- Joined
- Nov 21, 2015
- Messages
- 75
- Reaction score
- 36
Three weeks. Nothing but sand, and the two suns of Tatooine tracing the caravan’s movements during the day, with Ghomrassen, Guermessa, and Chenini lighting the camp at night. This would be the last day of the journey, and Aleem’s last with the Nakkashane tribe. For the past five years, Aleem travelled with the Nakkashane as part of his spiritual journey he swore himself to after the Battle of Kashyyyk. The Nakkashane remained his favorite mode of transport throughout Tatooine. They are a nomadic traders tribe who was said to being the most valuable rare materials and good from the many corners of the Dune Sea between Anchorage, Mos Espa, to the last leg of their annual pilgrimage to Mos Eisley.
Since arriving to Tatooine a little over five years ago, Aleem became acquainted with it almost as well as Onderon, as well as Coruscant. Certainly, he had a keen sense of assessing and analyzing places, understanding the societal underpinnings of a place – nothing a good diplomat and scholar wouldn’t do. He’d delved into all levels of Tatooine’s facets, from warlord’s camps to slave cities, from the moisture farms to the cantinas, and from Jawa sandcrawlers to even Tusken camps. Explored the Dune Sea, Mushroom Mesa, Jundland Wastes, and the various cities. Those who knew him directly gave him the reputation not of a Jedi, but rather a powerful mystic who sought to help others, who negotiated spaces and sectors of society to diffuse an idea of peace with all (sulh-i kull, in Onderonian), even if it required conflict. In effect, he’d become a watchman.
The caravan was fairly diverse both in it's skills, and the animals which it used to move. Banthas, Eopies, even Dewbacks. The overall structure of the caravan allowed protection of sorts, but gradually became one of the safest routes once Aleem joined the group a couple of years ago. He joined in fighting off or negotiating with gangsters, Hutt men, as well as the beasts of burden. The caravan also gained quite a following for those who heard stories about the so-called Mystic who appeared from nowhere and seemed a champion of the downtrodden - a dangerous reputation to have on Tatooine. Aleem, though never known by his name (merely, "Mystic"), often diverted briefly from the caravan to help others when opportunities arose. For this time he believed the people of Tatooine could use more help than perhaps most other planets. What good is the rest of the galaxy? It's in turmoil. We must survive.
Although never including the Sith, Jedi, or remnants of the Alliance in a full on battle, there were efforts on all sides to fuel a proxy war on Tatooine. Each side vied, as they did on many star systems, to gain an ideological and military advantage for future engagements. For the most part, Aleem did not join in this effort. Still, he followed the money trails, agents fulfilling recruitment efforts, hired guns – all clues that could easily be found elsewhere. Tatooine, on the other hand, breeded an almost transparency to the war effort. There as limited effort to conceal what each of the major actors were trying to achieve – no matter the conflict, Aleem often stated, the methods are always the same as the objective , to dominate and gain favor.
For the most part, Aleem remained neutral. He had little interest in engaging in the broken holo-recording of war – particularly that of Galactic-scale. The only way to avoid this was to promote a more unique form of relations that were more tolerant and mutually beneficial, something of peace with all which Aleem often oversaw and sometimes had to intervene in. Eliminating the harsh lifestyles in the galaxy, he knew, was a farce. One could never realistically do such a thing. But he could make the language of business and dominance - the language which most on Tatooine understood – the mainstay of the negotiations. While the Sith and remnant forces attempted to pit the major factions against one another, using resources as a means to gain favor, Aleem brought some manipulated, particularly smaller factions to the negotiating table with often better results than other factions could hope to do. Tatooine was not totally devoid of noble intentions of those who lived there. They were jaded, yes, but not lost. Aleem was shrewd, sometimes ruthless but always convincing to the minor factions combining their efforts to secure their own lives. The best part of the deal for them, being that they saw nothing in it for him, was he gained trust, nor had he any interest in 'worldly' materials. He realized some of these groups would just as soon slit his throat – some even trying. He utilized a spirit of ruthlessness when necessary: Those that didn’t fall in line, that decided to betray the negotiations, often found themselves mysteriously missing from the picture. The Tatooine Pact, as they organized themseves, effectively managed major factions when faced by the combined efforts of these minor factions together. Although having no formal part in the Pact himself, Aleem made appearances once and awhile to shift how these endless negotiations would turn out. Yet, he often kept himself out of the picture. He was able to appear and disappear out of nowhere using various tricks and the force – thus minimalizing his exposure while allowing the stories and the reputation of ‘the Mystic’ (as he became known) spread across the planet and certain channels of the various factions involved.
Now Aleem felt his time on Tatooine may be coming to a close. He felt the larger scheme of events might be pulling him back to the Jedi Order. Rumors of a reestablished Council on Naboo or another system stirred passive interest in Aleem. Are they any different than before the Sith came back? It would be best to find out for himself, obviously, but he resigned to make his decision at Mos Eisley.
