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I finally got to my room, that felt like the longest walk ever. I throw my backpack, staff and other gear to the corner. I sit at my desk and take out the weight in my pocket. To my surprise is a stone tablet, ancient Hi-Galactic carved on it, so ancient I can hardly make it out, only recognize is Hi-Galactic. This is exhilarating, this stone tablet is just part of a bigger piece, is broken, I study it for as long as I can but can only find what I already know. I wonder how old is? I wonder how big the entire tablet is? I wonder what it says? Why can’t I make out this dialect of Hi-Galactic?…
I need a second opinion, another brain to bounce ideas from, I need Bereg Foxst. He is a brilliant man, the fact that he is in charge of his own expedition with in the guild and in change of Explorers which are Force sensitive with out being Force sensitive himself is proof of his brilliance. I get him on the com-link and ask him for help on deciphering a puzzle. Before I had a chance to explain he asks me for help with a public relation event. Foxst explains that there will be a formal party full of Nobles and officials from the local government. He needs their permission to take the expedition to the next phase.
Zara: "A formal party?"
Foxst: "Yes, you will need formal attire."
Zara: "I don’t have to wear a dress, do I?"
Foxst: "Not if you don’t want to, just make sure you look presentable and ready to meet lots of important people. I will help you with your puzzle after we establish a guild presence in the station."
I agreed to meet him at the event and help him with public relations. I changed in to the only formal suit I own and left with only the artifact and my stun baton.
When I got to the reception hall I signed in and checked in my stun baton. The reception hall was beautiful. Ancient High Galactic architecture, floating candelabras and a stained glass dome over the whole thing. A series of platforms separate the space into levels for dancing, talking and eating, the place is impressive. I spotted Foxst and I started to make my way towards him. As I make my way through the crowd I quickly notice I was one of the few Non-Humans that was not serving the guest. I greeted Foxst and we started making the rounds meeting the Nobles and officials, making small talk and trying to get support for our cause. I felt a bit out of place and started to wonder way Foxst wanted a non-human with him for this public relation gig. The only thing that I could think of was to show the Galactic Explorers Guild and The Library's acceptance of all sentient races.
I was just starting to relax and enjoy the festivities when I got a telepathic massage, “Danger” it said and a flash of an image of the armored humanoid in the tavern. It took me completely off guard and I almost spilled my drink. At the same moment I looked around for the armored one I felt a shiver and all my fur stood up, their was a disturbance in the Force. The lights dimmed and our host/guest of honor took the stage. “That’s Grand Moff Ordo Thrace"; Foxst whispered in my ear, I was frozen in place. The Moff was a flail looking old human, his old soft spoken and raspy voice seemed to command authority, he had the aura of a strong leader.
Grand Moff:“Thank you everyone for attending. For the past 1000 years the Moffs have presided over the galaxy and have done our noble best to preserve honor and nobility among all sentients. It has not been a peaceful 1000 years but we have done our best and I believe that we are able to govern the galaxy with strength and determination and are ultimately able to bring justice to all life.”
This was the first time I notice security was 100% made up of droids and there were all powering down simultaneously.
Grand Moff:“There is but one true empire”.
At that same moment I hear the all too familiar hum of Lightsabers igniting, dozens of them, all around me. I would have been excited if it was not for the disturbance in the Force.
I was deep in my work when I felt everyone’s attention being drawn. I looked away from my data pad to see a gorgeous Zeltron female walking in accompanied by an imperial officer. The odd pair went to a far off and private corner of the bar. It was hard not to stare and to keep focus on my work with a distraction like that, so I ordered another drink and pretended to work while I studied the beautiful creature. My Imagination started to wonder to the corny romance nobles I read when I was young. She was like a character from a noble come to life, every movement and gesture she made was fluid and graceful, she had that officer right were she wanted him. I don’t know whether I wanted her or wanted to be her.
I was so entranced by the graceful display that I hardly notice a Rastavaq (six-armed alien) run in to the tavern, but the blaster fire sure got my attention. I reacted with out thinking, left my data pad on the bar, graved me staff and took the video recorder out of my backpack to started filming the whole thing. Running by a human that leaped over the bar for cover I got on an angle that let me shoot the entire tavern and started watching the events throw the video recorder. It was unreal, or maybe surreal…I don’t know.
The Rastavaq pulled out a blaster and fired at a humanoid armored from head to toe, the armored one returned fire missing his target but hitting a pedestrian. Everyone took cover from the blaster fire except two humans. They were bald and had some sort of cult affiliated tattoos I did not recognize on their heads. One approached the armored one, the other went for the Rastavaq. The human with the armored one was in a defensive posture, almost like he wanted the armored one to make the first move. The other pulled out a blade and slashed the frantic Rastavaq. The armored one did something unexpected then, ignoring the human in front of him he fired at the one who injured the Rastavaq. At that point the human grunting from the pain of just being shoot at started to head towards his friend. The human that was in a defective position let out a Force power on the armored one, nothing happened. The armored one was unaffected.
