Private The Cold Caverns

[Tann Po'rah]

THE COLD CAVERNS​

Cold weather was not Tann's preferred climate. Tann Po'rah was used to the warmth of Ryloth, not this frozen tundra. Even though she'd packed warm, she was still freezing. Her lekku which were bare felt like they were going to fall off. The long brown cloak she'd brought only had a hood to cover her head and tails. It wasn't nearly enough for this winter air. She was wearing an armor weave with plates and falls resembling a vest. Around her waist was her standard utility belt complete with what resembled a lightsaber. The hilt was empty, but Tann had gotten ahead of herself and built the casing before coming here. She was excited to get her crystal and have a real Jedi's weapon at her hip.

Tann had docked her fighter starship as close to the caverns as she could, but she still had to walk from there to the icy walls. As soon as she was inside the cavern walls she brought her gloved hands up to her lekku and began to rub them.

"It's freezing in here!" she said to her companion. "Couldn't you have chosen somewhere warmer to find kyber?"

Ahead of her was another Jedi Padawan, Mathieu Brion . He and Tann had worked together previously on Ossus to clear a temple of the Dark side. A tree had been tainted by the dark Force and brought a host of nasty bugs crawling within those halls. Mathieu made quick work of them, but Tann had some difficulty with her training blade. Tann figured it was time to get herself an upgrade. So with permission from her master, she reached out to Mathieu who had explored those caverns before and asked him to accompany her on this momentous occasion.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

There was no need for any artificial lights just yet - for now, the blue hues from Ilum's sun were enough to light up the cave entrance. A few glimmers could be seen from the inside - smaller minor crystal formations were already visible. It was a good start to their adventure. Mathieu still remembered his last adventure with Tann fondly. Her raw talent and seemingly good heart had impressed him immensely and he looked forward to working with her again. Going to find lightsabre crystals on Ilum seemed almost like a tradition as many Padawans made the same journey. But then, his own path towards getting a lightsabre crystal was somewhat less conventional.

His apparel was largely the same as the last time they had met - but this time, he also carried a relatively large backpack containing various tools and even some edibles in case they would remain down in the caves for longer than expected. After his adventures with Okkeus, the large Padawan figured that it was better for him to be on the safe side this time.

He did not have to wait for long before Tann arrived - he could sense the familiar presence as she came closer. Turning around, he walked further out towards the cave's entrance until he saw her. "Tann!" he hollered whilst raising his right arm up high for a wave, accidentally brushing it against the cave ceiling. Letting out a chuckle, he lowered it again and bowed his head to her as they got close "It is good to see you again" he said before throwing a glance at her apparel "You prepared for the cold, I take it?"

While it had not been long ago since he had been in the caves of Ilum last, it felt like an eternity. Much had happened since then and he had even fought both Sith and Bryn during the time they spent apart. Still, he remembered the caves well and at least had a good idea of one path which they should definitely not take. But even then, that was not really the point of why they were there. The mission was to find her crystal, and with that in mind, he sent her a smile "I will let you be our guide here"

 

[Tann Po'rah]

Mathieu was just as tall as ever. She'd forgotten how tall her fellow Padawan was. It made her chuckle seeing it again and him accidentally hitting the ceiling of the cave entrance. He was just as excited to see her as she was to see him.

"Not as much as I should have," she responded to his comment. "I didn't think it would be this cold. I'm just glad to be out of the wind."

Mathieu would allow her to take the lead and so the small talk had concluded. Well, she wouldn't give up on chatter that easily. She moved further into the cave and was relieved when she felt the temperature change. It wasn't nearly as chilly as it was outside. She could actually take off her robe strangely enough. For as cold as it was on the surface of the planet, Ilum actually seemed sort of warm to her. The complete opposite as Ossus had felt to her when they visited that temple.

With some wonder in her voice she would correct herself, "Actually, this isn't that bad. Does it feel sort of warm to you? Do you suppose that's part of the heat coming up from the planet's core. Or am I just crazy..."

Tann chuckled as she moved forward. She bent down next to one of the crystallization clusters and ran her finger across from them. "So explain to me why I can't just carve out some of this rock right here? Why do I have to go down and down deep?" That's what her master had told her.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

The cold might become a problem. Usually, it was worth on the surface than down in the caves but it was hardly an environment which the large Morellian would describe as comfortably warm. His head fell as his gaze went to his own robes, remembering lending them to her last time they met. That time, they were rather still - much unlike this time when they would venture down into the caves. Pointing to the cave to suggest movement, he spoke "Let's see how you feel once we get further into the cave" - naturally, he wouldn't mind lending her his robes another time but it would undeniably make travelling harder. He also considered stopping to make a fire and eat a little from time to time. But for now, he would wait and see.

