We make our own Luck (Open Teachings)

[Matsu Ike]

Continuation of Requiem
VOSS

It was not every day Matsu didn't fully have authority... She could come and go as needed and keep a secret to help out but being so diminished she had to pick and choose what tasks to take on. Her connection to the force was still rocky at the best of times and traveling across the galaxy for a large training session was not something she preferred.

Though she couldn't say no to the idea of leading a trip, something simple and there was minimal chance of danger... She hoped still best to bring others with her who had full facilities maybe. Or she could have some of the soldiers as she put in the information and gave a small smile. Enjoying the time she had while making the notes and information for everyone.

"My research into the older holocron while with the jedi have shown me several sites of interest in the galaxy. Voss is one such and the tower here has proven a focal point for force energies, another is the eternal pyre on Korriban that continues to burn. To access it we will need to go and see what we can find."

"From Korriban there is the dangerous sections of the Croke expanse and the mysterious beings before finding the old Gunninga Gap where the Taurannik codex translated and used to summon one of the something from Beyond shadows was located. Further research into the being called Lotek'k has proven strange."

"Dating of the creature and information puts it into the time period before the ophidian grotesques were created. The ancient statues signifying many things but myths of the destructors, being who come from the sky to wipe out civilization and return it to a primitive state. There are many things but the other locations throughout the unknown regions also lead to Dagobah."

"There is much buried beneath the swamp and mysteries, the tree there being a focal point of darkside energies similar to the temples on Yavin VIII. The remnants of the ancient Golden Globe is something strange. I would love to be able to study shards of it more."

The notes finished as Matsu sent the Datapads to [member="Sochi Ru"], [member="Rasu Gan"], [member="Iella E'ron"], her student [member="Aika Kawakami"], Rianna Ordo, [member="Leori Sheltrak"] and [member="Isabella Denko"] who had been looking to come along. She didn't plan for danger or problems and that was one of the things hopefully in her favor.

She had plenty of ideas of what to do though while checking her equipment and the idea of hunting for artifacts or things of possible value had her loading up the vanguard light corvette with some exuberance. She had bunks ready for anyone who wanted to come along.

"We shall be ready to head out whenever you guys are, any who wish to learn there will be small sessions and classes from my research notes about history and archaeology."

 

[Matsu Ike]

VOSS

There were many things needed and as Matsu finished loading the supplies itno the ship her smile came. This was nice, this was simple, focusing on repairing her spirit was more enjoyable now then it had ever been and she rolled her shoulders. Changing out of the kimono and into a form fitted black shit and pants. Her equipment was loaded up and the jeep she had gotten from the mandalorians proved useful on Tattooine when she had been exploring.

Now she was loaded up and any of the jedi who wanted to come with her could to help out in the search. She wanted to be very careful and have all of her ducks in a row as it were while moving off towards the ramp. The bunks were full, the cargo storage filled to the brim and all compartments stocked with all manner of supplies. As she entered into the ship and went towards the holoprojector she had a look upon her face. She looked at the droids in the ship with her and went towards the cockpit.

Sitting down and sealing the ship up Matsu lifted off bringing up the courses, KOrriban was closer to Voss then perhaps safe with the sith around but there was a great deal coming as she input the coordinates and prepared for the jump as starlines appeared. The droid taking over for her in the cockpit while Matsu walked back towards the cargo holds and rooms. Her hand bringing up a small chest as she looked at the smooth stone and holocron.

Then there was the buzzing sound as the gatekeeper came, she didn't know how Rivin was in life but his holocron was very sensitive. Without its ability to summon the dragon though its eternal vigilance. Oh look the jedi with a broken spirit, how original. You stare at the eye almost as much as a sith obsesses over power. What do you want now? "Nothing from you but as you are going to be sealed away again I am going to Korriban. There are points of interest on that world and on many others."

The gatekeeper was looking at her though and as Matsu came to sit at her desk she got her notes and had some of them laid out. "I have done the research and I know what is on Korriban, now the real question will be how much the sith took and lost. Hopefully the mural I am looking for is still there. If not there are other sites across the galaxy we can search for, can observe and search. Cularin isn't the only mystery in the galaxy." A look at him though brought a smile to her face as he seemed stumped.

