[Jedi Mission] Hunting the Hunters

[Alhon]

[Jedi Mission]
Hunting the Hunters
​

The Pantheon of the Cragmoloid Elders was a curious structure; half temple, half monument, it stood proudly on Ankus' dusty plains, visible for miles around. Centuries old, the Pantheon had apparently first come into being as a shallow hill, surrounded by a circular wall of individual stones, each two or three metres across. Dragged into place by the powerful limbs and trunks of the Cragmoloid people, the stones had provided protection against predators and the elements, forming the basis of the creatures' early settlements.

The Pantheon had begun as the largest of these townships, upon which the Cragmoloids had built high walls and higher columns, seeking to construct a monument that would stand throughout the ages. Now, weathered by sun and sand, the Pantheon remained a myriad of stone walls and rock spires; a sanctuary and resting place for the oldest and wisest of the Cragmoloids, whose wearied limbs no longer sought the open plains.

Ethan had to concede there was a crude majesty to the place, but it was is a Cragmoloid-made marvel. Nothing more.

The Jedi drew close to the outer walls and spared a glance back to his Starfighter, secured on a ridge some distance away. He hadn't wanted to offend any religious sensibilities by landing any closer, but it made him slightly uneasy to be so far from his means of escape. The Cragmoloids were increasingly proud allies of the Jedi, but their mutual enemy was still unidentified. If they knew that Ethan and his companions were here to expose them, then the rocky spires of the Pantheon would make an excellent venue for an ambush.

He banished such concerns from his mind, passing under an arch and entering the vast halls of the structure. A Cragmoloid was three times the size of a man and it showed in the temple's design; wide open courtyards were joined together by generous, stone covered walkways, while there were numerous avenues in and out. Ethan made his way through silently, drawing his white cloak about him.

He could sense many of the creatures up ahead, perhaps even his Jedi counterparts. They would all convene, here among the stones of the Cragmoloids' ancestors. Then they would learn of the forces threatening this world and set about expelling them.

For Ankus would be free again. The Force would make it so.


@Balla Vahla @DeltaWolf

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla stood amongst the Cragmoloids ancient structures, she stood out in her jedi robes and white hair. She was looking at one craigmoloid in particular, who was speaking slowly to her and she was repeating the words back. Apparently, she had been here just long enough to befriend one of the natives and was trying to understand its native tongue. The cragmoloid didn't seem to mind, he wore a garb familiar to a worker, not the elders they were petitioned to speak to, but enjoyed talking to the tall woman.

He looked up and saw the approaching Jedi and spoke in a low tone to the woman, pointing to the man in question. Balla turned and smiled and lifted one hand to wave at him. Her hand once again covered by her too long robe.

"Knight Arven." Balla bowed her head, this man deserved respect after all. She was still new to her Knighthood and wasn't going to ruin it by being rude. "A pleasure to meet you."

She gestured her sleeve towards the now slightly uncomfortable cragmoloid, who eyed the man wearily. He even seemed to be slowly positioning himself behind Balla. "This is Raould. He is a grounds caretaker here, and quite the fan of gossip." Her eyes twinkled a bit, she hadn't just been learning the language she had been working on befriending the man to get as much information as possible from all sources, even the lowly caretaker.

He grunted in greeting of the Jedi.

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex didn't like being late to anything and he rarely was. However, he had been training earlier and he decided a few years ago that every time he trains, he would meditate after. He miscalculated the time he had, which caused him to be only a few minutes late. But even still, a few minutes was unacceptable to him personally. This was his first mission in a long time that he had to go on with...other people. It wasn't that he was scared of them or anything, but Drex didn't want them to think poorly of him...though, even if they did, he probably wouldn't be coming into contact with them again for a while.

He had flown over in his starfigther and landed it close to where he saw another, which he assumed was a fellow Jedi's because of how far it was from everything else. Drex got out and began walking towards the Pantheon where he was told to meet up with the others. As he walked, his hand brushed over the scar he had on his cheek. He began to think about the fight, but then stopped himself. It wasn't the time to be thinking about that. In fact, he shouldn't think about that at all...not when on a mission like this.

After walking for a while, Drex arrived at the Pantheon and looked around, nodding. The sight was certainly impressive and not exactly what he imagined. The Cragmoloids weren't the most...elegant creatures, but that didn't show in the structure of the halls, the courtyards, the building itself. It was certainly a sight to behold. He thought for a moment that he wouldn't be able to find his fellow Jedi, but after searching for less than a minute he was able to spot two robed figures talking with one of the Cragmoloids. He walked over, expressionless as always and said, "Sorry for the late arrival. Lost track of time..." He didn't like making up excuses...or talking in general, but what he said was simply the truth.

