Ask Routine missions are safe, aren't they?

[Fiach Dubh]

“The Outer Rim is a lawless place. It is a haven for smugglers, cartels, syndicates, and all kinds of scum and villainy.”
― Jennica Pierce


Fiach had researched Lokori — but of course she had, this was Fiach, a venerable bookworm. So, even though this was a routine mission to deliver a payment in return for some intelligence, the Order had decided to send two Padawans. It seemed that routine missions were the most dangerous kind!

Their ship was descending nowThrough the transparisteel cockpit, she could see the capital city of Fucallpa. It looked like some enormous flower bed, riotous with colours and shapes. Her sweeping gaze took in basket-like structures and spiked domes like outsized succulents; buildings climbing in off-kilter segments with stairways wrapped around them like clinging vines; residential areas that might as well have been horticultural farms, laid out like lobed or pointed leaves.

Unable to see them from this distance, she knew the indigenous species - which were also called Lokori — were stalklike insectoids, with stemmed eyes, vestigial wings, and elongated hindquarters from which at one time had extended a second pair of reverse-articulated legs.

Her self-briefing had included the fact that the Lokori's intrinsic graciousness, evidenced by a to-and-fro motion of the head was based on a religious ritual that signalled greeting and gentle acceptance.

Receiving confirmation they could land, Fiach turned to her fellow Padawan, Ori. “So, would you like to take the lead on this mission?” It was said as it was meant, as an honest question. Fiach was not competitive and was happy to play the role of peer or subordinate, depending on whoever she was assigned with. It was the prospect of being in charge that would faze her.

@Roentgenium

 

[Ori Ardell]

Supplies for census information, that was the mission. When the Galactic Empire rose up, all the data that the Jedi had collected over the centuries was lost. Priceless knowledge was lost about countless cultures on countless planets and although the Jedi Order had been back for about a hundred years or so, it was only recently that members of the Order were starting to journey out into the wider galaxy. The recovery of lost knowledge was vital to reestablishing the Order.

That was the aim for Fiach and Ori, to establish a relationship with the Lokori to faciliate an exchange of information about their people and culture. Their contact for this mission was a low-level official within the Lokori government by the name of Stredak.

Take the lead? Fiach's question took him by surprise.

He was still conflicted about his status as a Jedi. A lingering imposter syndrome he had yet to shake off, still feeling like he didn't really belong or deserve to be a member of the Order. On the other hand, this mission was a relatively low-stakes one and it seemed like a good opportunity to prove to himself that he was better than he thought.

"Sure thing," Ori answered with a smile.

After the ship had landed, Ori proceeded to the exit and glanced at Fiach, "Feeling ready?". At the exit, he pressed a button which opened the door and sent a ramp down to the ground. Out on the landing pad, the two Jedi were met by a Lokori who Ori presumed to be Stredak. Accompanying Stredak was a protocol droid.

The Lokori bobbed his head, preforming the ritualistic greeting. Ori repeated the gesture back, wanting to get off on the best foot possible and avoid any potential offence. Stredak then began to speak, but his words were intellegible to Ori.

"Greetings Jedi," The protocal droid said, evidently operating as a translator. "Welcome to Fucallpa. I hope you enjoy your stay in our city and on my homeworld and I hope we are able to build a positive relationship between your Order and my people."

"Thank for you having us," Ori responded, "It is a pleasure to be here. Allow me to introduce us properly. I am Jedi Ori Ardell and this is Jedi Fiach Dubh."

"It is an honour for us to host members of such a legendary Order," the droid translated. "We have a tour of the city planned for both of you, are you amenable to this?"

Ori shot a glance at Fiach, before returning his gaze to Stredak and nodding. It wasn't the most exciting mission, but it was work that needed to be done.

Several Hours Later...​

​

What had followed was a dizzying tour of Fucallpa. By the end of it, Ori was exhausted and not to mention, quite bored. He liked to think of himself as a pretty patient person but even his was wearing thin.

Evnetually, they were taken to a house which Ori was left to assume belonged to Stredak.

"Before the data exchange, I am keen to discuss the issue of the raiders who have made their base in the forests on the outskirts of the city."

Ori glanced confusedly at Fiach and then back to the protocol droid and Stredak. "Raiders? We weren't informed of any raiders."

"Stredak is puzzled. He insists the raiders were mentioned on first contact and he was further informed that the Jedi would take care of the problem."

He could feel the frustration rising within him. Ori was certain there had been no miscommunication and he had the feeling that they were being manipulated by Stredak into taking a care of a problem that he was failing to. "I apologise for any confusion but allow me to clear things up. The Jedi are peacekeepers, not hired mercernaries."

Stredak seemed pertubed by Ori's words and spoke quickly to the droid who relayed his words, "I insist there will be no exchange unless the raiders are dealt with. Certain conditions were agreed upon and I must insist they are fufilled."

