Ask Tatooine Lost in the Sands of Time

[Darth Draugr]

Tatooine, Independent Systems Consortium Space, 1254 Hours

(OOC: This is NOT an invasion of any sort. Draugr is here on a mission for him and his comrades. They are minding their own business smile.)

Back on this planet after his last attempt at finding Maul's saber ended with a sandstorm and the crew with him leaving. It was unfortunate but at least he hadn't the need to pay them. No now he found himself back on Tatooine looking to pick back up where he left off. The Sith Master had been following the information he was given from the Sith investigators he sent ahead to find out what they could.

After receiving the information needed, he gathered his things. Got dressed in an expeditionary outfit and began making his way to the Ship to make his way to Tatooine. On his way though he came across Luwalhati, Wodan and Caelian in a group. Without thinking, the Zabrak figured they could use a field trip.

"You three. How about a voyage to Tatooine?"

Should they have accepted the offer they could follow the Dathomirian onto the Imperial Shuttle and ride over. The trip was long but it gave them time to rest before the journey in the sands. Draugr would answer any of their questions about the mission he was bringing them on. It was one of his own passion and having them come along just helps ensure he gets what he's looking for.

@Forsythe Crowholde @Braden @Xorism​

 

[Caelian]

Caelian had burnt through a little personal time of recent and was excited to get back out into the field once more. Master Draugr had specifically requested the Echani join him on an important mission of some kind, although the details were a little sparse thus far, he had heard rumours that Draugr had been searching for a long-lost relic.

In his usual equipment, Caelian readily accepted the offer and joined the Master in the shuttle with the others. There was a long journey ahead of them, and at least some of this time would be spent discussing the upcoming mission into semi-hostile space.

Choosing his words carefully, Caelian started his. "Master Draugr, I am honoured to assist you on this mission, how can I best serve you?"

Perhaps he would be tested by the elements, the gods of chance, or just the Sith Master himself. Time would tell if the Echani was up for the challenge.

@Scoobert @Braden @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Wodan]

Fate had once again pulled Wodan away from his personal desires. The Firrerrian was beginning to gather together the necessary resources for his own personal expedition, he was only awaiting the seal of approval of those on high, when he stumbled into Caelian and Luwalhati. He barely had a chance to speak to them when Draugr appeared at their shoulder, asking if they wanted to travel to Tatooine. If he was honest the Firrerrian could think of a number of places he would rather be, but if he wanted his future plans to come to fruition he could do with being the Sith Master’s good graces.

Unprepared for travelling, Wodan was wearing a simple outfit more designed for ease of movement than protection or staving off the extreme elements of Tatooine’s surface. Nor was anything beyond a simple lightsaber in reach.

As they travelled aboard the shuttle, he was able to supplement the meagre items he had with a rebreather, goggles and poncho to help keep the sun off his skin. He was walking through the cabin as Caelian asked his question, with a little too much pomp and circumstance for Wodan’s liking. Taking a seat near the others he listened, hopefully he could grab some useful information on why the four of them were heading to this remote planet and in such a rush.

@Scoobert @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Luwalhati]

Lu had packed a spare change of clothes in a small backpack, the use for such items undetermined but dictated by the Force. Never one to ignore thoughts of being prepared for unexpected journeys, the small Acolyte stood at the ready, on the lookout for whatever lay ahead.

They stumbled upon a rather familiar Echani on their way, then a Firrereo stumbled upon the pair. Curiosity shone in the Acolyte's eyes – where these two also drawn by the Force to this place? New to the Academy as they were, Lu didn't yet have the privilege of knowing either Champion or Acolyte, save for that social they once again ended up backing out from. Still – and as shy as they were – Lu offered each a polite tilt of their head in greeting.

Gaze drifting to the Firrereo, Lu sensed that he was about to speak but was cut off when a familiar presence loomed over the gathered three. The Acolyte turned and was greeted by the sight of the Sith Master Draugr, dressed in an expeditionary attire. At the mention of a voyage to Tatooine, Lu had finally put the pieces together as to why they found it prudent to pack stuff (including their lightsaber, an extra pair of glasses, their smartpad dataphone, and a blaster) and dress appropriately.

