Ask Jedha The Master of the Crystal Cat

[Quin Leonkri]

“It’s gonna be so great! I wonder what color I’ll get. I’m hoping for blue, but I’ll take anything. I can’t believe this is finally happening! I’m making my own lightsaber!” The grin on Quin’s face was so wide that even the captain had to smile back. Quin had been bothering the poor man the entire flight to Jedha. The captain had to excuse himself a whopping sixteen times to go to the bathroom, leaving Quin wondering just how much he’d been drinking. Normally he would have been able to figure out that he’d been talking way too much and clammed it if someone was so obviously irritated, but right now he was simply too excited to let anything dampen his mood. Right after the captain lowered the ship’s ramp, Quin hopped off and started running for the settlement where he was set to meet the Jedi knight who would be overseeing his lightsaber construction. Then, he came to a sudden stop when he realized that he’d forgotten to say goodbye to the captain. He turned around and grinned, giving the man a wave.

“Thanks, captain! I’ll see you again in… uh, I don’t know! Thanks for that chocolate bar, by the way!” He turned around to head into town again, but winced as he heard the captain’s yell. On the way here, he’d taken the last piece of candy from the box inside the closet. It was only after he’d eaten it that he heard the captain saying that it was going to be his snack once Quin had been dropped off. Well, he’d find some way to pay him back… someday.

Quin slowed to a walk as he entered the village, looking around at the vendors and their stalls stacked with whatever goods they were selling. A couple of the vendors called out to him, pointing at the fruits and waving pieces of clothing.

“I would get something, but I don’t have any credits on me,” Quin said after a while, pulling out his pockets so that they could see he was telling the truth. The vendors left him alone after that.

Soon enough, he was at the meeting spot where he was supposed to meet his master. But before he could let her know he was here on his comlink, he heard a single, shrill scream pierce the air, followed by a smashing noise and more yelling. He rushed over to the corner, his eyes widening in horror when he saw a giant cat monster tearing through the stalls he’d passed earlier. A nexu!

A Jedi’s job is to protect, right? I have to help somehow!

And so, his very first act as a Jedi was to run straight at the cat, trip on a rock, and fall flat on his face in front of its snarling face.

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Jedi Pelt walked through the familiar streets of the market on Jedha. She'd been stationed here for two years, helping with recovery efforts following the devastation brought on by the Holy City's destruction. She passed by a few of the vendors, nodding silently to those she had come to know in her time here. There was a twinge of excitement in the hot, dry air today - surrounded by so many, a Jedi would be able to feel its ripples in the Force. Chedra was already privy to the cause of that anticipation. A traveling circus was landing today, the first intergalactic entertainment Jedha had experienced since the fall of NiJedha. Chedra had far more important things to see to today, though.

The Jedi Council had contacted her with instructions for the next phase in her training. One of the Order's newest additions, Padawan Quin Leonkri, would be dropping to the surface soon. Under her guidance, he would be completing one of his first tasks - the construction of a fully-powered lightsaber. The Council had filled Chedra in on a few details of the teenaged boy's life prior to joining the Jedi ranks. He was a human from Naboo. Only sixteen years old, she thought wistfully. It had been a long time since she had been that young. Who had she been at sixteen? A terrified nursing student on Ryloth.

She stopped at the eatery she had instructed Quin to meet her at. She looked around for a moment, taking in the many human faces filling the street. She could detect his presence in the Force, but he was nowhere in sight. Although she had never met him in person before, she had glimpsed his profile in the data file from the Council. Where was he?

She suddenly heard a thundering smash followed by the cries of several surprised humans. She turned in the direction of the screams and saw a four-legged creature covered in brown fur sprinting from a row of ruined stalls. A nexu! The Force rang loud and clear - the creature had escaped from its pen with the circus. She also picked up on the presence of Padawan Leonkri. She saw the brown-haired teenager racing towards the nexu, his Jedi robes swirling behind him. Oh, my stars, she thought, removing the lightsaber from her belt.

