Noventa - A Star Wars Story

[Yes!]

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It was a comforting thought, but one that didn't integrate well with Temra's scientific background. But that was what Shazziq was working with him on, reconciling the two halves of himself - faith and science.

"Nothing is ever truly destroyed, merely transformed." The scientist within him opined. "How can we think the darkness is any different?" He asked.

/ exit to sounds of metaphysical debate?

"Know, Temra Zol, that if your master is truly gone that he is surely one with the Force. With you, always," she said, offering a guiding gesture once he was prepared to leave. Content to escort them from the forest. Following Daen's presence would be easy and Daen herself, she was strong in the Force.

"In such dark times as those to come yet we need to stand together. Know that in these troubling times we must first do what we can to correct the problem and when the time comes that the darkness is strong we must first defend those who may not defend themselves. Champions of the galaxy, that is what the Jedi have always been. I sensed your gift when we first met and you showed me your heart, Temra Zol. Should you let it guide you there will be no darkness you may not conquer."

"No, you are right Miss Daen. As long as I continue the fight, honor his memory, become the man he always thought I could be." Temra's mood slowly starts to turn around as he finds happier memories of his time with Shazziq.

"And what sort of gentleman would I be to fail to offer my aid to a lady in need. If you need assistance in balancing this scale, I am at your disposal."

"You are not at fault, Temra Zol," she said lightly. "You should gather your things, this is not the type of condition for you to be in for our conversation. No one may replace the loss of a friend but we must always remember that all is as the force wills it. All is as it must be. That, of course, does not mean we can not do our part, does it not?" she asked with some mirth to her tone, a warm and friendly smile.

Temra nods sadly as he remembers his friend. "A mentor and a friend who I lost a few years ago now. He saw something inside of me, and brought me here to Noventa to hide from the Inquisitors as well as show me what he knew of the Force. Our lessons and time were cut short when one of their number found us."

His mind whirs with guilt from the loss of Shazziq as well as for potentially exposing Daen.

At least there's no Inquisitors around here now that the Empire has been pushed back. Temra thinks to himself.

"Since before the rise of the Empire," she said with some sorrow held to her voice, but shook her head lightly, "but that was not the answer to the question you sought. This particular tremor guided me here to this planet. During my travels, while the Empire has reigned, there have been many places across the galaxy that have been tipped in balance toward the dark side of the force. I have done what I may to tip the scales back, to purify that which has become tainted. Noventa... this planet surges in the Force that is now corrupted by the darkness."

"In order to survive I have hidden myself and my Padawan from the force, from the inquisitors, but this is something that takes a great deal of effort and I fear it weakens my connection to the force to do so. I had to reveal myself to save you now, to break my disguise. However, that is not a matter you need concern yourself with. You spoke of Shazziq, a mentor?"

"An entire planet can be strong in the Force?" Temra blurts out, not thinking before he speaks for one of the few times in recent memory. "Is that what brings yourself and Mirri here? Are you running towards something or away from it?"

Tapping his finger against his jaw, Temra extrapolates his thoughts. "When first we met, I got no real feeling from you, but now it practically radiates from you. You are...much more than Shazziq, the one who taught me what little I know of things like this. I assume you have been getting these feelings of disquiet and darkness since you arrived planetside as well?"

"This planet is strong in the Force, Temra Zol," she said, looking around at the place they found themselves in. Appreciating its beauty. "You saw that for yourself, but this place is of the Force itself. Though it has its agents of light there are many beings within this forest that are susceptible to the pull of the Dark Side. Those creatures, they are a rare species known as the Maalra. Nearly extinct throughout the galaxy, it is a shame that the Darkness holds influence over them, driving them to the acts they now commit and furthering to spread the misery."

Temra offered Daen a bow of thanks for the rescue before speaking. "When I heard from Mirri that you came in here alone, how could I not follow? This is a dangerous place, although from what I have just seen, this whole planet is likely to become far more deadly than anything I have experienced before."

Not for the first time, he wondered if his old master, Shazziq, had chosen Noventa specifically to hide out on, or if it truly was a quirk of fate that brought them here.

There is light, and there is...

One of the creatures hissed, a low and powerful tone that warned Temra of what he was doing. The others came around up behind him, closing in the distance, there was no room left to run when they started circling him. Caught in the middle of four of this planets potentially most dangerous predators there wasn't any way out for him. Not like this. That was certain.

Thus when another, a woman hooded who strode out from the forest approached from the edge raised her hand in a calming gesture the creatures forgetting Temra was a cause for relief. Hissing once more one stepped forward toward the woman but she only encroached further. Temra felt it as surely as these creatures appeared to, the Force emanated from her like a beacon. Feeling the presence the creatures knew better and fled quickly into the darkness of the forest.