 

[Alhon]

"Knights D'Aom, Clamont" Ethan replied, nodding in turn to each of his fellow Jedi. He couldn't help but linger on the slender, female Vahla. It was not a species one encountered that often and the woman was barely an inch shorter than him, with a warm radiance that suggested she had an open heart. Nonetheless, she clearly understood more Cragii than he did, despite his dealings on the planet; a fact that suggested she was not all frills and smiles.

"We are all here now at least, which is what matters" he continued, eyeing the young Jedi Clamont. Ethan regarded punctuality as a very basic quality; he hoped the boy's lax timekeeping was not indicative of other shortcomings. He turned to the Cragmoloid in Balla's shadow. "Raould, is that right?" he motioned to the creature, affecting what warmth he could manage. "We are here to see your Elders as I'm sure you know. Could you take us to them?"

There was understanding there, the Jedi felt certain of it, but Raould made no sound in response. He turned slowly, sloping off uphill but keeping one eye on them all the time. Ethan began to follow, looking to his counterparts to do the same. He inclined his head towards Balla, "if none of these Elders speak Basic, we may have need of your talents..."

They followed their guide up a sloping verge, entering a circular courtyard ringed in stone. Off to their right, a dozen or more Cragmoloids gathered around a large mound, standing seemingly in silence. Raould ignored them, instead leading the three Jedi to a cluster of rocks in the centre of the courtyard. As they drew closer, members of the group began to break off and drift towards them. Only now did Ethan see the mound for what it was. A grave. More than one grave. The graves of many Cragmoloids.

"Jedi." The voice was deep and guttural and its owner a broad greyskin. One of the larger Cragmoloid's present, he didn't have the look of an old timer. "Jedi come too late. Many die." Ethan moved to speak, but the greyskin was suddenly shunted aside by a second Cragmoloid, a taller, hunched beast with a leathery green hide.

"Listen not" the second snorted, "Gulan is saddened by our losses. He speaks in pain. Sit Jedi, there is still much that can be saved."

The Elder motioned for them to sit on the hard rocks and hear his word. With a sideaways glance at his companions, Ethan took a seat.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla stared at the young man, her lavender eyes looking him up. Her heart went out to the pale child, because that was close to how she saw all beings younger then her, and this one seemed to scream sulky and broody. Maybe it was the black clothes. Such a shame he felt the need to wear black.

She smiled and bowed her head, "Knight Clamont." She greeted the smaller male.

Before she knew it, they were being lead by her new friend to the elders. Balla whispered the words he had taught her under her breath, it didn't sound natural coming out of her mouth but with enough time and training she would be able to speak it fluently and she looked forward to that day.

Knight Ethan leaned and whispered to her. Balla had brushed up on Cragii before she left, but was by no means a master at it yet.

"I shall do my best to advise in this situation." Ethan had the aura of a leader and she had no issue with letting him take point.

As they entered the chambers, Balla could feel the sense of sadness coming from the creatures in here. Keeping in mind that some creatures didn't want pity she adopted a neutral facial expression. Her eyes would betray her a bit, anyone who would look for too long would see her pity for the poor beings. To lose a member of the family was not something she had ever had the displeasure of feeling bit that didn't stop the sting.

She returned the look her fellow knight gave her before taking a seat next to him. Her long sleeves draped in her lap.

(Will add the color later, sorry.)

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex watched as the older Jedi eyed him. It didn't seem like Knight Arven liked him very much so far. But Drex couldn't say he was surprised. He wasn't exactly one for first impressions. The girl, who seemed to be just as tall as he was eyeing him as well. He tried to pay no attention to it and when she bowed her head and smiled, he returned the nod, his expression unwavering. Once she looked away to follow Cragmoloid known as Raould, he followed, looking down at his body, wondering what the problem was...maybe it was the dark robes he was wearing. Perhaps he should wear something a bit lighter. He shrugged and continued on, following the two older Jedi.

Before long, the Cragmoloid brought them before what appeared to be graves and the elders that they were sent to speak to. Drex listened as they were spoken to and when they were told to sit, he looked over at Knight Arven who had seemingly taken charge of the mission, taking a seat next to him so that he would be in the center. Drex had no qualms about Knight Arven taking charge, since he seemed to be the eldest out of all of them which meant he was likely the most experienced. He decided not to speak quite yet, as talking wasn't exactly what he was known for.

