Ask Mystery in Elrood

[Pêro Erval]

Elrood was a world located in the Outer Rim. This planet was colonized by the Galactic Republic centuries ago, but even then it still remained mostly agrarian and with a small population. Since it lacked any interesting resources that could be exploited, there was little interest in aiding its development. It was one of the many problems of being on this part of the Galaxy. If your homeworld doesn’t have anything that was considered valuable, it was forgotten.

Even with most of the Galactic community ignoring such planets, the Jedi Order would always be there to help them. Recently, the Council had received a distress message from the Elrood government about some problems that were happening there. They didn’t specify what it was, saying that they wanted to talk with the Jedi in person.

As soon as he heard about this mission, Pêro asked to participate in it. He grew up knowing how the rest of the Galaxy didn’t care for planets like this one. G’wenee, his homeworld, was located in the Outer Rim. If it wasn’t for the Carnival and the beaches, he was certain that no one would remember that it existed. For this reason, he was going to help the inhabitants of this planet.

The shuttle that he used to travel to Elrood had landed on a spaceport of Elrooden, the capital of the planet. When he left the ship, the Knight carried with him the backpack that he had brought with him. Inside of it was what he considered that could be necessary for his stay in this world.

After he left the ship, Pêro walked toward the main hall of the spaceport. He needed to wait for the other Jedi that was going to come to participate on this mission. While he waited, the G’weneen watched the sentient beings around him. There were several individuals coming and going, something normal for a place like this. Whatever was going on here, people didn't seem to care or know.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

Travelling in the Outer Rim reminded him of the time when he was still a Padawan. But he was a Knight now, with two amazing Padawans of his own, and Haldir Eressëa found his purpose in the Jedi Order more surely than he thought he could. He never thought that he had the capacity to teach the Order's younger generation and yet there he went, taking two learners under his wing.

Despite the differences between his Padawans, Haldir admired and respected them both. He hoped to do right by them, and he made a mental note to work alongside them in the future when they reach Knighthood. Willa was almost there herself, with Haldir overseeing the final legs of her journey. And while Elidan was on the beginnings of his own journey, the Knight could tell that he would make quick progress. Some of the Knights were already guessing which of the two he favored, but Haldir did not play favorites. Not when both Padawans were his favorites, if he would be honest.

Still, he wondered how Willa and Elidan would react if they could see him now. Devoid of any of his masks, Haldir Eressëa walked out of his light courier looking like a completely different man. None save for his Padawans and Knight Crix Aran knew the Arkanian's real face, and if they were here now they would see a tall, lithe human, with yellow hair that reached below his chin and startlingly bright green eyes. Beneath his eyes were a pair of moles, beauty marks, each. Clad in a plain white shirt, dark pants, a pair of black boots, and a plaid coat, the Jedi Knight made polite conversation with the locals, acting like a lost man as he asked for the simplest of directions. The blaster on his hip caught attention but not too much, and he knew that if it was his lightsaber there instead then many heads would turn intrigued.

But Haldir was taught not to draw too much unnecessary attention to himself, so he kept his saber in the inner pocket of his coat.

His reason for being here in Elrood was surely as vague as the one his fellow Knight received. Haldir himself couldn't resist a mystery presented to him, and while it was one of the reasons why he accepted the mission the major one was the same as Jedi Knight Pêro Erval. It would be his first time meeting and working with the G'weneen, but Haldir learned from his Padawans to be optimistic. They were here to help the people of Elrood, and they would do it together.

Haldir soon entered the spaceport's main hall, (currently) green eyes scanning the area for his colleague. He'd skimmed through Knight Erval's file on the Temple and memorized the younger male's face and build. He swiftly but politely made his way past people and towards Pêro when he spotted the latter, an easy but genuine smile on his face as he offered the G'weneen a respectful nod.

“Hail and well met, Knight Erval,” said the Arkanian Offshoot by way of greeting. “I hope I haven't kept you waiting.”


@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

During the time that he was waiting for his partner to arrive, Pêro had been reading some articles about Elrood on his Datapad to pass the time. He wasn’t annoyed by the other Knight not having arrived. The G’weneen had arrived some time earlier than the other, he was used to arriving at places early during missions.

When he heard someone talking to him, Pêro turned in time to see a blond man approaching him. The Knight stared wide eyed as the guy nodded. Was this guy Haldir Eressëa? Before coming there, the G’weneen had read the man’s file in the Temple. It mentioned how he used masks and had selective mutism.

However, the man in front of him was talking and was unmasked, revealing a really handsome face to everyone to see. By this point, Pêro was really staring like an idiot teenager with a crush at the man’s beauty marks and cute green eyes. When he noticed that he had lost composure, the G’weneen straightened himself before returning to his normal stern demeanor.

“Knight Eressëa, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Pêro returned Haldir’s respectful nod with one of his own. “You arrived just in time. I only arrived a bit early because I thought I could end up getting late.” the G’weneen said. “Now we need to go to the government building. They were waiting to tell us what was happening.” he was curious about all the secrecy behind this mission. He felt that it was going to be something important.

