Ask Stoga: The Weight of Water

[Sybella Demici]

Planet Stoga - Outer Rim
​

Stoga was a desert planet. Most of its surface was nothing more than vast stretches of arid, golden sand; dunes seemed to stretch on endlessly, punctuated by sporadic rocky outcrops and towering mesas. The sky above however was a sight to behold. Hues of deep crimson and burnt orange painted the heavens, all whilst two suns (one larger and the other smaller) cast a warm, dual-coloured glow. It created an array of dramatic shadows that danced across the entire landscape. The suns' intense, unrelenting rays also created an unforgiving heat.

Flora and fauna had to evolve in rather interesting ways in order to withstand the harsh environment of Stoga. Tall, slender cacti-like plants dominate the landscape, their succulent structures storing water for long periods of drought. These towering plants reach towards the sky, their sharp spines glinting in the sunlight as a means of defence against any potential predators. The animals, few and far between, were equally fascinating. Some creatures had developed exoskeletons that protect them from the harsh elements, while others had evolved the ability to burrow beneath the sandy terrain to escape the searing temperatures above. Strange, reptilian creatures with elongated bodies and leathery skin could be seen on occasion slithering across the desert floor, their iridescent scales shimmering in the kaleidoscope of light.

Despite its arid nature, Stoga did possess some hidden treasures. Ancient ruins, remnants of a once-thriving civilization, lay buried beneath the shifting sands. The structures possessed an otherworldly aesthetic, adorned with intricate carvings and symbols that hint at a complex and advanced society that once called this planet home. Of course, it was hard to find such ruins, given the ever-fickle nature of the forever-shifting sands. Exploring was not without its dangers. Vicious sandstorms could whip through the desert without a moment's notice, their force capable of tearing through flesh and dismantling even the sturdiest of structures. Unpredictable sinkholes, hidden beneath the seemingly solid ground, posed additional hazards to the unwary travellers.

Despite this, however, Sybella pushed on, accompanied by a fellow Jedi @Gwydion Astel. Despite their steady steps and purposeful pace, the terrain was rather unforgiving. Mastering the Force had allowed them to defy the oppressive heat, but even that had its limits. Taking a sip of water from her canteen, Sybella naturally offered a swig to her companion. Whoever had summoned them clearly needed a lesson in coordinates! At this rate, they could have flown for longer and covered more of the distance.

Finally, after traversing one of the larger dunes, a distant sight would catch their attention—a shimmering oasis. An oasis that held the promise of respite amidst the arid wasteland. Drawing closer, they discovered a group of humans, divided into two tribes, engaged in an intense argument. The tribes were easily distinguishable by the colour of their garments—a crimson-robed tribe and a cerulean-clad tribe. Voices were being raised, as were some improvised weapons. Looking at Gwydion, Sybella could now see why the Jedi were asked to get involved. Who, however, was yet to be answered - until two small figures came dashing up to them.

They were two adolescents, boys dressed in opposing colours. It was enough to raise an eyebrow, given the current feuding.

"You are the Jedi, yes?"

"We called you. A good thing came when you did. I don't know how much longer the peace can last!"

"Peace?" Sybella blinked, looking back down at the bickering adults. If this was them at 'peace', she'd hate to see what things were like during real times of conflict. "I think you boys better start from the beginning. What exactly is going on?"

"The water. It's all drying up and no one knows why."

"There are only a few waterholes left now and our families are fighting over them."

"But we don't want to fight. We were friends before the water dried up - we want to stay friends. Can you help us?"

 

[Gwydion Astel]

Gwydion lagged behind Sybella by a few steps. He had a pair of goggles pushed up above his forehead and a piece of cloth tied around his neck, he had heard the sandstorms on Stoga could get pretty bad and so he decided to come prepared. But it wasn't a rogue sandstorm which was slowing him down, it was the heat. It would have probably been bad enough if there was just one sun to worry about but unfortunately there was bloody of the things.

"Thank you." Gwydion said, accepting the canteen which Sybella offered. He gulped down some of the water and gave it back after, desperately hoping that it would cool him down, but to no avail. The heat persisted. Just as the ominous thought that they were lost in a never-ending desert started to creep into Gwydion's mind, Gwydion saw the oasis as they came over the crest of the sand dune.

