Mission to Abeloth

[Telthòr]

Location: Abeloth's planet
Allies: [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]
Enemies: Everything, [member="Sosu Deviron"], [member="Metus De'cal"]
Objective: Locate the ruins, and try not to die

Theme

A J-Type Star Skiff burst out from the cloud cover, slashing across the sky as it descended upon the jungle planet. The wide-winged aircraft looked like a great silver boomerang coming down from the heavens above. Sublight drives roared as blue flames expelled from the rear engines. At the heart of this vessel was the Umbaran pilot, and Jedi Archaeologist Padawan, Ricardt Darkmourne. Ricardt kept his eyes on the viewport before him, but that didn't stop him from talking to Tugoro, "You know, a lot of people ask me how I could afford this yacht." For a moment, Ricardt released the controls and motioned a wave of his hand in dismissal to the common question, "I just tell them when I woke up, it was in my account. Which isn't a lie." He gripped the controls once more, "Probably shouldn't have done that."

The landing gears unfolded from the belly of the beast and the vessel began to decelerate. Ricardt said, "As I was saying, not many people buy into that, even if it's the truth. I guess people find it hard to believe an Umbaran, even some fellow Jedi." Ricardt held onto the controls with his right hand, using his left to slap in a series of digits and commands. He thumbed a drive and released his grip on the controls, the ship was now flying on its own with a preset landing vector. Ricardt unbuckled himself and stood from his seat, his robes were far from cleaned and cared for. There were evident rip and tears in the fabric. He picked up his brown robe and slid his arms into the sleeves, drawing the hood over his head. Ricardt said, "Now, one thing I should remind you. This planet is very strange. The animals are the prey, and the plants the predators. So we need to watch where we step."

The J-Type Star Skiff slammed against the ground, the landing gears groaning under the weight. Ricardt didn't seem phased in the slightest at the horrid landing. The Umbaran was used to discomfort, especially crawling in mud and hiding under trees in a heavy downpour. Ricardt moved to the rear of the ship where he slammed a clenched fist against the ramp ignition. Hydraulics sounded as the rear loading ramp began to descend. He held out a datapad and looked down, "We should be at the ruins in thirty minutes if we don't make any stops. The jungle was too dense for me to find any closer of a landing point."

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Having decided to leave his own personal super-fighter back in Republic space, Tugoro would find himself inside the fancy interior of the J-Type Star Skiff. It was a nice craft, the young Padawan admired it due to it's over all design, interior and exterior. After travelling through space for a few hours, the duo would arrive on the planet Abeloth, breaking into it's atmosphere. The craft would begin to shake gently as it became visible from the skies, flying quickly through the clouds and towards the surface. The young boy's head would crane to the side, listening to [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] as he spoke of his star ship. He figured the two had experienced a similar kind of luck, seeing as Tugoro had received his craft, which was one of the best fighters in the galaxy, for free as well. The engines loud hum would begin to quiet as the ship slowed, continuing to descend towards the jungle planet's ground.

The landing gears that had extended would touch down gently into the dirt and grass, causing the yacht to only buckle slightly. The seat belt that had ran across the Padawan's torso would retract back into the wall, after being released by the human's fingers. Standing up onto his feet, Tugoro could not help but stretch briefly, the inactivity causing him to feel stiff. Wearing his plain tunic, Tugoro would open a nearby compartment, withdrawing a large bag of belongings he had brought for the journey. Blinking a few times, the young Jedi would look blankly out the window at the wildlife, as he was informed that plants happened to be the most deadly things on the planet. Slinging the duffle-like bag over his shoulder, Tugoro would begin to walk across the ship's floor, heading towards the loading ramp that had lowered itself.

Walking down the metallic plank, the young boy would take a deep breath of air in as he glanced around the area, his eyes closing briefly as he focused on the force energy around him. The energy he possessed was noticeably light, though the planet was the opposite, seeming to give off a dark side presence. It was not a pleasant feeling, thus causing the Jedi to be on guard at all time. His mind would open to the immediate force that surrounded him, tapping into it's power to allow him to sense any dangers nearby, be it plants or animals. Nothing yet. "Thirty minutes, huh," The Padawan would speak, nodding his head to signify his understanding, "We better move then."

