Ask The Eye of the Storm

[Pêro Erval]

The Outer Rim was a hive of scum and villainy. It was a thought very common in the minds of several sentients that didn’t live there. However, it wasn’t true. There were more good people living there, than criminals. They wanted to have normal and calm lives like those that lived in other places of the Galaxy.

However, the presence of criminal individuals in the Outer Rim wasn’t a total lie. With it being far away from the Core, it was a perfect place for them to operate or hide. In these cases, they would end tormenting and threatening the common people that only wanted to live in peace on this part of the Galaxy.

Recently, a Jedi Knight and Padawan had gone to Zeffo to help with a case of pirates harassing a village there. However, it ended up being worse than what was expected. They found a completely empty village, except for one child and were also attacked by three strange individuals. They contacted the Temple asking for reinforcements. Now Pêro was traveling there with Grandmaster Alexandria Voran to continue with the investigation.

The shuttle where the two were left the hyperspace, revealing the stormy planet of Zeffo in front of it. Pêro prepared to land the ship, being careful with the powerful winds that ravaged the world. He turned to look at Alex. The G’weneen never worked with the Grandmaster before, this was going to be an interesting mission.

“We arrived. I’m going to land in the hangar near the village. Knight Orlan and the Padawan are going back to the Temple.” he said, to Alex. The other Knight was going directly to the medical bay due to his injuries. “Do you have any idea about what could be happening there? The population of an entire village disappears and then three individuals that are capable of hurting a Jedi appear. It 's bizarre.”

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex sat with her eyes closed in the co-pilot seat. Her mind was troubled. The war with the Sith weighed heavily on her heart but the mysteries of the galaxy never ceased. Their responsibilities went beyond waging war. She could not ignore those responsibilities. She did however let Pero pilot the shuttle. “There are no good answers.” She thought back to the darkside cult she’d confronted with Yavain years ago. The Sith were not the only darkness in the galaxy. “Caris does not scare easily.” Her concern had been greater for Elidan but the Padawan seemed thankfully largely unharmed. “And he is very capable in a fight.” Her face was momentarily marred by a frown.

“Anyone with the skills and resources to face down two fully trained Jedi is cause for concern. Made all the more by the oddities Elidan and Caris reported.” Frankly, she had no idea what they were facing. “The Archives make no mention of a similar threat…and I’ve encountered nothing like this before.” A hundred years of life exposed one to many parts of the galaxy. Alex had never felt anything like what Caris described. “We only have one choice.” She shook her head slowly. “Look for ourselves.” Pero was safe. There were few creatures in the galaxy capable of standing toe to toe with the Grandmaster. She was fairly certain at least two of them were in Sith space.

If Raze or Andruil appeared, they would have greater problems. Greater still if whatever they found was her equal in the Force. “But we should be careful. There is no telling what we will find.” She meant that last pit. She truly was at a loss for what awaited the Jedi once they landed. This was unlike any encountered described before.

@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

Pêro paid close attention to what Master Voran was saying. Like him, she also didn’t know what was this threat that they were going to face. This only showed how dangerous this situation was going to be. If even the Grandmaster seemed to be uncertain with what was happening, they needed to be even more careful.

The Knight landed the ship at the same spaceport that Caris and Elidan used some time ago. After the ramp was down, the two Jedi would walk toward the exit. “I believe that we should start the investigation by searching the village. The individuals that Caris mentioned could have left something behind that can guide us toward them.”

Once they were outside the ship, the two Jedi were welcomed by the furious winds of Zeffo. It had become stronger since the Shadow and the Padawan had left the planet, it could only mean that a storm was approaching. Pêro noticed how dark and heavy clouds seemed to be approaching the mountain where they were.

While he watched the clouds, Pêro noticed that something bright would occasionally cross the sky near some mountains close to where they had landed. After several missions, the Knight had learned what it could mean. “Master, I think that there is some type of ship or fighter flying there.” he pointed toward the direction, in time to see it shining again due to sunlight hitting it.

Soon, another two shining points appeared. This was suspicious. Since the population of the village was kidnapped, there wasn’t any civilian nearby that could be piloting it. These ships could only be used by the criminals. Pêro turned to Alex. “Do you think that we should go to the village or start looking where these ships are flying? The villagers could be there.”