 

[Alhon]

The three Jedi sat and listened in the morning sun, their faces a mixture of stoicism and concern as the Cragmoloid elders explained their plight. They spoke of a longstanding threat of poachers growing into something much more in recent months, with deaths and disappearances increasing week on week. Those they had just buried had been found dead many miles to the south, their bodies mutilated.

"They wanted tusks, always" the green elder said in his broken Basic "but they attack in summer months before, never all time. Now they not stop; they attack when we alone, or only a few. They are many and bring weapons we not match."

"Do you know where they are?" Ethan asked, feeling the elder's pain in every word he spoke. "Where they are coming from?"

The elder shook his head. "Most attacks in south, many miles from Pantheon. We never see where they go, but they carry too little to be far."

The Cragmoloid drew a crude diagram in the earth at their feet, marking the Pantheon and a number of attacks far to the south. The Jedi agreed with the creatures' conclusion; whoever was behind this tyranny seemed to be based far to the south, though where and it what form, they could not know.

He glanced to each of his Jedi colleagues, inviting them to ask questions of their own.

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla pulled a book from her sleeve, more like a journal, and drew the rude diagram on the page, it wouldn't be perfect but it was a lot better then forgetting it. She didn't have a photographic memory after all. Once she was done she gently closed the book and pen and paper vanished into her long sleeves.

"Do they seem well equipped?" Balla asked, looking around at the crags.

There was quite murmurs as they debated amongst themselves. Balla could pick up on a couple words of Cragii but not enough to know what they were saying.

"Those that live say many different things. Better fighters. Better numbers. We big." One of the cragimolds smacks his chest for emphasis, "Big does lite against blasters and vircoblades..."

The others grunted in agreement, and started to shift awkwardly. Balla pulled out her book once more, writing down more of the details that given her.

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex listened as everyone spoke, not really having much to ask but he figured he could think of something. He thought for a moment, about what everyone was saying. Better fighters, better numbers...but the Cragmoloids were only attacked when they were few. "These attacks, has anyone said how many there were?" Drex figured that there likely wasn't more than a dozen per attack, because if they had better weapons and were better fighters they wouldn't need that many people.

He glanced over at Knight D'Aom who was writing notes in a book and nodded. It was good to have the details written down somewhere, in case their memory failed them...maybe he should invest in one. However, his attention went to the elder's when one of them began to speak. "Survivors say they attack with small group. Highest number of attackers was ten. No more." The others agreed, murmuring among themselves.

"Interesting..." Drex began to think for a moment, letting the others ask questions. If there were no more than ten per attack, then it likely meant that there couldn't be more than that. Unless they attacked more than once during the same time or left a ridiculous amount of people to guard their camp.

 

[Alhon]

Ethan sat quietly as his companions made their enquiries, his eyes closed and his mind open. It was clear the Cragmoloids knew little of their enemy or at least nothing which could be regarded as hard fact. The details they had provided were sketchy at best, offering little insight into the true nature of the danger they faced. Though the motive of the attackers appeared to be financial gain, the frequency and number of attacks suggested an organisation of people and resources far greater than the average poaching syndicate.

No, there was something else at work here.

"Thank you for sharing this information" he said, supressing a twinge of impatience. "We recognise it cannot have been easy.". The Jedi rose, turning to briefly stare out toward the southern horizon. "You asked for our help; I am sure I speak for all of us when I say you shall have it. The Force will not permit these transgressions to continue." He faced the Cragmoloid elder, his features set in stern determination. "We will head south and find those responsible for attacking your people. One way or another, we will bring them to justice".

The elders bowed their heads in understanding, and it seemed to Ethan that they held them a little higher when they rose. It was unclear how much faith they really had in his words, but he could feel their hope and their desperation. The Jedi were the only people offering to help; the Cragmoloids would at the very least let them try.

"Shall we take our leave" Ethan said, motioning to his fellow Knights "we should take each other's counsel before heading out"

He turned, heading back down the slope where he hoped to discuss the details of their plan away from prying eyes.

@Balla Vahla @DeltaWolf

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla stood and bowed to the elders, she had no parting words. Ethan had said all that needed to be said after all.

She followed after him, flipping through her notes as they walked. Her notebook felt kinda blank, they didn't have a lot to go on. It looked like it was going to be quite a interesting mission.