 

[Telthòr]

Ricardt Darkmourne followed his comrade down the ramp. They stood in an opening, a muddied slope from recent torrential downpour would be their first obstacle before cutting their way through a jungle, and following the flowing waters of a river. Ricardt took the lead, treading carefully and relatively awkwardly on the mud. It was thick and stuck to his boots in heavy chunks. He miscalculated his next step, forgetting just how slippery wet dirt could get. His right leg was suddenly pushed outward, causing him to fall in an almost leg splits. All that stopped him from completing his fall was a held out hand, slapping into the mud and sending up a spray of dirt flecks across his face.

The Umbaran burst out in laughter, Ricardt said, "I didn't see that coming." Laughter and Umbarans didn't seem to mix, often known for their malicious personality. The Jedi in question was certainly a happy-go-lucky type of person. He took a glance back to his Skiff, he had mean't it when he woke up, it was in his name. He didn't remember a thing waking up, and still doesn't. He had suffered from a Dark Side ability known as Memory Rub. The Skiff was assumed to be bought by Ricardt in his previous life, with the admirable amount of wealth in his accounts. An assumed businessman, but no one could verify. Not a citizen could come forth and confirm his identity. A galaxy this big, it was no surprise.

Ricardt pushed his way down the slope until he was met with sand and a trickle of water racing downstream. He leaned down and picked up a choice stick, as tall as he. Ricardt began to wade out into the water and follow it, he said "You might want to grab one for yourself, these rivers tend to pick up speed and depth." Vines began to droop in their way. Flowers turned to gaze upon the travellers, wishing to quench their hunger. Ricardt was but all oblivious to this audience. Ricardt said "Sometimes one cannot adhere to Form Zero." With this, he curled his hands around the hilt of his lightsaber. A thumb slapped the ignition and the green blade burst to life with a snap-hiss. Ricardt raised his blade and began to slash his way through the vines.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Metus De'cal]

The master's words become the apprentice's actions.

That was why Metus now found himself on the planet of the ancient dark entity, surrounded by the usual inconveniences of a jungle and the danger of the local fauna that demanded his death to feed themselves. He had never been in a jungle before and to be honest he preferred to never be in one again once the mission was all said and done...whatever the mission truly was. All his master would say was that there was something of great value on the planet for Metus to discover and bring back, with further instruction of not returning until such a thing was found. The apprentice was then left there with only a few days worth of rations before he would have to begin surviving off the land itself, which wanted nothing more than to survive off of him.

To traverse the jungle Metus wore a simple black leather tunic under his usual thick and dark red robe, a mixture of light and heavy clothing for a place that could be hot one day and cold the next depending on rain and whatnot, and as he wandered about he began to notice more and more different kinds of plant life that seemed to almost drift towards him as if he was the sunlight that plants from other worlds craved. He knew what these ones truly wanted however from his master's warnings, and if anything seemed too close to him his paranoia demanded that his lightsaber be used to cut it to pieces. If it was up to him every world would be like Coruscant, where the dirt and grime was far more welcoming than the savagery lurking behind everything.

Constantly on the lookout for anything that could be what his master intended for him to find, Metus eventually felt something...different than the rest of the world around him. This planet was touched by the dark side of the force and yet there seemed to be something that stood out from the rest of it in a way that didn't belong, as if it was a small beacon that demanded to be found. The apprentice wondered if this was what he was sent to find, and began cautiously making his way towards the unknown sensation while feeling the familiar thrill and curiosity of a possible discovery.

Which is how he ended up on the trail of [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] and [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]...

 

[Sosu Deviron]

To be honest with you I honestly had no plans to enter the Maw, but I honestly had no choice anymore. I had read up on some of the history that had been saved on a planet believed to have at one point belonged to a entity. Maybe the secret I needed to end this ever growing hunger was there. Exiting hyperspace in my Dominus-Class Starfighter stars snapped into view as well as blackholes clustered here and there. The place looked like a trap that would be inescapable once entering, but good thing I was long lived. I'd eventually find a way out.

