Jedi Expedition: Part 1 - The Hoth Adventure

Slowly they began their march across the vast cavern opening. The rocky floor was liberally sheeted with super slippery sheets of ice that were about as infuriating as could be. After about a hundred steps, Truger had already fallen down twice. Add to it the biting cold and looming danger, and there just was anything pleasant at all about this trip.

But somewhere out there was Rep, and maybe some other surviving Jedi. So he pushed on, being more careful to use the Force to secure his footing and prevent himself from falling over anymore. In the distance he could see a glow now amidst the curtain of darkness. It looked like it might be a glowrod.
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Nykon Graves saw a slight glow up ahead, he noticed that Truger had too. But as quickly as he saw it, it was gone.

"Did you both see that?" Nykon asked.

Truger spoke up in the darkness, "Yeah looked like a glowrod, or something up ahead, or across a cavern, it's hard to tell in this place."

"Agreed," Nykon replied, "I think that might be Rep, or some other survivor. These dark wampas abilities are new to the species, but I doubt they will be using glowrods."

The other two Jedi chuckled at Nykon's attempt to break the tension of the situation.

Nykon continued, "I think it has to be Jedi up ahead. I suggest we quicken our pace."

Will held out his hand, "Whoa, remember to focus on the path ahead, if we get going too fast we'll find ourselves slipping..." [/b] He stopped mid sentence, or at least that's what it seemed to Nykon.

Will seemed different. Which said something since Nykon had only met him on Hoth. He really had nothing to gauge Will off of, but the man seemed markedly different then he had when Nykon first met him. Hal seemed to unsettle Will somehow. And Will didn't appear too fond of Hal either. I'll have to ask Truger if something happened between Hal and Will before the wampa attacks." he filed the question away for later and followed Will, he heard Truger slip once more.

Turning Nykon said through a smile, "You might want to look at new boots my friend," and he helped Truger get back up. They followed Will down the path.
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-Bring on your thousands, one at a time or all in a rush. I don't give a damn. None shall pass.
-
-To become a Jedi, it is not the Force one must learn to control but oneself.
-
-Podcasts: Star Wars Beyond the Films, The Star Wars Report, & EUCast

Jayda and Hal walked in relative silence. Jayda was using the Force to make her way back through the caverns, but continued to check her HUD's mapping system, just to be sure. It would be a decent walk back to the surface, but they should make it quickly enough, barring any unforeseen unpleasantries.

Jayda was comfortable with the silence, and so, it seemed, was Hal. But she felt the young Jedi needed to do some talking, if for no other reason than to clear the dark expression brooding on his face. "So, Hal, when did you pass the trials?" Hal didn't answer. "Hal?" Still nothing. Jayda reached over and gave his shoulder a gentle punch.

Hal jumped and turned to face her. "What was that for?!"

Jayda stopped walking. She gazed at Hal for a moment, noting his disheveled appearance, beneath which lay a darkness she didn't understand. It was time to address the matter. Removing her helmet, Jayda looked into his eyes, at the same time allowing him to look into hers. He gazed at her uncomfortably for a moment before he had to break off the staring contest, unable to face what he saw there. Jayda knew there was something odd going on within his Force being, just as he did. He didn't like that.

"Hal, I didn't want to do this here, but I need to know. I know the trauma you've been through recently, the things you've seen...but there's something wrong, and I don't think it has anything to do with that."

Hal kicked at the ice with his toe, unwilling to meet her gaze. Everything's fine. You don't need to tell Jedi Kha'dar anything. He kept his eyes focused on the floor.

"Hal, we can stand here all day, but you and I both know that isn't a good id..."

"I'm fine, Jedi Kha'dar." He kept staring at the floor.

Jayda cocked her head, puzzled that he'd used the honorific. "You can call me Jayda, Hal. We're all friends here."

Hal risked a glance up at her face, and all he saw there was concern and compassion. She doesn't need to know anything. He quickly looked back down at the ice, then squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted to tell someone! She. Doesn't. Need. To. Know. The voice was cold now, forceful. Unfortunately for the voice, this did not have the desired effect upon its victim. Hal quickly shied away from the ice in the harsh tone and turned instead to the individual beside him, an individual that genuinely seemed to care. "Jayda, there's something I..." Hal stopped mid-sentence as something whisked past Jayda in the semi-dark of the tunnel.

