When The Force Doesn't Teach Truth

[Samatharis]

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When The Force Doesn't Teach Truth​

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Prologue

Silver Rest
Planet Kashyyyk


Yesterday, there had been a murder.

The victim was a Cathar Padawan named Sinestra Var. She was nineteen years old and heralded among her clan as a great soldier, friend, and writer. She died in a savage betrayal. Ambushed during a Shadowlands hunt by a Wookiee named Lim Sagrath and his partner Kel Hashirar. Worse yet. Lim was a Jedi Knight. And, the attack that killed Sinestra was born of the Light Side of the Force.

According to the Jedi religion. She had died from a miracle.

Diana sat outside the launch bay of one of Silver Rest's largest Ranger Stations. It was a bay commonly used for shuttles and supply runs. Today, it was being prepped for starfighters. Yet. She didn't look well at all. Hunched over a small rock. Looking contemplative and torn.

"Hey. You okay?"

A tall brown-haired male approached the contemplative McClaine. His face was a boring as the duffy grey flight suit he wore. But the concern was there. You could hear it in his voice.

"Yeah. I'm okay Tom. ...Just, thinking. That's all."

"Man. This mission's really got you riled up huh."

"Yeah. And. That's weird, ya know. I don't know why this one feels so... Close to home. I guess."

The male Jedi took a seat on a rock nearby her. Nodding to the busy sound of prep stations and ship mechanics inside the bay.

"Well. Probably because it is? Ya know."

She turned and sighed. Meanwhile he smiled with reassurance and looked back over his shoulder. Then he continued,

"Look. Silver Rest isn't exactly the kind of place you imagine Jedi murdering each other. This is home. For a lot of people. Not some damned border world with lawless gangs and street killers. No wonder this investigation feels so off, ya know. It would ruffle anybodies feathers. Even mine. Truth be told."

"Yeah..."

"Heck. I'll bet the Assemblies even bunched up about it. A Wookiee killing some... Kid? Sheesh. It's crazy man. Just crazy. And I mean, why? Why?"

"Yeah..."

Diana just sighed again. Then looked up at the afternoon sky. She didn't really feel like talking. She didn't really feel like thinking about it anymore either.

"Um. Look. Anyway. ...I just came out here to see how you're doing. Sam and I will being running the recon of the Southern Shelf later, so? We'll be in touch over radio. If we find anything? Anything at all. You'll be the first to know. Promise."

"Thanks Tom." Diana perked up. "Good luck on the mission. And. Force be with you."

He smiled and stood up. Patted himself off.

"Yeah. You too. ...And don't worry. We'll find this son of a kith. This is our world now. They can't hide from us forever."

Diana nodded as the tall associate took his leave. Returning to bay to check on his ship and the preparations for the mission.

I guess... Kark. Man. I guess they had a couple of Jedi killers to find? Bleh.

Yeah. Today was going to be a very troubling day around the Temple. She just knew it.


* * *


Technically. This investigation was Master Brons assignment. Coming down straight from the powers that be. His job? Find the Wookiee partners and bring them back alive from the Shadowlands. But. This wasn't just a one man show. Diana had just signed up to be apart of the search party. And she wasn't alone either. Dozens of other pilots had too.

See, the Shadowlands is a big place. It runs in fissures all over the planet's surface. Anyplace that never sees sunlight year round. That's technically the definition. But, it's also considered a sacred place by the Wookiees too. A place where your nightmares can become real. Where the dark things stalk the forest clearings. All without ever making a sound.

It was so close. Yet, so far. The perfect place to go into hiding too. Nobody had mapped the Shadowlands in centuries. Heck. Nobody even knew IF you could map it. That was like, trying to chart the bottom of the whole ocean. Or, trying to chart all the stars in the outer rim. Even if you tried? It would take lifetimes to accomplish. Which, didn't sit really well with Master Brons either.

"Okay. Listen up people."

The gathering quieted down and focused on the classroom's monitor ahead. Jedi Master Brons nodded and again took the lead.

"We've got two fugitives. Wookiees. This fellow here. And this fellow here. They're both skilled hunters, fighters, and trackers. They probably know where their going and how to keep out of sight too. They'll be at the bottom of the forest. Trying to keep a low profile."

Everyone from the myraid starfighter search teams seemed to look at each other. Knowing all too well what that must mean.