Black on a desert sounds rough.

Obligingly the petite Acolyte trailed along the other three, entering the shuttle and taking a seat with the backpack now on their lap. They watched as the Champion spoke with Master Draugr, speaking words Lu themself wanted to tell the Sith Master but was too shy to do so. Instead they turned their attention to the other Acolyte as he took the seat next to Lu's.

"Hello," they greeted the other courteously, voice a little quieter so as not to rudely interrupt either the Sith Master or the Champion as they spoke. "I'm Luwalhati, but you can call me Lu."

@Scoobert @Braden @Xorism

 

[Darth Draugr]

It hadn't taken long before the fellow Sith had begun asking questions. Though it was mostly just curiosity as to where the group was moving to. Draugr had nod a couple times as he thought of how to explain this without sounding weird. He wanted a lightsaber from a dead Sith Lord that may or may not have been hidden in a specific cave by Obi-Wan.

"What do you all know of Darth Maul?"

Draugr asked his question leaning in and seated. An interested look of curiosity rested upon his face as he waited for answers. He was a fan of the old Sith Lord, and the idea of getting the blades he used to wield was such a fever dream to him. An excitement filled Draugr within, but on the outside he was showing a more stoic look. He wasn't a smiler, nor a happy go lucky man. Few things interested him in this galaxy and the opportunity to retrieve this artifact was one of those things.

The ship arrived in orbit and began making its way to the landing bay. This would be where the shuttle would sit, and the Sith would move onward and find their way across the desert to get where they were going. The young Sith here, the Champion and two Acolytes would get to take part in a beautiful experience.

@Braden @Xorism @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Caelian]

The group assembled and awaited to hear more information as to why Tatooine was their destination, and from the way Master Draugr looked, their task appeared to be quite personal and dear to his heart. When the master revealed that it was in fact Darth Maul that they sought, it could only mean one thing - Draugr was searching for a powerful artefact that would forever intertwine the two powerful Zabraki.

Caelian spoke up first, more confident than before. "Lord Maul famously slew the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, after serving as Darth Sidious' apprentice for many years. His exploits are amongst the finest the galaxy saw, if you believe all the stories.."

It was sometimes hard to tell where to draw the line between fact and fiction. Darth Maul certainly had a larger than life reputation and his actions had certainly earned it, but even legendary figures are not immune to their acolytes exaggerating their exploits to grow their grandeur and prestige.

@Scoobert @Braden @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Wodan]

“Wodan.” He replied to the petite little Acolyte next to him, giving him a nod of respect. As he settled into his seat, twisting the lid off a fresh bottle of water and taking a swig. From his seat he had a full view of Caelian and a view of the side of Draugr’s shiny red head.

“Makes sense.” He mumbled as he heard the Sith Master ask what they knew of Darth Maul, he was the poster boy for the Master’s species afterall. Rumour had it that the Sith Lord had perished on Tatooine, Draugr was probably after something to do with his predecessor. Wodan didn’t add to Caelian’s overly flamboyant retelling of the Sith’s exploits. Instead keeping quiet sipping his drink.

@Scoobert @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Luwalhati]

Lu returned the nod Wodan sent their way, with an addition of a small and quick smile. The other Acolyte didn't seem to be one to engage in small talk. They won't hold it against them – even Lu themself struggled with small talk so they wouldn't subject their fellow Acolyte with such prospect.

Amber gaze lingered on Wodan for a moment, watching quietly as he drank water, before shifting over to settle on Master Draugr and the Echani Champion. Darth Maul? Was he the cause for what prompted this trip to Tatooine? Obviously. Then, why, what for? Did the legendary Sith Lord leave an artifact or two on that dustball of a planet? Their former Master told them of a rumor of Maul's life ending on Tatooine, as opposed to public records claiming that he was killed during the Battle on Naboo.

