Dev Shadows of Atrisia

[Junko Ike]

Junko moved closer and allowed the force to warm herself up as she touched and tried to move the woman... her skin was cold, the air was frozen almost as steam continued to rise and it seemed like there was a fog within... but her body was still soft and able to be moved. She wasn't frozen in place she just looked like ice had formed over her body as she opened her eyes and was looking at Junko with black pools for a moment but smiled weakly. "Princess" She said it so softly it was almost a whisper whe she moved and rose her arms to lock them around Junko and she was being pulled out as Junko took her back towards the skiff with a look at the others. Mara and min were the first to come out after her where the looked at the girl and laid her out getting some of the furs out and heaters.

They were moving and she spoke up. "East.. go east there is shelter." Junko looked towards the east as she was moving and there was a chance sure that nothing was there but if there was one of the older structures they should be able to find some form of shelter at least enough to get her better and warm while awaiting an airship to come in and get them. "Alright." Junko said it and they all mounted up trying to keep the woman warm before she used the skiff and went a little softer on the speed but stayed on the ground to try and rock it or jostle her in the passenger section. The minutes seemed to stretch out into hours when they finally saw something in the distance. Steam rising into the air and a home.

 

[Junko Ike]

The home as she came to see it was large... two levels from the looks outside and stone with wood paneling. They moved the skiff into a section of it and Junko exited standing there for a moment as Min moved up towards the doorway opening it up and clearing the room before they were bringing the woman into the home. The sunlight was fading and giving way to stormclouds as they seemed to swirl overhead with the hints of snow coming. All of them piled in and worked to make sure the skiff was in a safe place and secured for them to be able to retrieve it and get out of the area if the worse case scenario happened. They weren't going to be trapped in here with the storm as the jedi master made a fire and they were trying to keep her warm.

"Who are you?" Junko said it while she was sitting there with a look on her face as she placed the furs around the woman. Her skin was so pale but she turned to look at her with her black eyes and smile. "Naori." There was a look on her face and the sounds around them. The scents, the murals and paintings that decorated the house. There wasn't a lot but it was beautiful and she seemed to be checking out a lot more of it. Junko looked at her and sat there getting some water and the brazier to go with the heater and cover around all of them in he room. "Naori hmmm well we are going to see about helping you get warm while we all wait out the storm that has sprung up." She was looking and Kanna closed a window as the storm picked up.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko finished withthem and rose up as they were settled in. Braziers and furs for warmth and they had temperature regulating clothing that would keep them safe. The hardlight bllinds had been set up to cover the walls and emitted a warmth from running that would prevent them from freezing. If anything this place was now much more comfortable before she was looking through some of the other parts of the house. The second level was smaller and seemed more to move through the house. The boards went over the room they were in and the bedrooms. Peep holes you could watch or view possibly and the boards were well maintained even now barely creaking to alert others to her coming and going over them but she looked a Naori who seemed to be following her movements.

She came to the end and looked out on the rest of the house they were in. Springs were there, she could see the ice and winding through it looked like an old grove of cherry blossoms and ponds that had been frozen over. "It is something else isn't it?" Thevoice was behind her and Junko turned startled for a moment as Naori was standing there and looked at her. Her white hair and skin still looked frozen but she seemed much more animated as Junko spoke. "You should be resting, you could still be sick or hurt... or even worse." Naori seemed to be looking at her and she offered a hand. "But I wanted to thank my savior... that was a terrible place and I had nearly given up that I would be rescued or found and then suddenly you were there."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko was listening to her and raised an eyebrow as that seemed very convenient... "so you weren't sending me visions of the ice field and what was in there?" The woman was looking at her and spoke with a small shrug. "Maybe.. I was thinking hard and wanting someone to come and save me and I know the force has a way of helping things along." That got a nod from Junko and she didn't think there was a great deal of ill intent or malicious thoughts.. she could have simply been wanting help and the force picked it up with Junko being the closest to the girl. THen now as she started to head down and look at the overgrown area... even in the dark with the snow raging above the small glass dome it was warm. Pockets of heat to offset the cold that would make growing perfect.

