Post by Marshall on Jul 25, 2021 21:00:17 GMT -5
It ended with the blink of an eye. Just like that the red dust that covered the planet vanished. It died as it was born - with no answers. With it went the invaders that attacked Ava and Jeryndi at the crater. The near-belly crawling crocodile-like creatures named the wakeks were gone. The Dreamers, those who they found, awoke. And, with their home inhabitable, the Mandalorians found refuge on a different planet.
She remembered the events and how the sudden sharp end was like a scab ripped from a wound before its time. It stung. It bled. It hurt. Because there was one that did not return.
He had many names and was known throughout the galaxy. Multiple masks strategically worn by one man. Director. High Magistrate. Mand'alor. Doctor. The Mechanic. Sadhric Tlin did not return. His ship, the Witchdoctor, also gone.
With the wreckage of Mandalore as his last known location a search party ensued. Ripley Tanner from Bespin, her own colony of people still recovering from an internal pandemic, sent teams of men and equipment. The Hapan Empire, led by Maxima Buffton, ordered legions of the Hapan Army to search for the missing Doctor. Niko Buffton and his brother Antor, the owner of the space orbiting colony of Haven, donated resources. Kabel Tekal and what little of the Jedi ranks remained also combed the planet. Kel’dan spearheaded the Mandaloran charge as he sent in groups to simultaneously gather what remained of their home and search for the leader they lost. The Daimon Empire. Leaders of other planets who participated at the political summit. Friends. Allies. And people smart enough to know The Mechanic was too dangerous to be left to the unknown. All of them gathered and for months an entire galaxy searched for one man.
A man who could not be found.
Ripley Tanner was the first major player to drop from the race. The Daimon Empire soon after. Then Antor Buffton. The Jedi returned to their new home on Jurai. The Mandalorians and their many refugees off to find a new place to settle. One by one they abandoned the search. Eventually even the Hapan Queen could not afford to expend such massive resources. Soon, individuals left. Blurred faces departing on ships to return them to the galaxy. Eve Azalee. Niko Buffton. Roland Baxter. Marcus Thorne. Kabel Tekal. Kel’dan. Jeryndi Trander. Geraint. Darien Tekal. Eventually (and with great sorrow), even Solomon Tekal returned to his wife, his children, and his garden.
A year passed since that day.
Only one remained.
Ava Azalee, Jedi Knight, scoured what was now known as the Red Planet. The Reckless Gambit, a rickety ship that she was certain would never make it out of orbit, transported her from grid to grid while she painstakingly mapped out what remained of the desolate world. There were eyes in the galaxy. Ears to the ground for any whispers of the lost Mechanic while she stayed in the last place he had been.
The night was cold. The Reckless Gambit in position as she prepared to restart the journey back in Grid One – the crater where Ava experienced the insurmountable godlike force that almost crushed her like a bug. On the workbench was a new prototype gifted to her by Ripley Tanner with a note scratched on flimsy. ‘It’s a long shot. Let me know if she works. P.S. Beware of the kick-back’.
She found a place to sit and watched as a line of words scrolled across a holo-feed.
“Please with great confidential, let me share that from my father, Emperor Maltez Buffton from Bastion, I keep the brain of Sadhric Tlin in most pristine. Value is 43000000 or more.
If you with kind heart will tran-”
Her free hand swiped away the holo closed. They were everywhere now. She received at least three of those a week and anticipated when it would become once a day. Shaking her head, she ripped open a silver bag labeled AVAZ and took a bite of the white paper-thin wafer.
“Open log.” She announced to the ship. The lights on the Reckless Gambit twitched and dimmed. Another wafer plopped in her mouth while she waited for the gentle whirl of power to stabilize.
“Day 365: I’ve completed another search of the planet and have returned to Grid One. Ripley Tanner delivered a prototype known as TRACE. A temporal anomaly detection device specifically calibrated to the Red Planet’s unique environment that I will test tomorrow at….” She paused to remember and then announce the time. “… hopefully with some success. The Bufftons have delivered another month’s supply of rations to keep me sustained on the planet.” Ava’s sigh was a deep one.
“Step by step – breathe easy. I know you Jedi know all about breathing.”
She continued. “Still no signs of vegetation beneath the red dirt. I continue to take samples and turn them into Maxima’s scientist. Maybe one day their lab results will show a change. No signs of any other life. But, despite the complete lack of vegetation, the atmosphere has finally achieved stabilization. The need for environmental suits and deployment droids are no longer necessary. I’ve sent word out to Niko to see if a team can investigate this further.”
“Any sound you hear; anything, Ava. I'm blind; you're my eyes."
No longer hungry, the ration packet closed and she began freeing her hair from its messy braid.
“Solomon Tekal remains on an eager stand-by should I uncover any new information.” She continued with the log. “Side note, judging by his latest holo, his children are successful in their covert assignment of eating him out of house and home.”
"I would appreciate it if you would look in on him for me,"
“He seems happy.” She said it to the log. To no one. And to someone who could not hear.