Ah jedi so wanting to find knowledge, so wanting there to be secrets in the galaxy. You wouldn't believe what is out there in the dark ready to eat you. Lets see what we have here, the only points of interest on Korriban are the academies and tombs. Those were picked clean in my time, the academies broken and rebuilt. If there are still secrets there look deeper, past the surface down into the sections where only the dead remain and thrive.

That she understood, going deeper into the earth on Korriban was a thing few could match and not many have trekked. A team of silver jedi could do it if done right and exploring for answer might get them some f the older secrets. She would have to add more sections to her research notes on it all. "That will do for now." And Matsu closed the case securing it in one of the compartments then locking it away. She didn't want a student finding the holocron. The eye they might not realize what it is until later.

 

[Matsu Ike]

KORRIBAN

The scorching desert of the world was hot and not something she enjoyed the idea of going through for to long but as Matsu exited the ship with the team of jedi she had. She was glad, the old ruins that the academies were near were not as important. Those were opened and sealed and ransacked, she was going deeper and in this section of the valley where the tombs were washed from the sands. Matsu began walking. Securing a brimmed hat while she walked and the sand kicked up. The crunch under her boot and the other jedi walking with her brought a small smirk though.

They were searching the tombs near the ancient eternal pyre but to get there they needed to go deeper and trek through one of the larger tombs. The team entered as they pulled down the cover stone and the scent of mold, rot and old death came. Her hand went to her nose before walking in and activating a glow rod, the others following while her hand went to the wall to touch it. This might be a world seeped in the darkside but there was also history here, the ancient temple ships had brought sith purebloods to Tython long ago. These beings were warlike, they were wicked and cruel but so were humans.

Then everything had changed when the exiled jedi came, the first ones to fall and create the sith as the galaxy knew them.... Sure there had been several incarnations of the belief, the idea, the empire. Some rule by the strong, the rule of two, the rule of one, each with their own planets and united against the galaxy until their infighting breaks them and that was what helped the galaxy heal between phases of sith war. That balance seemed disrupted and off now but as they walked she listened to the others whispering.

"Shh listen, we are not alone here." With a look back at them with a careful look, her eyes flicked back to the tomb before her and she slid her saber from the belt. Slowly Matsu listened more and more until it was there, the shambling and groaning. This was old Korriban, where the dead still protected the tombs and she stopped. Letting out a calming breath and dropping the glow rod while going back over the mental exercises her master had taught her for a brief moment as the snap hiss of the blade came.

Silver light painting the room while the energy pulse of the solari crystal came to her hand. The blade seemed to be burning brighter in the presence of the darkside creatures when they came. Green and silver light illuminating the rotted faces as Matsu felt herself go calm, serenity washing over her and the heartbeat in her head giving way to white noise. There is no emotion, there is peace.... Matsu blade went down and slashed coming up to cleave one of the creatures in two.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge... Spinning into the swarm Matsu let the solari crystal burn as it empowered the blade to cut away at the zombies. Her memories flashed to what she knew of the solari crystals and they were empowered, designed for the lightside of the force. Made to protect the jedi almost... But even they had their counter, the blade was a little wider, perhaps hotter but the memory of where she had gotten it from was enough to keep her going.

The councilor Talon had given her two crystals and right here and now as she held the blade.. it did not react to her beyond protecting her. She bathed in the light and energy it cast off in waves and allowed her to know she still followed the lightside of the force regardless of what some others would say. The second crystal she would give to her daughter... Which one she was not sure as they had not seemed to be old enough to rebel and rally against her wishes for them. It would help them find balance.

There is no passion, there is serenity... The ones she preferred and moving through the horde to the other side she stood for a moment covered in some slime and tattered robes, the scent of stale death was hanging in the air, then deep down the scent of ozone as the saber worked through the air bringing them about. These creatures were dangerous in large numbers and thankfully there wasn't a large group yet as the rest of the team joined her. Looking up while she held the blade out in front of her.

There is no death, there is the Force... The jedi smirked now when the rest of them were cut down and slowly as they walked into the narrow tomb two of the soldiers with silenced weapons and her templar crossbow moved. Stragglers coming at them went down and Matsu spoke as light began to filter into the tomb at the end. This passage was still so long with causeways going off and area's deeper into the mountain and caves. Whatever other places these led to the things were shambling up.

