What's in the Jungle?

[Rangal]

[Open - Jedi Only]

Kelvin Ravine - Small base camp

Rangal sat at on a small fold out chair, a data-tablet lying on the table in-front of him, like always he was reading, studying, trying to glean as much information and knowledge of every waking hour as possible. This time it was about the deep core and the mass of black holes that swirled around it, 'was there anything inside?' he thought and pondered. It had been something which had come back to him a number of times over the past few months, but it was easily pushed aside when he thought about the dangers of trying to pilot himself into that mass of death and destruction. Maybe one day, if he found a pilot.

There was movement around him as the other members of the expedition team got themselves ready, it was still early the sun just about to crest over the top of the ravine and shine some light onto them. Rangal had already been up for a few hours, his alarm still set to the time of Ossus. With a flick of his finger the page turned and he continued to read. The rest of the camp would take time to get going, so he might as well read some more.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj stretched as he woke up, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He silently changed in to his robes and rolled the bed roll he had slept in back it to a compact form. With that task done he stepped out side in to the cool morning breeze. He was with out a doubt the youngest here but it did not hinder his resolve to help. Though morning routines where morning routines. With the camp still geting ready Ekaj moved to a clearing and sat cross legged and focused on the force around him, on the life and the task ahead. His mind moving through the temple guided by the force. What secrets lay hidden among the rocks.

 

[Rangal]

Rangal watched as some of the Jedi came awake, he found it strange that his fellow compatriots in the force chose to spend so much time sleeping. The force was a blessed thing and it could be used for a number of things, including enhancing the body and mind, who needed so much sleep when you have the force, he mumbled. A few of the younger members of the team began stretching excersies, other began some simple sparing and other meditated. A young one, someone who if not for the devastation of the order would still be resided to the temples for more training caught his eye. He watched as the child began to concentrate the force in his mind.
"I wonder what he ponders?" Rangal asked to himself.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj finished his meditation by focusing on the live around him as he finally stood up patting down his pants of dust and looked around. the others where still busy and he was getting restless

 

[Rangal]

As he continued to read, he kept an eye on the boy as he finished his meditation. He looked a little bored, ready to go. He must have been to young to understand that the Jedi never seem to do anything in haste. Perhaps he should take up a book, fill the endless waiting time with a little knowledge. Putting the holo-screen down he shouted over to the kid.

"Hey, Kid, come here." Rangal waited for the child to come over before handing him another holo-screen. "The Jedi are never quick to muster, fill your time with something that will help you." He finished the sentence with a smile. "My name is Rangal." He added.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj stood and watched the people do there own morning routine's and was taken a back when he was called over by one of them. He had been awake before Ekaj had gotten up and seemed to have been reading.


Walking over to him Ekaj took the offered holo screen "Thank you" Ekaj listened to what was said before answering. "But does this slow pace mean we could fail?" It was a question asked out of curiosity. Ekaj had poured in to reports of the battle of the 100 years of darkness. Where fast action in many case was what allowed victory. But every where the teaching was about being patient. It all ways confused him. "Thanks for the holo display, may i ask what you where reading? maybe i have read it all to?"

 

[Rangal]

Rangal smiled at the young man's remarks, he had not been with the Jedi long enough it seems to be drilled in their ways of drawing things out. Or perhaps he had been schooled to much and now, he just wanted to rebel. "I have heard a few Jedi Masters say that 'all good things come to those who wait'. But then 'fortune does favor the bold'. So it is a two sided coin, you must be patient, as rushing in is not always the best answer, but you must not wait to long to figure out if you have waited to long. It is a fine balance that only comes with practice." He said before smiling and picking back up his holo.

He clicked out of the book he was reading before scrolling back a few pages to an earlier piece of work, holding it down for a second the article seemed to pop up and away from the background and Rangal flicked it in the direction of the new kids Holo. "I am reading the Life and Death of Jedi Master Mustacher, very boring, very old, long before the Exile's came around. He has some interesting views on how the force interacts with the earth. But that." He said pointing at the kids Holo. "Is a record of Jedi Master Sige and his time during the 100 Years of Darkness. Much better reading." Rangal turned back to his own reading for a moment before adding "My name is Rangal." Without lifting his eyes from the book.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Honestly, Cregan wondered why he was here sometimes.

