Ask Wild Bantha Chase

[Lucien Adami]

​

There was a spring in Lucien’s step as he strode through the hangar bay, Jedi robe swaying behind him in his wake. The temple hangar was bustling with its usual early morning activity as Jedi, droids and technical staff tended to their business. Nodding and smiling politely at familiar faces, Lucien made his way over to the waiting transport vessel. He could hear hum of repulsorlifts warming up for preflight-checks and smell the pungent aroma of starship fuel as the hangar’s vessels topped up their supplies. A soft blue sky beckoned from outside the hangar doors, tinged with the pink light of dawn. What a picturesque start to his first official duty as a Jedi Knight.

After some cursory small talk with the pilot, Lucien settled down into one of the transport’s window seats. He withdrew a datapad from one of his robe’s pockets and began reviewing the mission brief.

He was bound for Dagro, a quaint agricultural planet on the mid-rim. There he would seek out the client, a Neimoidian businessman named Lat Mundo. The brief described Mundo as a valued contact and generous donor to the Jedi cause. A valuable asset of his had been compromised and so he called for Jedi assistance.

Lucien’s tenure as a Jedi Padawan was drawn out, and he saw more than a few of his colleagues ascend to knighthood before it was his turn. It had taken him too long, and in that length of time he had seen his fair share of nonsense missions, solving ridiculous problems for even more ridiculous individuals. Lucien took a deep breath. He remembered the voice of his Master gently reminding him, as he had done many times, that it was about the journey and not the destination. His Master was correct, but Lucien was ever eager to reach new destinations.

It was finally time to act as a Jedi Knight. Lucien grinned. He knew that another Jedi (@Quin Leonkri ) was supposed to accompany him on this mission. He was looking forward to meeting them and so he patiently awaited their arrival, gazing through the cold transparisteel at the idyllic scene beyond the hangar doors.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Oh no oh no I’m gonna be late! It was today of all days that Quin’s alarm had to choose to not work. He’d set it so that it would ring an hour before the ship would depart, but now he only had ten minutes to prepare.

He threw on his lightsaber and grabbed his lightsaber, quickly clipping it to his belt as he burst out of his room and ran straight for the hangar. He looked longingly over at the cafeteria as he passed it, the warm aroma of freshly made food wafting out of the doors, but there would be no time for breakfast if he wanted to get on the ship in time. His stomach growled in protest, but the Padawan pushed on.

Quin skidded to a stop in the middle of the hangar, looking around for his ship as he checked the time. Phew. Five minutes. The Jedi knight he was supposed to be traveling with looked to be nowhere in sight, and he wondered briefly what he was going to be like. When he’d been assigned the mission, he’d learned that he was going to be working with a certain Lucien Adami. He didn’t know much about him, but he was certainly eager to get to learn more about him as the mission went on. However, he first had to find the ship.

It didn’t take long for him to spot the transport, and it was good timing too. Quin was able to run up the ramp just before it closed, plopping himself down on the seat across from a man who was looking out the window at the sunrise.

“Hello,” began the Padawan once he caught his breath. “You must be Master Adami. I’m Quin. Nice to meet you.” He grinned and stuck out an arm, offering him a handshake.

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

The mention of 'Master Adami' made Lucien raise his eyebrows slightly. It was still strange being being addressed in that manner, but he could tell that it wouldn't him take long to get used to it. It sure as heck beat 'Padawan Adami' any day of the week.

He put on a polite smile as he regarded the young Jedi in front of him, accepting his handshake with a firm grip.

"The pleasure is mine," he said as he sized up his mission partner. Lucien's voice had a warm, reassuring cadence. He didn't recognise Quin, but that wasn't surprising - the boy looked to be ten years his junior. You'd think they'd assign me someone a little older Lucien wondered to himself, but stopped that train of thought before it went any further. The judgemental part of his mind had the tendency to run wild, much to Lucien's dismay. Give the kid a chance. Who knows, I could be talking to the next Rey Skywalker. Either way, he knew better than to question the wisdom of the Council.