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex followed Pero out of the shuttle. The wind immediately hammering the Jedi. She reached out in the Force and felt the power of the winds ripping by them. She smiled. The wind always felt like home. She could not alter the environment of Zeffo but she could give them relief. A small bubble formed around the Jedi, the winds slicing by on either side. Alex smiled. “Much better.” At Pero’s nudging her head tilted towards the sky. The small zips of light unmistakable heading into the mountains. Odd. Zeffo was not a particularly populace world. She watched another few points of light.

“Definitely something…” Her face scrunched as she thought. “Ships first and then the village. If Caris and Elidan didn’t find anything, I doubt we will.” She pointed towards the mountains. “But that’s interesting.” Mind decided she started the walk towards the mountains. “We’ve got a hike.” The winds remained quiet around them. Alex dampened their footfalls and the sound of their breathing. Her Force signature became small as they walked. No need to take unnecessary chances.

@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

Pêro nodded in agreement. If Caris and Elidan already searched in the village and found nothing, they would lose their time going there. There was also the chance that the individuals that attacked the Knight and the Padawan would have cleaned any trace of their presence here.

This way, starting the investigation by checking these ships was their best option to discover what was happening on this planet. “I think that if we follow this path, we will arrive at the top of the mountain.” Pêro said, while pointing to a trail that went in the opposite direction to the one that went to the village. “We can also use the rocks as cover to approach without being seen by them.”

Then, the two would follow the trail. It went through the steep slope, moving toward the top of the mountain. While they moved through it, the two Jedi would need to be careful to not slip and fall from here. Falling from here would be fatal. Pêro doubted that even the use of the Force would save them from it.

While they walked through the trail, Pêro would occasionally stop to look at the top of the mountain. Sometimes it would be possible to see the ships flying here. “Master, they continue flying here. We need to be careful. “ During the climbing, the Knight noticed that stones with carvings left by the Zeffo would start to appear on their path.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Jedi trudged the path towards the mountaintop. The howling winds of Zeffo never stopping. Eventually, even Alex struggled to keep them at bay. An entire planet with whistling winds. Whatever awaited them required her strength. She should not waste it fighting a planet. At Pero’s mention of the ships, her head tilted skyward again.

Alex’s mind crept out in the Force. Caris and Elidan had described an odd sensation when facing their attackers. Slowly, her mind expanded up the mountain. A shiver raced up her spine. “Wait Pero.” She stooped next to a boulder, motioning for him to join her. “Something is wrong.” She shook her head.

“I thought Caris and Elidan may have felt the Darkside…simply different than when wielded by a Sith.” A frown popped on her face. “This is different. Not Darkness but something else entirely.” Alex’s tone became deathly serious. “I do not know what we are going to find when we reach the top. Whatever happens, do not hesitate.” She stood from there spot and threw her hood up. A quick working of the Force would disguise their approach. They continue up the mountain but that feeling never left her. The feeling of being watched…of being hunted…a feeling of complete and utter strangeness.

@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

When he heard Alex calling him, Pêro stopped climbing and turned to look at her. He saw how the Grandmaster looked distressed and uncomfortable. This surprised him. The G’weneen never thought that he would see a powerful Jedi like her acting this way.

Without questioning, the Knight walked to where the Grandmaster was. When she mentioned that something was wrong, Pêro nodded in agreement. “Yes, I can feel that too. The Force here seems strange, a bit chaotic. I never felt something like that before.” he turned to look at the path that went to the top of the mountain. He wondered what they were going to find.

“I’ll not.” he said, after she said that he should not hesitate once they arrived at the top. Whatever was causing this feeling in the two Jedi had kidnapped an entire several innocent villagers. Pêro would not hesitate when facing monsters that were capable of doing something like that.

The two would continue climbing. The carvings left by the Zeffo had become more common on the stones and sculptures that were carved directly on the mountain would start to be seen occasionally. They have the form and the size of a Zeffo, when they still existed. Pêro was impressed by them. The way that they were positioned on the mountain made them look like guardians of this path.

