[Introductory/Public] Home Is Where The Heart Lies

[Lex Del'Fino]

The forest of Kashyyyk were truly a sight to behold, the leaves of their canopies almost shimmering with shades of green both seen and unseen. Even if he didn't like coming here much, he would always enjoy the view. A steadily blinking light, followed by a string of beeps and whirs brought Lex's attention from the outside of his ship, back to the cockpit. His security codes had been accepted, and he was being directed towards the Hangers.

The depressurization of the cockpit was followed by influx of fresh, unfiltered air. He took a moment to take a deep breathe, and, as was rare for him savored the moment. After breathing in the often times polluted, artificial, or just plain smelly air of industrious worlds, this was a welcome experience.

Hoping out of his star-fighter, Lex stretched his arms wide, allowing a yawn to escape his mouth. "Senior, make sure you log the problems with the nav-screens before you go tweaking it. They nearly blinded me when they turned out." Several beeps from the ship were given in reply. "Why the hell would I need 'day-mode' in the vacuum of space?" A small droid popped out from the front of the ship, and wobbled over it's surface.

"Junior, keep an eye on him. Make sure he does it." A separate set of beeps were heard, as an astromech ejected themselves from the back of the ship. They beeped in affirmative, and moved towards the other droid, and what could only be explained as an argument broke out between the two. "Play nice, you two."

Junior and Senior were his sole companions when out. They made sure his equipment and ship functioned, and kept him from becoming too isolated, and rambling to himself. They also made good partners, on occasion. Senior, a SC Precision Droid, had seemingly an endless array of tools and kits for any situation. Whether it be welding, sheering, or busting, the little droid had it stored somewhere. Junior, a old R-Series Astromech, was capable of slicing, data storage, and even analysis. Really, he didn't know where he'd be without them.

"My eyes must be deceiving me, because it seems I'm staring at my errant former Padawan." A familiar voice called Lex's attention, and he turned to find his old Master approaching him. With a grin, he would meet the Cerelean, the two embracing in a firm hug.

"Master, it's been a while." Lex said, breaking away.

"Too long a while, Lex. You visit too rarely, my former apprentice." He replied.

"Well, I'm a busy man, Master. Someone has to wrangle in riff-raff out there."

"So you say. You look weary. Go, get yourself settled. We can catch up later."

"As you say, Master." Lex offered a curt nod, before the Cerelean departed. He would soon follow suit, making his way through the temple.

 

[Ilwynog Cysgod]

Ilwynog was returning to Kashyyyk from their longest undercover mission, it had been months since they had last seen the Silver home but rumours of a spice/slaver operation within Silver space had them hunting down the operators and gathering the necessary evidence. Their job as the new leader of the Jedi Shadows was sprung as a surprise but they were not necessarily surprised with the result since they had been working hard on proving their worth as a tactical spy within the Jedi Shadows. However, they were still far from being the best Jedi Shadow within the Silver Jedi Order.

Heading towards the temple, people were looking over towards Ilwynog who was still wearing their armour and most importantly, their helmet. To ensure that no one else had the chance to figure out who they were, Ilwynog worked hard to ensure that their identity was a secret because it made working undercover easy when no one knew who you were and that you were not affiliated with one side. So, while they were head of the Jedi Shadows, they knew how to approach the situation to ensure that they were a clear leader within the Order but this fact never left the Order.

Wandering towards the temple, Ilwynog adjusted their cloak to keep their armour and body hidden, remaining fairly overlooked within their own faction as they were not looking to grab attention but still taking in note of others since the Jedi Shadows could always expand to be a strong and essential part of the Order.

[member="Lex Del'Fino"]

 

[Lex Del'Fino]

Lex didn't have the heart to tell his Master that his stay would be a short one. He had come to the Order's new home to just see the shining walls and lush forests, but with a purpose: To give an in person status report to his superiors in the Silver Shadows.

As he walked the halls of the temple, he admitted to himself that it felt strange to be here, in this place. He felt like an outsider, his years spent patrolling the Outer Rim having served to the already growing distance he felt from the Order in his early years. He found the codes of the Judges of the Coalition and the freedom that the frontier of space provided a sense of fulfillment, in its own way.

So much so, he spent years a time on the edge of civilization; this last stint had lasted a total of three years. In that time, he'd missed much, but experience more. But in the end, he was grateful to and loyal to the Order; nothing nor any stretch of time could ever change that.