He released the Padawan's hand after the brief handshake. The transport's repulsorlifts buzzed to life, lifting the ship into the air. The pilot chattered back and forth with Temple traffic control, organising clearance and declaring his flight path intentions. Lucien braced his arm against the seat in front to steady himself.

"So, what do you think about the upcoming assignment?" Lucien asked. He hoped that Quin had read the mission brief. "I've never been to Dagro before but I hear it's meant to be a quaint little farming world. Should be nice for a change of pace! Always feels like the whole planet is out to get me on Yavin."

Lucien thought of the jungle moon's deadly predators. He'd had more than his fair share of close encounters. And not to mention the insects! He shuddered at the memories.

Lucien looked Quin in the eyes as he awaited the Padawan's response. His hand rested on his robe, just above the pocket where his datapad was stowed. He didn't mind getting to know the young Jedi a little better, but if Quin decided he wasn't feeling up to conversation, there was always his datapad. Lucien had pre-loaded some holobooks just for the journey.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin settled down in his own seat as the ship began to lift off. As the ship turned, he could see why Master Adami had been looking outside earlier. The sunrise really was pretty, and he couldn’t believe that he’d never seen it since he’d gotten here. Minus the fact that he’d never been awake for it due to his habit of sleeping in late, but that was something he could worry about another time.

He turned back to meet Master Adami’s gaze as the Jedi knight asked him about the mission. If he were being honest, he didn’t really care what the assignment entailed— he was just happy to get off Yavin and be on another adventure. It was so boring staying in the temple all day, he wanted to go out and explore. And Master Adami did have a point when he said that the whole planet was out to get him. Quin felt that way sometimes too.

“I think it’ll be fun! Who knows what we’ll find,” he said with a grin. “Even if it is mostly farms, there’s gotta be something special keeping Mundo there.” The last part made him wonder what it was, but then he shrugged it off. They would find that out soon enough.

“Definitely a change of pace,” he agreed, sighing happily before he looked over at Master Adami. “Ya know, this is so much better than being on Naboo. You wouldn’t believe how much more you can do and see as a Jedi. I’ve heard people saying that life as a Padawan is so full of rules, but ever since I got here I’ve already done and learned more than I ever did in the Royal Academy.” He kicked his legs up on the seat in front of him, and grinned at the Jedi knight again.

“Enough about me. What was your life like before becoming a Jedi?”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

Lucien couldn't help smiling as he listened to Quin talk about his hopes for the mission ahead. Padawan Leonkri's enthusiasm was infectious. Lucien was surprised to hear the mention of his homeworld Naboo, and he stiffened a little in his seat at the reference to the Royal Academy.

A holofilm reel of memories played out before Lucien's mind's eye. He remembered the lecture halls packed with uniformly clothed students - probably the highest concentration of rich brats you could find anywhere in the galaxy. He remembered the pompous Professors with their dug-in, unchanging methods and attitudes. He remembered the crushing weight of expectations, the futility he felt as he studied day after boring day. All of it would've been bearable if it wasn't for the loneliness.

Snapping out of his brief trance, Lucien realised that he'd left the Padawan's question unanswered. An awkward pause had set in. Normally he'd brush off a questions about his personal life, but this time he felt different. The Royal Academy on Naboo was a facility for the sons and daughters of the planet's most affluent families. Lucien welcomed Padawan Leonkri's disdain for it. What a strange coincidence of the Force, having brought them together for this mission.

"Oh, uhh, my life..." Lucien paused. Where to even begin? "Well, it's curious you bring up Naboo because that's where I was born. It surprised me even more to hear you mention the Royal Academy. I attended. Never graduated..." Lucien trailed off.

"To cut a long story short, I totally get why you might like this life better than back on Naboo. I don't look back on my life there particularly fondly." He felt repressed resentment boiling up. It wasn't appropriate to unload all of it on someone he'd just met. It wasn't at all appropriate for a Jedi Knight. He took a deep breath. There was a question he was curious to ask the Padawan.