Fingers delved through her hair, nails massaging her scalp before rubbing tense muscles that traced down her neck. “As always, I can’t explain why I feel drawn to this planet. The pull I feel within the Force tells me that the answers to locating Tlin are here. I will report my findings tomorrow. I have hope the prototype is a success and we will know more about what’s become of The Mechanic. I have trust in the Force. Until then, this is Ava Azalee. End recording.”
More flickering from the Gambit as if the whole ship was in unified protest from the force of work.
Her eyes squinted at him. “Have you always been this smart?” She teased.
He laughed. Just a breath and a more restful smile. “You’re lucky you’ve met me since I got tired of being irredeemably stupid.” His mouth twitched. “Sometimes it still creeps in.”
Ava rubbed her eyes, leaned her head back against the cushion of her seat.
"I know that if the war's dragging ends will stop tripping me up for five minutes I'll have what I want of Origin."
Her eyes narrowed a hair by his display of caginess. “What is that?”
A smile appeared, tentative at first but becoming more real with every second. "Information. The Map. The ultimate Map."
"You have a modulator strong enough?" She inquired, remembering their conversation that felt like a lifetime ago.
It made him laugh--just a breath through his nose. He nodded. "It's been building up to it these past weeks--the entire system. It should be ready when I'm ready."
A modulator. The Modulator. Origin. The work he left unfinished. Because of the Red Dust. Because of the Mandal’s. Because…
"No," he breathed at once. "Stay away from it, please."
An arm crossed around her waist. "Can you.... would you tell me why?" She had promised Solomon to help if it was possible to do so.
He answered simply. "I may have to hurt them."
"Do you want to do that?"
"We don't all get to be the people we want."
"You're one of the brightest minds in the galaxy. You can think and operate on levels that I can't even comprehend." Ava spoke quietly. "Are you -sure- is the only way?" The last part whispered. “Or do you only think that because old habits die hard?”
Just like every other night, the ghosts of past conversations kept her company in the silence. They were moments in time Ava wished could be crystalized, cracked open, and examined beneath microscopes. What was she missing? What could she have done differently if only she’d paid attention to the right things? If her protest had let him follow the course his instinct demanded would it have ended differently? Would an entire culture of people still be lost? Would he be here working on the things he loved instead of lost?
“Name a single person you know who knows what they want.”
Ava knew.
But for that she needed to sleep. Tomorrow morning would come early. Another day of searching. Another day of hope. Crawling into the cot, Ava pulled the blanket around her small frame. She nestled her cheek against the pillow and settled beneath the cover.
“Tread carefully, Sadhric.” She said softly. “Do not lose yourself along the way.” A spark of passion begged to burst into flame. Ava hoped Sadhric wouldn’t burn with it.
"I think--" He shook his head and eased back. He'd been about to say something feverish, and elected against it. "I'm trying," he told her instead. "I'm trying."
The Reckless Gambit’s lights flickered off.
She remembered the events and how the sudden sharp end was like a scab ripped from a wound before its time. It stung. It bled. It hurt. Because there was one that did not return.
He had many names and was known throughout the galaxy. Multiple masks strategically worn by one man. Director. High Magistrate. Mand'alor. Doctor. The Mechanic. Sadhric Tlin did not return. His ship, the Witchdoctor, also gone.
With the wreckage of Mandalore as his last known location a search party ensued. Ripley Tanner from Bespin, her own colony of people still recovering from an internal pandemic, sent teams of men and equipment. The Hapan Empire, led by Maxima Buffton, ordered legions of the Hapan Army to search for the missing Doctor. Niko Buffton and his brother Antor, the owner of the space orbiting colony of Haven, donated resources. Kabel Tekal and what little of the Jedi ranks remained also combed the planet. Kel’dan spearheaded the Mandaloran charge as he sent in groups to simultaneously gather what remained of their home and search for the leader they lost. The Daimon Empire. Leaders of other planets who participated at the political summit. Friends. Allies. And people smart enough to know The Mechanic was too dangerous to be left to the unknown. All of them gathered and for months an entire galaxy searched for one man.
A man who could not be found.
Ripley Tanner was the first major player to drop from the race. The Daimon Empire soon after. Then Antor Buffton. The Jedi returned to their new home on Jurai. The Mandalorians and their many refugees off to find a new place to settle. One by one they abandoned the search. Eventually even the Hapan Queen could not afford to expend such massive resources. Soon, individuals left. Blurred faces departing on ships to return them to the galaxy. Eve Azalee. Niko Buffton. Roland Baxter. Marcus Thorne. Kabel Tekal. Kel’dan. Jeryndi Trander. Geraint. Darien Tekal. Eventually (and with great sorrow), even Solomon Tekal returned to his wife, his children, and his garden.
A year passed since that day.
Only one remained.
Ava Azalee, Jedi Knight, scoured what was now known as the Red Planet. The Reckless Gambit, a rickety ship that she was certain would never make it out of orbit, transported her from grid to grid while she painstakingly mapped out what remained of the desolate world. There were eyes in the galaxy. Ears to the ground for any whispers of the lost Mechanic while she stayed in the last place he had been.