"Your job is locate their transport. They took S-class shuttles out to the farther reaches yesterday and never reported back. We've got the plates and their configurations. Plan is, once we find their vessels. We can start to pick up their trail. Figure out where they went from there."

He looked around the room at the numerous faces and nodded.

"Any questions?"

Diana just nodded along. Then looked around the quiet room once more. Nobody seemed to have any questions. Then one fellow spoke up.

"Actually, yeah. ...How will we know if our scanners can even reach to the forest bottoms? I heard the Wookiee guild teams couldn't even map the thing?"

A few heads nodded along. Seemed legit.

"That's a good question. And truth be told. Some of you will probably need to enter the treeline to get a good signal. Fly low and slow through the branches. It's the only why your sensors will be able to get a clear shot of identifying their vessels metallic analysts. As, they'll probably have taken steps to disable any of the ship's transponders."

A few more heads seemed to sigh in disappointment. Flying a starfighter under the treeline was no summer picnic. That was for sure.

"Anyone else?"

Nobody replied. Not for a few moments anyway.

"Very well. ...Then you're all dismissed. Good luck out there. And stick to your assigned search zones. Report anything you find. The Force will be with us. You can count on it."

Diana sighed. Then stood up with the congregation. Taking a moment to let the long lines file out of the room. Everybody in their pilot's gear. Ready to make the short trek out to the boats and board their starfighters. Ready for the trip back out into the sky.

Then suddenly a Jedi Knight named Madeline tapped McClaine on the shoulder,

"Master McClaine? Just a moment ma'am."

"Yes?"

"Master Brons would like to speak with you."

"Oh? ...Well. Then lead the way."

They turned and returned to the wide Jedi classroom. Diana felt a bit out of place. Being dressed in her flight suit under her coat, she figured she would be out there with the other pilots. Not meeting the head of the investigation personally.

"McClaine. Ah. Thank you for coming." Master Brons looked up from his podium notes.

"Master. What can I do for you?" She shrugged.

"I know you signed up for the search team into the Northern Expanse. However, I've just received word that one of our village teams needs a new leader. So. How do you feel about being reassigned?"

She seemed surprised to hear it. The village teams were part of the information gather squads. Designed to seek out a motive and information about the fleeing Wookiee slayers. Usually by following more "social" threads and familial ties. If you know what i mean. It was more Jedi Sentinels work than anything.

"Oh well. I suppose, that would be fine. Sure."

"Excellent." He smiled and tapped his notes together, "...You'll be leading a group of volunteers out to the Hunters Guild in Markhams Vale. They're supposed to be asking questions about the Wookiee's work history. Monster Hunter business and all that. Should be an easy fetch quest. Just visit with the Wookiee's old Masters and see what you can learn about their skill set. Anything they could tell us about the Shadowlands would be a boon. The more we know about these failed paragons? The better."

"Of course sir. We'll explore the guild for answers. No problem."

"Good. That's what I like to hear. Report back to Madeline here when you're all finished. She's coordinating the reports. That's all. Dismissed Master."

Diana gave a soft bow and then returned to the hallway. Patting herself down and realizing now that she was cordially over-dressed.

Poo.


* * *


Chapter One: The Volunteers


Diana arrived to Markhams Vale in the early evening, via starfighter. It was a cosmopolitan city by Wookiee standards. A whole string of suburbs arranged wide spread throughout the trees. Linked together by a dizzying number of giant bridges, chasms, and walkways. The houses seemed endless. Even looking up and down. The commerce was multi-faceted out here and it was hard to tell what the main economy or job of the population was. Diana didn't really understand how Wookiee cities worked so? She figured it was textiles or furs or something. After all. Markhams Vale was home to the Hunters Guild of the Southern Reach. Had to be a big pull for something right?

Anyway. She departed her ship's cockpit and touched down easily upon the duracrete landing pad. The hotel their intel team was using was just inside the city limits. Not far. She could park her ship and take a transport via phone. Nothing like a Wookiee taxi. I'll tell ya that.

Minutes later. She arrived at the Wooden Hawkbat Hotel.

"Hi. Checking in."

The giant black Wookiee male behind the counter just nodded and typed into the computer. A silver protocol droid next to him did the talking.

"Welcome Jedi Master. We hope you'll enjoy your stay at the Hawkbat Hotel. You're in room 204. The lift is just that way. And please. Do let the desk know if you need anything."

