Public Hyu-Ken Carka: The Listening Post

[Shira Varanin]

Destination: Ghurkani Temple, rainforest biome, Hyu-Ken Carka. Rediscovered ~10 years ago by SJO expedition under WelshPsych . Current inhabitants: small number of Jedi hermits and students.

Primary objectives: Resupply Jedi residents, establish listening post for Sith Empire and Bryn'adul activity in the sector.

Secondary objective: Procure lightsaber crystals from nearby cave.



Hyu-Ken Carka ranked among the most obscure, out-of-the-way planets that Shira had visited. Lots of mosquitoes, lots of bandits, not much to do. Her unmarked Jedi freighter might be the biggest ship in the system.

This was, no doubt about it, a milk run. Someone figured she wasn't up to the real missions yet. Not after basically dying on Atrisia, getting dragged off a Sith battlecruiser in a coma, saved by cybernetic surgery-

And, admittedly, being a dour pain in the butt. Not like basic assignments were going to help with that last bit, but at least they got her off Peace Station.

She toggled short-range comms with Jedi encryption, a little hello to the enclave. "Jedi vessel Gallia has landed. Cargo of consumables and sensor equipment. Unloading now."

A few other Jedi had come along, mostly Padawans and young Knights. They'd be starting to unload the cargo now. Maybe one or two would click with this place and make it their home. Conversely, maybe some of the locals would want to leave their empire of solitude and small biting insects. Shira swatted the first of many to invade her ship on a jungle breeze, and headed for the cargo bay.

 

[Zara Tate]

A small Zabrak boy in drab clothing picked up a small box of supplies and turned about to begin carrying it back into the temple.

The interior room was very dark, smokey, and illuminated mostly by small hanging lanterns. The incense from the dozens and dozens of tiny lanterns burned deeply in the air. Creating an uncomfortable earthly atmosphere that stayed with you and smothered nearly everything it touched.

Amid the vapors and the swirling stone floor, sat two quiet women. Zara Tate of Denon. Clothed in warm dark furs. Sat with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. A tiny spherical holocron echoing a warm blue hue was perched easily in her lap. Her calm features remained barely illuminated by the faint yellow lanterns. She looked like she was sleeping. Behind her sat a beautiful Zabrak woman. Clothed in drab sage robes and a heavy cloth hood. Her legs were crossed in mediation posture. Curled up closely behind Zara as her arms traced the air with easy relaxing motions.

In her fingers lay a fuzzy soft fan. Wide and beautiful in it's tribal decoration. Soft and full of gentle bristles. Fanning the air and gently brushing, ever so slightly, against Zara's relaxing shoulders. Back and forth. Back and forth. Swaying through the air like a somber swimming butterfly. Inducing and maintaining a quiet mystical trance upon whomever it touches. Encouraging and whispering a soft pleasant dream upon the impressionable Jedi mind. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. A never ending procession of gentle calming dreams.

The small Zabrak boy walked into the smokey room and held his box aloft. Looking past the sleeping woman and nodding to the fanning girl behind.

"Hey Maggie. ...Ships here. They're starting unloading. And stuff."

The coy Zabrak perched behind the sleeping Zara nodded. Then lowered her gently brushing fan.

The small Zabrak boy shrugged just once and then slowly continued on down the hallway. He needed to find a place to put his box down. Meanwhile, Maggie whispered quietly into Zara's sleeping, meditating ears,

"Psst. ...I'll be right back. Okay."

Zara's head barely moved. A sleepy, dreaming acknowledgement.

Then Maggie moved to stand. Placing her long fan upon a stone shelf and dimming another lantern candle. She walked outside, through the gentle rolling smoke. Leaving the wispy interior room behind.

She stood at the entrance ramp to Shira's ship. Admiring it's strange form with a smile and taking a moment to enjoy it's arrival. Withdrawing a long thin cigarette from her robes and rubbing two fingers together like a match. Then illuminating it's tip with just a nod and taking a long drag as it flared to life with furvor. Breathing out slowly and releasing the hazy pale smoke back into the air. Scattering the mosquitoes as it passed. Banishing the small biting insects back into the murky deeps of the jungle.

Maggie stood there at the end of the ramp. Just smoking. Even as the small boy slowly returned for a second load.

Shira Varanin |​

 

[Eldin Daine]

Objective: Establish listening post.
Objective Two: Enjoy the company of the ladies.


