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Jamie did have the tendency to hold grudges when it came to matters of personal indignity. Aerion had really rubbed her the wrong way when they had first crossed paths, and that sour feeling never quite went away. She didn't have an immediate response to his words, mostly because they were true, so the better choice of reactions in the interim was to simply remain quiet. Besides, there was now another person occupying their space, making trivial arguments seemingly less convenient to engage in. Not only that, but aside from D'vok, a growing pit began to form in her stomach, that sense of dread and despair that she had become accustomed to feeling whenever the presence of the Dark Side was nearby. She hadn't felt it earlier, or even when D'vok had arrived, so she was certain it was not him, but it was here, in this very cave. That much she was certain of.
"Do you feel that Aerion?" She'd ask, knowing full well if she had just caught wind of it, he had likely as well.
The hairs along the back of her neck rose, sending a chill down the center of her back. She turned away from D'vok, back towards the path that had led her down into the depths of the cave, up through the incline. She thought to call out, but then made better of the decision. "We're not alone down here anymore." Either they had awoken something long since slumbering, or a dark presence had just made themselves known in entering the cavern.
Isla moved from the side of the speeder and over to the shelter of a nearby rock-wall. Her red hair was especially wild after their ride, but she made no effort to comb it back into place. She crossed her arms tightly in front of her, head bowed just slightly and emerald orbs found Samka as she moved forward to address the group. Again, the young knight displayed her confidence as she strode to the front. However, Isla couldn’t help but notice that the girl seemed suddenly hesitant. Her gaze shifted towards the cave. There was a feeling deep within that told her to be on her guard.
Isla gave a silent nod as Castor took the lead; she followed his example and took a glow rod from her own belt. Their work would truly begin now. Her feet began to carry her along after the Senior Disciple, but she soon found that Samka had fallen back to her side. She kept her eyes focused on the entrance, but pushed out a slight sigh. It didn’t take her long to feel that Samka was right, they were not alone.
“Yes, agreed.” She said simply, wondering if the young woman had a sinking feeling inside, too.
Of course, they could not have expected to roam a Jedi world, enter their caves, and take their crystals without some kind of opposition – if not from the Jedi themselves, then from the crystals. From what she understood, the Kyber crystals were naturally attuned to the Light Side. Even before she set foot inside the cave, she could feel it. The presence of these crystals fell over this place like a veil. Perhaps they were just set on edge due to this strange sensation. It was always a possibility.
The flame-haired woman stepped inside the cave, instantly engulfed by thick darkness. She struck the glow rod, and let her eyes adjust for a moment. Pushing forward, she watched Castor’s form up ahead and glanced behind to those that brought up the rear. With each step, the light-sided presence grew stronger and more distinct. Just as they had suspected, there were certainly others here. Isla let her senses grow sharp and alert, and swept the area with her eyes. There were tunnels here and there, some of them unseen from her vantage point.
There was only one thing to do… proceed with caution.
ExplorCorps Dig Site, Base of Mountain Chain Lothal
The work at the site was therapeutic, its practical nature calming in a way not dissimilar to meditation. Bound to abstract, highly cerebral studies of the Force and its mysteries in his youth, Zark had latched onto the few connections to the world as it was as he was allowed. There was something communal about treasure hunting and archaeology, one didn't need to be a Jedi to appreciate the wonder of that which was lost. The glorious remains of days gone by, like holoimages of the past captured in sand and rock. Artifacts were pieces of the magic and mystery of the universe that anyone could see and comprehend with the naked eye. In that way, he had always felt it had brought him closer to the Living Force. Now, it somehow felt hollow, as if here were going through the motions. Still, it kept his thoughts from wandering.
It was when the Jedi Knight had paused for a brief water break, caked in dust and sore to the bone from manual labor, that he first spotted the figures faintly moving across the horizon. At first uncertain if his eyes were playing tricks on him, even when he grabbed a pair of macrobinoculars he could barely make out their forms they were so far out. A group of speeders crossing the barren terrain on a course that would take them into the mountains. He could not make out much more than that, and under other circumstances probably he probably wouldn't have given it a second thought, but a mixture of restlessness and the faint feeling that something about the situation seemed off spurred him to borrow a speeder bike from his hosts on the pretense of doing a little sight seeing.
