It Starts with Curiosity

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

“I can’t sing.”

Was that her attempt at a joke? Surprisingly that made him laugh genuinely, and he wondered what she would have been like on a normal outing. He couldn’t imagine her smiling and laughing like a normal woman would, but he was sure she was more animated when no one was around. When she told him that he would get there eventually, he pretty much thought the same. He wasn’t normally impatient for progress, but sometimes he wondered if he was doing enough in his training. If he was putting in enough effort to really make a difference. He wasn’t blind to what was going on in the galaxy and he knew that the Jedi were looked to, to provide stability and security, but what did he have to offer to the Jedi Order at this point? Even if he was sent on a mission, he wouldn’t be much use.

He looked at Cathbouda, “I know you’re right. Just sometimes I feel a little inferior when I see the other padawans, who’ve been training since they were children. I know I’ll catch up eventually, but for right now, it’s just a little embarrassing to be so far behind. But I’ll correct my thoughts and just try to focus on putting my best foot forward.”

Makari looked around and asked, “So where to next? What tomb do you think will contain those corpses we’ve been sent to clean up? I tried using the force but I really can’t sense them at the moment. Maybe you’ll have better luck?”

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

If he was going to measure himself against other padawans it was going to be a tricky thing. Many worked with their masters to learn quickly, some worked to study and learn a lot. She made sure they knew what they were doing before moving on and providing them with a lot of the work to do. "measuring yourself to other padawans it not needed, all advance at their own pace." A look at him from under the mask though while she was leading the way towards the tombs and spoke. "Some of the other tombs will likely have them, it is just finding ones that have not been looted is the trick." She said it while walking and leading the way towards the better sections of the mountains where others didn't really go because it was normally impassible but they had been working to clear the ways and set up pathways through it all. THe sound of snow crunching underfoot when it was visiblle. One of the corpses off in the distance with its footsteps echoing in the canyon. Tombs few had ever found their way into.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

"Measuring yourself to other padawans it not needed, all advance at their own pace."

His master’s words were true and echoed what he already thought. But hearing her say it was more reassuring and gave him a sense of relief that she didn’t expect him to be a prodigy who learned things at a breakneck speed. He wasn’t like that and he always preferred to take his time learning things, which was why he was grateful to be under Cathbodua’s tutelage, who seemed to have a tolerance for his slow progress.

Makari nodded his head. “I’ll take your words to heart and try not to forget them.” He swore to himself that he wouldn’t let himself have this type of self-doubt again as it was very unlike him.

"Some of the other tombs will likely have them, it is just finding ones that have not been looted is the trick."

Makari nodded again. “Then let’s get to it.” Cathbodua led the way further into the mountain, and the pathway they walked upon wasn’t as difficult as he expected it to be. He could tell that there was work that had been done here to make the path traversable and as the snow continued to fall, he continued following Cathbodua until he heard a sound that was echoing in the canyon.

Footsteps.

He drew his vibroblade as they continued moving towards the tomb. “I think we’ve finally found what we’re looking for. How should we approach the corpse? I’ll follow your lead and move accordingly.”

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She gave a small nod of her head, staying there and not drawing the lightwhip just yet they could work with this and it didn't do well to be on edge the entire time. They weren't rushing ahead after all to turn this into some horror show this was looking for a way to be careful and handle the problem as it arose with the jedi knight prepared to work on many of the things. She gave it a small smirk though ready to make it work before finally it came into view for them with the frozen and dried out skin pulled over the bones. Sections of it where the skin had frozen and cracked from him moving to show holes and gaps. There wasn't really any sound from it just that recognition that came before she was moving up towards it and checking the mesh over the armor with a nod of her head. The second blade on her hips a lightsaber from her masters masters masters master and so on several dozen masters back. THe blade hissed to life as she was slashing into it and moved around quickly with her footing to let it slip up.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Cathbodua nodded and gestured for him to follow her. They moved with caution, like a predator getting ready to pounce on a prey. Makari had experience in such a thing. You didn’t survive on expeditions without gaining a little knowledge about hunting and learning how to move with a soft step.

He couldn’t see his master’s expression because she was wearing a mask, but he could sense that she was confident as they got more closer to the creature. The creature was a mess of peeling skin and bones. Truly a corpse like she had described, but he felt pity for the person it once was. No one deserved to be defiled like this after their death, but soon this corpse would be put to rest, and if there was a spirit that clung to it, it would be free to travel to the next world.

Cathbodua chose not to use her lightwhip, and instead drew a lightsaber, that hissed to life as she went forward with a slash that cut into the corpse. She used her footwork to move around the corpse, and as the corpse attempted to keep up with her movements, it slipped up a bit, and that was when Makari charged forward.

