Ask On the Edge of the Galaxy

[Elidan]

Batuu was a planet located in the Outer Rim Territories, nearly at the edge of the Galaxy. Millennia ago, the planet was a popular stopping point for those traveling to Wild Space and the Unknown Regions. After the opening of hyperspace routes the planet started to be bypassed, resulting in the deterioration of its reputation into that of a forgotten backwater world. Now it was considered a heaven for smugglers and other scum of the Galaxy. If someone wanted to flee from justice, they could go there.

It wasn’t the type of place that would be welcoming for the Jedi, but the Order would always go where their help was needed, even if there wasn’t a warm welcome. Recently, the farming community of Peka had contacted the council. They asked for their help because of some strange events happening around their settlement. However, they didn’t give details about what these events were.

The Council had sent for this mission the Jedi Knight Ruus'all Solus and Elidan was going with him to help the man. The half-Sephi felt a bit of deja vu with this mission, remembering when he went with Caris to Zeffo some time ago. Hopefully this time there will not be any problems.

While the shuttle that the two were using to travel left the hyperspace near Bantuu, Elidan was reading on his Datapad. He didn’t know much about Knight Ruus, beyond the common knowledge that he was born in Concord Dawn, a historical Mandalorian planet. The half-Sephi was curious about the man, he had never met a Mandalorian before. However, he was controlling himself to not ask questions, this could make the other Jedi think that he was impolite.


@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

After exiting Vendetta III, Ruus'all stretched before placing his traditional Mandalorian helm on his head. Batuu had actually been Ruus'all's home away from home away from home, as when he needed a break from his people, he'd flee to Yavin, but if he needed a break from his people and the Jedi, he'd leave to Batuu to take a breather and relax.

Most people looked at the planet nowadays with great disdain and disgust. There loss! This place was a gold mine for finding the right people for the right jobs and during the Mando-Jedi's time as a bounty hunter, Batuu made him some short-lived but well remembered friends.

Sadly, Ruus wasn't here for relaxation. He was tasked to go help out a bunch of farmers with some mystery thingies that Ruus was sort of excited to unravel. Ruus was also sent with a red-headed half-Sephi to get stuff started, too. Ruus'all had learned a bit about Elidan enough to know he was a mute and used sign-language to communicate, which was going to be a little problematic for the Mando-Jedi who knew nothing about sign-language at all.

Elidan was actually one of the Padawans his master had told him to take in as an apprentice, but now Ruus got lucky and currently had two to take under his wing.

"Hey, dude." He greeted the kid with small salute. "Uh, I don't know sign-language or nothing, so uh, if you got any way of talking to me, I'm all ears, heheh." He hoped that Elidan knew that cool Telepathy thingy that he was too bored to study back on Yavin, but if not, Ruus would just have to simply improvise. He was good at that sort of thing.

"And no hard feelings if you got nothing, alright?" He playfully nudged the half-Sephi's shoulder with his fist.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

After they landed, Elidan followed Ruus'all out of the ship. They were in a field near the Peka settlement and a small walk would be necessary for them to reach it. The half-Sephi could see smoke rising in the sky, coming from the direction where they should go.

When the Knight started to talk, the half-Sephi turned to him. He wasn't mad with the man for not knowing sign language. Elidan was already accustomed to people not knowing it. Ruus'all would be only another of the many that he needed to use his Datapad to communicate with. The Padawan only hoped that the man would not try to make another joke, because this one was really bad.

“Ok. I think that we should go to the Peka settlement. It’s starting to get late.” the sun was already close to the horizon. In Elidan’s opinion, they should try to reach the settlement before getting dark. They should meet with the inhabitants as fast as possible. They seemed to be a bit desperate in the message sent to the Jedi Temple.

If Ruus'all decided to go to the settlement now, the two would follow a trail that would pass through a small wood. Due to the position of the sun, the trees were casting shadows. There mysterious things would be getting agitated, feeling the approaching of the night.

@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

Woah.

Alright, so Ruus was definitely going to have to get used to that. The automated voice was cool, at least, and the Mando-Jedi began thinking of ways he could mod the voice to give it a cowboy twang, or some sort of super off accent that didn't fit the red-head at all. Of course, it would be simply a joke- but it would be a good one, at least.

"Sweet. Let's get this shin-dig over with, shall we?" He said, gesturing towards the path he began walking on. "Hopefully it's just like a bar fight or something small like that- I've got plans tonight with a special someone. You old enough to date yet? Go on lots of them while your young and then hold off a bit when you get older. It's more fun that way, heheh." He added while he walked alongside the Padawan.

"Or...do whatever the hell you want, I guess- er, forgot about language...Uh, you good with swears?- Anyway, you're a handsome kid, so I reckon any girl would get a kick out of you." The Mando-Jedi chuckled.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Elidan would walk with Ruus’all through the path. He was uncertain what to think about the Knight. The man’s personality was so different from the other Jedi that he had met. He didn’t have the aura of ancient wisdom of Master Voran or the calmness of Haldir. He reminded Elidan a bit of a smuggler that he saw in a holomovie some time ago.