In a moment she had crossed the distance between herself and the nexu, leaping through the air over the heads of every sentient scrambling to get out of the way. She landed at the same time the boy crumpled face-first into the dirt. He had tripped over a rock, and now he was at the mercy of the beast. Landing next to his body, she gestured with one hand and called on the Force, just as the nexu sprang to swipe at the Padawan. With a surprised grunt, the nexu flew away from the two Jedi, causing a dust cloud as he slid through the street. The creature regained his balance, growling and shaking his head in annoyance as Chedra ignited the blade of her lightsaber.

"Hello there, Padawan," Chedra said to Quin, without taking her eyes off the nexu.

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

After hearing the unmistakable sound of a lightsaber being ignited and the roar of the nexu as it was pushed through the street and away from the pair, Quin immediately knew who his savior was. He scrambled up to his feet, dusting himself off as best he could before he looked over at the Jedi knight and straightened up, shifting from foot to foot as he gave her an awkward smile.
His heart was still racing from the adrenaline, and he found himself strangely tongue-tied. What do I say what do I say what do I say? She just saved my life!

“Master Pelt. Thanks,” he managed to get out before his attention was taken up by the cat again. It had clearly deemed Master Pelt as someone not to attack, and although it was growling up a storm it didn’t look like it was going to make a move. Until it did— and not at the person Quin was expecting.

The nexu launched itself at the nearest vendor, who was attempting to hide behind what remained of her fruit stall.

“Hey! Get away from her!” Quin shouted at the creature. He managed to get its attention again, and it hissed at him. He reached out his hands, trying to use the Force to do what Master Pelt had done and move the nexu away from the woman. Unfortunately, the only thing that moved was a jogan fruit that rolled a few centimeters away from the cat. The nexu looked down at the fruit before turning back to Quin and lashing its tail, the quills on its back bristling, pointing up like knives. The Padawan gulped. At least it wasn’t attacking the woman anymore?

When the nexu made the jump at him, the only reaction Quin could muster up was to squeeze his eyes shut and thrust his hands out in front of him in an attempt to shield himself. After a few seconds of paralyzing fear however, he opened his eyes just a little bit to see what was going on. There had been no pain, and the only things he could hear now were his own ragged breathing and the frustrated yowls of the nexu. What surprised him the most was that the nexu was floating, writhing in midair, and he could feel that he was the one holding it up.

“Whoa.” He took a few slow steps back so that he was standing right beside Master Pelt, though he kept his gaze fixed on the nexu. “Master, you seeing this?” After a few more seconds though, the cat was starting to feel heavier, and he could feel himself losing his grip in the Force. “Uhhh, master? I think I’m about to drop him. What do I do?”

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra watched as Quin prevented the nexu from attacking the civilian by the fruit stand. She smiled to herself when he managed to lift the animal in the air with a wobbly grasp on the Force. She reminded herself that he had only recently discovered his own power, and the feat was impressive. He was remarkably brave for one so young, if a bit reckless. All the best Jedi were.

She kept the blade of her lightsaber in front of her, though she appeared to relax a bit and turned to give him a slight grin. "Very well done, Padawan," she said. "You must remember that this nexu is probably more afraid of us than we are of him. He acts out of fear. You must be better than him." She extinguished the lightsaber. "Lower him carefully to the ground, and reach out to him through the Force. Tell him that we mean no harm. He can understand you."

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“He’s afraid of us?” Quin exclaimed in surprise. He didn’t believe it, but he did as the Jedi knight asked and lowered the nexu as best he could to the ground without moving it around too much. When its paws touched the dusty earth, he lowered his arms and let out a sigh of relief. That hadn’t been so bad. His master didn’t seem to think so either, as she’d extinguished her lightsaber.

“Okay, okay. I’ve got this,” he muttered to himself, shuffling his feet around so that he was standing in a more comfortable position. Reach out through the Force, Quin… whatever that means. He took a deep breath and stuck out his right arm. Maybe it was something similar to what he had done before, but he didn’t know if he had enough energy left to do anything like that again. His arms were feeling as sore as if he had just done a whole day of training courses back at the temple. Not that he’d ever successfully completed one.