The passage opened up into another section of the valley, more jagged sections of rock where the vanguard wouldn't have been able to land and she looked at the large statues. So many things around this world but more important was the pyre off in the distance, burning brightly and sending plumes of smoke into the air still. They had never figured out what fueled it some sort of magic or maybe using the planet itself. She wasn't sure and they had never worked to see what it ran on.

But that wasn't why she was here, making the trek across the canyon and to the pyre was easier then the passage when they finally got to the ground. The sand and breeze winding through the rocks made for hot air all around but the smell of smoke coming off the pyre had the team as they stood before it. The large symbol on Korriban and Matsu went to work. More interested in the relief murals around the base and walls of it.

The notes had said Ades and as she went through the images found it. The mural had gaps around it worn from the sand and wind. She pulled at it and the others joined until it budged and came away with a grating sound of stone against stone. Inside it smelled more of stale air and Matsu looked at the lump of sand and dust that was once a sith lord. Her head taken to prove the undying could be killed and the alter serving a purpose. Matsu hands touched the alter and she was looking for more.

 

[Matsu Ike]

KORRIBAN

Matsu continued to look at the alter, the Mongrel Alter as the faded and time washed inscription said. Her mouth translated the words on the small relief there. "Here lies Wyrmuk the undying." Her eyes continued to roam across the alter and the remains of the body while also looking. The jedi's eyes went to the area behind the alter and the old magic, the old taint remained. Her hands went into the bloody slurry as its jelly like substance went around her fingers.

She didn't know what she was looking for, the majority of information she had from research had brought her here for interest points. The Rivin holocron may have been troubling but like all masters it didn't lie. It worked to manipulate with the truth which was far more dangerous when used correctly. Her hands continued to go through the slurry not sure if anything was there but then she found it. Coming up with an old tome, the leather pages covered in the slurry as she wiped it off the surface.

"It does exist still." The rumors she had destroyed it after the journals contents were compiled into the book of the sith. Something dangerous but the book was not large enough to contain the information and observations made fully by an ancient jedi... an old dark jedi and lord of the Sith. Matsu's eyes went over the tome and the ancient text brought to her attention much before she rose up and held the journal close. Its thick pages and familiar to her as she had studied tomes in the libraries.

The jedi with her looked. "Lady Ike, what is it?" Matsu thought about how to explain it as she walked out and held the book for all to see. She spoke. "It is the original journal of Sorzus Syn, parts were put into the book of sith and most if not all was on her holocron but those are lost to us. While it might be evil and wicked, a taint object it is also filled with information on sithspawn, the foundations of the ancient sith and even information on the old jedi order and the first schism." She wasn't going to lie, having the book served no other purpose then to say you had the journal.

Syn would let Iella and the silver council do as they wished with it but the information about the older sections and worlds of the sith could prove useful, they were near and in sith space that this could help them maneuver. The walk to their small set up camp had Matsu placing the book in the tent with force nullification resin while she tapped it. The case they were using to keep things of interest would prove the most important as the night went on there was few things happening.

Then the howls came and Matsu heard the screams as the jedi rushed out to see a tuk'ata dragging one of their people off. Matsu activated the saber as the bright silvery light appeared before her and led the way towards the cave. With the sounds the jedi descended upon the cave and the tuk'ata mother attacked them. The jedi watched as it lept for anothers throat before getting pushed aside with the force... A blade biting into its head and the sounds of cries coming while they looked.

The babies roaming around were still dangerous and would eat anything if given the chance but Matsu noticed something, a runt limping in the back and half the size of its brothers and sisters. Her heart ached for the little creature and when the other pups attacked she made sure to dispatch the creatures quickly. Matsu stayed her hand looking at the creature and picked it up. It tried nipping at her but its leg were broken. The bite marks on it from the others.

Returning to the camp Matsu took the tuk'ata into her tent and sat down. The sun was cresting over the horizon as she opened the book. The ancient text something she knew from legends and codex's how to read somewhat... There would be things lost in the translation she was sure. Her eyes roaming over it and a passage catching her interest. "The dead king Dathka Graush replaced his own heart with this fist-sized ruby, which contained the souls of his foes." That scared her more then she knew.

The jedi stayed up until the camp was ready to go and they started heading back to the ship. Their work here was done but Matsu had other sites of interest to explore. She had found the journal which could lead to older worlds of the sith that have created legends and rumors. She feared the sith lord but the one who created the sith code, who knew and dissected the sith prophecy brought many things of interest. Then she was back at the ship and standing ready.

