Farmville [SJO Dominion of Balamak Hex AD-29]

[Valae Heavenshield]

​

Having recently settled on Kashyyyk, the Silver Jedi were quick to visit neighboring worlds.

One of the first was Balamak – an agriworld that supplied food for much of the sector. And it was on this day that there would be a flurry of activity centered here. Transports would touch down on the surface of the farming-world, and would contrast strongly against the lush fields and orchards that made up the landscape.

It was going to be a good day.

Needless to say, it would be a wonderful chance to kick things off in this section of the galaxy. For the most part, the activities planned would offer members of the Silver Jedi and their allies a chance to relax and even lend a helping hand. The farmers market would be a main attraction, offering fresh produce and food, handcrafted goods, and much more! Merchants from across the galaxy had been invited to set up stalls at the market as well – an opportunity to set up shop here or contract with the SJO would be good for business. If folks wanted to get their hands dirty, the local farms were happy to host visits, and help employ refugees that were hoping to build a new life.

The Antarian Rangers would also have a presence here. A section of the capital city had been selected to host an exercise to simulate repelling a Sith attack. Partnering with the local security enforcement, they would be working to remove the threat – mercenaries provided by the IGBC. The politicians of the SJO had their work cut out for them, too. They were set to meet with the local government to put policies in place for the humane treatment of livestock. The mechanically inclined would also be needed on hand to help with upgrading a very outmoded HoloNet node to improve bandwidth and range.

For her own part, Valae planned to see as much of Balamak as she could.

The fresh air was nice, but the smell of manure was quite present as well. The Grandmaster wrinkled her nose for a moment, and squinted towards the horizon. There were fields that stretched out was far as she could see. Her gaze drifted towards the Market, where the local vendors were waiting for customers.

“So much to do…” She murmured, “So little time.”

OBJECTIVES:

Spoiler

1. Browse the Farmers Market! Light-side and neutral companies are welcome to set up stalls in order to gain a contract with the SJO.

2. Help out at the farm -- roll up your sleeves and get to work. Help refugees get settled and acquainted with their new life.

3. Participate in the simulation happening in the capital city, hone your skills or assist the local security force perfect their procedures for defending against attacks.

4. Politicians may visit the local government offices to engage in talks concerning humane treatment of livestock.

5. Help upgrade the HoloNet node near the Capital to increase range and bandwidth.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need a way to enter the dominion! Have fun!

 

[Micah tol Powl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BYWW8eF8Ao​

​

There was a decidedly noticeable lack of snow on this planet.

The Beorni had agreed to help chaperone the orphans from Kashyyyk on a trip to explore the farms of Balamak, as part of a lesson on agriculture and the origin of food as it was shipped across the sector. The broad brim of a straw hat adorned the white bear's head and a strange piece of local custom adorned his body.

It was a sacred garment of the agricultural profession known as a pair of overalls.

It was very utilitarian and he was quite flattered to have received a part of the local's own traditions. Did gifting this set of customary Balamak clothes indicate their acceptance of the Midvinter native? He liked to think so... though, to be honest, the Beorni simply wasn't certain that this was a good look for him.

Standing in a field of wheat, the stalks of which were very nearly as tall as he was, the Beorni was somewhat amazed by the size and spectacle of the rolling plains and the farms that divided up the land for as far as the horizon. A horizon marked by blue skies touching an endless sea of autumn wheat.

And somewhere amid which, several Wookiee younglings.

Who were no where to be seen.

"Oh, bother," the bear uttered, suddenly concerned that this could lead to nothing good.

 

[Leah Winsclav]

This was different. The Countess was used to bustling cities, the ever constantly presence of people, nobles and Royalty alike. So when she stepped out of her plane onto this environment, she could not avoid being substantially impressed. Several men came out behind her, they were to function both as bodyguards and as heavy lifters. She had plans to set up her own stall initially, Winsclav Materials had more services than produce in terms of offers, but she was sure that she would be able make a deal.