Once they were by the two ships the men had driven here she started to speak.

"If anyone has a map, now would be the time to show it. The elders said it was happening in the south? They must have a camp set up, which may be hidden if the others haven't found it. We could ask a craigmolod to come with us, lure them out into the open. A group of two of us could fight and distract the raiders. The third sneaks around the back and flushes out the remainder in the camp? From there it's just a pincher formation."

Balla looked between the two gentlemen to see if they agreed. It was Balla's first mission but she truly wanted to help the inhabitants here, it was the reason she agreed to come here. No one deserved to be mutaliated like this.

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex followed suit when Ethan stood up, listening as he told the elders how they would bring the poachers to justice. When he motioned to leave, Drex bowed respectfully to the Cragmoloid elders and turned, following his companions out of the building.

They walked in silence until they approached the starfighters they had flown over which was when Balla spoke up. She began divising a plan, which he listened to respectfully. Once she was done, Drex responded, "It's a good plan but first we need to know exactly what we're dealing with and how many of them we're dealing with. We should scout out the area, find the camp, get a good estimate of their numbers and also who exactly they are. If it's just them, they hired mercenaries...or the off chance they're working with the Sith. We want to be as prepared as possible...at least, that's my take on it."

Drex was hoping the Sith weren't involved and it was highly likely that they weren't. But he was taught to be prepared for the worst possible scenario so that he was never caught off guard.

 

[Alhon]

Ethan listened carefully, mindful that the odds made his allies essential in this case.

"A bold plan" he said, responding to Balla's D'Aom's proposal. He was mildly impressed with the woman's ingenuity, but he had to confess to a few concerns. "However, none of our ships can accommodate a Cragmoloid to my knowledge and it would take too long to scout the southern plains on foot." He spared a glance back to the central stones, where the elders were grouped still, many of them watching them with hopeful faces. "I am also loathe to involve these creatures any further given the risk; a dead or injured Cragmoloid on our watch would all but destroy the relations the Jedi have established with this world". Despite its barren nature, Ankus' proximity to Ilum could ultimately prove useful and Ethan was wary of risking their good relations lightly.

He paused, mulling over Clamont's suggestion. "I have to agree with you, Brother; scouting the south by air presents the least risk. We can locate our enemy's base of operations and then approach on foot. These mercenaries appear numerous and well-armed, but we have no reason to believe they should be a match for servants of the Force". Again, the Jedi had to stifle a mild impatience to unmask their foe and see him undone.

"Do you agree, Knight D'Aom?" Ethan looked to the Vahlan Jedi, conscious that her rapport with the Cragmoloids might lead her to want to involve them. He could see the advantage, but the ponderous creatures were just too big an encumbrance in his view.

@Balla Vahla

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla understood. The Cragmoloids shouldn't be involved and perhaps her plan was a bit too bold without the proper recon and information at their disposal. She feared the backlash of accidentally wounding one of her friends people...
She nodded her head, her white hair tumbling out onto her shoulder as she did so.

"Recon by air, regroup, and then confront on foot."

It was a simple plan, but she had no ship. As the others might make be able to make note of because they had landed here and not spotted an extra ship when they did so. Three ships flying around in the air might be over kill anyway. The hunters might get suspicious and go into hiding. Which make the job all the more harder down the line.

Of course... Balla was sure she could get a land rover of some kind from these people. She could do ground recon while the others flew around, but they would pace her in a second. Balla needed a ship...

"I have no ship." She finally admitted, pulling up the hood on her robe to hide her embarrassment from showing on her face. "May I ride with one of you?"

 

[DeltaWolf]

Recon by air...wasn't his original plan, but the more Drex thought about it, the more he realized it was a good idea. Ethan also mentioned something about them not being a match for servants of the force which finally managed to get a slight smile out of Drex. Bella also seemed to agree with the plan, which meant that it was likely gonna happen. He was about to say something so they could get going, but then Bella said something about not having her own ship. Drex turned around, looking at the two ships and just realized that Knight Arven likely came here alone, just as he had.

"Oh...well...I would let you ride with me, but it's only supposed to hold one person." His slight smile faded and he looked to Ethan and continued, "Do you have space?" Drex hoped he would, because flying would save a lot of time, but he would feel bad if they had to leave her behind. And even though she's a Jedi, same as them, he didn't like the idea of leaving a comrade on their own, with the possibility of her facing an enemy they don't know much about.