She made sure the journal was secured in a compartment of the ship with the resin and sat there going after new coordinates. "Set course for Yavin VIII and be careful we are not letting ourselves be known." Matsu wanted to be in and out quickly... The golden globe of the world was gone, destroyed but it held energy, it held dangerous power. As the time came the ship lifted off with the jedi on board.

Her gaze turning to look and see as the trip was quicker, faster with enough time for a shower and change her clothing. Now they were looking at the worlds and she pointed. Yavin VIII was mostly unexplored and the vanguard moved down to the world. Matsu trekked quickly through to the temple and was ready for what was to come but she couldn't find anything. Taking etchings of the stories from the ancient Massassi who wished to save their children and have it away from the eyes of the long dead sith.

She set up another camp and avoided them being in a place that could be attacked, letting the jedi set up equipment and bar them into one of the rooms of the temple ruins. Making only one entrance and exit that wouldn't be attacked while droids patrolled. She would find the sands of the globe later, the next day and what information she could from the dark temple. The point of interest leading her had a tinge to it but ancient secrets needed some.

Journal of Sorzus Syn
Sample of the Bloody Slurry

 

[Matsu Ike]

YAVIN VIII

The ruins were many things but Matsu didn't fully expect the quiet. This was a jungle there should be things... sounds, creatures and the like. All she heard was silence like a tomb, not even the Melodies were there to sing for them in the night. It all turned disheartening as in the morning when she awoke and rose changing her clothing to more comfortable ones for the jungle while she checked the walls. Slowly Matsu found the murals as she brought papers up.

"Get tracings for the notes, we need the story of the golden globe and how the Massassi thought to beat it." She wanted to make sure they had all the information and going over the murals there were more. Between this and the journal she had a good idea of what Sorzus Syn wrote, all her notes on worlds tainted by the darkside and all her exploration had other points of interest. Matsu looked at her equipment and took out a glass bottle.

Emptying it and getting a few more she set them in a case for what was to come. The true power of the globe was in its enchantments but the sand was also valuable. It could store all those souls to fuel rituals and when they continued to explore Matsu was looking. Every crook and crevice of the temple was being explored Matsu ran her hands along the temples walls and pushed out with as much energy in the force as she could. Nothing seemed to come but it was there that flicker that she could use again. Nothing compared to before but then she felt something.

A flicker around her, a pull on her aura that kept Matsu going towards the center of the temple and to one of the alters. While the Massassi were trying to be different they were from a culture steeped in blood and war. The pictographs were of so many things including blood soup and stories of a crystal created from the death of a star. Her eyes traced the images while making sure they were etched on the papers... Her eyes and head went up to one of the statues that had gleaming red eyes.

"Qixoni" Matsu had moved and scaled the statue as she held herself up there with a fiber cord and she pried at the crystals. The red opals were wonderfully colored and brilliant as she held them. Staring at them for a moment and remembering the tale, the Qixoni systems star went supernova.... well it was back now after the darkness reformed broken and dead worlds strangely but the crystals that had survived were rare at the time. A fitting offering and decoration for the statue of Naga Sadow.

Matsu let herself down and as she touched the ground the crystals in her hand while she checked her equipment and closed them in it. Between the etchings and information they had she was sure she could find the Golden globes resting place and get any fragments there were for it. Matsu returned to the ship and they set the course going off world fast until they got to Yavin IV. The sight of so many things and many more temples. Ancient beings from the siths past they had put here.

The trek to the remains of the dark temple was easy enough to handle and even broken, scorched and destroyed in so many places it still held an ominous feeling that sunk in the gut. Matsu brought her saber up and felt the solari crystal inside as it gave her strength. More so then she got from others, but that was enough about the past as she approached the room. The door over the the entrance was a good sign and opening it the shimmering golden metal in the new light gave away to shifting sand.

Matsu moved over to it, so very simple but it was a rich golden color like it had been out in the sun, not sealed away in a back room of a temple and trapped. Matsu brought the cases out and filled three with the sands before sealing them and getting the inscriptions off the sides of the metal. Between this and the crystals with the journal she should be able to trade for a good amount of information where needed as she moved heading back to the ship.

