The comlink beeped and a text message was sent. Please report to Master Ulric at your earliest convenience.

Master Ulric was one of the most prominent and well known Masters on the Master's Council. He oversees the day-to-day business of the Jedi Temple.  The last time Cloud had seen him was at the Knighting ceremony. If Master Ulric himself is requesting a meeting, then it must be important.

After the message came through, the com went silent again. The small interruption was lost in the sounds and sights of the famous Fountain Room. There were jedi of all ranks meditating, conversing, and moving about the room. Droids and non-jedi made their way to various locations. And near the main pool Senator Sala of Kuat was talking with Master Utala, a Ho'Din.

"Wow!! Master Ulric!! He must have an important mission for you!! I would be honored if he requested my presence. Maybe he will send you somewhere interesting. Or maybe someone is in trouble and needs saving. Or maybe you are needed to negotiate with some planet. Or maybe..." The Mon Calamari padawn kept excitedly listing ideas for the meeting. Norretel had a tendency to get overly excited about everything and ramble on endlessly about whatever excited him.

Cloud smiled.

"Patience. Calm yourself. Deep breaths."

He remembered his master telling him that so many times when he was the padawan. But now the cycle moved forward, and he's the Knight training someone else.

Hopefully he could encourage him to be at least slightly calm inside. Master Ulric's been at this too long to expect Padawans to NOT be excited, but he'd probably at least like them to be working on being calm.

Norretel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I am trying to calm. And I will calm. It is just really exciting, no? Your first assignment since you graduated. And your meeting with Master Ulric himself. I mean, wow! I cannot imagine!! What could he have you doing?!?"

Norretel failed to remain calm as he began to get excited again. This was  common problem for him, and one that has held him back over the years. And one of the reasons he was not invited to this meeting.

Cloud really felt the cycle turning. Was he like this once?

...Well, maybe not that extreme, but...

"You can do what you set your mind to. The Force will be your guide...even something you 'cannot' do can become possible. The peace within the Force is there for all of us. Just reach for it."

Norretel listed to the advice, and tried to internalize it.  His thoughts quickly turned back to the meeting with Master Ulric.

"You need to hurry and see what Master Ulric wants! He might give you your first mission! Or maybe even your own padawan to train!! Think of all the exciting things he could have in mind for you!"

Cloud nodded. That was also true.

The padawan would keep trying at least.

Anyways, Cloud headed for Master Ullic now.

The temple corridors seemed to grow larger as Cloud headed up towards Master Ulric's office. The flow of individuals slowed as one reached the higher levels of the temple.  These levels were reserved for the masters and other senior members of the Order. As Cloud walked off the turbolift on Master Ulric's level, he almost ran into another Jedi as he rounded the corner.  The human Jedi was moving in a hurry and almost ran into Cloud as he turned the corner to enter the turbolift.  He muttered a "sorry" as he quickly entered the now vacant turbolift.

Master Ulric's door was open, and his receptionist droid stood behind the desk inside.  "Welcome to Master Ulric's office, Knight Earthrender.  Master Ulric is with another Jedi at the moment, but will be with you as soon as he is done. Feel free to take a seat on the couch along the far wall."

Cloud nodded, and took the waiting time to meditate and clear his head. There were usually good reasons to find one's inner peace before meeting the Master.

After about ten minutes, the inner office door opened. An Ithorian Jedi walked out, and noded to Cloud as he passed.  Master Ulric walked over to the door and looked over at Cloud.  "Knight Earthrender, please join me in my office."

Cloud entered.

"How may I be of assistance, Master Ullic?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:57, Mon 27 July 2015.

Master Ulric walked over to his desk and pressed a button.  The holo-images of 3 other Council Masters snapped into place on the wall behind him.  Each looked to be on a different planet or ship at the moment.

"Knight Earthrender, congratulations again on your promotion to Jedi Knight. Now that you have had a few weeks to settle into your new position, we are ready to assign your first mission. As you know, there have been increasing and disturbing reports of a rise in Sith activity on many worlds.  So far we have been unable to find definitive proof of a new Sith regime, but that is always possible.

