Mysteries of the Rim (Levantine Expedition)

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Rosa Mazhar"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Judah Dashiell"]

Valeria’s first weeks with the Levantine Sanctum had been rather interesting. They sat apart from the rest of the galaxy, sitting on the very rim of the galaxy.

Yet, they were not wholly passive and isolationist, and Valeria was still getting used to how things were done.

Being something of a tinkerer, Valeria had been allowed access to the computer rooms, and it was there that she encountered something odd. There was a repeated transmission coming from a relatively nearby area of space, a distress beacon of some kind, seemingly. It had taken a fair bit of effort to get the signal isolated from the noise and narrowed down.

When she was sure she had something she took the information to her Master, and anyone else who might be interested.

(Apologies for the brevity, I accidentally posted the thread early.)

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Valeria Aetani"] - Levantine Sanctum Space, somewhere between Laekia and Kyrikal

Staring out at the vast reaches of...well, nothing...Judah gave a bit of a sigh and glanced along the control panels. He was taking the recently made Silurus-Class Exploration vessel out for a spin. Having gifted this vessel to the Levantine Sanctum, the businessman wanted to make sure it worked well. Judah had one on commission for himself for personal use and another in the works for Salacia Consolidated. There were plans in the works to set up shop within Sanctum space. Perhaps a subsidiary. Perhaps just a "outpost" like arm of Salacia. He had yet to decide.

"We've got a weak signal coming in." The crew was getting used to the vessel on this little exercise. The Sanctum had supplied in turn a rotation of pilots and scientists to crew the vessel when needed. Judah supposed in a way he was helping to train them.

"Can we get a lock on it?"

"I'm trying Sir but its very static riddled. There is certainly some interference with the signal. What I do not know."

"Keep trying. Also, flag down some of the central offices on the nearby planets. Perhaps they have word of a missing vessel out here."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Rosa Mazhar"] @Thurion Heavenshield @Kala'ndryl Ryj @Nohemi Allaneh [member="Judah Dashiell"]

Wandering in a daze, Valeria found herself at last in the central telemetry office. She'd tried to find someone in authority to show things to, but it seemed things were a bit less formal than the Jedi Order was!
Finally, she came across someone willing to listen to her, and they seemed to have received another transmission too.
“Padawan, this is not the first we’ve heard of this. A man who works with us, Judah Dashiell, is reporting the same signal. Here, let me put you through to him.”

Relieved that someone might start listening to her, Valeria sent a call out to Judah in the hopes he might answer and together they could provide some clarity on this mystery.

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Rosa Mazhar"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"Time...so much time have I spent in the shadows. When the Jedi were protectors of the galaxy I sat and watched. When the darktimes came and oppression reigned supream still I sat idle. Later when the bafforr trees burned I sat and wept but did nothing. Centuries have I lived but only now have I stirred to action. May I have the courage I saw so many times, the courgae to act."

-Datacron entry 1.204

Wind swept his garden home as he heard people speak of signals from the unknown. Kal was not the most adept with technology but he knew that unknown meant exploration and exploration was one of his great joys.

He stood with his walking stick of Veshok wood and moves to eavesdrop on what was being said. A distress beacon! That changed mattters. Rescue would have to become the rule of the day. Kal slowly let his form become more human in size and shape and began heading toward the docking bays. Surely if a rescue were attemped he could find a way to tag along. Kind eyes met the eyes of the people he passed and a knowing smile crossed his face as some stared in wonder at his odd appearance. It was strange but he was so used to being different that it never bothered him anymore. He had never seen another of his kind either and it was funny to think but he would probably stare too.

He arrived wearing simple brown robes and a walking stick that was nearly 2 meters in length. His form was not as alien as it was when he was alone. Face smoother more human for the sake of those he was hoping to join.

As he reached the docking bay he found a crate and sat to wait for the force to guide him where he should go. Eyes closed and mind empty he stood and began walking. Bare feet slapped the permacrete landing deck and brown robes swished as he walked in full trust the force would show him the way. The sound of feet on permacrete changed to a dull clang of a boarding ramp and he opened his eyes. The large frieghter was likely anyones but somehow he felt it would be used to seek the beacon and he qould be on it. He walked to the cargo area and found a place to sit and wait for the ship to leave.

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

It wasn’t long before Valeria would come across Nohemi, the Fallanassi ambassador for the Order of the White Current.

Concern would draw across her features at the hurried steps from the young padawan. Her voice would be soft, but inquisitive, typical of the young woman.

“Is everything alright?”

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Kalizka"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"]

"We're getting a hail from the surface."

"Go ahead and put it through." Judah supposed their communications to the local planets had paid off. A dark haired woman he couldn't place appeared on the bridge in holo form. According to early reports from the crew on board she had been one of the first to discover the signal.

"Greetings Miss. My name is Judah Dashiell. The crew aboard this vessel tells me you have a better lock on a distress beacon than we do. Picked it up not too long ago but it has been quite difficult to sort out and locate. Do you know more on the situation?"