@Alhon

 

[Alhon]

Ethan was pleased they were all on the same page. He had nothing against his fellow Jedi, but this was their first operation together and he had no desire to get into a saber-measuring contest. Such things were a waste of his time.

"My Starfighter is also designed for sole occupancy" he replied, wrestling with their logistical issue. "However, it is marginally larger than yours Brother and does have a rear cargo compartment." He glanced at D'Aom, hoping she didn't mind getting her hands dirty. "There should be sufficient room you, for a short overflight. You won't be able to stand up, but it should be comfortable enough."

The Jedi managed a weak smile and slowly turned to head back to their ships. They still had a few hours of light and he was hopeful that could at least locate their adversaries before dark. Though the shadows might be an ally for infiltration, they would hinder their initial search considerably.

 

[Balla Vahla]

"Oh, trust me. I'm used to kids, hiding in your cargo bay will be of little issue."

Balla waved her hand dismissively, she had no issues with hanging out with the cargo. The kids were leagues shorter then herself and she had to kneel on a daily basis just to see eye to eye with the children.

She nodded her head to Clamont in silent, and temporary, goodbye before joining Ethan on his ship. Going to the aforementioned back and crouching low before taking her designated seat. She sat with her back to the wall and her hands on her knees, a calm look overcame her.

 

[DeltaWolf]

Drex kept quiet as Ethan offered a solution to their problem, which Balla agreed to quickly. He followed both of them to their ships, looking around him. He wasn't too worried about their enemy. He wasn't entirely sure about the skill of his companions when it came to combat, but he was confident that with their combined efforts they could handle the enemy. This would also be a good time for him to apply the training he had been doing for a while. As he got to his ship he touched the scar on his cheek that served as a reminder of his failure. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again as he got into his starfighter.

He waited for the others to get in, planning on letting Knight Arven lead. Drex's mind began to wander back to the confrontation on Taris, the one that caused him to alter his fighting style. He looked down at his lightsaber and then back up with a sigh. He wasn't sure if others would approve of his more aggressive approach, but he needed to become more skilled somehow if he wanted to take down the masked sith...he had to. Drex blinked and shook his head, looking around, realizing that it wasn't time to focus on such things. He needed to focus on the problem at hand. No matter how hard it was to get the masked Sith out of his head.

 

[Alhon]

Their two ships lifted off from Ankus' dusty plains in almost perfect unison, rising to a safe patrolling height. Ethan's white NX-3 shone resplendently in the afternoon sun, while Clamont's Antarian Starfighter was a somewhat meaner beast, guarding Ethan's left flank with its two prominent cannons. The pair turned south, flying in relative radio silence for several minutes as the three Jedi took in the barren length of the horizon. For the most part, the plains below were flat, but rocky, with occasional bands of Cragmoloids reduced to model-size clans on the earth far below.

"Keep your eyes open" Ethan warned as they traversed further south. Even Balla had a small solar port to glance out of and with any luck their three pairs of eyes would locate their enemy soon.

Turning to his sensors, the Jedi noted that the extreme south eventually gave way to a series of foothills, with two rocky spires flanking their edges. His eyes narrowed, for if he had plans to establish a covert poaching station in this land then he would have thought such rocks would provide ample cover, if not also security.

The two fighters drew closer and Ethan couldn't help but notice there were no Cragmoloids this far out. They were alone now. Or rather, he sensed, they were alone with their enemy.

"Do either of you see anything?" he asked, for his own view was clear of dust trails or tracks, though it was admittedly limited by the cockpit's narrow dimensions.

@Balla Vahla @DeltaWolf

 

[Balla Vahla]

Balla opened her eyes and scooted over to the window, staring out of the window and trying to see around her dirty reflection. Her lavender eyes searched the dusty distance but nothing stood out to her. The force didn't seem to be pulling in any real direction either. She could feel for life but there was no concentration of it all.

"Negative."

Balla sighed and hoped that Clamont had something up his sleeve. She doubted that these bandits were going to be unwise to their attempts to find them.

"Don't ships have some kind of heat sensor? Everything is hot, but typically living creatures run hotter..."

She was just musing outloud now, trying to locate the bandits from her window seemed rather... Pointless. She was only seeing what Ethan had already seen. A large group of bandits would pop up on some kind of sensor, wouldn't it? She had little experience with ships. She still didn't even know how to pilot one. The cragmoloids didn't really have ships or sesnors.... Did they?