Ask Venturing the Shadow Stacks

[Senin Ravelo]

The moon Orchis 2 was the location of the Graf Archive, a vast repository of documents and other materials of public or historical importance. Covering most of the moon's surface. It was named after the Graf Family, who were also responsible for the maintenance of the place. Below the Archive, were the Shadow Stacks. All the items which could not be readily identified were placed in this place, deep in the underground. And that's where Senin was going.

Since he guided Darth Raze in the Museum of Lay Pa-Sidian, the Acolyte curiosity about the secrets and mythology of his homeworld increased. While searching about who was the other survivor of the Republic expedition to the Great Jungle, Senin stumbled on the story of Xamo Druxor, who was a Jedi Master during the time of the Old Republic. Apparently the Jedi had climbed the Pico da Tormenta, the highest point of G'wenee, and returned alive. This place was famous due to being constantly covered by a powerful storm, so strong that it prevented any air vehicle from approaching. Some believe that this storm could be related to the Force.

From what the young man had read about it, the Jedi had written several texts about his discoveries there and kept them in a box. The last time this box was seen was when the Draf family acquired it for their Archives. Since it never appeared in the catalogue of items in exposition, Senin deduced that it was still in the Shadow Stacks, waiting to be exhumed. Or stolen.

Since the access to the Stacks is restricted to archivists and scholars, Senin used the Ravelo’s influence in the University of Lay Pa-Sidian to arrange two fake passes. He loved how corrupt people were so useful when someone had money. Thankfully, the Graf Family was neutral so they allowed students from Sith controlled planets to visit the Archives. He had asked for two passes, because he wanted to have help while exploring the underground. Who knows what could be down there.

At first he thought about inviting Malou, but soon remembered what happened at the party in Castle Wessex and how she hated her for not allowing Xeno to kill Artorigas. Then he decided to invite Ashla. From the few times that they spent with each other, Senin noticed that she seemed to be a nice person to be around. This would also be a good opportunity to have other allies in the Order. After she accepted, the two went to Orchis 2.

“To recap, I’m Sean Lavir and you are Ashara Rin. We are both History students of the University of Lay Pa-Sidian and we are here to do a search in the Shadow Stacks.” Senin whispered to Ashla while they walked to the Archives. He was dressed with simple clothes, the same that a student would use. The only special thing was the red cap that covered his hair, which was still recovering from the attack that it suffered from Artorigas. “I’m so excited! Since I read about this place, I have been wanting to come here so much!Vai ser tão maneiro!” he said to her. The Acolyte couldn’t wait to explore the underground archives.


@Wit

 

[Ashla Ti]

Ashla, dressed in civilian clothing appropriate for the cover Senin had intended for them to use to access the archives, nodded in response to his words, letting the name bounce around in her head. Ashara Rin was not the name she would have picked if she had to choose an alias, she would have liked something more flamboyant, but as long as it got them in she wasn't going to complain. Her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, through which she could feel the shoto she had hidden on the inside of the jacket, she had to smile at his excitement. So much so that he started speaking words that made no sense to her. She had heard that, for those speaking in a language that was not the one they first learnt, the mother tongue as it was called had a tendency to unconsciously slip out.

This was the first time she was meeting him since Serenno, first time she was meeting any of the acolytes she had met there, and she would be lying if she wasn't a little curious about what had happened after the excitement of that day. She had spent some time with Malou after the Zabrak champion and his apprentice had left the ball, but it had involved a great deal of drinking and dancing, and not much talking. So when she had received Senin's invitation she had accepted in part to try and understand what had transpired between the two. She herself had been overcome by the Eternal's influence, and had been too pre-occupied to see what transpired between the two acolytes as their masters clashed. And given how new she was to Sith social circles, and her lack of connections, she saw this as opportunity to satiate both professional and personal curiosity. She was, after all, interested in discovering whatever was hidden under the archives.

"These shadow stacks," she asked as they reached the entrance and had to swipe their fake credentials to get in, crossing their first hurdle in their path, "do they just have an ominous name or should we be prepared for the worst? I once heard about an abandoned library that was taken over by barabels who were using it to nest, and would kill anyone who entered the building." She hadn't really heard about that, had rather seen it in some random holodrama, so she didn't really know how realistic or possible something like that was. But he didn't need to know that.

@LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

After showing their fake credentials, the two acolytes walked inside the Archive. "Well officially it only has an ominous name, but the Graf Family is known to have collected specimens of fauna and flora, some even alive. There are stories about a student that was attacked by a ghest in the Shadow Stacks, as they had failed to realize the creature was merely hibernating. Who knows what can still be down there, we need to be prepared." he said to Ashla. A huge place like that could be the home of several dangerous creatures. If they end up being attacked by something down there, Senin would be prepared. His lightsaber was hidden in his backpack.

Senin raised an eyebrow after hearing what Ashla said about the abandoned library. "I never heard about that before, but it reminds me of a scene from Indilian Sones and the Lost Temple. Do you like these movies? I heard that this year a new one is coming to the holotheaters." he liked this franchise of adventure movies, they were entertaining and always used some real facts in the plot. "If you like that, we can go watch together."

Once inside the building, Senin's eyes began to shine with excitement. Wherever he looked there were shelves full of books, it would take more than a human life to get through all this. However, he couldn’t let himself be distracted by it. They still needed to enter the Shadow Stacks. “We need to talk with the Head Curator. When I contacted the administration to announce our visit, they said that she was going to meet us.”

They didn't have to wait long. Soon a woman, who looked to be in her early forties, approached them. She was wearing clothes that made her look like a professor. “Hello! I’m Head Curator Elissa Graf. You two must be Sean Lavir and Ashara Rin, it’s a pleasure to meet you both!” she said, with a bright smile on her lips. “It’s so good to see young people seeking knowledge! This makes me so happy!” the woman really seemed to be excited with their presence there. The young man was starting to think that the woman's happiness and excitement were a little annoying.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, ma’am. It’s an honor to meet a member of the Graf Family, after all that your relatives did for the Galaxy.” Senin said to the Head Curator. The woman's smile grew. Of course, the Acolyte knew very well how her family fell into disgrace during the time of the High Republic due to its secret deals with the Nihil being discovered. But he would not say it to the woman.

“Come, I’ll guide you two to the elevators that go to the Shadow Stacks.” Elissa said before starting to walk. Senin followed her. Now they are so close of entering the Stacks, he couldn’t wait to find Druxor’s box.

@Wit

 

[Ashla Ti]

Ashla feigned ignorance and looked away at Senin's mention of the Indian Sones movies, acting as if she was observing their surroundings. "I'd add it to the list," she replied, pulling out her notepad and adding an entry, even though previous page had a crossed out entry for the very same movie, she was nothing if not committed to a lie, "I didn't really have access to the holonet for recreational purposes till recently. Strict teachers." The lie also meant that she couldn't say yes to his request to see the new movie, because she'd be damned if she went a saw the latest entry in a series without having seen what had come before. She tapped the data pad and she slipped it back into a pocket. "I guess I should catch up on the rest of the series quickly, try and catch the new one while its still in the theaters."

As they met the curator and Senin exchanged pleasantries with her, Ashla politely played along, nodding when required, smiling when it was appropriate. Yes to let Senin handle the talking, and it was only when the curator started guiding them, Ashla assumed towards the Stacks, that she spoke up with a question.

"Does anyone from your staff ever go into the Shadow Stacks? Any cataloguing information or existing records we could use as part of our research?

@LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

Elissa continued walking even while she answered the Togruta's question. "Occasionally some of the students go there. However most of the time the ones that visit the Stacks are the droids. We had some incidents down there recently. But nothing you two need to worry about!" she said, trying to sound reassuring. Senin started to wonder if the stories about someone being attacked by a ghest were real. "Since the Shadow Stacks are a deposit for items that are going to be properly identified, we unfortunately don’t have a catalogue. However, the items are stored in sections according to their meaning. For example, Nabooian fossils are in the section regarding the prehistoric life of Naboo."

"Oh, before I forget!" she stopped abruptly and turned to Ashla. The Curator pulled from her pocket what seemed to be a miniature of a Datapad. "It's a map of the Shadow Stacks. Here is each section and their respective subsections." she gave it to the Togruta, then continued to guide them.