The men quickly assembled the small store area with practised ease, this particular market was to be used as an area for digital exchange. Leah would offer slightly more generous than normal exchange rates for rare materials and other goods to currency. She had set her rates as such that she was significantly cheaper than any market could hope to be, she was her own boss after all. If people saw more chance of a profit, there is no reason they would resort to avoiding her market. Of course she did not plan to mount the stall all day, she had her own representative to handle it for her after a couple of hours. Her own main focus was the person to person deals, the moneymaker and time consuming task of building commissioned ships. This was the type of deal she wanted today, but it’s not exactly something she would advertise to the public, it might cause her to be loaded with more offers than she can deliver on.

Finally set up, she would step into the little tent behind the stall, assessing the equipment. Spotting the interactive pad she was after, Leah picked up the device and brought up her exchange. She was ready to take any and all offers that presented themselves to her. Hopefully this would make for a good distraction.

 

[Stephanie Swail]

An expedition to another planet? Just what Stephanie needed. The emotional and stressful move from Voss to Kashyyyk was, for the most part, complete. The heavier items and more important elements of the build on Voss had been moved and the other areas all shut down. While some stayed behind the wrap things up, many more had come to lay foundations in their new world.

Stephanie was one of them, and had been first to head out to the agriworld of Balamak. A group had headed to the markets. Another had headed out to the capital and to bulk up security and training. But the Padawan had opted for the farm itself. She could see the market over the rolling fields in the distance and the cargo ships importing and exporting , but right now she was going to just get stuck in helping where she could.

No Hapan gowns or robe today – it was the cut off shorts and tank top look for this was probably going to be hot, mucky work. Hopefully not much of the “mucky”.

The farm was in full swing where she stood, hands on hips, looking out.

Harvesters operated by droid brains worked on the crop. Animals were herded this way and that, prepared for milking or pasture or even, unfortunately, off to the abattoir for fresh meat. A stark reality of life, which Stephanie didn’t choose to ignore or pretend didn’t happen.

Yet there was plenty of other elements to this farm that were not focused on that. For one, the planting and maintenance of fruits and vegetables. That would be where Stephanie would start. She tucked the laces of her brown rugger boots into the side and walked over the dry land towards the stretch of field she would work on. Her new astromech droid, BB-S, rolled behind.

”You know what to do Leafy,” she said, ”so don’t let me down.”

“Woooohw,” Leafy chirped.

Stephanie picked up a bag of seed ready to plant, with BB-S watering each one and rolling the soil over.

 

[Ugohr Poof]

Objective: Farmers Market
Company: IGR (post 1/5)

Ugohr knew that he could not sit idly even though the Alliance was not able to do more than just a limited alliance against those dark-sided faction. Understandably, it was difficult to do so when they were still recovering from their war against the First Order, and the recovery process was more than painful on so many levels. The Gungan, now back on the company's board, feels compelled to help out the local farmers, who, for the most part, were, in his mind, part of the solution to the region's hunger problems, especially since Kushibah fell under Sith control. Here he departed Malastare for Balamak, alongside all the business loan paperwork that were necessary to undertake a new venture. Or rather, commercial loan paperwork; he needed a loan officer or two. Dorum, the planet's capital, was going to be his next stop, as his ship began to make its descent towards the planet's atmosphere; he had another discussion with his personal assistant as to even what he hoped to achieve on Balamak, and why he thought it would be a good opportunity.

"Why are we going to Balamak?" the assistant asked Ugohr.

"Do yousa have an idea of how capital markets affect disen farmers? Theirsa fields go fallow if theysa cannot afford to cultivate them-sa"

"How is lending them money a sound plan?"

"In today's galaxy, yousa will have no trouble selling any extra production without affecting da prices much. Da main bottleneck issa yoursa ability to produce food"

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

Objective: Lend A Hand to the Farmers
Tags: [member="Stephanie Swail"] (Since we're at the same objective)

Death had given Aidan a new appreciation for life, and as he stepped off of his small ship onto the agricultural world of Balamak, he couldn't help but smile as he saw the life spread out before him. A bustling market, people moving back and forth, the Silver Jedi moving all about, assisting this world. It gave hope where before there was none. He had come to assist these people, the Jedi and the farmers of Balamak. The Force had a purpose for all, and that included the ones who worked these fields for their livelihoods.