Then he'd quickly mutter something uncomplimentary about his own concentration and pull himself back onto the task at hand. The task at hand was one that seemed rather simple but wasn't really, not for him. Cregan was trying to meditate and he was trying his best to connect with some of the local wildlife. It was hard going for someone who was much more at home swinging a lightsaber than he was with anything related to the more mental aspects of being a Jedi.

He'd begun to think that maybe he just wasn't wired right for it when he began to briefly connect with some of the smaller animals. Breathing out slowly, he pulled himself out of his meditation at this small measure of success and pulled on his robes before leaving his tent.

Next part of his self-imposed training... he needed to find another Jedi for.

Wandering through the camp, he waved to a young Jedi and one that looked a touch older and more experienced. He scratched the back of his head a little bit as he approached,

"Hey! So, my name is Cregan and... I need to ask you for a favour." he admitted, looking to either of the Jedi present as he unclipped his lightsaber and held it out hilt-first, "I need to stop depending on this so could one of you hold onto it for me for the rest of the day?"

He chuckled a little bit,

"I realise this is an awkward introduction but I really am just trying to learn you know?"

@Andrewza @Braden Drake

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj nodded his head to each of the older knights statements. It was true that a thesis on the way the force inter acted with the earth was far less exciting than the deeds of some war hero. But Ekaj wondered if it was more informative. War stories where common but people did not seem to study the deeper meaning of the force during the 100 years of darkness.


"Thank you Rangal for your recommendation. My name is Ekaj"



Ekaj looked at the new Comer and gave a chuckle. He knew all about his type haven grown up on Jedah Ekaj knew the type who thought you could out fight any and all problems. "What do you mean stop depending on your lightsaber? Because I don't think it is your lightsaber you depending on. I think you depending on physical action over thought. What to say stop you grabbing a stick and hitting the first critter we find down there?"

 

[Rangal]

Rangal looked up at the new comer and was about to reply when Ekaj, jumped in inside. He smiled at the young man's remark, it was perhaps beyond his years to have such a profound view. "The young Jedi here has a point." Rangal added. "And what is to stop you just grabbing the saber at any point when you need it?" He put the holo-screen down on the small table to his side before standing up. He wore no flowing robes or ridiculous capes, just a normal protective suit of armor, with a number of inscriptions over it. Most of these where sayings from writings he had found over his time with the Jedi, others where locations he had visited and found tombs and crypts. A map of his time with the force sect.

"Perhaps try removing the crystal instead. That way you cannot just take it back, you need to think about it before hand. Calm your mind before acting. Taking a breath before striking is always better than charging head first." He continued.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Why did everyone always think he was some kind of idiot who never thought about his options? He thought about his options. It spoke of too much specialisation that he was skilled enough with his blade that most other options had downsides that using his blade simply didn't.

After all, technically the Force could stop a blaster bolt. Didn't mean that using a blade to deflect it wasn't a much better option for someone not amazingly well versed in the Force's uses in battle.

"I mean I need to stop thinking of it as a first resort - having it at my fingertips would encourage me to continue with my current mind frame and I'd like to avoid that." he admitted with a little smirk, "I'd get predictable and that's a good way to end up dead in a Galaxy full of Exiles, pirates and slavers. And I'm rather allergic to death."

What was to stop him?

"Hopefully? My own willpower and discipline would stop me. Otherwise, whoever I gave the blade would help me out with that I'm sure." he reasoned before shaking his head slightly, "I'm not removing the crystal. If it is away from my hand, it's a training exercise. If it is inoperable then it is a liability. If there's, for example, a treasure hunter who arrives and fires a blast at you. You block it on instinct - except if I have my lightsaber inoperable I'm going to instinctively raise it to block and find a new hole in myself for my trouble. So..."