It took him some time to pick up what he thought was their trail. The riders had been so far out that it had been difficult to eyeball the exact distance, and repulsorlift technology didn't leave much in the way of a clear path save the dirt and sand it kicked up in its wake. Following a particularly disturbed line of detritus on the same course towards the mountains, Zark nonetheless saw no signs of the previously spotted speeders, and was on the verge of giving up and returning to the dig as he came up to the edge of the mountains when he spotted a natural opening into the network of cave systems that ran underneath the chain. Though he hadn't seen any speeders nearby, he hadn't done a thorough job of searching, and given certain scavengers were sometimes willing to brave the dangers of the caverns in the hopes of selling the prized kyber cystals on the black market, he decided to stop and check it out.
Reaching out with the Force, he was surprised to discover that in his search for intruders he detected the presences of several sensitives already within. Jedi, he suspected, by the feeling of their auras. Curiosity sufficiently piqued, Zark activated the yellow blade of his saber with a snap-hiss and held it aloft before him as an improvised light source as he cautiously stepped through the mouth of the cave and into the dark beyond.
Location: In the Caves.
Allies; [member="Jamie Pyne"] and company
Thank the force, praise to all the gods that are worshipped throughout the galaxy that the planet of choice for this quest was Lothal. A temperate planet far more suited to one that has spent his entire life living on Cathar in the hot savannah. He had heard the horror stories of the ice planet Illum and its crystal caves. The thought of the frigid cold planet made Kirill shiver, even though covered in golden fur and in the deeps of a humid cave. That was the strength of his distaste for such extreme cold temperatures. Instead, his master was merciful and had sent him to Lothal to gather the necessary kyber crystals to create his own lightsabers and return the loaner back to master.
The exact crystals took time to find. Kirill had been in the caverns for two days now, rationing his supplies as best as he could, while eating the local insects and rodents that called the cave's home. Helped to keep his strength up. Most could track down their crystal within the day, but the Cathar Padawan had his hearts set on making two lightsabers. Which has doubled the effort to achieve. There were dangers of course, some of his meals did not want to go willingly and some creatures tried to make a meal out of him. Such lifestyle was no stranger to him, his body an face have plenty of scars that bare proof to his capabilities of survival and willingness to keep living. From blood hunts to fending off slavers back home, what ever these caverns through at the Jedi, he was confident and capable enough to handle it.
The lion took a few deep inquisitive sniffs of the light breeze that rustled his unkept charcoal grey mane. He could pick up the faint sent of human and perfume. The force had only enhanced his keen predatory senses, making him an effective hunter and tracker back home. "Sha vonya?" He hissed to himself, picking himself up from his seated position. He began to carefully pack his survival bag, taking great lengths to making sure the two kyber crystals he had finally harvested were secured and stored safely. He was hoping to spend one more day in the cavern to build his sabers, using the quiet as an ally to concentration. But it seems this day was not going to be that day for him. The sense of beings had him disturbed and now he had to make a choice. Investigate or evade......
Who was he kidding, curiosity was always strong with him, even if he did not like to admit it. Kirill, shouldered his backpack, adjusted the straps and made sure that his loaned lightsaber was clipped proper to his right thigh. He had a large hunting knife off the right and the only article of clothing he wore was nothing more then a tribal loincloth and a sash belt. The young feline warrior would then make off, stalking the scent he had picked up to investigate its origin.
Desmond C'artyom watched as the "Jedi" Descended in to the cave. He was unsure exactly how to proceed... How did he tell Jedi that he had their vessel searched and their privacy violated? He pondered this as he carefully trudged over the rocks that made up the base of the cave. He placed a hand upon the cavern wall and felt the rocky surface. It was cold to the touch. A gust of cool air blasted through the cavern and he felt chills run up his spine. Despite all the "Jedi" Des's gut turned to stone. Something was wrong here, but he couldn't place his finger on it.
He made his way through the dark cave and found himself clinging to the walls. He should have brought a light. Still he managed to navigate his way through the caves and eventually spotted a red light off in the distance. It was fairly distant and he had to squint to really perceive it, but still it was there. It must be the Jedi party... He thought. He found himself patting his scatter gun subconsciously.
"Yes," came the hard answer from Aerion as he narrowed his gaze.