Jayda whirled, helmet already lowering over her head. She scanned the cavern with both her infrared and the Force. She saw nothing. Hal was at her back, facing the other way, glancing furtively, but also seeing nothing. "What is it?"

Jayda gave an imperceptible shake of the head. "I don't know, but it's time we got out of here." They broke into a run toward the surface, Force senses on the highest alert. Neither said so, but they didn't have to. They had a bad feeling about this.
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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

The going was slow on the ice, and Will didn't much like it. This ground is too treacherous to fight on, but those dark wampas...Their claws might be able to dig into this ice and give them enough of a gripWill glanced back at Master Graves Weapons Master or not I don't think even he could fight long on this ground before loosing his footing. Walking on ice when there is no threat is one thing, keeping your balance while trying to dodge attacks is something else

Will was moving as carefully as possible but the pace had become maddeningly slow as he crossed a particularly slippery, and large, patch of ice. Behind him he heard Truger stumble and mutter something unintelligible. Up ahead Will saw the glowrod again, darting between crevices in the icewall up ahead. But something felt wrong. Motioning for silence Will focused enhancing his senses.

The breathing of Truger and Master Graves was loud in his ears, and up ahead Will could hear breathing. Several beings breathing. The breathes were slow and controlled, not the harsh sound of the dark wampas. Some of the breathes were very controlled and calm, as if the situation now was not totally unfamiliar to the individual. Others were not so controlled and with minute details where the inhalations or exhalations varied in speed indicating that the individual was nervous but was attempting to control their fear. There are multiple individuals with that glowrod. From the sound of their breathing its a mix of Knights or Masters and some Padawans...Unless the dark wampas are ahead of the learning curve in the use of glowrods and breathing exercises. Will whispered. I still don't like it though...Maybe its just the cave and all these sudden wampa attacks are making me paranoid Motioning to the others Will began moving forward again.
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Oh what the hell, it's not like things are going to get better anytime soon." Nykon Graves said as he slid up to Will's spot in the tunnel. Graves found the trek treacherous as the 9 hells, but also found some small trace of pleasure in sliding along the path. He'd use the Force to "seal" his shoe to the ice for three steps, then slide a head. He knew Truger was interested in his trick, but the poor fellow hadn't Mastered the technique enough, every now and a again Nykon would hear Truger fall and curse.

Now that he was with Will and waiting for Truger to once more catch up he bellowed with the Force, "You ahead! Stop!!!

The word STOP seemed to travel on forever echoing in the cave. Will flinched at Nykon's sudden use of the Force Shout.

"Yo!! Some of us were using Force Hearing! A warning would be nice!" Will said through gritted teeth.

"And I'm not so sure calling out to someone we're not positive about is wise in a cave full of angry enhanced crazy dark wampas Graves"

Graves wasn't festered, "Sorry for that Will. But they will come or they will not. Either way those up ahead would also continue ahead moving away from us. I don't know about you two, but I'm sick of this place. The sooner we get out of here the better. We could be following that group for days. This could be the closest we'll get to them for some time. What better chance to get their attention then now? After all, the wampas come we'll be making for the glowrod group anyway."

Will and Truger both chuckled. "True, we've only the one way to go at the moment." Truger commented. "Looks like they heard you Graves. The light seems to be getting brighter."

The three Jedi continued towards the group just as the group appeared to be heading back towards them.

Best get off this slick ice as quick as we can. If the group is a large one that means a bigger target and despite tempting fate I'd rather not fight those wampas on this ice. It will get ugly fast.
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-Bring on your thousands, one at a time or all in a rush. I don't give a damn. None shall pass.
-
-To become a Jedi, it is not the Force one must learn to control but oneself.
-
-Podcasts: Star Wars Beyond the Films, The Star Wars Report, & EUCast

Will could feel the grip of his boots improve as the ice thinned out to more secure rock. He slowly began increasing his pace to a more normal one, but his feet managed to find one final ice patch and his increased speed caused him to stumble. Will had only looked down for a second during his stumble but when he looked up as he recovered his balance he noticed that the path ahead was no longer illuminated by a glowrod. Oh frakk that's not good. Could Master Graves be wrong? As a precaution Will unhooked his sabers from his belt, but did not ignite them to avoid provoking whatever was out there.