When the man started to talk about girls and dates, the half-Sephi blushed and the point of his ears twitched. He had a crush on Zana, but it was a secret. He didn’t want the others to know about it. Elidan would prefer to die if the Twi’lek discovered his feelings for her. The Padawan didn’t answer Ruus’all’s questions, being too embarrassed with them.

While they walked through the small wood. Elidan had the sensation that they were being watched. With the sun starting to set on the horizon, the place was getting more and more dark. The half-Sephi could feel through the Force that there was danger around and he remained prepared for the case of an attack.

However, they were able to cross the wood without any problem, only the sensation of being watched remained. When they arrived in the settlement, the two were welcomed by a group of villagers. A middle aged man approached them, he was smiling and seemed to be happy. “Welcome, my friends! I’m Patras, the leader of the Peka. It’s a pleasure to have you there.”

Patras would approach Ruus’all and Elidan, wanting to shake their hands. The half-Sephi would do it. “You must be tired! We made a special dinner in honor of your visit.” the older man would start to guide them toward a bonfire, this was from where the smoke that the half-Sephi saw early was coming from.

Before he followed Patras and the other villagers, Elidan once again had the sensation that he was being watched. He turned to the woods and saw foliage of a bush moving. There was something there and he wondered if it was related with the strange events that they came to investigate.

@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

Yep. This was creepy.

Ruus felt the Force prickle the hairs on the back of his neck- the kind he got when he was in danger. Instinctively, the Mando-Jedi kept his hand to the handle of his WESTAR-35 blaster pistol as they walked. Ruus'all got the feeling that Elidan had felt it, too, but Ruus suspected that the reason why he was blushing had to do with his earlier statements.

It was a girl!! Or a dude- whatever the kids were into these days. But Elidan had someone on his sights, so maybe he just needed to get a good idea of how to pull the trigger. Good thing the red-head was working with Ruus! He was a pretty good flirt and always had an ace up his sleeve when it came to wooing and swooning.

But, what ruined his thought process was the greeting of Patras, the said leader or whatever of Peka. Ruus'all shook his hand, but he still felt incredibly uneasy as if his long dead enemies were glaring at him, staring holes into the back of the Mando's head.

"Hey, Elidan...I'm going to check something out." The hunch was pretty specific; It was a trap! Ruus'all stopped Elidan from proceeding into the camp. There was some real bad juju that was going on and Ruus didn't like one bit of it. "Uh, Patras, no hard feelings or anything, but we're not hungry. Just tell us what you need done and we'll get it done, alright? Work smarter, not harder, I always say." The fact of the matter was that Ruus'all really wasn't hungry, but if Elidan was, then he'd need to hold out just a little longer and if he had a good attitude, Ruus would take him out to eat.

Ruus was still alert, however, and kept his hand on his gun and his other reached for his saber hilt. These two didn't have all day- or at least the Mando didn't. He had a date! And she's pretty hot!

 

[Elidan]

While they followed Patras, Elidan couldn’t stop thinking about the bush that he saw moving in the woods. There was something watching them and it was creeping him out. The Padawan wondered if it was some type of animal, but it would not explain this strange feeling that he had.

His thoughts were interrupted by Ruus’all’s voice. Elidan frowned while the Knight talked. It seemed that the Knight was suspecting of the Peka. He turned to look at Patras, the old man seemed to be nervous. He didn’t expect that Ruus was going to be direct and ask for the problem now.

“Since last month, strange things have been happening in the woods. When we walk there, we have the sensation of being watched. It also became difficult to see the animals there. They are hiding, as if they feared something.” Patras explained. Elidan could feel that he was really afraid. “There are strange sounds coming from it. Sounds that we never heard before. It always starts past the midnight. Then last week two people disappeared during the night. They disappeared from their houses without leaving any trace!" the man sounded desperate "We are terrified and thought that perhaps the Jedi could help.”

So there was really something strange happening in the woods. People disappearing was really similar to what he saw in Zeffo with Caris, but the stranger sounds and feeling of being watched was new. Elidan wondered what was happening there. He turned to Ruus’all, waiting for his reaction.


@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

Alright, so maybe this guy wasn't laying out a trap for the Mando and the Redhead. Still, the Force grew in an uneasy ball that rumbled his stomach. But Ruus'all remained calm and collected and held his stance next to Elidan and tried keeping himself calm and focused.

"Oh the Jedi will help alright." Ruus said confidently. "Can you show us the place the last victims were taken from? I want to investigate a bit. Did they have any family? Friends? Anyone dislike these two?" The Mando-Jedi was still highly suspicious and skeptical of the town, and maybe he was a little too suspicious, but the Force had never led him astray and if there was anything he could trust right now, it was Elidan and the Force.

"It's watching us, too." Ruus muttered to Elidan in a low tone so only the half-Sephi could hear. "Stay on your toes. These people might be a little more desperate than they're letting on."