He had abandoned his cloak and heavy clothing for a simple t-shirt and pants, but his leather patch stayed over his right eye. He felt the Force flow around him, in these fields, in these people. It guided him to where he wanted to go; a nearby farm. He could feel the Force guiding him there. It led him to a section of the field where a girl and her droid were already at work. Not one to be outdone, he picked up a bag, kneeling in the dirt. His calloused hands scraped a hole, and gently inserted a seed. After a bit of watering, he placed soil back on top, taking a moment to smile at the seed. In time, it would grow strong to become a crop, and feed someone who was hungry. It would help someone in need.
"It is the small things in life that truly amaze." It was a mutter to himself, quiet. He got back to planting, already feeling the sins of his last life falling away as he worked to bring food to the innocent.

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Realizing that sitting around doing research all day wasn't the most proactive thing he could be doing, so Reggie decided to catch a ride to Balamak and help out if he could. When he arrived, Reggie decided to help out with the farm since it was the only thing he could really do at the moment. Seeing two others working on the farm already, Reggie quickly got to work, feeling as though he should have gotten here faster.

Reggie grabbed a bag of seeds, started planting them in the soil, water them to finish. He continued this cycle, trying to help as much as he could and staying out of the way of other workers.

 

[Stephanie Swail]

It was far easier with the tag-team effort between human and droid, but then that’s what the droids were for – using their superior advances to make life a little easier. Stephanie didn’t even need to bend down to plant. Leafy simply forked the hole, the seed was planted, and he rolled and watered the soil. They had already done a good stretch of the field, sticking to patterns so they didn’t double back.

New people were coming over to help. One such person - [member="Aidan Moonrunner"] – was doing his bit. Stephanie looked over and didn’t recognise him, but he looked like he’d had a tough deal. The eyepatch often was a sign.

”This way,” she said to Leafy.

“Whooob,” he beeped and rolled slowly behind.

Stephanie hoisted the sack of seed over her arm and walked a little off parallel to the man.

”Good morning,” she called over, a bright smile to accompany it. ”Welcome to Balamak.”

Behind the strange with the eyepatch she saw another, a younger man also helping. These new faces, civilians or new Jedi, were such a positive thing to see come forward.

”And to you,” she waved over to the youth - [member="Reggie Faayare"] – planting away. ”Couldn’t have picked a better day to get out on the farm I don’t think!”

 

[Aidan Moonrunner]

The work was calming. It felt good to do honest work, to work with one's hands. He doubted he would be on Balamak to see the results of his labor, when these crops grew, but he would think on them often. A reminder that all life sprouted from simple things. A lesson that one had to learn well, a lesson he had not learned. He had believed himself above such simple truths and the people that knew them. And his dearest friend had paid the price for his arrogance. He would not let himself ignore such wisdom again.

As he pushed dirt onto another seed, he heard a voice. He looked up, and saw a woman, [member="Stephanie Swail"], greeting him, smiling. Ah, yes. He had been so eager to help, he had not introduced himself to anyone here. How silly of him. A common courtesy he had forgotten as of late. He made a mental note to be more accommodating to his hosts in the future. Balamak was not his home, the Silver Jedi were not his people. He was a guest, a stranger.

"Good morning." He stood, wiping his hands on his pants. "It is a lovely planet. I enjoy the peace that permeates its air, and the endless fields. It feels like the rest of the galaxy could never come and disturb this calm." But he knew that to not be so. He had seen worlds like this burned. Perhaps with his help, he could make his dream for Balamak come true.
"Forgive a man his rambling." He extended his hand in greeting. "I am Aidan, Aidan Moonrunner. I have come to assist the world of Balamak however I can."

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Working on the field was actually enjoyable to Reggie's surprise, it was different from anything he had done back on Tatooine. As he was working, he had heard people conversing near him and was happy to see that people were socializing with one another. Seeing that [member="Stephanie Swail"] was waving towards him, he happily joined in the conversation.

"Good morning! I agree with you there though, it's such a beautiful day."