"Thanks."

She smiled and took her key. Turning her long coat towards the hallway and finding the elevator with ease. When she got to her room, she made an inspection. It had two beds and was much larger than she'd anticipated. Still. It was a hotel room on Kashyyyk in the Southern Realms. She probably should have expected something this nice and wealthy.

"Well. Hey. At least it's on the Temple's tab. Not mine. Ha!"

She smiled. Yeah. It would do.

"Okay well. Guess I'd better meet the team then?"

She threw her briefcase onto the bed and plopped down onto the couch cushions. Then texted out a message on her wrist com,

~ "All Vale Intel Team Members. Report to room 204 for team meeting. Signed. Master McClaine." ~

There.

Now all she had to do wait.


_

*ooc: Open Jedi RP for good guys on Kashyyyk. A lightly guided adventure. Thanks!

 

[Tulan Kor]

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People around Silver Rest avoided Tulan.

Hell, they didn't straight-up like him.

Tends to happen when you used to be one of the 'bad guys'.

Granted- the One Sith were pretty bad.

​

But all that was over- now he was a Ranger, out of prison, and doing good work. Or at least, killing people that the Silvers said he could. And a little mercenary work on the side. Didn't hurt to kill bad guys for a nice chunk of change on the side once and a while.

But this time, Tulan was happy to kill two people for free.

He'd been following the Jedi since she arrived.

She was easy to spot, not covering her tracks. No reason to, not yet. He wondered if he could've stalked her if she was paying attention to her- probably not. Jedi were actually pretty good, especially the types the Silvers trained. Even the One Sith had trouble keeping track of them, with their cobweb of spies, traitors, and ne'er-do-wells at their disposal. Didn't really help them. Being smart and well-informed as well and good, and intelligence and information was beneficial to have-

But there was nothing that could stop someone from straight-up sliding a knife across your throat. No intelligence briefing in the world could stop that. So Tulan was stalking, for now. Hiding, conniving. He stayed far away enough that the Jedi wouldn't pick up on him right away, not without seriously looking. And in a happy-go-lucky place like Silver Rest, well, that was easy enough to blend in from.

He was across the street from the hotel, some crappy cafe catered to the Silver Jedi crews, more of the dock workers that were stationed there, than the Wookies. So, Tulan blended in for the moment. He didn't have access to any of the information about the two supposed killers. But he'd find out. Tulan was good at finding things out. So it was a matter of time, and a matter of persistence. Tulan was convinced that the best way to deal with the two Wookies was two bullets to the back of the head.

But maybe things weren't so cut and dry. After all-

Things like a murder of a Jedi were a fairly big deal.

Maybe there was more to this than the two Wookies and a dead Jedi.

Maybe a lot more.

Tulan never trusted Jedi, truthfully. But damned it all if he wasn't going to make sure that the truth wasn't brought in. Call it loyalty, call it duty, call it whatever you wanted. Tulan was out for blood, for revenge. Jedi called it justice, Tulan called it what it was. Revenge. There was a lot of sayings about revenge and how it was eventually just bad for you- but that was written by people who never got real revenge, never felt sting of something lost. No, this was revenge. Tulan wanted to send a message.

Nobody messed with the Silver Jedi, nobody hurt innocent people.

He'd done that enough.

So really- this wasn't just about revenge to Tulan.

This was redemption.


[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Desken Arlo]

Desken at simply admiring the view of the combination of Kashyyk's beauty and the way the city seemed to mesh with forest rather then dominate it as he had seen on other worlds. It had a symbiotic beauty to it that he couldn't help but study while he waited for the inevitable message. The shorter Jedi's view was from a patio his own room provided and and he wasn't sitting but instead standing and leaning on the small table. As his eyes took in the view his mouth was working slowly munching away at one of his precious sweet leaf treats he had brought for this journey, a habit he had while thinking and he had been doing a lot of that.

The loss of a Padawan was already troubling enough no matter how or when it happened but to learn that his fellow Jedi were responsible had sent his stomach rolling and a resounding question he wanted answered was "Why?" If he had a vice it would be his curiosity and desire to learn but this one question had taken priority over all his over musings and questions. He wanted to know why one of his own would strike down a Padawan, someone the older Jedi were expected to protect nurture and train. His line of thought of the betrayal caused a bead of anger to form in his heart but just as quickly he heaved a sigh turning from the view to a small airtight container on the table. Popping the lid he selected another of the plain green leaves, this time choosing one that still had its bitter roots to chastise himself.