He grinned a little bit and he held the blade out to either of the other two,

"Now that my paranoia and reasoning are out there, anyone want it? Or am I going to just have to strap it down tight to my shin or something?"

@Andrewza @Braden Drake

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj could see where the knight was coming from. He thought the same way only with it was with the force. Why try any other way if the force was all that was needed. Of course you could not just give the force to someone else to hold like you could with a lightsaber. "OK will hold on to it for the day. But then we need to stay close. If you die because you did not have your lightsaber I don't want to think how I would feel. Afterwards."

 

[Rangal]

Rangal did not reply to the newcomer, he was convinced in his conviction, very Jedi like he thought as he passed his weapon over to Ekaj. "I look forward to seeing what you can do without that." Rangal replied pointing at the saber Ekaj put on his waist. He gave out one long stretch before stepping out into the clearing at the middle of the camp. Some of the other Jedi where still taking their time to get ready. "Have either of you visited any of the tombs on Jakku?" Turning around to face them he crossed his arms, his own light-saber swinging from his hip in the motion.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Yeah he imagined the other Jedi would feel rather kriffing bad if he died while his lightsaber was on his belt. Of course, this was supposed to be a non-combat mission and that was why he had signed up for it as soon as he had heard about it. Even better, unlike the last 'non-combat' mission he'd been on, this little jungle planet didn't really seem to have anything of value to pirates or slavers so he was unlikely to be shot at.

"I promise not to let myself get killed." he assured the other young knight with a smirk, "I'm not ready to become one with the Force yet - haven't done anything with my life yet after all."

He might be a touch flippant with the thought of death but it made sense to Cregan - he'd seen a lot of death already in his short life and had, strangely enough, probably dealt out enough of the stuff that it was something he was actually known for around Jedha. Probably why he made people nervous to be quite honest.

"Me too." he admitted to Rangal with a small smirk before handing the saber to Ekaj, "And no, I haven't."

Pausing for a moment, he added,

"Is this where you tell us that their full of secret Force knowledge and we're going to be running from Exiles soon?"

Please, Force... just once let a mission he was on go smoothly.

@Andrewza @Braden Drake

 

[Ekaj]

"As long as you keep your word on not dying i am happy"


Ekaj looked at the tomb, it sure was old, made before the 100 years of darkness maybe before the Jedi where even a thing. "No i have not, fiest time on jakku in fact. i have read about them though. how they meant to be really old. and when i tried to see in side with the force i hit a wall of some kind. They still strong with the force even though they so old"


In fact the temple here really intrigued him. what lay with in he could not say and that is what made it so, intriguing to Ekaj.

 

[Rangal]

Rangal smiled at the two younger Jedi's remarks, he assumed they had done little to no research on the area before coming. It was a Jedi's fault to almost charge right in and hope the Force would protect him. Luckily he had been read ahead and scouted the area once already. "You are right, the temple is old, preliminary reports believe this may even pre-date the order. The block on force probing is evident even within touching distance, a scouting droid has entered once but we lost feed shortly after it entered." A small group of other Jedi and surveyors gathered their gear and where waiting near the exit of the camp.

Looking over at the temple he continued talking. "It looks close but its still a twenty minute walk through the jungle to the base and the current known entrance. Keep a look out, their is a family pack of Gundarks in the area. They have already taken out one group and a young Jedi." Looking over at Cregan he smiled "You can ask for your light-saber if you want."

Spoiler

If you both want to post into the jungle, I will initiate the attack on the next round.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

Not dying - that was definitely on his checklist for today.

Listening to Rangal however, Cregan was beginning to regret handing over his lightsaber to Ekaj. But... well, he had made a commitment to not using it for this little adventure and he was going to see it through. After all, breaking your vow to yourself less than five minutes after you had actually made the vow?

That was weakness right there, plain and simple.

"Oh lovely." he muttered, mostly to himself but loud enough that the others could probably hear him too, "What's the bet that the temple that doesn't-want-to-be-probed is going to give more active resistance when we're closer to it? I swear to the Force, if there's a giant bolder that rolls towards me..."