Another ship landed, a YV-666 the Rusty Bucket, this one's cargo bay filled to the brim with more supplies and equipment for the listening post. Any other room on his ship was packed with personnel, engineers mostly, all come to set up the post, get computers on line and run tests. Eldin was here for the mission to provide transport and lend a hand if he could. First time for him to see a Jedi Temple, he had no expectations about, nor any sort of excitement. From what he knew, it was a place for hermits and no doubt they were anxious about the visit, although the supplies would be welcomed. But regardless, it was a welcome change from his usual expedition he finds himself in lately. After the meeting with the Gutretee on Isis, something mellow would be good.

Engines roared before the cool down started and Eldin handed over the ship to the droid. He punched a button on the control panel, stopping the music that had been blaring through his ship.

As the board ramp lowered, he was met by a crowd of people, ready to board and start unloading, all manner of people pushed passed him and disappear to the back of his ship. The engineers were eager to get off the Bucket as well, it seemed, grateful to have arrived and get away from the faint smell of rotten crab that just will not leave his ship. It had been months since leaving Nar Shaddaa with the load for Terminus. He approached the landed ship, Shira Varanin captain of that one, a well built kinda woman which made the trip all that more inviting.

It got even better when he noticed a pretty young thing dressed in furs standing by waiting, smoking, which only called to his own addiction, absent mindedly lighting up his trade mark, long thin cigars. Well hello there, the thought sitting at the front of his mind. "Well hello there", thought turned into words, with a smirk for Zara Tate.

 

[Shira Varanin]

Zara Tate Eldin Daine

A Zabrak woman stood at the bottom of the ramp, smoking some kind of cigarra. Shira got down there to greet her just as the captain of the second ship came up.

"You must be Master Magritte. I'm Captain Varanin, this is Captain Daine."

The Zabrak took a long drag and smiled. "Call me Maggie - everyone does. Hierarchy means less than nothing out here. And this little one-"

A Zabrak boy tottered down the ramp with a very large crate. A couple of the young Jedi who'd come with Shira looked none too pleased. They were working hard but the kid was making them look bad.

"-is my Padawan, Torki."

Shira knew the names from the sparse mission files. Master 'Maggie' Magritte had been one of the few survivors when the One Sith razed the Jedi Temple on Iridonia. Torki hadn't been born then, but he was the son of another survivor, a woman who'd since passed on. Remote little enclaves like this tended to attract Jedi who'd taken or given too much pain, done their part, burned out. The last Jedi of the Iridonia Temple fit all of the above, as far as Shira had ever heard.

The boy came and went too quickly for Shira to greet him. She turned back to Maggie and Daine. "Should be enough consumables here for another five years, plus emergencies. Less if Jedi refugees show up here to hide out and rest up. The Atrisia Enclave got evacuated a few weeks ago, and some of those people are still finding their feet."

 

[Sinestra]

Two weeks.

Two fething weeks he'd been waiting for the listening outpost resources to arrive.

They said "A'ight, Jude. Go to Hugh Can Kark Ya, or whatever the hell this planet's name is, canvas the area and we'll send ya the stuff in three days."

Canvassed it for three days; no one arrived. The local community of Jedi welcomed him, although a bit cautiously. Jude appreciated that but damn these monks. No one would play cards with him to kill the time, not even dice. Hell, they'd probably reject a simple paper rock scissors. So he found himself wandering around aimlessly and trying to play cards by himself. Didn't really work.

So when the news of ships arriving rallied the Jedi, Jude hurried impatiently to the landing pads. One of the ships was already being unloaded, while the other unloaded a ruffian looking fella who had obvious, but indirect, goals for a lady Jedi who was smoking like a chimney. At least one of the bathrobe hermits had a good idea of killing time. Too bad Jude had forgotten his cigs back in the OutRim.

"A'ight, fellas. High time y'all show up." Jude spread his arms wide as he approached the ships. "Who outta y'all babes got the stuff from the un'erground?"

