Private Golden Heart, Purple Mind

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Hurikane | Soundtrack: Campfire

His eyes cautiously moved up to spot the rock creatures his Master told him about. They stood stoically overhead, watching like stone edifices on the edge of the canyon. Cailen didn't say anything aloud, but he did let Valery know he saw them through the Force. Though he was sure, in afterthought, that they'd sense that just as easily as spoken work anyway. He kept his cool, reminding himself that they were visitors to Hurikaine, not entitled to it.

Cailen walked carefully, respectful of the terrain beneath his boots as he went further into the ravine. He could feel the presence of a crystal reaching out to him. It wasn't like on Ilum though, where his crystal felt almost eager to meet him. This one seemed like it wanted to challenge him. To test him worthiness, and determine for itself if it wanted to be wielded.

He was excited by the challenge.

"It's this way, Master. I don't think it's much farther," the boy said, taking the lead. The crystal was guiding him along, towards a large stone archway formed by years of weathering from Hurikane's winds. It seemed to dip down, winding into a cavernous mouth with a hard corner they could not see past until they neared the entrance.

Cailen looked to Val with a mix of determination and skepticism. Caves made him nervous, but it was a stress he could work through if it meant getting closer to the crystal. Maybe it was even part of the gem's challenge. A trial, of sorts.

---

Tags: Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Hurikane

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Valery kept an eye out on the people of Hurikane watching them, but she felt no ill intent from any of them. It was either curiosity that brought them here, or perhaps something she hadn't anticipated. Either way, she kept walking forward with her Padawan, following his senses until they reached what seemed like quite a big cave system. It's possible that the crystal he's meant to find here is somewhere within the caves, but it was hard to tell.

She hadn't acquired her own from any cave, and others who had traveled here in the past went through unusual trials to earn their crystals as well.

"We were told you'd come," a voice then called out to them, as another native appeared from within the entrance. Those who had been watching from above were scaling their way down, surrounding the two Jedi, but there was no increase in tension or danger in the Force. These people were not here to harm them.

"We could feel it in the rock," another added.

"You came to help our people," yet another spoke.

But help with what?

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Hurikane | Soundtrack: Campfire

"We were told you'd come," a voice then called out to them, as another native appeared from within the entrance.

Cailen’s eyes widened as the voice spoke out, followed by others, too. They were descending the into the trench, closing in on the pair of Jedi at the bottom.

“We could feel it in the rock.”

“You came to help our people.”

Something stirred in the Force, a sort of calmness that told Cailen there was nothing to be afraid of. He looked to the stony life form in the cavern entrance with curiosity. He’d thought all this time that he needed to find the crystal, to claim it as he did the first one. But now, it seemed the crystal was the one who needed him. And it wasn’t the only one…

Cailen’s eyes shifted from the creature to his Master, then back again.

“M-my name is Cailen Corso. I’m a Jedi Padawan.”

He swallowed, wondering if it might set the creatures off. What if they didn’t want a Jedi to come around and take their kyber crystals? It was a valid fear. But the stonemen remained motionless. Cailen continued, cautious but eager to learn more.

“What can I do to help your people?”

---

Tags: Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Hurikane

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Valery glanced at the natives as they appeared, but turned to Cailen to meet his gaze. She simply nodded and allowed him to lead the conversation with them for now. It'd be a good experience, but something also told her that it was meant to be him. His journey as a Jedi brought him here for a crystal, and this could only happen with the approval of the locals.

Locals who had now sought them out.

"We welcome you, Jedi Cailen Corso."

"We knew you'd help us."

Valery blinked but remained quiet and watched the interaction happen with a gentle smile. It was potentially a lot of pressure on her Padawan to help them, but this was what being a Jedi was all about.

"Outsiders came. Outsiders took," one of them spoke up. "Drills and tools and bombs to break the rock, and take what isn't theirs to take." It seemed angry now, not with the Jedi, but with whoever was on the planet as well.

"You will stop them."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Hurikane | Soundtrack: Campfire

"Who?" Cailen asked, perhaps a bit too excitedly. He cut his eyes to Valery, then spoke again, this time a bit softer.

"Who has stolen from you?"

