A Fixer Upper

[Ferre]

A Fixer-Upper​

The Lianorm swamp is considered a sacred place for the Gungans and possibly the Jedi as well. Over the years, the Gungans have claimed this land and erected multiple monuments throughout the swamp. However, a rather large sinkhole has rendered a Southern portion of the land dangerous. Several Gungans were pulled into newly formed mires. The area was then deemed uninhabitable and up for grabs. To the Jedi, it just might need a little TLC. Explore the swamp; avoid the deadly zones; and find a secure area where we might set up a place of refuge and training for the Jedi.
​

• Objective: Find a secure area to set up a medical outpost and training area.​
• Conflict: Ask; beware of sinkholes, quick-sand and swamp creatures.​
• Reward: 1/4 Sector Capture, additional Jedi training and medical outpost​

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
​

"Someone hep mesa please! Mesa trapped!"

The low, yet keenly at the same time high-pitched, voice of a Gungan sprang through the swamp trees, bouncing like an echo. Fiyero paused in his carefully placed step, his foot beginning to sink from a little pressure against the wet suspicious ground and moved it to a literally more rooted area. If possible, with due apologies to plants, if the roots felt safe so would the padawan...though it meant stepping right on top of the poor budding nature. With a solid trustful footing he looked over his shoulder.

"Vos? You hear that?" The question was rhetorical, the Knight obviously heard. However, it was less the call of someone in distress for them, but rather the call of more adventure. It seemed wherever the two went, someone was in need of a rescue. They couldn't even navigate this musky, humid, death trap of a swamp in the middle of nowhere without an adventure arising it seems. Well, A Jedi is never too busy to ignore a cry for help.

The padawan quickly snatched a tracker out of his bag, slapping it on a nearby tree. They could go chase down the Gungan, however they would need a homing signal to return to their last location mapping out the swamp and it's danger zones. A task Fiyero had been dutifully sketching down in his notebook. Screw-holodevices; the kid was old-school. A couple hundred centuries old-school. However he was just as quick as a holo-device, his sketches quick and in a language and key only he and those closest to him could understand. In the most sensitive areas he and Knight Vosrik had struck down a quite literal red flag. However, all their progress would have to be put on hold. The cry echoed once more through the swamp, coming from the east.

 

[Vosrik]

Once again, the duo were at it together saving people. Only this time, it was in a particularly rancid-smelling swamp with swarms of bugs finding their way into uncomfortable places in Vosrik's robes. Scratching his back and running his hands through his lengthy brown hair for the umpteenth time, Vosrik growled in frustration as more unknown bugs fell to the ground. "Yep, I hear it. Gimme a moment..." With another shake of his armour, he set off at a light jog toward the source of the pleading echoes.

His extensive mastery of Ataru proved useful here; being light on his feet, Vosrik was able to skip over roots and bound over dark pools of muck and sludge. After a while, he almost literally stepped on one of the strange, winglike ears of the Gungan. The alien had sunk down to her chest in mire, and was barely holding on to a nearby rock.

Sliding to a halt, he grasped one of her hands and tried pulling, but to no avail. "Fiyero, she's stuck in there pretty deep, help me get her out!"

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

Ever the resource dweeb that the young padawan could be, with previous knowledge that they were going to a dangerous swamp with quicksand, Fiyero had spent his previous night in the temple library studying. It seems that his pile of Quicksand and You, Dangers of the Deep, The Force User's Guide to Navigating the Swamp, and Gungan Culture were finally going to come to use.

Perhaps not Gungan culture, it was in the early hours when he attempted that one, falling asleep somewhere between Language and Dance.

None the less the boy-scout of a teenager held his hands steady, a signal for the Gungan to calm if possible. "Guide her onto her back-"

"MESA BACK?!?!"

"It'll release the pressure off your feet, you'll be able to float and we'll grab you..." The padawan instructed, leaping from one root of a tree to another to position himself behind the Gungan. "...in theory" he added with a tilt of his head as he readied himself to grab her arms and Vosrik her legs. Though Fiyero positioned himself looking like he was confident, Vosrik would have to do the grunt of the work as the poor 15 year old was still scrawny as the Force destined for him. However, it never stopped him from trying.

"Just try to...erm..." The padawan scratched his head as he tried to remember the diagram from chapter 12 "Roll... Lightly. When your feet are released."

"YOUSA CRAZY" The gungan cried with tears streaming down her face, none the less, the hopeless creature complied. Pleading to the sky and muttering out to her next of kin, the Gungan hesitatingly began to fall backwards.