One of our Knights was investigating a possible Sith sighting on the planet Rishii.  We lost contact with her about 2 weeks ago.  Repeated attempts to contact her have failed, and our outside contacts have reported no sightings since we lost communication."

He paused for a moment, and one of the holo-images began speaking. It showed the image of an elderly Cerean Master, Master Dhervall.  "We would like you to travel to Rishii and investigate the last known location of our missing Knight. You should use extreme caution as their is a high potential of Sith involvement."

Another of the Masters, a Nautolan Master, spoke next. "We are also assigning one of our higher-level padawans as your partner. He has never had a long term master before and we feel it is time for him to have some outside experience.  He is currently in the archives awaiting your arrival."

Master Ulric spoke again after letting that information set in for a moment. "Do you have any questions for us, Knight Earthrender?"

Cloud nodded.

"Understood. What kind of planet is Rishi? Are there environmental factors we'll need to be aware of?"

Master Ulric responded. "Rishii is a jungle planet. It has many oceans and small continents, mostly filled with jungle.  If you require more details, you can pull the planet file from the archives."

Cloud nodded again. No need to bother the Master with such questions.

"Was she able to give a description of the Sith she thought she saw? Or did she just sense the Dark Side?"

Master Dhervall spoke next. "She was not able to get a visual on the possible Sith. She tagged and interrogated some of the Sith's agents in the city, but we did not receive any information beyond that."

"Understood. Did she leave any of the names or contact information of her informants?"

Also important to know.

Master Ulric spoke again.  "I personally am not sure.  All the datafiles, records, and holo-calls we received will be at your disposal. They are all logged in the system and have been released to your clearance."

Cloud nodded.

"Understood, Master. I shall research the matter and depart."

Most of what he wants to know seems to be on file.

"Very well. Knight Earthrender, you are dismissed."

Master Ulric motions that he is free to leave and begin his mission.

Cloud politely took his leave, and proceeded to do the research on the stuff the Master didn't know.

Upon leaving the master's office, Cloud was given a datachip from the reception droid.  "This is all the data Master Ulric has combined for you. It should help you on your mission."

Cloud nodded. With that, he should probably study it in hyperspace. Not much else to do.

Three options:

You can go to the library for research.

You can go to the quartermaster for supplies.

You can meet your new padawan.

(OOC:Let's do all 3 in that order. Don't drag it out too long, we don't want to get bogged down on things that don't require a roll and you can probably handwave)

The shuttle jumped into hypserspace and continued on its trip to Sluis Van. The trip estimation was 3 days to the destination. This was a private shuttle form the temple, so only Cloud, his padawan, and the pilot were on board. There was also a research droid with access to the Temple's files.

OOC:

Research anything you like.  Computer use skills 3D, knowledge skills 4d.

17:29, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 1 success using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 3D 1P 1A. Computer.

(Remember to have the higher intellect padawan roll this stuff too...)

Cloud researched the planet and all information the former Knight on duty had sent in. It was tough to do, but fortunately, he did have a measure of training and barely pulled it off.

Research data:

The missing Jedi Knight was looking into reports of Sith activity at the Sluis Van orbital shipyards. Since Sluis Van is a major trade port and ship repair/production facility it would be a blow to the Republic if it fell into Sith hands.  The fact the Jedi stopped reporting in raises some warnings that the Sith might already be active on the station.  One of the contacts mentioned is a Twi'lek mechanic named Bent'tra.

16:54, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 1 success, 3 threats using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 1P 1A 4D. Underworld.

16:54, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 3 successes, 2 threats using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 1P 1A 4D. Streetwise.

16:53, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 1 success, 1 threat using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 2A 4D. Knowledge Planet.

16:53, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 1 failure, 2 threats using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 2A 4D. Lore?

