Ask The Missing

[The Storyteller]

Felucia Jungle​

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  NOTICE: Padawan learner currently missing. If seen, report whereabouts immediately. Assist if possible, return to Jedi Order.
  
  
  Intel:
  
  = Female, of Miraluke and Zeltron descent. Age 20. Padawan learner. Visually impaired.
  
  = No access to lightsabers, confirmed.
  
  = Last confirmed sighting in city capital, Kway Teow. Entered jungle shortly after arrival.
  
  = Currently four days missing: no contact, sighting or other forms of communication.
  
  = No ransom or bounty confirmed.
  
  = Purpose on planet unknown. Excursion not sanctioned by higher authority.
  
  = No prior history of disappearances. Circumstances cause for concern.
  
  
  Last Location: Felucia
  
  
  Status: Missing, presumed alive.
  
  

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  @Maxims Tionson

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Felucia was a jungle planet.

Jungles had never agreed with Max even before his trip to Kashyyyk but ever since his time on the planet of the Wookiees whenever he even thought about a Jungle he found his left eye socket ached. Rubbing slightly at the half of his left ear that had survived that trip to the Jungle, Max thought about why he was even here before deciding it was an awful thing to even ask himself.

He was here because a Jedi Padawan had gone missing in the area and he should be ashamed of himself for not thinking that was the only thing that mattered. Obviously jungles might hold a special place in his heart but they could take a backseat to what he was actually here for.

Taking a deep breath, Max cut through some more of the undergrowth with the vibrosword he had brought along with him. Cutting through with ease due to the weapon, he continued on along the path a local had said the Padawan had gone down several days ago.

He reached out with the Force, projecting his presence out almost like a sonar pulse, hoping she would feel it and he would feel the connection to direct him.

@Pam0wl

 

[The Storyteller]

Overrun with thick, fungi growths, the Felucian wilderness was a diverse and bizarre environment. Spikes, spores and enormous pitcher plants littered the copious ground, with fauna itself appearing rubber-like in their translucent, day time state. In the light of the sun, the plants glittered like multi-coloured glass, beautiful enough it may just distract any wayward adventurers to the otherwise humid and fetid landscape.

The force was strong here, the planet itself acting like a single, living entity. Multitudes of organisms existed in one primal eco-system. To the untrained, the planet's sheer presence would be overwhelming, the jungle's vitality acting like a double-edged sword. There was no response from padawan Tanith, not even a ripple. In the density of the wild, everything was simply drowned out.

But something reacted. Something big. And it was heading across Maxims' path.

Jungle rancor. A sow with offspring trailing behind. Unlike its common cousin, this subspecies was brightly coloured, in keeping with its natural habitat. The jaws, much larger than average, sported menacing fangs; they were freshly bloodied with the morning hunt. A mangled, mess of an animal was its prey, the carcass now dangling partly eaten. The ropey remains were stuck between the female's set of teeth, acting as bait for the smaller pair to follow. The creature's younglings trailed behind as a trotting pace, snapping at the piece of meat hungrily, grunting and snorting for a taste. The pups were young, their sharp, spinal growths barely budding, unlike their mother's.

Their approach was noticeable, the stomping steps reverberating out. Creatures of the jungle fled with seasoned knowledge. Best hide, lest being eaten and pray the predator passed without noticing.

@Maxims Tionson

 

[Maxims Tionson]

There was no response from the pulses through the Force but Max had honestly thought it was a longshot anyway. Right now he was following a vague direction given by a local and listening to the will of the Force. Considering the will of the Force was even more vague, it was not unlike trying to find a tiny, unnamed, side street on Coruscant without GPS and only a compass.

Sighing a little bit, Max carried on despite everything.

The humidity was going to be really annoying with his eye socket wasn't it? He was going to have to air it and dry it before he went to sleep for the night - if he even got a chance to sleep of course. Noting the oncoming Rancor party, Max rolled his lone eye to the sky as if in prayer before using the Force instead to climb one of the many nearby trees before they could come into line of sight.

Up above even the impressive reach of the mother rancor, Max waited in the canopy to see if they would proceed on their path past him or if he would need to act directly to avoid their further attention.