Shira Varanin Zara Tate Eldin Daine

 

[Mishel Kryze]

"Set us down, DT-1884." Mežsrožu ordered the pilot of the modified Fury-class corvette. The FN unit was ordered to remain with the ship as only CO-0195 would accompany the Ren on the journey to a nearby cave. Stealth had not been engaged this time, the idea was to keep quiet and not disturb any of the residents here. A two-man team would head out and investigate, Mežsrožu was dressed simply and hoped to not encounter any resistance and perhaps be able to talk her way out of any confrontations. ​

​

Quietly she and CO-0195 disembarked from the ship. "We're not as close as I'd like us to be, a necessary precaution, however," Mežsrožu stated as her boots pressed against the dirt. Hair pulled up and away from her face, a carbon fiber filament occupied the empty eye socket. Mechanical hand whirred silently as she placed it over her lightsaber. An unfortunate side effect of dark side corruption the undoing of the healing she had been provided in her previous years. Her hand was an example, the Galactic Alliance and their Jedi had healed it - rebuilt it to an extent. It had since dissipated with corruption and it forced Mežsrožu to look at what the Ssi-Ruuk on G'Rho had taken from her so long ago.​

​

The visceral memory of her hand being ripped off her arm reminded Mežsrožu of what she was; an abomination, a monster, even.​

​

Behind Mežsrožu and CO-0195 the faded silhouette of her ship continued to disappear over the horizon as she and her teammate went further toward the nearby cave. Lightsaber crystals were always a draw for her, she had always been curious about them and mystified by their properties. Ever since she first discovered a book about them by Jorus Merrill, well, more of a collection of notes rather than a book. ​

​

​

 

[Arro Peradun]

One of those Jedi to come along was him. Well, he wasn't certain he could call himself that just because he had the Force and was sickened by the darkness, or the fact that he'd opted to see what the OPA had to offer, and pitch in while he made up his mind. Lifting things up and putting them down was a thing he could do, and do well, so he went along for the ride to Hyu-Ken Carka to lend a hand, and only that. The mere thought of living in such dull isolation was... unsettling, and he'd had enough of it since leaving the growing 'Agents of Chaos' behind. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

"Watch out," he rumbled, a heavy crate of unwieldy size hefted by Felacatian strength and Force input, blocking his vision such that he had to crane his head around one of its nearest corners, "coming thrrrough."

Exiting the Gallia and padding down the ramp with extra care, Arro stopped mid-ramp for a scant few moments, after the Zabrak boy had near-upset his balance. A low growl had followed the boy, before he continued edging down the ramp, stopping again at the bottom to turn his head and look at Shira Varanin, Eldin Daine , and Maggie.

"Hey, Knight Varrranin, wherrre's this thing going?"

The crate looked far larger than he should have been able to manage, but who was heavier - him or the crate - was the question.

 

[Shira Varanin]

"A'ight, fellas. High time y'all show up." Jude spread his arms wide as he approached the ships. "Who outta y'all babes got the stuff from the un'erground?"

"Hey, Knight Varrranin, wherrre's this thing going?"

The crate looked far larger than he should have been able to manage, but who was heavier - him or the crate - was the question.

"Whoever you are, meet Arro Peradun. What you're looking for is in the really big crate he's carrying, and a bunch more crates just like it. Happy unloading. Peradun, Stubble here will show you where you can stick it."

 

[Zara Tate]

Maggie gave a welcome nod to all the hustle and bustle that came with new arrivals. A change of pace to be sure. Maggie did things slow most of the time around here. Solemn, quiet, and slow. But when company arrived on fast flying ships? Well. Nothing wrong with a little hustle and bustle around here from time to time. I suppose.

She stood aloof and a'stern for a moment before speaking,

"Consumables go in the basement. The kids can show ya where. And, truly. Thank you kindly Captains. It's been too long since we've seen a friendly face around these parts. Much appreciated."

She gave a quiet nod of her perfectly calm features. Taking a deep breath and exhaling very, very slowly. Maggie did things slow most of the time. Not because of her age either. If not for the horns between her long feathered braids she'd look down right angelic in the perfection of her youth. No. She did things slow because this was a slow kinda place. A slow kinda temple. A slow kinda jungle. Mm.

But. When company arrived? Well. Nothing wrong with a little hustle and bustle from time to time.

Maggie exhaled a long puff of smoke slowly. Then calmly gave a nod to Sinestra ,

"To the point. We've delegated the good Master Falkrowe here as being more-or-less in charge of your technology post. So if you'll all be so kind as to direct all questions about construction towards his smiling favor? Well. That would just be fine indeed."

She nodded again and sighed a deep long sigh. Then put out her long cigarette with a dash of her robes. Squelching the pale swirling smoke with less than a gesture.