He glanced down the path that was nearest to the direction of the Dark Side presence that he felt. They felt out of place in the Crystal Caves. Easy to spot now that they were actually within, or entering the cave. Their proximity could not be denied. A lazy turn of his head back to [member="Jamie Pyne"]. A pause. He still definitely imagined her as a prissy rich girl who couldn't fight. Naturally, the right thing to say to her would be to go off and get help, but from him? The young Colonel could only imagine what she'd think.
However, he didn't actually care about other people's feelings. Especially when they were in regards to him.
"Call for reinforcements and wait for them."
The ebony hilt on his waist finally found itself in the palm of his hand. Turning off, back into that same direction he had looked before, he went after the Dark Siders.
The mechanical whine of the Swoops engine gradually powered down while the bike sailed through on nothing less of an idle, the pace of the speeder slowing as he brought the nose of the single manned vehicle into the enclosure, a clearing mostly surrounded by rock and out of the sight from prying eyes save for the others who had parked their own there and had already began to move on into the cave system. Brennan swung his left leg over to the right side, deactivating the bike and shuffling off to drop to the ground, his left hand still holding the handle bars and using his weight to ensure it's halt before turning to move in somewhat of a swift walk to catch up with the bulk of the group, all except for [member="Darth Veles"] having entered as it seemed the Sith had wished to do as Brennan so often preferred, keep everyone to his front. The change made it uneasy to step into the dark and dank surroundings with the Mon Calamari facing his rear, ever mindful of the dirk still sheathed within his right boot, Brennan did not have the luxury to stop and question the Sith's every intentions as the others continued on as expected.
While the others were suggested to use the force to carry their senses, taking care not to alert others to their entry into the underground tunnels, Brennan refused to do the same. Instead he relied on the group while ensuring that his own presence would remain entirely masked in case they were to run into any kind of trouble. Given his stage of training and the years of enslavement that he'd lacked the ability to pursue progress in his connection to the Force, his prowess compared to his peers was rather sub-par. Even the masking of his force signature would not likely be considered reliable given this was the first real opportunity to stretch his wings, so to speak. It seemed smarter, that he would follow his superiors lead and hope that the force would alert him to the sudden endangerment of the group, any threat often carrying an echoing signature in the force, something that could trigger ones precognition and send the adrenaline and instincts frenzied without demand.
Regardless of his choosing, he could feel the flow of the force around them. So much lighter compared to his own now, as if the air was so thin that it became difficult to breath, such was the effect of his new found alignment and vulnerability to both the light and the dark. He had served in the light of the Force once but the dark side had been the one to deliver him into his new life, his service under the Knights of Ren and the First Order when the light had only distracted him with hopes that were not possibly achieved without fighting for it tooth and nail. The fact that the Light Side was so evidently felt here however meant only one of two things; the first being that somewhere within these caves was a signature left by those affiliated with the Jedi, most often caused by apparitions or relics left from passed generations, the Force carrying their aura far beyond their physical life. The other possibility however was that they were not alone here, that there were indeed Jedi down here and much to his growing frustration, he had chosen to leave his lightsaber behind within the safe of their vessel at [member="Castor Ren"]'s suggestion. It was the right choice as far as keeping their subtlety went yet here he would only be armed with a steel blade. Something that required a wider birth as far as fighting environments went, nothing alike the caves they slowly traversed, walls on either side with a roof too low to give him the advantage of Sokan should a conflict occur.
Despite the disadvantage he found himself within, he briefly crouched down to unsheathe the lengthy dagger, his fingers twirling the weapon to point inadvertently, the flat of the blade cold against his wrist, the hilt and pommel facing the floor, doing the best he could to carry it concealed by the lack of light that they shared. If he was to have to kill someone down here, he felt that his best chance lay in the hiding of his intentions. His pace slowing somewhat, putting a little more distance behind the others though not allowing them to get out of eyes sight, his left side found the wall and against it, his clothes quietly grazed, keeping himself in as much obscurity from all else as was possible under such conditions.
The First Order: [member="Castor Ren"] [member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Darth Veles"] [member="Samka Derith"] [member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="Perth Levov"]
As she exited the small cruiser provided by her father, the Princess saw Lothal as an area of opportunities. If you consider a baron wasteland filled with nothing, nothing and nothing opportunities, then yes. This was bountiful. As to why she needed to negotiate a trade deal with the local Government was beyond her, but she was informed this was 'of the upmost importance'
As she dis-embarked, dismissing the security droids accompanying her and making a low-key approach to the temple. She didn't have anything to hide, but being noticed out in areas like these tended to have a discrediting effect on people like Priscilla. As she approached the temple, she couldn't help but feel she was unwanted here. Almost like the planet just had a natural tendency to hate her, but she always go these feelings when embarking on a new mission, whether it be for diplomacy or something a little more daring. As she approached the Jedi Temple, she was immediately stopped by Temple guards.
