Ask Strings and Stones

[Rain]

Refugee Camp, Shilli​

Rain followed after the little girl who was their guide to the refugee camp. Their Knight companion had left, on a planet like Shilli with such a strong Jedi influence there wasn't as much need for hand holding as at most locations, which Rain was perfectly happy with. She was desperate to get a Master and continue her training under someone's direct tutelage, but she also liked her freedom, specially when there was an opportunity to have some fun. And she had heard that someone was running a pretty successful moonshine business in the camp, which she really wanted to try. Hopefully the thieves they were supposed to track down had some of the moonshine hidden away in their stash, allowing them to try some out without having to hunt some down on their own. But either way, she had every intention to not leave Shilli till she had tried some.

Of course, that meant that she would have to get her companion on the mission to play along, and that was the hole in her plan at present as she knew nothing about the other padawan. She knew her name, she knew she played music, and that was more or less it. She had to get to know her better before deciding to draw her into her moonshine plans. So she started by making some small talk, picking the one topic that she did know would work.

"You know, I met this really weird dude with a hallikset recently, had the wackiest name. But played pretty well, and I love a nice tune. Almost makes me jealous," she said as she eyed Prani's instrument and proceeded to place her arm on her chest and the other at her forehead, striking an overly dramatic expression of despair, "zero musical talent here. But weep not," she added with a grin as she straightened up again, "the Force has blessed me in other ways. I'm a lover, and a fighter. So I've got your back if it comes to a fight. You provide the tunes, I provide the percussion....with my fists!" Grinning, she lowered her hands from the mime boxing stance she had raised them in and turned back towards their guide, who was waiting a little ways down the goat path they had been on.

"Come on, these thieves aren't gonna catch themselves!"

 

[Prani Shalrazi]

Prani fell into step with her fellow padawan, looking all around herself with wonder. There were plenty of rainforests and nature all around, which meant Prani was in a great mood. When the padawan started talking, Prani gave a small laugh, “Aye, are ya sure that wasn’t me? I’m pretty weird meself,” She said with a smile, a farmer’s accent seeping through, “I’m Prani by the way. If ya want a song, all ya gotta do is ask,” Prani answered, “Why don’t I sing about ya to give ya a little intro, eh?” She said with a chuckle, “I like to give a gift when I first meet someone so here’s yers.”

With that, she drew out her hallikset and started strumming as they walked towards the refugee camp. A beautiful tune played and she sang as she walked slightly behind Rain, heralding her arrival towards the camp. Whether embarrassing or not, Togruta and others alike were looking up in wonder and awe at Rain in all her glory and magnificence.

Prani smiled the entire time she sang, the soft tunes of her hallikset almost magical as they resounded and filled the air with pleasantness. By the end of the performance several people were clapping and their guide stared at Rain in awe.

“Wow, you must be a really powerful Jedi,” She said, Prani giggling to herself in the back, “Come on let me take you where they last struck.”

The two Jedi would be led to one of the tents that served as a foodstore. Right away it was obvious that the back of the tent was in tatters where the thieves cut in and escaped. A Togruta woman ran over wailing as she spotted the two Jedi.

“Empress of Fire!” She screeched at Rain, “Please help! They took my daughter! I think she saw who they were and now they took her!”

@Wit

 

[Rain]

Rain almost instantly took a liking to the other padawan as she introduced herself, and by the time she was done singing Rain would have hugged her if she hadn't been completely blown away by the song she had sung.

In her time among the Jedi Rain had seen many a peer race past her and catch the eye of Knights, Masters, even Councilors. They had trained as true padawans, and many had stepped further and achieved knighthood. To deny that some doubts had started to seep in regarding her place among the Jedi would have been a lie. So Prani's song struck a chord that Rain herself had not completely acknowledged. Running around chasing Vanya, taking on any mission she could get her hands on, she had been desperate for acknowledgement, and Prani had somehow sung just the words that she needed to hear. It had been encouragement, the push to remind her just what she was aiming for, what she could be. In that moment she truly envied Prani her gift, for the magic she had woven with her music was something Rain could never achieve.

But more than anything she wanted to thank her, to hug her, to tell her just how much that song meant to her. But all she could do was crane her neck around and peer through the crowd of heads, lekku, and horns, and grab passing looks at Prani as the two Jedi were dragged along to a tent. In those moments of contact Prani would catch Rain smiling at her through slightly teary eyes, the Kiffar hoping that her appreciation and gratitude shone through to the other padawan. And once in the tent there wasn't much opportunity to talk either, as they were immediately accosted by a concerned mother.

"Calm down, take a breath." Rain quickly blinked away the tears as she gently placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, and lead her towards an overturned crate, flipping it over and helping the woman take a seat. "Now, tell us about your daughter. Are you sure she was taken? Did someone see it happen?"

"I saw it, with my own eyes! I sent her to collect our rations, but she was taking so long I came to check on her. They were dragging her away," she started pointing past the tattered opening in the tent, at a makeshift path through the spaces behind other tents, "a red cloth tied around her mouth. One was around the same height as you." She nodded at Prani at that last part, before turning back to Rain. "The other was a little taller than you I think."

Rain was silent, staring out the opening in the tent the culprits had escaped through as another togruta entered the tent and offered the mother some water. "Were there just the two?"

It was the new arrival who answered. "There must have been more, Aaha says she saw two, but the amount they stole would need more hands to carry."

Rain nodded in thanks, and stepped back besides Prani, letting her ask her own questions if she had any before speaking privately with her.

"What do you think? We could try retracing their steps, if they were carrying supplies and dragging along a captive someone might have noticed something. If the girl was resisting then there might be just enough traces of struggle along the way to pick up their trail."

@Sreeya