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Post by Storyteller on Jan 11, 2018 2:01:59 GMT
Most of the trip took place within territory claimed by the New Republic, and as such was mostly uneventful. They were far away from the major lines of battle, and these mid-rim worlds were mostly content to have passed into the command of the young regime. It was only once they were on the galactic south that the final few jumps towards their destination had to take them through imperial space.
It took caution, and a route planned that took them mostly through remote, largely-uninhabited systems, so as to avoid patrols along the border. Despite all caution, there were still a few close calls: the imperials were remarkably thick along the galactic south, far more so than common sense would justify.
The final jump, out from a tiny and unremarkable red dwarf and to their destination, lasted only a few minutes. They emerged onto the scene of devastation: NaJedha glittered in purples and pinks, except for a few spots of darkness amid the bright surface. Debris impacts from the devastation above. On the planet's orbit was the moon that had once been a holy world for numerous religions: Jedha, now a dying husk.
In the years since the devastation, the debris field had begun to stabilize as a thin ring around the moon, but unruly clumps of asteroids still hovered along the northern hemisphere. There one could see where the Death Star's superlaser had struck: cracks and fissures ran over fully a third of the moon's surface, all leading back to a single enormous crater that ran deep enough to glow warmly, the moon's mantle, still exposed to space. Ash, dust and venomous vapors clouded much of the surface, in some places gathering into terrifying electrical storms.
Despite the devastation, there was still life in the system. Amid the floating asteroids close to the impact site was a clumps of starships docked together, forming an impromptu space station, while scanners found a few signs of habitation on the moon's surface. Mostly small landing pads kept clear despite the eternal ashfall, or metal openings leading down to underground habitats. Jedha had been a desert moon, now most of it could more fairly be called a living hell. Some still chose to live or make pilgrimage there regardless.
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Post by TitusPellaeon on Jan 12, 2018 14:33:03 GMT
The planet was dead. It just didn't know it.
They'd arrived in decent time, considering the fine dancing they had to do around the borders to avoid any...Imperial entanglements. Leksy had a deft hand with her ship, which hardly came as a surprise to Decimus; she really was as capable as she was able to fill out tht little number she'd been wearing when they first met on Ziost. It had been difficult, at first, to keep his head clear and focus on the data from his case. The enclosed quarters, the phantom sensation of Leksy's empathic talents ghosting at the edges of his mind, infecting him with good humour; it was appropriately alien to him, just as she was.
But he focused on the face of the missing Chiss dame, glowing on his datapad. A not so subtle reminder that this was the job and that distractions could mean someone got killed.
Now, he watched the twitchin corpse of Jedha, still clinging to life by it's fingernails in what could only be described as perpetual torture or stubborn existence. There had been days that he was certain the wrecked planet looked in better shape than he had.
Decimus gave the planet a subtle nod, if only to acknowledge the moment of empathy. Looking down at the hellish planetscape, and the glowing wound that had crackd the planet, he couldn't help but think it.
"I have a bad feeling about this," he said to Leksy, patting her on the shoulder before buckling himself in, letting her take the ship in for a landing.
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Post by Leksy Dioni on Jan 12, 2018 15:25:36 GMT
Maybe it was her imagination, maybe it was her closer connection to the Force, or maybe it was just an overwhelming presence of an emotion so intense that she could FEEL it before they even made it into orbit.
Dread. Loss. Depression. Hopelessness.
It hit her like an unexpected tumble into frigid pond. Only it wasn't anything as banal as icy water, it was more like a pool of fetid, clinging, strangling muck. An inky, chilling sludge that would not be easily cleaned off. She couldn't help but moan in a pitiful whimper of remorse as it hit her. The change that came over her was immediate and absolutely noticeable to the Investigator that had been acting as a more than capable co-pilot during the journey.
Having a very similar effect to running into a wall, it shook the Zeltron girl and in turn the ship shuddered as her hands spasmed on the controls. A breath taken, long experience having taught her requisite survival skills to cope, she managed to push most of it out of her mind and regained control of her ship. Though her usual lively attitude disappeared in the blink of an eye, her posture slouched, her eyes narrowed and even the color of her vibrant pink flesh became subdued. These emotions would continue to impact her acutely during their entire time in this system.
She didn't need to say anything to convey her agreement with Amarant's feelings. He was sure to pick up on the sudden change in his pilot, but she did nod slightly lips drawn into a tight line. They'd discussed their plan along the way. It had been decided that Decimus would pursue the woman and Leksy would see if she could secure some supplies and possibly some cargo to make them a few credits along the way. Once they arrived and gotten a look at the situation of the planet the Padawan made a decision.