As [member="Aidan Moonrunner"] was talking, Reggie couldn't help but agree with what he was saying. The planet was very peaceful indeed. He waited for the man to finish his introduction before Reggie introduced himself.

 

[Ugohr Poof]

Objective: Farmers Market
Company: IGR (post 2/5)

"Loans! Ripe, juicy loans! Step right up and yousa can get yoursa loans approved on da spot!" Ugohr was hollering at the flea market, while the loan officer was just finished setting up.

As any banker will tell you, only a fraction of the amount people deposit into a bank account is actually kept in reserve. The remainder is lent out. Typical reserve ratios are 5-10%, although some factions are more stringent. However, high reserve ratios can hurt a faction's economy. And yet, he knew that few, if any, Jedi knew about monetary markets. The farmers at the flea market were lining up faster than the Gungan could holler Loans, ripe, juicy loans! so he began to worry that the loan officer would not be able to handle the cases as swiftly as he would have liked. In a farming context, what to collateralize in their loans is usually pretty straightforward: the land they hope to be able to cultivate with what the loan is supposed to cover. However, in other business contexts, it might not be so straightforward, and sometimes some borrowers would prefer not to collateralize anything but accept a higher interest rate to do so.

"Please, tell me about what you would like to purchase and its value; also what land can be cultivated using the new equipment" the loan officer asked.

"I can collateralize 500 hectares, worth about 150,000 credits, so that I would like to be purchasing an extra crop duster"

 

[Jairdain]

Location: Farmers Market
Objective: Get ideas
Companion: [member="Yuroic Xeraic"]
Post: 1

Knowing her time with the Silver's was limited, Jairdain decided to devote a little bit of it to spend with her love. It would be just the two of them and she would be able to fill him on what's happened to her recently. Since her return, they had spent so very little time together and even less after the battle on Mirial. Yuroic had become withdrawn and sullen. Not wanting to see anybody, including her.

This was one of the rare times he had agreed to accompany her. Now she waited at the entrance to the market area for him to join her.

Unlike when she had been with the Jedi before, she didn't wear the robes like she used to. Now she wore black pants and boots, with a black top that had some sparrow feathers on the sleeves. On her neck, she wore a scarf. Clipped to her belt was a new lightsaber since her old one had been lost. If he paid attention to details, Yuroic may notice the change. The feathers were a reminder to herself of her days with the Sith to keep her from falling again.

Leaning against a wall of one of the buildings, Jairdain watched for him through the Force.

 

[Muad Dib]

Fields of brilliant green produce rolled across the hills. Men, women, and children moved throughout the harvest appearing as ants due to the distance the man sat at. The morning sun beat down on his bare torso as he leaned against one of the fence posts. Dirt and grime coated his flesh doing a semi decent job of hiding the scars that littered his body, scars earned through battle.

A sigh left his lips as he went back to work. Spacing out the distance he moved to the next location, six feet further down, and stopped. The repulsor sled, pulled along by an ancient Droid with several tics, came to rest at his right. Driving the post hole diggers in he quickly excavated a hole large enough for the next post. Driving the blades into the soil he selected a post and drove it in, filling the void around the post then packing the dirt down.

And so he continued, the path of the fence to run near the market.

As he worked he mused silently to himself. What curiosity of Fate had him answering an open call for assistance to help a backwater agriculture planet on behalf of the Silver Jedi baffled him at times. This wasn't the first time that he had lent aid to the silvers because of the company he kept. And yet each time it happened he found himself asking why.

Continuing to work he moved methodically and without pause. He had trained his body to peak conditioning, and while this wasn't a fight, it was nonetheless pleasing in a mind numbing sort of way. Driving final post into the ground he sighed again as he finished packing the soil before turning back to the Droid.

"Time to go get me another load."

Walking to the sled he collected his shirt and a jug of water before the droid pulled away. It would be someone before he returned and so the man moved into the shade of a tree, eyes going from the peaceful fields to the chaotic marketplace. It was always thus. A choice of peace or the bustle of madness. He chuckled as he took several draughts from the jug.