I don't like this Master Graves, the glowrod heard you alright but I'm not sure its looking to.. Snap, hiss Will froze as a green blade appeared 3 centimeters below his chin. A Jedi with a deep gash down the right side of the face stepped out of the shadows Your not the only one who can hide, Sith the Jedi growled
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"Sith?" Truger put his hands out in front of him in a placating gesture. "Don't you recognize us? Will? Truger? We're Jedi, not [i]Sith."[/b]

Truger could see the Jedi's face in the light of the glowrod. It was one of the Jedi that had accompanied them on the mission, one of the apprentices who disappeared in the first cave they'd taken shelter in; they're first encounter with the wampas.

Right now, Truger couldn't place the Jedi's name. "None of us are Sith." Then Truger remember the strange presence earlier. "Have you seen a Sith? Is there a Sith controlling the wampas?"

He was going down a different path of questioning, partly to get the Jedi's mind off of threatening them, and partly because the thought sounded rather reasonable. They were in a Sith ruin after all, and the wampas were too well coordinated to not be controlled by something.
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The Jedi cautiously turned its head to better see Truger. Will was standing as still as possible. He began focusing on the Jedi listening to the rate of breathing, pupil dialation or anything else that might clue Will into the Jedi's intentions. As a precaution Will began considering all the possible hostile actions the Jedi could take and planning his own reactions accordingly. Lethal force will be the only option in that case. This Jedi won't hold back if diplomacy doesn't work so I shouldn't hold anything back either. Very subtly Will began shifting his hands millimeter by millimeter to better position his sabers to strike down the Jedi if necessary.
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They were running now. Running completely out of fear. They had no hope of escaping him. Modero quickened his pace. They were now on a slight incline, and not too far off he could see the light creeping into the tunnels from the upper layer of Hoth. Perhaps he should take her now, while they were still in his element. Though he had been patient for many years, seeing the opportunity to leave come so close was overwhelming. The temptation to attack, rather than continue to wait and watch, as he had always done, was pushing into his mind, blackening out any teachings he had learned. He felt wild as he ran, and no longer old. His heart was pounding fast, and for one terrible moment, he felt the beastly lust, the cold animal hunger that he could sense in the wampas. The time had come.

Reaching out in the Force, Modero locked the legs of the male Jedi tightly together. Instantly he dropped to the ground, with a thud as he stretched out his hands to soften the impact. The Mandalorian halted, turning around quickly to see what had become of her companion. Modero sped up, jumped into the air, and plummeted out of the darkness into their midst.

He did not look at the women, but stared down at the struggling man, whose legs he continued to hold still.

"This man will die," he whispered, with an air of sympathy in his voice. "Unless you surrender your weapons now." He felt pity on the Jedi. This woman was a Mandalorian - she was a warrior. There would be no surrender, and he would be forced to kill the Jedi. It was not his fault. It was the woman's. He knew that her instincts would decide the man's fate.

Jayda heard Hal drop to the ice behind her. Whirling, she watched as his attacker appeared as if from nowhere to stand above the young Jedi. Jayda did not have time to think, did not have time to prepare. Her instincts took over, and she immediately leapt at the man. Slipping beneath his immediate defenses, she twirled her own sabers at his neck and stomach. He easily parried the strikes and took a step back to center himself.

Raising his hand, the Sith unleashed a torrent of Force energy, striking Jayda squarely in the chest. She flew backward into the cavern wall, stunned. But she did not allow herself even a moment to rest. Even as she stood, a grenade released itself from her belt and flew toward the Sith. Almost disdainfully, he batted it aside with the Force. What he hadn't counted on, however, was the grenade that followed directly behind. Without time to parry this new threat, he instinctly threw up a Force shield, protecting himself from the blast. Even so, it caused him to stagger backward slightly. As he steadied himself, a red and black armored phantom came flying out of the air firing a blaster in one hand and swinging a purple lightsaber in the other. He managed to deflect the blaster bolts and catch the saber headed toward his exposed neck, but only barely.

Having survived the ferocity of the Mandalorian's surprise attack, Modero once again drew power from the Force, centering himself. He had been too hasty, too focused on the prize. He would not make that mistake again, he was sure. The Mandalorian was a worthy opponent, but she would fall. Just like all the rest.

Jayda rolled under a pulse of Force lightning and sliced again at the Sith. She had caught him off guard with her flying leap, and she had almost managed to land a blow. But she had not, and she felt that this battle was going to get steadily worse. She drew on the Force, calming her mind, focusing even as she parried lightsaber strikes and Force attacks. Hal was defenseless, and she could not let this Sith get to him. Not while she could help it.