The Rastavaq took this chance and started head for the transporter lift. I intercepted him and keeping a safe distance I asked him who he was and way is he being chased. He responded franticly asking me way I am not helping. I kept asking him the same questions as we got closer to the lift, the only answer he game me was:
“Can’t you see they are trying to kill me?”
“Way are you not helping?”
“This is to important”
I responded by asking why, after all, there most be a reason they are trying to kill him and I wanted to know why. When we got to the lift I knew I had to stop him or never find out what was so important. I pushed a button on my staff and a 3 foot blade came out of the tip making my staff in to a longspear, I placed the blade between him and the lift door. All of his six hands came up in surprise and he backed away from the lift.
Zara: “The authorities will be here soon, they can help you solve what ever problem you have”
Rastavaq: “They won’t help me; I can’t be caught; Please let me through, this is too important.”
Zara: “What do you need help with? What is so Important? Tell me, tell the camera. I will make sure people know your side of the story.”
At that moment I felt a ripple in the Force, I looked away just in time to see the armored one unleash a powerful Force power ripping tiles of the floor. The Force power knocked one Human against the wall and out cold, the other one off his feet and on to his back. The Rastavaq saw this opportunity to grave me and I felt he put something heavy in one of my pockets, “Is your problem now” he said. I panicked and pushed him away from me but he seemed to let me go. The Rastavaq backed away to the middle of the tavern waiting for his captor. Thats when I notice station security arrived, they were dealing with the armored one and the two humans. I quickly put away the video camera and made like a pedestrian.
Apparently the armored one had some sort of authority because after exchanging some quick words with security they let him continue. The armored one detained the Rastavaq while security dealt with the two Humans. I was back to looking at the Zeltron female, I was being hypnotized by how graceful she handled the situation. I was so preoccupied that I almost missed the suicide vest the Rastavaq had on. I screamed a warning at the same time there was a blood splatter and the six armed alien fell limp to the ground. There was a sudden silence that was broken by the armored one cursing in a language I did not understand.
Security took the two humans away and started questioning everyone. It was incredible how the tavern continued with business as usual immediately after the commotion ended. The service droids were already moping up the blood and replacing the torn tiles. I answered the question from security, conveniently leaving out the fact that I recorded the entire encounter. While I wanted to be released I linked with the station’s HoloNet looking for a news station to buy the tape from me but by the time security finished questioning everyone I have found no one to buy the tape. A Tavern brawl is apparently not "good news". My curiosity is nagging at me about the weight in my pocket so I was glad to be let go, I hurried away from the tavern to my room.
I have been meaning to start this journal ever since I became a full member of the guild and left The Library with Bereg Foxst’s expedition. Other Explorers tell me it is a good idea to keep a journal in case the unthinkable happens, so others in the guild can learn from our experience. Until recently I have had no reason to start my own journal since this is Foxst’s expedition and I am just along for the ride.
I traveled between the space station orbiting Arbor and the surface of the planet as a member of Foxst’s expedition for more or less one cycle. He had information about some ancient civilization swallowed up by the jungles of the planet. I spent almost all of my time on the surface. This planet is amazing, is a hash environment but while some of my colleges took their R&R leave and left for the space station I staid on the surface. Theres all kinds of primitive life forms to study and never a dull moment.
After almost a full cycle in the wild we finally found evidence to prove the information was accurate but we could not continue the next phase without the approval of the planet’s authority. As we started packing up our camp, I feel sorry I can’t spend more time on the surface but the prospect of having accesses to daily sonic showers, stores to shop in and food that I don’t have to kill makes it easier.
After I settled in the small efficiency studio The Library provided for me, I took a long sonic shower and quickly felt claustrophobic. It is a big change from the wide open space I was use to for the last cycle. One of my traveling companions, a Twi’lek that spends most of him time on the station mentioned a tavern called Stargaze Cantina. He said the place had a great view and would be the perfect place to "take the edge off”.
He was right, the place immediately took away the claustrophobic feeling I had. The tavern is prime real estate in the station, it was situated in a place were the roof was over looking the planet. I got there early and ordered myself a drink. The tavern was almost empty when I arrived and I saw many patrons come and go as I worked through the data collected over the last cycle. I was just beginning to feel the effects of the synthehol from my third drink when things got interesting.
I agreed to meet him at the event and help him with public relations. I changed in to the only formal suit I own and left with only the artifact and my stun baton.