As they got deeper into the cave, he intended to ask how she was feeling - but Tann spoke first, revealing that she was not feeling very cold at all. In fact, she seemed to feel warm. He looked at her, a little confused "Are you sure?" he asked, looking to her arms and the seemingly thin clothes she wore. Mathieu did not feel very cold at all - but he attributed that more to his physique than the slight difference in temperature between the surface and the cave. "Well, I'm not really feeling that warmer, at any rate" he said, finally answering her question. A mischievous smile appeared on his lips moments before he joked "Maybe you are a little crazy"

Moving on, the two soon passed some of the smaller crystal formations. To Mathieu, her question felt like an ambush - for he really didn't know why and the way she asked it made him think that he should. Letting out a long "Uuuh" before shrugging and admitting "I don't really know" Mathieu didn't feel any shame about not knowing the answer but he did feel that it was a pity to be letting her down. Still, he seemed to be in good spirits "I might not always pay as much attention during the classes as I should be" he said, keeping a rather casual tone. Hazarding a guess, he spoke "Maybe kyberite is a bit further down? If the kyber crystal is impure, it can't really be used for your lightsabre"

Soon, they arrived at an edge. The fall was only a metre or two and it was rather easy to spot. "I wonder what happened here" he mused whilst looking to the other side of the lowered area - they would have to climb back up to continue the path soon after going down. Without much care, the large Padawan hopped down onto the area below and looked up to Tann, stretching out a hand for her to take if she wanted to. "How did you find out that you were force sensitive?" he asked, figuring that they might as well speak now that they were travelling together and not needing to watch out for killer bugs.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

"I don't know. I just feel a great sense of warmth within these walls." She then shrugged and added, "Maybe I am."

To his statement about Kyberite she merely shrugged her shoulders and proceeded onwards. She didn't know any more than he did and she wasn't about to step up and pretend that she did. They then came to an edge which Tann stood at the end at. She looked down carefully not to accidentally fall. Like before, she said she didn't know and that was the end of that. He'd jump down and offer his hand to her which she accepted on her jump down. She patted her clothes off then and checked her lightsaber to make sure it was still there. It was a weird feeling having this metal hilt swinging at her hip.

When Mathieu asked her about her Force sensitivity she answered quickly, "Oh I've always known. I've known since I was a little noodle. My mother had to teach me to hide my abilities. She told me she didn't want the other kids to pick on me, so I thought I was some sort of freak. Now I know that she was just trying to protect me from badguys and such. Still, that would have been an easier thing to tell me when I was growing up. I didn't like feeling like an outcast."

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

He couldn't help but to notice how she checked for if the lightsabre hilt which hung by her belt was still there upon landing. It was a sign that she was still getting used to carrying it - but also one that she cared to not loose it. Mathieu said nothing of it but slowly started moving on and asked his question on her force sensitivity.

"Oh" the answer was not quite what he expected - both the Jedi and Sith were common sights across the galaxy. The large Padawan wondered where force users would be shunned. But then, some people always found a reason to see the flaws in others or perceived them as threats. Maybe it shouldn't be all too surprising. "Sounds like you went through some tough times" he said, sending her a sympathetic look before letting his gaze return to the path ahead of them.

Taking a deep breath, a smile appeared on his face. Still, he did not turn to look at her "But you're among friends now, right? You won't have to hide anything now that you're with us" it was words which he uttered with ease - a sense of happiness that he belonged to a group which he felt safe with and thought that she should be able to feel safe with too.

Once they got to the other side, Mathieu put his back against the wall and cupped his hands for her to step on, offering to boost her up onto the platform leading into the path ahead - in a way showing that, at least he, did not see her as an outcast or someone to stay away from. "So how did you end up with us?" he asked, looking to her curiously.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

"Yes and no. I still had a wonderful childhood. My mother and aunt gave me everything I could have wanted, without spoiling me of course. We only had so much money to spend but they did their best to provide for me and that was enough for us." She would later then add in, "I am indeed. And I am very excited to be here."