"This is beautiful in its own way, reminds me of Belsavis and the vine gardens there for growing vine silk." She had been there and her family had adapted the technology for their own use..they were one fo the leading produces of vine coffee, silk and tea which was obscenely expensive compared to most other things in the galaxy. The cost which went into well this... recovering and upgrading Atrisia for the better uses that they wanted to do. She could see Naori who was standing with her and the woman spoke offering a smile as she went through the grove and the spa was there. thatched roof, stones in the middle that were smooth and the steam went around it swirling. "This place it beautiful and after so long.... I could use a soak."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko was looking at the woman and raised an eyebrow but she didn't question it as she slipped out of the robes and set them down on a clear area near a brazier. The ranger tech was small portable and safe to use so no risk of fires when she checked out more parts of it. She looked at the woman who discarded quickly and slipped into the warm water as it steamed aroud them and made it harder to see but her force senses were there. She seemed different now as color was starting to return to her cheeks... smal painted dots on her nose, her white hairwas darkening and looking like ebony wood whined with oils. Junko was looking at her and slipped into the wat not taking her mind off of the woman as they were within the water.

"Ahhh now this feels.. wonderful." She stayed there for a moment and Junko looked at her moving to be in a good position near a rock so she could keep her eyes on every area of the steam bath without making it obvious she was wondering what was happening. "Yes it is... so are you able to tell me how you came to be trapped within a pillar of ice... or is it just supposed to be left at the will of the force?" She said it with a raised eyebrow and while she did have ideas about it and she did question it she was also glad to be able to help someone even if they might prove dangerous. her danger sense within the force wasn't going off it seemed so that was most helpful at least... it meant hostile intent wasn't the first option coming after her.

 

[Junko Ike]

Remaining there though something shivered down her spine as Junko turned to look at the girl and something had changed for a time... taking it all in she remained still in the waters. "You are not wrong but you are... I reached out and into the force but I didn't know it would be you." SHe shrugged as several things appeared out fo the water.. tails of fur and bristled shaking some of it off. "I was taken by slavers and sold to one of the lesser lords here in the north.... He wanted exotic species but then he died of heart failure and we were left alone... his wife didn't like the idea of his exotic collection so she sent us all away to die in the snow which is how I ended up there in that pillar but with the force and my own biology I was able to hibernate."

Junko was listening to her and that well she was being forward and honest that went a log way towards building a sort of trust that they would need at least. She was looking at her and if she had known this lesser lord as from her knowledge the northern regions were overseen by dozens of smaller houses... most weren't large enough to be more then just a family and some extended one but if she had known what he was using his power and position for then they would have worked to stop him. Dangerous endeavors seemed to be the norm after all of the governments that had worked to overtake and control Atrisia. Even more got away with things because of who they chose for their emperors... which disgusted her when she finally spoke.

 

[Junko Ike]

"We didn't know, with the attacks of different governments, take overs, false leaders and mythos constantly pushing civil war.... cleaning up has allowed others to slip through the cracks and for that I am sorry." She said it and remained there looking at her as the woman moved over and stood in front of her. Junko watched her and offered an arm around her to comfort but she spoke. "We would have come here and stopped him had we known." Junko was trying to think about it and then she felt a finger on her lip and the black pools of the eyes looked at her. "It is okay princess, I know there is a lot on the world and this is not exactly a place where anyone would want to come normally... it allows for many atrocities to be committed... my lord killed the family here and that is one of the few reasons why I knew it was here."

Junko stopped and looked at her for a moment as Naori spoke. "We will just stay here and then I would be shameful for my rescuer to be left without help... I offer my life and service to you since I don't have anything else. I don't even know where my homeworld is... I was taken as a baby is all I know and always raised within my former masters home. I learned o read and write to preform for his guests." Se said itand Junko had the turn to silence her as she spoke. "I am not one for keeping ou, should you ever wish to leave you may but until we find your people or your homeworld or something about you and give you a chance for a future.... you are welcome to stay with me in the palace." She offered a weak smile though and dunked her own head down to get her hair wet and feel the chill from her face vanish.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko suspended herself under the water for a moment allowing herself to float there and she reached out into the force... feeling it through her muscles and bones until she brought herself back up. They had been joined by the others who moved in and Junko found a place near the central rock with a smile on her face. She could feel the water now and it seemed a little warmer but all around them the storm continued to rage and she could see how the trees and roofing had been made to keep it from getting piled into this area. She had to admire the structure of it all and these parts of the north were just before the more dangerous oceans and supposedly mystical lands of the lost sea. She knew she should continue there to at least see it and it would make a massive world tour.

She didn't deny that there was a lot going on and for the most part well... they had all of this space to go through... mysteries that could be found and her flyer was made for hundreds so might as well. The court was handling itself and they knew how to find her should something really important that Shoma couldn't handle need come up. She was thinking about well.. there were a lot of other regions and taking an entourage with her might prove dangerous but it could also be invaluable come things like going stir crazy on a long trip.. the airships weren't like star ships and able to move faster but they were more friendly to their environment compared to the others. She looked at the lights that had been lit around them and the lanterns were blowing softly.