Lowering his body to group he closed his lids while leaning against the trunk. But s free moments later he opened them to see a woman mirroring his actions from minutes earlier. She turned from the market and the fields as though she couldn't make up her mind what to do first. A low chuckle echoed from his chest as glowing blue eyes narrowed upon her form.

"I recommend the fields m'lady, unless you wish to enjoy the ambiance of the shade and the company of a man with questionable reputation."

The smile on his face revealed his playful nature. But there was something about him that marked man different. Perhaps it was the scars, maybe it was the Sith runes that ran from left elbow to the knuckles of his left hand, or maybe it was the way his eyes glowed which made many uncomfortable.

[member="Valae Kitra"]

 

[WelshPsych]

Yuroic had become more a hermit that followed SJO, using them for food and knowledge. Becoming more embittered with his situation, it was strengthen by the lack of seeing Jairdain. He knew that she was not going to return as a Jedi and since the failed invasion of Mirial, he could understand that. However, he did think she would stay with him, follow the SJO just so they could stay together. When he saw her, specifically her feathered top, it reminded him that like a bird, perhaps she needed to fly her own path. Not follow him. Perhaps he needed to fly his own path too, find his place within the Silver Jedi. Though with Arisa dead and Jairdain no longer a Jedi, fewer and fewer people he knew well were staying within the Order. Maybe it was time, not to look up but to be one that is looked up to.

It was easier said than done. He still had no lightsaber, nor did he have a right arm. His legs were still crippling him as well. But he was sure he was close to fixing at least one of those problems. Today however, today was different. He promised Jairdain that he would try to be more upbeat. It was difficult, he was still grieving over Arisa and his lost faith was tough, however, he swore that he wouldn't linger on such dark thoughts. Be in the moment. Live in the present.

The day was warm, he was wearing simple dark robes, light and thin to accomandate the warm temperature. Using his crutch he hobbled over to Jairdain. What was left of his right arm was in its sleeve with a knot at the stump. There was not much left, infection caused even more to be removed. He had half a foot of actual arm left. One day he would have to get a cybernetic arm, it would be most of his arm but perhaps it would be worth it to feel whole once more.

"It is a lovely day." He said, attempting to sound cheerful, his gaze fixed to the ground.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Ugohr Poof]

Objective: Farmers Market
Company: IGR (post 3/5)

"Loans, ripe, juicy loans!"

"Loans' ripeness may be getting old by now..."

"Get yoursa very own loans, fresh off da oven!"

While the loan officer was busy processing the first loan, for 150,000 credits' worth of agricultural equipment, a refugee answering Ugohr's call for loans, ripe, juicy loans began to get more and more curious about the whole business of moneylending. Usually when people talked about moneylending, they usually had in mind rather large sums of money, such as mortgage-level or for carrying out capital expenditures. He would never believe Jedi would do... moneylending. But does he have any idea what the money market is like in that corner of space? While, on Malastare, he knew that moneylending rates were very low, as low as 0.5% APR, in an attempt to keep the floundering Alliancist economy afloat, in SJ space nothing was more uncertain. But what sort of loans would he be peddling? What sort of loans would the next client even want? Was it one of those big fat loans of the capital-expenditure variety? Or more of those smaller loans?

"Maybe I would need some seed money to start fresh on Balamak" the next client asked.

"How much are yousa askin for?"

"500 credits"

 

[Jake Daniels]

"You can't be serious." Cody snorted in outright disgust.

"I am." Jake replied.

"Dude, please. Anything but this."

"Grab my sack and pick it up."

"I don't wanna."

"The sacks large I know, be sure to lift with you knees."

"It stinks. I feel dirty just looking at it."

"We can wash later!" Jake replied. "Now pick it up."

Cody Dezaan stood at an impressive six and a half feet. Dressed in blue denim, work boots, and a button up plaid shirt, the dark skinned, fit human felt as out of place in his clothing as a Jedi would in a Sith Temple. A grunt, a curse under his breath and a bend of his knees, the Smuggler lifted one end of a large sack of manure while Jake picked up the other side. Moving it over towards a cart, the pair heaved it on before turning their attention back towards two other sacks that waited to be loaded.