 

[Vosrik]

Following the Padawan's instructions, Vosrik helped the Gungan as best he could. Being marginally stronger than Fiyero, he was able to pull the gungan out of the pit and keep himself from falling in as well.

"Yousa saved me!" the Naboo native exclaimed. "Disa place gone cawaaayzy"

"Yes actually, that's partly why we're here. What are you doing in this part of the swamp? It seems incredibly dangerous in these parts." Perhaps the Gungan could give them some information on places that were still habitable in the accursed area.

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

"What am mesa do hair? What are yousa do hair?! Mesa Nuna ran off. "

"Nuna?"

The padawan squinted his eyes before realizing she was talking about the rather oddly shaped bipedal creatures that roamed through the swamps of Naboo and were sometimes kept as livestock. It seemed that like any dedicated shepherd, she followed her lost poultry into the now sectioned off swamp. Though the padawan had to scratch the back of his head awkwardly, he hadn't quite heard of a poultry herder.

The ambiance of dangerous swamp was alive all around them, the bubbling of sink-holes, the slithering of predators below and the cawing of predators above. If her Nuna was alive, no doubt it would be difficult to find. None the less, the old farmer in the padawan never died, and if it was Bessie the calf that was lost in the dangerous-eat-us-all-alive swamp he would be damned if he left it without her; dead or alive.

Therefore, the padawan looked up at Vosrik with what could only be described as puppy dog eyes. Sure it would be a distraction from their mission for a common piece of poultry, but Fiyero had already gone to hell and back that one time he lost Walt the Beetle. The kid related.

 

[Vosrik]

Vosrik realized after some moments what the Gungan was talking about. After rescuing her, they couldn't just leave her to sink into yet another pit in search of her...poultry. The knight drew in a breath and sighed deeply, nodding in reluctant approval.

Not being particularly familiar with the local fauna, he cleared his throat and inquired "So, what....what does your Nuna look like?" hopefully at least some description would keep him from picking up whatever animal crossed their path.

He wanted to begin walking again, at least making some progress, but didn't know where the beloved animal wandered off to. Therefore Vosrik made do with pacing as best he could on the soft and hole-ridden ground.

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

"Shesa has a collar. Yellow. Nosa other Nuna will have dat. Shesa headed over dat way. Yousa know. In dha direction of dha old temple hidden behind dha waterfall. "

"The temple hidden behind the waterfall..." the padawan said slowly before continuing "Yes...of course...". He struggled to even pretend he knew what the Gungan was talking about. "Is..this temple...still in use...?"

"Disa isn't about dha temple it's about mesa Nuna "

 

[Vosrik]

As he listened to the relatively meager explanation by the Gungan, Vosrik's eyebrows raised and he looked at Fiyero with interest. Leaning in closer, he whispered, "Maybe helping this one wont' be so bad after all."

Rising back up to his full height, Vosrik donned a concerned demeanor and addressed the plaintive Gungan. "See...the only problem is that we don't have a lot of time, and we don't know our way around here. We'll protect you and help you find your Nuna, and then you can help us. Deal?"

Before any semblance of agreement could be made, a massive Bursa tumbled through the undergrowth, bellowing savagely and sending all manner of animals far away. Snorting and pawing the ground, it charged directly for the trio.

"WEESA GONNA DIEE!" the poor herder cried, cowering into a fetal ball as the Bursa continued its rampage. Jumping between the two, Vosrik called upon the Force and pushed the beast away from the Naboo native but redirecting it headlong towards the Padawan.

"Fiyero, watch out!"

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

no... no no no NO

The giant creature that hurtled towards the padawan trampled across the roots of the trees, amazingly not losing it's footing and falling sideways into the dangerous swamp. In fact, this is why the startled teen hesitated despite his Jedi training. Of course, he could use the force to push the Bursa straight into the unforgiving mud. It would take great strength, but was not unthinkable. However, the bleeding-heart didn't want the predator to die. Yet to try and use the force to try and tame the creature at such a short distance was suicidal.

Suicidal it is.

As the beast quickly closed the distance between himself and the padawan, Fiyero held up an arm in good faith, using all the light energy that radiated around them to form a connection. He could feel it, the strength of the force in the swamp, ideal for a temple. Yet his position was too dangerous, moments before the slobbery Bursa turned Fiyero's hand into a tasty snack, the padawan made a split-second decision -just as reckless as the first- to leap with the force and jump on the Bursa's back to limited success.

"Arrrrgggaaaaa" It bucked up and down, tossing the boy to and fro. Yet he clenched onto it's fur with a tight two-handed grip.