 

[Junko Ike]

She was looking at the rest of the estate and there wasn't much to it. The walls they had were covered with snow and it fell into the garden area. The waters were moving as the jedi master finished up and stepped out feeling the air start to dry her when she grabbed her kimono and stood there walking. The wooden sandals were there as she got them on and went back inside being joined by Thuria and Phaidor who were making sure her hair was combed and dry. They didn't want to have her getting sick as Junko sat there int he center of the companions and handmaidens listening to the storm. "So we have slept, lets see if we have some food that we can eat and hopefully think of something that can help pass the time while we wait for the storm to settle down."

Junko was looking as Kanna moved and started to open up the good packs that they had and she started to get a brazier for cooking ready. She laid out some things for them and she was setting the brazier at the highest level with a smile on her face while Junko was waiting. The water starting to boil with rice going in, food packets for meats and veggies... some dried fruits they could get to eat. She had drinks set out for them and was making within a small barrier of furs that would preserve more heat and motions sensors in case there was anything thattried to get into the house. Windows and doors closed up. Alerts for when the storm should be clear and they were going to take the skiff with them on the ship..

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko continued to sit there as the food was served, jasmine rice with strips of meat... thinly sliced yes ad quickly seared in sauce so the rice clung to it. The veggies were moist and seasoned lightly as she checked them and with two of the jade sticks stared to eat. Using thestickynessof the sauce and race to clump them together and dip in a little of the salty sauce. She could smell more as slices of fish were there, dark redin color and seared on the outside so there was heat and being cooked but it wasn't dried out. The others were eating and she listened as the kettle they had set up for the water was steaming and allowing the vine tea to cook. It swirled as she took a small sip and tasted it with a smile on her face. Sweet naturally without being bitter.

Junko drankand ate with the others and they shared stories while they were eating. Their small adventures to the princess from the islands and where they had been on the mainland... but didn't want to try and compared them to the adventures of a jedi master. She listened to each of them and to their jokes... it was fun... something she had missed and not had in a long time while she was checking over some parts of her food to make sure she had finished all of it up. Wiping at her mouth though as she spoke seeing the rest of them. "Well I am glad to have heard all of this and for the time that we have been able to get here.. it isn't often or easy I know but oh the fun that I think we are going to have now. I'll tell you a story from here."

 

[Junko Ike]

"I'll start with something simple well easier. I was born here on Atrisia and we all know my family. Old tradition, old honor and massive. Here and spread throughout the galaxy as instead of pruning the family tree we have worked to expand it and spread it throughout the colonies and bring it all back. From here to emberlene, eisei, the Asobi system, the jedi fortress world and far into the unknown regions. We have worked to precreate and ensure that our family will always be within the galaxy... but before that the story of how we came to be few know. Our first ancestor Unaga was simple enough, just a hunter trying to survive when in the sky she saw something and with her child and clan they followed it as it burned across the skies getting larger and larger."

"For days and nights they followed it eventually finding it as it crashed to the planets surface... a massive rock that had altered the course of a river and they remained there. The waters around them as they came in provided natural defensives and they were able to fish as well as hunt... grow crops and provide for themselves. Others came to see the rock but were repelled if they attacked to try and take it...others from the ancient cities came and traded tributes to them to see it and if they could retrieve a piece for study on their own. Thus our firsthome was made and it would serve for tens of thousands of years as a sort of trading nexus and hub across the world... fabled in some of the furthest ports for the riches under the island in the mines."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko was looking at them and she continued on with a small smile on her face "We grew wealthy, we grew strong and the influence stayed but for the most part there was no desire to rule over everything... too much of a headache in ways so that was left to the realm of better people or those who believed themselves the better people for the task." She smirked to that but drank some more tea... most of you might have known about our second fortress high in the mountains and built over the course of three hundred years to be mostly unassailable... we have handled heavy defenses and saturation so that whoever comes there might start to regret the decision." She was looking at all of them and well it was along the way technically they could stop off there.

She was thinking about all of it and it worked well to be honest... more so it worked very well she had learned to simply tell everything and allow those who were interested to come around rather then trying to exclude. A smirk played across her lips and she could feel it for a moment tugging to become larger and wider into a full blown smile. Her eyes looking upon everything that they were doing and the jedi princess spoke. "But there is more, some things we discovered within the mountains allowed traveling among the stars itself and learning from force beings that were exceptionally strong. That is one of the secret histories of our clan... we have learned from and shared the knowledge of force beings far stronger then most expect."

