SW: Exceptional Jedi: Flight of Mind Chapter 1

Early 79 BBY

"So what's so big about this government of Zerga that we need to get there at the time of peace, Master?" Arya asked.
"They have discovered some artifacts that the Jedi archivist Thargio has identified to have Veledosian origins, and as Veledos has been lost, the ministers are now arguing about what to do with them. I believe you understand why we were sent to act as diplomats there to solve the situation there", Jedova explained.
"Veledosian origins?" Arya repeated. "Are we just going to act on our own or will we contact Seer Ni'Dea? I mean, her leadership of Lianoros is closest to a governing ruler my folk has nowadays that we know of."
"Not at least yet. Make sure you bring that up when we are talking with the ministers, Padawan. If they decide to give up the artifacts to Lianoros, we shall contact the Tribe Seer", Jedova said.
"Okay, Master", Arya nodded. She was truly interested in what kind of artifacts had been buried to the soil of Zerga just to be found by someone else countless of years later. And who had abandoned them there in the first place.

So many mysteries awaited them, she was sure about that.

As they arrived to the planet, its air struck at Arya's eyes as she left the ship's strictly ventilated air. For a moment she could not see anything else than lights flashing in her eyes and she could hardly breathe.
"Padawan? What's wrong?" Jedova asked. The Padawan shook her head to regain her eyesight. The flashes turned into streaks and then she regained her eyesight, but an odd scent of something burning stayed on her tongue.
"What's wrong, Padawan?" Jedova repeated.
"I-I dunno, M-Master", Arya stuttered. "I just suddenly... it felt like the air had smacked itself at my senses."
"Are you alright now?"
"Yeah." Arya was not sure but at least she could walk without faltering. The air tasted horrible.

What an awesome beginning for this mission...

The odd feeling disappeared and Arya did not know why it had even come in the first place. It was just like the Veledosian artifacts on this planet; how they had come there was unknown to her. It seemed to her that a mystery of the forgotten history of her folk was about to unfold around her...

As the Jedi walked towards their meeting place, they looked at the scenery around themselves. The sky was light green and the lightest shades of both blue and green were a big majority in the color world of the architecture. Everything was beautifully ornate and the vegetation gave everything a jungle-like feeling. Jedova felt like he was walking around an ancient jungle city which was not in ruins, but, unexpectedly, still kept living on.

Their meeting place, a restaurant named Plying Time, was different from others: its color was pastel yellow.
"At least they did not choose a covert place", Jedova muttered, but Arya heard it easily and grinned.
"Who'd want to steal some unknown artifacts, Master?" the Padawan asked. "I hope not many know of them, though…"

Three ministers were there, waiting for them. They were so caught up in their disagreement that they did not notice the tall Jedi before he cleared his throat.
"Oh, Master Jedi! "Oh, Master Jedi! You are here!" The ministers jumped as they noticed the Jedi. "We were told that your council was sending a team, but we were not told who."
"I am Jedi Master Jedova Wang, and this is my apprentice Arya Deinden", Jedova introduced.
"A child? Is a child really suitable for a thing like this?" one of the ministers asked.
"I am not a child; I am a Padawan Learner. I am here to learn to become a Jedi Knight. Plus, I am the representative of the Veledosian tribe Lianoros", Arya said as calmly as she could. "I believe these artifacts you have uncovered are a point of interest towards my tribe."
"But you are extinct! You can't be a Veledosian, you have been extinct for centuries!" said the tallest of the not very tall ministers.
"There is a difference between being extinct and being in exile away from the public eye, sir", Arya replied politely.
"Okay… so have you contacted the chief of the tribe yet?"
"They are out of the reach of the comm. channels, so not yet. But we do know that the tribe as whole will be interested in these artifacts", Jedova said. "Plus, I am sure that my apprentice can determine how interested they will be."

The ministers could say nothing about that.
"Ahem, pardon our poor manners. I am Kadeg Kholia", said the tallest ministern. He had dressed himself into a cream-colored tunic.
"I am Jay Jakio. It's a pleasure to meet you", said the other human man. His tunic was light blue.
"My name is Shada Sha", said the only woman.

Shada. Arya's memory brought her the hazy picture of her ill mother whispering to her father right before passing away. The Padawan forced the picture to go away before her eyes would be filled with tears and concentrated on the woman's light green tunic and how she was explaining that she was the representative of the area in which the artifacts had been found.
"Kadeg and I too are the representatives of our own areas", Jay told. "But to be honest, I think my area would be the best for safekeeping the artifacts. We have the most advanced museums and thus the best security."
"How much criminality do you have here on Zerga?" Jedova asked.
"Very little. My area, on the other hand, had a zero-tolerance about it, and we have no crime there, so therefore it would be the safest place to guard the artifacts", Kadeg said.
"Excuse me, but the artifacts are deep in my area's jungle, guarded by a plethora of plants and hostile animals, and very few even know about their existence, let alone their location!" Shada said.
"Did you say plants and animals?" Arya asked.
"Yes. What about that?" Shada answered.
"That could indicate that either the artifacts themselves or the ones who left them here originate from the Haleos tribe", Arya explained.
"So why don't we get a representative from that tribe?" Kadeg asked.
"We have no Haleosian contacts. Lianoros is the only tribe the existence and location of which we currently know, and that information is less than a decade old. We have no idea whether or not the other tribes even exist these days", Jedova explained. "Arya is the only Veledosian whom we know to operate outside the area of any of the existing tribes."
"Fascinating", Shada said. "You've been gone for centuries, and now you are resurfacing."
"Maybe. I'm not sure how many of us are willing to appear to the public world", Arya said. "None of the present generations have lived life other than that of our secluded life alone in the tribe's area."
"Alright then. Should we begin discussions?" Jay asked.
"I don't mind", Shada said and gave Jedova a piece of durasheet. "Here is when and where we will meet."
"Thank you. We will be there", Jedova promised. "May the Force be with you." He and Arya bowed to the ministers as they left.

"It's not too far away, Padawan. Let's go on foot", Jedova said.
"Yes Master", Arya replied immediately.

She looked back once before they went to the tunnel that was the closest route to their meeting place. An old woman who wore whitish robes and a necklace that had a symbol which resembled the symbol of Haleos looked at them even though her eyes were white like a blind person's eyes.