"Anger is the enemy of thought" he reminded himself chomping the roots off and grimacing. He had echoed his own masters teachings from his younger years and training, a good man whose valuable teachings Desken still relied on as a knight. He chewed the sprouts of the root slowly, the bitterness of them striking hard against the sweet flavor that had been there a moment before, if he wanted answers he would find them but he would find them as a proper Jedi. And if their investigation led to some insight to help find the fugitives then all the better. He prayed they'd be found alive and he allowed himself the somewhat bitter thought that he hoped he could cross blades, the idea of striking the Padawan killer with his heavy staff was appealing, and he sighed again. He needed to focus on the mission that was his first duty, and his usual scatterbrained nature wasn't going to be much use if he didn't focus now.

He had just finished off the disgusting roots of his treat when the datapad next to the container chimed and he got the message and he let all his grumblings and invading thoughts fade...for the moment and quickly tucked the container back into is safe place on his bandoleer across his chest and started to head back inside towards the door. Catching a view of himself in the mirror he paused and shook his head, while thinking and eating he had gotten bits his leaf on this tunic and as he smiled he noticed a slight green hue to his teeth. Still his clothes weren't stained so he'd just have to deal with it. He grabbed his own robe and swung it over himself making to sure it covered the long saber strapped to his back and set out to meet his team leader.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

The door to room two o' four was left ajar as [member="Desken Arlo"] showed up. Voices inside would beckon his insatiable curiosity. So as the door swung open he found himself in another large space. Longer than it was wide. Two beds, long tall cabinets, a couch, two folding chairs, and two giant holo-screens on the wall. There were windows on the far wall but no patio. Otherwise, it was comfortable and well suited in accommodations. A blonde woman in a long fur-trimmed trench coat beckoned him in,

"Come on in. We don't bite."

Arlo was greeted with three smiling faces. Diana McClaine was the blonde woman in the long coat sitting on the far bed. Flipping through the channels on the holo with a plastic remote. She was attractive, expensively dressed, and wore the make-up of a core world lifestyle.

Lounging on the couch was a string-bean human girl of only about sixteen. Maybe seventeen. She wore the garb of a fresh garage mechanic. Her jumper covered in colorful patches from exotic vacation resorts all over Silver space. She had long unkept blonde hair and a smattering of freckles about her cute facial features. And the boldest red combat boots you'd ever seen. Clearly, a free spirit with a Tom-boy fashion sense. Relaxing on the couch like she owned the place.

Then there was the goblin. A female creature that stood up only about to Arlo's knee in height. Long pointy green ears, a button nose, wide black orbs for eyes, and only three digits on each hand. The only hair she had was a pink tuft on the very top of her rounded head. Pulled up into a pony-tail and left to fall, colorfully, about her tiny shoulders. She wore the grey robes of a Jedi Padawan with a tiny crest to show off her Padawan Clan affiliation. She stood in the bathroom admiring herself in the mirror. Using the waste bin as a make-shift step ladder.

"Welcome. I see that everyone is finally here. Excellent." Diana smiled and stood up from flipping channels, "Introductions then."

She brushed herself off and hit mute on the holo.

"Okay. So I'm Diana. I'll be coordinating the Vale Team here. Today and tomorrow. ...The pretty lass over on the couch is Tina."

"Sup homie." The little girl smiled.

"And, the elf in the bathroom is Amara. Padawan of the Silver Surfers Clan."

"She-elf." The tiny woman scuffled out of the bathroom and quickly hoped up on the nearest bed, "We of Tika Mountain like to call ourselves, She-elves."

"Ah. Of course. ...Amara. The she-elf of planet Tika."

The tiny little goblin woman beamed with pride. Her age was indeterminable but she spoke with the voice of a competent, if somewhat picky, adult.

Diana threw the remote back on her bed and gestured to Arlo with a furry cuff of her sleeve,

"And... Who might our fourth team member be, hmm?"

I guess the gang was all here. However, with the shades pull back and the dimming light of evening filtering in through the windows. Perhaps someone could yet spy upon their casual gathering. If only with a pair of quadnocks and a perfectly good vantage point, hmm???

Well. Maybe.

_

[member="Desken Arlo"] | [member="Tulan Kor"] |​