"What made you join up with the Jedi?"

The transport was breaking through Yavin IV's atmosphere and into open space. The soft morning sky faded, becoming paler before finally giving way to inky black.


@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin’s mouth dropped open when Master Adami revealed that he too had been born on Naboo. He’d attended the Royal Academy, and was even a fellow dropout like Quin! The Padawan would have to thank whoever paired them together for the mission. Finally, someone who understood why he would decide to leave one of the most prestigious schools in the galaxy. If he hadn’t already warmed up to the Jedi knight before, he certainly had now.

At Master Adami’s question, Quin put a hand to his chin as he thought of an answer. He’d been asked the same question when he’d first arrived on Yavin, before he became a Padawan. “To learn the ways of the Force” was what he said back then, but he knew that there was far more to it than that.

“I guess I wanted to be able to make my own choices, somehow find my own way in life,” Quin said thoughtfully as he looked back at the Jedi knight. “On Naboo? My parents wouldn’t let me go anywhere without a bunch of security. I couldn’t even go to the park without them! I only had my first cotton candy recently. Very recently.” He frowned at that, then shrugged. Sure he’d missed out, but he was learning more about being normal every day! “Being a Jedi, I don’t need them, plus I get to use the Force without having someone yell at me about it being improper. In fact, I’m even encouraged to use it more!” He grinned, then levitated a drink off the tray of the droid that had come to serve the two Jedi. He lifted it up, looking to see what it was. Freshly made caf— this would do for breakfast.

“Thanks.” He nodded to the droid as it rolled away before sheepishly meeting the gaze of Master Adami, taking a sip from his cup.

“Sorry if I’m talking too much. My master sometimes gets annoyed with me because of it. Heh.”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

Lucien nodded slowly as Quin answered his question.

"Yes, of course, I can understand that," He said in response to the Padawan's reflection on Jedi life in comparison to back at home on Naboo, "There's a certain freedom you get following the Jedi path. Sure, it comes with it's own set of restrictions - we've got more than enough red tape to deal with... But nothing really compares to the feeling of being able to help; to really make a difference."

He raised an eyebrow at the Padawan's use of the Force to grab a drink from the droid's tray before reaching over to remove a glass of water for himself. He gave the droid a curt nod.

The Knight chuckled, waving off the young Jedi's concern of being overly chatty, "No, no, you're fine."

His answer was dictated by politeness. If anything, Lucien's Master had gotten annoyed at him for being too reserved and quiet, and for bottling up his feelings. Lucien became slightly apprehensive about the upcoming hyperspace journey, though he attempted to show no sign of it.

He sipped from his glass, other hand rummaging through the folds of his robe as he retrieved his datapad. He had the choice between two pre-loaded holobooks: Phenomenology of the Force by the prolific Jedi Master Porro Zapal, and Dune Sea Oddyssey, a freshly-released fiction best seller. With a flick of his finger, the Jedi Knight brought the latter holobook up onto the datapad screen. It was far too early for Force philosophy.

"To tell the truth I can hardly wait to arrive on Dagro." He echoed the padawans words: "Who knows what we'll find."

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

The sweeping plains of Dagro reminded Quin much of the grasslands on Naboo. It was the first thing he thought of as he stepped off the ramp of the ship alongside Master Adami. They’d landed just outside a small settlement, where they would find their contact. Still, Quin couldn’t help but admire the expanse of farmland that surrounded the village. Fields of sargheet stretched out as far as the eye could see, and he wondered how so few people could maintain it all.

He looked over at the entrance to the settlement and saw a woman standing there to greet them, a warm smile on her face as she looked over at the pair.

“Jedi. Welcome to our village,” she said, giving each of them a brief nod in greeting. Quin did the same for her, listening attentively as she spoke again.

“I assume you’re here to meet Jovan? He’s the one who reached out about his missing asset.” Quin exchanged a glance with Master Adami before responding.

