Shadows of Bankor

With most other places off limits thanks to the Imperial crackdown, there were not all that many options for obtaining good quality materials. So Xanna and Jenna took the Warrior's Heart out for a spin to the Industrial Wastelands of Veras (the continent, not the plucky Pantoran). Perhaps they would have a lucky break and find something useable. The Resistance could do with every bit of luck they could get right now. Or maybe the force would guide them?

Once Jenna had set the ship down they grabbed their gear and walked down the boarding ramp. It felt as though there could be anything here. They were surrounded by ancient history. Who had built this place and why had it been abandoned?

"I can honestly say I did not ever expect to come to this place."

"If I had to guess I would have thought Vaya would have been the one to come up with the idea of bringing me here someday," she said with a chuckle.

Recently, she'd felt the unsafety of not having a lot of protection her self. Ever since the Inquisitor. She had Xanna here, but she wasn't sure if that made her fear subside or not. Change, maybe.

"Anything we looking for specifically, that you had in mind? Plenty of valuable nonsense can probably be scrapped from some of this stuff."

"I was thinking that we will need parts and equipment for the new base. As well as supplies for building and repairing things. With the Empire mostly locking us out from Rygor, this seemed a good place to look."

She looked up at the tall towers, and down into the cavernous interior. "So, a little adventurous perhaps, but we can hopefully find something useful in all of this? Plus it gives us a chance to talk, if you would like?" They had just been through a lot...

"Yea," she said, a little smirk, there had been a whole lot and she hadn't even.. "Hey," she came back from the thought a touch more somber, "speaking of, there was something actually that I think I need to say now before I let the chance slip away again. Something you should know but I forgot in.." she shrugged, "well, everything else that happened."

"Lead the way though, while I go on?" she said, indicating the open area in front of them.

"Of course, tell me what is on your mind!" She lead them in the direction of the opening. It was almost like a wide cave-mouth that you could get a ship into if you could fly well. It had a fairly shallow aspect but seemed to lead downwards and underneath the huge towers rising above the landscape.

"Shall we try down here then?" If all else failed her lightsaber was in fact a fully functional glow rod!

OOC: Daunting Survival check please.

"You lead, I follow," she smirked, watching Xanna's back more to follow than paying attention. Her mind was elsewhere.

"So," she choked, caught the words in her throat for a moment and looked away for a moment, "you remember how you wanted to know if that man had a family, the one killed by Vandil that night? Turns out he had a family," she said, guilt treading into her voice a bit, "wasn't just some nobody, well.. he was, sorta, depending on who you asked.." she shook her head, "beside the point. Anyway, he was a farmer, got into debt.. he... he left behind a kid and a husband. It doesn't really.. add up," unless, she thought but didn't dare say this part, Vandil had other plans, she needed to make sure people knew she wasn't to be messed with, she had to send a message.

[Assist is likely the best from Jenna, Cunning 3]

"That is tragic Jenna." Her brow crinkled at the news. She pressed on, leading them deeper.

"Do you think we could find this family? See if anything can be done to help them. Or at least, give them the news. Not knowing would be worse I think." How did Aerly live so long in that world without going a little crazy?

With Xanna leading and Jenna's assistance they seemed to be making good progress.

Day 6. LA. Exploring the wasteland. Daunting Survival. Assist from Jenna. Equipment boost.: 3eA+2eB+4eD 1 success

Success!

Just a chill time in a chemical wasteland.

"I'm sure they've heard, or maybe it's all been too crazy," she bit a lip, "maybe, I could try but there's a lot of people to go through. Had tried to go to a bank first but it didn't pan out, was trying to run a small business selling Droid parts but it went under or," she shrugged, "sad story."

"Between the two of us," Jenna slid down over some of the terrain, easier than walking and she made it seem natural, " I'm sure we would have enough contacts to find them but now.. after everything I'm not sure. Would be a risk just to ask around now."

"Perhaps when this is over and we have removed the Empire from Bankor we can find them?" It was not ideal, but it was a start. "You are probably correct that we must be circumspect for the time being. If you can pass me their details I will look into this again at a more suitable time."

Their explorations revealed a cache of minerals and prospecting gear than had been left in place a long time before either of them had come to this planet. It seemed that whoever had found the materials had to leave it behind in a hurry.

Day 6. LA. Wastelands scavenging Average. Location upgrade. Destiny flip. Jenna assist.: 3eP+1eB+2eD 4 successes, 1 advantage

4 successes with 2 searchers = 220 credits of materials, advantage for higher quality (110 each)

"Guess not everything is doom and gloom, eh?" Jenna said, looking over and through what they'd unconverted in what must have once been a old storage location, broken down by time and the elements so that it was nothing more than as they found it. That, or, maybe it was just left here. Wasn't much of a thing to debate over, they'd needed supplies and they'd found it.