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Ruus’all’s answer to Patras seemed to have calmed the man. “Of course! Follow me, I’ll show it.” he started to walk and Elidan followed him. “Their names are Eska and Adras. They were a young couple that joined our community some months ago. They live in a small hut on the outskirts of the village."

While Patras talked, the half-Sephi could feel that he was once again afraid. "They disappeared from their own house. We tried to look around their place, but whe found no trace. It was like they simply vanished. Maybe you, the Jedi, can find something."

He stopped in front of a small hut. Elidan noticed that it was nearly inside the woods. "Since they are new in our community, we don’t know much about their past. They didn't have any family or enemies that we know about."

"This is the place, I hope that you can find something." Patras said, before walking away with the other villagers that had followed them there. They were afraid of being there. The Padawan stared at the hut, it was close to the woods. The sensation of being watched returned and it was stronger than before.

By this point the sun had already set in the horizon and darkness already covered the place. Now Elidan could only see the dark of the woods, no longer being able to discern any form there. The Padawan turned to Ruus’all, waiting for the Knight to enter and start the investigation.

@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

"Alright, man, this is how tonight is gonna go," Ruus'all didn't even enter the hut after Patras showed the pair to it. "You are going to gather scouts and messengers and send them all throughout your little settlement. They're going to tell everyone to gather at the, uh- you got like a church or cathedral or something? Don't cram everyone all in the biggest space though, only the women, children, and elderly. When I mean everyone, I mean everyone. But don't freak out, this will all be temporary. The men are going to hangout outside with Elidan, here, as guards and make sure you start a few fires to keep warm and serve the food you so graciously prepared for us."

Ruus'all's plan was pretty simple; Keep everyone in one spot and in sight. Yes, they're kind of acting as bait, but while able people are guarding the townsfolk, Ruus'all was going to smoke the creature out and pin it in between Elidan and himself for an easy execution. It was a snare Ruus used when a group of foundlings including himself were being hunted by Anoobas. Three crouched down watching each other's backs while the other three where in the trees awaiting for the hunters to become the hunted.

"Make sure they use spears, pitch forks, kitchen knives- anything you can use for self defense. We don't have a week to teach them all how to hold a knife the right way so listen closely and relay this out to the others, alright, Kiddo?" Ruus said to the redhead. "Tell them to push with their shoulders and thrust with their arms for spears and the like, hold knives in a reversed grip for more powerful attacks, and call out and communicate where stuff is for the others who don't see what's going on." Ruus'all would've done it himself, but he was planning on driving this creature out of hiding.

The Mando-Jedi looked back at Patras, "I'm going to set a perimeter around the town. See if I can find any clues. Elidan will stick around with you guys. He may be young, but I've seen how lithe and graceful this guy is with a lightsaber- he's the best you got."

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

All the villagers that were watching the Jedi, waiting for them to enter the hut, turned to look at Ruus’all. Even Elidan did it. They weren’t expecting that the Knight would start to give orders like a military leader.

“I understand. We have a large hut at the center of the village that we use for meetings. I think that it can work.” Patras said, before running there with other villagers. They were confused as to why the Knight wanted them to do it, but they trusted the Jedi.

Before Elidan went with the villagers, he turned to Ruus’all. He typed a message and showed it to the Knight "Do you know what is happening there?" the half-Sephi wondered if the man suspected what could be watching them and attacking the village

Anyway, Elidan would do what Ruus’all said. He would help the villagers prepare themselves, teaching them how they should hold their weapons. After everything was prepared and the children, women and elderly were inside the large hut, the half-Sephi joined the men outside. He activated his lightsaber and waited for what was going to happen. The boy suspected that this night was going to be long.

@Charles

 

[Ruus’all Solus]

"You need to watch more cowboy movies, kid." Ruus'all chuckled, patting the Padawan on the back. "I have a hunch that whatever this thing is, it knows what it's doing. So we need to be one step ahead of it or else this thing won't stop terrorizing these people. If do this right, we can catch the monster today. Stay on your toes, bud, and trust the Force." Then, the Mando-Jedi gave a small salute before dashing out into the forest.

There needed to something that could give Ruus a hint at what this thing could be- snapped branches? Did this thing ever squat to take a shit? There had to be some sort of sign that could give this silent killer away. A clue Ruus could use to better prepare himself for the immanent face down with the speedy assailant. So, as he moved through the forest, he kept his eyes peeled and his mind open to whatever the Force was to guide him to.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Elidan was helping the men form a defensive circle around the great hut. The food that was going to be used for the welcoming dinner was moved inside it, together with the groups that Ruus’all said should be protected.

Now, the Padawan was waiting for Ruus to do his part. The night had already covered the entire place, making those that were waiting for the coming attack to become nervous. The villagers were carrying all the weapons that they could find. Hopefully, it would be enough.

Elidan was concerned with the Knight. He was out there, alone in the middle of the forest with something dangerous. The half-Sephi hoped that he would be safe. Then, a powerful scream-like roar came from the forest. The Padawan strengthened the hold on his lightsaber. The creature was coming.

@Charles