"Identification please."
'What?'
"Identification. Please."
'You're kidding me right... I did NOT travel to this baron wasteland to discuss the future of this run-down planet to be stopped by two nobody's asking for identification. I'm Priscilla, Priscilla Genesis. You already know who I am, Princess and Heir to the Royal house of the same na..'
The guard interrupts her. "Identification. Please. And. Thank. You"
She grumbles. 'Typical wanna-bes,' quickly showing the guard an electronic device at the bottom with the seal of the house of Genesis titled 'ROYAL DIPLOMAT - ROYAL CUSTOMS OFFICER TO THE PANTORAN GOVERNMENT'
'Now I'm not going to ask again. Get me someone important here. Now. I've got far too many things to be discussing to be stopped by YO
D'vok sighed quietly as the woman turned away without shaking his hand or accepting his apology.
? D'vok will remember that
D'vok abruptly turned his attention to the man. "That's the in training part. I know I'm a force sensitive, And I have this-" D'vok shook his lightsaber a bit "But I haven't found a master."
Sam fell into step behind Isla once they entered the cave system. She kept her arms crossed together and a worried look on her face. Every so often the young girl would stumble on a stone or unexpected shift in the landscape. Or so it would seem. Despite the darkness of the caves, the Force was guiding her well but there was the appearance of weakness and innocence to maintain just in case there were prying eyes.
Still she made sure to keep the bulk of the acolytes close, if only to monitor their behaviour. She was familiar with a few. Castor had served their order well over the years, an obedient yet clever sort. It was a rare gift to find both traits in one person. Privately she pondered why such a man had not yet reached the status of Knight, perhaps he lacked skill in other areas. Then there was the heavy footsteps of their 'droid', Kyrel Ren. The large mechanical man was an intimidating sight yet she was still to see him in battle. There was a quiet rage about him, even self-loathing. Good. It would make him powerful if harnessed. Next was Perth Levov, the echani fighter. Sam was looking forward to seeing her in action if things went south, the echani people were fascinating to her on many levels. Finally, right at the rear was the quiet one, Brennan Cabrol. Hiding in the darkness behind them, Sam pretended he went unnoticed but she could feel the Force coming from him. It was raw and unrefined yet ready to be moulded as the Supreme Leader willed it. A crafty one, always taking his place at the back, she'd noticed it earlier too. One to keep an eye on then. She'd keep an eye on all of them actually. To see how they fared, to see their strengths and weakness, to see how useful they were to the cause and maybe, just maybe, because she wanted to get everyone through alive.
Suddenly, Sam was jerked from her thoughts by a warmth in her head. A quick burst of Force energy made her look sideways towards the cavern walls. It was faint but there was something there, calling out with the light side of the Force. Taking a few tentative steps forwards, Sam could see one. A small crystal, tiny even, poking out of the wall.
"One already, this could be a bountiful trip!" Samka announced to the group and began to tug at the kyber. It was firmly in-bedded in the rock but after the discreet aid of the Force, the teenage Ren managed to dislodge it with an accompanying grunt. "Ta-da," she said joyfully, giving the crystal a flip between her hands.
However she was quickly torn from her success, something or someone was approaching. Footsteps echoed through the cavern and the call of the light got louder. It was a sensation different from the light held in the kyber crystal in her hand. Sam had felt it before, the unmistakable sensation of a Jedi. There could be no doubt now that they were not alone.
Turning to their cyborg companion, Kyrel Ren, Sam asked with a deliberate twinge of nervousness in her voice, "Um, do you hear that? Maybe you should investigate? Y-you're supposed to be our protection after all." She thought that would be the least suspicious. There was no need for alarm just yet, if discovered they had a perfectly reasonable cover story for their presence here, right?