Perhaps this endeavor sought to make the records straight?

"Well, Darth Maul became Mand'alor..." Lu trailed hesitantly, gaze drifting away from the older Sith. Feet swinging lightly underneath, one hand swept politely toward's Caelian's direction before lowering once more to the backpack on their lap. "And Master Caelian's info are factual."

Before their thoughts wandered even further, Lu decided to innnocently ask, "What connects Darth Maul to our trip to Tatooine, Lord Draugr?"

@Scoobert @Braden @Xorism

 

[Darth Draugr]

Listening to what the fellow Sith had known of Darth Maul, he gave some slight nods before speaking up himself. "I had gathered some information regarding the whereabouts that Maul had last been known to be alive. After an extensive investigation, it came to light his final sighting of life had been here on Tatooine." Draugr took a breath as he had been exiting the ship, the three others following suit.

"It is assumed this is his final resting place. Word has it, Obi-Wan Kenobi had been hiding on this planet during that time. I feel the two connect." He was sure that Maul fell to the hands of Obi-Wan all that time ago, but he had not been too certain. It was rumored but no proof, yet. Continuing forward out of the hangar, he would be sure to raise a cloak over his head to conceal his identity as best as possible. Then looking around for a shop that sells speeders. Surely there would be that here, or at least a spot to find some parked..

"Now we'll need either speeder bikes, or larger speeders to fit all of us in." Turning back to the rest, "Keep an eye out." The Sith Master began walking down the market street, looking at what all the locals had for sale. Some had weapons, to no surprise, some had food. This city was a bustling business opportunity. The ISC was smart to induct it into their Government. Draugr had looked around for what they needed, but something else caught his eye. A stand selling droids.. Taking a look at what they had, he couldn't help but wonder how helpful a droid could be for this mission. Before deciding against it, he had noticed three astromechs, two protocols, and a few gunks. Maybe another time.

"Have y'all spotted anything?"

@Braden @Xorism @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Caelian]

There was an abundance of thoughts that flicked through the Echani's mind as Draugr explained the real purpose behind their trip. A powerful warrior like Maul, falling to an equally mighty opponent, was for sure a formidable duel, but unfortunately their story was somewhat lost to time. Perhaps, with any luck and some cunning, they might uncover his final resting place and any relics remaining from this titanic struggle.

Caelian draped a brown cloak over himself before exiting the ship with the others and into the strange sandy world before them. It would have been quite simple for the four Sith to just grab what they needed and run off, but being an ISC world it would surely create too much negative attention toward both Draugr and the empire, something that would surely fall on their heads if things went south.

"I'm thinking speeder bikes, but also we'll need supplies. If we go one at a time, we'll draw less suspicion."

Instead, the Echani decided to browse the wares, legitimately looking to make a purchase for speeder bikes with a small Rodian salesman. After some back and forth haggling, they settled on a price and Caelian walked away with a cheap but reliable piece of junk that would get the job done. Next on the agenda was gathering the necessary supplies and gears to trek out into the desert, which were fortunately readily available.

Purchasing and storing them on the bike, he awaited word from Master Draugr as to their next move, whether there was something in town they needed to do or if they would wait till dark to depart to avoid the heat.

@Scoobert @Braden @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Wodan]

Draugr confirmed the Firrerrian’s suspicion that they were heading to the dust bowl in the search of something belonging to the long deceased Sith Lord. The shuttle jolted slightly underneath them as the ship exited Hyperspace and before too long they were on the ground. A wave of heat washed through the shuttle as the Zabrak opened the door.

The power of the twin suns beat down on the group as they stepped into its light. Unlike the others, Wodan didn’t try to cover up his face, he wore nothing to symbolise himself as a member of the Sith Empire. His lightsaber was safely stored within the bag he had slung onto his back, a pair of goggles rested on his head as he followed the rest of the group out of the hanger bay.

“You do know like a million people come through this city everyday. I doubt four more are going to bring any more attention.” Wodan said in reply to Caelian’s fear of being spotted by some random nobody. But before he could get a reply from the white haired man, he was off talking to some Rodian about his own speeder bike.