Cloud also had several long thinks about what he knew on his own. Typically, he knew something, particularly about the streets there, but it wasn't at all good...

His Lore on the area revealed nothing, however.

Which location are you headed to first?  The planet or shipyards?

Underworld:  The shipyards and surrounding station have long been a haven for black market parts dealers.  Those who need quality parts often come here to steal and resell them at different locations to get around the strict laws the Slussi have in place.

Streetwise:  Recently a new group of Rodians have moved into the station and tried to take over the security and middle-man positions.  The other underground groups on the station have fought them but slowly seem to lose ground. No one knows how they are making such an inroads, but rumors are they have an assassin and spy working inside the Slussi station controllers.

Their is also a rumor of the "Binary Brotherhood".  Supposedly there is a group of free droids who seek to free the others enslaved to the station or their owners.  They are rumored to override other droid's programming and infect visiting ship's systems to allow free travel. No one can confirm anything, but there are reports of code and other computer programs that mention this name.

Knowledge Planet: Sluis Van has long been a major player in galactic shipbuilding. They produce quality ships and can upgrade or repair almost any ship out there. Beings of all races come here to learn their tricks and secrets. Due to the mix of different races and beliefs, tensions are always running high on the station.

Lore:  Nothing you can remember.

(OOC: Cloud will meditate, then go wherever he thinks he's more likely to find the Knight they lost contact with. Cut off doesn't mean dead.)

The meditation session gave him the idea to check in the main concourse. The most populated and diverse section of the station, it would provide the best opportunity to find the missing Jedi.

Cloud heads to the main concourse. There's likely to be many people there...but only a few will radiate the Force. That's how he'll find the missing Jedi.

The main concourse was full of different species moving around.  Most went about their business and did not pay any attention to Cloud.  One of the station guards came over and talked to Cloud.

"Greetings, visitor. How can I assist you today?"

The guard did not radiate or otherwise indicate force potential.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:33, Wed 02 Sept 2015.

"Just looking for a friend of mine, she was last here on this planet."

Jedi tend to stand out unless they're undercover, so maybe he's seen something.

The guard nodded and pointed to one of the store fronts.  "If you are looking for information, the station's welcome center might be able to help you."

I was not sure if you were undercover or not.  I looked through the posts but did not see you say either way, so I took a guess.  I will edit it.

(OOC: I wasn't sure if SHE was undercover or not. But for now, at least, drawing attention to myself is more likely to draw the Sith then the Jedi I'm looking for)

Cloud nodded, and headed for the welcome center.

A droid was standing inside the welcome center and spoke up as Cloud entered.  "Welcome to the Sluis Van shipyards!! How can I be of service or direct you today??"

Good point. I never specified, but yes, she was undercover. Looking for the Sith agent(s).

Cloud simply asks, "Well, I was looking for a friend of mine...she's *insert description here*"

The droid stared at Cloud for a moment and then spoke up.  "Records show the last appearance of your associate was four days ago near the ship production facilities."

"Thank you for your time."

And Cloud proceeds in that direction. Perhaps he'll sense something from the Force there.

If you want to reach out/check with the force, it will be 3D with whatever power you wish to use.

06:36, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled no successes, 3 dark force points using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 3F.

But Cloud senses nothing. The Force is Silent. For now.

(Unwilling to flip pips for this...Difficulty only comes up on the Discipline Check if it gets that far)

Yup. The force is silent and a bit clouded. But ultimatey does not answer or give you an insight to the whereabouts of the missing Jedi.

Well, plan B is doing things the old fashioned way...asking around to see if anyone's seen her.

After an hour or two of asking, there is finally a result.  One of the shopkeepers remembered seeing someone matching her description.

"I remember her. She was in here a few mornings ago. She bought some food from next door and came in here asking me about a holo-net splicer. Something that can be used to capture and manipulate information from the holo-net. Very illegal. I told her I do not carry items like that. She seemed desperate, so I pointed her to a dealer I have, uhhh, heard about. He handles items like that. Known as "Red Devil".  He frequents a bar called the Emerald Serpent."