"Call for...Wha-?" She began to argue his direction but he had already begun to trot off towards the opposing Force energy within the cave. "Hey! No!" She shouted back as she ran after him, the patter of his boots being doubled by her own as she caught up with him. "I'm not calling for help and waiting." Her hand pulled free her lightsaber as she kept up beside him. "I don't care what you think of me, Aerion. But I know how to fight. I'm coming whether you like it or not. You certainly can't stop me."
As much as he irritated her, she wasn't gonna just let him walk into whatever was coming blind. This was Lothal after all, not some estranged planet in the middle of Sith space. What were dark siders doing here, if not to cause trouble? Jamie doubted they were lost and looking for directions. No, she wasn't going to just call for help and then wait.
"So you better just accept it and get back to hating me after."
D'vok sighed. "Hey, wait up!"
D'vok ran after the two jedi, activating his lightaber in one hand, and drawing his blaster in the other. "Ooh, you two have a history, then? Clearly unpleasant judging by the passive agresive kriff. We're going after something?"
At first it came like a whisper when Veles subtly reached out through the Force to feel the world around. Like a familiar scent, it brought back memories of the past while not giving away anything specific. Caught off guard, the amphibious Sith frowned, startled by the sudden influx of sensations and reminiscence that went all the way back to the 0ne Sith. It unnerved Veles greatly, prompting the assassin to stick close to the damp walls where shadows ruled supreme while he furiously rummaged through his memories, hoping to isolate and categorize the strange feeling. His thoughtful expression remained wrapped under shadows, revealing nothing. Perfectly aware more danger lurked inside the cavern system, his concealed grip on the lightsaber grew tighter, ready to bring its beam of superheated plasma to life the moment he needed. To doubt the approaching inevitability would be foolish and the assassin intended to be ready, whether he discovered the source of his concern or not.
Too stubborn to abandon the thought, he dug deeper, going over his former associates. After the great many years of his fully voluntary separation from other Sith, followed by mingling among the Ren and other sects that interested him, many images have since faded significantly. The presence he felt shamelessly fingered one person in particular.
An old friend wearing Jedi clothes.
Darth Arcanix. Taeli Rae. Taeli Raaf.
The grand revelation came unexpected, causing a soft, silent gasp to leave the Mon Cal’s mouth as his mind violently exploded in a victorious orgasm, a relieved smile now carved into his formerly concerned expression. Of course - Darth Arcanix approached, her signature more and more pronounced in the Force. The two were about to be brought together again, a fateful confrontation in the making. Her signature announced a Jedi, but the master assassin knew better. Once a Sith, always a Sith – and Arcanix, unlike many, deserved the title. He had taught her some of his arts, after all.
Somehow he doubted there’d be another opportunity for this – and so the amphibious assassin frantically searched his surroundings, head turning left and right in search for what he and the Ren desired. Finally, a subtle ethereal glow gave away a scared nest of cyber crystals. The azure treasure tried to hide, but it was too late to escape Veles’ webbed clutches. His free hand left the cloak’s inner side, rising up in a deliberately slow and pompous fashion. The living crystals screamed and whined through the Force, begged for stoppage, but inevitably found themselves uncompromisingly pulled out of the stone in spite of their resistance, his hand pocketing the cold to touch catch and making it disappear in another realm of reality that existed beneath his robe.
With that done, mission complete, Darth Veles subtly dove into the currents of the Force again and prodded Taeli’s signature. He baited her to come closer, a simple message from his mind into her own.
Kyrel stepped carefully upon the ground. Everywhere he looked he saw many crystals in a variety of different colors echo through the force. It fascinated him on how so small of a thing could wield so much power. With every cumbersome step he sensed the Jedi more and more,and had the slight idea that they were alerted to his and the rest of the Ren's presence. It mattered little to Kyrel for at some point they would all die by his hands and he would relish the moment when his lightsaber tasted first blood.
As he kept walking he saw [member="Samka Derith"] find her crystal. He slightly envied her,for he had yet to find his own crystal that for now remained elusive. He felt it's call,and it was one of fear. He fed on that fear to increase his own strength in the dark side,and knew that that fear could lead to what he had sought after. He was jarred out of his thoughts by her speaking to him in a nervous tone. She was telling him to go investigate. He nodded and assured her. "Well Ms Derith since it is my main programming than i shall go on ahead. If i encounter any hostiles I will eliminate them." He still remembered that his part was being a security droid for the group,and so figured that the Jedi must have figured them out. He supposed that it wasn't too late to keep the cover up,and it would provide an ample enough opportunity to ambush the Jedi.