“Umm… we’re not going to hurt you?” he said to the nexu, tilting his head. Was he doing this right? The nexu did little more than glare at him, scratching at the ground as it prepared to pounce again. Even the creature looked like it was judging him now. Despite the ferocious appearance though, there was something else, a feeling emanating from the nexu that made him shiver. It was what he’d been feeling earlier before Master Pelt had shown up. Fear. She was right. He put his hand down, and tried to concentrate on that emotion.

Come on, little nexu. Promise, we’re not going to hurt you. As he repeated the thought in his mind and tried to relay the message to the nexu, he could see it noticeably calm down. It was no longer pacing back and forth as it had been before, nor did it look like it was going to attack. Good kitty.

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra restrained a smile watching the interaction between the earnest Padawan and what was probably one of the most dangerous beasts in the galaxy. She could feel the nexu's anxiety decrease after a few moments. A hushed silence had fallen over the crowd, and everyone was watching the Jedi, waiting to see what might happen next. Chedra had grown used to such inquisitive eyes, but she knew someone as young as Quin would find the attention nerve-wracking.

Quin had listened to her without protest, though, despite his disbelief. Both were good things. It was important for a Padawan to be open to suggestions, even as they formed their own opinions about the galaxy. The Council had left it up to Chedra as to whether she wanted to take him as her Padawan. With a mind like his, she felt confident that he might make a suitable partner.

The nexu was now pacing back and forth, its multiple eyes set on the horizon, to a point beyond the two Jedi. They were no longer a concern to him. He was now in an inquisitive state, his barbed tail twitching. Chedra read his emotions and realized he was eager to explore the desert moon that he had been brought to, held captive in a cage for so long. It was entirely possible the beast had been raised in captivity, and therefore possessed a hard shell that hid a softer soul. She could have easily swayed the nexu to turn back and surrender to its masters. In fact, she saw the Gammorrean handler heading in their direction with a stun-pole. The Jedi had a better idea, though. One that would serve as a Segway into Quin's training.

The nexu's eyes widened and he yowled, darting forward to race past the two Jedi. Several people cried out, expecting carnage. However, the creature passed them without disturbance, his head low as he raced in the direction of the deserts beyond the village. Whether the Twi'lek had subtly suggested this to him, no one could say for sure.

She turned to the young man standing next to her.

"Well, Padawan," she said, sighing. "It looks like we have a nexu to track down - in addition to getting your lightsaber built. I'm Jedi Pelt, and welcome to the Order."

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

After Quin was sure that the nexu wasn’t going to attack, he let go of the creature’s mind and returned to the present. That was when he noticed that it was completely silent, and that everyone in the street was staring at him. He gave them a shy wave back.

“Um, hey guys,” he said with an awkward chuckle, scanning the various faces looking at him. Even in all his public speaking classes, he’d never been able to hold anyone’s attention for longer than two minutes. He’d even managed to put an entire room to sleep once when he was giving a speech about some of the ancient Jedi books he’d read. Now, with the entire street’s eyes fixed on him, he was feeling more self-conscious than ever. To distract himself, he flitted his gaze back to the nexu. It was twitching its tail, its eyes fixed on something in the distance. Then, Quin caught sight of the Gamorrean running towards them with a stun-pole, and Quin immediately turned to Master Pelt.

“Master, we can’t just let that guy-”

It turned out that the nexu had spotted the Gamorrean first. It sprinted down the street past the pair, and Quin was somewhat relieved to see it go. He was prepared to turn around and leave when Master Pelt spoke to him.

“Oh— right. My lightsaber.” With all the excitement, Quin had nearly forgotten about the very reason he’d come to Jedha. He grinned at the Jedi knight as she welcomed him to the Order. “Thanks, Master Pelt. You have no idea how much I wanted to be here.” He paused, then looked in the direction that the nexu had run in.

“I guess we do have to track him down. I think I can still feel him around.” Quin smiled as he took a few steps forward in the direction of the edge of the village. The wind from the desert was kicking up a little more dust than it had been before, but he assumed that it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle. “Come on, this way!” Without waiting for Master Pelt to respond, he ran off in the direction of the nexu.

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra watched Quin take off in the direction of the nexu as it scattered in the winds. She smiled before reaching out to touch his mind with her thoughts.