Passing by a Padawan Group, he finally found where he was heading, a reserved conference room which only those with the proper access codes could enter. Inputting it, he entered, and found a seat at the long table, relaxing as he waited for his superior.

[member="Ilwynog Cysgod"]

 

[Ilwynog Cysgod]

Ilwynog was new to being the head of the Shadows but it didn't stop them from planning and plotting the best way to move the Shadows forward, keeping them hidden but expanding within the galaxy as a network of knowledge. They wandered through the halls and contacted key members to alert them of Ilwynog's return to Kashyyyk before wandering towards the conference room that they had told Lex to meet them to hear his report of his three years work.

They opened the door and tapped a few keys on their wrist, turning the cameras and sensors for the room off. Things were best when reporting off the record, Ilwynog was cautious about spies and infiltrators within their own Order so they were being cautious. Sitting down at the head of the table, they gestured Lex to sit down. "Take a seat, we can discuss your mission and its success. I am Ilwynog, head of the Shadows." Ilwynog's voice changer made it impossible to decipher their accent or gender, too deep to be a real voice.

[member="Lex Del'Fino"]

 

[Lex Del'Fino]

He stared at the person as they entered the room, sizing them up. They weren't what Lex had expected. Or perhaps, they were exactly what he expected? They could be said to be the living embodiment of what it meant to be a Shadow; faceless, voiceless, and formless, he couldn't even tell what species they were, let alone something like gender. Just a name.

Being a Shadow meant keeping a lot of secrets. The things they got into, the acts they committed.... while necessary, it didn't always align with the Jedi Way, often times walking the the thin line of light and dark, sometimes tiptoeing, if even for a moment, over the edge. Being a Shadow, was like an open secret; others in the Order could know you were one, but the information stopped there. And with amount of time they typically spent away, most didn't even know that. They were like living ghost, walking among the living and fading away, just as easily.

Right, his mission. The particular one he was talking about, he'd been able to stop the smuggling of a cache of Sith Artifacts and Holocrons on the Outer Rim. He'd gotten lucky; when he'd boarded the ship of smugglers, they'd started to go insane from the malicious spirits that lie within their cargo bay, whispering in their ears. In the end, he set the vessel to detonate, standing by to ensure total destruction. He relayed all this to Ilwynog.

By the end of it, he'd realized he hadn't even given a proper introduction. "You probably are up to date on this already, but I'm Lex Del'Fino. I operate in the Outer Rim both as a Silver Shadow and as one of ORC's Judges."

[member="Ilwynog Cysgod"]

 

[Ilwynog Cysgod]

When starting their time as a Shadow, Ilwynog was acting as a small time criminal/smuggler, they grew in their profession over time but they were still trying to keep low key best they could. However, they needed a persona, to lose anything that could identify them to their past or current life. An option for the future was that there could always be an Ilwynog Cysgod leading the Shadows, that Ilwynog would become the title of the leader. For now, they were Ilwynog and that was all that mattered.

Listening to Lex provide an update, Ilwynog nodded their head and took in the information. It seemed like there was good work being done here, however, there was always more that could be done. Especially since the Sith were getting closer to the Silver Jedi space, Black Sun gang were growing bigger and were bordering SJO space. They wanted to keep a closer eye on their enemies, a network of spies that could reveal information on their enemies and warn the SJO of actions taken against them.

"That is good work Lex, however, I was curious on your stance with the Sith being close to our border. As well as Black Suns bordering us, we need someone close to home to help with ensuring that illegal trades aren't happening within SJO space and the dangers that the gang could pose on us. If you are happy to stay then I would be grateful, it would useful for new Shadow recruits to learn from you as well." Ilwynog was attempting to build the Shadows into a strong force.

[member="Lex Del'Fino"]

 

[Lex Del'Fino]

"Ah, so it's getting a little cramped locally?" He relaxed into his seat, rubbing his chin in thought. Even in the Outer Rim, Lex made it a habit of keeping up-to-date with the news and happenings concerning both the Sith and the Silver Jedi. Things weren't exactly in a dire state, but they could definitely be better. The Black Sun were a growing headache for everyone, their influence bringing even more chaos to the table. The fact that the Lead Shadow was asking him to stay local, probably was the biggest sign of the situation.

