Things You See in a Graveyard [Hoth]

[Moonfire]

There was a peculiar beauty to ice worlds. Half-a-million poets from countless eras and civilizations waxed poetic about jagged mountain tops and fields of stark, calm white. About how the clarity of the ice reflected starlight and symbolized purity, rigidity, cleansing, bleak depression and in the case of one particularly petty bard from Zeltros; how very inattentive her lover could be.

Moonfire Shae, Jedi investigator turned refugee worker turned Jedi investigator again, made her way quickly across the tundra, the light snowfall covering her tracks from the landing pad as small, squat research facilities broke up the craggy windswept glacial shelf.

As a child, Moonfire had traveled to Hoth, had pulled the fur-lined collar tight about her neck as the harsh cold burned the tip of her rounded nose, and wondered how anything could live here. How life could persist-- thrive in such inhospitable conditions struck a chord with her in the wake of a chaotic decade. Even if half of the planet’s ecosystem consisted of the occasional wampa and some climate-controlled laboratories.

War. Archeri. A gaping pit on Nar Shaddaa on every holonet forum. To peer out over a world that seemed so untouched by all that galactic turmoil made breathing feel just a hair easier. Things could finally get back to normal.

Or as close to normal as missing scientists and a rogue Jedi could get.

Stepping out from the cold Moonfire gently brushed a few clumps of freshly fallen snow from her shoulders, making her way into a stunningly generic corporate lobby. GeninTech’s loop of blithe company values played on a monitor behind an empty reception desk before checking her chronometer. Verity and Taelros couldn’t be far behind if they weren’t already scoping out the lab.

[Neology]

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”I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand.” Verity trailed a step behind her former student, now Watchman of Hoth. A hollow title if ever the Jedi entertained such things. From what she’d been told of Taelros’ duties, he seemed a glorified repairman more than anything else. ”Why did you never tell me? I could have done ...” The battlemaster frowned and pulled her parka tight across her shoulders, hunching against the cold. ”Very little, I admit.” Recusing herself would have been the only honorable thing to do in any case involving her former students. But Hoth? This years-long exile was a lamentable waste of talent, she knew that much. Although ... She could see that there was more than that, too. That some good had perhaps come from this assignment. If this was meant to be punishment, Taelros was not suffering. He had always been a patient man and it was a pleasure to find him seemingly at peace with himself. Had time or duty permitted, Verity would have liked to visit for a couple weeks, perhaps a month. The pattern was a familiar one from their long history of working side by side – necessary violence followed by a time of meditation and cleansing. Truthfully, the mad scramble for survival against the Archeri Chorus still weighed heavily on her. Though perhaps not as much as things which seemed still to come. Peace had never felt so fragile, not in all her years of fighting for the Republic. ”I don't know what got you here, Taelros, but the Order surely needs more from you. I hope you'll think about coming with me when this is through.” Verity made a vague gesture at the squat GeninTech labs where they would shortly reunite with the young investigator. Although they’d shared a transport, Verity did not know Knight Shae very well or the finer details of her mission. But she could not simply wait at the shuttle while two other Jedi walked into danger. Verity stepped through both sets of doors and into the lobby, peering around curiously but taking care not to touch anything or venture too far in. Soft music played over the intercom system, broken up by a computerized voice announcing time and the local weather forecast. Conditions would be right for katabatic winds later in the evening. The voice went on to advise all GeninTech employees to stay indoors. Verity quietly accessed her wrist com, dismissing their pilot to avoid risking the shuttle in the weather. Or to anyone else that could be hiding within the facility. ”What were they studying here?”

[Stephen]

“Admittedly my last mission really did go poorly.” He shrugged, he was perhaps being punished politically, but there was truth in it as well. Sometimes his headstrong nature and overt problem solving skills could be closing the door to better solutions. He had tried to feel aggrieved when he landed. Sulked quietly in his cave for awhile. Trying to avoid the republic unless they needed something and digging a cave in the ice like a deranged Wampa. Eventually however, all that was left to do was to take responsibility for his actions and try to do better. Center himself, find his footing and try again. There was presumably a fairly large sized ship graveyard somewhere around here, someone should keep an eye on it.

“I could have tried calling you about it, but in truth, it's been fairly good for me in the long run. And I missed on who knows what was going on in the real world. Can you imagine trying to investigate a swarm of bugs. It'd be a hot mess.” He smiled back over his shoulder. He could sense Issa and Lenton following behind sluggishly. They'd probably be best served napping outside the door, buried in the loose snow. He let them know. “If the Republic want me, I'm sure they'll remember where they put me” he paused, “Eventually.” She could call him back into action with a single holomessage, such was her esteem, but he hadn't wanted to rely on his contacts dig himself out of his hole.