Green glow from the fungi illuminated the woman as she removed her hood, Daen stood there unmasked and she looked to the Iktotchi with a calm and gentle smile.

"I had not expected to find you here, Temra Zol."

Temra coughed and spluttered, the shock and surprise of the vision overriding his body's survival instincts as he swallowed mouthfuls of pond water before he surfaced.

"Fuck me...." he whispered in a stunned tone that inadvertently carried farther than expected in the tranquil forest. "I should have realized something was up with those two." He thought out loud to himself as he slowly swam back to shore under the watchful gaze of the feline guardians of the forest.

"Why do I get the funny feeling you all know exactly what I just saw?" He asks the beasts, feeling a little silly doing so. "And if you did, then I'd ask your permission to leave here in peace and go help the little girl. Seems she's going to need it."

Hoping he's read the situation right, Temra strides out toward the ring of creatures purposefully, but not hurriedly.

There was but one interruption.

As soon as Temra got nearer to the pool it pulled him in unlike any sensation he might have experienced before. Enveloped by the darkness of the water he didn't feel panic as he should have. Instead he only felt a calm, until the vision started. Where suddenly there had been darkness was replaced by the ignition of a crimson blade stretching out across his field of view. An ancient tomb, an ancient evil and then another. One just as unexpected but far more recognizable, the Empire. Temra witnesses the evil, the corruption, of the Empire once more. Mirri's face flashes before him and then the face, the mask, of an inquisitor.

Temra was forced to the surface, his lungs fought for air and he found himself easily able to float. Lights of the pool that once glowed brightly no longer did, they were dim and muted compared to their earlier appearance. All along the outer edge of the pool, the creatures remained and watched. Uncertain.

The gentle splash of the water broke the trance like state Temra had found himself in, and he took a stunned look around his surroundings. His attention was quickly drawn to the pool before him, and slow fingers stripped off his boots and shirt before he started to wade deeper into the water.

Barring interruption of his activities, he would soon find himself floating on his back in the middle of the pond, gazing up into the canopy of the forest.

This trust brought him to feel water surrounding his feet.

When he opened his eyes, Temra would see a small pond that, at it's center, appeared to delve down into depths impossible. Surrounding him were the bioluminescent lights of the forest fungi and other plants. It was nigh impossible to see at first glance but surely enough he noticed them. Four feline predators stalked around him, around the pond, revealed only as they passed the lit fungi that outlined their forms. Their bodies were sleek and dark, the absolute perfect predator in the shroud of darkness.

However, the pool, within their were the lights of something bioluminescent in the water. These specks floated within and throughout and various levels, becoming more concentrated the further they delved down. They seemed almost hypnotic, attracting Temra's attention away from the danger that surrounded him.

Temra kept the image of Daen fresh in his mind as he traversed the forest. This served two purposes for him, it provided a touchstone for him, while he was thinking of his purpose, he wasn't worrying about the predators surely surrounding him.

He also hoped, much as the brief lessons he'd had with Bamsh had shown him, if the creatures could reach out to his mind the same way he was reaching out, maybe they'd see he was no threat to them and would let him pass.

And so, one foot after the other, Temra pressed on into the darkness, in search of his friend.

Stepping forward in this way Temra would come into contact with no trees, he would sense no imminent threats until near the end of what seemed like a long journey forward. Sensing only the darkness overwhelming the four creatures that began to stalk him in the shadows. Temra could not tell their distance but he could sense they were there, watching him from somewhere in this nigh-impossible darkness.

Trust was not something that came easily to Temra. He had befriended the crew of the Med Centre for a little over a year now and they still didn't know his secret. But sometimes, one had to have faith in something.

Temra took a deep centering breath and reached out with his feelings as he remembered his teachers words. True darkness is the absence of light So he tried to let his own inner light pierce the metaphorical dark.

D6 LA Sense in the Forest: 1eF 2 Light Side

The darkness was oppressive, the forest held something that teased the sinister. What darkness Temra found all over the planet appears to have affected this place, tainted it. Just beyond the perimeter Temra's sight could hardly aid him any longer in seeking out direction ahead. Instead, he would need to rely on another source of vision or light to make he way forward.

Perhaps, even, more frightening, he might simply trust in something else altogether.

Temra had heard about the stalking animals first hand when helping defend the Last Spot the previous evening. He had heard warnings from Bamsh that the forest housed dangers beyond comprehension for the unprepared individual. In short he shouldn't be going in there alone.

Of a higher priority than the risk of suffering physical trauma, was the damage that staying away would do to his soul when he learned that Daen had headed in earlier. He didn't know why he was feeling so protective of people he'd just met, but he couldn't abandon her to the dangers he'd heard about.

Attired in his armor and bearing his ax once more, Temra took a deep centering breath and plunged into the jungle.