Ask Welcome to the Jungle

[Kyp Eridan]

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

ASHAS REE
135 ABY
​

The blue swirling light of hyperspace faded away and the looming green of the planet Ashas Ree was visible before him, and the Hawk-Bat lurched forward as sublight engines kicked into gear. Kyp was not much of a pilot, and the ship bucked and kicked under his poor skills. He spun about in the pilot's seat and pressed a few buttons on the console to his left, before he reached out with the force and a book flew into his hands. He slowly began thumbing through the pages as the ship moved towards the only settlement that he could locate. He slipped an index finger in between the pages, marking the passage he had randomly turned to. He had allowed the Force to guide his studies, after all. He turned to look at the Twi`lek behind him, nodding politely. "Mila. We should be arriving in a few moments."

He slipped the restraints over the robes as he turned back to face the cockpit and he took the controls with his free hand. A middling pilot at the best of times, flying one handed did not lend itself to fancy maneuvers, and he certainly did not attempt them. Even so, landing was quite the feat, and as the Hawk-Bat jerked from side to side, wobbling through the atmosphere as they made their approach. "Apologies for the bumpy ride, while the Force guides me in many ways, it sadly has not taught me much in the way of piloting skills." With a few taps of buttons on the console, the landing gear descended, and soon they were on the ground. But before they would proceed on their travels, he unbuckled the restraints and raised his hand, and a burgundy wood box slowly made its way across the cockpit to rest inn his hand. With a flick of his thumb, he opened the box, and revealed a lightsaber padded in soft cloth. Using his left hand, his finger still marking a specific page in the book, he took out the lightsaber and clipped it onto his belt.

"Well, shall we?"

 

[Mila Tesara]

Mila wasn't used to be a passenger, in fact, if she wasn't a pilot she usually turned into a back seat pilot; much to the annoyance of others, it was a habit she had tried to correct as she got older. And she had almost gotten rid of it entirely, almost. She sat across from Kyp, eyeing what he was doing, what the instruments on his ship were telling him, and was greatly concerned by how he seemed to try to fly and read at the same time; she'd never seen anyone even attempt that in her life. "I eagerly await our arrival." She commented, as she found herself unable to pull away from the ensuring wreck that was sure to follow.

Still, she didn't say a word, though she felt slightly concerned as the ship began to shake, and the fact that the pilot was attempting this ll in one hand did little to ease her mind. She gripped the sides of the chair, as the ship began to wobble. She had been in her fair share of crashes in the past, but one never got over the initial thought of 'what if this goes poorly'. Thankfully, Kyp was more talented than he made himself out to be, as though the landing was rough, he had managed to stick the landing. Bumpy Ride indeed. Mila gave a polite nod to her fellow knight as he explained himself, not everyone was gifted in flying after all. "It's quite alright. Though if you are looking for lessons, I'd be happy to assist." Mila commented, as she rose to her feet, getting a glance out to the cockpit window. The settlement she had spotted on the way in looked rather abandoned, either that or the locals were shy. Her companion had retrieved his lightsaber, asking if she was ready to go, to which she gave a prominent nod. "Indeed I am, please Master Eridan, lead the way." As she turned to follow the jedi knight, she felt a familiar chill streak down her spine. Mila gave one last glance toward the cockpit view screen, before falling in behind Eridan, and hoped with all her being that her senses were playing tricks on her.

@Srota

 

[Kyp Eridan]

He wasn't used to the formality of the masters, for he had always gone his own way, the way the Force had directed him. He laughed a bit as she offered him flying lessons. "I appreciate the offer, Master Tesara, however, I do not wish to impose. Besides, the force has not seen fit to guide me to skills in flying. Instead, the Force has seen fit to guide me to knowledge, and a better connection as a whole." He made his way to the gangramp. With the hiss of pressure equalizing, the ramp lowered and Kyp began to descend the ramp, book raised to his face once again. He could be heard mumbling under his breath, "The Force is with me." His breathing slowed, steady, deep, as he gathered his will about him once again. Slowly, he let his feeling search out, seeking the will of the Living Force. He could feel his connection to the living things all around him, the forest, the fauna, the few sentients in the region. It was a feeling of power, of oneness, of connection. He could feel everything, feel the whole world, the coursing of the universe itself. Slowly, steadily, he continued the mantra, "The Force is with me. The Force is with me. The Force is with me." The book slammed shut, and he turned, right and set off. Was it the will of the Force, or just a gut feeling? They would see soon enough.

Kyp walked, looking around, eyes open for anything, something had drawn him to this planet. The Force wanted him here for something. He just was not sure what. His feet stopped suddenly and he turned around. "Master Tesara, do you know why we are here? The Force has guided us here, but it has not seen fit to tell me what we are seeking." He smiled warmly at her, his head cocked a bit to one side, a look of genuine puzzlement on his face.