@Pam0wl

 

[Ece Tanith]

The rancor sow halted her steps, her cavernous nostrils flaring with deliberate breaths. There was something in the air that caught her attention, an unfamiliar scent. She could detect this intruder, but not locate it; eyesight during daylight was impossible for the beast. Still, she rumbled, making her displeasure known, a warning to any possible predators. She was especially territorial as they were inches from their den.

With a gruff snort, the trio moved to settle down, the mother gobbling the remaining meat whilst her pups frolicked in their usual manner, tumbling after themselves and clumsily racing about. They had their own separate nests, otherwise, their two-ton mother may smother them in her sleep. Shortly after, one pup was asleep whilst its sibling was rooting around, digging up portions of the nest. Animal bones scattered out, along with some broken branches. Then a clank, the tumbling of a foreign object.

A datapad.

It looked a little worse for wear, its screen scratched up and edges gnawed on. But when the rancor pup gave the object a curious lick, the pad came to life, blurting out something nonsensical.

"Day 1 ----- -1--1-. Starting....ungle...........abyss. ................................................... j-jedddii-i-i"

Spoiler

More or less

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Alright so the mother could kind of tell that he was here... his hand reached for his lightsaber and he held it tightly in his right hand for a moment without activating it. Instead he paused, poised to spring into action, before she decided to settle down. The fact that they had settled down and NOT left was... irritating to say the least.

Resisting the urge to sigh, Max listened as one of the pups activated a datapad by accident. Of course the fact that said datapad was in the nest of a rancor did not bode well. For a moment Max considered leaving. The padawan had likely fallen afoul of the rancor family and she was without a lightsaber or anything but the most basic level of padawan training.

He thought about it... before deciding he needed to be sure.

Reaching out with the Force, he would pull the datapad up into the tree he was currently hiding in. At the same time he used the Force to snap a branch on the other side of the clearing to act as a distraction. It was louder than the pad was interesting so it should keep the pup and the mother from noticing the pad leaving.

@Pam0wl

 

[Ece Tanith]

Whilst functioning, the datapad wasn't in the best shape. The screen was cracked and the pixels glitched every so often. Luckily for Maxims, there was no security feature or encryption to bypass, just an unpleasant amount of rancor spit splodged and smeared on the tablet's surface. The pad had numerous entries, some dating for weeks but the most recent activity documented four recordings, all within a few days of each other. Playing automatically upon selection, the feed played with wavering details.

- - - - - Recordings, retrieved - - - - --

A pink-haired girl became visible, her eyes obscured by tinted glasses. She was immediately recognizable as Ece Tanith, the missing padawan. For the moment, she was walking, seeming to document her progress throughout the jungle's wilderness. It was hard to determine her exact location, the vegetation looking very much the same as the rest of the environment. Finally, the hybrid stopped, taking a moment to refresh herself and speak near enough directly to the camera.

"Entry log, day 1. I'm starting my journey on the jungle's western front. So far, travel by foot has been successful. I admit I'm feeling overwhelmed. This place, it's strong in the force. I'm having a hard time just focusing on the path ahead. If I'm correct, by sticking to this trail, I'll reach the Ancient Abyss by tomorrow evening. I've been advised that travel during the day is my safest option, so I'll make camp before beginning my exploration. Oh, but just look at this place. Beautiful." The view returns back to the surrounding jungle. For a moment, Ece seems solid and still, utterly transfixed. Finally, she remembers to move and ends the recording there.

The next file plays straight after, following in quick succession. In the visual, daylight has waned, and Ece has perched herself by a small, improvised fire. She removes her glances and rubs her eyes as if tired. "Entry log, day 2. Navigating the jungle is becoming more difficult. I've not covered that much distance. I think the energy here has compromised my 'sight'. I've been turned about twice and everything around me is hazy. I have to focus just to keep from tripping. Everything here, so chaotic and wild...Oh, but luckily, animals here are easily influenced. The locals warned of jungle rancors, but I haven't encountered any yet. I'll try to reach the abyss by tomorrow. If I stay any longer, the Jedi might notice I'm gone. Imagine trying to explain-" In the recording, Ece pauses, her attention momentarily stolen. She glances about but what she is looking at is unclear. The video ends abruptly for that day.