Hurikane was far from the typical factions of the galaxy who were known for thieving kyber. The Empire, the Maw... they were crushed, scattered. Cailen doubted they had any reason for harvesting crystals. Were they mercenaries? Pirates, looking for a quick tradeoff? The Padawan looked to each of the rock creatures ahead.

"I'll stop whoever they are, and get your belongings back."

---

Tags: Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Hurikane

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"We do not know."

"Outsiders."

"Thieves."

"They must be stopped, before it's too late."

Valery raised an eyebrow for a moment, but nodded at the natives before turning to Cailen. It seemed he had his trial to earn his crystal ahead of him now, but she wasn't going to let him do this alone. There were too many questions, and this was not an ordinary crystal trial either. The risk here wasn't losing out on a crystal — it could be getting injured or worse. So after taking a small breath, she turned to her Padawan and smiled softly.

"Let's go ahead and go through the cave, hm? I'm sure that we'll find them in there if they're looking for crystals. I'll even let you lead the way, as this is your trial, but we'll confront them together."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Hurikane | Soundtrack: Campfire

Cailen nodded to his Master, then looked to the cavern. There wasn't much to say, and even if the words had come to him, he wasn't sure that speaking would do anything but distract him now. For the first time in forever, he could feel with the Force. Sense the world around him, feel the plight of the crystal people. He feared that if he broke his focus now, it may not come back so easily. With a nervous hand around the crystal on his neck, Cailen stepped forward, leading Valery on the trail he was following.

He was determined to find them, and tried his best not to get distracted by the beautiful formations that hid inside the tunnels. Amazing crystal pillars jutted out from dozens of angles, each of them hued in a beautiful purple color. Cailen thought of Valery and her own mission to Hurikane, and he understood how perfectly the crystals here fit her... chaotic, strong... for a brief moment, a surge of doubt jolted through him.

Was he really meant to find his crystal here?

Cailen shook the thought away when he heart a pair of angry voices ahead, their bickering bouncing off the cave walls. The Padawan looked to Valery before inching further, craning his neck to spot the source of the argument.

A pair of black-clad non-humans were filling a strange crate with shards of purple crystals. They were broken haphazardly, unlikely usable now for any kind of lightsaber construction due to the damage. Cailen wasn't sure what else kyber could be used for, but it couldn't be good.

"Master," the boy whispered, pointing ahead. "I think those are our thieves."

---

Tags: Valery Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Hurikane

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Under his guidance, Valery walked into the caves and began to look around. Much of it was familiar to her, even though she had never been in these exact caves before. It was just... the feeling in the Force, and the way crystal and rock had been shaped here over the course of millennia. It brought a gentle smile to her lips again, as memories of her visits here returned. Those trials had been hard, and during a time when she struggled.

But she came out of them much stronger, as both a person and a Jedi.

Soon enough, however, her focus was pulled back to the present — they heard voices and silently agreed to take a closer look. Cailen was the first to look into their part of the caves, but Valery squinted down the darkness as well, and spotted the two figures with crystals. Had they retrieved natural ones or had they attacked the locals for their crystals?

If so, this was more than just theft. It'd be murder too.

"I think so, too but let's be careful. There might be more of them," she whispered back, and glanced around once more. "I'll give you a chance to strike, if you can disarm them?" She asked, and only with confirmation, Valery reached out with her hand and suddenly pulled on their legs to bring them both down to the ground.

A perfect opportunity for Cailen to follow up on.

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Hurikane | Soundtrack: Campfire

The thieves hit the ground hard, scattering the crystals across the floor. They tried to recover, but Cailen was quick to reach them before they drew their blasters. He ignited his lightsaber, whirling it around in a fluid hand motion to be sure they saw that he was armed - luckily, the glowing heat of his blade was enough to deter them from grabbing their guns.

Both of them resigned, hands up on surrender.

“Your blasters!” Cailen barked. “Slide them over. Now!”

It felt good to be the one in control, to have power over the bullies. They deserved repercussions, but Cailen reminded himself of the last time he let such powerful emotions overcome his thoughts. He took a deep breath in through his nose, eyeing the pair of thieves as they tossed their pistols to his feet. In a single, almost lazy swipe, he bisected the weapons with the tip of his blade.

Then, he looked to them with a tinge of frustration in his eyes.

“What are you doing with these? Why are you stealing from these people?” Cailen questioned.

“Why are you doing this?”

---

Tags: Valery Noble ​