Torki could handle the rest.

"Now. If you'll excuse me. I've a previous guest to attend to. ...Gentlemen. Captains."

She finished with a light bow. Then Maggie looked up right through the empty jungle canopy and gave a soft nod to the weather. As if it was the first time she'd been outside all day. Hmm. Then, she gathered up her long hooded robes and returned to the swirling, smokey insides of the temple.

She still had a young Jedi to wake.

Shira Varanin | Arro Peradun | Eldin Daine |​

 

[Eldin Daine]

The place had been tranquil one moment, and bustling the next. Lines of people coming out of nowhere and into the ships. It was like a line of ants as boxes and crates were carried across the yard to the temple. He guessed it was the temple, he had never seen one before so it was hard to tell. Although there was a funny sensation coming from it, that prickled his neck. He shrugged it off though.

A scruffy looking bloke approached, asking about the stuff for the listening post. "I guess I'm one of the babes", he said with a smirk. "Smaller equipment's on the Bucket. brought some people to help out if you need 'em", he pointed behind him to the rusty lookin' ship.

It was nice to hear the sound of kids laughing, they seemed to be having fun with all this hustle and bustle, he supposed they don't get much of it around these parts. And they also had a nose for what was in the crates, some of which carried supplies of sweet good, the kind kids like. Didn't find that stuff on Tatoonie so Eldin had not ever tried it, did in his adult life though and developed a taste for it. Sugar, what a blessing that was.


Zara Tate | Shira Varanin | Arro Peradun | Arro Peradun | Mishel Kryze | Sinestra

 

[Sinestra]

The white-haired lady looked and talked like the typical spacer miscreant the OutRim spewed on a daily basis. He didn't mind it all, heck he welcomed it considering the dry bathrobe etiquette he had to adapt to here for the past two weeks. Maggie had been the only beacon of hope for a chatter, maybe a little off-the-chart flirt but he never found the right timing from all the children running in and out of her smoke laden dwelling. Deputy Sideburn wasn't as tactful and he'd gone all in.

Jude looked up and down the large Felacatian goon coming out of the first ship with an enormous crate. Deputy Sideburn also had his use.

"Big Cat, pick that crate up - we're goin' in the jungle. If ya need extra muscle to carry that, holler at deputy Sideburn's men over 'ere."

The ex-FOSB agent approached the deputy and pointed at the man's cigars. "Share one to Master Falkrowe, chief?"

He hadn't realized how much he enjoyed supervising for once.

Eldin Daine Arro Peradun Shira Varanin Zara Tate

 

[Eldin Daine]

Some men promise the world to women, and deliver nothin'. Shower them with pretty words and that are empty and only take, never give. Eldin has seen them types in action may times. He did not believe his 'approach' was genius or in some cases appropriate but they got the truth of him. Without all the shitty games men play, he made them no promises and left it up to them to decide if a night with him was worth it. Sure, he had his far share of epic fails but mostly they appreciated his honesty, a rare thing in this galaxy.

Mister Windswept approached him, cocky son o'a b, and asked for a cigar, he looked for all the world like a wave rider. A finger pointed up and lifted his hat a fraction off his brow as Eldin sized the bloke up from heat to foot not caring if the guy cared or not. Seemed he was one for shooting orders and standin' around. Not that Eldin could blame him for that, although he would not tolerate watching children do the hard yards while he stood about.

"Sure", he took out his pack gave the bottom a firm tap as one cigar popped up for the man. "Help yourself", he offered the man a lighter.

"Been here a while I take it?", he asked by way of chitchat.

Sinestra

 

[Shira Varanin]

Arro Peradun Zara Tate Eldin Daine Sinestra

The unloading wasn't the most orderly thing Shira had ever seen, but then again nobody was attacking, nobody needed them back immediately, and it had been a long flight. Why shouldn't people take their time, have their fun?

Now that all this was in motion, she opted to head for the nearby crystal cave. She'd spent much of the trip building a new saberstaff to replace the one she'd lost at Atrisia. A saberstaff needed a couple of focusing gems. Peace Station offered plenty, but finding her own was a rite of passage that she'd skipped as a young Knight. This time she had the time. This saber would be different.