The feeling of relief was short-lived and turned quickly to concern as his attention was drawn to the two groups arguing. The two adolescents approached them and explained the situation to them. Still hot and bothered from the long trek, Gwydion was happy to let Sybella do the talking. The concern that the boys had about the water drying up piqued his interest. Droughts occurred even in pleasant climates, he thought that in as hot and as dry as an environment as this that they were surely more common than anywhere else.

Either the situation was so dire that they had also started to use up any water that they had in storage or water was usually so easily accessible on Stoga that a situation such as this was completely unprecedented. More context was needed before a concrete conclusion could be made but as it stood, Gwydion thought it was very concerning.

"If there is a solution to be found," Gwydion stated, finally speaking up to both of the adolescents, "I promise we will do everything in our power to find it." He finished with a smile and then looked at Sybella, "Where should we start?"

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Gwydion was right. Every problem had a solution, so long as there were those willing to find it. “Let’s start with some introductions. Force willing, the peace will hold.”

Nodding to her fellow Jedi, Sybella followed the two boys down the sandy embankment. Luckily, there were a number of tents set up, offering shade. In addition to this were several ceramic towers. At first, one might think they were decorative (being carved by hand with such great care) but upon closer inspection, one would find they actually served an important purpose. Was the wafting air was caught by the opening of the wind catchers, it was funneled down to the makeshift dwellings below, depositing any sand or debris at the foot of the tower. By the time air travelled through, it was pleasantly cooler than the original winds outside. Essentially, traditional air cooling technology. How fascinating.

The drop in temperature, whilst subtle, was greatly appreciated. As was the attention of the tribes and their leaders. They seemed surprised, finding Jedi all the way out there in the Outer Rim. Stoga was mostly a planetary outcrop. Smugglers times stopped there but other than there, there were no fixed cities to inhabit.

Naturally, the people of the sands were cautious, whispering amongst themselves as Sybella stepped forward to introduce their company. “I am Jedi Knight Demici and this is Knight Astel. We couldn’t help but notice your rather heated exchange-“ perhaps a poor choice of words, given the current climate, but Sybella continued as if unperturbed- “What is the issue exactly?”

The first to speak seemed to belong to the blue garbed fraction; she was an old, matronly woman though her current expression was nothing short of thunderous. “The water. There used to be many pools, much like this. Enough for our tribes to sustain themselves but many have dried up and this is the only one we’ve managed to find after days of search. These heartless dogs won’t even share a drop!”

A man, moderately aged, then stood up and pointed rather feverishly between himself and the oasis that was within sight. “We found the source first! Look how little there is to ration already. There is not enough for both your tribe and mine!”

“So you would have us die of thirst?!”

“Would you prefer we all die instead?!”

Shouting erupted once more and Sybella blinked between one tribe to another. She then looked at Gwydion rather owlishly, as if asking how best to proceed in this rather sensitive issue. One thing was for certain though, they couldn’t continue the discussion any further with all the noise that was going on.

Licking her parched lips, Sybella brought her fingers up and whistled rather forcefully until silence had once more been established. “I understand your grievances. This is indeed a serious matter but shouting at one another will not solve anything.”

“What do you propose then, Jedi?”

A good question. One that would require some pondering. From what she had read, prior to the mission, it seemed Stoga didn’t have any sort of rain fall; the weather remained largely consistent. That meant the water was being being effected by something else, not the climate as one might first think. “It is my understanding that on planets like these, an oasis can be formed by an underground aquifer or river. When enough pressure is created, it causes water to seep to the surface, forming the pools. If these have existed for generations, as you suggested, then I find it hard to believe the underground river has merely ‘dried up’. Something like be causing a blockage.”

 

[Gwydion Astel]

As they passed one of the cooling towers, Gwydion stopped for a moment and placed a flat palm onto its surface. It was such a wonderful thing. It represented so much more than what it was built for. It was the indomitable spirit of sentient beings, the will to survive and prosper wherever and whenever. He could pick out patchwork and repairs where the towers had been maintained over time. It was clear how resourceful and self-sufficient these people were.

The cooler air washed over him like a cleansing river and Gwydion's spirits were buoyed by the relief from the debilitating heat. For one of the first times since he and Sybella had started their trek through the desert, he felt like himself again. While walking alongside his fellow Jedi, he too couldn't help but notice the numerous cautious glances they were getting from the residents. The confidence with which Sybella presented herself impressed Gwydion.

"Hello," Gwydion whispered, almost silent, as Sybella introduced him. He felt his stomach turn at the awkwardness of his own greeting. A distant memory began replaying in Gwydion's mind.