“I think so.” The woman nodded again before motioning for the pair to follow her.

“This way, then. He’s waiting for you.” She led them to a small hut near the center of the village. It looked pretty nice compared to the others, and Quin wondered who exactly this Jovan was. When she opened the door for them, the Padawan shrugged mentally to himself. They’d figure that out soon. If the man was already waiting, it was probably best not to keep him for longer.

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

Lucien felt a pang of bittersweet nostalgia as he looked onto Dagro's lush farmland from on above. It too reminded him of his idyllic home planet. Despite the unpleasant memories of his childhood, he always had an admiration for Naboo's natural beauty.

“Jedi. Welcome to our village.”

"Thank you. We are pleased to be here," He responded to the friendly woman's welcome.

Lucien caught Quin shooting him a glance. Jovan? I must've read the mission brief three times over.... including all the appendices. There was no mention of any Jovan. And yet they know we're here on Jedi business.

The Jedi Knight approved of Quin's response. Curious to see the outcome of this interaction, he followed in step. As he walked, he reached out to the Force in search of guidance. He found the path forward to be cloudy. Not surprising, the Force was very selective in when it chose to speak to him.

Lucien entered the hut, expecting the young Padawan to follow in tow. The interior was utilitarian in its furnishing. The room they entered contained a rectangular wooden table of local make. A circular rug adorned the floor underneath. Two empty chairs were present on the side nearest the Jedi, and one chair was on the far side - occupied. A thin Neimoidian man lounged in this seat, one leg crossed over the other, studying the Jedi as they made their entrance. Lucien let his eyes sweep the room, noticing that the door they had walked through was flanked by two bodyguard droids.

The Neimodian broke out into a fit of coughs, his wheezing echoing around the small chamber. Finally catching his breath, he spoke. "Please excuse me Master Jedi," He addressed both Quin and Lucien,"Take a seat, there is something I must discuss."

Lucien felt a ominous prod from the Force. This doesn't feel right. He cast a cautionary glance at the guard droids.

"I take it you are not Lat Mundo. Would you mind directing us to where we could find him?"

"No, no Master Jedi, my name is Jovan. And as for Lat Mundo, well, that is whom I wish to discuss. I wish to warn you about that Lat Mundo." The Neimoidian spat the name out, his eyes seemed to burn more intensely red whenever he uttered it.

Jovan gestured at the empty seats in front of him. "Now please, you must sit down. It is only polite."

Lucien scanned their surroundings once more. He couldn't identify any additional threats and the two bodyguard droids would be no match for the Jedi if push came to shove. He made his way reluctantly forward, towards the left-hand chair, intending to sit down and hear Jovan out.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

He really needs to drink some water. It was the only reaction Quin could muster up when Jovan broke out into a hacking cough. Fortunately for the Neimodian, it seemed to subside after a bit, and he beckoned for the two Jedi to sit down. It was only then that Quin suddenly felt the presence of the two bodyguard droids at their sides. He could see that Master Adami noticed them too, given his quick glance at them. Strange for a village like this one. Who would be threatening him?

Even with his growing unease, Quin followed Master Adami as he moved to sit down. He only took a quick glance at the bodyguard droids before focusing back on Jovan, who had folded his hands over his desk with a smile on his face. Quin didn’t know what, but something about the man seemed… off.

“Master Jedi, I do not mean to insult your good judgement when I say this, but I should have you know that Lat Mundo is a fraud.” Jovan leaned back in his chair, threading his fingers together. His red eyes burned fervently as he looked between the two Jedi. “I understand he has graciously provided resources to your Jedi Order. But, have you ever thought about where those resources come from?” Quin shifted in his seat, unsure what to say. Jovan pressed on.

“Now, he wishes for you to secure an asset which he claims is his. A Bantha that belongs to me. Me!” He slammed a fist on the table, and Quin glanced at Master Adami in confusion before looking back at Jovan.