Moving to the other side of the trench -if you will- Tann would take Mathieu's boost and climb up to the other side. She could have made the jump herself, using the Force to aid her, but that took a toll she didn't want to pay. Once up, she leaned over the edge on her stomach and offered a hand down to him. She'd help him up and then stand and brush off the wet ice from her frontside. Now that was cold.

"Well mother wouldn't let me join the Jedi previously. She said it was too dangerous. But when I turned eighteen I knew I could do whatever I wanted. So I saved up enough for a ticket out of Rhyloth and headed to Naboo. There I met Master Samatharis. She took me in and now here I am."

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

He leaned his head to the side. From what she said, her childhood had been a mixed bag with some bad in it, but probably more good "That is good to hear, Tann" he said before continuing. She also seemed just as comfortable with the Silver Jedi Order as he was. Turning to her, he flashed a happy smile "That's great" Without really knowing why, he felt a sense of relief that she wasn't feeling like an outcast now that she was there with them.

It was not hard to give her lighter form a boost up but when she reached out to give him a hand, a slight look of skepticism quickly swept across his eyes as he felt like he was just as likely to pull her down as she was in helping to pull him up. But the skepticism was soon replaced by a sweet smile. It was hard to not appreciated the kind-hearted gesture, especially considering how it wasn't all too pleasant to lie down on the wet frosty cave floor. Taking her hand and finding a good spot to put his foot at, Mathieu started his journey upwards and would soon find a good grip with his other hand, allowing for a rather smooth process. "Thanks" he said, sending her a grateful nod.

"It must have been hard to go against her will like that" he said before starting to walk down the tunnel, temporarily turning his gaze away from her. It was hard to know how to respond in these situations - it could easily be a sensitive topic "Is it something you think about a lot?" he continued, looking to her carefully to gauge her reaction. Soon, the rather flat surface which they walked upon started to get a rather heavy lean, making their way down a quick one. He had noted that he would let her be their guide - but even then, Mathieu walked at the front for now - they had, after all, not yet encountered any diverging paths. Still, the frost which laid on the already wet ground made for a rather slippery descent.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

Mathieu would ask the Twi'lek how she felt about leaving her mother. But Tann didn't seem all that choked up about it. "Nah. She understood. She knew I was an adult and had to go my own way. So we're still on good terms. I'm sure she's worried about me, but I'm in good hands right?"

The slope of the ice started to get steeper now making Tann slow down her walking. She had to be careful where she stepped. She focused her thoughts on the moment and let the Force guide her. It was easy to do since the whole planet was a nexus for the Light. Tann felt more at peace here than she did on the temple on Kashyyyk.

"You know, I could really see myself exploring a place like this. The view is beautiful. All the crystals in the walls. The sparkling of the ice and snow. It's shiny."

They then came to a fork in their path at the bottom of the slope. Tann stopped for a moment and decided which way to go. Without much thought or reasoning she decided to go left. Now she would move to walk in front of Mathieu so she could take the lead. She had no fear about her. She wasn't worried about creatures popping out and scaring them. She wasn't worried about slipping or falling through the ice. Tann was totally at peace.


Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

"I am sure you're on good terms" he said with his calm tone indicating sincerity. He had never thought that they might be at odds. "She did-..." he trailed off before really saying much more on the topic. He was about to express how her mother probably was rather worried, seeing as she had kept Tann at home until Tann really could choose for herself, indicating that she would rather not see the daughter out here with the Jedi. But there was really no reason to argue here - Tann probably knew her mother much better than Mathieu did and there was not much of a point to making her doubt how her mother felt. "Yeah, I'd like to think so, anyways" he said, hoping that it would be enough to not make her inquire more about the sentence he begun but never completed.

A soft breeze brushed by his hair and ears as she spoke of enjoying herself in the crystal caves. The cool air was pleasant, in a way, it had a sense of freshness to it - but not only that - in a way, it felt serene and peaceful. But looking to his fellow Padawan, a smile spread across his lips "This isn't the first place I'd expect you to enjoy" he said, thinking about how it was relatively chilly compared to a lot of other places.

When they finally reached the bottom, Tann was quick to choose one of the diverging paths. By now, natural sunlight no longer reached their location - but in the crystal caves, that was not much of a problem. As they ventured deeper into the path she had selected, however, it started to become darker. The crystal formations were growing more sparse the further they walked. The sound of water could be heard up ahead - an underground stream running from one end of an opening to the other. But by the time they would reach it, it would already be too dark to see anything. Trailing about half a step behind as Tann lead the way, Mathieu brought out a flashlight from his backpack but refrained from turning it on. "Would you like this?" he asked, holding it out for her to grab.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

His lost sentence went unspoken and without rebuttal . Tann looked at him for a second, but didn't press the matter. She knew not everyone spoke their mind as she did. Or rather, had no filter like she did. It would bug her internally not knowing what he wanted to say. But she didn't want to be that person who needed to know everything.