The night was cold. The Reckless Gambit in position as she prepared to restart the journey back in Grid One – the crater where Ava experienced the insurmountable godlike force that almost crushed her like a bug. On the workbench was a new prototype gifted to her by Ripley Tanner with a note scratched on flimsy. ‘It’s a long shot. Let me know if she works. P.S. Beware of the kick-back’.
She found a place to sit and watched as a line of words scrolled across a holo-feed.
“Please with great confidential, let me share that from my father, Emperor Maltez Buffton from Bastion, I keep the brain of Sadhric Tlin in most pristine. Value is 43000000 or more.
If you with kind heart will tran-”
Her free hand swiped away the holo closed. They were everywhere now. She received at least three of those a week and anticipated when it would become once a day. Shaking her head, she ripped open a silver bag labeled AVAZ and took a bite of the white paper-thin wafer.
“Open log.” She announced to the ship. The lights on the Reckless Gambit twitched and dimmed. Another wafer plopped in her mouth while she waited for the gentle whirl of power to stabilize.
“Day 365: I’ve completed another search of the planet and have returned to Grid One. Ripley Tanner delivered a prototype known as TRACE. A temporal anomaly detection device specifically calibrated to the Red Planet’s unique environment that I will test tomorrow at….” She paused to remember and then announce the time. “… hopefully with some success. The Bufftons have delivered another month’s supply of rations to keep me sustained on the planet.” Ava’s sigh was a deep one.
“Step by step – breathe easy. I know you Jedi know all about breathing.”
She continued. “Still no signs of vegetation beneath the red dirt. I continue to take samples and turn them into Maxima’s scientist. Maybe one day their lab results will show a change. No signs of any other life. But, despite the complete lack of vegetation, the atmosphere has finally achieved stabilization. The need for environmental suits and deployment droids are no longer necessary. I’ve sent word out to Niko to see if a team can investigate this further.”
“Any sound you hear; anything, Ava. I'm blind; you're my eyes."
No longer hungry, the ration packet closed and she began freeing her hair from its messy braid.
“Solomon Tekal remains on an eager stand-by should I uncover any new information.” She continued with the log. “Side note, judging by his latest holo, his children are successful in their covert assignment of eating him out of house and home.”
"I would appreciate it if you would look in on him for me,"
“He seems happy.” She said it to the log. To no one. And to someone who could not hear.
Fingers delved through her hair, nails massaging her scalp before rubbing tense muscles that traced down her neck. “As always, I can’t explain why I feel drawn to this planet. The pull I feel within the Force tells me that the answers to locating Tlin are here. I will report my findings tomorrow. I have hope the prototype is a success and we will know more about what’s become of The Mechanic. I have trust in the Force. Until then, this is Ava Azalee. End recording.”
More flickering from the Gambit as if the whole ship was in unified protest from the force of work.
Her eyes squinted at him. “Have you always been this smart?” She teased.
He laughed. Just a breath and a more restful smile. “You’re lucky you’ve met me since I got tired of being irredeemably stupid.” His mouth twitched. “Sometimes it still creeps in.”
Ava rubbed her eyes, leaned her head back against the cushion of her seat.
"I know that if the war's dragging ends will stop tripping me up for five minutes I'll have what I want of Origin."
Her eyes narrowed a hair by his display of caginess. “What is that?”
A smile appeared, tentative at first but becoming more real with every second. "Information. The Map. The ultimate Map."
"You have a modulator strong enough?" She inquired, remembering their conversation that felt like a lifetime ago.
It made him laugh--just a breath through his nose. He nodded. "It's been building up to it these past weeks--the entire system. It should be ready when I'm ready."
A modulator. The Modulator. Origin. The work he left unfinished. Because of the Red Dust. Because of the Mandal’s. Because…
"No," he breathed at once. "Stay away from it, please."
An arm crossed around her waist. "Can you.... would you tell me why?" She had promised Solomon to help if it was possible to do so.
He answered simply. "I may have to hurt them."
"Do you want to do that?"
"We don't all get to be the people we want."
"You're one of the brightest minds in the galaxy. You can think and operate on levels that I can't even comprehend." Ava spoke quietly. "Are you -sure- is the only way?" The last part whispered. “Or do you only think that because old habits die hard?”
Just like every other night, the ghosts of past conversations kept her company in the silence. They were moments in time Ava wished could be crystalized, cracked open, and examined beneath microscopes. What was she missing? What could she have done differently if only she’d paid attention to the right things? If her protest had let him follow the course his instinct demanded would it have ended differently? Would an entire culture of people still be lost? Would he be here working on the things he loved instead of lost?
“Name a single person you know who knows what they want.”
Ava knew.
But for that she needed to sleep. Tomorrow morning would come early. Another day of searching. Another day of hope. Crawling into the cot, Ava pulled the blanket around her small frame. She nestled her cheek against the pillow and settled beneath the cover.
“Tread carefully, Sadhric.” She said softly. “Do not lose yourself along the way.” A spark of passion begged to burst into flame. Ava hoped Sadhric wouldn’t burn with it.
"I think--" He shook his head and eased back. He'd been about to say something feverish, and elected against it. "I'm trying," he told her instead. "I'm trying."
The Reckless Gambit’s lights flickered off.