Listening to an Ithorian talk for long periods could create a headache even in a Droid. and the homemade Jet Juice Cobb brewed wasn't helping to dull the pain much.
"Cobb, As much i love catching up on your research and getting your take on current galactic events, i do have other business i need to get to, and soon. you do remember that this was just a side trip away from my usual work, right?"
Cobb stared into his mug. "I don't get many visitors from offworld you know. and while i know you have more important jobs for the Rangers, can you blame me for wanting to enjoy the company of a friend for awhile?" Cobb extricated himself from the salvaged landspeeder seat that served as a chair. "let me go get the items my people salvaged from some ruins nearby here."
"ruins?" Garen hadn't seen any ruins while flying in.
Cobb's voice came echoing out of the next room. "yes. really old ones. from the old, old Republic. thousands of years old. massively overgrown and half buried. i think you might want to inform your bosses about them, from what i was able to translate from the remaining markings and relics these were just a small sattelite outpost of a much larger complex elsewhere on the planet. might be worth checking out. We've been converting the old stone structures to hidden storage areas and emergency shelters. though digging the escape tunnels took some time, and we only have a few that reach there so far."
"good idea. if the ruins are so hard to find, you could hide quite a few people." It was a good idea. If Garen had more time, he'd have asked Cobb to show him to these ruins, make a few suggestions. "But why do you think my bosses would be interested? we've got plenty of hiding places already."
Cobb walked back into view, carrying a largish bundle wrapped in a worn cloth tarp. "because unless i'm getting older than i feel, and my eyes are failing me, this outpost was built.. by Jedi."
Cobb carefully placed the bundle on the small table, and started unwrapping. the first thing revealed was an old cloak still in a dirty but intact sealed storage wrap, and some dirty looking pieces of old armor.
hearing no response, Cobb bent his hammer-head to look at Garen, seeing narrowed eyebrows deep in thought.
"yes, The jedi. though it appears they left rather quickly, we found some signs of battle, and there was a great deal of equipment left behind that would not have been left intentionally. though thank the divine forest that we found no bodies. not even signs of them. What ever attack that caused them to leave, either they took no losses.. or their dead were treated with respect and given proper burial."
setting the large chest armor aside, Cobb reached in and pulled out a large cylinder. "there is the armor you see here, and this cloak and a robe, found in one of the quarters, some various personal effects. but this one i think you will be most interested in." Cobb carefully held it out, and Garen gingerly took it. It was capped in silvery metal on each end, but its center body seemed to be made of a dark blue colored stone veined with white. on closer look, it was not a solid mass, but rather thin plates carefully set into the metal tube's exterior, and carved with faint swirling ridges. a curved metal plate of darker metal covered half of one end. a faint button could be seen, the seam barely visible.
Garen felt in awe. "this is a lightsaber. and one that clearly meant a lot to its owner. Jedi make their own lightsabers. this amount of workmanship would have taken a long time."
Cobb closed his eyes. "may the jedi this belonged to rest in peace. when this was found i made sure that no one else touched it, to ensure proper respect was given."
"Have you used a scanner on them, checked the condition?" holding a piece of history in ones hands was intoxicating. yet these relics felt, familiar somehow. even though he'd never seen them before.
cobb shrugged. "I had them examined with a hand unit. that, and a few other items we found, still had some power left in them. though i think this other item might be of more value to you Rangers." Cobb took the last item from the bundle.
It was.. odd. it looked like the casing to a droid brain's memory unit, but it was sealed inside a translucent crystal Pyramidal container, with gold filigree patterns on the outside. Garen carefully set the lightsaber down on the table, and reached for the item. "what is that?"
Cobb set it down on the table. "i do not know. i believe it may be a memory unit of some kind, but i have never seen its like.
As garen touched the pyramid, it began to glow, the top point of the pyramid began to open, then suddenly the room filled with a holographic display.
----------------------------------------------------
High above Dantooine, a large patch of space suddenly became a grey dagger plunging right for the planet, as the Vindicator Class Cruiser Interrogator emerged from hyperspace.
On board the bridge a dark figure stands, hands clasped behind its back, clad in armor of dark red. a man with Captains insignia on his uniform carefully strode up to report.
"The signal remains strong, and we have identified its source. As per instructions, i have dispatched an assault force to investigate the signal, and eliminate all witnesses. But, i do not understand why we are investigating a signal on such an ancient and unused frequency, or why this.. mandalorian signal warrants such extreme measures."
the figure does not turn to face the officer, instead replying in through the voice distorter in its helmet, it's voice harsh and completely unrecognizable.
"It is not your place to question the reasons for this mission, Captain. Lord Vader and the Emperor desire it to be carried out. Your job is only to obey and ensure the orders are carried out to MY satisfaction. Lord Vader has informed me of what it is that is sought here, and that is sufficient. Have my Fighter prepared, i shall attend to this mission personally."
The officer stiffened and saluted. "Yes, Inquisitor."
