Chapter 1, The Living Force [IC]

ORBIT ABOVE THE PLANET ITHURL, 3430 BBY

ORBIT ABOVE THE PLANET ITHURL, 3430 BBY

Intro crawl replaced by the vastness of space. A small, battered ship--trader by the look of it--zooms across the frame. The camera follows, the planet Ithurl coming into view.

Scene transition to the dim interior of the ship--the cockpit.

Console and panel lights dance across Jedi Master Gardos Dralles' face. He blinks each row of eyes in turn.

He speaks to his two apprentices, sitting pilot and copilot before him. "There are no star ports to touch down." His voice is thin and monotone. "Do you think the two of you can make a successful landing this time? I do not want to add additional maintenance to our ship."

Ieyachus cackled wickedly then corrected his master. "Any landing you walk away from is a win. Besides I don't see a planet wide hurricane down there, this time."

Always eager to fly he took the yoke at the helm and dialed in manually to the ailerons and rudder. He didn't trust the computer to land the ship.

"Accounting for drag, and plotting approach vector. Let me know when to take us in."

The inertial dampners pushed to the limit, Master Dralles grips the armrest of his seat.

"Caution Apprentice Kuga." His voice sounds strained.

"But take us in..."

Ieyachus brought the ship in ventral side facing the gravity well. Pulling back on the repulsors so the ship didn't just bounce off the atmosphere. The transition from Microgravity to actual gravity was the hardest bit of the landing procedure. He grit his teeth as the ship slammed into atmo, traumaplates immediately bursting into flame from reentry.

Easing the nose cone down Ieyachus punched the forward thrusters and sent the ship into a headlong plunge into the atmosphere, careening at several hundred kilometers per minute down into the planet below. "Sith spit it's hot, low density altitude. Brace for free fall."

As if on queue the ship plummeted uncontrolled through the ionosphere, reentry speed making the ship itself screech as it greatly exceeded the sound barrier. "Straight and level." Ieyachus was looking at his instrument panel and riding the needles of his altimeter. "Brace for turbulence I'm punching the repulsors again."

Free fall wasn't so bad, it was arresting it that made for all the drama of landing. Roughly eight seconds to impact the repulsors came online and quickly arrested their fall, allowing Ieyachus to engage atmospheric thrust without liquefying those aboard the craft.

When they had slowed to a 1500kph Ieyachus stepped on the right rudder to overcome prop factor. He had to put his whole bodyweight on it to counter the spin. Ailerons neutral. Finally they had decelerated to 300kph, and Ieyachus began controlled descent. "Ahah textbook landing. I'm going to set her down in that clearing, I can see a settlement of some sort on the scope it'll be about a klick east of the LZ. Can't see anything with clearance closer though..."

Ura is sitting at the copilot seat, scanning the landing area. She recommends an area that scans as dry and stabel

URA - Master Dralles hears your callout for the landing spot. He closes all his eyes and speaks.

"Let the Living Force flow through you Apprentice Ura." A deep breath. "Reach for the moment yet to arrive. Does the ground still feel hospitable, no matter what ship tells us?"

Ura raises a hand with the palm towards the planet surface. No... not that spot, something has claimed that territory. Over there... She points to another spot and quickly punches the coordinates into the system for Ieyachus Kuga to steer by. That spot is unclaimed and "welcoming".

As the ship touch down she reach out with the force again to confirm that they are in the right place, only to find them 10 meters off to the left. There is a small complication as this area has been undermined by a gooffer-like creature, and the landing gear sinks 20 cm into the ground. It will take a bit of digging before they can take off, with the landing gears.

Sorry about that. I'll just point next time. I miss-typed one comma.

"Another happy landing." Ieyachus said with a barely concealed smirk. Once more as if on queue the ship listed about a degree and he just shook his head sighing. Giving the thumbs up to Ura he stood from his couch and stretched himself raising his arms above his head, there was a lot of crunching and cracking in his joints following this. Space travel always made him stiff.

Master Dralles stands from his seat.

In a dry voice, he responds to Ieyachus. "Yes. Quite."

Acknowledging Ura, "Well done Apprentice Ura. Never forget, the Living Force is always speaking to us--wants to speak through us, and it will if we allow it to be so."






Master Dralles sweeps from the cabin and strides to the landing ramp. He engages a panel, and the ramp lowers with a *hisss* and and metallic clanking.

Already, from across the grass a group of natives are riding beasts approaches the starship. Master Dralles rests his hands on his wide belt and prepares to greet them.

Ura takes her position one step behind and to the left of Master Gardos Dralles. Trusting that Ieyachus will focus on the riding beasts, and the upcomming natives, she scans the rest of the landing sight. If there were to be an ambush, where would it come from?

"By the Whills!" Overcome with emotion when he saw the mounted riders Ieyachus grinned. "They're so adorable!"

Master Dralles turns and nods to each of his apprentices in turn.

"I don't believe we are in danger, but be on guard. I sense...something. Like the air before a storm."

Your master continues down the ramp, a hand raised in greeting. A moment of conversation with the leader of the riders, and Dralles bows and heads back to the ship.

"Well, they speak some amount of galactic common. Their leader, Gousrou, will take me to a larger settlement where I'm sure to find a mechanic. Then, the mechanic will fly back with me and we can get the hyper-driver motivator repaired."

Master Dralles takes on a lecturing tone. "The younger riders will stay here with you two. Be sure to comport yourselves my young apprentices." Ever the teacher, he waits to hear your understanding of the situation.

Yes Master. Ura grabs hold of the gun turret, jump to an antenna, and then further up to the top of the ship. There she shits in the lotus position while scanning the horizon. This is not the first time she has climbed the outside of the ship.

Ieyachus chooses the friendly route. At least for the mounts. Sentients were nothing he enjoyed very much but beasts which tolerated them, they were great. He beckoned the riders closer. "Hello there!" He called to them and made to approach them. Trying to be as disarming as possible. "We are but humble Monks looking for supplies." Focusing his enternal energies on peaceful desires he approached fearless of recompense. Emanating the peace he felt and tranquility of this beautiful agricultural world amplifying the effect. It was quite an unconscious thing, as Ieyachus merely reflected the environment he was in coming to a stop a few dozen strides from the ship, standing as if in prayer.

Two of the young natives have ridden closer--their beasts are quadruped, halfway between reptile and mammal, long snouted and lean.

The lead one watches Ura's acrobatic feat, then lowers his gaze and greets Ieyachus Kuga in return.

His mood is lightened by Ieyachus' projecting. "Monks?" He seems to weigh the word. His eyes locate your lightsaber.

"Jedi...?"

The second youth heels his mount forward at the word.

"Jedi? You are Jedi?"

He looks back and forth between the two apprentices. Excitement apparent in his voice.

Stop being an idiot. Master said wait, not messing with the natives Ura calls down in Huttease