Jedi Insurgency 313

Handling a dozen different matters, Corvus had had enough going over budget reports, recruitment, and other miscellaneous tasks. Standing with a stretch, he decided to go on a walk. 

Pressing a button, he activated his private comms: “Meet me at the hangar in ten, we're going to the surface.” 

Saluting several groups of Starcrusher Corpmen on the way to the hangar, he eventually linked up with the men of the Bad Batch. Gesturing towards a LAAT, they all filed aboard. 

“What's the mission this time, General?” Hunter asked. 

“Are we gonna blow something up?” Wrecker eagerly questioned in his loud booming voice. 

“Most likely we're going to apprehend the Scilux, the leader of the science caste here on Umbara.” Echo remarked. 

“We're simply going on a walk.” Corvus calmly replied with the ghost of a smile. “The plateau from earlier didn't have many of the local features.” 

“Wot, like the poison mist, lack of sunlight, and none of them giant mushroom tree things.” Wrecker scratched his cheek in a baffled tone. 

“I, for one, am most interested in the bioluminescent features of the plant life. Although none of us have learnt General Revan's unique brand of camouflage yet, perhaps there is something we can be inspired by.” Tech spoke up from the cockpit of the LAAT in an academic tone as he made his final checks, and the gunship began liftoff. 

“Crosshair makes a good point. Much of what we Force Adepts do is actually inspired by nature. Lightning, camouflage, even pulling and pushing are some of the basic responses humanoids do with their hands. Each planet has its own unique feel within the Force. Umbara-despite all its darkness & unique culture-surprisingly hasn't developed a Darkside Nexus. And in fact, this shadow shrouded world feels incredibly…neutral. It's worth exploring such an environment.” Corvus added on, affirming Tech's curiosity. 

“Aww, I wanted to blow somethin up.” Wrecker said, slumping his shoulders. 

“Enough with the pathetic routine, Wrecker. You're not some kicked puppy.” Crosshair hissed in a cranky tone. 

“Ignore him, General, brother's mad because he still hasn't cracked the code to invisibility.” Hunter teased, and wrapped an arm around the bald man's neck for a tight hug. 

Crosshair scowled, and pulled himself away. 

“Honestly, Crosshair, just put on the robe. It looks pretty cool over the Starcrusher Corp armor, doesn't it?” Echo admonished with a big grin. “Besides, I think you got a taste of the General's extra training in the sim last night.” He continued to crow. 

“Although it isn't scientific, it is a fact that Echo improved from last time by 35%.” Tech piped up, confirming the results. 

“It's too early to tell who the final victor will be, Echo's just lucky.” Crosshair spat, crossed his arms, and glumly looked away. 

Corvus rubbed his chin, appraising the Bad Batch's second in command. The Jedi robes covering him gave him a sort of rugged look, sort of like how the Jedi of the Old Republic wore robes over their armor. 

“Are you going to give us our next lesson today, General?” Hunter asked in an eager tone. “No offense, but those holocrons are…dry to say the least.” 

“Boring, they're boring!” Wrecker shouted in annoyance. 

“I fear Hunter is addicted to your more drastic means of tutelage, sir.” Tech couldn't help but sigh. 

Corvus rubbed the back of his head. The [Mentor] perk of his meant teaching a skill would inevitably occur. However, the last time he had taught Hunter, he had been a little drastic. It appeared the Youngling was eager for short-cuts & quick gains. This sacrificed the basics for strong abilities. 

Although Corvus somewhat followed this route, he also had a System that helped make up for his shortcomings. For example, his earliest feat, [Master of Dual Weapons] allowed him to wield a lightsaber with ease. Narrowing his eyes, he felt like there was more to Hunter's question than a ‘simple’ desire for strength. 

“If you truly wish to impress Master Ti, strength alone is not what is needed. Perseverance, and a dedication to yourself is much more valuable.” Corvus said in a light tone. 

“Oo-la-la.” Echo wolf-whistled. 

“Bahahaha, e's gotchu there, brother!” Wrecker slapped Hunter on the shoulder roughly. 

“Hunter has searched the word Togruta at least 798 times on the HoloNet in the past two weeks. I say, I am concerned with his mental health.” Tech added on. 

“Stow it, all of you! Especially you, Crosshair.” Hunter pointed his finger at all of them, then jabbed it at his baldest brother. 

Crosshair rolled his eyes, not bothering himself with the nonsense. 

“...ahem, if you're so eager to learn, perhaps we shall find an opportunity during this walk. Tech, give us an ETA.” Corvus deliberately coughed, and then nodded towards the resident scientist. 

“We're almost at the coordinates you supplied earlier, General.” Tech spoke up. “I estimate we'll make landfall within 5.45 minutes.” 

The LAAT shook as it moved through the atmosphere, and they entered the purple fog-shrouded world of Umbara. 

Popping open the side hatch once they entered the planet proper, he sat down, and let the wind ripple across his robes. 

As far as the eye could see, there was a pervasive misty fog covering the sky. The world was shrouded in purple and white, whilst many different forms of carnivorous vegetation lured prey with brilliant flashes of pink, orange, cyan, and red. From up here, one might even mistake the numerous killer ‘trees’ as a network of city lights. However, the light pollution wasn't that bad, and in fact, the way it refracted off the mist was quite harmonious. 