"If your asking, Master Ilwynog, then the answer is almost always yes." He responded. "The Sith and their practices are always a threat to order in the galaxy, that's a tale as old as the Force. And adding the Black Sun into the mixture is a surefire way to create a volatile powder keg." Lex wasn't the most social when it came to his peers. The fact he didn't recognize a tenth of the Jedi on Kashyyykk was only a testament to the fact. And though he had met other Shadows, the meetings were only short and too the point.

He liked it like that. He liked the freedom it gave him, in how to operate, and in how to live. He wasn't sure how it'd be going forward, but he'd do his best to see it through, at least until he could return to the Rim.

[member="Ilwynog Cysgod"]

 

[Ilwynog Cysgod]

Ilwynog nodded their head, it was problematic being increasingly surround by enemies but it also gave them a chance to learn more about the enemy and the way they operated being closer. It was a risk that Ilwynog wanted to see that they could exploit, however, they needed the right people in the right positions. "If you are happy to step away from the Outer Rim for now, we could use your skills with the Black Sun, infiltrate there and start bringing down their operations. I have my suspicions that they are being funded by the Sith."

It was fair to admit their suspicions when it comes to Sith operations, especially with their own people, if they were not honest or trusting with their own people then the operation of the Shadows would collapse on its own. "If you cannot, I understand but I figured you had experience with gang operations and plans so you would be ideal in helping us prevent the Black Sun getting too large." Ilwynog explained their decision to offer Lex this opportunity. Hoping he would take the task with some vigour.

[member="Lex Del'Fino"]

 

[Lex Del'Fino]

Lex sat back in his seat, rubbing his beard in thought. Undercover work? Earlier in his life, he would've jumped at the opportunity. There was just a certain thrill that seemed to innately come with the nature of the job. But as he'd gotten older, those feelings would sour. The lies that cost lives, the inaction that was needed at the cost of others, the betrayals of trust in the most critical of moments, it had a certain way of... darkening one's thoughts. And it went without saying why that was a problem.

It was why he eventually took up with ORC and their Judges, honestly. Their brand of law and order sat in the middle; he did what was needed, and only did the worst when necessary. But now, Ilwynog wanted seemed to want him back in shadows again, as was his role.

"I can follow the line of reasoning, Master, and I'm always willing to do what's necessary, but-", he leaned forward, "-I have to ask, how deep exactly are you asking? It'd be easy enough to get into the Sun's as they are now, the gang is big enough for that. But to get credit trails, suppliers, even just aliases, would require some.... groundwork."

Being a Shadow meant doing what needed to be done in the moment. The mission took priority, all in the name of saving lives on a wider scope. The ten people now would die in the name of thousands. But sometimes... sometimes... the ends, even if they justified the means... didn't make it right.

[member="Ilwynog Cysgod"]

 

[Ilwynog Cysgod]

They looked over some notes, pausing as they listened to Lex, it was a tough job going undercover. The deeper undercover that a person went, the easier it was to lose themselves, Ilywnog often found it hard to remember when their identity as the criminal ended and when their real life began. Constantly being under a pseudo name as the leader of the Shadows, the Shadow found it easier to know where one life began and another ended but their life was never an easy one. Leaning back in their seat, Ilwynog placed their datapad down, looking towards Lex.

"I have begun infiltrating the Black Sun, however, it is slow progress. This isn't assignment that you will be doing alone, I am going to try entering deep so that I can gather information on the Sith Empire through them. What I think you will do well is at a lower level, infiltrating and provide feedback to the SJO of Black Sun activity that is on our border as well as acts that will happen against us." Ilwynog paused, "I know they won't share so freely, however, finding out activity of what the Black Sun is doing will be less risky than finding information about Sith and dealings between those two factions." Ilwynog explained in a slow tone, showing their deep thinking.

Breathing out slowly, "I understand if you cannot do the mission. It will be hard, I have already worked in trading slaves, spices and worse. This business is not one of pleasantries and we will not be working with allies. I have killed many I worked with in order to make sure that I can climb the ladder best I can." Ilwynog stood up and looked over to Lex, "I am also looking to expand the Shadows, we have laid dormant for too long, if you find or know of others who would work well in this section of the SJO then please bring them to me so I may assess them myself. The Shadows need to stay secretive when we can but I want us to grow."

[member="Lex Del'Fino"]