Ahead of me though I saw the planet I had been searching for. A planet that reeked of dark side energy. I could sense it from the cockpit of my ship and I loved it. It filled my hunger without me even having to feed, horrible things had taken place on this planet and it was obvious. Shivers retreated constantly down my spine in anticipation of what I could possibly find on the planet. I didn't even care whether I found information on my kind anymore. All I wanted was to explore the planet and find all the other secrets it probably harbored. Pushing the starfighter full throttle I flew torwards the planet at a extreme speed exploding through the atmosphere and flying across the sky's. The planet seemed to be covered in woods though, something that I wanted nothing to do with. I had done enough research before coming to know that the fauna on this planet could kill me if it wanted to. Heck it would probably be more attracted to be due to my radiation in the force.

Swooping low over the trees I looked below to see a Star skiff landed in a clearing. I couldn't help but be cautious. How many more people were insane enough to visit this planet? Had my hunch been right. Bringing my ship down for a landing I landed a few yards away from the star skiff and exited my starfighter locking it behind me.

[member="Metus De'cal"], [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"], [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

The wet mud was rather uncomfortable to walk through, the boy's brown leather boots getting covered in the thick substance as he legs moved carefully and slowly. He did not want to fall. Looking up at [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"], the young Padawan could not help but grin, watching as the Umbaran almost landed face first in the dirt. Thankfully his hand saved him, though now it too was covered in mud. Making sure to keep his feet steady and balanced, the young human would chuckle, while resuming the path they had been on. The sound of rushing water could be heard nearby, and so the two would head towards it, seeing as it was the safest method of transportation. If they decided to make their way through the jungle, they would probably be eaten within moments.

Walking down the brief slope, Tugoro would reach forward as he bent down, grabbing a sturdy long staff-like stick. Pulling it off of the ground, the young Jedi would follow his new comrade into the water, making sure to the jab the stick into the river's floor. The wood would drag along the surface as the two were pushed with the current, allowing them to avoid most of the wildlife, spare a few vines that began to advance their way. Seeing as Ricardt was doing all of the work, Tugoro would simply hold his saber hilt in his palm, waiting for any attacks that were directed to him, or to one that the man could not react to. Even though the planet was covered in dark side energy, a new eerie feeling crept up the boy's back through the force. Though, he could've mistaken it for a leech. Something was not right.

 

[Telthòr]

Ricardt glanced over his shoulder to [member="Tugoro Taidarious"], he voiced his opinion of him, "Not much of a talker are you?" He moved his arm in an arc, slashing away brush as he descended further down the increasingly dangerous rapids. Ricardt shrugged, "It doesn't bother me though, I respect the wishes of others. It's just two years of constant expeditions alone has me talking like a chatter-box whenever I see someone else." The waters weren't rough enough to send them off their feet, but it was deep enough that it came up to their waists. Ricardt held out his arms wide, one hand on the walking stick for balance on the riverbed, the other to cut away plant life that got too close, or simply in their way. The Umbaran was excited to be in this position, where others may find themselves extremely uncomfortable.

Rocks jutted out of the water, the ground beneath their feet became uneven by unpredictable rock placement. Every now and again Ricardt would stumble or lose his footing, splashing into the water for only a moment. Ricardt would smile, but the humidity was starting to get to him. Beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks and fell from his chin. He snapped back his hood, revealing his perfectly shaven head, and unclipped the cloak from his chest. Before it could fall into the water, he caught it, scrunching it up into a bunch and carrying it under his left arm. On hikes like these, there wasn't a place for formality or tidiness. They hadn't encountered any of the natural wildlife here yet, but he could feel another presence nearby.

Timd passed quickly and without much thought to it. It wasn't long when the river met a clearing of land. Trees had fallen nearby, and any further down the visit would be near-impossible to navigate with a mixture of waterfalls, rocks and dense flora. It had suddenly become much more severe than their previous journey. Ricardt glanced back up-river, and then down. He said to Tugoro, "Someone must have been through the way we came before. The river was cleared but any further and it's just a whole mess. Can't say how long ago, there is no sentient life on this planet, as far as reports go." The Umbaran took a seat, trying to cool down his body from the tiring hike. It was a whole new level of walking, constantly trying to keep your balance and hack away plants simultaneously. He hiked his thumb to an entrance nearby, an ancient ruin, "That's what I was looking for. You know, just wanted to say thanks for coming. It's good to have company."