Ori went to speak, but stopped himself and took a deep breath, "Please allow us a moment," he said as he walked outside the building, where upon, he turned to Fiach, assuming she had followed him, "What do you think?"

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach was comfortable with routine. She trusted the Council to allocate tasks according to complexity and danger and if two Padawans were required, then two Padawans were what was required. Of course, she was also aware that, sometimes, it was a mission within a mission. Maybe it was to see how the two of them worked together? She’d failed some time ago in a training session based upon working as a team and covering each other’s weaknesses. Maybe this was a more practical test? Or maybe it was designed to ensure they simply delivered on the mission brief? Fiach was prone to over-thinking things at times and knew she had to press on with the task in hand.

She was relieved when Ori agreed to take the lead. Was that a failing? Probably, and she resolved to take the initiative on the next mission — or at least when the next opportunity presented itself.

After they landed and were ready to leave, Fiach momentarily closed her eyes and connected deeply with the Force, calming herself and emptying her mind of extraneous thought. “I’m ready,” she replied to her fellow Padawan.

Fiach was slightly conflicted as to how to greet the welcoming committee. She was here representing the Order and so decided to perform her usual bow. And despite her linguistic skills, she had no idea what the Lokori was saying to them. Fortunately the protocol droid was here as translator.

She was tempted to say she was not a Jedi, merely a Padawan, but thought better of it. They were representing the Jedi Order, after all, and that was all the locals needed to know.

Fiach bowed again when she was introduced and waited for Ori to dictate their actions.

###​

The tour could be most positively described as thorough. Fiach would describe it as interesting which was her way of saying she was not totally convinced. It was repetitive and therefore overlong, but her ubiquitous smile remained on her lips and she paid attention throughout.

Finally they attended to the reason for their presence here and Fiach was expecting, if not hoping, for a swift exchange and they could be on their way. She was not prepared for what came next.

Raiders? She was glad Ori was in charge right now, especially as either the Council had not informed them correctly, or the Lokori were lying. Or maybe, just maybe, this was another test from the Council?

Ori was firm with their host, and she felt uncomfortable that their cultures were so different. It was hard to sense someone being economical with the truth at the best of times. When there were no tells to work with, it was impossible.

She was impressed with Ori’s next decision and she made a mental note to use it as a tactic in the future. Once outside the building, she sighed audibly, releasing the tension that had been building.

“This is a form of first contact and whatever we do will have consequences. To call them liars would not bode well. To refuse would be equally damaging I suspect. To delay and wait for more information from the Council is tantamount to calling them liars. I say we proceed. But we must word our involvement carefully. We will gladly agree to look into the matter — without committing to a prescribed outcome. Does that sound reasonable?”

@Roentgenium

 

[Ori Ardell]

"Sounds like a good way to proceed," Ori answered, "Should keep Stredak happy, for now anyway. Enough to buy us some time to find out what's going on." He nodded to Fiach and then returned back inside.

The protocol droid and Stredak hadn't moved from where they were, the latter clearly waiting on an answer from the Jedi. "We want to move forward in good faith, so we have agreed to look into the matter of the raiders. But, I cannot guarantee any outcome nor can I make any promises that we will 'deal' with these raiders. As I have stated, we Jedi are peacekeepers, not soldiers."

There was a brief silence as Stredak thought about what to say. Eventually he spoke, with the droid translating once again, "This is acceptable... in the interest of continuing to build a positive relationship," Stredak then motioned to the droid, who would approach Fiach and offer her a datapad, "This contains the approximate location of the raiders in question, as well as information on the attacks they have carried out. We believe they have set up camp in the forest on the outskirts of the city, as of yet we have been unable to locate them precisely."

The datapad would explain that, according to their best estimates, the raiders had arrived several months ago. However, the attacks that had taken place had only occurred in the past month and a half. The attacks have mainly been focused on food stores and farms, with minimal injuries and no casualties.

"We shall head to the location you have provided immediately and see what we can do, we'll be in touch." Ori said, bowing his head to Stredak. Once they were out of the building again, he looked at Fiach, "I have a bad feeling about this."

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach was pleased with their brief conversation and nodded her agreement before they returned to their host.

The negotiation was short — and for once that did not bode badly — as their host spoke to the droid who in turn conveyed the message that they could and should proceed under the terms stated.

The fact that so much was unclear was not helpful resolving the situation, but it could offer them time to speak to the Council for clarification. So she took the datapad and resisted the urge to immediately open it up — which she understood was rude in polite company.

Once outside of the building, Fiach headed immediately in the direction of their ship. “OK, so not exactly what we expected or planned for. The fact there are two of us suggests the briefing was light on facts and possibly on purpose.”

