Noventa - A Star Wars Story

Sharn waited for the red Mandalorian at an agreed geospot in the foothills.

She arrived with a smile, carrying the book with her, waving to Sharn. "Hey, hope you weren't waiting long."

"Thanks to my serendipitously brilliant mind I never suffer boredom when alone." His deadpan was like a greeting smile, she would already know. "How was your night?"

"Oh, it wasn't bad. Had a nice conversation with Mysterious Male-Identifying Book Guy who will officially be known as that until he decides to say otherwise," she said as she handed it over. "Worked on figuring out exactly how the map works."

"And the result of your efforts is?" He raised one brow, folding arms on his chest.

She took out her datapad to show him how the maps lined up. "I got how it's lined up figured out. The main temple should be around there, but the topography's changed... we'll have to feel it out a bit."

He glanced at it. "Well done. I walked around here yesterday and I have an idea where to head with the search. Let me check something first though, in the tome."

He found the part he had studied last evening and gave it a fresh look.

MM3. Superior Geotagging.: 3eA+2eP+3eD 1 success, 1 threat

You are able to find where the path matched up with where you ran into Banks, the day previous. It does line up, but as the voice had said, this would be more a journey of feeling. And with that feeling, a sharp,searing pang of pain moved down your spine, as the feeling of the disembodied voice returned.

So you came together today. Wonderful. The voice returned, a visible, shadowy form taking a much more... almost corporeal shape. A nose, and piercing eyes could be seen. The land is alive around me. I can feel it, and yet I am still in this tomb. I can feel my body, fingers clenching. I tired of being only this voice. The body looked at Runi, and then to the Chiss. You are both so different from each other. I am still surprised you are working together, such... different ways to view the Force.

With examining the book once more, trying to ascertain dates, you can hardly believe the number. It is milennia old. Somewhere in the greater than twenty thousand years ago range, but something the grammar and context once again befuddled you (using the threat to muddy the actual date of the Calendar in the book).

"Complementarity is good enough a reason." Sharn replied quickly. His deeper sentiments behind his commitment to continue on this quest with her were best not shared with either. His claim, however, was sound on many levels, including the visual. Standing close, they constituted a blue-red yin-yang even if such symbol likely did not exist in the galaxy far far away. "What is behind the Gate, our 20 millennia old stalker?" He wanted to turn the tables quickly.

"Oh, hi, Codex," Runi greeted as if everything was normal. And we'll, with the Force, maybe this was. Sharn didn't seem to want to share much with him, so she followed his lead and replied. "Mm... Yes, that's true. Multiple approaches."

"Codex?" Sharn raised his brow.

A good way of addeessing me in this form. The apparition folded it's arms behind it's back. The shape turned, heading down the path, before turning into a wooded area.

Coming?

She shrugged and looked toward Sharn with a shrug. It was as reasonable a path as any. "Shall we?" She stepped forward to follow.

He nodded reluctantly and followed.

There was no trail in the forest. No set about path. But what there was, was a strong sense of life. And death. Nothingness and Bounty. All swirling together in a maelstrom in the Force.

The apparition remained visible, just ahead of the pair, growing more and more distinct as they moved deeper into the forest.

After a time, the appearance of a man took shake, though features were still obscured by darkness.

"Here." He pointed to a collapsed cave, before a rumbling was felt. The rocks began to shift, and withdraw away.

Another door. Another ruin. Almost a darker reflection of the Ancient Ruins in Mount Hamankarn.

"What is to be accomplished by entering, Codex?" Sharn stopped and glanced at Runi. Instinctively, he reached for her hand as if was supposed to close the circuit and channel the swirling Force. Rarely would he do anything like it, and yet in that moment he felt compelled to do so. The grip was firm and reassuring.

"I've baked muffins and prepared caf." The apparition was deadpan as he spoke, looking to Sharn.

"You've wondered who I am, this is my... tomb... for lack of a better word."

Runi looked over to him in a little bit of surprised, but smiled a little and squeezed back. Her hand was warm, and he could feel a sense of calm strength from her, reassurance in turn.

"We might be able to learn something. I'm curious but not beyond caution."

Sharn reacted positively to some sarcasm, smirking. Still, it did not distract him from priorities. "If we aid you in getting free again, what happens next?"

"I share some of my knowledge with you both. I am not beyond gratitude." He looked at the pair. "And it would be good to have those with modern sensibilities appraise me before my return."