Cloud nods. "Thank you. I'm worried for my friend now. Those who walk into trouble often find it."

Off to the Emerald Serpent then...

The Emerald Serpent was known locally as a hangout for offworlders, deviants, and those who did not contribute to society.  It was also a favorite of young Slussi who wanted the "foreign rebellious" feeling without ever leaving the system.  All kinds of beings mixed here and word was anything could be found for the right price.

06:57, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled no successes, 5 light force points using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 3F ((10(F), 9(F), 11(F))).

(OOC:Wow. Okay. So I activate all Sense Upgrades I have.)

The Force was Cloud's guide. Perhaps it'd guide him to the Red Devil...or even the friend he's looking for.

Looking into the force Cloud was able to see an after-image of his missing Jedi. She was in the Emerald Serpent in the past. And a few times if his vision was correct. He saw her talking to various individuals. Some slussi some not.

But the last one he saw was of a tall, dark red skinned Devaronian. They appeared to argue and his Jedi left quickly after. But the anger flowing from the Devaronian could be felt through the vision as if it was happening right now.

Perhaps the Red Davoronian known as 'Red Devil' was in the room now.

Let's find out...

The bar was open and about half full when Cloud walked inside. He saw many different species going about their business. There was a droid and a Slussi behind the bar. Two Twi'lek females were walking around taking orders from the patrons inside. On initial glance there was no one to match the description of the "Red Devil".

Cloud headed on up for the bar, and...asked about his friend first. Finding the 'Red Devil' is only the second choice. Still, since he knew his friend had talked to him lately, he could use that to identify her. Or at least ask who was on shift that night who'd know.

You can ask around in whatever fashion you like. Asking questions, bribing, intimidating, etc.  Just let me know what actions you are taking.  Asking and bribing is 3D.  Intimidation would be 2D. If you want to go all mind control let me know as well.

(OOC: Asking is the correct option, naturally. Intimidation is ASKING for conflict. Mind controlling unnecessarily asks for more. So charm? Negotiation? Something else?

Yes, Sidious, I see you going 'aww nuts' in the corner.)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:35, Wed 16 Sept 2015.

I am just giving you options. Leaving it up to you in how you wish to use the powers and abilites you possess.

Charm. Negotaiation. Bribery. Flirtation. Coersion.  And good old fashioned manipulation are all different options.

06:33, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled no successes, 3 dark force points, 2 light force points using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 2A 3F 3D.  Charm!

(Hmm. So my two light force points are good for one success and one advantage.)

Cloud, ever so politely, simply asks nicely where he might find his friend.

Asking around seemed to give a clear answer.  If he wanted to find out any information about his missing "friend", then the Devaronian in the corner was his only chance.

Cloud sighed. Always the hard way.

Well, he'd go ask the Devaronian then...

The Devaronian sat at a table in the corner of the cantina.  There were a few other assorted species sitting around him. Some listening. Some watching the crowd. As Cloud moved closer, a large and intimidating looking Klatoonian stepped forward.

"Go away, human. This is private party."

"If you might be so kind as to tell me where my friend is, I would be happy to leave you in peace."

He gives a description.

The Klatoonian looked at Cloud and then to the Devaronian.  "You want me to get rid of him, boss?"

The Devaronian looked at Cloud for a moment and gestured for him to pass. "No, this one interests me. Tell me, human. Why do you seek out the Red Devil?"

Cloud simply said, "I am looking for a friend of mine. As best as I can determine, she...didn't get on your good side. I simply wish to know what happened to her."

The Devaronian laughed and motioned his guards to sit down.  "You are funny human. I know your friend. She did not make me laugh like you do. Sit, have a drink. Join us funny human!"

Cloud wasn't intending to be a 'funny human.' But ya know what, an amused Red Devil just might decide to help him for the funny.

So he sits down. Perhaps it's the will of the Force to win this one over through good humor.