Checking the data as they walked, Fiach’s nose wrinkled. “The term raider does not seem right,” she said. “Raiders would come in, take what they wanted and leave. At worst — or maybe best — take as much as they could over a period of time until discovered. But to not initiate any raids for a month or so suggests a different approach. There is definitely more to this than meets the eye.”

“In terms of a plan, my suggestion is a simple one. Take our ship to the location noted and search for the raiders. Once we find them, we ask them what’s going on. Unless you think that’s too simple?”

@Roentgenium

 

[Ori Ardell]

"True, this could be a test of our initiative," Ori said, then adding, "Stredak could also be manipulating us to deal with a problem that he hasn't been able to." Both were possible and Ori knew which one he believed more, but either way, they needed to proceed with care. If they acted rashly, it wouldn't reflect well on them, regardless of who was behind the misinformation.

He nodded in agreement with Fiach's assessments of the report.

"I'll admit it strikes me as strange too." While Ori had never been a raider, during his time as an orphan, he had certainly been a pickpocket and a thief. The pattern of the attacks reminded him of that time, of only stealing what you need to so you don't draw too much attention to yourself.

Although he wouldn't be sharing his observation with Fiach yet, lest she become too inquisitive about his past.

"I can't think of anything better, sounds like a good plan to me," Ori answered.

--​

The ship touched down at the co-ordinates that were included in the datapad. They had landed in a small clearing in the forest. Once outside, there was what had the looks of a makeshift camp. It looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry.

"They must have known we were coming." Ori said to Fiach, "We should probably look around and see if we can find any clues on our so-called raiders."

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach nodded at Ori’s thoughts and this sealed their plan. “OK, let’s go. I’ll send a message to the Order, asking if they have any further information that wasn’t contained in the initial report. Best not to call either side out for being economical with the truth just yet.”

###​

The journey was brief and the ship arrived safely. On the face of it, it was far too easy to find the spot and the makeshift camp. “If I were a raider, and operating outside of the law, I’m sure I would have made more of an effort to hide. If the locals had wanted to deal with them directly, it would have been straightforward. They certainly were not truthful in saying they could not find them, we’ve stumbled across them and we haven’t even been here two minutes.”

“And if they knew we were coming, that means someone told them. Which is a separate but related mystery I think. I suspect this will not be a straightforward mission and — even if not set intentionally by the Council — will test our skills as potential Jedi.”

Taking a deep breath, Fiach headed to the exit and lowered the ramp. “Anyone leaving in a hurry invariably leaves clues,” she said. “How are your detective skills?”

@Roentgenium

 

[Ori Ardell]

"True," Ori said in reply to Fiach's observation that they raiders were easy to find, "On the other hand, they could be using multiple locations and Stredak only knew of this one. We may have just been lucky this time." He finished playing Devil's advocate and took a moment to pause and take in his surroundings.

"I agree. The situation appears to be a lot more complex and layered than Stredak is letting on. Better to be cautious, go slow and get things right than to rush and make a mistake." He was saying it more for his own sake, rather than for his fellow Padawan. Ori was aware that he could be impatient sometimes, prone to frustration He had felt his anger rising when dealing with Stredak.

Remember the Force, be mindful of your emotions. Ori reminded himself internally.

"I'm not sure. I think we're about to find out." Ori answered, "How are yours?"

Makeshift was the right word for the camp. There were tents that looked like they had been patched together, rather than having been pre-made. There was a fire in the center of the camp, although there were only embers now. Around the camp there were crates, some were opened, some weren't. The ones that were opened looked like they had been forced open.

There were also signs that attempts had been made at some sort of normal living, with clothes hung up to dry and dirty food containers left by a nearby pond, ready to be cleaned. Strange, for a group of supposedly, fearsome raiders, to care so much about their own hygiene and making their camp homely.

@Corbeau

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach nodded at Ori’s words. He was right – it was wrong to take things at face value. There were multiple reasons they found this site so easily, and it would be wrong to jump to conclusions as to the reasons without further data.

“I concur about the site,” she said. “And as for taking the situation lightly, I suspect the scenario will have more layers than a Klatoonian onion, which has quite a few, in case you’ve never eaten one. So, I agree, we should go slowly and trust in the Force.”

“I’m used to solving problems – but mostly with things that need fixing. But the process is the same. Gather data, test hypothesis and only one step at a time. I’m not sure we know a lot more than we did when we arrived on this planet right now. So, let’s spend a few minutes looking around and see what we can see. And use more than our eyes. They can be fooled.”

Fiach wandered around – her primary thoughts were of people who had either left hastily or were planning to return. Too many things had been left behind for an orderly evacuation. And there was no obvious sign of a struggle, so they must have left voluntarily – or at least decided to depart quietly.

“Do you see any signs of a forced departure?” she asked, wanting to test her hypothesis.

@Roentgenium