Again, a recording plays. The jungle's vast canopies can be seen as Ece has gotten herself to higher ground. She points in a general direction clearly meant to focus on a series of spires protruding from the jungle's cover. "Entry log, day 3. There! Just over the next ridge. The Ancient Abyss. It's exactly like my vision! I was right, the force brought me here for a reason. Native Felucian have worshipped here since before the written word. It's a sacred place, the focal point for the Felucian village. Travelers don't usually come this far, but if I'm right, then-" Ece pauses her exposition. She turns, still holding the datapad as it records. "Hello? Is someone there?" Nothing answers her, aside from the jungle's usual chatter. There's movement, the rustling of leaves but no distinctive shapes seen as of yet. "Show yourself, whoever you are."

The final recording starts with hectic running. Ece is panting hard, tripping over herself and the jungle's inhospitable ground. She doesn't seem to notice the pad is recording or that it's capturing the vital moment. There's inhuman shrieking coming from off-camera and it makes Ece sprint faster. She falls, the data pad tumbling out of her grasp. Unwilling to recover it, she scampers up and continues running, the datapad documenting the entire flight. The looming, toothy spires are closer now, suggesting the padawan's desired destination. There's movement. Shadows chasing at the jungle's edge. A foot unintentionally stomps on the pad, the unknown assailants in apparent pursuit A familiar shrill is then heard.

- - - - End of recordings - - - -

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Fantastic.

The logs were more complete but they were still rather sparse on information that was actually of any use. Only the last log contained information that Max would say would count as useful for the ongoing search, though he supposed no one ever really made a datalog for the express purpose of directing their rescuers to where they could be found.

Or where their corpse would be found at least.

This young girl had been in danger and that was days ago in some of the most hostile terrain that sentient life had ever encountered. Once again there as the nagging thought that she was already dead, that she was almost like a trap for the Jedi sent after her due to how dangerous any rescue attempt would be.

Still... he couldn't take that chance.

Drawing the Force to himself, Max launched himself through the air in a massive leap towards another tree, closer to the peaks he had spotted in the log. Tree-jumping was the way to go!

@Pam0wl

 

[Ece Tanith]

In the depths of the jungle, within the bowels of the abyss, Ece felt a ripple in a force. Was it real this time, or just another falsehood? It was hard to focus, everything around her so hazy. Looking at the path ahead of her, it was without focus; never had Ece felt so...blind. The force has always blessed her with 'sight'. Now, it was working against her, leading her astray. She wandered amongst the structure without direction or guidance. Even now, Ece clung to the sides of her surroundings. They seemed sturdy, tall and solid. Walls perhaps? How many times had she routed herself and stepped along the same path? It was hard to tell, there were no distinguishable features...

Until her fingers traced over something peculiar. Grooves on the surface. Engravings perhaps? Had she found some inner chamber? Palming the entirety of the wall, Ece deduced it was some sort of mural. There were several repeated patterns and finely etched lines but she couldn't quite figure out the entire composition. Again, she attributed this to the force and its overwhelming presence. It was especially strong here, confirming Ece's earlier thoughts. This was a sacred space, special to the native people. By why exactly, what made the force so prominent in this one localized spot?

A rumble of hunger disturbed her thoughts. It has been some time since she last ate; her pursuers ensured that much. They had chased her so abruptly, Ece hardly had time to collect supplies. Surprisingly though, they halted in their chase as soon as she entered the sanctuary. A blessing perhaps, as now the padawan was beyond exhausted. Abandoning the carving, for now, Ece slowly stepped further along the gullet. Sleep was a tempting prospect. Perhaps if she rested, she could regain her strength.

Collapsing to the floor, she welcomed the rest. Still, her mind absently drifted back; that ripple earlier seemed oddly out of place. Would it hurt to reach out? Attempting to steady herself, with fatigue's attempt at conquest, Ece sent out a ripple of her, wondering if indeed there was another sentient life out there in the jungle. Would they sense her? Would they even respond? She closed her eyes and absently waited.