“Shall we get one for the rest of us Lu? At least allows us to take turns driving if it's a long way away. Don’t know about you but I would rather not camp out in the desert unless I have to.” Depending on the pink haired individuals answer he would go about purchasing the necessary items for their trip.

@Scoobert @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Luwalhati]

Lu simply gave Lord Draugr's explanation a polite incline of their head. Regardless of what the Zabraki Sith Master actually sought for in this planet, the Acolyte was sure that they would be able to learn something new or give facts to rumors surrounding Maul's fate today.

The pink-haired Acolyte perked up almost instantly as soon as their shuttle dropped out of hyperspace and made its descent on the sandy planet below. Picking up their bag and slinging it on their back, Lu trotted earnestly after the others. Like Wodan, the petite Acolyte didn't have to try to be inconspicuous. They were dressed down like any other traveller, and their saber hidden from plain view. If anything, Lu probably looked like a lost child as their wide-eyed gaze flicked from one place to another.

Amber eyes finally settled on Wodan as he addressed them. Nodding, Lu trotted after their fellow Acolyte, watching as the Firrerrian purchased some items necessary for their trip.

"I'll get water and food," they told Wodan before wandering over to the next stall that sold said items. Lu had never haggled for anything before, but they managed to snag for the group the supplies they said they would get. They would just divide them into rations later.

Sure that there was enough water and food for all four of them, Lu sailed back towards Wodan. Once they acquired speeder bikes and other items, the small Acolyte went on about storing what they purchased on their bike. Lu then scanned the crowd for the cloaked Sith Master, expectantly waiting for their next move.

@Scoobert @Braden @Xorism

 

[Darth Draugr]

The streets of the small city were bustling and it'd allow for the Sith to walk freely, without too many people taking notice. The crowds of people helped to ensure that. When the Sith Master was walking down the street he hadn't found anything he was looking for. Not yet at least. "I do believe at the end of this street there should be a landspeeder shop. Should be fairly large. I'll make the purchases, and then we'll begin the journey when the suns begin to set. Should allow for us to keep from heat exhaustion."

The Zabrak spoke to all his fellow Sith with him as he made his way closer to the shop. Frome what he had seen there were a few different options to choose from. One was a slim speeder bike, another was a bulky speeder bike, and then the other two were landspeeders fit to hold four individuals. The Zabrak looked to his followers and would point a knife hand at the shop and then speak, "Choose one."

As they would make their decisions on what they wanted to drive, the Zabrak would look on InnFinder to find a good Inn to stay at while in town to pass the time until they would go to their destination. Once the purchase was made he would bring them all to the Inn rated four stars and then get some sleep before the embarked on the journey.

-----------------------------------

The Zabrak woke up first. The window showing darkness outside, and the clock showing 2104 hours. He would call out to his comrades, "Wake up! It's time for our journey to the cave. You can sleep on the ride if need be." He made his way out of the room and to the speeder. Sitting in the driver's seat he waited for the rest to arrive.

@Braden @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Caelian]

A hot breeze brushed through the streets as the vendors went about their business, peddling their wares like any other day. After making his own purchase, Caelian continued to walk around, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary while pretending to be interested in making purchases.

Once the others in the group were ready, they departed for the inn for the remainder of the day.

That evening, after they had been awoken and prepared to leave, he decided to ride the speeder bike that he had purchased earlier in the day. Sitting alongside Draugr, he waited patiently, unaware of their destination, knowing only that they would surely be tested.

@Scoobert @Braden @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Wodan]

After grabbing some materials for himself, including a headpiece to keep the sun from his skin. Wodan headed to the shop Draugr identified, both the Sith Master and Caelian picked up speeder bikes. Leaving just a pair of landspeeders left for him and Lu, luckily for the Firrerrian that was what he was looking for in the first place. Wodan picked out a thick, light red speeder, much of the pain had been beaten off by Tatooine's sandstorms, but it seemed to run well.