@Mila Tesara

 

[Mila Tesara]

It seemed that her lesson was discouraged, which she understood. Kyp wanted the force to guide him along the way, so she wouldn't get in the way of that. "That's a commendable effort, I hope it guides you in that path then." Everyone had their own way of progression, if that worked for Eridan, then Mila could only wish him the best.

As the pair exited off the ramp, Mila could hear her companion speaking to himself, but paid it no mind; everyone had their own way of doing things, perhaps that way was his. Mila hadn't taken more than a few steps before she felt something amiss. Kyp would feel it too with his mantra, as a cool fog seemed to hang over this world, but it wasn't anything visible. There was just something...wrong about this world, and it was almost everywhere. The village here had been abandoned for years, possibly decades at this point, with the ruins of a large structure sitting at the far end of the outpost. What was wrong with this place? Mila reached out with the force, and felt the cold push back against her. This place was tainted by the dark side, this had to of been what brought them here. "Master Eridan, can you feel it? The cold?" Given that he was now calling her master, it seemed only fair to keep it going. "This place...it feels wrong, out of balance. There was no catastrophe or war from what I can gather, but...merely people where here, and then they weren't. I....I don't know what this means truth be told." Mila said, as she looked to her companion for imput. Little did they know, that something was watching them, it's form seemed to snake through the cold mist without so much as a notice before slinking back into hiding. The two jedi were not alone it seemed, and something had taken notice of them.

@Srota

 

[Kyp Eridan]

The smile across his face and the sheepish look fell away. Taking a deep breath, Kyp allowed his mind to clear, his senses to reach out, to seek out that chill of the Dark Side. It was but a moment before the shudder ran down his spine and he withdrew, eyes opening suddenly. "I have indeed felt this. There is a coldness here, a presence, something... wrong." He looked about, as if seeking a direction in which to travel. "Master Tesara, perhaps the first location we should seek out is the settlement. If people were here as you say, then we may find some indication as to what caused them to disappear when we investigate." Setting off in the direction he though felt correct, the Jedi raised the book once more and began to thumb through the pages, barely even bothering to watch where he was going, preferring instead to allow the Force to guide him to the correct destination.

After a few stumbles over roots and various obstacles, the Jedi turned to his companion, the book closing with a thud, and slipped into his robe, stored in a safe location. "Well, I suppose that will have to do for now, won't it? Master Tesara, please, tell me, what made you choose me to accompany you here on this mission? What drew you here? For me, it has always been the currents in the Force that have guided me from location to location. Well, that and some meticulous research."

@Algarus

 

[Mila Tesara]

Kyp seemed to detect the unease as well, as Mila took solidarity in the fact she wasn't alone in the struggle. "I don't sense any other people here though, just....life that has been corrupted, echoes that have been twisted. Something is wrong with this world." She would follow him regardless, perhaps the dark side corrupted their way of seeing untainted life, though if someone did live her, Mila could only wonder how they would have faired here. She was rather thrown for a loop by her companions obsession with reading while doing seemingly everything, hoping that he didn't hold the same practice when battle was upon him.

After spending time looking through the village, the two would find it totally abandoned. Plant growth was threatening to claim what buildings were intact, and what little evidence for civilization was left behind, indicated that the inhabitants took flight in a hurry. How strange. There was no sign of battle, no weapons to be find save for rusted hunting rifles and tools that no one had touched in a very long time. Her companion seemed to have stowed his book now, turning to her as they stood in the middle of the abandoned town, asking why she came to him for this mission. "I picked you because of your philosophy Master Eridan, and please, call me Mila. You seem to let the force try and guide your hand, and..." She faultered as she tried to get the next few words out, turning away instead. "I want to make sure that wherever the force is taking me, it isn't to my own fall." She confessed, feeling a small bit of shame for having these doubts. "I just felt a pull to this world, and I knew not why. But standing here, on this surface, it feels rather apparent what was calling me." She looked to the stone ruins in the distance, sighing, she turned to face Kyp. "If the currents of the force are calling to you as well, then I know I'm not succumbing to the corruption of the dark side." Mila felt a small bit of weight being lifted from her shoulders as she said those words, though she had no clue where to go now. Standing here in the center of town, it seemed that the 'haze' of the darkside was growing stronger, as a thin fog began to take form around the village. There was a shift in the air, and both jedi could feel it, though what that meant was anyone's guess.

@Srota

 

[Kyp Eridan]

Kyp looked back at his companion, the search had not gone well, it was as if the inhabitants had up and disappeared. Everything left behind as if in mid use. "Mila, you are a Jedi Knight, you need not worry about the pull of the Dark. We serve the light, and the balance between the two. You must trust in the Living Force, for it will always seek balance. After all, equilibrium is what all nature strives to achieve." He offered her a warm smile, and moved to place a hand on her shoulder. "The council would not have elevated you to a knight if they did not trust your connection to the Force. Even if you cannot trust yourself, you can always trust them and the Force." Turning away, he moved to investigate the fallen tools, looking to see what remained and to see if he could get a feeling from the Force itself.