Mishel Kryze

 

[Zara Tate]

Torki put his crate down and wandered over to Eldin Daine 's side. For a kid, he seemed to fancy himself a little man of sorts. So he nodded thoughtfully towards the conversation, then raised a hand likewise Sinestra 's. I guess the little horned dude wanted one too?

Of course, Jude already knew the little kid had a bad streak in him too. Because every time Falkrowe refused to show him a new 'magic trick' with his deck of cards? Well. Torki would always frown delightfully, curse the Sith, and attempt to kick Jude right in the shins. Kapow. Ouch. So as the kid's hand reached up to politely request a bad habit from good Captain Daine. Falkrowe knew instinctively to watch his knees should the poor dude get refused his man card.

. . . . .​

Meanwhile.

Inside a smokey side chamber, deeper inside the Temple. Zara Tate meditated with perfect sitting posture. Seemingly sound asleep.

A tiny human boy stood before her. Ruffled red hair and his finger up his nose. He looked perplexed at the strange sleeping lady in front of him. His wide eyes staring through the somber darkness. Admiring her perfectly youthful face. Admiring how she could sleep so soundly. Even sitting up like that.

He pulled his finger out his nose and wiped it on her fuzzy soft shoulder. Then took a step back. She didn't even budge.

He looked down at the silver spherical trinket sitting easily in her lap. How the strange circular device looked like some of the other holocrons he'd seen around the temple before. Except. This one seemed to glow a faint blue and radiated a life of it's own. He smiled at the small silver toy. He wanted to see it closer. So he leaned down and reached out with a tiny human hand. Careful not to rouse the strange sleeping lady. He could almost... Touch it.

"Tom?"

The small boy spun around with a flash. Maggie's voice always meant he was in trouble.

"Tom. What'cha doing?"

Sure enough. The angelic Master stood in the smokey swirling doorway. So Tom curled up as small as he could make himself. Then looked away and put his finger back up his nose.

"Um. Nuthin'."

Maggie gave a soft knowing smile,

"Why don't you go outside and play Tom. Torki is there. As is the rest of your friends."

Tom frowned. Then turned and pointed with his good hand towards sleeping Zara,

"What's she doing?"

Maggie smiled and gracefully entered the quiet chamber, "She's dreaming."

"What about?"

Maggie moved to the back of the room and retrieved her feathery fan. Then lit another candle, "She's dreaming about a friend. They haven't seen each other in a very long time. I think she just wanted to see if they're alright."

"Why's she sleeping like that?" Tom sat down absentmindedly. Then rubbed his finger on the ground.

Maggie brushed her own soft cheeks with the fuzzy fan and slowly closed her eyes,

"Why don't you go outside Tom. There are starships out there, you know? Big ones. Like the Thunderlords."

Tom cocked his head with sudden attention. Then slowly stood up to his full height. Rubbing his dirty face and giving the sleeping Zara once last peculiar look. Then he turned. And ran outside as fast as his tiny legs would carry him.

Maggie smiled and slowly reopened her eyes. Mm. Kids.

She turned and sat down again behind her sleeping guest. Curled up nice and tight behind the warm fuzzy girl, and slowly unfurled her sleeves.

"Zara." She whispered. Ever so softly, "...Zara. It's time to wake up dear."

"Mmm." Came a tiny little tremble.

"Zara." Maggie began slowly brushing Zara's cheeks with her fan, "...Shh. Zara dear. It's time to wake up. I release you. I release you."

"Mmm." Came a deep breath from Zara's lungs. As her eyelids started to flicker.

"Zara dear. Follow my voice." Maggie leaned closer and whispered softly in her ears, "...Shh. Follow my voice and awaken, young Jedi. Follow my voice. And awaken into the present. It's time to wake up dear."

Zara's eyes slowly opened and she took in a deep full breath. As if suddenly awakening from a long deep sleep. Whoosh.

"Shh. It's alright dear." Maggie smiled and brushed her soft cheeks, "...Welcome back. Zara Tate of Denon."

The warm fuzzy girl dressed in dark furs slowly turned and smiled back at Maggie. Her eyes all a'glow. Bursting even.

"I saw him Maggie!" She whispered so loudly, "...He's okay! He's fine! Everything I worried about. All those horrible dreams. It's all gone. He's fine, I saw his mom's house and... I dreamed all of it. I saw it. Just as if I were there. You were right Maggie. He's okay."