He stared at the modular plasteel station in it's orb like rooms and spiderweb tunnel hallways between and marveled in it's lack of elegance. It could have been dropped from space in this shape and it would have kept it on landing. It was like a child's drawing of a snowflake as a blueprint. “They were supposed to be tapping ancient ice flats in an attempt to study how microbiology deviated over the time spans and to learn uses for lost life forms. Noble in intent I suppose, but slow going.” He pushed the double doors open with both hands, the snow shuddering off his cloak as he stepped in. “A new Jedi graces Hoth and can't even stop to let the Watchman know of her landing.” He frowned sternly ahead, his mirth hidden behind a heavily creased brow. “Luckily it seems the council has seen fit to apologize on your behalf.” He grasped his collar for a moment and swept his cloak off in a flourish, hanging it neatly by the door.

[Moonfire]

Thick fluffy gloves were shoved unceremoniously into Moonfire’s pockets before whisking off the heavy coat, folding over her arm as she explored the lobby just a moment longer. Sterile fluorescent light washed out any whisp of life or personality in this common space, the tell-tale signs of habitation almost too easy to gloss over as the smiling Twi’lek spokeswoman repeated a saccharine line about ingenuity and integrity in every microbe. A caf cup sat cold and lipstick-marked at the receptionist’s desk, her chair tilted as if she’d gotten up just a moment before.

Hearing Taelros and Verity enter the woman turned, giving a warm and reflexive smile as she shifted in her boots. The back of her throat prickled at his comment, stiffening some at the stern glare wrapped in an affable air. A single deep breath steeled her for the trials and tribulations of small-talk with Jedi far more accomplished and capable than herself. The inky black rope of braid slid off Mooney’s shoulder as she bowed smoothly to the former apprentice and master, coat still balled tightly against her stomach. “Forgive my lapse in manners, Masters… Moonfire Shae.”

Tilting back up she hung the coat, now quite wrinkled from her death-grip on it, to the coat stand before them. Verity Vyshaan cut an imposing figure at-- well, actually they were about the same height upon closer inspection, but the Battlemaster and Council Member had an aura of being larger than life. Bronze and radiant. Taelros, the Watchman of Hoth, was a man mentioned only in the file on Hoth and the little Jedi presence there. A taller, far paler man. Washed out beside his much shorter former master.

The niggling voice in the back of Moonfire’s mind was fairly certain they could sense she was fraud before they even set foot in the lab.

The far more capable Moonfire stuffed away that thought and got right down to business, drawing out her datapad. “The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was pinged last night from a terminal in this lab by a Jedi Knight; Elizu Cho-- A mirialan guardian who had participated in fighting the Chorus. She disappeared shortly after the spire fell,” A few taps of her fingers pulled up an image of a tattooed woman in her mid-thirties, a splash of fine tattoos in geometric patterns on her hands and face. “Shortly after all communication in and out of the lab stopped. GeninTech’s corporate security force found the lobby empty and the main laboratories sealed. They’ve decided to defer to the Jedi to make sure we’re not dealing with a, uhm… rogue force user situation?”

Moonfire gulped down her nerves, proud that she’d managed to sound half-way professional through most of her schpeal. An explanation she definitely wasn’t rehearsing in her head the whole speeder-ride over.

“Obviously, Master Anthir this is your post, the Temple sent me along to help with the investigation and, if necessary, transport Knight Cho back to Coruscant. I, uh, looked around the lobby a little bit. The receptionist didn’t finish her coffee.”

[Neology]

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”’Investigating bugs?’ I realize you’ve been isolated out here but the Chorus was no joke.” Verity’s brow creased as she chewed over her former padawan’s words. It was strange to hear him be so flippant. Either he didn’t truly understand – or he’d been alone too long, she decided. She listened to his brief explanation of the GeninTech’s operations with only half an ear. As they shook off the snow in the entryway, Verity searched his face. ”If the Republic wants you? That’s unworthy, Taelros, you- You sound like a child.” Her voice dropped down to a whisper, following him into the foyer where she could sense Knight Shae waiting on them. ”We are on the edge of another war, my student. And we’ll pick this back up later, have no doubt.” How poorly could that last mission have possibly gone? She was not a prideful person. He would make what apologies needed making – or she would go and make them in his place. And yet. Her brightest pupil or not, Taelros continued to prove a certain lack of intangible grace, setting Knight Shae on edge with one sharpish comment. Verity tried to give the young investigator a reassuring and vaguely apologetic smile. ”Forgiveness is entirely unnecessary, Knight Shae – Or would you prefer Moonfire? – I’m sure it would be all for the better if we settled this with some haste. Despite whatever Order-regulation comforts we missed by going direct to the sight.” In any case, they seemed temporarily stuck together at the facility until the weather passed. Shae’s short report on Guardian Cho was a sad one, heard so often after every major conflict that the Jedi involved themselves with. Verity pulled off her outer layer, bright snow gear set aside and pocket contents slowly redistributed. At the same time, she shucked off both her frustration towards Taelros’ career (or lack thereof) and her friendly cheerfulness. ”Deserters are common in times like these, although I don’t yet see how Cho’s situation connects to this place. I wonder if she has any family among the staff?” The mystery of the unfinished coffee seemed … Rather inconclusive, so far. It didn’t seem as if any violence had taken place in the immediate surroundings. Verity folded her hands, nodding once. ”Please direct us as you see fit, Investigator.”