[member="Sosu Deviron"] | [member="Metus De'cal"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

She’d never flown on a J-Type Star Skiff before but – if she weren’t a Jedi – she could get used to the luxury of it.

And then, of course, guilt set it. Material wealth was not in keeping with her view of the Jedi Code. To avoid spending the journey in an internal mental wrangle, she instead practiced Faalo’s Cadences. It was both necessary for her development and an appropriate distraction.

She knew little of the journey they were on – save that it was not combat related. Tugoro she knew (and he’d encouraged her to attend) but Padawan Ricadt Darkmourne was new to her. But he was a Jedi Archaeologist – and anyone who valued knowledge was most definitely in her good books.

She allowed the boys to ‘play with their toys’ in the cockpit and focused on meditation once she’d finished her lightsaber training.

Finally she heard the unmistakeable sound of the landing gears unfolding and knew they must have arrived at the jungle planet.

She tagged along behind them as they walked through the mud. She looked around, trying to remember as many of the species as she could from her studies - but was able to recognise very few. This was indeed a strange planet.

The boys stopped in front of her and Ricardt pointed to a nearby ruin. 'Guess we're here then. I suppose I ought to make an effort in the conversation stakes too.'

"Is that it?" Corvus cringed a her first real effort at 'making friends.' She attempted a friendly smile by way of compensation.

[member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Metus De'cal]

Following the trail of the strange presence had Metus seeing much of the dangerous planet and its dark jungles, the promise of success pushing the apprentice forward towards what was possibly the reason his master demanded his presence here. Whatever this thing that was drawing him could be, it was something that was driving him even in a place like this. Hours passed as he continued his search, the humidity making him sweat and the warmth forcing him to stop at times to rest and keep hydrated, and eventually the student of the dark side found himself near a clearing where he was graced with a sight that he never expected; a ship.

The crescent-shaped craft must have landed before Metus arrived, but the sensation that he got from being near it brought a smile to his face that was hidden underneath the mask. It was the same thing he'd felt before...the owners of this ship were definitely sensitive to the force, but the way that they stood out so strongly from the rest of this dark world's aura meant that they could be Jedi. Did his master know they would be here and wanted Metus to destroy them? Whether that was the case or not he would track them down while the dark power of this planet would help mask him, and if they proved to be an enemy he could dispatch it would seal their fate.

The student of fear would did some quick detective work around the outside of the ship, disappointed that he had no way to sabotage it and not wanting to damage it with his lightsaber just in case he needed it to escape the planet, and quickly found footprints walking into the thick mud in front of the vessel that told him the possibility of a least two or three people. Metus lowered his hood and started pushing through the thick mud that threatened to engulf his feet, chuckling to himself as the vague mission turned into a hunt for what could be Jedi.

Whatever they were doing here, he would make sure that it was their last mission.
-------------

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"]

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Sosu Deviron"]

 

[Sosu Deviron]

Following the presences in the force I was led to a clearing where a J-Type Star Skiff sat in the middle. Approaching the ship throwing caution to the wind I knew there was no one near the ship as there presences were quite a distance ahead. The ship was in good condition for now. Drawing my curved hilt saber I almost stabbed a hole in the ship but thought otherwise. I didn't have time for sabatoge, and considering how dangerous the planet was I doubted anyone would be returning for the ship. I deactivated my saber the red blade drawing back into the hilt with a hissing sound. It was strange though a presence was bothering me, I had at first sensed three beings aligned with the light but now there was one aligned with the dark. Feeling the direction they had all headed in I begun my journey in the same direction though I would cut through the brush making it seem as though my presence was nothing more than a animal that inhabited the planet.

[member="Metus De'cal"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Telthòr]

"That's it," Ricardt looked to her, smiling wide. He beamed with pride. He motioned her with the wave of his hand, towards the entrance. The ruin in question was deeply haunting, it reeked of Dark Side energy. The three of them were the only pulses of Light energy on the entire planet seemingly. Ricardt began moving towards the entrance, deactivating his emerald blade and returning the hilt to his weapons belt. He draped his right hand palm over the butt of the weapon, approaching closer. He got a shiver down his spine, knowing that if he enters, he may not return. He always knew that with every mission he went on. He looked to Corvus and Tugoro, "You can wait out here if you wish, but I think we ought to stick together."