Maggie leaned back and tickled the girl's happy chin with her fuzzy fan. Smiling with her eyes, "I know dear. I know. And I'm glad I could help. Hehe."

Then Maggie reached out slowly and grasped Zara's hands into her own. Moving slowly to help both of them stand. They stood up and patted themselves off from the smoke. Now both of them fully returned into the present. Zara's blue sphere rolled easily into her nearby backpack. Plop. Right back where it belonged.

"And. Lights." Maggie commanded.

The room brightened quickly as the temple's electronic computer responded in kind. Bathing the once mysterious setting back into the light of day.

Zara moved to compose herself and adjust to the light. Still a bit groggy and stiff in the legs from the dreaming session. She adjusted her furry hat and brushed at the hazy air. Meanwhile, Maggie moved away to store her candles and feathery items back into their cupboards and tins. Then turned around with a soft gesture,

"There's tea and silverware in the kitchen, dear. Why not pour us both a cup and return back here to me. Yes."

"Oh? Oh, of course Master." Zara tugged on her clothing. Straightening herself up.

"And by the way." Maggie raised a finger. He head deep inside a storage bin. "...We've some new guests at the temple. Just arrived. I believe they are building a listening tower out in the jungle. Rimward types and all that."

"Mm?" Tate raised an eyebrow. Looking around for her backpack.

"Well. You know I'm no good with supervising dear. So, would do me a terrible favor and go help them reach the build site? It's just up the jungle path. You know the way, don't you? Mm."

"Oh! Oh yes. Yes, of course Master. I'd be happy to. After all you've done for me, well... I would happy to pay you back. In any way. Really."

Zara gathered up her belongings as Maggie finished packing away her fuzzy tribal trinkets.

"Wonderful. Thank you dear. And... Don't forget. Tea first. Helping hand later. Mm?"

"Oh right. I suppose I'm still feeling a bit stiff from sitting for so long." Zara rolled her shoulders. Then took a look at her phone for the first time, "...Hm. By the way?"

Maggie fluttered her eyelids as Zara seemed to frown,

"How long was I out for? Dreaming?"

"Oh. Three days? ...Mm. Maybe."

Zara's eyes flashed with shock and surprise! What!

She spun around and looked at the innocently shrugging Maggie. Horrified. Or. Amazed! Or. I know what. Maybe.

"Three days!" Zara stammered.

"Well. Well. I mean. You looked so happy, dear. I couldn't dare interrupt you? It wasn't my place to intervene. And, you know. You hadn't found the memory you looking for until this morning anyways. So. It would have been a terrible waste to wake you empty-handed. I don't just sleep anyone you know. It's not something we do around here just willy-nilly, Zara. ...You understand. Yes?"

Zara seemed breathless. But? Three whole days? Gosh.

She quickly composed herself and tugged at her own fuzzy shoulders. I guess. Well. I guess she had forgotten to ask Maggie how long dreaming took at first anyway. Probably should have set some expectations back then. Rather than now. She understood of course. Dreaming was a special occasion for Maggie. She shouldn't have taken it so lightly. Zara rubbed her own chin as Maggie sighed a soft smile,

"Zara dear. Tea first. Help later. Remember?"

"Right. Tea first..."

Zara pursed her lips and turned towards the door. Mmm. I guess after three days worth of dreaming? Man.

She could really use that drink. Omph.

. . . . .​

 

[Sinestra]

"A while's an understatement." he muttered as he lit up the cigar and blew out cloud of smoke upwards. Good stuff. "It's a jungle planet with the only peeps 'round being Jedi who can't play cards and ain't really social." or at least weren't social for his topics which may include a lot of vice.

" 'cept Maggie..." Jude jerked his head at the smoking lady who went back inside. He deliberately let that trail off for a moment. "She ain't gonn' be your lady luck, chief." the agent smirked. "Ain't seen her for more than few minutes outside before she goes back in that smoke-ridden place of her and I ain't gonna barge in there. She kinda gives me them crazy vibes."

And how could he forget - the kids. Torki, the little piece of work, had already shown up in their midst and was asking deputy Sideburn for a cig.

"Scram, you lil'-" Torki didn't let him finish, a swift kick in the shins and Jude nearly toppled. "Motherfethin'- and these bathrobe kids ain't really fun. Ow." he rubbed his shins as he glared at Torki running off with a satisfied grin on his face.

Jude picked up a small crate he could carry and looked around as various crew members were getting ready to move with the crates.