"Vos, take the Gungan and go find the temp- I mean Nuna!"

The padawan's voice echoed through the swap ungracefully as he lobbed up and down, dodging tree limbs. Fiyero looked anything but fine to someone who didn't know the kid and his strange knack for creatures. However, one thing was for sure, the beast was distracted.

"I'll be fine and catch up with you!"

 

[Vosrik]

Vosrik sighed as his friend was carried off through the wispy mists of the swamp. Birds and wildlife cackled and bolted as the Bursa continued its meandering and loud path.

"Well, let's go then. He'll catch up later, I'm sure."

After some time following the Gungan and putting up with the curious and comical speech of the farmer, the two came upon a larger stream that trickled through rocks and roots of the swamp. Across the stream were three Nunas - and one with a yellow collar.

"DERES MESA NUNA!" the Gungan exclaimed, splashing across the water towards her beloved animal. Vosrik, unwilling to get his robes wet, drew upon the Force and leaped straight over the water.

Upon landing, he exuberantly replied, "Let's round her up!" before coming to a stop in front of a large, old structure. It appeared they walked straight into the decrepit temple the native mentioned earlier. Paying it no heed, she coaxed her bird closer.

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

"Vos"

Fiyero held his comlink close to his lips. His voice was a lot calmer than moments earlier. A mixture of calm and pleasant.

"Did you find the Nuna?"

He added emphasis to the word 'Nuna' knowing full well that Vosrik took his real meaning. Not that Fiyero wasn't keen to help the farmer. In fact, he trusted that the dedication of the Gungan would find the little creature before any other mayhem could occur. That is, if the little oddly shaped poultry was still alive. The young padawan grimaced at the thought of a bloodied yellow collar, the gungan wailing mournful cries over it in a muddied grip of despair.

However, they had bigger things to be intrigued by. Such as this hidden temple. Perhaps a place safe enough from the swamps surrounding dangers, that if the Jedi built a secure path, could be used by the order.

 

[Vosrik]

The sudden voice of Fiyero startled Vosrik, and he patted himself down after jumping in surprise, trying to remember where he'd put it. The wild Nunas squawked as the Gungan approached, waddling awkwardly in the direction of the temple while the one with the yellow collar happily approached.

"Ah...yes! We found it alright. It's a bit...older...and...larger than I thought," Vosrik replied slyly. A smirk danced across his face as he continued their little trick.

"It was well hidden for sure. Definitely could use some cleaning up after being in the wild for so long."

The female Gungan cooed as she cradled her beloved animal in her arms, quite oblivious to the Jedi's misdirection. Indeed, it would take some work to clear off all the overgrowth that crawled along the walls of the serene place.

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

"Mesa Nuna! Thank yousa Mr. Jedi! If yousa ever need anyth, ask for Peppi."

The happy Gungun frolicked away, leaving the Knight and the temple, seemingly unaware of the Jedi's interest in it.

Not long after, a rustled in the distant shrubbery could be heard. Fiyero emerged with a friend it tow. Having followed his comlink, which conveniently directed him to Vosrik's general location, the padawn took a deep breath in with awe. He could feel the force around him. Usually this was quite an obvious statement. He was a Jedi. The force was life itself. Of course he could feel it around him. But here? He could feel it. The force was strong with this humid, insect filled, death inflicting, slightly horrifying corner of swampland.

If anything it would make for a great training ground.

By Fiyero's side was the creature from before. At the corner of the beast's lip, a bit of not-yet dried blood was stained the fur. Fresh evidence of a recent snack, and given the general state of Fiyero looking no more disheveled than usual, it was not him. None the less, the hungry Bursa that was once violently attacking them was now a satisfied, borderline content, creature that fumbled over the roots of trees as Fiyero walked freely by it's side. Hands in his pockets, whistling a small tune that the head of the Bursa seemed to swivel to in rhythm, the pair made their way towards the entrance of the temple.

 

[Vosrik]

The Knight watched in silent amusement as Peppi wandered away. Such a curious creature, Gungans. Alone once more, Vosrik took the a moment to check the quality of his clothing and equipment. To his dismay, his older lightsaber was covered in muck. Again. Groaning in frustration, he pulled it out and began wiping at it with the corner of his cloak.

"Uuugh, why does this one attract the most...dirt or whatever this stuff is?" he complained, scrubbing the handle until it was a shiny silver again. Just as he examined it and approved his work, Fiyero and the Bursa entered the clearing. The Knight eyed the creature suspiciously, but it seemed quite tame now. Vosrik shook his head and smiled at the Padawan, amazed by his friend's affinity with animals.