At the bottom and further into the narrow cavern, the light began to leave them. The crystals no longer gave that brilliant light for they were too spaced out. Mathieu would hold out a flashlight to her asking if she wanted it. Tann smirked as she looked at it. She was tempted to take it, but another idea came into mind. "Actually..."

Turning away from the flashlight she would hold her hand out in front of her. She closed her eyes and concentrated, visualizing her goal in her mind. The Light side reacted to her, coming to her aid. Mathieu would feel the swell of the Force surrounding her as she manipulated it. A glowing blueish orb would start to appear in her hand. It got brighter and wider until it had enough light to give their position once more.

With a smile on her face she opened her eyes and turned her head towards Mathieu, "After last time I figured it was a good idea to learn that Force Light[ trick. What do you think?"

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

It was still bright enough for him to see her silhouette turn away. A salient decline of using the flashlight - a sign of confidence. He was happy to see it, even if he was still unaware of what her plan was yet. But he would not have to wait to see what it was for long. Soon enough, a blue-ish light appeared as she focused on what he assumed to be force light. It was a good, albeit complicated, technique which far from everyone learned, even if some dabbled in it. To truly weaponise it, years upon years of studying and training were often needed. But her application of the technique seemed most practical and efficient as it effectively lit the caves up for them.

"It looks to me like you are a fast study" he said, sending her a friendly smile as they continued down the path. "So, how did you learn it? Was it your master, the temple instructors or self studies?" he asked, curious about her fast progress. By the looks of it, the Twi'lek possessed some raw talent which Mathieu could not compete with by a long shot - or at least so he thought from seeing how fast she learned. But then, he was highly specialised in his field and felt fairly confident about himself in it. Still it seemed like it was only a matter of time before her raw power would be able to match his capacities. He looked forward to that day - seeing such development would be incredible.

Before long, the duo would arrive by where the sounds of water came from. It was a wider stream than he had hoped - casually jumping across it did not seem all too realistic. "Looks pretty clean to me" he said before crouching down to drink from it. Standing back up, Mathieu looked to his friend. "Mind getting tossed?" he asked with a playful spark to his eyes. If she agreed to it, he would pick her up before tapping into the force, granting him more than enough strength to toss her over to the other side - even without making for a rough landing. If she agreed and his plan worked, he would remain on the original side of the stream and look to her curiously - wondering if she would figure out a way to get him across.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

Tann continued to smile as he praised her, asking how she'd learned such a complicated ability in such a short time. "Actually, I just kind of picked it up. I thought about what I wanted, and I did it......Does that....make sense?"

As she spoke the light suddenly went out. Tann looked at her hand in confusion. She'd lost her concentration. Apparently using the light and talking at the same time were not on her skill list. She tried again, letting the light build up as it flickered in and out of existence. It finally came to fruition and she exhaled out of frustration. So she wasn't perfect. Mathieu could feel a little better about that.

When they reached the river, Mathieu would bend down and take a sip. Tann decided to do the same. She crouched down on one knee and used both hands to scoop up a handful. She brought the chilled drink to her lips and tasted the icy liquid. The cold water ran down her throat in a chilling way that was most refreshing. It felt like....pure. The best water she'd ever drank. She gave Mathieu another smile. "Shiny."

They then needed a plan to get across. He would offer to toss her which she nodded and readied herself to do so. He picked her up and tossed her with the use of the Force at his side. She spun and did a flip as she rolled on the ground on the other side. Standing up, she turned back to Matheiu and realized the error of what they'd done. Now he was on one side, and she on the other. And Tann wasn't about to separate.

"Jump!" she would shout back to him. "I'll catch you."

Tann nodded her head and readied herself to lift him with the Force. As he jumped, she extended her arms and as quickly as she could, focused the tendrils of the Force wrap around him and suspend him in the air. She'd never tried to do something so quickly. It failed miserably. Tann completely failed to hold his weight and he'd plunge into the river.

"MATHIEU!" she shrieked in terror.


Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

His eyebrows furrowed as she told him how she learned it. Improvisation. It told of tremendous talent that she could just conjure it up without aid. A careful smile grew on his lips as he nodded "Well done!" He hoped that her Master saw the talent which she possessed and knew how to handle it - in any case her Master probably had a better grasp of what needed to be done than Mathieu did himself.

It was curious to see her struggle with maintaining the light for a bit but he refrained from making much of a deal of it. She had just picked the technique up and some learning hurdles early on were to be expected. Of course he would display patience as a soft smile formed on his lips - if their eyes met, he would give her an understanding nod of encouragement.

Mathieu looked to his friend as she told him to jump across. A quick query of whether she was suggesting that he cross it on his own or if she was going to help crossed his mind until she said that she would catch him. Mathieu gave an enthusiastic nod before taking a step back. He would look to her to ensure that she was ready before going, sprinting a few steps before making the jump. A bright smile appeared on his lips as he felt how she caught him, allowing him to avoid plummeting down into the water. He had faith in her and slowly drifted towards the ground on her end. But then, he felt how her hold on him started to loosen until he finally started falling. Mathieu was fast on getting his backpack off and throwing it to Tann's side but was unable to rescue himself from a wet fate.

With a big splash, the large Padawan fell down into the stream, experiencing just how cold it was. Shuddering could be heard as he took a deep breath and quickly started swimming toward her end of of the stream before climbing up onto the rocky surface upon which she stood. Standing on his hands and knees, Mathieu shook from the cold. While his outer robes and hair were soaking wet, the polytetrafluoroethylene worked into his body glove and armoured plates ensured that the water wouldn't be able to get a hold and instead just dripple off. With that in mind, he stood up on his knees took off his robes whilst water dropped off of him, following the armoured plates or the contours of the body glove tapered onto his skin.

"That's cold!" he said, looking up to her, apparently maintaining a sense of enthusiasm as he spoke. He crossed his arms in front of his chest - for even when he was mostly dry, the bath and the water which still lingered on his skin had worked to cool him down significantly. Tying to put a positive spin on it, he smiled "At least we made it past the stream"

 

[Tann Po'rah]

The thrown backpack nearly took Tann out. She was not prepared for it. She caught it mostly with her chest before stumbling backwards. She almost dropped that too. Less gentle than she should have been, she dropped the backpack to the side of her and rushed back to the rocky side of the river bank. She cried out his name again. Her eyes were full of fear and apology.

Mathieu Brion made his way over to her and with Tann's assistance he was pulled from the cold, icy water. He didn't seem all too bothered by the fact she'd dropped him. At least the water didn't completely freeze him to the bone. He was lucky to have been wearing that bodyglove. Had their positions been reversed, they'd be having a much bigger problem. That didn't stop Tann from feeling like an absolute fool.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry. I've never had to do something like that before. I really thought I could handle it. Are you ok? Is anything broken?" He would make a joke out of it but Tann was in no mood to laugh. She shrugged off her outer cloak and shoved it into his arms. "Don't make fun. This is serious. You could freeze. Put this on."

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

She had been apologising profusely and did obviously not enjoy his attempt at lightening the mood. It was understandable - for in her mind, the event that had just happened was probably a much more significant one than it was in his. Failure worked like that - it always seemed like a much bigger thing to oneself than outside observers. Mathieu could hear the conviction in her voice as she shoved her own robe at him and told him to put it on. While he may otherwise have declined, this was clearly not the time to argue with her. Her stature was very much smaller than his own in almost all dimensions. Her form was relatively slim while his muscularity was notable in a thick layer of muscle covering his form, and adding to its size significantly. Still, a robe was a large piece of cloth and while he couldn't slip his arms into its sleeves or truly envelop himself with it, he did wrap it around his shoulders while looking up at her with kind eyes "Thank you"

Still standing on his knees, Mathieu maintained his upwards gaze at her "Don't be too hard on yourself" he said, keeping a soft voice as he tried to console her. Water still dripped from his hair but he was doing his best to avoid having it drop onto her robes. The large Padawan wasn't sure if she was convinced or not and intended to continue - but only after he stood back up straight. The dynamics between them shifted in an instant as he now towered above her - but his features were still as friendly as ever. Feeling confident that most of the water on his body glove and armour plates were gone, he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in for a brief hug, patting her on the back a couple times before letting go. While it was unfortunate to lose a heat source, it was really not the purpose of the hug. Mathieu then let out a clear "I am fine, as healthy as ever. We're here to learn and I survived, right? No harm was done"

 

[Tann Po'rah]

Tann was relieved that he took her cloak, even if it would not be large enough for him. It would stil be enough to hang over his shoulders which he did. So there was that. He'd stand and then bring her into a cold hug. His skin might not have been wet but his clothes were. She laughed and pushed him away as he tried to hug her. Her mood was coming back. Even if it was just a little.