 

[Junko Ike]

She said it but the others had been listening intently now.. once she started to get into some fo the more juicy secrets well it was easier to keep their attention but it went with all of their stories mostly. She hadn't gotten to when she was a younger girl and training within the Atrisian military to avoid the suspicion of he inquisition... searching down force users was not exactly a benefit as most of them seemed ro just be made into twisted killers on a leash and now much like the czars they were gone thankfully. Just one fo the many things from Atrisias past that was left to be buried and hidden away in the centuries upon centuries of history and governments. They would just make do as the food was finished among allof them.

"That food was delicious Kanna and hearing all of your stories well.... perhaps I will share what happened when I was just a soldier within the atrisian military... this was before well before the jedi and everything here when Akio was the emperor and while a good man he could be paranoid and dangerous." She said it and well had no ill will towards him, the line of emperors had changed several times and she imagined it would change several more as time continued to go on. She wasn't really worried about that... same as the galaxy was always going to be changing so to would her home world and there was much much more here that could benefit from their hard work. She looked up through the roof towards the sky and could feel the people.

 

[Junko Ike]

She was feeling the ones working and using it as an expansion of her mind she could feel around the planet. The massive sphere around their planet was well not going to be a complete dyson sphere which would have enclosed the world... it was just massive rings and struts that would enclose it and allow the world itself to thrive while managing to have population control and more resources... trade and commerce with the galaxy was a massive goal and this would exponentially increase how many ships could dock with them and the yields that would come from it. She was able to feel the hard workers that they had and with what the artisans were making using the different murals to depict Atrisian history for visitors to see.

She was laying there and felt Kanna against her for a moment as she closed her eyes with the sound of the snow around them. The chill was gone and now it was heat and everything in the room was warm and content... her furs flt wonderfully for now as she slept and allowed herself to dream again... last time it had led her to Naori so... well maybe the dreams would lead them to something else on the world or some uncovered secret that they would have a chance to find... if she was lucky enough one could never know. She knew parts of the world up here and the north was not normally seen by people. No one wated to travel there same as none seemed to want to travel to the south itself and the frozen continent there.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko slept and she dreamed allowing the force to guide her and her mind to finally be at rest. She didn't want to have to worry about some of the more dangerous aspects just enjoy the feeling of being there as she went into and out of consciousness becoming aware when one of the people in the makeshift bed area shifted and moved disturbing the blankets. She woke up though when the sun came through the windows and could see fresh powder all around them. The sounds of thee morning as she moved and slipped out to start some hot water and set up for all of them to have tea. They were going to have to make some space on the skiff and more then that they were going to have to return to the airship and head out... or maybe go exploring a little more if she was lucky.

She finished the tea as it was whistling from the heat and where she was checking it out. Pouring the cups for the others as they were waking up and cleaning up. "Here." Junko said ti and they all sat there with looks on their faces while going over the plans and ideas of what they should be able to do for the day. The jedi princess laid out the plans to take the skiff back towards the temple which is all she could think to call it and from there take the airship wherever they wanted to towards the north stopping over and seeing what might be able to happen with more adventures. She knew they might have important things.... to do but most seemed content to stay and preform the duties as handmaidens of the princess.

 

[Junko Ike]

They went outside, the skiff being set up to hold all of their equipment and she stretched out. Wearing the robes and furs as she tucked her hair into the hood and looked at Phaidor who came over to look at her. The islander was equally as dressed in thick furred robes that would keep her warm. Junko smiled though seeing her nose which was tipped red a little and small amounts of frost fathering at the edges of her mouth. "Well are you still glad that you came here with me?" She said it with a smile and joke in her voice. It wasn't about being meanit was just to point out that she had a chance to stay on the island where it was warm and full of people not come out here to the ice and desolation of the north.

"I wouldn't have it any other way... though hard to have private time when you keep finding new girls to bring along with us princess. If I didn't know any better I would say you have a thing for a small harem." Junko looked at her and her eyes went up a little as she whistled. "I don't know anything about a harem of beautiful talented female force users serving their princess." That got a laugh from the pair of them and the others overheard it with laughter breaking out between them all. Phaidor went to the area where she was going to be sitting with the others and they were set up with their equipment as Min and her guards got onto the sides. Junko moved towards the back of the skiff as she touched the controls to the sail.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko waited a moment, the guards looking at Min and were prepared to argue but stopped when Junko showed her royal seal. A small part of the necklace that glowed with the force and from the emperor as they bowed and welcomed her with her guests. The man came down and was dressed in a mixed robe... on the one hand it was very ornate... ivory white silks and furs with jewels.... his swords gleaming and adorned with more gemstones then she could consciously imagine so it looked like the sheath of the swords were more of a fashion statement then something that could be used for defense. Junko raised an eyebrow but then saw his cloak and outer kimono... golden fur with streaks of black and claws at the shoulders.