 

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

Certain things were beginning to become a habit, much to her Master's pleasant surprise. Little things, really, but positive steps for the slender young woman nonetheless. Hands were scrubbed with great care for the precise amount of time they were supposed to be to ensure their cleanliness. Careful notes made in patient charts, a soft voice asking proper questions, even guiding those seeking the aid of the Healers to herbal medicines that would help them.

With a soft sigh and the beginnings of a headache, she withdrew her fingers from Bryndís' nose, wincing at the woman's expression. The young woman's expression, she mused, remembering what she'd already been told about the Valkyri. The swelling had receded completely, the cartilege and bone had set nicely, and almost all of the bruising had disappeared. It was a simple fix, and one she was permitted to make without supervision as an exercise of her Healing gift.

"It might be a little sore for the next day or so." Kala warned, lofting a brow as the Valkyr tentatively wrinkled her nose.

"I can live with that. Thank you, Kala...you've saved me a great deal of mortification." Bryndís replied as she stood and gathered up her things.

"My pleasure...and I might add, the one who broke your nose isn't such a bad place to rest the eyes. But I fully expect to see him in here next." She replied tartly, trying to hide a smile as the Valkyr paused and shot her a grin over her shoulder before disappearing through the door of the treatment room.

Those two, Kala mused as she cleaned up the room and readied it for use again, were going to be like a tibanna canister exposed to too much heat.

After finishing, she sauntered off through the complex and took a circuitous route towards the central telemetry office. She wanted to check in on one of the technicians, who had come through the Healer's area only a few days prior. It was a simple ailment she'd suggested an herbal remedy for, in light of the man's peculiar allergies, and she wanted to see how he was doing.

There was quite a flurry of activity, over a distress beacon that people were having difficulty pinpointing the location of. Ebon eyes wide, she stood off to one side and simply watched, her gaze flicking between the holoscreen and the people assembled around it. Something rippled through the Force that she could not explain, drawing her a bit closer so she could hear the conversation.

Spoiler

[member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kalizka"] [member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Rosa Mazhar"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Ilias Nytrau"]

 

[The Hound]

And of course, right there next to Nohemi was Turin, his eyes ever watching. It seemed he was meeting all sorts of new people at the Sanctum, which was a good thing. Being alone left him little time to do anything but think on the past and meditate on the future. Or swing his glow rod around and call it training. Recently though he had been spending time with the Fallanassi, bettering his understanding of the White Current. Maybe this was the beginning of a new adventure for him?
[member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Valeria Aetani"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kalizka"] [member="Rosa Mazhar"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Ilias Nytrau"] [member="Turin Val Kur"]


Valeria was happy that someone had finally listened to her, and she was talking with someone interested. She nodded to Judah.
"We're picking up the same signal you are, Judah. The odd thing is that it's just started appearing today, but as far as we're aware, that area of the galaxy is uninhabited."
She looked over the sensor data that Judah was communicating, and added it to their own.
"I've managed to sharpen up our focus a bit. It seems to be coming from this star system here...but we have no data on it, not even a name."
Records had been lost in centuries past, especially little known things on the far rim.

Turning to see new people approaching, she bowed to Nohemi and Turin. "Masters, I'm just coordinating with a man in orbit, we've found a distress call coming from a distant system, but the system is supposed to be uninhabited," she summarised, Judah still on the line.

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

That frown deepened as the gravity of the situation fell upon the Fallanassi.

"A distress call?" soft silk would rustle as she took a step forward to review the data the young Padawan [member="Valeria Aetani"] had discovered. The man in orbit? Ah, Mister [member="Judah Dashiell"].


"Which system?" came her next question. Being out here in the Tingal Arm meant there was a vast array of systems yet to be discovered or long thought lost with no inhabitants. Most of the Levantine's had a gift of exploration, in it like the Wardens, were far more accustomed to traveling to investigate.

But if this was a distress call.

"Is simply a beacon or has someone tried to communicate?" she asked.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Judah Dashiell Nohemi Allaneh Kalizka Rosa Mazhar Thurion Heavenshield Ilias Nytrau Turin Val Kur



“The system is not one we recognise, Master,” Valeria said, turning to Nohemi. “It may have been explored before, but we have no knowledge of it. It seems to be a beacon, not an actual message. We have no idea how long it’s been out there. It might have been operating at light speed for all we know and taken centuries to reach us.”

“Without going there, there’s no way to tell if it’s come from space or a planet, either. Can you give me any more information, Judah?”

 

[The Hound]

A distress call...That was troubling but it was hard to imagine that there were still systems that had yet to be discovered after all this time. Then again, a few years ago he would have never thought he would have been on the run from the Republic. This was a big Galaxy, anything could happen. Taking a step forward, his hands firmly on his hips his blue eyes fell on the data the group was reading. Honestly, the only thing he understood out of the mess was the coordinates. He may not have been a huge bookie, but he knew coordinates and he was one hell of a pilot.