"Well I'm glad to hear it," she said as he told her he was fine.

She nodded and then felt a sudden chill. Mathieu would feel it too. The Dark side. From a place like this? It didn't make sense. Tara turned on her heel and gasped loudly as someone was before them. A tall woman, a Twi'lek like her, stood before them. She had blue skin and black markings across her face, neck, and lekku. Her eyes were burning red, filled with hate. Her armor was a beautifully crafted Sith exosuit that formed into a dress down her legs. On her hip lie a double bladed lightsaber.

Tann reached for her weapon only to realize how futile that was. The blade was useless. That's why they were there. She backed up and let Matheiu take the lead. The woman made no movement to attack. "Calm yourself, Hope. I am not here to threaten you."

Tann looked to Mathieu in surprise. She whispered, "How does she know my name?" Mathieu should remember, but Tann's name in her own tongue was Hope. Louder to the woman she would ask, "Who are you?"

Still, the woman gave off no threatening aura. She stood still, her face passive. Even though her eyes were filled with hate, there was remorse inside of them. "My name is I'nara. Inara.....Po'rah. I am your grandmother."

"That's impossible," Tann said as she shook her head. "My mother said you died before I was born."

The Twi'lek looked away, running her hand through the air as if she were a bird floating, similar to how a child would do it in the back seat of a speeder. "I appear before you now as an after thought. A mirage created from the Force. I am not real."

Tann would look a little more closely. There was a faint blue aura around the woman, making her seem almost see through. In the current light it was rather hard to see it. But as she moved her hand it was clear that the air was distorted some.

"You're....not real?" Tann looked to Mathieu. She was a Force ghost. Tann had never seen one before.

"The real I'nara was a Sith. She passed on two decades ago. If you commune with the Dark side of the Force, you might be able to talk with her." I'nara turned and vanished. She appeared some distance away near the mouth of another cave. "Come with me. There is much to talk about."

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

He sent her a smile as she answered him receptively, apparently trending towards a brighter mood as the situation started to deescalate in her mind with time and empirical evidence showing that all was good. The good mood that had started to make itself known again would not be allowed to stay for long, however, as a sudden wave of cold hit them. It was not the normal kind of cold - but rather something eerie and perhaps even unnatural.

It was not long before another Twi'lek appeared, she was tall, blue and bore all the markings of a Sith. The large Padawan instinctively took a step forth, putting his right hand by his sabre hanging by his belt and as Tann moved back, he would partially cover her with his left arm. He remembered her subpar capacities in a battle from last time but even if he didn't, Mathieu often assumed an advanced defensive position by the frontlines.

The unknown woman had not yet made an aggressive move, and so, the Padawan refrained from drawing his weapon. Still, it was clear that he stood at the ready. Soon, however, it became rather apparent that the elder had a relation to Tann. It made him relax a little but having observed her clothes, it was still hard.

Sudden revelations kept pouring out from the woman, taking them both by surprise but the fact that she was not a person who was present physically but rather some form of apparition was what truly took him aback. Mathieu squinted, only to see vague hints of it. He looked far from certain as Tann let out the question. In truth, the best he could muster was a guess and so he sent her an uncertain nod with a shrug "I take it you haven't seen her before?" he asked, wondering if I'nara was bound to Tann's mind or the Crystal cave they were in.

Still positioned as the shield, Mathieu would stay his ground as I'nara moved away. The circumstance under which he would budge would be to stay near to Tann in the case she wandered. Of course, he would let her move past him if that was her desire but even then, he would stay close to keep her safe. Eventually, he let out a soft "No." for himself. Mathieu then glanced to Tann before looking to the apparition "Why would we commune with the dark side of the force? Why would we wish to speak to a Sith?" he said, making it rather clear that he did not want either himself or Tann to follow.

 

[Tann Po'rah]

Mathieu was on edge. He didn't appreciate this Force ghost appearing and telling them to commune with the Dark side of all things. He adamantly refused, asking why they would need to do such a thing. Tann looked to him and put her hand on his large shoulder. She shook her head as she moved around him and then faced him, turning her back to her grandmother.