Wait just a moment, Quin, she said gently, communicating through the Force. You don't really expect us to chase after that cat through the desert?

She gestured to a stall keeper walking forward with a pair of spamels leashed by leather straps. The blue-skinned creatures towered above them in the hot sun. She grabbed one of the straps and offered a beast to Quin.

"The spamels are very hardy desert animals, and they can get us to where we need to go. The crystal caves are located a great distance from this city," she said aloud.

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin skidded to a stop after hearing Master Pelt reach out to him through the Force, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment. Her gentleness somehow made the feeling even more unbearable. Riiiight. That would be smart. He made his way back to the Jedi, scratching the back of his neck as he approached her again.

“Sorry. Got a bit excited there,” he said meekly as the Jedi knight offered him one of the straps to a spamel. He nodded along at her explanation of the creatures. Traveling on these would certainly be much easier than running blindly through the desert, especially if the crystal caves were far away.

Taking a few steps back and then running forward, Quin attempted to use the Force to aid him in his jump to get on the tall blue creature. The easier thing to do would have been to simply have the spamel kneel down and climb on that way, but since he’d just been able to lift up and connect with the nexu using just the Force, he was confident that he would be able to manage a jump too. He was barely able to make it, his face coming up just where the saddle was, but at the very last minute Quin managed to grab onto it and hoist himself up. He scrambled into the proper sitting position, pulled up the leash and reins, then grinned down at Master Pelt below him.

“I’m ready to go when you are, master.”

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra watched him clamber onto the top of his mount. A sterner Jedi might have shaken their head, but she smiled. Quin was certainly rough around the edges, but there was an honest quality to him that she was developing a fondness for. These days the people needed the Jedi to be alongside them and get their hands dirty, too, so to speak. Quin was almost certainly going to be one of those sort.

"I'm ready when you are, Master," he said. Good, she thought. He's learning to follow my lead.

Taking hold of the reins of her own beast, she leapt in a graceful arc, so that the straps followed along behind her. The leash rested comfortably in her grip when she landed in the middle of the saddle. She looked back at the man who had brought the animals to them, and she tossed a couple of credits from her robes down to him, nodding her thanks.

She turned to look at Quin, seated not far from her on his own spamel. "Your adventure with this nexu cost us our lunch, Padawan. I won't let you forget it." Her face broke into a small grin. "But food can wait, especially when your first task calls." She reached back and dug into the saddle of her mount, pulling out a cloth bag which contained the intricate parts that would make up the metallic hilt of his lightsaber.

"You will need to choose a crystal from the cave that we are going to visit along the way. Or, rather, the crystal will choose you. You'll also have to assemble the weapon using only the Force to guide you. It is said that the Jedi of the Old Republic trained in this way. Constructing your lightsaber like this will allow you to truly see it as an extension of your own arm."

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

When Master Pelt brought up lunch, Quin looked down and placed his hand on his stomach as he felt it rumble. He hadn’t even noticed that he was hungry, but at the very mention of food he found himself wishing for a nice, warm piece of five-blossom bread. But then the Jedi knight brought up his task of building his lightsaber, and his hunger was once again forgotten in the new wave of excitement that rushed over him when she pulled out the cloth bag containing the parts for it.

“The crystal chooses me? How does that work?” he asked, adjusting his legs so that he was in a more comfortable position on the saddle. He looked over at Master Pelt curiously. “Does it talk, or just come to me?” He doubted it, but from what he’d seen so far today, the Force was a tricky thing, and that the unbelievable was believable. Or was it the other way around? He tried to replay what had happened in his head, but it didn’t help. Now he was confusing himself.

As for constructing the lightsaber with just the Force, he had no idea how to do that either. He could barely make anything even using his hands. Maybe Master Pelt would be able to give him some help, he thought hopefully. He gave his spamel a gentle nudge so that it would start to move forward. He’d figure it out… eventually.

“By the way, Master Pelt. After I build my lightsaber, what then? Do I get a master and officially start my training? Who do you think my master will be? Do you have a Padawan? Is the training difficult? How is- Whoops. Sorry if I’m talking too much.” The questions just kept coming out, before he realized that he was probably going to overwhelm the Jedi he’d just met, just like he had with the captain. Hopefully Master Pelt wouldn’t have to stop in the middle of the desert sixteen times to go to the refresher too.

