After all getting back on the Marauder and watching the Remora fly back into the hyperspace highway, you have a group meeting in the middle room of your ship. Tech has his 'comfort' holopad in hand, Hunter is twirling his vibro knife, Wrecker is seated next to Omega and you are leaning against the hallway door frame.
Hunter twirls the vibro blade with the palm of his hand and Tech begins into the topic for this meeting "I know we were investigating possible locations for a 'homeworld' while we are traveling along the outer rim. One of the possible locations we discussed is Artorias and since we are near this planet I wanted to propose a short landing expedition".
"Can we?" Omega asked Hunter, cutting off the end of Tech's explanation.
"Bet they got plenty of food" Wrecker commented, patting his belly.
"The expedition would need to be executed with caution and stealth. From my intel this planet has not been involved with the separatists or the Empire but it is considered one of the
planets within the wild territory of the Outer Rim. We could not simply indulge ourselves--he shoots glare at Wrecker-- or run about and possibly expose ourselves" he looks to Omega, who turns her pleading eyes to Hunter.
"If we used our disguises from Ord Mantell and kept a low profile what are the chances we will encounter any bounty hunters?" you think out loud, and Tech answers "my calculations have determined that a bounty hunter encounter would be 17%, taking into account the unknown area and societal factors".
"So if we explored in small pairs then we should be fine" you reply and Hunter stops twirling his knife.
"It lowers the likelihood of being recognized" Tech agreed and Omega gasped in glee believing that he was going to change his mind.
"Then lets land" Hunter decided "Tech, you can choose a place that would be acceptable for visiting inconspicuously. It will give us a chance to repair the exterior of the hull and explore a possible home base. No more than two people in the city at a time".
"Yes!" Omega exclaims and Wrecker cheers with her. You smile and move out of the doorway as Tech slips by into the cockpit.
"I think you should all think about our disguises" Hunter comments and Omega is quickly off to her room, with Wrecker following behind to clean up his area and pull an acceptable outfit together. You move over to stand next to Hunter and he turns to you with a small smile "I'm sure you'll blend in".
"I've got a few things" you smile back "but I think it will be nice to touch down for a bit".
"Agreed. I know Tech is all about the precautions, but I've got a good feeling about this".
* * *
Tech did find a suitable landing location on Artorias and you began to descend into the atmosphere a few hours after your meeting. From what you had read Artorias would have a medium almost moderate climate, so you decided to wear the top and pants you had used as a bartender on Ord Mantell. The pants were loose around the legs, especially compared to your blacks and the top was short sleeved with a comfortable v-neck. It gave you a desert-person vibe from the more neutral colors but with your hair down and your clone boots hidden under your pants you looked like a 'regular' person. Of course you still had your belt with weapons, and you had considered still wearing your arm gauntlets.
The guys had changed into their 'casual' wear, which was mainly straight pants and a variety of shirts at different lengths. Hunter and Tech had vests, and Wrecker still wore his chestplate piece. Omega changed back into her clothes from Kamino, which you hadn't seen for sometime now and it would appear the legs were getting a bit short for her. Overall the entire group would still stand out as off-world but you didn't appear as mercenaries now.
The location the Tech had found was along a hilly ridge. As you had flown in you noticed and felt the presence of an ocean nearby. Unlike the false ocean on Cantonica outside Canto Bight, this Ocean was real. You could feel its powerful energy and currents through the force and could just see a bit of it from the flight path Tech took. Otherwise there seemed to be mountains, hills and forests across the planet and you were already liking this spot. Tech touched down the Havoc Marauder within the trees on the flat part of the hilly ridge and each of you looked out the front window and soon out the door at the scenery around you.
The forest was vibrant and green, the sun shone warmly and a beautiful city of white rock buildings could be seen in the distance. You couldn't quite see the ocean from this vantage point, but you could still feel that it was nearby and Hunter commented that he could faintly smell the salt being carried over by the breeze. Thus far, this planet was gorgeous and you knew all of you were excited to head into town and start exploring.