After he had made his way to the rather lavish hotel, the beds were better than Wodan was used to and he was able to get a decent amount of rest through the afternoon before Draugr called them to ‘muster’ downstairs. Taking a passenger seat in the landspeeder, he looked over to Lu. “Trust me, its better if you drive.”

@Scoobert @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Luwalhati]

Purchases made and packed, Lu dutifully followed after their fellow Sith as Master Draugr led them to a rather lavish inn. Not something the Acolyte expected to see on Tatooine, but they did not made mention of it either way. Small talk was not their forte, let alone making jokes or puns. Instead they settled in their chosen room, opting to sit on one of the plush couches to stand guard despite not having any real need for it. Old habits were had to break though, and though their late Master tried to beat them out of the Acolyte the remnants of what they learned as a slave clung to Lu like a stubborn, clingy lover.

The Acolyte whiled away the hours reading, amber eyes glued to their datapad's screen until there came a faint buzzing in their mind and their world turned black. Lu realized that they had fallen asleep until Master Draugr's voice snapped them awake. Adjusting their glasses so it won't slip further down their nose, the Acolyte made a few final preparations, making sure that stuff were properly packed and stored in their appropriate places, before answering the Sith Master's call.

Lu peered at Wodan, blinking once, then shrugged as they settled on the driver's seat. "Alright," replied the pink-haired Acolyte nonchalantly. They wanted to ask why they were appointed with such a task, but again they chose to keep their thoughts to themself. Maybe Wodan couldn't drive?

Poor guy. Well, Lu could teach him if he liked.

Their destination piqued Lu's interest. "Cave?" the Acolyte mused out loud.

@Scoobert @Braden @Xorism

 

[Darth Draugr]

As the rest of the group gathered together, Draugr and Caelian riding on their bikes with Luwalhati driving the landspeeder holding Wodan in the passenger seat. Draugr took a look to make sure everyone was gathered together before beginning his ride towards their destination with the rest of the riding behind him. The darkness making direction harder to see for the naked eye, but the Sith Master had a gps tracker to the marked location. It would be shared to the others for the insurance of them getting split from the main body.

The ride was fairly long, and the group was free to speak to each other through their comms before they arrived. Draugr would reserve the speaking for directions. Moving left, right and up hills or down slopes. There wasn't much to look at through the barren desert, just sand for miles and miles. "Keep an eye-"

Before Draugr could finish speaking, a large rumbling in the ground began to grow louder and louder. In the distance it looked like a large hill had been moving closer to where they were. There was no doubt in Draugr's mind it would be one of those Krayt Dragons he's heard the tales of. They group could out run it, but it would be cutting close. "Krayt Dragon incoming." Draugr said with a calm expression and without fluctuation of his voice. For him he had confidence if done right, they could kill it without a problem.

For the lower ranked? Well, it may be a bit more terrifying if they hadn't faced anything as intimidating as it. For Draugr, he stood before Darth Raze in a bad view a couple times. A Krayt Dragon was intimidating, but not as close as the Dark Lord of the Sith. "Steer to the left, We'll have to draw it into the canyons ahead. Keep an eye out Wodan, you're on Krayt detail." As they would ride to the canyons, blaster fire began landing upon them. "What the fu-" Draugr could make out what was firing at them from a distance but he had his guess of Tusken Raiders. Pesky bastards..

@Braden @Forsythe Crowholde @Xorism

 

[Caelian]

It was good to finally put civilisation behind them and just crank the throttle out in the big wide desert. Enjoying the wind in his face, he rode slightly ahead and off to the right, just enough to avoid throwing sand in their faces but close enough that they wouldn't separate entirely.

The dunes towered abundantly around, the night sky scattering any sense of visual direction in the distance. It was a pleasant ride to their destination, so of course they would have to be interrupted by a WHAT? Curse their luck, of all the things to encounter in the vast desert seas, of course it had to be a big beefy predator.