"Welcome back! You missed the beloved reunion. As for the Nuna here," he pointed at what obviously was the temple, "it's got a massive boulder at the entrance. There's no way the Gungans could have used it after whatever catastrophe caused all this. There's an excellent spot for landing, great training grounds...I like it."

Vosrik stood proudly at the sight of the old structure. He barked out a laugh, an idea coming to mind. "Let's call it Temple Nuna, shall we?"

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

"Well then..."

Fiyero scanned the outskirts of the temple. Marked by rather tranquil stream of water that fell steadily at the entrance. It was true, there were many structures that the Gungans used for their temples, indeed, they had told them the more dangerous sect of land would be permitted to the Jedi should they somehow desire it in exchange for protection.

He traced his hands along the entrance, feeling not only the rough and slightly damp surface of the rock, but also the force radiating from inside the temple. "As the Corellian's say 'One man's loss is another man's treasure'"

The young padawan turned and looked over the bubbling swamp. "Before we finish our duty of marking all the surrounding danger zones..." Fiyero fingered his statchel for the little red flags in question, the task they had been presented with before making the acquaintance of Peppi, "Shall we look inside?"

 

[Vosrik]

Surveying the rock blocking the entrance, Vosrik estimated the amount of strength needed to lift it out with the Force. It would most certainly be one of the largest things he had ever attempted to lift; the boulder must have been nearly three times his size. The Knight nodded and hummed in agreement to whatever Fiyero was saying - he wasn't really paying that much attention. At least, not until the Padawan's final question.

"Ah, yes...yes we should. Give me a moment, this will be tough." Vosrik knelt solemnly, taking several deep breaths and attuning himself once more to the Force. Lifting a hand gently, he took hold of the rock and began his attempt.

At first, nothing happened for several moments. Veins began popping out from the Jedi's arm, beads of sweat appearing on his straining forehead. Eyes closed, straining against gravity itself. Suddenly, a low grating sound was heard and bits of gravel rolled onto the ground. Vosrik growled and grit his teeth, extending his other hand. The grating grew louder until finally the gigantic rock burst from its home, floating an inch or two off the ground. The Knight lifted it up and set it down on the grass nearby, gasping for breath as he released it. Rolling onto his back, he smiled and laughed up at the sky.

"What a rock! We'll get some help moving it later. Or maybe keep it there for Padawans to try lifting..."

Eventually, Vosrik collected himself and stumbled inside. Through a corridor and down a flight of steps, a beautiful sight greeted the two Jedi.

Light streamed in from the ceiling onto a pond in the middle of a spacious courtyard. The sunlight danced off the green-tinted pool, casting a lively hue on the walls around. White lilies dotted the water, and in the middle rested a statue, or the remains of one. Half of the monument and statue had broken off and fallen into the water. Vosrik eyed the room breathlessly, his footsteps echoing lightly as he walked around the beautiful place. There was no doubt about it; the Force was alive here, and the abandoned temple - with some repair - would be perfect for the Jedi.

Vosrik chuckled as he pointed out the broken monument. "Let's have a statue of Bau Zo put there, and underneath a captivating tale of our adventure finding the place. You know, with some embellishments of course."

 

[Fiyero Lassiter]

Fiyero helped Vosrik silently move the rock. It wasn't the grunt of the work, however, he wasn't about to stand their idle. The padawan then crossed over and followed the older Knight into the old temple. The force growing in strength as he entered. The young Firrerreon pursed his lips and made a low whistle.

"It's perfect" came the padawans soft response which echoed slightly off the entrance room's stone walls. The only other sound was a small but consistent dripping that came from a sunlit hole in the sealing, the remains of last night's rain steadily falling into pond. The ripples the effect created was tranquil.

They explored the temple to their own satisfaction, Fiyero coming across a small slithering creature along the way. Intrigued by the markings of the species, Fiyero held it for closer examination, cautious to first bond with it so the little fella wouldn't attack him. It seemed the creature was hurt, one of the fangs broken. Interesting. His eyes darted around the temple as they were about to leave, to finish up marking the danger zones and then return to Tython. Obviously, he would have to take the creature back with him. Nurse it back to health. Maybe that one Akranian weirdo would be able to make Fang a cybernetic fang.

He looked the creature dead in the eyes "weesa goin hooooome!" he whispered excitedly in what he was sure was the animal's home language as he deposited Fang into his satchel auspiciously.

Finis​