Matsu stopped just long enough to keep looking at inscriptions on the walls, she could spend years learning here and getting information about the ancient sith lord and fallen jedi knight but she had to move on. The journal still pointed to several worlds and she wasn't about to stall now in this question.... and then she felt it. That coldness and prickle along the back of her neck. She was sure his spirit was gone but one could never be toooo sure as Matsu gripped the solari crystal until she felt the bite in her palm.

The warm trickle of blood brought her attention back to the present and she was outside with the rest of the team, reasoning to herself most of all that it was all just in her head and not a sith ghost trying to latch on and travel with her. She kept going until she was on the vanguard and standing there on the ramp let a breath out. She moved to the cargo hold as the ship took off and sealed itself back up. The jedi team with her had loaded all the etchings from the temples and images they had gotten of it for her records.

Matsu headed to the cockpit though holding the solari crystal and pulling the twin crystals out to her hand she had to smile. A lightsaber with these would be many things but she would have to be sure about it all. She had notes and she had worked for this bringing a datapad with the images up for her to see and study while they jumped towards the next location. Odacer-Faustin the sight of an ancient library.

3x glass of golden globe sand
2x Qixoni crystals
Research on Golden Globe frangments
Research on Massassi writings

 

[Matsu Ike]

ODACER-FAUSTIN

This was not a world Matsu liked, flying overhead her and the jedi team looked at the ancient academy and the fallen tower. IT was strange the sith wouldn't have tried to recover and rebuild on the world. The journal spoke of it only that the sith had created a library here or proto library something to rival Ossus and Tython that was its inverse dedicated to everything they held dear and able to rival the one on Arkania.

However the feeling of sickness that came from the world had Matsu dressing in her gear, the iron skin and sasori gauntlets, duster over her shoulders ans the taozin flesh nodule to hide her and a neck guard with mask to protect from airborne bacteria. There was no telling what could survive out here living or dead and she only knew rumors, legends of this world that were told around fires. The ship descended and Matsu exited with two silver shadows.

The suit she had gotten from the auction was made for this type of weather and protective, modifying it to fit over sections and protect her while blending into the snow left Matsu prepared. The shadows wore armor and equipment to match and protect them as well as white robes over that. They began the slow trek across the snow being careful where they stepped and finding purchase at the blackened ruins. The internal comlinks of the helmets were enough and they had to make sure no sound came out.

"There was a fire here, we must be near one of the academies pens, be careful and don't touch anything unless you have to. We need to be ghosts and not disturb anything." Matsu remained very still looking at the pens but not touching, everything about this place was wrong, the sense of sickness was in her gut as they descended into the ancient and burned out library. The journal said an ancient temples have been built upside down under the snow with a ritual chamber at its lowest reaches.

That was the goal of where they were going and as they entered the frost covered library and soft crunch underfoot of ice sent echoes throughout. There were old holobooks and tattered scrolls that couldn't be made out and it was saddening to see such knowledge even sith knowledge destroyed. The shame came when the frozen gnarled visage of a tree brought her attentions. There was a hole in the floor and the group slowly started heading down.

The descent into the darkness was not something she she wanted to disturb but they found the smooth black walls strange. The light seemed to be absorbed when it touched them and reaching the bottom the chamber was warm. This deep down and with a large hole above it seemed strange but there was heat coming from vents. "Thermal energy, the academy might filter from lava tube the heat and distribute it about the academy."

She was guessing but looking around the room there were bodies and bones, rotted frozen sections of corpse then had Matsu a little queasy but she kept moving. The ancient hallway covered in inscriptions and sithese writing. This was the temple Sorzus Syn had spoken of and while the knowledge might be lost as they mapped the temple the sections that went up to the academy were different.

The black stone gave way to grey rock and it wasn't as foreboding but the unease was still in the air, a large section had an exposed room leading up to a tower at the center of the pinwheel but the lift was broken. They slowly started climbing the shaft and where the tower had collapsed Matsu looked at the ruins finding nothing of interest but old equipment and weather worn notes. Then something caught her interest, the glimmer out of the corner of her eyes as she picked up the black pyramid.

The ancient holocron looked damaged or at least covered in ice while she added it to her pack, it wasn't smart to leave dangerous knowledge for anyone to find and she could protect it better. Slipping it into her pack though seemed to get something... a loud scream from the distance that carried on the wind and brought Matsu's attention around. They needed to get out and she moved feeling the floor collapse under her with a snapping of wood.