"I have to do this, Mathieu. This is my test. My trial. Please....don't try to stop me."

Giving him a sad look she would then turn and head over to the cavern that I'nara had shown them. Tann gave him one last look before disappearing into the dark. The cavern hole faded away as if it had never even been there to begin with. Tann was nervous to be sure, but eager to hear what the woman was going to tell her. She trailed behind the woman's cloak, stepping in loose snow that I'nara's footsteps glossed over.

"You are here to find your crystal. Are you not?" Tann nodded her head. "I knew as much. Such is the path of any young Padawan learner. The way of the Jedi."

"How do you know about the Jedi? Arne't you a Sith?"

The woman looked behind her and replied as she walked, "I was once a Jedi too. I was young. Naive. And I was wreckless. When I got pregnant with Kae'Leigh, I knew I could not keep her. I was being hunted by Sith, desperate to capture a new Force-sensitive child. I left her on Nar Shaddaa. Then I was captured."

Tann's face got sour. She felt sad hearing this story. And she wasn't sure what to say in response. I'nara continued.

"I joined the Sith ranks willingly. I knew if I resisted they would find the location of my child. So I helped them instead. I helped them capture and enslave other Jedi who trusted me. I betrayed them. With no remorse or hesitation. Every capture brought a new promotion. I was a Darth in no time."

The cavern walls opened up until there was a small enclave and a place for the two of them to sit. It made a perfectly formed table and chairs out of the icy stumps. I'nara moved around the makeshift table and took a seat on one end; Tann took the other.

"Did your mother ever tell you how I died?"

"She told me you rescued her. But....she wasn't sure if you survived. She never talks about it. I don't know much about that time in her life."

"Kae'Leigh was taken prisoner. She'd been training with the Jedi as an adult. Like you are now. She did not grow up with the Jedi. I was proud of her for the life she'd led on her own. But the Jedi found her, and tried to train her. She sacrificed herself for her friends. For three months she was at the mercy of another Darth. The Confessor. The woman was an expert at pulling information from her test subjects. Kae'Leigh lost everything. That, is where I came in.

"When I heard my daughter was taken I did not hesitate. I made plans with a resistance group to go in and smuggle her out. The plan was a success, but I did not make the journey back. The Confessor destroyed me. And I became part of the Force."

"So what does this have to do with me?"

I'nara's face got dark and serious. "I am here to take you to the Sith."

Tann stood up suddenly, nearly stumbling over the ice stalagmite stump. She held her hands out to the side, ready to strike or defend herself. Her empty saber dangled at her hip. I'nara made no move.

"You cannot resist me, Hope. The Jedi are liars and fools. If you join them you too will be destroyed. Your only hope for survival is to join them willingly. Do not make the mistake your mother did. Do not allow yourself to be destroyed by turning away from the Dark side. Let it fill you. Let it control your destiny!"

I'nara held her hand up and her whole body turned into a cloud of black smoke. It rushed towards Tann and swirled around her. Tann screamed, falling to her knees and covered her head with her hands. The Dark side was cold and brutal. Anger, fear, hatred. All of these feelings came to Tann as it forcefully made her submit.

"No!" the Twi'lek cried out as she tried to resist it.

"Submit, Hope! Submit and join your true nature."

Tann thought about everything she had learned. She thought about her master Samatharis . She remembered when they held hands and shared a moment of true peace and love. Tann tried to find that feeling now. She wrapped her arms around her torso and tucked her head into her chest. Hatred continued to pull at her but Tann would not let it. She found her calm. She took a deep breath and let her mind settle. Tann closed her eyes as she stood, fighting against the cold wings bombarding her from all sides.

"I am a Jedi!" She told the darkness. "I am the Light!"

The Dark continued trying to berate her but Tann was no longer affected. She held her hand out and a swirl of light began to appear. The Dark swirled and mixed in with the light. Like a black hole she absorbed the dark cloud, pushing it forward and into the ice table. It fought and fought but like a vacuum it was helpless to fight against her. The darkness was finally swallowed up whole leaving behind a single white gem atop the ice. Tann opened her eyes and looked down. She had found her crystal.