“Whoa, no one said anything about a Bantha. What are you-”

“Ah, so he failed to include even this key detail. Now do you see how he is using you? He takes you for fools.” Now Quin knew even less about what was going on. The mission brief hadn’t mentioned this guy at all, even less about a Bantha. He assumed that Master Adami was as surprised as he was about all this. Maybe if he could find out a little bit more...

“Then what would you have us do about it?”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

Lucien most definitely shared in the Padawan's confusion. He had done his best job at maintaining the calm composure that Jedi were so famous for, but this was slowly becoming too much for the Jedi Knight. At each fervent outburst of the Neiomoidian opposite them, Lucien would lean further back in his chair, eyes widening with incredulity. This is unreal...

Lucien's ears perked up as Lat Mundo pressed on. A Bantha? We better not have come all this way for an overgrown furball.

Quin posed the Neimoidian a question, “Then what would you have us do about it?”

"Jedi I urge you. You must not return that Bantha to Mundo. I urge you. Use your reasoning, you know the difference between right and wrong. Find my beloved Brutus and bring him back to me. His rightful owner," Jovan responded.

Lucien was wide-eyed. He took a few deep breaths and tried to center himself. He hoped Quin didn't notice how utterly lost he was. The Knight put on his best diplomatic face, it was time to act like a Jedi.

"Mister Jovan, I believe we may be in a position to help you but first you must help us understand. Tell us more about the Bantha, start from the beginning. Please understand that we might not be informed on all of the details - your polite, calm explanation would be much appreciated," Lucien said.

"Five years!" The Neimodian shouted, stopping himself before continuing in a softer tone, "Five years ago Laat Mundo stole my Bantha Brutus from me. And every single year since he has taken first prize at the Royal Bantha Show. My family has been competing in the show for generations - we've taken our fair share of prizes and rightfully so. We treat our Banthas like our own children and Brutus was my darling. I knew he would be something special since when we was a calf, only this tall."

Jovan raised his hand to his seated eye level.

He continued, "A couple weeks back Brutus went missing from his pen in Mundo's estate. The poor boy must have run away! Lat is a terrible owner, his animals live in total misery. My family has been breeding Bantha for generations you see. Not Lat, he bought his way in with those dirty credits of his. And then he had to cheat!"

Lucien was getting the feeling that this mission would be a colossal waste of time. He tried his best to not let the mounting disappointment he felt show on his face. Regardless, he needed all the information he could get.

"You called Lat Mundo a fraud. And you put into question his support of the Jedi order. Could you tell us a little more?" Lucien probed.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

Quin loved animals. He always had, and from what Jovan was saying about how Mundo had treated Brutus, he could see why he was so angry. It reminded him of the nexu that had guided him to his lightsaber crystal. It had belonged to a circus, chased by a Gamorrean with a stun pole, but he was happy that it ended up finding a life of its own in the desert afterwards. He also had a feeling that the Neimoidian was telling the truth, though whose version of the truth was beyond him. However, he did seem to feel genuine concern for the Bantha, and that was enough for Quin to soften up a little.

At Master Adami’s request, Jovan nodded. “Mundo makes his bank selling things he steals. Donations to the Jedi? All a sham! He only wants to cover it all up. Who would suspect such a generous man, contributing to an honorable cause, of thievery?” It did make sense when Quin thought about it. He looked over at Master Adami, wanting to ask if they could do something to help.

“Do you know where we can find Brutus?” he asked the Neimoidian instead. For now, he wanted to seem neutral in this as they found out more information, but the asset was still an asset, and Quin didn’t want to return to Yavin empty-handed. It would simply be wrong to hand Brutus over to Mundo, but they couldn’t ignore their mission either. However, for him and Master Adami to worry about any of that, they had to find the Bantha first.

“I believe he is somewhere on Onderon. From my sources, it is where he was last spotted. I suggest you start there.” His gaze went from Quin to Master Adami. “I do hope you make the right decision about who you are really helping.”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

It was now confirmed that they had come all this way for an overgrown furball. And they may have to go even further . All the way to Onderon in fact. Lucien groaned internally. He could sense no deception in Jovan's words, it was such a ridiculous story that the Knight suspected it was true.