------​

Quel and Gwydion had finished combat training. Gwydion had optimistically thought that it was the end of all training for the day. But his master, Quel, had a unique ability to always squeeze an extra lesson in wherever he could. Both sat kneeled at the edge of a pond, they spent time in silent contemplation before Quel began speaking.

"There is something else that you must endeavor to improve upon Gwydion," Quel said, turning his head to face his student. "The responsibilities of a Jedi go beyond proficiency with a lightsaber, or knowledge of the Force. There will come a time when people look to you for help, for guidance, they will look at you as an authority figure. A Jedi can only be effective in this pursuit if they have confidence in themselves and their abilities. Self-doubt, hesitation. In reasonable portions, these keep a Jedi in check, but if you allow yourself to indulge too much in these feelings, you will find yourself frozen before an infinity of choices. If you ever find yourself in that position, bring your mind back to this pond before us Gwydion and you will be okay." Quel finished and grinned widely, noticing the frown and scrunched up face of his student.

"Sorry but could you repeat that last bit again?"

------​

Gwydion snapped back to the present and caught the tail end of the bickering between the man and woman. He was grateful when Sybella's whistle silenced the two. After listening to her assessment of the situation, he chimed in after her. "I agree with Knight Demici's conclusion. In addition there can only be two causes of such a blockage. It could have been caused naturally, perhaps an earthquake or a rock fall. The other option we are left with is that the blockage is not natural at all and that it is artificial. That is to say that it was done quite deliberately." Gwydion paused after that statement and let it linger. He took a moment to scrutinise the faces of the people around him and see their reaction. He could sense that they were beginning to get riled up by the potential accusation.

"Of course." Gwydion added while placing his hands on his hips, "None of you are suspects. After all, why would you sabotage your own water supply?" That wasn't quite true however, they couldn't rule out the possibility that one group of people was sabotaging the supply in order to exert control over another, or even worse, wipe them out.

@HoneyMagpie

 

[Sybella Demici]

Sybella was compelled to agree with Gwydion’s successive statements. The scenario? It was a simple blockage, an easy fix between two Jedi so long as they didn’t have to contend with any nefarious factors. Looking over both tribes, Sybella couldn’t sense anything malicious but only time would try tell.

“Then what do you Jedi recommend?”

Glancing back towards the oasis, Sybella gave the following instructions. “Give us time. Ration the water, fairly, and we’ll investigate the shortages. Force willing, it won’t take us very long.”

The two leaders, thankfully, agreed to the tentative terms. At least they were willing to comply with the Jedi, rather than fight them every step of the way. With a sigh, Sybella adjusted her shroud. Soon they’d have to venture out of the shade and, once again, be at the mercy of the planet’s ungodly heat. One thing was for certain, they wouldn’t be wandering around aimlessly - if they wanted to survive exposure to the two suns, they’d need affirmative direction. One of the tribes offered some primitive divining rods; the dowser usually holds onto the rods (typically L-shaped metal rods) in a relaxed grip before then walking slowly over the area of interest. As the dowser moves, they would pay attention to any movements or changes in the orientation of the rods. The belief was that the rods would respond to the presence of water by moving or crossing over each other. When the rods crossed, it acted as an indication that an underground water source is nearby. The dowser may even feel a subtle sensation or pull in their hands when the rods react.

Admittedly, Sybella was somewhat sceptical but who was she to discard the practices of others? There surely had to be some merit to the method, seeing as the tribes had been using them so countless generations. Moisture farmers on Tatooine used something similar. Luckily for Sybella and Gwydion, beasts of burdens were offered as well. The tribes offered them two Dewbecks; green-skinned, scaly reptiles that could be ridden. Because of their thick hides, the creatures able to withstand high temperatures as well as high winds. Dewbacks were both strong and durable creatures, making them ideal for long, treacherous journeys over the dunes. However, they are not very fast. While dewbacks could sprint for short distances, their regular pace is a sustained plodding. The sand people were also quick to stress that the dewbacks could become lethargic during the night when temperatures fell below the wayside.

Climbing onto the back of the beast, Sybella offered the divining rods to Gwydion. “Why don’t you lead the way? I’ll push the rear and cover our backs…” Not that she expected much danger; still, it didn’t hurt to be vigilant. Who knew what creatures lurked amongst the sands and its many traps.