Eventually arriving at their destination, the gunship settled into a patch of purple grass. Fog rolled around its landing struts, and the men filed out, looking every-which way with curiosity. 

Hunter surveyed the tree line, one hand resting near his lightsaber. Crosshair followed with his rifle against his shoulder, his sharp eyes searching for movement. Echo studied the fluctuating readings on a scanner, while Tech adjusted his goggles twice, fascinated by the variety of energy signatures surrounding them.

Wrecker took one look at the forest and grinned. “This place is incredible.”

“It is also full of unidentified life-forms, unstable terrain, and atmospheric compounds that may produce hallucinogenic effects.” Tech replied.

Corvus took another deep breath, and felt the shadows around him undulating due to his presence. 

Hunter glanced back at him. “General?”

“Listen, open your mind.” Corvus softly stated. 

Without waiting for a reply, he walked away from the gunship, his boots disappearing beneath the purple grass. The others exchanged looks before following. They moved beneath the first line of trees, where hanging vines glowed like strands of starlight. Tiny winged creatures drifted between them, their bodies almost invisible except for the violet radiance beneath their wings.

The deeper they went, the quieter the soldiers became.

Every one of them had fought on Umbara before. Their memories of the planet were filled with muzzle flashes, fear fueled screaming, and brothers dying in the mist. They had learned to distrust anything they could not see. 

Corvus stopped beside a pool of perfectly black water. At first, its surface appeared empty. Then rings of blue light began to spread from the center, illuminating pale fish swimming around as if dancing. 

“Umbara is dark, but darkness does not equate with evil. The soil beneath us is dark, yet everything in this forest rises from it. Can you not feel that subtle thrum? That ghost of a whisper?” Corvus said, calmly sticking his hand into the pool of water. 

The water did not ripple upon his entry, and various lifeforms swam around him, nudging the gloved hand like they were hugging a friend from afar. 

Corvus closed his eyes. “Do not reach for the Force as though it were a weapon. Do not try to seize it. Allow the world to reach for you.”

Wrecker folded his arms. “An’ow do we do that?”

“Patience, my friend.” Corvus whispered. 

Reluctantly, they gathered around the pool.

“Feel the ground beneath you. The roots, water, the life moving where your eyes cannot follow. It is all interconnected.” Corvus slowly explained. 

For a time, nothing happened, then the forest exhaled. The grass around them bent outward, though there was no wind. Thousands of luminous buds opened across the clearing, their blue radiance passed from one plant to another, flowing between the trees in expanding waves.

Hunter snorted as if holding in a sneeze. The world that had always overwhelmed his senses suddenly ceased. Every heartbeat, stirring leaf, and distant footfall became part of a single vast rhythm. 

Echo recalled losing several brothers upon this world. Darkness shrouded his heart, yet the presence of his new family filled that void. 

Tech saw that the electrical impulses beneath the soil were not random exchanges. They resembled thought, a type of communication so extraordinary,  he wished to replicate it.

A tiny winged creature landed upon Wrecker’s knuckle. The huge clone opened one eye, staring it down, daring it to do something. Its wings unfolded, scattering flecks of violet light across his scarred hand, and then fluttered off. His grin was full of childlike wonder.

Crosshair resisted the feeling the longest. Eventually, reluctantly, he too joined in. “Hmph, nothing special.” He muttered. .

The black pool brightened further, and the creatures beneath its surface rose together in a new dance.. Above them, the fog began to shimmer, where flecks of light drifted through it until the air resembled a sky filled with moving stars.

Corvus opened his eyes, and softly exhaled. The Force surrounded them, quiet and immeasurable.

“This is Umbara.”

Hunter watched a luminous animal step from between the trees. It was slender and six-legged, with a crown of translucent horns. It regarded the gathered warriors without fear before bowing its head to drink.

“We never saw any of this during the war.” Hunter whispered.

“A pity the entire galaxy does not have access to this wonder.” Corvus sighed in melancholy. 

Wrecker stared at the creature that had flown from his knuckle into the palm of his hand. “I think I like wonder.”

“So do I.” Echo added with a smile, as he too placed his hand in the black pool. 

Tech removed his goggles. Without their lenses, the lights of the forest blurred together before him, softer and more beautiful than any reading his instruments might have produced.

Even Crosshair allowed himself the smallest smile.

For the next hour or so, Corvus didn’t demonstrate any cool lightsaber techniques, nor did he run around blasting things with [Force Lightning] or allow them to study his invisibility. 

Instead he acted as a guide, and walked them through the fog as if on tour. By being so in tune with the lethal fauna, and creatures, this instead taught the men to hone their danger sense, and how to better sense their surroundings. 

Eventually he took them to a large-yet nondescript-circular building. If one were not standing directly in front of it, it would look no different than a naturally forming geological feature. 

“So, General, this was the real reason for our so-called walk, right?” Hunter asked with a grin. 

“Aww hell yes, we get'ta blow stuff up!” Wrecker pumped a fist. 

Corvus nodded at them. Yon's wedding was scheduled within a few days to two weeks away…he wouldn't be a very responsible father figure if he didn't eliminate any loose ends along the way. 

“Now, now class, let's put your lessons to work, shall we?” 

~~~~

AN: Just boys being boys. Jedi being Jedi.