"I'll put together what I know, though," she said, returning to the thought. "Send you a file."

"Not everything, no. Do you feel that things are mostly doom and gloom though Jenna?" She gave her friend a curious look and then started on packing up the supplies they had found.

"Thank you, I would appreciate that." Maybe she could help them out in some way. Making a deal with a criminal did not mean one had to let criminality become normal.

For some, of course, it already was, "Yea," she sighed, "if I'm gonna be honest with you Xanna. Kinda, has been for a while actually. Try to keep atop of it, always one step ahead but.." she looked away for a moment, not sure how to continue.

"...but you are worried that it will catch up to you, and also about your brother. His safety, and yours." She nodded in sympathy. "We are alive in dangerous times Jenna, but if the last few weeks have shown us anything it is that there is hope."

There were some exceptional components here, which she collected for a possible project. "Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"I, I don't know," she said, putting her right hand on her left upper arm and holding herself like that for comfort, "my worry isn't unfounded either. Work with Vandil, it's gotten to a point that.. I know something is coming and I might have an opportunity to stop it. However, the Empire is also getting close. We got chased out of the city last night, sure, but... There was also this Inquisitor, I, I never really understood how terrifying they were. What kind of hold they can have over you, how.." she shuddered at the memory.

"I'm usually pretty self assured, I know how to handle myself, but I'm losing touch with it. I've things I'm afraid to lose now, and that's not a bad thing but, I don't know. I think he shook my faith a bit, when he had me there, never had.. never had an innocent person die because of me before, ya know? It, I..." she stopped talking, not really sure where she was going with this again. There was a hold it had over her, she supposed.

"The Inquisitors use fear, terror, as a tool. It seems that is often how they were turned in the first place." She looked Jenna in the eye. "I doubt that an innocent being was killed because of you Jenna. They were likely killed because the Inquisitor chose to kill them. These are very different things, yes?"

"Does it matter? I was the cause of it either way, I still feel," she shuddered, didn't finish the sentence. "Never felt one of those, things, the weapons you all use... they're hot, sorta stings the flesh when it gets anywhere near you. Still kinda remember the tickle of it," she said, coughed a forces chuckle out and looked away.

Part of her didn't want to go into this again, why did she even bring it up? Maybe, cause Xanna cared, and maybe.. she thought it might matter, maybe it does?

"The Inquisitor was the cause Jenna. Driven by his own fear no doubt." She walked over to her friend and reached out to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "The dark side has driven beings to do horrific things. That is their weight to bear."

"Yea," her voice was non-committal, she didn't really believe it but, "I'll try my best to take that to heart. Way I see it, saw it, it.. feels true enough still not to matter what sense you're making but thanks," she looked to Xanna, a slight grin, "I'll try."

"Guess it's nice though," she said, her voice on an upturn, "didn't really expect myself to bring that up again. I talked about it with my brother but.." she glanced aside, shrugged, "guess it still gets to me. A lot has been getting to me lately."

Looking back," but that's why I'm glad to have friends now, people I can trust? You?"

"So am I Jenna, and it is easy to let things get to you when there is a whole Empire seemingly dedicated to destroying everything that is good." She looked away for a moment. "I almost gave in to despair a few times these past few years. I think letting myself focus on looking out for others gave me back my center, my hope."

Looking back up again her eyes seemed to sparkle. "But now I have a family, goals. Many many recipes..."

Jenna smirked, "Family," she said, "family is good to have. Recipes well, that's a pretty good second strut. We've also got.." she smacks her hand lightly on top of one of the chests, "a whole crate of whatever this stuff is. Not the most expensive haul I've ever taken back in my life but it's.. honest?" she shrugged.

"Kinda?"

She laughed warmly at the gesture and walked over to thump the crate as well. "Here is to honest work. Or at least salvaging something that was seemingly left in a hurry a long time ago..."

They had a ship, they had friends. It seemed as though things were going okay, despite the Empire's interference in everyone's lives.

"I am liking this family that I have chosen. We make a good team."

"I'm liking it too," she said, a touch of a smile, "it's.. well, I've gotten Petrus back through no small effort but I'm glad to add you to it," and Sloan, but well, he wasn't really the main one she was thinking of at the moment, "so.. speaking of this little family of ours..."

Jenna shifted, setting her elbow down on top of the box, "You.. and my brother? That happened-, well, I guess you guys do have a lot of understanding with one another. Being," she waved her free hand at her, "and all, together, and you have gone through a lot together, yea?"