"Remind me to yell at Rania for how she dressed me." Cody whined as he and Jake went to pick up the second large sack.

"You look..." Jake began to laugh, "Totally ridiculous."

"I feel like punching myself." Setting it beside the first pack of manure, Cody clapped his hands together which drew another laugh from Jake.

Of the three Smugglers Jake had grown to know and trust over his time since waking, Cody was as close to metro-sexual as one could get without officially calling himself such. His two spouses, Umako and Rania Deezan were complete opposites. Rania didn't care about her nails or make up as the galaxy had grown accustomed to thinking exotic twi'leks would. Umako only cared about the technology he used being smudge free. For a Togruta, the man was awfully finicky over the smallest of details.

Today though? It was only Cody here.

"Let's finish loading the cart and get it to the nearby fields." Jake explained. "We'll work the land until dusk. After you can go back home."

"It just sucks Val put us on poop duty." Cody protested. When Cody landed near the Tumbleweed, Valae had assigned both men to do some hard labor. Though Cody had his suspicions that there was more to it than she initially let on. "Guess it's the only way to ensure you stay out of trouble."

"What kind of trouble could I possibly get in here?" Jake replied as the duo set the final sack on the cart.

Cody tilted his head in disbelief at the question, "You're the guy that could get a Priest to fist fight a Nun in the middle of a service without even having to use your little force powers. Where you go trouble just seems to follow."

He wiped his brow, ignored the statement from Cody, then turned towards Skillet. The astromech, a parting gift from Amorella Shamalain had proven to be more than a handful as of late. Rather opinionated, the droid seemed to take a liking to Valae while it and Jake butted heads. "Is that all on the list? Just three bags?"

The droid let out a slew of whistles and clicks.

Cody let out a sudden laughed, "You might want to rephrase that little buddy."

Skillet rocked back and forth in defiance.

"Ok," Cody replied. "He said we need a couple of hoes to work the fields."

Jake rubbed the bridge of his nose in disbelief. "It's like working with children. Pay for a couple of farming utensils and lets go."

"You mean pay for a couple of hoes?"

"Just go! And while you're there find us some additional help. We're going to need it." Jake shouted.

As Jake watched Cody trot off in search of the equipment. A smile broke his face. He coudn't help it. Life had been good too him. The Silver Jedi have been good to him. Even though he didn't know many, they let him be. That's all he could ask for. In return for their hospitality the Knight ensured he did what he could to earn his keep.

Turning back towards Skillet, "Go let Valae know that we're heading to the fields." Jake paused and felt the pull on the force, "She's right over..." Jake turned towards her direction like a needle on a compass, "There." Icy blues slightly narrowed at a scene Jake wasn't sure he liked observing. A gent seemingly looking at her with a set of his own narrowed eyes. It was a gaze that made a small sneer emerge from the right corner of Jake's lip. It was a scene he knew he'd need to break from or he might cause an unnecessary scene. That was something the Grandmaster did not need, "Do me a favor and stay with her."

[member="Valae Kitra"]​

[member="Sigrid Forsberg"]​

 

[Jairdain]

Location: Farmers Market
Objective: Get ideas
Companion: [member="Yuroic Xeraic"]
Post: 2

Jairdain could feel the pain Yuroic was in. While Mirial had not harmed her, he had comes out battered, bruised and broken. The loss of much of his arm, broken legs and Arisa had taken its toll on her love. While he and the other Jedi had been there for her when she had returned on Ossus and helped her, he wouldn't accept any. Grief had troubled him, but she hoped today would help at least a little in his recovery. Maybe even make him realize how needed he was.

When he reached her, she saw through his façade and shook her head.

"You don't need to pretend, my love."

She spoke softly and in ​a gentle tone. There was full acceptance of him and how he was. It was the same he had for her through the years they had known each other. Reaching out to him, Jairdain would attempt to give him a welcoming hug. It had been very long since they last embraced.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3g9QUT_oP0​

​

A trio of giggling Wookiees romping wild through a corn field was not the typical danger farmers faced on Balamak.