After a few rounds of drinks, the crowd thinned some as the station turned over to "night" settings.

After watching one of his assorted associates falling forward and passing out from drinking too much, the Devaronian looked back at Cloud.

"Now that we have fun, it is time for business. You are looking for someone and come to me for assistance. Now tell me how I can be of assistance."

"It is said you have a truly extensive information network. I was hoping it might be put to use finding this friend of mine."

Of course, Cloud figures there might be a price for that, but it's to be expected.

The Devaronian's smile faded a little as he leaned over the table.  He crossed his arms in front of him as he leaned in to hear Cloud better.

"To business, then. Very well. Not all life can be fun and stories of adventures. You wish to locate someone? Then you will find no better seeker then I. Tell me who you wish to locate. And then we can discuss the price."

Cloud gives the (assumed) name and description of his friend. Who this being has met personally, so that helps his memory. And patiently waits.

Upon hearing the name, the Devaronian's smile quickly faded. He sat up a little straighter and looked Cloud directly into the face.

"Why do you mention that name? Is that the friend you seek? If so, then I have made a mistake. You are no friend of mine. And I will not help you no matter what you pay. You will leave now."

Seeing him tensing up, two of the bodyguards do their best to stand straight and look imtimidating.

(OOC:Hmmm. Options? I'm considering the mind trick here, since he's acting like he wants a fight to break out now, and I might hopefully soothe him back to a more peaceful state of mind. Using it for lulz isn't good, but using it to prevent a fight? Now we're in what it's meant for.)

OOC:  That is true. It could be a useful tool here. But other means of persuasion or trickery could work. Also, you never really mentioned WHY you were searching for her. Maybe he would be more agreeable if he liked your reasoning.

Cloud sighed...

"You must understand, I'm looking for her because she went missing. I'm told there's a Sith in the area. If that's true...he might come looking for you too, and they aren't famous for leaving people they come in contact with alive."

Cloud shook his head. "They're not anybody's friend. Not even their own."

Upon hearing the word "Sith", the Devaronian started growling deep in his throat. "I hear rumors of the Sith here as well. I never able to prove it, so I think someone telling stories to make us jumpy. But now you come here spreading these stories."

He stared at Cloud for a moment and continued. "How do I know you not just spreading stories? Or are not working for the Sith? How do I know you are not just lying like the other?"

Cloud smiles politely. "Of course I can't actually prove they're there, because even I don't have solid proof of it. That, along with my friend's disappearance, is why I'm here. We were expecting her report on the matter when she disappeared. As for me, I'm with the Order. Though I'd appreciate if you'd keep that to yourself. It'll take longer for a Sith to find me if he doesn't have a name or face."

Perhaps, if he gives some trust first, he might gain some.

The Devaronian looked at Cloud for a moment with a strange expression on his face.  He then reached under the table to and pressed a hidden button.  A sound of distant static started around the table and extended above it.

He looked back up and his expression had completely changed to one of suspicion. He spoke in a clear, almost accent free version of Basic.

"You are from the Order? Really? And this missing woman is another Jedi I take it? And Sith are involved."

He sighed and shook his head.  "And here I thought this place would be boring."

Cloud shook his head.

"Sadly, no. Anyways, if one of us goes missing looking for a Sith...well...I hate to say it, but the most likely reason why is that they found their target and didn't win."

He nodded and continued speaking.

"This is bad news indeed. If a Sith is around these parts it cannot be good for any of us. They tend to either destory or enslave anyone who does not cooperate with them. And I would avoid both options. If I help you, can you make this Sith problem go away?"

Cloud shook his head.

"If they're in what passes for a good mood. But yes, that's what I'm here for. I should arrange some sort of signal...perhaps, if you don't hear from me in a specified amount of time...then I too found him and didn't win, and the Order should be notified to send a larger force."

The Devaronian thought for a moment and then his smile returned.  "Helping out a Jedi is just a small thing that I can do for you. I have always been a friend to those who are in need of my services. I can pass your message along if you desire. I can give you an encrypted comlink that will broadcast only to me for use in emergencies. I am sure you would be very grateful and remember your new friend for helping out in such a dangerous situation."

