern clear in his eyes before that reassuring grin returned as he turned back to Juno. "Nautolan's can breathe both on land and underwater, but... not in that water for some reason."

His goofy smile hid the slight seed of worry that wormed it's way into his thoughts; did more water like this exist, where amphibious species like him couldn't breathe its depths? Would others immediately know of its dangers as he had? Rhemti shook away the thought for a moment to turn and look at the crystals laying in the chamber, pulsing, calling out to them.

"We found them?" He sounded certain but curious, head tilting a few degrees to the side as he first looked to the two crystals before glancing to Juno with a warm smile.

Juno Sabat

 

[Juno Sabat]

"Not in that water hunh?" Juno replied, looking upwards at the physics defying pool above them. "We did!" She exclaimed, looking over at the pair of crystals in the wall before them. She put her hand to the wall and traced over the crystals. The first was cold, but the second felt warm like the beat of the sun. She pulled and it came from the wall effortlessly.

She had little doubt the crystal was hers. All that remained was to go back.

"Rhemti, what did you see in there?" She asked, looking up again at the water. She suspected it trail was complete but still wasn't excited at the prospect of going back.

Rhemti Totriddiam Kahlil Noble

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

What did he see? Rhemti's expression grew very pensive as he thought about it, not looking at Juno but the crystals, reaching out to the second one, the one that called to him.

"Nothing, Juno. Not in the sense of 'oh it was nothing'; I was quite literally blind asides from the light of these crystals. I couldn't even see you..." he took the crystal, holding in the palm of his hand, staring at it curiously as he thought out his response. "I did hear something but.. I'm not 100% certain what it was.. I do know that whatever it was couldn't be true." Because everyone was back home and safe on Glee Anselm, right?

He turned back to Juno, smiling as reassuringly as he could. "Come on, let's get out of here." Rhemti extended a hand towards his compatriot, for if they were going to have to brave that dark water again he wasn't going to give them the chance to get separated in the first place.

Juno Sabat Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

As the pair collected their crystals, the world spun. The dark pool above dropped, blocking out sight for Juno Sabat and Rhemti Totriddiam . Only for a moment, however. The feeling of weightlessness and dizziness hit quick with it, but as the darkness faded the two were standing side by side where they began within the chamber. Just before the pool of water. But instead of the water being black, it was crystal clear. Lights shown within, different colors of Kyber shining bright. The whole chamber was lit with those same colors. Beautiful and serene.

Their trials had been passed.

 

[Juno Sabat]

Juno took Rhemti Totriddiam 's hand, the the very atmosphere around them seemed to change. The pool went right side up, the floor returned to it's natural place on . . .the ceiling, and the water was clear. It seemed the danger had past.

Juno realized a few seconds later she was still holding the nautolan's hand. She let it go and took a step in the direction of 'out'.

"You said you heard something?" Juno asked as she marched forward.

"Are you okay?"

 

[Rhemti Totriddiam]

"Yeah, I'm fine." He brought out that trademark grin, hiding the uncertainty he felt regarding what he'd heard before. "What about you, though? Did you.. see something?" Why else would Juno have asked if Rhemti had seen something?

Her releasing his hand only made Rhemti bring his own hands together, one curled the crystal the other holding his hand, almost as if trying to protect it, to make sure he didnt lose it on their way back. He'd paused for a moment after the scene changed again, surprised only briefly with it all before he followed close beside Juno.

Juno Sabat

 

[Judah Lesan]

.

E V A L U A T E

Judah smiled knowing that the pair seemed surprised by the wall appearing from nowhere. It was as he intended it to be. This was a test. What would they do about it? Would they discern it was an illusion?

There were questions the Jedi Master had, but among them all one dominated his thoughts.

Did they deserve their crystal?

He laid back onto the grass with his eyes still closed as he reached out to their minds. His voice would sound sweet to them, but the sarcasm which Judah was known to use was laced throughout every word. He smirked just thinking about how frustrated they must be.

<<“Oops… something get in your way? What are you going to do about it?”>>​

Tag: Dagos Terrek | Lossa Aureus
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[Juno Sabat]

Rhemti Totriddiam said he was fine, but Juno wasn't convinced. Maybe it was pride saying Rhemti can't have handled it that much easier than Juno, but she figured there was no going on. Still, Juno respected that some demons had to be fought alone.

"It was like you said, the water was dark. Opaque even. I couldn't really see anything, even with the glowrod. But then I could see my old teacher. He was taunting me. It took me a minute to realize he wasn't there." Juno continued.

"But I guess I stumbled through it." She said as they continued forward. "We should try to catch up with everyone else. Maybe we can catch Lossa and Dagos for dinner."