"Next time I'm petitionin' for an outpost in a brothel. Or a brothel world. Like Zeltros or somethin'"

Eldin Daine Zara Tate

 

[Eldin Daine]

"Crazy is as crazy does", he had to grin at Jude, "Ya speak from experience I see". It wasn't that Eldin was really trying to catch a lady today, it is just nature when seeing a pretty face. His head turned to see Captain Varanin walking into the jungle on a mission of her own he gathered, he had half a mind to follow her after all it is dangerous wandering a jungle on your own like that. She was all business that woman, and he had to wonder if Varanin had ever had taken the time to have fun. Well she probably had business of her own, and by the look of her, she knew how to take care of herself.

His attention pulled back by the sudden yell of his companion, Eldin had not noticed the kid until he kick Jude in the shin and took off. "I see ya have a natural talent with kids", he chuckled.

It was time to do some helpin' and less lollygagin' and he picked up on of the boxes containing the engineering equipment, parts for the listening post. "So where is this post gonna be?", he started to follow Jude, after all it was his set up. "As fun as it might be to build on in a brothel, doubt there would be much listen' goin' on".

Nar Shaddaa had it's fair share of them, and any one of them he had visited was filled with people that would stab ya in the back as quick as look at ya. For the right price.

Sinestra

 

[Xzaien]

Xzaien had, heard something. Calling deep within the force, and magnifying its call across the galaxy. This call, was nothing she had felt before, as it had this... history to it that seemed to defy time itself. As she sat inside her Flagship, the 'Cathay Rahtai' a archaically built Interdictor Battlecruiser used by the armies of Revan ten thousand years ago. She had an epiphany. The world of Hyu-Ken-Karka called to her. This, artifact that she was looking for was likely to exist on this planet. Of course, this took quite a long time of meditation inside of her ship to come to this conclusion.

She stood from her meditation mat and ordered her escort ships to move out. Two Foray Class Blockade runners would be sufficient for this small venture to grab a artifact from the mud and muck and leave just as quickly. It was never Xzaien's intention to ever meet with anyone on planet, as she had a poor experience with the hospitality of the CIS only a few days before.

"Catharian Space Marines on the Cathay Rahtai"​

The ship, and its escorts soon hurdled into hyperspace, a deep blue blanket of swirling colors just independent to the struggles of the modern day galaxy. Soon silenced by a swift return to real-space. The world of Ken-Karka revealed itself to Xzaien, and her crews. An ugly, insignificant jungle world of disease carrying insects, and a mass producer of plagues and sicknesses which had ravaged the galaxy only a few decades ago. Her mission so far, was to find the source of the call through the force and liberate it, in the meantime speaking with and offering a bit of advise to anyone she comes across. There was thing Xzaien was good at, despite her outwardly dark-side nature. Was common sense. Onboard, Xzaien ordered a small contingent of just two Space Marines to act as a temporary escort, with non-lethal weaponry to not frighten the sapient locals.

On-planet, a small portion of it, directly over the in-construction smuggler listening post, darkening it with the shadows of three vessels. To those force-sensitive on-planet, a veil of intense dark-side energy would be felt to those all within planetary distance. A cold, harsh feeling with brought up a sense of dread in the weak minded. What these force-sensitives thought about this feeling, was up for debate of course.

In the sky, the two smugglers could see the ships in low orbit, with only one singular, nearly invisible transport shuttle disembarking from its gray colored hull and making straight for planetside. As it approached, the smugglers could see the blood red insignia of the Catharian Hegemony, painted brightly on its starboard and port sides. A dragon, intertwining with a black circular insignia.

The shuttle soon landed in a small clearing some 300 meters to the Smuggler's Post entrance. Even from this distance, the loading ramp was clearly visible. Whereas, it slowly descended and presented the group of smugglers a rather large individual clad in hulking durasteel armor which covered him or her from head to toe. Three of them exited, forming a V shape formation. Each of them, bore the marks of a Catharian Space Marine, clearly emblazoned on their shoulder guards, with the words "Sons of Xzeench" written in white paint over a black undercoat. In their hands, were of course, large laser cannons.

Shortly following these Space Marines came Xzaien, beautifully dressed in a extremely formal type of equipment wear, she wore a equally as astonishing blood red robe as her ships, and wore a EVA helmet which seemed to link into an interior body-suit to protect from any insect-borne diseases. Aside from this, her face was clearly visible as well as a small forked object located on the right side of her hip.