Entering the darkened structure, he was greeted with pure blackness. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered. Even his superior ultraviolet sight could detect little. He held out his hand, focusing the universal energy of the Force into his palm. A golden light showered him, illuminating the Umbaran and all that which stood nearby. Though even the power of the light was not enough to lighten the corridor ahead, still dark and foreboding. He trudged forward, warily. "There's a few things I'm looking for, but none I think I will find," Ricardt said. He glanced over his shoulder, "It is said a Dark Jedi cultist had died here with a holocron in his possession, a very valuable one. Ever heard of Jedi Master Hallu?"

[member="Corvus Raaf"], [member="Metus De'cal"], [member="Sosu Deviron"]

((Will be skipping Tugoro as he has not replied.))

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was pleased her social faux pas went unnoticed – or at least unmentioned.

When Ricardt’s face cracked into a wide smile, she couldn’t help but be infected by his positivity. This place was creepy. It even smelled evil. She didn’t know how to describe it any better. Pure evil. And the place he pointed towards was even darker.

Her smile froze when he suggested they might want to wait outside. Why? First of all, why come all this way to stand at the entrance. But her brain’s logic had moved past that initial reaction in the fraction of a heart-beat. ’No, he meant we might want to stay here because it’s dangerous.’ She shot Tugoro a quick glance. ’A simple field-trip he’d said.’ She was acutely aware that she didn’t have a lightsaber to use – and wondered when her Master would feel it was the right time to start the trial. Pushing this thought out of her mind, she gave Tugoro a quick dig in the ribs before following Ricardt in.

Darkness was nothing new to Corvus. It was like being in the underwater caves back on Corellia. Ricardt generated a little light – no doubt through some Force skill she didn’t know about. She made a mental note to ask him about that later.

She closed her eyes and allowed the Force to show her the broad layout of the corridor ahead. It wasn’t as good as seeing or having a good torch but it showed her there were no living creatures ahead – which was an encouraging start.

In response to Ricardt’s next statement, she stopped walking and said under her breath “Just to be clear, we’ve come her to look for things you don’t think you’ll find?” But before he could answer, she heard the name Master Hallu. Quizzes always got her attention. “He was a Nautolan, right? Didn’t he get killed by some bounty hunters?”

[member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] [member="Sosu Deviron"] [member="Metus De'cal"]

 

[Telthòr]

Corvus said, “Just to be clear, we’ve come her to look for things you don’t think you’ll find?” Ricardt glanced back towards her, "Well, in archaeology if you always expect to find what you're looking for, you're almost certain to always be disappointed." Corvus listened as he went on about Master Hallu, she said, “He was a Nautolan, right? Didn’t he get killed by some bounty hunters?”
"Aye, a lot of them. The Hapes Incident, all over the holonet. A lot of people think he sacrificed himself, rather than being outright murdered. We're talking about an Exotic Weapons Master, someone who has fought countless Sith Lords and lived to tell the tale. Watch the recordings if you can sometime. Fell from a building with some Sith. Before he hit the ground, he used the force to protect the Sith instead of saving his own life. Second chances, right? I remember reading a Master giving an oral presentation during his funeral. He really encapsulated the man; Those who give up their life, deserve it the most. That is beside the point, though, I'm losing track of my thoughts" Ricardt said. He trudged further into the darkness, "He made a holocron. His apprentice, Parmi Miemant is believed to have stolen it from the Silver Jedi. She felt she had a right to it. I guess she has some points. If you read it up, there's a lot of information out there. Interesting stuff. Master Hallu found Parmi has a child, and they've been through a lot. Hallu didn't talk to many people, kind of the strong, quiet type. But Parmi was one of the few he opened up too. Now I'm sidetracking myself." Ricardt motioned with his hand, emphasising the importance of his next words, "This cultist killed Parmi's friend, a Jedi padawan. The Jedi was with a few another, also killed. The cultist took the holocron. Now this is where it gets fuzzy. It's all rumour and nothing concrete. I can't find anything in the archives, and my research on the field has gone cold. I guess I'm just sticking to my gut feeling."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus considered Ricardt’s responses. She was impressed by his depth of knowledge and wished Tugoro had shared more before the trip – she would have liked to have read up on Master Tallu.