While they followed the Head curator, the Acolytes would pass through some sections of the Archive, much to Senin's delight. They would walk by the section about the animals of the Galaxy. There were bones, holobooks and taxidermied specimens. The young man would stare with awe at the real scale skeleton of a krayt dragon.

The next section that they would pass through would be about astronomical studies. There would be several old fashioned armillary spheres representing different planetary systems. Senin could even see one of the G'wenee System.

After passing through this one, they would arrive at the elevator's door. The Curator would stop and press a button to open it, then she would turn to them "Well, we arrived. I hope that you have good studies!" she said, smiling at them. Then her demeanor became more somber. "Be careful down there."

"Thank you, ma'am. We will be." Senin would say, before walking to the inside of the elevator. After Ashla joined him there, the Acolyte would press the button that would go to the Shadow Stacks. While they started their descent. The young man would turn to the Togruta. "We need to be very careful when we arrive there. The Curator seemed to be nervous about something, don’t you think?"

@Wit

 

[Ashla Ti]

While Senin took in the collection on display as the curator lead them through the archive, Ashla was observing the curator, having felt a little something from her as she had handed her the map to the Stacks. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but when she brought them to the elevator she noticed it again in the way she spoke. Thankfully Senin brought up her seeming nervous, and Ashla didn't have to wonder if it had just been her imagination.

"Yes," she replied, looking down at the map in her hand, "I most definitely did. She might be hiding something, though what that might be I cannot say." As the elevator came to a stop, she took one last look at the map before offering it to Senin. "I think there might be more here than what she put on this map." She reached over and pointed her finger at a section of the map, a section that seemed oddly blank. If the Stacks had been explored in any logical manner then the section should have been explored. But it stood out like a sore thumb, enough to catch her attention. "Look at that, two paths leading to the same unmapped section. Either the way was blocked, or it wasn't and the Curator doesn't want us looking at whatever lies there."

Beginning to walk towards the direction of the missing section, she reached down to check her lightsaber through her jacket to make sure it was there.

"Either way, seems like a good place to start, no?

@LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

Senin picked the map that Ashla was offering to him. She was right, one of the sections was blank. When he tapped on it, appeared a message saying that it was under maintenance. But it didn't explain the obvious nervousness of the Curator. There was definitely something more behind it.

"I agree with you. There is something happening and she doesn't want to tell what it is. Look." he showed her the warning on the map, then he would give it back to her "If it is only maintenance, her nervousness wasn't necessary. You are right, we should really start looking there." from what he read about Druxor’s box, it had a special lock that could only be open by the use of the Force. It could only be in two sections: Old Republic and Jedi Order. Maybe it was a good idea to explore this mysterious part of the stacks before searching in these two.

When the elevator finally arrived at the Shadow Stacks and opened the door, Senin couldn't stop himself from staring in awe at what he saw around him. Several shelves with not only holobooks, but old fashioned books. There were also several boxes, estatues and bones. Differently from the main area of the Graf Archive, this area was more chaotic, with little organization. Occasionally they would see a droid passing through the corridors. Probably trying to not make the place become a complete mess.

Senin would follow Ashla through the corridors that went to the missing section. They would stop in front of a door, which was closed with chains. There was a sign warning that the place was off limits. Pulling his lightsaber from his backpack, the young man would turn to the Togruta "Do you want to open it or can I do it? The other will need to watch if one of these archivist droids isn’t coming."

@Wit

 

[Ashla Ti]

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like there was something hidden in that missing section. Senin's observation on the map only supported that possibility, and given that they didn't really have any concrete starting point or target for their explorations it seemed like a good enough place to begin.

"I'll watch," she replied to Senin's question as they reached a cordoned off door which could only lead to the missing section on the map, "you're the expert here and ought to take the lead once we're through. Who knows, if we have to act quickly once we get past this door its better that your eyes be the ones to take in what lies beyond." It seemed the logical choice to her, and her skills were better served keeping a lookout anyway. It wasn't that she wasn't interested in history, books, relics, and the sort, she had done more than her share of digging and investigating when ti served her purpose. But she wasn't what you would call an expert, and that was fine with her. She wasn't ever going to be an Inidilian Sones, while Senin seemed to be suited and inclined for such a role. So she would be the lookout, while he scouted ahead.