Below the tower ruins were weak and now as she laid there feeling pain in her knee, Matsu looked at what was around her. This was a bed chamber, designed for a sith lord and with the shadows speaking to her Matsu listened. They were preparing to move and get her but Matsu shook her head the scream on the wind had given rise to more and those were closer. Whatever was coming they had to make it back to the ship and she had to get up as she struggled.

Then was up and walking around with her hands searching, the desk with a mirror showed her face covered by the mask but Matsu kept looking, there was something here and then she saw it. A vine covered in black orchids and it was clutching papers, a datacron and there was a specimen jar. Matsu took the datacron and notes, securing them in the pack while she looked at the flowers. They seemed so alive and she could feel the force presence of it.

She brought her hand out to it and held the jar while focusing on the flower that moved with her hands. Stretching and reaching almost while the jedi plucked it and put it into the jar. Who are you? Why are you here? This world is not safe for the living. Matsu was startled for a moment and moved back her head looking around until she heard the voice speaking again. Who are you? Why are you here? This world is not safe for the living.

It was the flower and Matsu focused on it for a moment not speaking but feeling with what force connection she had. "What are?" She didn't have time as the sound of a lightsaber activating came and Matsu looked up. A rope had been lowered and the silver shadows were calling for her to get up quickly. Matsu secured the jar on her hip and climbed the rope coming up to the sight of partially frozen things walking towards them.

Her hand went to the comlink and the shadows as she spoke. "Get back to the ship." Matsu took off with the others, she was feeling it now that trickling of fear as the intent of the creatures came and speaking into the comlink again. "Prep the ship and pick us up, weapons hot and at the ready." The chirp and voice acknowledging her as in the distance she felt more coming, more death and hunger encircling them. All Matsu wanted to do though was get out and as they climbed the stairs came to the entrance of the academy.

The sounds of fire came finally, thank goodness for fast ships and gunners while they ran away towards a clearing for pick up. It wasn't pretty but the vanguard dropping in with the sixth battalion and its guns firing was more then enough to make her happy as Matsu climbed onto the ramp getting it closed and her feet protected. The sight from the air of the corpses coming after them had her thanking all the deities in the galaxy several times.

Her heart racing and the shadows still safe meant this was a good time and Matsu could confirm one thing.... They weren't just legends whatever had happened on that world it wasn't simple sith zombies shambling around. Those were fast and almost organized. She would have to make notes about such things and add them to what information they had from the few books. She also didn't know where to go just yet but wouldn't consult the journal.

Darth Drear's holocron
Darth Scabrous's notes and research
Murakama orchid
Research on Odacer-Faustin

 

[Matsu Ike]

VALTAULLA RIFT

After what had happened, Matsu had been scared with the flower in a state of growth almost on her desk she could feel it. The force bond between them more connected while it spoke through the force to her and her senses were working to listen. She couldn't fully believe what she had seen the legends were there the rumors but much like the Dark Harvesters it had been fear inducing but she kept taking notes. Perhaps understanding the research and notes made by these sith had a way to counter and cure it.

However the first real step was to get out of old sith space and somewhere quiet, the Unknown regions were quiet and still filled with mysteries as she got the course plotted. The jedi with her and the journal pointing to older mysteries that the dark jedi had translated from murals and legends of the sith. The Rakata had visited them and taught many things but not war they only helped that along. They had nurtured it and encouraged it until they were driven off.

Now the Rakata were gone mostly and the sith as well there might be a few offshoots and a tribe but no where near the numbers compared to cause problems. The worlds Sorzus Syn spoke of that were in the Sith legends came from here. Ancient stories of old beings being driven off and evil beings overtaking planets. The Rift was as good a place as any to come and she had always wanted to see the planet temple of Korman Lao. Where Cornal had come in the unknown regions as well as into the gaps and others places of darker intent.

Then trip through hyperspace though brought many memories of the Dark Harvest incident and the many dangers it truly had but there was so much more, when Madness had descended upon the galaxy and so many things went wrong. Matsu had been there trying to keep the peace and slowly she counted to seven letting her mind drift from her body while she laid there and focused. Walking along the shore of the lake of apparitions while someone she hadn't expected followed her.