"I realise that this must be quite a difficult time for you, Jovan. Be assured that we will carry out this investigation thoroughly - we will reach the bottom of this and the information you have provided us has been most helpful. We are, however, also required to speak to our client Lat Mundo and listen to his concerns." Lucien said.

"That is only what I expected to hear Master Jedi. As a token of my good will I offer you this. I shall have my assistant take you to Mundo and back so that you may go about your business. In return I ask for one thing. I have chartered a shuttle to Onderon; it is standing by for departure as we speak. Consider stepping outside and having a private discussion between yourselves. Maybe it's not worth seeing going to see Mundo first. Brutus is lost and every moment spent in deliberation might be a moment too late." Jovan replied with diplomatic flourish.

Lucien nodded. It struck him as a reasonable request and so he stood, politely nodded again, and left the hut.

"That was not what I was expecting. For a moment there I thought I was back on the transport, fast asleep in some kind of fever dream." He would say to Quin outside the house should the Padawan decide to follow him, "What do you make of all this? Speak freely."

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

How they would go about continuing this mission was beyond Quin, but he was glad to have Master Adami to work with. After he followed the Jedi knight’s example, gave Jovan a respectful nod and headed outside, he found himself agreeing with Master Adami’s sentiment. A fever dream was understating it, and things had gone from zero to a hundred more quickly than he’d thought possible.

“Yeah, me too,” he replied. Then Quin put a hand on his chin as he thought about all they’d just learned. “I think we should help him. He doesn’t sound like he’s lying, not from what I could tell, and if Brutus is really being mistreated…” He hesitated. “I don’t really want to give him back to Mundo. It’s not the Jedi way, knowingly sending a life form to suffer.” He looked up with a frown, turning to Master Adami. All the factors and decisions they had to make were making his head swim.

“What do you think we should do?” he asked, wondering how the Jedi knight felt about all this. He was probably more experienced, and part of the reason why Quin was sent on the mission was to learn. Though, that didn’t prevent him from putting out a couple suggestions. “Meet Mundo? Go straight to finding Brutus? Jovan seemed in a hurry, but we can’t ignore why we were sent on this mission in the first place.”

Whatever they were going to do, Quin hoped that it would be for the best, both for them and for the Bantha.

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

The boy sure seems pretty invested in this Bantha's safety. Lucien thought as Quin began to give his opinion. He could not say the same, at least not to the same extent. The Jedi Knight had never had a pet; he never really wanted one for that matter. As someone who considered himself an analytical person, Lucien had never understood the value in having a creature that depended totally on you. Animals couldn't even hold conversations. What he did understand though was Jovan's despair at losing something that he loved.

"Jovan clearly cared a lot about that Bantha. You're right, it would be a shame to send it back to an unrightful owner. I don't belive Jovan is lying either, but I can't shake the feeling that there's something we haven't been told," He said.

Lucien slowly shook his head like he was literally trying to shake the feeling. Then he nodded at Quin suggesting that they shouldn't ignore their purpose on the mission.

"Yes, we should pay Lat Mundo a visit. We must also consider that upsetting him would likely kill a valuable inflow of credits for the Jedi. And that would see us filling in some fun paperwork back at the Temple, having failed the mission and all," He said sarcastically, "Anyway here's my idea: we don't tell Mundo that we met up with Jovan beforehand. If we play dumb he might reveal something interesting. What do you think?"

The Jedi Knight awaited his companion's response. He was ready to go and meet Mundo unless Quin wanted to continue the conversation.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“Paperwork. Reminds me of school.” Quin frowned at the thought of having to write up a report. But then when Master Adami proposed his idea, the Padawan nodded.