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra followed along behind him on her mount, allowing him to lead them by just a few feet. The spamels were tall enough that no threat could disturb them from ground level, and the creatures were so intimidating in size that no predator would likely attack while they were in motion. They would be safe to slow down and discuss things for a little while.

She smiled at all of his questions, then sent out a calming influence in his direction. "You ask many questions, Padawan," she observed. She nodded in the direction of the horizon, preparing to give some long-winded fable as Uor had done when she had first met him. No, she thought after a moment. That may have been his way, but it is not mine. Times were different back then. The apprentices today would require an all-together new approach.

"To answer just a few of your questions, because not all things are revealed to us at once. The crystal will not talk to you, no, but you will be able to hear it. It's difficult to describe. A crystal will reveal itself to you when you enter the cave and make your intent known. It will sound like a hum, I suppose, very similar to how a lightsaber sounds. The crystal will come to you, and if it chooses you - you will know it. You will assert your influence over it, and the crystal will choose its color based on your energy. If the crystal does not choose you...you will know it, as well." She paused for effect, glancing at him from the corner of one eye, without betraying the humor she was feeling. She didn't grin or indicate whether or not she was making that part up.

"And yes, you will officially begin your training as a fully-fledged Padawan once you've constructed the lightsaber. As to your other questions, well...as I said, all things will be revealed in time. I see one lesson that will be difficult for you to learn, and that is patience."

She grinned a bit at last, unable to resist the temptation. "As a Jedi, you must focus on the moment. Sometimes thinking too far ahead can be detrimental to your present."

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin felt his excitement from earlier slowly fade away into a calm contentedness as Master Pelt smiled at him. He wondered if she had something to do with it, but this time he took care not to ask any more questions as the Jedi began her explanation.

Hearing that the crystal would make a sound if it chose him, he nodded in understanding. The part about the color he knew, it was one thing he’d read about back on Yavin. Then Master Pelt said that he would be able to begin his training once his lightsaber was built, and his face broke out into a wide grin. Even her comment about learning to be patient didn’t change it, especially since she was smiling back.

“Yes, Master,” Quin chirped in response to her piece of advice. Focus on the present. It was something he heard often, but his parents had always taught him to prepare for every possible future outcome in politics, leaving him little time to enjoy what he had in front of him. The life of a Jedi was very different from what he was used to indeed, but so far he was loving it. He’d take Master Pelt’s advice over his parents’ any day.

After a while of traveling, Quin noticed the entrance of what looked like a mine. It was lined with wood, but otherwise looked dark inside.

“Is that it, Master?” he asked, shifting on his saddle. It didn’t look like what he’d been expecting, but it was a mine nonetheless. Maybe for something else, possibly?

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

The pair of Jedi came into the region home to a variety of crystal caves. One of the reasons the Order had established a familiar relationship with the people of Jedha was because of the natural presence of the kyber crystals here. Even now, she felt the energies the crystals were putting out into the surrounding environment. She knew of only one other world home to such a collection, and that planet she only knew from researching ancient texts in the Temple on Yavin. The planet Ilum was said to be icy and nearly devoid of life - quite a difference from the landscape of this moon.

There was something else here, too. She could feel it. After a moment of searching she realized what it was. The nexu. The animal had inadvertently wandered into the entrance of the cave. But, then again, perhaps not inadvertently. The Force worked in mysterious ways, and perhaps the feline had guided Quin here today as part of a more elaborate path.


"Come on, then, Padawan," Chedra announced from her place beside him. "Our friend from before seems to have taken shelter among the crystals. We'll have to be careful."

She disembarked and dropped from the saddle, landing with a thud and a crunch of gravel beneath her boots beside the spamel. She looked up at the human boy, cloak billowing in the wind.

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin felt a familiar presence inside the cave. He wasn’t sure what it was, but after he squinted and put his hand right over his eyes to block out some of the glare, he could make out the faint figure of the nexu. What was he doing here?