With a burst of Force energy, Jayda sent a message to the others. She didn't have time for words, only an impression of danger and a request for help. She was aware that she might not win this battle, but she put that thought aside.
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"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

Modero had been caught off guard. In his haste to capture the Mandalorian, he had not studied her carefully, and the Jedi powers and lightsabers had surprised him. He had been forced to draw his blade, a simple red lightsaber with a very plain, yet sparkling hilt. Modero regretted it at once. This should never have become a saber duel. He needed to leave now.

With a gentle nudge in the Force, he loosened the rock ceiling hanging above the male Jedi, who he had managed, admittedly with difficulty, to keep a hold of during the brief fight. He stared grudgingly at the woman as she prepared to strike again; she had actually made him lose his control of the man during the battle. That meant she had forced his attention where it didn't need to be. For a moment, as he looked into the eyes of the woman, he felt old. His knees ached. His back was stiff. Her young power and energy could stop him. Then the feeling passed, with a simple thought - She will not stop me. And age was nothing again. Her power was nothing. For what one Jedi could stop the power of a planet?

Without a glance at the man on the floor, he gave a pull at the ceiling, feeling it crack, and watched in silence as the rock and rubble directly above the man fell. Simultaneously, he gave a tug on a section of the top of the cavern behind him, feeling it too break and begin to crumble, starting to block off any help the Jedi was undoubtedly contacting.

Hal Darrun's legs suddenly stopped moving, surprising Hal as he fell to the floor. Safe within his "sphere" he was cut off from the Force, and as such, had no idea he was under a Force attack.

But the voice knew....

....the voice knew many things.

Modero... it whispered in Hal's mind. Hal didn't know what that meant. But the voice had kept him alive so far, who was Hal to argue with the Will of the Force?

Be still! Be weak, but strong! Push back, only enough to convince him he has you. Bide your time. the voice snaked in his mind. He's too confidant. It's always been his undoing....

Hal surrendered himself to the voice, and crawled deep into his "mind sphere" letting the voice, the Will to see him through.

Poor Hal. Hal had no clue what evil was inside him. When Hal lead the surviving Padawans to their doom he had learned one thing: he made poor choices. Unfortunately where his choice had lead the group was to their deaths. Hal had witnessed many horrors while hiding with the dead and the dark wampas.

He had also unknowingly released the Sith Spirit that was prisoner in Modero's Sith Holocron. It was this spirit of a long Dead Sith Lord who even now spoke to Hal and guided him along. When the spirit first showed itself to Hal it did so as an escape, the "Mind Sphere," and excellent Sith trap. Hal had thought he'd created a place that was safe and sound from the horrors, a place he could "die" in the world, and still be alive safe and sound.

Jedi fool! He was becoming a prisoner in his own mind, while giving his body to a long dead Sith Lord!

The shame was that the spirit of Darth Reaver did not have enough power to posses Hal Darrun immediately. Even at times like this when Reaver should have been able to maintain his hold on Hal's body, he wasn't strong enough to keep Hal trapped. The Mind Sphere was working though, every time Hal entered the Sphere on his own accord the walls became harder, thus making it more difficult for Hal to resume control. Perhaps this time Reaver could trap Hal for good. He couldn't say. He'd buy his time as he always had.

Modero himself almost fell victim to Reaver. When Modero first sought the secrets of the Holocron Reaver made an attempt. It was Vital that Modero not know Hal was his host. He continued the pathetic Jedi act.

Suddenly Modero brought the cave's ceiling down on Hal's form. Reaver unleashed his fury then, and set an unbreakable barrier around Hal's body. His fury at Modero for forcing him to expend his hard saved energy to protect this shell! Reaver had no fear that his power would fail to protect Hal. But he was not ready to give control back to Hal so suddenly.
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-Bring on your thousands, one at a time or all in a rush. I don't give a damn. None shall pass.
-
-To become a Jedi, it is not the Force one must learn to control but oneself.
-
-Podcasts: Star Wars Beyond the Films, The Star Wars Report, & EUCast

"I don't like this Master Graves, the glowrod heard you alright but I'm not sure its looking to.."

Snap, hiss! Will's body froze as a green light cast his shadow against the wall in front of Nykon Graves.