"Ya know, ya ain't too bad!" Said a scruffy herdsman to Aleem. "If ya wasn't so damn honreh ya'd make a good life here." Under his cloaked face, Aleem grinned. "Well, my friend, that is unfortunately my burden." "Aye." It was getting close to mid-day, and the caravan would make it to the city in roughly two hours. Probably make it there by noon. In the meantime they had to weather the sandstorm with little cover. Aleem concentrated this thoughts and continued searching for the answer to his question: Is it time?
Since arriving to Tatooine a little over five years ago, Aleem became acquainted with it almost as well as Onderon, as well as Coruscant. Certainly, he had a keen sense of assessing and analyzing places, understanding the societal underpinnings of a place – nothing a good diplomat and scholar wouldn’t do. He’d delved into all levels of Tatooine’s facets, from warlord’s camps to slave cities, from the moisture farms to the cantinas, and from Jawa sandcrawlers to even Tusken camps. Explored the Dune Sea, Mushroom Mesa, Jundland Wastes, and the various cities. Those who knew him directly gave him the reputation not of a Jedi, but rather a powerful mystic who sought to help others, who negotiated spaces and sectors of society to diffuse an idea of peace with all (sulh-i kull, in Onderonian), even if it required conflict. In effect, he’d become a watchman.
The caravan was fairly diverse both in it's skills, and the animals which it used to move. Banthas, Eopies, even Dewbacks. The overall structure of the caravan allowed protection of sorts, but gradually became one of the safest routes once Aleem joined the group a couple of years ago. He joined in fighting off or negotiating with gangsters, Hutt men, as well as the beasts of burden. The caravan also gained quite a following for those who heard stories about the so-called Mystic who appeared from nowhere and seemed a champion of the downtrodden - a dangerous reputation to have on Tatooine. Aleem, though never known by his name (merely, "Mystic"), often diverted briefly from the caravan to help others when opportunities arose. For this time he believed the people of Tatooine could use more help than perhaps most other planets. What good is the rest of the galaxy? It's in turmoil. We must survive.
Although never including the Sith, Jedi, or remnants of the Alliance in a full on battle, there were efforts on all sides to fuel a proxy war on Tatooine. Each side vied, as they did on many star systems, to gain an ideological and military advantage for future engagements. For the most part, Aleem did not join in this effort. Still, he followed the money trails, agents fulfilling recruitment efforts, hired guns – all clues that could easily be found elsewhere. Tatooine, on the other hand, breeded an almost transparency to the war effort. There as limited effort to conceal what each of the major actors were trying to achieve – no matter the conflict, Aleem often stated, the methods are always the same as the objective , to dominate and gain favor.
For the most part, Aleem remained neutral. He had little interest in engaging in the broken holo-recording of war – particularly that of Galactic-scale. The only way to avoid this was to promote a more unique form of relations that were more tolerant and mutually beneficial, something of peace with all which Aleem often oversaw and sometimes had to intervene in. Eliminating the harsh lifestyles in the galaxy, he knew, was a farce. One could never realistically do such a thing. But he could make the language of business and dominance - the language which most on Tatooine understood – the mainstay of the negotiations. While the Sith and remnant forces attempted to pit the major factions against one another, using resources as a means to gain favor, Aleem brought some manipulated, particularly smaller factions to the negotiating table with often better results than other factions could hope to do. Tatooine was not totally devoid of noble intentions of those who lived there. They were jaded, yes, but not lost. Aleem was shrewd, sometimes ruthless but always convincing to the minor factions combining their efforts to secure their own lives. The best part of the deal for them, being that they saw nothing in it for him, was he gained trust, nor had he any interest in 'worldly' materials. He realized some of these groups would just as soon slit his throat – some even trying. He utilized a spirit of ruthlessness when necessary: Those that didn’t fall in line, that decided to betray the negotiations, often found themselves mysteriously missing from the picture. The Tatooine Pact, as they organized themseves, effectively managed major factions when faced by the combined efforts of these minor factions together. Although having no formal part in the Pact himself, Aleem made appearances once and awhile to shift how these endless negotiations would turn out. Yet, he often kept himself out of the picture. He was able to appear and disappear out of nowhere using various tricks and the force – thus minimalizing his exposure while allowing the stories and the reputation of ‘the Mystic’ (as he became known) spread across the planet and certain channels of the various factions involved.
Now Aleem felt his time on Tatooine may be coming to a close. He felt the larger scheme of events might be pulling him back to the Jedi Order. Rumors of a reestablished Council on Naboo or another system stirred passive interest in Aleem. Are they any different than before the Sith came back? It would be best to find out for himself, obviously, but he resigned to make his decision at Mos Eisley.
"Ya know, ya ain't too bad!" Said a scruffy herdsman to Aleem. "If ya wasn't so damn honreh ya'd make a good life here." Under his cloaked face, Aleem grinned. "Well, my friend, that is unfortunately my burden." "Aye." It was getting close to mid-day, and the caravan would make it to the city in roughly two hours. Probably make it there by noon. In the meantime they had to weather the sandstorm with little cover. Aleem concentrated this thoughts and continued searching for the answer to his question: Is it time?