Whatever.

He had this - he had this! This was going to go amazingly well!

Oh.

"Gundarks. Naturally." he admitted with a small nod as he sighed and started into the jungle with the other members of the expedition, "I guess we'd better get moving. I doubt it'll be less dangerous closer to the thing but at least we'll actually get a chance to die doing what we came here for rather than just because some Gundarks were hungry."

He might have been being a little bit pessimistic but they were walking through the thick jungle now and he was rather on edge, keeping an eye and ear open for any warning signs of attacks. His senses heightened by the Force, he was also waiting to receive any warnings from the Force itself. Because honestly... of course it would be kriffing Gundarks. Because Gundarks were hardly ever alone, which meant they really were in for a hard time if the entire clan was around.

Lovely day for a walk though - he was actually rather enjoying the heat and humidity of the jungle. Much better than the recycled air you got when on a ship!

@Andrewza @Braden Drake

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj was happy his assumptions where falidated but at the same time it was a scary thought. Here lay a unexplored tomb that held treasure of knowledge Untold that seemed to actively be fighting back.


Now he found out that Gundarks had taken to calling the old temple home. Though he was not surprised that mental defense was backed by physical. If it was easy to explore it would not be a unexplored. "Gundarks? How did Gundarks get here. I was unaware of them calling Jakku home"

 

[Rangal]

As they walked out of the small camp and down the path to the temple he looked over at Ekaj. "It could have been a number of Reasons Ekaj, something as diabolical as the creater of the tomb, or the exiles planting them here to cause damage to the surrounding population or something as simple as them being transported for leisure or recreational purposes and them getting loose. It has happened on a number of systems, where a wealthy man who wanted big game to capture led to an epidemic." He let the younger Jedi absorb his words as they walked into the dense undergrowth of the Jungle.

He was never one to enjoy the humidity of planets such as Jakku, he was always hot and sweaty, never a good condition to be in whilst studying. They were perhaps just over two thirds of the way through when they heard the first rumbling the underbrush. Rangal himself kept calm, but one of the Jedi who came with them was not so inclined. He ignited his saber, a blue tinge erupted in the surrounding greenery. Though it didn't last long, a quick dash of red appeared and swept the Jedi aside. His body flung back into a nearby tree, his chest rendered a mess of flesh and bone. The creature disappeared as quickly as he came. "That was the Alpha." Rangal said loudly over the commotion of the rest of the team. "He normally hunts with two others, but do not get complacent. We have records of up to seven in the clan." He did not ignite his own blade, only waited for the next move.

 

[Darth Evandrus]

That was an excellent question - how did some of the galaxy's most feared creatures end up on Jakku of all places? Their native world was rather well documented and yet, somehow, the bloody things tended to be on almost any planet with a similar biosphere to their homeworld. Sure, some of them would have been escaped slaves or pets but... was that the same reason for all of the planets they could be found on?

Because that suggested that the population of the galaxy was stupid enough to keep trying the idea of having them as tame creatures, despite how that had obviously not gone well in the past.

"Short version Ekaj?" he said with a smirk, "Either to kill people like us or because the galaxy is filled with very stupid rich people."

Kriff.

They were down a Jedi already? Such a waste.

Reaching out with the Force, Cregan pulled the deceased Jedi's lightsaber to himself. Trying to remain calm, and not give into the temptation to use the blade, he began to take the saber apart with his hands and the Force. Once the ignition was disabled, he threw away the metal components and took the crystal from it's housing, carefully wrapping it in a torn piece of his sleeve before putting it into a compartment on his belt.

Since Ilum, it was a good idea to reclaim the crystals that they could.

He glanced at Rangal even as he reached out with the Force to try and detect the Gundarks. He could feel them nearby but their speed meant he couldn't get a precise lock on their location,

"Do we want to keep moving?" he asked, knees slightly bent as he held himself in a loose ready position so he could either fight or run at a moment's notice, "Or are we fighting them before we move on?"

@Braden Drake @Andrewza