She made a mental note to kick Tugoro again – when he least expected it.

As Ricardt continued, Corvus listened intently. She could not help a sharp intake of breath as he mentioned Parmi. “Knowledge isn’t for one person to keep locked up.” Clearly this concept was at odds with her own code.

She stopped herself talking further as Ricardt clearly hadn’t finished. She was sure that there was more than just gut feel that brought them to this planet – but didn’t push the point. “Do you know anything specific about the holocron? What’s on it? It’s size, shape, colour?”

[member="Ricardt Darkmourne"]

 

[Telthòr]

Their voices seemed to echo endlessly down the corridor. Their footfalls as light as their breathing. The air wasn't as humid, it was getting colder and thinner Ricardt said, "That could be argued, although ironically Master Hallu was on the Council for the Silver Order. His position? Keeper of the Code." His job as an Archaeologist wasn't to focus on his bladework, thus why he adopted Niman, but rather on learning all he could to discover more. He welcomed his ear to her attention, responding precisely, "No. Unfortunately the Lore Keepers didn't have time to catalogue any information about the holocron before it was stolen. Sometimes, we archaeologist adopt the saying; every door, every floor. If we don't check every door and every floor, we'll never find anything." He stood at a fork in the hallway, leading off into three different paths to tread. Ricardt looked to Corvus, "Well, this looks like fun." It was clear the archaeologist had done this often, and mostly alone. His life revolved around these weird occurrences that others may find scary but he found fun.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

"So is there a saying for this occasion? When there's not much light, keep to the right? When options are a glut, go with your gut?"

She knew what she would do, but she wasn't the archaeologist. But she did close her eyes and use the Force to sense what may be down each corridor.

[member="Ricardt Darkmourne"]

 

[Metus De'cal]

The dark apprentice continued to push his way forward towards the beacons of the light-side of the force, unable to sense the being behind him, while crossing through the same mud and reaching the same river that the Jedi had before. It would be a little tricky to cross it without some sort of assistance, but Metus would not let it stop him from reaching the prize at the end of this little game and simply chose to push his way through it with brute force and willpower. A few moments in and he realize the folly of his ways, losing his footing on the more uneven ground and almost getting swept away by the current, but managed to grab a nearby vine and pull himself back up. It was then that he saw the scorch-marks of [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"]'s lightsaber on the very vine he was grabbing onto, and finally made his way across before cutting the vine that was curiously tightening itself around his arm like a snake off with his own lightsaber.

Metus' hunt continued until he found the very same ruin that they were now inside, with the closeness of his targets making him overeager. The apprentice of fright managed to scale it back though, knowing that unlike all those times where he hunted down those who owed credits as a thug on Coruscant he didn't have a pack of others there to support him. He would have to be crafty and manipulative, utilizing the very fear that plagued him and just about all life in the galaxy to knock them off balance and take them out one by one. Metus realized the utter darkness of the ruin's interior and knew he would have to improvise, using his lightsaber to cut into a large nearby rock, placing leaves and other plants that he had to cut apart first, and once they were burning in the super-heated cut in the rock he wrapped his entire robe tightly around the top of a thick stick and ignited it.

With his new torch the brutal Sith entered the thick blackness of the ruin and began to slowly walk towards his prey, all while coming up with a fiendish plan of attack.
--------------------------

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Sosu Deviron"] [member="Tugoro Taidarious"]

 

[Telthòr]

"When there's no light, go to the right, now that sounds promising," Ricardt said. He ran a nail along his chin in thought, looking at the three differing paths. Each extended an unknown distance into the dark. He turned around to regard Corvus, appraising her with a look up and down. He noted the lack of a lightsaber. He assumed she was more the Consular type, and asked, "You think you could reach out with the Force down each tunnel, and feel for any Light? The holocron would permeate with Light Side energy, but if I'm maintaing this own ball of light, I can't reach out effectively enough to find it."