Since Hunter had put down the rule of only two people at a time everyone drew sticks out of one of Techs coffee cups. Two of the sticks had red bottoms and would be the pair who could go into the city. The remainder would stay and work on the ship's exterior. The first draw was Hunter and Tech, which was not what Tech had wanted since he would rather be present while HIS ship was being repaired. Since he was not enthusiastic about leaving the ship repairs unsupervised Omega convinced him to put his stick back in and You ended up drawing it. While this was also not what Tech had hoped for he couldn't protest now without getting teased so he just accepted his fate.
You were pretty stoked to be going out and exploring the city regardless of who you went with. But, it would be relaxing to go with Hunter since his senses were similar to yours. Your only concern was about his possible annoyance with electrical waves in the city although the view didn't indicate any of the usual electrical sources you might expect. Hunter wasn't sure about leaving the ship just yet, but he resigned himself to the draw. Hunter brought along a backpack but mentioned that you wouldn't need to wear one.
Tech and Wrecker were already starting to work on the exterior panels as you and Hunter started off towards the nearest village. Wrecker had carefully held the large panel as Tech removed its attachment pieces and Omega was close by taking each of the pieces and placing them into a container while they worked. While Tech had seemed neutral as usual you could see the focused look on his face, he truly enjoyed working on his ship. You smiled to yourself as you walked away through the lush forests, knowing you'd likely return to a fully repaired ship.
* * *
The walk was calm and you continued to sense the force about you, trying to assess and determine how comfortable you felt on this planet. Admittedly, you felt like you had already hit the jackpot. The force was strong and moved with a steady flow, indicating no presence of other manipulators or corruption. In fact, it was tempting to simply meld with it as you walked and you had to resist the urge more than once. Hunter also seemed to be enjoying the scenery around you as you walked, he observed the trees and paused or slowed down more than once to examine the plants or look at the view.
In a short time you had descended the hill and could see a village across the valley along another hill. The buildings were made of white stone that reflected the warm sun and you could just make out people walking around. There seemed to be a central location, probably a market of some kind, as well as bigger buildings that could be temples or important buildings. Towards the bottom of the valley you could see gardens and farmed land.
"Looks promising" You hear Hunter comment and you nod in response.
"I hope it is".
The walk across the valley was short since the valley was only slight, and you were soon walking along the paved stone path into the city. There was some species variety but mostly a visibly human population. The white buildings gave off a slight heat from reflecting the sun which added to the pleasant warmth of the area. Quite a few people greeted you in a friendly manner, with only one or two giving you strange 'who are you' looks.
You and Hunter didn't want to dig around too much so you mainly stayed in the marketplace. Hunter personally wanted to have Tech along to speak with the local leader about possibly joining the village so he let this trip be more relaxed than diplomatic. It's not that you couldn't have vouched for them, but Tech had all the extra information that could be useful in negotiating. Not to mention Tech would also be the MOST picky about where to live.
While Hunter stood and observed the crowds you walked by the different food stalls and examined what was for sale. Most of the plants seemed to be vegetables and fruits that would thrive in this moderate climate although there were very few you recognized. Other shops sold tools, mostly mason work tools and gardening. While you were perusing one display of carving tools a woman walked up next to you and started making conversation.
"Hello, are any of these tools catching your eye?"
"I was enjoying looking at them," you replied, turning to look at the local woman. Her olive skin and dark hair contrast with the light fabric of her clothes and she is holding a basket in one of her arms. "Although I have never used tools like this".
"Forgive my nosiness, but you must be new to the area" she continued "my name is Magda".
"Y/N, and yes I am new to the area. I am just visiting"
"There was word of a star-ship landing near here. That must be you. We do not get many off-world visitors" Magda explained "do you have any relatives in the village?"
"Yes, that was me and no I don't have any connections here" you tell her, doing your best to remain friendly and cautious at the same time. You didn't sense any reason not to trust this woman but at the same time Hunter and the others would advise you to share as little as possible.
"Well, now you've met me. Would you like to come with me back to my house for lunch?"
You were a little surprised, "That is very generous of you" you reply and turn back to catch Hunter's eye. He notices your gaze and walks over from where he was standing.
"Magda here has just offered to give us lunch" you tell him as he approaches "this is my partner Hunter".