“I think it’s a good plan! The more information we have, the better.” And that was that. The two boarded the ship for Onderon, where they then had their conversation with Mundo over the hologram. If Quin hadn’t talked to Jovan beforehand, he wouldn’t have suspected a thing, and would have believed the concern written all over Mundo’s face as he talked about the Bantha. They did get a better lead on where Brutus was though— Mundo mentioned how the last place he’d seen it was at the edge of highlands, where the Bantha had disappeared into the mountains a few days ago.

Soon enough they had entered the atmosphere of Onderon, and would be approaching the ground soon. Jovan had provided the pair with two speeders, though when Quin saw them they looked like they were about to fall apart any minute. Though he was no mechanic, he was still skeptical about using them even when the man who’d brought them out had reassured them that they were working perfectly fine.

As the ship approached the ground, Quin turned to Master Adami. “Any idea where we should start? Maybe we could ask around the streets if anyone’s seen a Bantha recently… actually, that would be weird. But that’s the best I’ve got, heh.”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

"You know what, that might be a better idea than you think, Iziz is a big city. We can pay a few cantinas a visit, ask some questions and who knows what we'll hear. I haven't got anything better than that either... Anyway, it sure sounds more fun than making it straight for the highlands and uhhh, looking for Bantha prints?" Lucien said.

The landing gear hydraulics let out an almighty hiss as they assumed the full weight of the ship. They had touched down on Onderonian soil and Lucien got his first glimpse of the planet as the landing ramp descended. Setting eyes on a new planet for the first time still hadn't gotten old for the Jedi Knight. After sixteen long years stuck on Naboo, largely within the boundaries of his family estate, he'd become quite the galactic traveler.

He mounted his speeder bike and set forth towards the sheer walls of Iziz. Although the trip to the city was short, he couldn't say it was particularly comfortable. The speeder bucked back and forth like a mad gundark, and it wasn't long before Lucien felt nausea setting in. Maybe it was just his crummy piloting...

Passing through the gates and looking around, the Jedi Knight felt a pang of nostalgia. It almost reminds me of Theed in a way. Doesn't quite match up though. He dismounted the speeder and pushed it through the narrow streets, hoping to reach a neighbourhood that was perhaps a little less frequently patrolled by the city guard. A neighbourhood where one might find the sort of lowlifes who deal in the illegal animal trade. Or, more likely, just someone who could point them in that general direction.

He came across a dilapidated little cantina. The neon sign hanging out front read 'The Wampa Cave,' or at least it would have if half the letters hadn't burnt out. Bingo.

Lucien shot Padawan Leonkri a grin. "Shall we head inside?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

“You have a point there.” Asking around would certainly be more efficient than blindly searching through the highlands, even if it would mean getting a few strange looks.

When they arrived in Iziz and dismounted their speeders, Quin noticed that Master Adami looked a little green from the trip. He couldn’t blame him. With the amount of times he’d thought that he was about to be thrown off the bike, he was starting to feel it in his stomach too.

The pair soon approached a cantina, the flickering orange sign outside marking it as such. No better place to start than here, Quin assumed, where the alcohol would likely encourage people to talk more freely than they would have otherwise. The Padawan nodded at the knight’s suggestion, then grinned back as he reached over to the door control panel.

“Yup. Time to find out what they know,” he said, pressing a button. The door slid open to reveal a dimly lit room containing a crowded bar surrounded by various tables. Fairly standard for a place like this. Just as he and Master Adami entered, Quin noticed that a Mythrol and a twi-lek had just finished a conversation, and the former was just about to make his way out the door.

“Sir? Do you have a minute?” the Padawan asked just as he was about to exit. The Mythrol scowled.

“Kriff off, kid. What’re you doing in this place anyway?” he asked as he turned around. Then he looked at Quin and seemed to notice the lightsaber on his hip, and his mannerism switched instantly.

“Oh, uh— I didn’t mean that. You’re, ah, welcome here,” he said, his eyes darting in the direction of the door and back again. Are Jedi that feared around here? Or is it just him?