He put his strength into a powerful swing of his vibroblade, the goal to decapitate the creature and then follow up with a series of cuts and slices to help Cathbodua tear the corpse to pieces like she said they had to.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was watching him and her padawan had the right idea while she sliced through his arm and chest to get pieces on the ground that her footwork set apart. Kicking them into the air around so it went down the canyon crevice with a nod of her head. her padawan was taking the initiative when his head was taken away and she force pushed it away while dismembering the being. She felt something from her padawan and gave him a small look while waiting there for a moment. The hand slashed against the meshed robes as it seemed to react and glowed with a pulse of the lightside remaining prestine while the darkside fo the creature seemed to recoil at touching it. They had plenty of work done so that it could be safe and handled with the jedi kngiht backing up for a moment to hold the saber and watch everything else around them. She motioned with her hand over towards the side of the mountain that wasn't open air so she could launch and send away the pieces.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Makari hadn’t been in fights often, so adrenaline was something to get used to. In his training with Cathbodua, there wasn’t a danger in just letting his instincts take over, but in this life or death scenario, he had to be careful about getting led by the nose by his emotions. His body just wanted to move recklessly and throw caution to the wind, but Makari practiced restraint. He didn’t let himself get too cocky in attacking the creature, he waited for opportune moments and then he struck, never taking any risk in an attack that would leave him open to a counter strike. That was why they were tag teaming the creature. When Cathbodua had the creature’s attention, he struck. When he had the creature’s attention, she struck.

They quickly picked apart the corpse until there was nothing but pieces, and then Cathbodua looked at him for a moment, as if she was critiquing how he had conducted himself in the fight.

Had he done a good job, he wondered? Had he lived up to her expectations? He didn’t ask her, but he thought he had done something right, because she didn’t complain.

As Cathbodua looked around at their surroundings, Makari slowed his breathing a little. He had to calm down, now that the fight was over. He started to speak to Cathbodua, but she did something that caught his attention for the moment. She sent the pieces of the corpse over towards the side of the mountain, and as she did, Makari said a silent prayer for the person that had once inhabited it. No one should be treated like this after death, but soon him and Cathbodua would put all of the corpse to rest and set things to order.

He looked at Cathbodua while he sheathed his vibroblade. “One down, plenty more to go. Are you ready to continue forward? I think I have enough energy to take on a whole army right now, but that may just be the adrenaline talking,” he grinned.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was looking at him and could keep her attention on some of the things but she looked at him with a nod of her head. "Do not believe yourself so confident, we are jedi set on some things but killing and fighting an army is not something you should be proud of or desire." Violence was not the answer though it could and would usually be something that happened with jedi often. "We do not seek conflict, but we are supposed to be able to defend ourselves and others." She wasnt blind to the idea while thnking about and working with some of the better and some of the ideas before she turned thoughts over in her head going along the path with some of the banners and markers getting more artsful a display here and there of images. She looked over all of it finding one of the larger tomb like crypts.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

He had only been joking about being able to take on a whole army, but his master took his words seriously. While she lectured him on keeping his thoughts in order, Makari scratched the back of his head awkwardly and wasn’t sure if he should tell her he was only playing around. He didn’t want her to feel like she was wasting her words, so he ultimately just listened and nodded, but when she finished speaking he said, “I’ll remember your words, but you don’t have to worry about me being in a rush to fight or kill. I’ve seen enough death in my lifetime to know that violence should be avoided if it can be helped. And to be honest-” Makari started to laugh a little. “I’m not really a fighter. If I can talk my way out of a problem, I’m all game.”

They continued through the mountain, following a path that was decorated with banners and markers, and finally they came to one of the larger tombs. Makari's gaze traveled to Cathbodua. “Anything on your scanner? Or can you sense anything with the force?”

While he waited for her answer, he closed his eyes and tried to see if he could sense anything coming from the tomb. It was easy to detect a living person, but sensing danger from the undead was a bit more difficult. He couldn’t sense any emotions from them. He couldn’t sense any thoughts. But then again, he was just a padawan and he still had much to learn before he could be as skilled in the force as Cathbodua.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Her scanner could pick up some things but it was mostly a far superior and improved upon medical scanner that she could hold in the palm of her hand as opposed to the scanners for things here. "The scanners are medical grade and made for patients or some lifesigns. These creatures would require a force scanner." Something being worked on she knew for jedi watchmen by the tech division so they could find them or so shadows could find force artifacts that may prove dangerous but for now for this she needed less tech and force energy and more of her eyes. Leading the way as the massive temple like tomb was open when she was approaching it to look at some of the older sections. "it might not be perfect or helpful but it is impressive when healing the wounded. What we really need to know more are around is our nose and sense of smell." Well he did her mask was filtered to protect herself while she was going inside prepared for any of the things that might be coming out and around.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Makari was mistaken on the use of the scanner. What he thought was a force scanner, was something that was used for medical purposes. She said they had to rely on their senses instead, something that was a bit troubling because his sense of smell was nothing extraordinary, but Makari attempted it anyway.