A green blade hung just short of 3 centimeters below his chin, connected to the blade was a Jedi with a deep gash down the right side of the face. That looks painful. Graves thought.

The Jedi growled "Your not the only one who can hide, Sith!

That was unexpected.

Nykon's eyes measured the Jedi before him. But he wasn't getting anything from the newcomer in the Force. Will however was a beacon burning a red so dark it was almost black, and the Jedi's comment had enflamed the red just then,

"Sith?" Truger replied hands out in a placating gesture. "Don't you recognize us? Will? Truger? We're Jedi, not Sith."

Nykon wasn't sure what had happened to the Jedi, but after coming across poor Hal, he could imagine it would be grizzly to have survived this long and by going deeper in of all things!

Right now, Truger continued to calm the young Jedi, least he take Will's head. Or Will gets set off before then..." Nkyon thought.

Truger went on "Have you seen a Sith? Is there a Sith controlling the wampas?" Nkyon lost what Truger asked next. He was focused again on Will.

Will was standing as still as stone carving. His focus was on the newcomer, he seemed to be measuring him. And why not the little whelp almost took his head off"

Something inside Will shifted Nykon noticed Will ever so subtly shift his hands a millimeter at a time, getting closer to his sabers. His focus had shifted his Force color to a blood red hue.

What was going on with Will? Nykon would need to find out and soon. Will was like a rocket ready to launch.

Taking the moment to try and defuse Will's growing animosity, Nykon stepped between Will and the Jedi. He added a blast of calm as he spoke, ["We're all friends here. you don't need your weapon in our presence."

Nykon's hand reached out and touched the Jedi's where he held the lightsaber's hilt. Together they lowered the pommel.

Truger blew out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Turning his head to Truger, Nykon quietly spoke, "No kidding!" enticing a laugh from Truger despite the very severe reality of their situation. Miles deep in the frozen ice of Hoth with untold numbers of dark crazy wampas, and apparently a Sith in the mix too. They had a lot to talk about.
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-Bring on your thousands, one at a time or all in a rush. I don't give a damn. None shall pass.
-
-To become a Jedi, it is not the Force one must learn to control but oneself.
-
-Podcasts: Star Wars Beyond the Films, The Star Wars Report, & EUCast

The rocks crashed over the male Jedi, covering him completely. Behind Modero, clouds of dust and snow formed in the wake of the wreckage. He could always move the rocks to return to his tunnels if he had to. But he didn't plan on it.

He grinned at the horrified expression on the woman's face as she looked down at the spot where the other Jedi had been. Modero would have spared him. He could have been a useful hostage. But the woman had decided to fight, and Modero had warned her...consequences were necessary.

"Now, Jedi", he continued in a whisper, "I have killed your friend. Most regrettable, but did I not warn you? Listen carefully. I am warning you again. I will do the same to you. There is no help coming. But if you drop your weapons and take me to your ship, I will gladly spare your life. I do not kill for pleasure. I am still a gentleman." He gave a tiny, mocking bow in her direction. "Perhaps this time, you will heed my warning?"

(OOC: I'm really sorry if Jayda has a helmet on - I just now realized it, after looking at her expression and stuff this whole time. Embarassed

)

Last edited by Salaris Vorn on Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:35 am; edited 1 time in total

Will relaxed his hands, moving them away from his saber hilts. But Will kept eying the Jedi even as Master Graves stepped between him. You're a lucky saber happy Jedi, another few seconds and I would've split you in half just to teach you to have the guts to go through with it when you pull your saber on someone Will stepped back slightly from Master Graves, expanding his focus to make sure no dark wampas were sneaking up on them. Now is not the time, there are far more deadly things here and who knows that Jedi might make a good meatshield when the wampas come back

Deep down some part of Will registered concern that Jedi calming techniques were failing, but Will ignored the concern because he was enjoying the new sense of power that had emerged when the Jedi pulled the saber on him. It was odd, the sense of power had emerged when death had been a flick of the wrist away but it had assured him that no matter what the Jedi did Will would kill the Jedi before the saber could ever touch him. Given the odds that Will was certain they would face in any attempt to return to the surface Will welcomed strength that would allow him to come so close to death and survive. Finally the Jedi calming techniques took hold, but the sense of power lingered on. Confident in his new found power and that he would be able to call on it again Will moved to rejoin Master Graves and Truger.
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