Looking around her she noticed that the door she'd come in and faded away. A new one opened up on the other side. Tann grabbed her crystal and held it close. She hopped up onto the table and crossed her legs. Meditating for the briefest of moments her saber would rise up from her belt and then dissemble into every tiny part. The pieces floated around her. Tann raised the crystal with her hand until it too floated into the mess of parts. She then began to put all the tiny parts back together until the true saber had been formed.

Standing up, Tann took the saber and ignited the white beam. It let out a brilliant array of light powerful enough to light her way from every corner of dark and shadow. She then took the door ahead of her which was a straight shot tunnel to the surface where she would find Mathieu Brion waiting for her. Tann smiled at him and held her saber out in front of her so he could see the beam, but also her success.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Cold Caverns​

Location: Crystal caves, Ilum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, backpack with utilities
Tags: Tann Po'rah

His stance was protective and his voice confrontational. But at least he had opted to talk instead of taking the step away from peace. His eyes were locked with those of the apparition as he spoke and asked why they would want to come with her. While he was openly dismissive of the idea, Mathieu was still open to hearing the stranger out, just as he had always been. Even to the point of engaging in lengthier discussions with people like Ingrid L'Ierim or Alina Tremiru.

Unsurprisingly, I'nara did not seem very interested in speaking to Mathieu. It wasn't something which bothered him too much - he did not expect those of the dark side to engage in dialogue, even if the hope was still always there. What did take him by surprise was Tann. He looked down to her small hand on his shoulder before his eyes ventured on to meet with hers, carrying a vulnerable sense of confusion. "What?" he asked, clearly rather confused. But it seemed like the time for words was over as his fellow Padawan already moved towards the cave entrance.

Mathieu spoke to her back as she approached the opening "What test are you talking about?" his eyes were fixed on her as she kept growing more distant "Tann, what are you doing? Can we at least sp-..." his voice trailed off as she disappeared into the opening which then disappeared from sight. With a few rushed steps, he quickly approached the location where the opening had been - but just as expected, it had ceased its existence. Even then, his hands moved about frantically in the distant hope of finding some kind of hatch or mechanic to make it reappear.

Upon realising that it was gone, Mathieu walked back to his pervious location by the ice cold stream and knelt down. He was not very good at sitting still and meditating but still, he had some training in it. Reaching out through the force, he tried to localise her - if nothing else, he hoped to at least end her strength and serenity. But there was nothing.

Eventually, the large Padawan stood back up, unsure of what to do. When she got back - if she got back - Tann would still need to get across the stream. If possible, he would also prefer to get past it without having to swim like last time. And so, he kept waiting until something seemed to pull at him. It was a feeling that, maybe he should head back up to the surface. And so he begun preparing for the journey.

The hardest obstacle to tackle would undoubtedly be the stream but there was really not much to do other than to bite the bullet and tough it out. After having taken her robes off and bundled them together with his backpack, Mathieu threw them over to the other side, shortly followed by his own robes which were already wet. It was then a simple matter of hopping in with speed and making his way across as fast as possible. It would only be a few moments before he would reach the other side and with his height, he was quickly able to climb up onto land too. Once more, the young Morellian let out a shaky breath as he shuddered and the water dripped off of him.

It would take a few moments for him to recover but once he felt capable, Mathieu would stand up and take on his backpack where he would put her robe while still holding on to his own with his left hand. Soon, he brought out his lightsabre with the right hand and ignited it, allowing its blue light to brighten the cave chambers so that he could find his way out. Climbing up and down plateaus was not an issue but the slippery and steep slope they had gone down earlier was more challenging as he lost his footing on a couple occasions before managing to make it up.

Once he had finally reached the location where they had just started off, Mathieu could no longer feel the pull for him to continue. And with that, he stayed. Sheathing his sabre and crossing his arms, Mathieu tried to get warmer again but the added winds from outside did little to help that. He was concerned for his fellow Padawan's safety, afraid that she too, might have been charmed by the promises of the dark side.

A soft and barely noticeable smile grew on his lips as she returned, but his eyes remained concerned. She had returned and from what he could see, all seemed well. "I am glad you found your success" he said - his tone was warm but the enthusiasm he had carried when speaking to her from before was gone. Mathieu was truly happy that she had succeeded but he was also disappointed that she had rushed off to commune with the dark side. The only way he could possibly have stopped her seemed to be through physical force. His smile faded as he took her robes out from his backpack and handed them to her "Here"

For a while, he allowed his eyes to linger by hers before looking out the cave. "I'm heading back to the settlement. Once again, congratulations" he said, flashing a smile before heading out.