"Mila, come, we should meditate and seek a connection to the Force, maybe it will show us what has happened here. There were legends of people who could see the past at a touch. Maybe we can arrange something similar." And so he sat, on the ground, in the center of town, and reached into his robes, withdrawing the book once more, cracking it open to a page, he looked down at it and allowed himself to focus, to clear his mind. "I am one with the Force, the Force is with me. The Force is with me." His breathing slowed, and his senses began to expand, he could feel the life around him, feel that cold fear that accompanied the dark, seeking any sign that he could find.

 

[Mila Tesara]

She didn't expect Kyp to understand, perhaps no one could comprehend what it was she saw on Mustafar, and maybe she just needed to let it go. Her expression didn't change as Kyp tried to reassure her, but she did feel a bit of disappointment, perhaps hoping what she was saying might get through to her fellow knight. Clearly this wasn't the case. "I might serve the Light Master Eridan, but I had an experience that...I fear might have changed my connection in the force." Mila started off on the line of thought, but stopped herself as she felt the hand on her shoulder. Perhaps she was letting it go to her head. She let her head dip down, as she took in a breath. "I trust in the force, that hasn't changed." Though she knew that wasn't exactly truthful, she knew that deep down her core belief hadn't changed; the force was entrusted to her for a reason after all, and she could not afford to lose faith now.

It seemed her companion had taken interest with some of the tools left in the town square, and Mila followed not too far behind. "You seek to use that power here? In the midst of all this darkness?" Mila asked, as she knew what the knight was asking, but the cold all about put her in a state of unrest. Kyp had already decided on this course of action however, as he sat himself upon the ground and began to meditate, and not soon after Mila joined him. She would assist him in the meditation, trying to push past the haze that surrounded this village, and back to before this planet was left abandoned. The image of a small populace played into the minds of the two jedi, as it seemed to be a community of farmers going about their day. A large stone structure loomed in the distance, as it seemed to be a temple of some sort, what it's nature as, that remained to be seen. What was seen, was the village coming to a halt as the world around them began to shake, the large temple in the distance began to crumble and shake, as black lightning began to bust through it's foundation and streak up to the sky. Panic sized the towns people, as many began to flee as the temple only began to fall into greater, and greater disrepair, before collapsing into the black storm billowing up from within it. Then, the vision stopped, as if some unseen force shunted the two back into the present, the memory seemed to just reach a sudden end. Mila looked to her companion, feeling particularly alarmed at what was just seen. A sea of darkness, lightning that could break through stone? It was...most certainly unnatural. "I....I don't know what to say." Mila stuttered, as she rose to her feet, looking towards the ruins in the distance, then to her fellow knight. "We need to look further, see what caused that storm. Maybe it has something to do with what happened to this world." She affirmed, hoping her companion would agree. The silent entity that watched the pair seemed pleased, though it kept itself out of sight. Despite that, the fog was slowly becoming more dense, something Mila was taking note of as well. There was something off about this planet, and it needed to be unearthed.

@Srota

 

[Kyp Eridan]

Kyp Eridan did not let the intrigue chow on his face. Now this was fascinating, was it some form of metaphor? He did not see any signs of a collapsing temple, did he? He rose calmly to his feet, looking about the area. He could sense the alarm in her through the force, that faint unease that came with confronting the unknown. He could feel it even within himself. but it was swirling with excitement. Maybe this temple would hold some clues as to the history of the Jedi? Could it lead to some new secrets of the force being uncovered? Well, he would need to find out. "We do indeed, I suspect anything that could fell a temple would be enough to scatter the people. Perhaps we may still find survivors?" He brushed off his robes and looked about, trying to locate where the temple had been in the vision. With a snap, his hand closed the book and returned it to his robes once more.

It was a bit surprising to Kyp that she had not mentioned the book itself, few understood the way that concentrating on the words present helped to focus his mind, to allow him to better open up himself to the Force. Few understood the difficulties of quieting a busy mind. Well, in time they would understand. He could still feel the tingling connection to the Force now, more than usual, but less than what he felt when he normally meditated. "Master Tesara, you stated before you had seen something that challenged your connection to the Force, was it something similar to what we saw just now? If it was, perhaps it may offer you some insight as to what has happened here." Kyp turned and began making his way off to the edge of the settlement where the temple had been in the vision. "If the things you have experienced were not akin to our vision, perhaps it may serve a similar role. Perhaps you were guided to experience such things by the Force so that you might understand the stakes with which we are forced to confront. It is so easy to forget the depths to which those in the darkness may sink." He turned to look at her once more, a smile across his face, warm, seeking to comfort. "By which, I mean to say, are you sure that your connection to the Force has not changed for the better? Have you not rededicated yourself to the light, after all?"