“We were just wondering if you’ve seen a Bantha around here. They’re… big, furry, and they have horns that go out like this?” Quin tried to use his hands to mimic the curved horns of the animal, then gave up after a second. The interesting thing was, the Mythrol didn’t even seem to need the explanation. At the very mention of the word “Bantha”, he seemed to freeze up. His next words almost confirmed that he had indeed seen one… perhaps, Quin though, even had something to do with it.

“A Bantha? No… of course not. Nope. Not in my life. Don’t even know what it is. Never seen anything like-”

“You’re going to have to do better than that, sir.”

@Lucien

 

[Lucien Adami]

Quin had begun to engage the Mythrol in conversation. Lucien followed the dialogue briefly and it seemed to be going smooth enough so he decided to try a different approach, making his way over to the bar.

He leaned on the counter and took stock of the crowded little establishment. The smoky room was filled with a variety of alien species, some that Lucien had never seen before. A jumble of noises rolled over him - shouting from the Pazaak tables as a Duros triumphantly celebrated his victory, the merry laughter of working folk unwinding after a difficult week, and angry debate from within the private meeting rooms. Who knew what kind of deals were being wrought in those dark chambers.

Lucien raised a hand, signalling the bartender.

"What do you want?" The Mirialan asked without even looking at him as she mixed a drink for another patron. Mirialans were known for their traditional face tattoos, but this woman's skin was covered - the black ink traced geometric patterns all over her arms and neck as well.

"Information." He shouted over the electronic music. "I'm looking to source a Bantha."

"Buddy, can't you see I've got my hands full here? Go bother someone else." She replied.

"I think I have something that might interest you. You see, I'm trying to put together a zoo and I'm in need of some very particular exotic animals. All I want is to be pointed in the right direction. Given the nature of the business, I am sparing no expense and I'm sure we could agree on a suitable reward for the right information" He withdrew the credit allowance that the Order had provided for this mission from the folds of his robe and gave the bag a quick shake before stowing it away. Lucien played the part of a rich eccentric young man like a natural.

He now had the bartender's full attention. Lucien quickly glanced over at his Padawan companion to see how he was progressing.

@Sicadorito

 

[Quin Leonkri]

As the Mythrol struggled to come up with a response, Quin glanced over to see Master Adami chatting it up with the bartender. He seemed to be doing just fine with his bag of credits and all, so the Padawan turned back to the man he was questioning.

“Ask Tom over there. He knows.” The Mythrol pointed to the twi-lek he’d been talking to earlier, and Quin gave him a nod of understanding.

“Thank you, sir!” Approaching the twi-lek at the table, who had his arm around the woman sitting next to him, Quin waited quietly as the man laughed at something the woman said. Once he said a quick word in response, he glanced at the Padawan,

“Yes?”

“You’re Mr. Tom, right? I was wondering about a Bantha-” The twi-lek held up a finger, halting Quin in the middle of his sentence.

“Kid-” Quin met the man’s gaze. “Kid, you’ve got the wrong guy. My name isn’t Tom, and I know nothing about Banthas. Your friend there, who just ran out the door, does.” Quin whirled around just to catch sight of the Mythrol dashing outside. Uh-oh. “I reckon it was a distraction, sending you to me. I only bought him a drink, and that’s about as much as I know about this Bantha.” The Padawan gave the twi-lek and his girlfriend(maybe) a quick nod in thanks, then immediately made his way towards the door and once he was outside, took off after the Mythrol. He spotted the man just about to turn a corner.

“Uh- sir! I think you pointed to the wrong-” He turned the corner, and Quin glanced back nervously at the entrance of the cantina. Hopefully Master Adami wouldn’t scold him for messing up his attempted questioning. Maybe if he got him back… Quin made up his mind and darted after the man, following him into the street and knocking him to the ground with his elbow as soon as he caught up.

“Sorry, sir. Would you-” The Mythrol tried to shove him off, but Quin held the man firmly to the ground. “Would you mind answering a couple more questions? Sorry again, uh, if this is uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to tackle you so hard.”

@Lucien