He stride purposefully deeper into the caves. Playing the part of checking out the disturbance as any other droid would do. And also going after the source of the Kyber crystal. With each step he was getting farther away from the group,and with each step the closer the enemy was to him. Now it was only a matter of time before either a confrontation occurred between him and the Jedi,or seeking out the Kyber he was hunting. Both would please him nonetheless as his dark form blended in with the shadows of the cave.
Gliding over the massive plains of Lothal, Graf piloted his speeder to a stop at the base of the mountain range. He just now realized he couldn't hike the karking mountain without the proper equipment, which he would've bought had he not been almost killed by greedy bounty hunters. He dismounted the speeder and shuffled through his pockets, feeling around until he found the small device that his first officer had given him, an emergency beacon should he find himself lost during his few hours of rest and relaxation. Tanomas was about to activate it until he felt something, it was a cold feeling that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Looking around, he froze as he saw a dark hole in the side of the mountain, he didn't need the Force to realize that this was the source of this chilly feeling. The old man picked up the heavy repeater that he had secured and abandoned his speeder in a patch of high yellow grass, not sure if he would be able to use it again. He had a small number of mishaps on the way to the cavern entrance (such as stubbing his damn foot on a hidden hulk of metal, who leaves these things out here of all places?), but he eventually reach the dark maw, taking a deep breath before entering.
If he had a helmet to tune her and her useless complaints out, he certainly would've been content. Unfortunately, the armour he bore didn't come with a helmet, at least, not one that could fit his head full of dreads. And so he went without one. A hand brushed over the VT-Shark Skin, but otherwise, he wasn't paying too much attention to [member="Jamie Pyne"] following him. The young Jedi Knight worked better alone. Not because he didn't play well with others, even if that was the truth according to the last couple of minutes, it was because Aerion didn't like looking out for other people.
Operations for the Galactic Alliance Guard would typically find him travelling alone, or with operatives in close proximity, if reinforcements were necessary, and even if they were, he wouldn't request them. Whether ti was pride, stupidity, or a mixture of the both of them, Ivelisse required personnel that could operate independent of orders from a higher command. Besides, the way he saw it, she was just a Padawan running into the face of danger without taking the necessary precautions.
Just like him.
But he was a Knight... So in a way, it was worse.
Oh well.
Deep in a cave system? Comms probably didn't work, and Aerion was no telepath. Was she? Doubtful, suppose they'd be lucky if other Jedi turned up.
Left.
Right.
Straight.
Aerion went through the tunnels, continuously growing closer to [member="Kyrel Ren"] who was distancing himself from the rest of the Dark Siders.
This distance was sensed.
The Colonel slowed down as he passed through an intersection. The Force guided him in the way of Force Sight and Sense, he knew where he was going, probably moreso than the Dark Siders did. The purpose for slowing down was to communicate, surprisingly. "Engage the Sith down there." And he was taking off in another direction, yet again. If the Dark Siders wanted to split up, by all means, they may as well do so. However, they were here for a purpose. In a Crystal Cave? The reasoning was simple. They wanted the crystals, stupid. But splitting up?
That was a distraction.
So he decided to send one distraction after another. Already, the thought of the blonde Naboo noble was out of his mind. Winding corridors, some tight, others wide, Aerion headed for [member="Castor Ren"], [member="Samka Derith"], [member="Isla Ashen"], [member="Brennan Cabrol"], and perhaps [member="Perth Levov"]. The largest group was clearly the biggest threat. In his mind, he was going to kill them, or make them wish he did, or die, none of the options looked bad to him. When did Sith ever surrender? Probably never, they'd fight to the end. Or, run. They were Dark Siders. And the Dark Side should be erased like a mistake on a piece of paper, not given the chance to salvage it. The choice for the Dark Side had been made by them, or for them already. There wasn't any turning back for any of them.
Siriwook's hard work was finally going to pay off as, with a gasp, she pulls the crystal that has been calling to her into her hands. Hands wrapped around the stone for the first time, Siriwook believes she knows what true love feels like--to be seen and accepted for who she is, completely laid bare. In the stone which is herself, she feels the multitudes of inner dimensions open. For a long time, she just sits there in contemplation of this feeling, allowing the stone to acquaint itself with her, attuning to it.