As they entered into the tomb, he concentrated on the different smells that were going through his nostrils. A tomb being a tomb, there were naturally smells that were offensive to his nose, but there was one particular smell that had caught his attention.

“Hold on for a moment,” he told Cathbodua. He thought he had caught on to a peculiar scent. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air, and then he sniffed the air again after a few seconds had passed. “I smell something strange,” Makari said. “It’s a strong smell. Smells like rot and decay, although we have a problem here. I can smell this scent coming from different directions. I think there are a lot of corpses in this tomb, although the passageway to the left of us is where the smell is the strongest.” Makari pointed to a long passageway that seemed to stretch on endlessly. “Want to check out that area first? With so many corpses in that direction, I feel like they might be guarding something important.”

He waited for her reply, while looking to his left, feeling that they would find something important at the end of the passageway. Maybe more crystals? Maybe something more valuable? He hoped they would get the chance to find out but it was up to his master to make the decision.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Now he was getting it and the jedi knight gave a nod of her head to him. "Then we shall go that way." She held up her wrists as the small tubes moved shifting and allowing her to select different weapons or tools for the job that was needed when she moved. An ionic disruptor in close quarters was a powerful thing as it looked like a lightning caster that also turned creatures into ash. The other wrist she was selecting the cryoban sprayer while she went through everything and was prepared to quicklly use it going with her steps going quiet. The suit was easily worna nd used but without her padawans having it there was no reason to risk him using the optical camo micro crystal coating. She could grab her saber and whip as needed but wrist attachments were a big thing for this suit with what they could do.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Their footsteps were light and they both were on guard for what was waiting at the end of the passageway. Makari wasn’t sure of the enemy’s numbers, but he thought they were at least five or six corpses that would be waiting for them. The more they advanced, the stronger the smell, and the tighter his fingers wrapped around the grip of his vibroblade.

He was ready.

Not just for the corpses, but whatever else they might find in the room that was coming into view.

​

​

However it wasn’t an ordinary room they entered. What they found was a part of the tomb that was unfinished and unbuilt. It was very cave-like and there were crystals here and there, a hole in the roof allowing in sunlight, and in the distance, Makari could make out a single stone coffin. It was where the smell of the corpses were coming from, although he couldn’t see them at the moment.

“Did you know this crystal cave was connected to the tomb?” he asked Cathbodua. “It seems like some work was being done here, but it seems unfished and abandoned.” He looked around, still looking for the corpses. “I can smell the corpses in here, but I can’t see them for some reason.” Makari looked at Cathbodua. “Do you mind if I look around for a bit? I want to see what else is in here. This room is pretty big, and I’m sure the corpses are in here somewhere. Maybe they’ll show up if I get closer to that stone coffin over there in the corner?” Makari pointed to a stone coffin that was on the other end of room. He waited for Cathbodua to give him permission to go check it out.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was looking at him and moving through the caves from the tunnel, careful tow r with many of the things before she turned her attention to some of the bigger things. Looking around at the crystals while providing herself with a few other ideas when she pushed the thoughts forward though. "I didn't but there are many crystals caves throughout the world that are connected and off the beaten path. We'll be able to see if they were doing work here and that might have attracted the creatures. Just be careful where you are searching." She stayed with some of the things while walking around carefully with her steps. Reaching out with the force to sense what she could while checking the stone coffins with a nod of her head.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

She told him to be careful while he searched and he nodded. “I’ll be safe.”

He left her to look around on her own, and then he headed for the stone coffin that had caught his eye. The closer he got, the more he was on guard. His nose wasn’t deceiving him. There was definitely something in that area, but he couldn’t see it in plain sight. For some reason he thought of a few adventure stories he read, and then he wondered if the corpses were camouflaged in some way. Maybe with magic? Or maybe they were in plain sight and there was a magic being worked in this cave that manipulated his vision to see differently?

What did it matter though? A Jedi knight was with him, so he doubted if they would be taken unawares.

He came to the stone coffin and ran his hand along the rough surface. They were words carved here and there, and there was a series of events that seemed to be depicted through the carvings as well, but Makari’s attention was soon drawn to the wall, and the smell that was coming from it.

He examined the wall, looking for any small clue, and then he became aware of a part of the wall that was a bit peculiar. It was discolored compared to the rest, and the surface was smooth not rocky

“I think I found something,” he shouted out to Cathbodua, who was on the other side of the room.