Xzaien's face was clearly Cathar, not like the Cathar of the modern day who had devolved into semi-feral manbeasts. No, she appeared to be near human in looks. Save for far more angular facial features, and large eyes. In them, sat two blood red bulbs which seemed to glow slightly in the late evening sun. Her face was also as pale as freshly laid snow, and her black markings even accentuated her angular features. She seemed to have this, contented smile on her face. She alongside her Space Marines slowly approached the smuggler camp where Eldin Daine , and Sinestra , and Zara Tate were working.

She greeted them from afar, as to not startle them.

"Greetings! I have not expected to find sapient life on this dour looking cesspool of a planet. Oh- Please don't be discouraged, I apologise in advance about my followers. They have a tendency to follow me, you do know how that is. If you all could offer some time to assist me with something, I would reward each of you greatly and I shall be of course, very contented."

 

[Shira Varanin]

If not for the temple's records, Shira would have walked right by the mouth of the cave. The Force wasn't radar, and aggressive plant life covered the whole affair. Without a saber, she had to work her way through by hand. She resisted the temptation to just rip up the plants with her new cybernetic arms. Being respectful of the site took her longer, significantly longer. Sweating and swearing, she clambered into the small cave.

A short passage led to the main chamber and a few small branches. Complex and diverse rock formations caught the dim light from the entryway.

In theory a certain gem should resonate for her. She sat down and waited for her breath and heart to slow. For the time being, she felt nothing that...personal, just a general reverberation. There were many crystals in here, concealed within geodes or buried in the earth. The files said this place had been known to yield kathracite (suitable for training sabers), damind (very rare off its homeworld), opila (which generated a blade with superior cutting power), upari (which could be adapted for many effects), and other forms of kyber crystal. If the choice was up to her, she'd have gone for the opila, just for straight utility. But whatever the Force willed, she needed to accept. That was the Jedi way. They didn't take crystals like the Sith. It wasn't about avarice or acquisition.

While she listened, she took the time to fill the rest of her errand: picking out simple kathracite gems to make sabers for younglings. That lasted, oh, five minutes. Then she felt the Dark Side.

Whoever or whatever it was, Shira had feelings. She clamped down on them as best she could. Against the backdrop of the dark, the specific gems she needed, two of them, stood out unexpectedly. She dug them from the cave wall with her metal fingers, gingerly, and pocketed them with the kathracite. Putting them in the lightstaff she'd built was a precise task, nothing to rush.

But the Force suggested action for once, prompt action. She pulled out the inert weapon, unlatched its casing's elements, and slotted the two crystals inside. It all came together much more naturally than she'd expected. The lightstaff hummed to life and blue light refracted all around the cave.

###

She got back to the temple to see a trio of militant-looking folks speaking with Eldin Daine , Sinestra , and a lovely Jedi she didn't recognize. They were a little too close to the freighter Gallia for her comfort.

"Captain Shira Varanin. Sorry - what's going on?"

Zara Tate Xzaien

 

[Zara Tate]

Zara stepped out from the temple with a thermos of hot tea in her hands. Watching intently as Xzaien approached the others. Having just woken up from a trance, she wasn't quite sure what was going on just yet. So, she sipped from her thermos a bit curiously.

Her lips quite puzzled.

Eldin Daine | Sinestra | Shira Varanin | Arro Peradun​

 

[Sinestra]

"Trust me - brothels are where everyone's tongues loosen up." Jude smirked but said no more. An agent wasn't really supposed to reveal much about their line of work.

They were just about to move on when the sky darkened making him halt.

Ships. Unfamiliar design. A shuttle landed and a feline-looking...lady showed up with an escort of three heavily armored soldiers. From the temple stepped out a thermos sippin', blue eye doll and for a moment Jude forgot about the dark omen looming in the air. The reappearance of the white-haired captain, Shira Varanin (an incredibly interesting and unexpected surname), introducing herself to the enigmatic newcomers brought him back to reality.

Jude gave deputy Sideburns a tilt of his head and put the crate down.

"Howdy, Cat Lady." the agent greeted her back with a grin, acting a fool. "Now what kind o' assist you payin' for exactly?"

Zara Tate Eldin Daine @Shira Vara
Xzaien Arro Peradun