Heading back a little ways to the last intersection they had crossed, still within sight and earshot of Senin, she stopped and looked both ways to check if one of the droids they had seen earlier, or even another scholar for that matter, was nearby. When she didn't spot anyone, she turned to look back towards the door and gave Senin a thumbs-up. It was now up to him to get that door open, hopefully before something or someone showed up.

@LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

Senin nodded to Ashla when she said that she was going to watch. With the Togrutas being a species of hunters, the young man was certain that she would be a better watcher than him. The girl's senses were probably more developed than his.

"Ok, I'll wait for your signal." he said to Ashla, while she walked toward the intersection. Senin prepared the lightsaber on his hand, but it was still deactivated. Only after the Togruta showed him the thumbs up, he activated the saber and slashed the chains that were holding the door.

Before the chains could fall on the floor with a loud sound, Senin used the Force on them. This way, their fall slowed down and no sound came when they reached the floor. Smiling, the young man deactivated his lightsaber and approached the doors.

They seemed to be very old and there were carvings on them. Elidan recognized some as representations of historical individuals that lived during the time of the Old Republic. Gathering the Force, the young man used it to help him move the heavy doors. While he opened it, the smell of mold hit him, making his nose itchy.

"I opened it. Now we can go." he smiled at Ashla. He waited the Togruta before entering the place. From the doorway he could see a stairway going even deeper underground. There was light coming from there. He was so excited! Hopefully the box would be down there. He couldn't wait to have all of its secrets.

@Wit

 

[Ashla Ti]

Ashla rushed back to the door once Senin had it open, no point in wasting time, the sooner they were gone from the scene of the crime the lesser the chance of them getting caught there. Entering the doorway, she strolled in slowly, letting her eyes wander as she waited for Senin to follow.

"I hope you aren't claustrophobic." She muttered as she moved towards the stairs and smelled the air in its vicinity. Just by that she could tell that the stairs lead further underground, probably to natural cave formations that this whole structure was built upon. She was about to ask Senin if he thought they should go down when something about the light coming from the stairs made her pause. She stared for a second, and then the light dulled for a moment, as if something had passed in front of the source that was shedding the light up the stairs, a shadows passing across its face.

Curious, she started walking down the steps, opening herself to the Force and probing ahead of herself. Not sending anything, she didn't bother to be overly cautious as she walking down the steps and stepped into another level, this one was indeed carved out of a natural cave formation as she had thought. But she also spotted what had cast the shadow.

A large droid, armed with what looked like a personal deflector shield, and a sword bigger than she was, was patrolling the chamber. And before she had the time to step back it turned and laid its cold metallic eyes on her. The eyes turned crimson, and no matter how old this thing was she knew exactly what that meant.

"Fuck." Was all she managed to say before the thing raised its sword and charged straight for her.

@LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

”Thankfully, I’m not.” Senin said, while following Ashla through the door. The place was darker than he expected, with the only light being these coming from the end of the stairway. The air there was full with the smell of mold and it made the Acolyte’s nose itch a bit.

Then, he noticed that the Togruta had stopped walking and was looking toward the light that was coming from the end of the stairs. She was looking at it with a serious expression on her face. Senin had read about how the members of her species were good hunters, with heightened senses. He wondered if it made her notice something down there.

Before he could ask her, Senin felt Ashla open herself to the Force. He took it as confirmation that she had seen something. While the Togruta continued walking down the stairs, the G’weneen would carefully follow her. He still feared that something could jump at any moment and attack them.

His suspicions turned to be correct when Ashla stopped in front of the chamber and some type of droid movement against her. Senin wasn’t an expert, but he had never seen one of this type before. It even looked somewhat ancient, modeled like some type of warrior carrying a sword and shield.

When the droid moved against Ashla, Senin used the Force to pull the girl toward him and away from it. The sword would collide against the ground with a loud sound, shattering the floor. If the Togruta was still there, she would have been cut in two.

“Are you fine?” he asked, looking at her to see if the girl had any wound. Finding none, Senin would turn to the droid. It had seen the two and was now moving toward them. “We need to do something about it if we want to continue exploring.”

@Wit