"A pleasure to meet you Hunter. I am Magda, and it would be my pleasure to have you visit for lunch".
"We wouldn't want to impose" Hunter began but Magda cut across him.
"Please Hunter, I insist".
With that statement the matter was resolved and both you and Hunter exchanged a glance before following Magda out of the marketplace. It would appear her house was higher on the hill and you walked for a few minutes behind her. Around you were more of the white stone houses with carved designs over their doorways and windows. There was evidently some language spoken here that was also carved into the houses, no doubt distinguishing its residents. There were a variety of floral plants you passed decorating the sides of this paved road and Magda's house in particular was rimmed with floral vines and flowers in the windows. Her house seemed larger than the others, but you didn't question it. After all, you were a stranger and her generosity and hospitality should not be questioned.
Magda opened her front double doors and glided into a paved entrance room with wooden shelves. There was a cupboard on the wall with a painted red door and a similar design to the outside of the house. You and Hunter also noticed shoes on the shelf, both large and smaller child size pairs arranged on different levels. You were not sure if you were supposed to take off your boots but Magda had noticed your expression and commented "as visitors it is alright to leave your shoes on, please come with me".
You nodded and continued following behind her, with Hunter cautiously walking behind you. The paved floor turned into tiles, and you made your way through a short hallway with a few turns before arriving at a kitchen. The main parts of the kitchen you saw were wooden tables with marble rock tops as well as what appeared to be a pantry and a cooking location made entirely of rock. Magda gestured to some chairs that were placed near the edge of the marble topped table, and you went over and sat down with Hunter standing just to your right hand side. Evidently he did not want to sit down, but also didn't want to appear rude to Magda. Your hostess noticed that Hunter remained standing, but allowed him to do so as she gathered ingredients from the pantry to prepare your lunch.
She appeared to be making sandwiches, with bread, fresh vegetables and slices of meat she retrieved from a cooling unit built into the kitchen wall. As she prepared her food in front of you she asked you more questions "So what brings you here to Oreneia? Or I suppose the proper question is what brings you to Artorias?"
You looked up to Hunter, not sure how to vaguely answer the question. Hunter's expression came off as stern, his eyebrows were knitted together and he rested his left hand on the back of your chair.
"It is a beautiful place to live" Magda continued "my own husband Charalambos and I moved here from the main city Demita some time ago to raise our family. Of course there are many cities like ours that are thriving and growing across our world."
"We are visiting and exploring different planets" you mention and visibly watch Hunter tense from the corner of your eye.
"What are you looking for?" Magda asked, gently putting the sandwiches onto plates and bringing them over to your side of the rock table top.
"A home" you admitted and Magda gently smiled at you.
"We have had many displaced individuals pass through over the last couple years. Some have found it a new place to set down roots, others have decided to search elsewhere."
Hunter still seemed tense, but he finally sat down and nibbled cautiously at his sandwich. You made a move to try yours and Magda continued to say " My husband is the leader of this village, and if you decide to remain here more permanently I would request you speak to him. Otherwise, feel free to visit as long as you would like. I would like to vouch that my people are welcoming to visitors".
"Thank you" Hunter replied "for the meal and your kindness".
"You are very welcome. Now please, tell me more about yourselves".
Hunter had eaten his way through most of his sandwich so after you glanced at him he put down the remainder and started to speak. "We have been roaming the galaxy as of late, and we are looking to find some place to settle down".
"Are you pirates?" Magda asks, a curious grin on her face.
"No"
"You remind me vaguely of something along those lines. Especially with that tattoo" she smiled and then sighed "but you have been good company".
"Thank you".
"I understand not wanting to tell me more, I simply want to assure you that our planet has been a neutral planet for years and will continue to do so".
Again Hunter nods in response to her comment and looks to you now that you have finished. He continues to eat and you now pick up the conversation. "When we flew in we saw an ocean" you begin and Magda nods "Yes, it is simply called the Great Sea. One of its coastlines is on the other side of this hill to our west. It supplies the local town of Corcippia which is the sister village to our own ''.