Neither, for that matter, were polar bears thought to inhabit corn fields. So they were all working outside of their comfort zones today.

A Wookiee pup went scampering through the rows, with the white bear chasing close behind. A captive pup scooped up in one arm (who was rather desperately playing at trying to go over the top of the bear's shoulder to freedom), while the third sprang out from behind the bear only to disappear back into the corn maze. And, of course, in the time it had taken for Kiriko to turn around and look at the one behind him... the one in front of him had disappeared by the time he'd looked front again.

By the time that the Beorni finally emerged from out of the maze of maize, a Wookiee under each arm and a third wiggling furiously, the sun was low on the horizon as Kiriko slowly made his way back toward the rustic farm house that was generous enough to host them.

When they had come out here, Kiriko had every idea that farming was a rather difficult trade. As he'd expected, the farmers were up in the morning at the ass-crack of dawn...

.... Yes, ass-crack of dawn. It was apparently a local custom concerning the measurement of time. Now, Kiriko was somewhat unclear the precise scientific calculations used to determine the precise moment this ass-crack of dawn appeared, but the farmers seemed to awaken to it religiously each day.

They labored in their fields and the Beorni had been hopeful for the opportunity to assist in their labors. Work with them side-by-side. But, Kiriko was beginning to understand that taking on the responsibility for minding the younglings came with its own set of rather involved responsibilities. Why, the moment the Beorni made a schedule, it seemed something happened to immediately deviate from the projected timeliness of any event.

It was proving most inefficient.

But, as the bear settled down at the table with the Wookiees and the farmer's family, to partake of a meal served out of large bowls passed across the table amid frequent conversation, Kiriko was struck by the fact that this might well be a far more educational endeavor than any he'd set out on before.

 

[WelshPsych]

While Jairdain said he didn't have to pretend to be happy, he knew that his usual sour mood would not be fair. She was trying to be there for him, it was more than he could ask for and in his mind more than he deserved. When she moved in for the hug, Yuroic froze for a moment, unsure how to respond to the affection. Shaking off the freeze mentally, he wrapped his left arm around her, embracing her.

Once they parted, Yuroic gave a smile, weak but real. "I found it, the planet I have been hunting for months. The one with where pirates ruled, it has a Jedi Temple and crystal cave. I was right. I need to go there, but it's too dangerous alone and think we should see if other Jedi from the SJO wish to join us." He spoke in excited whisper, his discovery was great and he couldn't wait to see it for himself.

He started down the path into the market, curious to see what was on offer. While his legs still pained him greatly, there was a moment during their interaction where he didn't feel the pain at all. It was fleeting and he missed it, but when he hugged Jairdain he did so standing strong on his two legs. Now he was hobbling again, still in pain.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: Market
Post Count: 1

Srina felt small threads of unnecessary nervousness run through her as she walked down the ramp from the elite vessel known as the Ferocity. It was among one of her favorite frigates that her mentor had at his immediate disposal. It was built for personal transport but the amount of firepower it possessed was entirely disproportionate to what should have been possible in such a small frame. It was a sight to behold and felt almost more like home than any of their various lodgings scattered throughout the galaxy. She loved the space yacht that Darth Metus had gifted her with but it wasn’t exactly the same. Perhaps, because when she traveled in the Seraphim, she traveled alone.

The assault frigate had dropped down in the designated landing area and Srina didn’t wander far as droid crewmen began to unload her mentor’s cargo. The surface of Balamak felt much like Leritor. Silver eyes traced the puffy white clouds in the blue sky and she sighed softly in contentment. Srina loved planets that were full of greenery and life. Her heart skipped a few beats, hiding an ache when she realized that it reminded her of Eshan.

The silver woman felt a familiar hand on her shoulder and she turned to smile up at Darth Metus. If he had felt her discontentment she did her best to banish it so that he wouldn’t worry. The obedient apprentice asked if her master needed anything, ever aware of her duties, and the dark-skinned man declined. There would be no lesson today. Metus sent her off toward the marketplace with a way to find him and two objectives. The first was to be careful. The second, revolved around her being too stiff, and that she ought to find some sort of amusement while she could.