Junko stood there and seeing more of he lord she saw his beard, black and thick on his face... with a frame that was massive and he towered over her while offering her a cloak of similar style to what he wore but in white with black stripes and white fur. She accepted it with a smile and clasped it around her neck with a look when it trailed behind her. Two of them moved, Phaidor and Kanna to lift the train of it from being in the snow as they were starting to walk towards the stairs leading up to he fortress and she hadn't asked them but she could see the smartness of it... as her handmaidens they were beyond approach... they were under her protection as opposed to just general guests who might be approached by some of the men or women of the court here.

 

[Junko Ike]

The interior courtyard of the fortress was beautiful and every bit as she expected. The golden mountains gleaming and white marble polished. The garden area controlled temperature wise so that it was chilly but you could also see where they had trees and fruit growing. Compared to many of the other northern cities that avoided being outside this one relished the idea and you could see the people walking through the streets in gawdy attire... too many jewels and sashes... they looked like an assault upon taste but with no battles or few and far between.. she imagined they they needed to be able to differentiate themselves from the rest of the galaxy. Junko wanted to say things but it didn't seem kind to talk about what she saw as unneeded and possibly insult some of their traditions. She listened as someone was speaking and stopped to wait.

"Know, My emperor, that between the centuries when the oceans drank Ezogashima and the birth of the gleaming city of Sarnoi, and the years of the rise of the Flower Emperors, there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars – Toriyama where ancient warriors proved themselves i the arena, Hakimora with its dark-haired women and towers of undead mystery, Shonogan with its city-states and deadly intrigue, Tokaido with its shadow demon guarded tombs. From the north came Zhong, soldier-of-fortune from the dark hills of Anshin, Taeda, indomitable barbarian, and Xiang, archer and thief from the horse lord hordes of Jorgas Njai, each with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the world under their armored feet."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko was listening to what was said and she knew the ancient stories... it was a sort of setting that many used to inspire artwork, stories and make believe. High adventure, swords and sorcery where anyone could become the hero or the villain and have the power. She didn't dislike it but she rarely saw it as a fantasy... it was a reality with her which could be sort of dangerous... bu she could never get over some of the older stories from before when Atrisia was youngish.... the age of some of their oldest civilizations they had found showed like much of the deep core they had tens of hundreds of thousands of years that many might never remember r that many might never see because there wasn't grand tales that came out of it.

"I always loved hearing tales of those three... an age that few could really think about and imagine filled with new mysteries and discoveries." She said it and the man looked at her while they continued to walk. "It is a point of pride among the northern lords since some of the oldest stories talks about heroes and some who are infamous being from here or at least emerging from here. We want our students and children to study all of history to try and understand what is happening then can be happening in smaller ways now. History is a wheel sort of thing they once told us within the Emperors court." Junko looked at him with some surprise as he was insightful. "You came to the emperors court?"

 

[Junko Ike]

He looked at her. "Yes long ago, same as many I served but court life was not for me.. I much prefer being out here among the wastelands and flowers that we have made. Hunting the ixxon which dwell in the caves of the rocks as it were. We have discovered a number of cave systems in some of the islands that lead to older areas and with the ice frozen in some places for miles new territories have been open. The only problem has been the queen of the frozen wastes." He said it and Junko looked at him for a moment. "The Queen of the frozen wastes?" Curious as it was she stopped to look at him and try to recall but nothing was coming to her mind there.. she didn't know anyone by that name or at least couldn't think and recall anyone.

"Thatis what we have been taking to calling her... a woman who has been controlling the local apes... vicious creatures that dwell in the caves and ruins of some of the old cities. Thick white fur, massive builds and teeth. I know from reports you faced them before." He said it and looked at her as Junko understood what they were and yeah she had faced them and they were dangerous to try and deal with.. she would prefer not having to but if someone was controlling them or there were starting to show signs of intelligence as it were that could be even more dangerous.... They ate people and she crossed her arms. "I have but the ones in the south are more brainless and less well follow something or someone else."