There was much of the Force that felt as a loneliness. Even as it opened up channels of communication across vast distances, the Force could also make one feel small. The vast emptiness, though filled with the Force, was still an emptiness. In the company of her crystal, Siriwook does not feel this emptiness. It speaks to her. It shows her what similar crystals have shown countless Force users before--what it could be to her. Siriwook expects it to suggest the shape of a sword to her, but she is this stone. The stone already knows that's not her chosen path. Perhaps an amulet. Or an attachment to her bowcaster. Siriwook's head swims with designs.
But, as the rosy picture sharpens into view, the crystal shows her other possible futures as well--a blade, a stranger, a heart cut out but a body that lives on, twisted out of shape, always searching to be reunited with itself--the crystal is the heart--THE CRYSTAL IS THE HEART! Madness!
Siriwook almost drops the crystal as she's interrupted. Instead, she puts it in a pouch on her belt and turns to see what comes her way.
Castor's breath came quietly, carefully regulated as he continued to conceal his aura. He could feel the strange, unfamiliar feeling of the Force around him. It was the Force... but it was not the same energy that raged against his mirrored construct. No, the energy inside was darker, stronger. Narrowing his eyes he turned his gaze to the rear. One of their number had found something perhaps, given the quiet outburst from behind where he stood at the front of the group. These caves had been vast, an expansive network of caves and tunnels formed by the collision of two tectonic plates, and even now a lingering thought that they may not be able to find their way out once they'd retrieved what they'd come for played in the Disciple's mind. Squelching the doubt playing in his mind his footsteps were brought to a pause as a foreign presence pushed against his mind.
A frown crossed the Ren's features, eyes narrowing as he mentally honed in on the source. Closing his eyes completely he reached out once more through the Force, though it took more energy than usual. He could feel the Light Side of the Force here, emanating from the crystals behind the rough walls of rock. Reaching up a hand and placing it on the wall his fingers touched the hard stone. His eyes snapped open, a grin on his face. He could feel it. Through the murky protests of the kyber crystals he could feel one, larger than the rest. It was strong, its will more resilient than its brethren... and he would have it. Blaster pistol still in hand he checked over his shoulder once more before moving forward. Stepping slowly around the corner, blaster extended, Castor's eyes widened as he lifted the glow-rod above his head.
One thousand tiny fragments of crystal shone bright, scattering the dim light of the rod. Casually tossing the glow rod towards the center of the cavern the Ren retrieved a larger more potent form of light from beneath the cover of his coat. This time a shaft with a wider diameter, another glow rod but of different color. With a soft crack the light was activated with a tap on the ground, for a moment bright light filled the cavern as it flashed to life and then settled, casting a calming white light about the cavern. Stalactites and Stalagmites filled the farthest reaches of the room, two small tunnel openings on the far side now visible. Blinking a few times Castor took a moment to revel in the beauty of the underground cavern. The edges of the cavern were still bathed in shadow but he could now see the wall where he'd felt the strongest pull of the Force from. Stepping to where the hand-held glow rod had been thrown he placed the newer, whiter light on the floor. His initial goal achieved he looked back to see if anyone else had made it into the cavern yet. Pausing there only for a second, he turned back to the wall, re-holstering his blaster and reaching out to the rock with both hands.
The warm flesh of his hands came into contact with the cavern wall, the granite cool to the touch. Breathing in deeply he smiled. He could sense it here, just beneath the slab of rock, a mere foot or so of granite separating him from his desire. Now to remove it. It was almost if the crystal sensed his intent, he could feel it settling in, clinging tighter to the rock around it. He carried no tools on him, perhaps an oversight though truth be told they weren't mining, they were here to collect a small number of the crystals for refinement. Interrupting his ponderings, another shift in the Force alerted him to a rising strength approaching. It was nearby, definitely not just a presence but a person. Close enough to sense, far enough away to do what needed to be done.