Swinging the Muse gently onto a docking platform nearest the greatest concentration of the populace on the planet she set her down a little harder than she intended to. Without even unstrapping she looked over to Amarant, moving her hand to the controls that would lower the loading ramp.
"You start down here. Take the speeder if you think you'll need it. I'm going to head back up to the station we saw. That's probably acting as a hub for transport in and out of this hellhole. I'll be more likely to find a job up there, and maybe a ship that brought our girl into the system."
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Post by TitusPellaeon on Jan 12, 2018 15:40:56 GMT
The change in Leksy's demeanor was as subtle as a star collapsing, and judging by the look in her eyes, perhaps even nearly as devastating. Whatever it was she was feeling, Decimus could only dare to imagine what it could be. With the bumpy landing taken care of, Decimus unbuckled and stood.
"Got it. I'll borrow the speeder. Bring it back with a full tank of gas. You be careful up on that station; pretty girl on her lonesome like yourself could be taken advantage of," he said dryly, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. The touch was like an instantaneous connection to that feeling of unbroken determination in him, despite their surroundings. There was even a string of worry for her.
Dammit. He couldn't help but care.
He flashed her a smile. "You start going a little kooky up there, you gimme a holler on the comm. And if I find anything of interest, I'll toss it back your way. You take care. You're my ride out of here, remember?"
He had to at least give the token attitude of not caring. He had an image to maintain, after all, if only for himself.
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Post by Leksy Dioni on Jan 13, 2018 1:18:36 GMT
"They can try to take advantage of me, if they want." She cast a glance to the side where she'd come to commonly wedge a shaft about 4 feet long, made of some silvery and coppery allows. The beginnings of her own lightsaber, and in it's current form a more than adequate cudgel. She looked back up at him and lay a hand over his on her shoulder, letting her appreciation for his concern drift up through the contact. "I promise though, I'll carry a blaster as well... and curse and spit a lot. Maybe not brush my hair and wear bulky clothing... I could probably find some grease around here to wipe on my face. They'll think twice."
"Same goes for you though. You get into trouble give me a call. It shouldn't take me long to find a suitable contract up there anyway. With any luck we can put this place behind us in a hurry."
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Post by TitusPellaeon on Jan 16, 2018 16:42:09 GMT
"Hate to break it to you Leksy, but I've the feeling you could make a sack of potatoes look good on you. Curse of being good looking, I guess. Wouldn't know," he told her with a smirk. "Try not to beat up the whole station. I'll call you when trouble finds me. It will, eventually."
He didn't voice his agreement, but she could feeling the affirming sentiment; Jedha was bad news, and he was almost as eager to be gone from this living crypt as she was. With that, he left the control cabin and strode towards the hangar bay where his gear was waiting. Shrugging on his longcoat, protective gear and triple checking the old blaster at his side, he mounted the speeder and comm'd in.
"Good to go. Don't miss me too much," he grumbled over the comm, waiting for the bay doors to open before urging the speeder out and moving himself aside for Leksy to be clear of the landing area. He gave a one handed salute to her before turning aside, the backdraft of the ships engines kicking up dust and filth in the process before she was heading out of sight.
First thing was first; find the settlement with Lei'rra's last known coordinates. Second; find the local watering hole and start finding out how terrible the alcohol here was. Someone had to know of her, and she would have needed help with whatever it was she wanted from this wretched place. As the wind moaned for the dying planet, as ash and dust of thousands of long dead corpses lingered on his lips, Decimus kicked the speeder forward to chase down the cerulean dame giving him so much grief.
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Post by Leksy Dioni on Jan 19, 2018 1:04:56 GMT
"Cheap shot... my aim is getting better." She snarked back at the man over the comms while activating the controls for the loading ramp. Amarant and the speeder weren't off the ramp by more than a handspan before it started lifting back up into the belly of the scout ship. Though he'd not see the response she offered a return wave to him and kicked up the repulsors as soon as he was out of the way.
It wouldn't take long to make orbit and approach the cluster of mashed up starships. A quick conversation over the comm channels and she found a hangar in which to park her ship. Powering down and making sure everything was secured and things that needed to be hidden were done so. It would take her considerably more time to get all dolled up for a night on the town. Practical clothes, a visible blaster on her left thigh and her collapsed 'not-yet-a-lightsaber' hilt ready on her right hip. Then it was off to find the most trustworthy source of information... a droid.
There had to be some sort of protocol droid around that had flight manifests and tracked all the coming and going commercial business.
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