His had pressed against the discolored area, and then he heard a loud grumbling sound.

It appeared he had just pressed a button.

He looked at the part of the wall that had just opened up, and out came a dozen corpses. He gripped his vibroblade as they started to rush in his direction, hoping Cathbodua would be able to back him up in time.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She could hear him searching around the tomb with the jedi knight having a small nod of her head. He was being careful and then something shifted while she was moving and bringing her hand to her lightwhip letting the guides extend when she was seeing the corpses. The whirring sound as they came out and presented themselves ready to be used to slice and whip back the corpses were there before the snap hiss of the tails lighting up with the pale orange light. The jedi knight moved up to join her padawan while watching everything there with a small look of concern most for the bigger sections of it. "Be careful does not mean release undead for future reference." It was a joke... kind of... she was dry and not a funny woman so it might sound like scorn but it was meant to be a joke to lighten the mood and everyone made mistakes as he whip was going over to crackk and start slashing the corpses.

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

As the corpses came at him, the adrenaline from before filled his body and gave him a crazy focus. Footwork was the key to surviving and avoiding the enemy’s strikes was the key to staying alive. He waited for Cathbodua to reinforce him and then he went on the offensive. He was neither a skilled duelist nor or a strategist, but he was fast and he was handy with a vibroblade. He knew enough to make an impact, and while Cathbodua did most of the heavy work in getting rid of the corpses, Makari made some contributions with the swings and slices of his vibroblade. He wasn’t on her level yet, but he would get there eventually.

Once they had cleaned up the corpses and had time to catch a breather, Makai hunched over out of breath and a little tired. He thought on the joke that his master had told earlier and he laughed a little.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t tease me too much for this. I get the feeling you’re going to use this as a 'what not to do' tale for your other padawans.”

He was still chuckling as he wiped the sweat off his face and started to stretch his body a little. He looked around at some of the crystals, and at some of the other things that were inside the crystal cave.

“Do you think there’s any more corpses in this tomb or should we move on to the next one?"

As he waited on her answer, he took out a protein bar and snacked a little. "Want one?" he offered. He took out another one for Cathbodua just in case.

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was moving with the other corpses while she moved to the side quickly with the whip. Using it to mope them up and corral them into a section when one slashed at her with its claws. The mesh chainmail there while its hands impacted it and the dead fingernails that were sticking out and yellowed cracks like shells against the stronger mesh. She gave it a moment before kicking back at the corpse and bringing her hand up as she blasted the force energies to push them back into a wall to quickly move the whip and break them into sections on the ground when they finished up and she was looking at her padawan who had been working hard. Details on it with the idea of using it as a tale of caution was something she could do but she rarely discussed other padawans she might teach with others. "Maybe, though we should make sure and tombs like this might have collected things that should be recorded." She was looking at the food and had her own in case. "I will be fine."

 

[Makari Valeal]

[member="Cathbodua"]

Cathbodua told him there was still things that they could do while in the tomb. Recording and collecting information being chief among them. He looked around the cave and he thought she had a point. The doorway that the corpses had come from was still open, and then there was the crystals in this cave that they could have collected. He looked at the coffin with the peculiar writing on it. There was also the mystery of whose tomb this was and what kind of construction was going on before it was discontinued. He wondered if the workers had purposely sealed off the corpses behind the wall for a specific purpose or experiment in mind. There had to be a reason for why they would only show up after a certain button was pressed.

As he continued looking around he said, “You know what, I think you’re right. There’s more to this place than it seems.” He bawled up the wrapper of his protein bar and stuffed it in his pocket. He wasn’t one to litter. “So what should we do first? That coffin over there with the weird writing on it makes me believe that someone important is buried there. We could try to figure out who’s inside it and if not that, we can also check out that passageway that just opened up in the wall where the corpses came from.” Makari’s eyes drifted to the crystals that surrounded them. “We could also collect some crystals or whatever else is in this room that we haven’t discovered? Just some throwing some things out there. Whatever you choose as our course of action, I’ll follow.”

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Now he was getting the idea and pushing over many of the things, they had developed a couple of things here and there but checking to see what might be hidden in a place like this gave her a few ideas. Bringing her hand out with a glowrod so she could see around it. Tossing one of the glowrods into the chamber they had come from while she resurced everything she could Looking and working to get the controls as she looked for them to disable and lock them with the chamber doors opened. Didn't want to have a reset that could endanger them for a small time or something that would work to lure more in while she broke off and jammed a piece of crystal into one of the sections. The meshed-chainmail gleaming with the force before she rolled her shoulders in readiness. "Yes if you find anything point it out and we'll see about information.