"I can get us to him if you've a shuttle."
[member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Kalizka"]

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Turin Val Kur"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Kalizka"]

Sanctum crews aboard the Silurus-class had their heads down in deep concentration while Judah spoke to the young Padawan. Static in the background could be heard and low murmuring rippled through the main control deck. Judah listened with half an ear, trying to pick something up. The signal was obviously scrambled, by what or whom he had little idea. Yet the woman was right, the message was more of a beacon rather than someone trying to speak fluently.

"We only have a little bit more information than you Miss. It appears to our scanners that the beacon is still transmitting from an sector of space outside Sanctum territory. Highly scrambled. If I had to guess it may be military but I could be wrong."

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Turin Val Kur"] [member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"]

'Is this home?' He asked as het sat on a crate, 'is this finally where I will do some good.'

His thick woody skin was warm in the air of the shuttle cargo bay. No rise and fall of his chest occurred as he breathed. His respiratory system was no different than the trees of the garden he had been tending. His thick branch-like arms rested on his knees. His walking staff against his shoulder as he reted his chin on his palm and waited for the force to guide him.

"Buuuruummmm." He thrumbed in his native language. His black coarse woody hair hung down over his shoulders as he closed his eyes and reached out with the force. He felt for movement in the force or an indication he had chosen the right ship. His mind began to doubt. He wasn't used to relying so much on the force he had only ever used it in a limited capacity until now. However, with the memory of the scrolls and datacrons he had collected he knew self doubt would lead only to regret. He calmed himself and trusted the force.

 

[Kala'ndryl Ryj]

[member="Turin Val Kur"] | [member="Valeria Aetani"] | [member="Judah Dashiell"] | [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] | [member="Kalizka"] | [member="Ilias Nytrau"]​

​

​

She felt decidedly useless standing there as the discussion went on around her. Kala was neither pilot nor knowledgeable enough about protocol or beacons to even begin to know what was appropriate. But Turin's comment about getting there via shuttle reminded her that there was plenty she could actually do.

"I'm going to go pack a few medkits in case the decision is made to go, and see if I can't track down Ilias. He'll want to know about this, and I can't reach him mentally just at this moment." she said softly during a lull in the conversation. She smiled and inclined her head, before retreating out the door and back to the medical area. There were large silver cases mostly packed and ready for moments like this, thankfully, so healers and medics alike would not be rushing to pack and perhaps forget something that might be useful or necessary.

She murmured the lists under her breath, going through each case thoroughly with the schematic she'd long since memorized floating about in her head. "Bandages there, stabilizers there...injectors here..." It did not take her long to finish her work and seal both of the cases. Kala wheeled them to the central staging area near the main hangar and went off in search of Ilias. Honestly, she mused, how she kept losing someone so tall and so blessedly ginger was beyond her comprehension.

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

[member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Turin Val Kur"] [member="Valeria Aetani"]

A glance went over to the male who oddly seemed to be following her throughout Sanctum... If she were of a suspicious mind, she would wonder if he was stalking her.

But as she was simply Nohemi, she only took it in stride as the Sanctum being a small area where most would be likely to interact with the other. Especially if one was in an Ambassador role as herself.

"Then if this is the case. Perhaps getting to a shuttle to meet with Mr. Dashiell would be prudent. Perhaps from there, we can come up with an adequate plan to pursue."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

Valeria looked excited by the prospect. “Great idea, Master! Let’s see if we can get him to go investigate the signal!” she said.

Jedi serenity and contemplation had rarely suited her. She liked to be active, doing things, not sitting around. This mysterious signal looked like the perfect means of getting some action.

“Mr Dashiell, did you copy that? We request docking with your ship, and we hope we can persuade you to take a look at this beacon.”
Hiding her purpose wasn’t going to help. After all, Judah could likely guess what they wanted him to do now this mystery had been revealed.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

[member="Valeria Aetani"] [member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Kalizka"]


"Technically it is the Sanctum's vessel Miss. Also, if you bring a small enough ship you'll be able to berth in the hangar. Try to keep it below seventy meters and there should be little no no issues. The crew will transmit our location to you and we'll hold tight until you choose to meet up with us. No persuading needed, happy to go explore."

Crew set themselves into motion, transmitting to Valeria their location. For now, the Silurus-Class would just hang in space.

"See you soon."

With that, the holotransmission went blank.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Nohemi Allaneh"] [member="Kala'ndryl Ryj"] [member="Judah Dashiell"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

Valeria was embarrassed. She should have known that. Embarrassment was soon overshadowed by excitement.
“We should get going at once!” she declared. There were small ships in the hangers they could use to get up to Judah’s ship quickly.

Looking to the others in the room, she swiftly headed for the door, determined to be in the search party!

 

[Nohemi Allaneh]

Nohemi would give Valeria a soft comforting smile, aware of the flush of embarrassment that went bathing her face.

Thankfully, it was soon replaced by excitement.

“Indeed. Time is of the essence,” she said in turn, giving a small nod of agreement. “We should first inform others of our objective, as well as our destination. Prudence is a virtue we must adhere to.” This was not only for their safety, but for that of the Sanctum itself.

There were others lives at stake.

So without further ado, she too would follow the younger padawan. In no time, after informing others about the find and their destination, the Fallanassi would also arrive at the ship hanger.