Reaching beneath his coat once more he retrieved the lightweight hilt of his borrowed saber. It was a simple thing, made in all truth to be a training weapon used by the Disciples and Initiates of the Ren, devoid of personality but no less deadly. His fingers grasped the hilt, a devious grin appearing as he held the hilt parallel to the ground, the blade emitter aimed squarely at the rock face. With a loud snap-hiss the blade shot forward, a bright swath of bright crimson burying itself into the granite, a few errant sparks as the blade came into contact with fragments of nearly pure iron beneath the surface. With a shrug of his shoulder, Castor leaned in to plunge the blade deep into the rock, nearly to the hilt. Slowly he applied pressure downwards, beginning a deep cut into the side of the cavern. When he would encounter resistance or hit a pocket of more dense geode he removed the blade fully before once more plunging it back to its depth. Molten rock oozed to the ground from the wounds, cooling rapidly as the heat from the blade was removed. As he fought to free the large crystal from its mooring in the rock he could hear its cries, feel its protest at being removed, most of all by a practitioner of the Dark Side. Others may not have been able to tell but the Crystals were far more attuned to the force, there was no concealing his nature from it, nor did he desire to do so.
With the crystal almost free, he grimaced. He could sense the imminent arrival of a being... a Light Side presence undoubtedly was beginning their approach. Within moments they would be in the cavern. With a final grunt and stab of his blade the granite chunk fell free of the cavern wall, a bright kyber crystal visible through the edges of charred rock. Quickly the Ren began slicing off the outermost faces of the granite, lightening the weight of the overall chunk of crystal and granite. Focusing his mind as he did so, he began to systematically cool the hulk, redirecting the angry heat of the blade from the rock and into the air. Nimbly reaching down with one hand, he grasped the stone tightly, slipping it into an interior pocket. Castor disengaged the blade as he sealed the pocket of his coat where he could feel the residual heat emanating from the stone. The pocket sealed his eyes traced towards the openings on the far side of the cavern, first the left, then the right. Raising himself to full height he once more concealed the hilt of his weapon beneath his coat and waited, hand resting on the grip of his blaster.
Impossible! Jamie despised how absolutely disconnected Aerion was from reality. It was as if he lived in his own little world where the only two things that mattered were his ego and his pride. There was so much male testosterone emanating from him she could nearly smell it wafting through the small breeze that flowed through the cavern. The blonde rolled her eyes and huffed as he began to storm off again, likely to get himself killed. "You're an idiot. Don't get yourself killed." She spoke only loud enough for him to hear it as he kept walking in the opposite direction.
Engage the Sith down there? How does he even know what they are? Not everything Dark Sided is Sith. Ignorant!
Jamie shook her head again, "D'vok, take the path on the right here, Aerion is going to the left, and he's not interested in company, as usual. I'm gonna take the middle. We'll meet up back here once the caves are clear."
With that the Padawan headed up the middle, following the presence of the Dark Side as it passed through the Force like the opposite pole of a magnet, drawing her nearer. The pathway became smaller and smaller as she went, eventually forcing the girl to shift herself to the side to fit through a small portion before it once again opened up. The glow of light filled the next room where a single being stood, a bright red saber hissing as it cut through stone, apparently working to extract what she assumed were crystals from the earth within.
For a long minute she stood within the cover of darkness, simply observing the person. He was the source of the energy she felt, but why he was here on Lothal was still quite the mystery. There certainly had to be safer places for those like him to extract crystals for whatever purpose he was after. It was only after the saber had finished cutting away the excess rock that Jamie stepped out from the shadows and into the twilight a few meters away from Castor.
"I don't think that belongs to you." Her voice was surprisingly cordial and chirpy as she crossed her arms, leaning against the cool rock, her head turned ever so slightly to the side, curiously observing the man who clearly did not belong.
D'vok glanced at the woman running off like a womp rat in a blizzard. D'vok took a jog through the right path, holding his blaster in his hand, in case anything happens. "This is why I never hang around jedi. They're always either all self righteous and full of 'emselves, or they're runnin' off to do something more important. Everyone's gotta be a big shot." D'vok muttered as he slowed to a walk. If there was anyone in the caves, they were probably doing something more interesting, D'vok thought. "What's so important about these crystals anyway? I mean they look nice and all, but why in all hell are these posted on every black market life day wishlist from here to dathomir? Maybe they do something? I mean they gotta do somethi-"
Damn! D'vok had fallen off of another cliff. Some luck he was having. As he fell, he grasped for something, anything. He managed to rip a nice looking glowing crystal off the wall. He pocketed it as he landed, in full view of both[member="Kyrel Ren"] and [member="Samka Derith"]. Great. Apparently the path had made several twists and turns. He got up, and looked at the two. "Hello?"