Keeping his distance still, Caelian revved up the bike and made the turn toward the canyon, somewhat attempting to escort the landspeeder along. It would probably have been a piece of cake had they then not also been placed in the direct line of fire of a handful of damned Tusken Raiders. The combination of their small silhouette, the speed of travel and the darkness, the Echani was unable to really see one long enough to attempt anything.

Caelian broke off from trying to grapple a midget with the force and instead returned his attention to avoiding being gobbled up by the dragon.

He hoped that the dust being thrown up from his own speeder bike might help mask Wodan and Lu against their foes, but wasn't entirely sure he was being helpful. If they could make it to the edge and get out of range of the raiders, surely they would be fine the rest of the trip, he woefully hoped.

@Scoobert @Braden @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Wodan]

Slowly the ambient of light from the city faded away turning the sky a true black as the stars and beular’s of the galaxy began to make their appearance. It truly was beautiful if it was not for the constant supply of sand being blown up into their faces. Even with the correct gear and goggles, Wodan could still taste the horrid material between his teeth.

His gaze was fixed on the stars when Draugr’s voice came hollering through the comn about a Krayt Dragon. Immediately jumping up in his seat, his eyes darted round to see if he could locate the thing. The bright stars and moons in the sky just gave them enough light to see the great beast’s movements beneath the sand.

Reaching into the passenger seat behind him, he grabbed some of his gear including a blaster rifle. Fuck knows what Krayt detail meant, he doubted he could do the thing any harm with what he had on his self. But he could at least keep watch of the thing, as the banked away from its approach.

That was when the blaster fire from the Tuskan’s started. “Fuck my life.” He shouted as he ducked down in the backseat of the landspeeder. After the first volley had disappeared Wodan righted himself and began to shoot back, he couldn’t really see his enemy but was just firing back in the direction of the shots. Hopefully his return fire could keep their heads down long enough for them to get past.

@Scoobert @Xorism @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Luwalhati]

It was easy to drive while the twin suns were still out, but the arrival of dusk and the stars that flickered to life one after another brought forth an entirely new story. It was also very easy to dismiss the sand flying to their face as long as none got into their eyes or mouth, but when amber gaze made the mistake of flicking skywards, Lu found themself putting more effort into focusing on the path ahead and the vehicle they were driving.

Wodan remained quiet beside them, so Lu wouldn't bother the man with small talk. Instead they focused on keeping up and following after Draugr who drove on ahead. The night was quiet, the silence only broken by the sound of two speeder bikes and a landspeeder carving a path through the desert. There was a sense of peace within the Acolyte as they drove in the dark... until then came a faint, rumbling sound.

Luwalhati pouted, hands gripping the steering wheel firmly. A Krayt Dragon? Sure, it would have been nice to watch the creature chase down someone else but then it opted to set its sights on the travelling Sith. An annoyed grunt slipped past the Acolyte's lips, more irritated than scared at the prospect of getting eaten by a sand dragon.

There goes staring up at the night sky if ever we come to a stop.

With an irritated "tch!", Lu revved up the engine and sped up towards the canyon ahead, they would have told Wodan to buckle up only to be interrupted by blaster fire coming out of nowhere. The Acolyte's exasperation grew – first, they needed to get away from the Krayt Dragon. Now, blaster fire? Did those come from Tusken Raiders or desert gangs?

"You've got to be kidding me!" growled the usually soft-spoken Acolyte, gritting their teeth as a shot missed them by a hair. Mirroring Wodan's sentiment, Lu further increased the vehicle's speed in hopes of reaching the canyon as fast as they could. They noticed the sand getting kicked up by Caelian's speeder bike blocking the shooters' view of the two Acolytes, but Lu wouldn't leave things up to chance. Keeping their eyes on the path ahead while also bearing in mind the Krayt Dragon and the shooters, Lu tried to discern where the blaster fire were coming from, but without much success – what with their focus torn on three fronts. The Acolyte instead poured their focus into reaching the canyon first, trusting on the Force and hoping for the best.

@Scoobert @Braden @Xorism