He laughed at his last comment and seemed back to his original demeanor.

Cloud caught the hint.

"We pay our debts, of course. Just don't ask us to violate our rules, and all is well."

But Cloud sets up the comlink with everything else as the man specified.

"Very well. I will give you the information I have as well as possible backup if needed. And you remember your new friend when the time is right."

He setup the comlink and encryption and then handed a datachip to Cloud.

"This is the information I have on your missing Jedi. Hopefully this will just be your internal politics and nothing devious or sith-related."

"Of course. And while that would be nice...and extremely fortunate for everyone...I somehow am not optimistic."

Meanwhile, he looks over the data he's been given. Best do that here in case he needs something clarified.

The data seems pretty straightforward. Lists of various places she was spotted. Some items she bought from vendors. Mostly food, information, and various electronics. It looked like she was creating some kind of spying or recording or eavesdropping device.

"It's a place to start. If I drop by these locations..."

Then the Force might have further insights on finding her.

"Agreed. You will have safe passage from all my people on the station. And I will hold onto your comm in case you need my assistance."

He hit the button under the table and the sound dampening field dropped. The noise of the cantina rushed back in and quickly drowned out everything around it.

He smiled that sharp, dangerous looking smile from earlier.

"Have a good day, my friend!"

Cloud had what he needed. So the first thing he needed to do is go to the locations he'd been given and check the Force. Eventually, it'd tell him where he needs to go.

One of the locations provided seemed to call to him. It was one of the shops listed on the data provided.  Something about it just seemed related to the missing Jedi.

Cloud heads for the aforementioned shop. Perhaps the Force would guide him to the clues he needed. When one was in harmony with the Force, it would guide you wherever it needed you to go.

Cloud reached the shop and stood inside for a moment. It was busy, with many different beings talking or working on mechanical items.  No one seemed to pay much attention to him.

Forsee or sense roll. 3D.

20:16, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled 1 failure using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 1P 2A 3D.  Discipline to back up Sense.

20:15, Today: Cloud Earthrender rolled no successes, 1 dark force point, 4 light force points using the Star Wars Edge of the Empire with a dice pool of 3F.  Sense.

(Well, crap. Gotta burn 2 light points to turn failure to success, then 2 light points remain to actually activate Sense)

There was a disturbance here, and it took Cloud a great deal of effort to see through the veil.

The Dark Side was very strong in the area. It almost overwhelmed Cloud and felt like a punch to the gut. He took a few deep breathes and was finally able to push through the cloud of darkness and see a faint image of the Jedi he was seeking.

She was in the shop talking to someone in a heated manor. The words were indistinct but their tone was obvious. They were arguing loudly and in earnest. The figure seemed to laugh at one of the comments, and was then shoved into a display by the Jedi.  The display shattered and items fell all around as Cloud lost connection to the vision.

Cloud needed to know where she went...but trying to pierce the veil here was going to take too long. Besides, the tone of that argument didn't look like it ended well. Particularly not if she force pushed him into a display.

Cloud looked for the display used to catch the enemy. It should be damaged...

The store from the vision was closed. There was a small sign indicating it was closed and the door was locked. There did not appear to be anyone standing outside. All lights were off and the interior was dark.

Cloud...declined to break in. Instead, he'd ask nearby stores who owned that one and how they could be reached. And if nearby stores heard a fight happen in that one.

One of the nearby owners remembered the fight.  There were 2 aliens in the store who got into an argument, and then one shoved the other into a display. The one who was attacked got upset and attacked the other and a brawl broke out.  The interior was trashed and the store owner injured in the attack.  Both aliens fled before security arrived and neither has been seen since.

If the owner is injured, Cloud would like to talk to him. He inquires of their health and where they might be found.