"You are her aren't you? You are Sorzus?" The being turned to her with red eyes under a black robe and spoke while maintaining a cold expression that mirrored Matsu's. I was once, but time has made me merely a shadow. The old sith are gone given rise to weaker ones, ones who love to beat their chest while the order of the galaxy suffers. Sad little kings of their sad little hills, who scrape and claw to try and find artifacts, pieces of their betters that can make them stronger.

While she both agreed and disagreed Matsu was interested in it all, it wasn't often a being from Beyond shadows who appeared wasn't one you knew or cared for but then... No one had tried to walk in this ones footsteps for eons. Maybe longer then that and it seemed to have intrigued her or maybe pissed her off it was something hard to tell as Matsu kept walking along the lake's shore. There were so many things as she spoke. "I guess they don't make sith like they used to, there are worse things that could have happened."

That is an understatement jedi but we are not here to talk about them, we are here because you took something of mine and I want to know what you plan to do with it. Palpatine used it to plan and then put sections of it in his own book. So what is it your going to do? Matsu did have a plan for it, much like the bloody slurry, the tomb and the body of the undying. So many things could happen but she wasn't going to destroy history.

"I am going to make sure it is protected and secured we don't want the sith to have it but destroying history even your history.... Would be wrong there is much in there that can teach about the dangers of sithspawn, planets and traditions. Add understanding to a culture overshadowed by the many who have destroyed the name and made it all about the bloody violence." Matsu stopped walking though and the spirit did as well, she wondered what might come of it this meeting.

Would she be forever tainted, she doubted it compared to the others who had went full on darkside and then told the world how much they were all better.... just a mild case of the evil. She was glad to at least have the solari so she could always prove to herself she hadn't become tainted and twisted. Let the others flail and fall where they may she would be there to pick up the pieces as she bowed her head. "I think I know what has to be done now to properly work this situation."

Then she was awake again and the droid informing her they had arrived at the temple. A look of pained expression on her face while getting up and she hadn't been using the force for her muscles... just to sustain her and that had lasted longer then it was supposed to. Her body limped to the cargo hold and pulling out the eye of the sun, Matsu rubbed it until her body felt numb instead of sore and the force flowed back into her.

Exited the ship Matsu caught sight of something strange and wondrous a magician's show was preforming for a group of tourists on the temple ground and Matsu took the time to watch and it was strange. The magician placed a loop in his hand and stepped through it to disappear and then reappear behind a curtain several feet away. Quite a show of trickery as she observed it and took notice of the rings. They were beautiful and obviously old the staining of time on them from many centuries of use.

Then the show was over and Matsu approached the man clapping. "Wonderful show." The small man was pudgy and shorter then her even and he seemed tired. The flower had made her senses a little stronger her perception of the world seemed sharper, more acute when he spoke. "Thank you miss, but you don't seem like the type for a temple like this. You look lost and in need something to help you." He was right, very right. Matsu wasn't sure what was on her face but he smiled showing flawless teeth in the old face.

He kept smiling at her though and Matsu bowed her head. "I am, many things have happened, many choices leading me here and while I can't change them. I do wish to find my way back, perhaps traveling with a friend will do that for me.?" The question hung in the air though and Matsu watched him think of it and he shook his head. "I am sorry Miss I cannot go with you but I can offer you an alternative to your stress."

He looked at her pocket and Matsu understood his meaning, a trade.... then his head went to the loops and a small holorecorder of what she could assume were slight of hand and other tricks to practice. It wasn't what she had expected but one could never be to picky while Matsu held his gaze and pulled out one of the hurricane crystals. The purple texture beautiful and prominent as she handed him several. Then he smiled and gave her the rings before the holopad and a smaller set that was in a hat.

That interested Matsu and seeing the smaller set the black brimmed hat she had was off her head and he was showing her how to set it and turn it on. The mini matter relocators worked great for the illusion of pulling a rabbit from a hat or a monkey lizard and all she would have to do it turn it on. "Pleasure doing business with you friend now you be careful these loops are old and only someone of import would see their history and value."

Matsu set her hat back on and put the one loop in her pack the others over her shoulder and started to walk away while she had a slight whistle. The man was a strange one but something like this she could learn from, she held the holotape of information and turned back once to look but he was gone as was his equipment. That short man with perfectly white, straight teeth who had given her something that could infinitely come in handy. Matsu mused to herself while walking. "Sometimes the force does work in mysterious ways."