“I saw that there is a cab spot in front of the spaceport. We can take one to go to the government building.” he would walk toward the exit, expecting that Haldir was going to follow him. “Since it’s my first time on Elrood, I read some articles about the planet that can help us. Have you ever visited this place?” Pêro didn’t know why he was still talking, he never was someone talkative.

Maybe it was because he was curious about Haldir. His files say one thing, but in front of him was someone completely different. Perhaps Pêro wanted to know more about this Jedi that he could only consider as someone mysterious.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

Haldir didn't need to reach out through the Force to confirm Pêro's bewilderment – it showed on the G'weneen's face and the way his body seemed to tense upon beholding the Arkanian Offshoot incognito. He knew his current appearance and behavior would surprise and baffle his fellow Knight. Haldir's file in the Temple – while not fully comprehensive given the secretive nature of his family – was quite certain and adamant about his selective mutism and facial concealment.

And now here he stood, maskless and speaking verbally, although the face and voice he was using were neither his own.

He didn't speak when Pêro only stared at him, the latter's expression reminding him of the way one of the Knights used to gaze at his former Master. It made Haldir feel very flattered, though if his fellow Knight was staring at his real face the Arkanian knew that he would be very embarrassed as well. Instead, Haldir simply smiled in understanding as the G'weneen seemed to finally come out of his apparent shock and finally spoke to the Arkanian.

"The pleasure is mine. Please, just call me Haldir," he told the G'weneen, pleasant smile never leaving his face. He listened as his fellow Knight spoke, taking note of the information he learned upon reading Pêro Erval's files as well. Stern as the G'weneen Knight was, Haldir was mildly surprised to see that Pêro spoke freely, having assumed earlier that the latter was a taciturn individual.

Haldir quickly fell in step beside Pêro, one hand adjusting his plaid coat as the latter now spoke about a cab then asked if the Arkanian Offshoot had ever visited Elrood.

"Ah, we're on the same boat, then. This is my first time here on Elrood," he replied, thoughts circling back to what he had read about the planet. "I read it was named after a Senator, and that armor and ranged weapons are supposed to be prohibited here. No one's complaining about my blaster so far." Chuckling in amusement, Haldir patted the weapon in question. "But I'll be more than willing to surrender it if someone points it out."

As far as he was concerned, he was both a Jedi and a visitor to the planet. If law enforcement asked of him he would readily comply with the laws and guidelines of Elrood.

True to Pêro's words, a landspeeder awaited the two Jedi just in front of the spaceport. Haldir got inside, making room for his fellow Knight. The landspeeder would then begin to make its way towards the government building. On the way, Haldir decided to voice out the thoughts that plagued him when he first received the mission order he and Pêro accepted.

"The secrecy behind this mission is rather uncanny," he said, meeting Pêro's eyes. "They didn't spare us even a single detail as to what they would have us do. I'd normally begin to construct an assumption as to what our mission would be, but I can't work with literally nothing. It's not good to fall into supposition without even a single shred of data to work with. Other than the need for secrecy, we have nothing."

The Arkanian in disguise let out a soft sigh and offered Pêro an apologetic and slightly awkward smile. "I'm sorry about that. I'm just really intrigued as to why they asked Jedi to be here."

@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

He nodded in agreement when the other Knight said that he could call him only as Haldir. “Then you can call me Pêro.” while he used to remain profissional most of the time, he believed that if the Arkanian had decided to allow the G’weneen to call him by his first name, he should do the same.

While they walked toward the exit of the spaceport, Pêro paid close attention to what the other Jedi said about Elrood. “I heard the same. I don’t have a blaster, but my lightsaber is inside my backpack.” he gestured to it. “I don’t know if that was also forbidden on the planet, but I prefered to keep it hidden for now.” the last thing that he wanted was to cause problems between the government and the Jedi Order by breaking the local laws.

Once they left the spaceport, the two Jedi entered one of the landspeeders. While it moved toward the government building, Haldir started to talk about his concerns regarding this mission. Pêro also shared the same thoughts that the other Knight, it was strange that they didn’t tell them what was happening.

“It didn’t bother me. I also share your concern.” Pêro smiled at Haldir, while wondering why the other Knight used a mask to hide a pretty smile like his. “The way that they asked the Jedi help showed that it seemed to be something terrible, but since I arrived in the spaceport, I didn’t notice anything abnormal.” he said, while frowning. This entire situation was strange. “Before you arrived, I was reading some new articles about Elrood, but there wasn’t anything that could explain this secrecy.”

After some time, the two finally arrived at the building. “The government said that we should talk with the receptionist as soon as we arrived there. They would guide us to talk with the governor.” he informed Haldir, before leading their way inside the building. While they walked, Pêro noticed that there seemed to be a great number of police speeders in front of the building.

@Forsythe Crowholde