The shop owner was in the local infirmary.  He could not provide much information, but amongst the belongings laying on the table next to him was a small datacard. It looked like one used mainly by the Jedi to secure information.  It was most likely not the owener's card.


OOC:

I am trying to move your story along to meet with the other Jedi.  That way I can combine some stories and make things easier on myself.  Are you good with that?

Cloud took the data card and accessed it...

(OOC: Yeah, I figured you needed to consolidate, so go ahead...)

The datacard contained encrypted information on it that was personal to the missing Jedi.  Some of it was locked out from view and unavailable.  The last entry was available once it was accessed.  It listed a few names of individuals around the station and then had one last line:

Confirmed agents of Sith named Darth Ash present on station.

There were no further entries or comments.

Well, now Cloud knew who he was looking for at least.

And that would give him some guidance on what to do next, which requires meditating on this new information. As always, the Force would be his guide...

The force was drawing him towards the planet surface. He sensed a dark presence on the surface of the planet.  There was a small spark of light surrounded by the darkness.

Cloud followed his instincts. He knew he had to get to the light before the Darkness got the bright idea of extinguishing it...

So he took his speeder and hauled it that way.

The trip to the surface was mostly uneventful.  Once he was down there, the darknesss seemed larger and more prevelant.  The light spot was smaller and moving towards him.

That's what he needed. First, to get to the light, second, to get it out of harm's way...and third, confront the darkness only if necessary. He isn't here to fight the Sith, though it may become necessary. He's there to get the light out safe.

He stood on the planet surface near the starport.  There were not many non-Slussi on planet so he stood out to those nearby.  Most of the structures and transports were designed with the Slussi bodytype and transportation means in mind.  It would make travel and finding comfort difficult.

If he sticks out...then most likely, so does the light...and very probably so does the Sith. Of course, they could both be Sluissi themselves just to make his life more challenging...but it's unlikely.

Still, he's primarily looking for the light. His own comfort isn't important compared to finding that light.

The Force leads him to what looks like an ancient building of some kind. An ancient building built for the purposes of worship. It appears currently in use as there is smoke rising from the center and ceremonial guards stationed at the entrances.

Well...The force was often mistaken for a source of worship by some cultures...

But Cloud takes a moment to feel the flow...was this a place of light...or darkness?

It was not really light or dark. It was more neutral with a hint of darkness behind it.

This must not be what he's looking for then, because he's still looking for that dot of light that the Darkness was surrounding. Still...perhaps he was led here for a reason.

The Jedi who adhered to the idea of the "Living Force" would say there are no coincidences. There is no randomness, only the will and workings of the force. Perhaps that was true in this case.

Cloud reconsidered. Perhaps this is EXACTLY where he was meant to be, and the light and the dark might run right into him here. In which case, Cloud looks around...looking for all the world like a tourist who just happened to stumble into the place.

The gathered Slussi looked at him strangely. Their ceremony seemed over, and many were going up to greet the strangely robed Slussi standing on some kind of stage.  It seemed a happy and joyous occassion and those feelings spilled over into the force.

One of the elder Slussi, dressed in ornately garnished robes, came over to him.  He spoke in heavily accented basic. "Can I help you?"

Cloud was always interested in learning more of the world around him...

"If I may ask...what was being celebrated? It seems to be a happy occasion."

"We just finished the ceremony to welcome the newest members into our priesthood. The portions that are off limits to outsiders has ended. You can go inside and meet them and talk to the others if you like."

Cloud nods, "Thank you. Would you mind telling me a little more about the belief system here? I'm afraid I know little of the customs here."

Most are happy to teach their faith to others, but what Cloud's really looking for is anything that sounds like the Force.

As Cloud talked to the Slussi, a ship passed by overhead.  It was close, a little too close then was probably allowed or safe.  It moved past and landed near them on a landing pad attached to the temple.

OOC:

Combining your thread with another.

(OOC:Am I joining his thread or is he joining mine?)

Neither I made a new thread for both of you.  New category, so neither of you are seeing the others previous story.