After some time the two would reach the top. The two Jedi would find themselves in a side of the mountain, while a large fissure separated them from an ancient Zeffo temple. Like the statues from early, it was also carved directly in the rock of the mountain. To reach it, the two would need to cross a stone bridge.

Before he could say anything about the temple, Pêro saw that the place was full of strange dressed individuals. While some were guarding the place, others were carrying containers to some shuttles. Thanks to Master Voran’s use of the Force to cloak their presence, the two weren’t detected, but the G’weneen would move to behind some stones. Here they could hide and still watch what was happening.

“What do we do now?” he asked Alex. They obviously found who had attacked Caris and Elidan, but how were they going to deal with them?

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Jedi continued their ascent. The creep up Alex’s spine becoming ever more present. This was all wrong. Eventually, they reached the top. From their vantage point they could see an ancient temple yawning before them. Strange figures moving back and forth. Her eyes fell on the stone bridge. There were so many of them. It would be impossible to cross the bridge without being spotted. Alex nodded. “We need to know what they are doing with the Temple.” She reached down to take her saber from her belt. “But we won’t get across that bridge.” She took a deep breath. “I’m about to be very hard to ignore. Find another way across and find a way to let me know.” Her signature burst alive. It was as if the hood had been taken off a lamp. A blaze of the Force racing forth.

“No argument. Only one of us can be the distraction and I need to practice.” She smiled and stepped out from their hiding spot. “Quickly.” Alex’s lightsaber snapped to life. The white blade making the telltale snap-hiss. Suddenly, hooded figures were turning her direction. She smiled. “Hello.” Slowly walking forward. “Well…this certainly is all very ominous.” A handful a blaster bolts flew towards the Morellian Jedi. She batted them easily away. “That’s no way to greet a lady.” The Force ripped out from her left hand. It burst forward to ripped boxes through the sky.

Ah. That got their attention. Swords came out and without further ado, her newest friends were racing across the bridge. Alex could only hope Pero would be able to discover the nature of this investigation. Alex planned to have fun but she wasn’t invincible.

@LouJoVi

 

[Pêro Erval]

Pêro paid close attention to what Alex was saying. However, he didn’t agree that she should be the one responsible for making a distraction. She was the Grandmaster, the most competent individual to lead the Order in these dark times that were threatening to consume the entire Galaxy.

Meanwhile, he was only a Knight. If something happened to him, the Order would not feel it as a big blow. Even if he perished trying to distract these strange people, Pêro would be happy because Master Voran would be able to continue with their mission. Without doubt she was far more important than him.

He was prepared to argue with her, but the way that she said that there would be no argument for her to change her mind made him stay silent. Being the Grandmaster of the Order, Pêro needed to respect her decisions. He nodded in agreement. “Maybe we can use telepathy.” he wasn’t an expert on this ability, but it would be enough for him to at least send a message to her about what he found.

The Knight watched Alex leave their hiding place and attract the attention of the hooded people. As soon as they noticed her lightsaber, they started to attack her. Some moved with vibroblades, while others started to fire with blasters. Meanwhile, Pêro noticed how these that were carrying the boxes into the ships started to work faster.

With the distraction happening, the G’weneen moved silently near the abyss that separated them from the temple. He would use the rocks as cover, but all these strange people were far more interested in fighting the Jedi Master. They even seemed to be panicking with her presence.

While he looked around, Pêro noticed that some meters below in the abyss, there were some very narrow stone bridges that led to what seemed to be entrances in the temple. Approaching the fissure, the G’weneen saw that one of these bridges was located exactly below him.

Taking a deep breath, the man jumped. Thanks to the use of the Force, he was able to land on the bridge without damaging it. Walking through it like a trapeze artist, Pêro would reach the other side. What he thought were entrances seemed to be windows that were covered by vines. After ripping them off, the Knight could see that it led to a room full of pottery. There was also a door here.

After he jumped inside, Pêro reached Alex’s mind. “I found an entrance. A narrow bridge that goes to some type of window.” he would send to her his memories about which one he used to come here. Hopefully it would be in time for the Grandmaster to escape safely.

@Valen Pelora