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

After journeying down the flowing river, the trio would hop out, effectively soaked by it's wet contents. Looking down at his tunic in disappointment, the young Padawan would begin to dig around in his backpack, as he pulled out some pieces of equipment. Still standing on the shoreline, Tugoro would allow the two to walk together, as he withdrew the various armor pieces that went with his outfit. Lifting his legs one at a time, the boy would slide on his boots, smirking as he felt the cold armor press against his drenched clothing. His pants were now somewhat snug on his body, something he preferred over loose, wet, billowing leggings. Raising his arms, the young Jedi would equip his upper torso plating, making sure it was attached and firmly set on his body. He would do the same with his arm platings, sliding them on before equipping his gloves lastly. Quickly jogging up the slightly steep hill, Tugoro would come to a stop as he closed the distance between the duo, giving [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] and [member="Corvus Raaf"] a brief nod. "This is bette-" He attempted to say, before the female Padawan hit him in the ribs. It had caught him off guard, however it did not do any drastic damage. Sensing out Corvus' emotions, the young Jedi could not help but grin, figuring that she had not expected such a grand adventure.

Apparently, Raaf did not know Tugoro very well, for adventures were something he enjoyed vigorously, even if dangerous. Continuing on their path, the trio would eventually arrive at the ruins, that seemed to emanate dark side energy. It flowed through the air at a quick pace, hitting the Padawan's senses violently. He had experienced the dark side before, having fought in a few wars and battles. He had even harnessed it once, though that was something he liked to forget. Even though the three were Jedi, the boy's force signature was considerably dimmer. Reaching down to his waist, the boy's fair skinned hand would wrap around a single saber hilt, pulling it from his belt's restraints. It's handle was smaller than most, indicating it's shoto design. Extending his arm, Tugoro would offer the weapon to Corvus, assuming she already had her training saber on her. If not, he would also give her his own. Turning to listen to Ricardt, the boy would nod understandingly, before giving Corvus his full attention. He smiled slightly, a gleam of determination in his eyes. Though, it was not directed at himself, rather it was in support of the Knowledge Seeker. He was determined to see her abilities, knowing fully well that she was capable of great things.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Ever since her time in the underwater caves on Corellia, Corvus had developed and trained herself in her ability to Force Sense and use Force Sight. It had been invaluable in learning Telekinesis.

Closing her eyes, she said, in a sombre tone. "I feel a great disturbance in the Force…”

”Just kidding.” She laughed and winked at them. This was a different side to the Padawan to the one they’d seen on Ossus. It was as if, away from the Academy, she was able to be the real Corvus.

Smiling briefly, she closed her eyes and her face turned into an impassive mask. She’d use Force Sense and Force Sight to find lost children on Taboon, sense the emotions of VIPER on Naboo and hundreds of other times since. Empty caves, by comparison, was a relatively simple task for her – as there are no conflicting interferences for her to decipher.

She allowed her mind to connect to the Force, in a form of Moving Meditation. The Force replaced her physical senses. She felt how the cave was full of living things. Most of them were too small to see but they allowed her to map the caves ahead. Not one at a time but all three simultaneously. A form of mental map appeared in her consciousness. She ‘felt’ the environment and looked with her feelings for light-sided energy. It was faint but the middle tunnel was the one. It didn’t mean the holocrons was there, it could have been anything – a saber crystal for example – but there was something. There was another feeling too. Too faint to identify but the hairs involuntarily went up on the back of her neck. Ignoring this, she opened her eyes again.

“In the absence of Darth, chose the middle path.”

She smiled broadly. “It’s weak but there’s something down the middle passage. That could mean it’s only faintly light-sided or it could be a distance away – but it’s there.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You boys should practice more. Why do you think Masters get you to close your eyes when you first practice so many Force techniques? It’s because you don’t need eyes. One of the Padawan’s on Corellia was a Miraluka. She showed me how.” She shook her head, as if in disbelief.

She accepted Tugoro’s second saber and clipped it to her belt where her training saber usually sat. She didn’t know why she didn’t argue when he offered it – she just took it gladly.

[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="Ricardt Darkmourne"] [member="Metus De'cal"] [member="Sosu Deviron"]