Silence takes hold of the discussion with only the quiet munching of Hunter finishing his sandwich. In your own mind you had so many more questions, and you wanted to ask Magda as much as you could about this planet but You aren't sure what else to tell this woman, and even though you can see the curiosity burning in her eyes, it's simply not safe to share any details. You already had a history of being too trusting, and it was safer for everyone to keep things vague.
As Hunter finishes up you hear the pitter-patter of bare feet on the tile floor and look up to see a few faces peering through the doorway. There are three children, all just under Omegas age or younger and they are peering around the rocky door frame at the newcomers.
"Would you like to meet our guests?" Magda asks the curious eyes and they turn to each other in confusion which makes you smile.
"It's quite alright" Hunter mentioned, beginning to stand "Thank you again for lunch, but we need to be heading back to our ship".
"Yes" Magda nodded, rising with you both and directing you back towards the doorway you had come in through. The children quickly dispersed, still watching you from a distance but keeping away and you now walked out of Magda's fine house. It made much more sense now why her house was more grand than the others you had walked by.
"Would you like me to walk you back to the market" she offered, now that you were again out in the sun on her doorstep.
"No, thank you, we will be quite alright" Hunter replied, and you nodded in agreement saying "Thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful village. The meal was delicious".
"You are very welcome, '' she replied. "If you have any further questions you can always come and find me, or my husband Charalambros. Have a good rest of your day".
* * *
You and Hunter didn't spend any more time in the village and made your way back into the forest as the sun traveled west. It was now the late afternoon, and the heat was still traveling through the air along the breeze. You and Hunter had made your way out of the village's reaches and were now walking through the forest back to your ship.
From what Tech had relayed the repairs to the hull had been going well. It was still a patch job but with the tools and resources available they had managed to fix it up to Techs standards.
Hunter was glad there had been some progress made and you could visually see him relaxing more as you made your way back through the trees. It wasn't long before he began commenting on your outing.
"That Magda sure was interesting"
"Yes" you agree "I felt a bit guilty not answering her questions but I wasn't sure about answering".
"Me neither, but the lunch she gave us was good. I don't believe we will have any problems"
"I think it would be nice to live here" you add on and you notice Hunter's brown eyes turning back to you and you stop next to him. "It's a beautiful spot, it's outside of the Empire's control and its far enough away while still being inhabited to make a suitable home. Really Hunter, I think this could be the place".
"I am inclined to agree" he admitted and you both start walking slowly again "But I don't want to settle just yet".
"What's swaying your decision?" you ask curiously and Hunter shrugs "honestly? Just seems too good to be true. I don't want to make a decision in haste".
"I can agree with that" you state as you walk along beside him "and there are other things I'd like to attend to first as well".
"Yes, I had thought so. Still searching for your padawans right?"
"Yes".
"I know you may not find them, but I understand wanting to keep trying" he explains, the sympathy evident in his voice.
"Thanks Hunter"
Your arrival back at the ship is punctuated by a gleeful greeting from Omega announcing your return. You can see her coming down the gangplank towards you, Wrecker carefully sliding a large heavy panel back into place and Tech putting away his tools. Omega was already barraging Hunter with questions and you had started to laugh at her silliness.
While you had been gone they had managed to repair most of the scraped up exterior. Tech had some welding tools to help melt and buff out the harsh appearance but the main repair was actually patching some of the holes that had been created. It wasn't a smooth, solid, and spotless panel now.... but it was fixed. Evidently Tech had done most of the welding with Omega assisting on occasion. It was hard for him to trust her with his precious ship, but he was trying. In fact, Omega mentions that she and Tech 'had a talk', which could mean any number of things but Wrecker confirmed it to be about missing Echo.
Omega still missed her brother and had confided in Tech, who took it as an opportunity to practice comforting and empathy. It wasn't easy, but for Tech it was the equivalent of letting Omega hold the blow torch for their project. It went surprisingly well and Omega said she had felt better knowing that Tech cared too.
You didn't want to be demeaning, but you wanted to tell Tech you were proud of him since you knew it was out of his comfort zone. --if I get the chance I'll let him know-- you decide. The sun had just started to head down, and the warm breeze stirred through the trees, bringing an even deeper sense of comfort and you settled down to have dinner and let the rest of the team know about your findings.
~~ End of Chapter~~