Master Pelt appeared to notice it too, but she didn’t make any move to convince the nexu to leave. The prospect of finding his crystal all while worrying about a giant cat possibly attacking him was enough to make him just a little bit uneasy. Still, Quin used the reins to lower himself to the ground so that he was standing next to the Jedi knight.

“Are you going in there with me?” Quin asked, looking hesitantly at the mineshaft. The nexu was still there, pacing back and forth right behind the entrance. Strangely enough, the creature didn’t seem to be afraid. Quin could feel waves of eagerness coming off of it. It wanted something, to show him something.

“On second thought, maybe the nexu won’t try to kill me again,” he said out loud. He looked over at Master Pelt. “So, uh, how long does this take? Do we wait for him to leave, or… I can’t believe I’m saying this— do I follow him in?”

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra shook her head at his question. "I don't think he means us any harm - for the moment. Perhaps the crystals have something to do with that. Follow him in, and see what he wants. But remember that he is a wild animal - he could turn in the blink of an eye."

She started forward, toward the entrance of the cave. "I'll be here with you, Padawan, should you need guidance. But you will have to do this task for yourself. It's important that your crystal chooses you, and that you form a unique connection with it through the Force. You and your crystal will spend lots of time together moving forward in your training."

She privately thought of her training on Lothal, back when she had discovered her blue crystal while meditating with Uor.

@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin nodded seriously at the Jedi knight’s words. “I understand, Master. I’ll be careful,” he promised. He didn’t think that the nexu had intentions of turning on them just yet, but it couldn’t hurt to be extra careful, considering he knew what could happen if it did.

When he heard that she was coming along with him, his face brightened. “Thank goodness. I thought I was going to be all alone in there,” he said with a sigh of relief. He understood the last part— the crystal would have to be his and his alone, and he would be the only one who knew if it was the right one.

“I got it, Master. You won’t have to worry about me,” he said with a grin. He glanced over at the entrance of the cave, and took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

He walked over to where the nexu was, reaching out his hand to try and connect with it again. But before he could even get close, the creature turned around and broke into a run, disappearing into the dark cave.

“Hey! Wait!” he shouted after it, and he looked quickly between Master Pelt and the cave, torn between the two. He didn’t know if she would be able to follow, but he could sense the impatience of the nexu within the cave. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, opened them again, and made his decision. Master Pelt would be able to find him. She was skilled, he knew that. As for his chances of finding the nexu if it went farther into the cave, well, they were decreasing by the second. And so he sprinted into the cave where the nexu had gone, hoping for the best.

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

Chedra watched the Padawan dart forward into the abyss of the cave, following after the nexu. "Quin..." she called, feeling a sense of frustration rise within her. She pushed it down as quickly as it had come. He's young, she reminded herself. And he has Uor's enthusiastic spirit...and he was the greatest Jedi you ever met.

She sighed and started forward, aware that Quin was already several feet ahead of her. The nexu was even farther than that. Something had gotten into the beast; she had never known a nexu to excitedly guide anything anywhere. Now, if the nexu had tried to tear them all to bits, that would have been more likely. The creature was going to be a part of Quin's mission today, in some way, though. She could feel hints of that in the Force.

Chedra stepped carefully into the cave, igniting her lightsaber so that she could have some light to guide herself forward. Quin was already out of sight, using a glowstick as a makeshift torch. She would be able to track his energy through their connection, even if she lost him in the vast expanse of the mine.

Suddenly, she felt a tremble in the Force. Strong enough to cause her to stumble slightly and grab onto the wall with her free hand to steady herself. A sensation of dread had wormed its way up her body. Strange, she thought. Quin is not in danger. What was this feeling? Pushing further with her connection, she suddenly felt the snuffing out of thousands upon thousands of life forms. The devastation and death was overwhelming for her. She gasped and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes as she felt people - beings - she had never known slipping away. Such a sudden and drastic loss of life could only be some sort of disaster. She didn't know where they were dying - she was not nearly strong enough to discern such details. But she was especially sensitive to the extinguishing of sentient life.