Magwit's mystifying hoop

 

[Matsu Ike]

KORMAN LAO

The massive temple was beautiful, compared to others she had went to this place was... something else. The rumors and legends of its destruction were not true it seemed or it had been restored in the darkness that followed the Gulag plague. Her musing through were at an end as carrying the rings had her somewhat ecstatic. She didn't return to the ship and the man who had sold them to her was gone it seemed. Her eyes flicked back and forth across the temple taking it all in while she walked.

And that was it, this was a lovely world but she was not sure what to seek and look for, the world felt strange and there was an imbalance here but she didn't have her senses back to expand upon it. She was just following the tour guides as they spoke about history of the temple and there was the more monastic monks deeper into the temple. Near the landing pads was more of the tourist sites as Matsu listened to what they had stored in the vaults.

The vaults were what interested her, artifacts of interest this deep in the Unknown regions could be anything and paying the small fee Matsu went with the group down the stairs into the deeper vaults and smiled looking at everything. Her hair flowing under the hat while she looked around, there was the usual affair of it all. Texts and trinkets there but also some murals recovered and of interest to her. SHe felt it in her stomach, a tightening of things and in the force it whispered.

Sitting in a stand was a cube about the size of her hand and something one could carry covered in runes and symbols while the top of it was sealed. Her eyes drifted to the plaque and the words came out of her mouth. "Chu-gon dar..." Her mouth rolled the words around and she was searching her memories. There were references to it in the archives a jedi master had made the cube but no one knew what it did. Matsu looked at the open air around it and listened to the tour guides.

She waited for the moment when she could, the security system was intricate but she had a plan and waited longer. Until she was certain everyone was out of the area, letting her hands find her hat Matsu turned the ring on and lifted the other feeling with the force and turnign it on the shimmering blue light of the ring in her hat had Matsu reaching in as the matter relocator felt strange.... Then her hand was grasping the cube.

Navigating her hand back folding the cube and avoiding the lasers was quite a feat an Matsu felt trickles of sweat on her head until she finished and pulled the ring back to her chest with the force. Turning the rings off Matsu felt the cube in her hand. Stealing was not the best way but this was an old artifact of the jedi, from a time when they were at their peak. A golden age and she coudln't let it languish here, someone might destroy it or steal it and seek to misuse it. Matsu left one of the quxoni opals in its place while secreting it away in her pocket.

She had.... work to do and needed to figure out what the cube could do. She had been working towards the reconnection of her own force powers and slowly now rushing up the steps made sure the cube was safe and secured. She was moving to the ship and checking her stuff when the vanguard took off. Matsu hopped onto the ramp then was leaving taking her new things to her the room and focusing on getting them somewhere no one would disturb her.

She didn't send a message yet to the silver jedi instead preferring to sending a message that was filled with hope or promise. She was preparing the report though explaining what she had learned and found when it came to some information, her studies of the Gap, the reach and the rift along with the others mentioned in the journal. They jumped to hyperspace and headed towards the Maw cluster, there was the remains of sinkhole station and Matsu knew some more information now.

Matsu smiled enjoying the jump, exploring the runes on the cube had her most interested while she started working on the notes to find a way to translate it. She would have to work on getting the patterns and cypher if there was one, searching for information in what notes and knowledge she had that could make it worthwhile. She turned to the jedi with her and smiled while they spoke about the good that could be done.

"Yes much good could be done here with everything." Her hand drifted to the solari crystal and held it in her hand as it continued to shine a soft golden light. She didn't feel it burning her hand or messing with her, she was pure, serene and not tainted after speaking with the ghost of Sorzus Syn or visiting such a dark place. The viewport as she laid in the bed was beautiful and Matsu sent a message to Hanna on encrypted channels through Hapes and a message to [member="Iella E'ron"] on Voss.

Hanna, my lovely Hanna, this is Matsu. I am sorry that I have been away but there were pressing things that needed to be done. Secrets protected and given, I love you Hanna and look forward to my return to Hapes or your coming to see me on Spira. I would love for you to come and there is plenty that needs to be said, I have found things you might enjoy.

Master E'ron this is Matsu, I have found something and been continuing my own journey across the galaxy. There are secrets and things that must be discussed, while I know some would be quick to judge I also know you are prudent and see the value in a jedi who has been able to restore even minorly her own force connection. I have acquired several artifacts some that need to be put under nullification resin for safe keeping.

Chu-Gon Dar

 

[Matsu Ike]

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