“Yes, master.”, Srina responded with a voice that lingered like morning bells. It was accompanied by a near petulant roll of her eyes, but she soon bid him farewell. Darth Metus had his own business to attend but the young Echani always felt a little bit anxious when she initially left his orbit. Her extended family hadn’t come after her in quite some time. Even if they did, the growing Confederacy presence on this world would serve as ample deterrent.

The slender Echani headed toward the market after that, armed with more funds than she could ever spend, and a feeling of lightness in her soul. How could she not enjoy the sounds of hardworking people and children laughing? Even though the air was befouled by the telltale scent of manure a little smile lingered on the kiss of her lips. She had seen so much in such a short span of time that this little slice of heaven buried away in the Taldot sector.

She had forgone the use of her armor due to the heat of Balamak and the nature of the visit. It was peaceable and diplomatic visit. Arriving with a Vicelord of the Confederacy in full regalia hardly suggested anything to do with peace. Srina had no weaponry, save for a small, silver ring on her finger. Her state of dress was fitting for the temperature and also acceptable for her apprenticeship. Srina had chosen a bleached white tunic that held tightly to her torso with a hem that ended a few inches below her bust-line. Her midriff was exposed, followed by a matching skirt that held long slits up either side of her thighs, for an ease of movement. Ever practical she wore tan leggings beneath it that tucked into low-heeled boots. Silver threading with small designs could be found throughout.

Over her shoulder, she carried a cloth bag that held a pale blue lashaa scarf just in case it got chilly when the sun started to go down. She had a few other items, just personal effects, but nothing she couldn’t afford to lose.

She was stopped by a group of what appeared to be human offspring, offering freshly picked pale blue flowers, for a tiny price. The typically quiet Echani warrior offered them a silent smile as she made the trade. They seemed hesitant, but not afraid, and when they thought themselves out of earshot she could still hear them giggling. Unsure of what to do with the flower, she reached up and wove it into white-gold hair, among the various braids and plaits.

From there the apprentice began to wander the stalls in the marketplace. Some of them were still being set up, but others had all sorts of things, things that she had never seen before. From weapons to armor, to ship parts, to rare stones, to metalwork, to handmade jewelry, fresh food, and fruit… It seemed that these vendors had thought of everything. So much for a farmers market—It was definitely more of a bazaar. Srina almost felt overwhelmed. There were so many people, so many sights, and so many sounds. She would have been remiss not start at the first stall she saw and begin evaluating from one end to the other. Surely, Metus would want to know everything, potentially against his will.

Distantly, she could also see people working in the fields. Unloading seeds and equipment. Her mentor had also mentioned that any of the farming areas would welcome assistance. Srina was tempted but felt woefully inept. Agriculture was never a subject that she had excelled in and she didn’t want to waste anyone’s time by forcing them to teach her. She’d also debated on attending the simulation that was rumored to be going on not far away. Combat was in her blood, in every breath, every moment…Was it wrong that she longed for a respite without it?

Indecision caught her as she stopped near a jewelry stall to inspect some of the wooden pieces. It all seemed to be hand carved, or images were somehow burned into a flat surface. Decorative rocks were threaded onto pieces of hemp rope around it. Someone had taken quite a bit of care to braid and knot the fibers so beautifully. Srina couldn’t imagine that her fingers were nimble enough for that.

Her head tilted up from the dusky cases when she felt something familiar. It was light. Like the scent of a long forgotten flower on the breeze. Silver eyes twisted through the crowd, but her senses felt dulled as if they were being pulled in too many directions. She lacked the focus to find what she wanted. A familiar face flashed in her mind’s eye, briefly, like a candle flickering in the wind. ‘Cassius?’

The soundless question would likely go unanswered while she questioned her sanity. She wasn’t sure if everything she saw was real, or not. Biting softly on her lower lip she smiled at the merchant and complimented her wares. Not for the first time, she found herself at a loss. She didn’t know how to feel about the human that occasionally infiltrated her chaotic visions. Only, that when she couldn’t find him in the throngs of people, she wished she could.

[member="Cassius Droma"] | [member="Darth Metus"]