She removed the holoproj from her belt and sifted through the latest news - perhaps something in the holo transmissions would reveal some answers. Quin was momentarily forgotten as she tried to investigate the source of the trauma. The devastation in the Force was gone, at least for her. The premonition had been very brief but very palpable, and she was certain she was not imagining it.

Ah, there it is, she thought. Mercenaries from the Five Syndicates had carried out a full-scale terrorist attack on Mon Cala. According to the brief statement, a toxin had been used to poison the seas, causing harm not only to the Mon Calamari and Quarren that lived there, but infrastructural damage to the coral as well, resulting in several floating cities crumbling and toppling over, crushing and trapping people beneath the ruins. The death count was estimated to be at least a million. Such a tragedy threatened to overwhelm Chedra completely. After everything that had happened on Anoat, flashbacks were coming to her...

She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes and extinguishing the lightsaber, leaving herself in the dark. She was aware that Quin was now far ahead, and going through his own trial. She would return to him soon enough, but she needed a moment to compose herself. Tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes. She took a shaky, slow breath.

There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no death....there is....the Force


@Quin Leonkri

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Slow down!” Quin yelled, still trying to pursue the nexu. He could feel himself getting closer, but he still didn’t see it. Where are you? He answered his own question when he realized that he could feel the creature a few feet ahead. It wasn’t moving, only sitting still, twitching its tail. Somehow he knew it, even if it was completely dark.

He slowed to a walk as he approached the nexu. It was watching him expectantly, its soft red eyes glowing through the darkness.

“Have you come to show me where-” A crack. Quin sucked in a breath, and looked down at where his foot was. No. The stone beneath him was breaking. He took a light step back, but then watched in horror as the cracks began to spread. He looked up at where the feline had been sitting earlier, but the nexu had vanished. Oh no.

Quin had no choice but to stay where he was as the entire hallway collapsed beneath him. There was nothing to hold on to, and so he fell along with the rocks, shouting for Master Pelt as he plummeted down into the dark.

He landed with an oomph on the ground. Luckily, or perhaps it was something to do with the Force, neither the stones nor the impact of the fall had hurt him, aside from a now-sore rear end. The ground was soft here compared to the rock-lined walls of the mine. He lifted a handful of the coarse grains in his hand— it was sand.

Dusting himself off as he got up, Quin adjusted his eyes to the light. Then he realized something— there shouldn’t be light in here. He was in a cave, for goodness sake! In fact, there were many little lights all around him, on the walls, on the roof. He walked over to the wall closest to him, and gasped as he saw where the light was coming from. The crystals. I’ve found them!

Now… he only had to find out which one of them was his, out of the hundreds that were in here. Even so, he found himself oddly happy with his discovery. After the Empire’s mining expenditures, there couldn’t have been many crystals that escaped them. Finding an entire cave full of untouched kyber was something that he’d only dreamed about.

Which one of you will choose me?

@cpoindexter

 

[Chedra Pelt]

"Master Peeelt!"

Chedra heard Quin's voice. He sounded far away, but he had yelled loud enough to rouse her from being distracted. His cry was followed by the sound of tumbling rocks. Quin! She dashed from the wall, igniting her lightsaber again so that it could throw blue shadows along the walls and help her see as the cave descended further.

She rounded a corner and stopped short. The nexu had turned at the sound of her approaching footfalls and lowered into a defensive position. It swiped half-heartedly at her, jumping into the air a few feet. It likely remembered their encounter from earlier in the day.

She held her lightsaber with both hands, stepping forward as a show of dominance over the beast. Behind it, she could see it had stopped short of falling over the edge of a newly-formed chasm. She could sense Quin down there, and that he was unharmed. But evidently, the rock had given way and sent the Padawan tumbling down. There was a faint glow coming from below the chasm. Kyber crystals?

She turned her attention back to the nexu. It's time for you to get moving, she said to the creature. You were just on your way out. I suggest you head out, before I have to take one of those legs.

The nexu growled in an irritated manner, shaking its head as if its thoughts had suddenly become too full. It gave her one last look of contempt before slinking by her, disappearing into the dark.

She moved forward cautiously, feeling more rock crack underneath her boot. "Padawan, are you alright down there?" she called out to Quin, looking down over the edge.

@Quin Leonkri