Log:Jedi Order: A Voice from the Stars

A small Jedi mission that leads to Umbara

OOC Date: May 6, 2021
Location: Umbara
Participants: Rey, Vhe Tenara, Rune, Aryn Cortess GM, Kyle Katarn

The notes left by Kyle Katarn had been transferred to the team heading to Umbara, where it detailed the location of an old battleground. The shadow world was steeped in rich history about the bitter clash between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists Confederacy during the Clone Wars. Two generations have passed since then, and not a soul has stepped onto the airbase just beyond the Delta sector. Its last command was under the Jedi General Pong Krell, which history marked as a traitor.

Finding a landing zone was a simple matter. The air base, despite being grown over, still had the old structures from three wars back. Bioluminescent plants have stretched their glowing petals and long vines over many of the structures, and the wilderness as a whole seems to have tried to reclaim this relic of old grief and blood shed.

The Force here feels ominous. It isn't quite the dark energy they felt when stepping on hallowed ground, like at that dark jedi temple, but a sense of foreboding and loss lingered here.

The landing area constituted many platforms, most of which were overgrown save one. An experienced eye might detect that someone had visited recently; which the notes confirmed was Kyle Katarn. By stepping out onto the platform, it was easy to detect a path that led further into the base, its security gates left open and power long ago drained.

Stepping off the ship, Vhe feels the shiver rise up her back as the heavy feeling contrasts the lovely plant life and is luminance. "It would be pretty if I did not feel a little bit of unease," Vhe remarks. That unease draws upon the Force from her and she reaches out, searching for information that only it can give.

"There is a great deal of life, but intelligent? Hard to tell..." she keeps her voice soft and low as she steps towards the gates.

She turns her head to glance at the others before returning her attention to the base. "Lets just take it slowly. In case surprises might have been left behind."

Once the ramp touched the surface of the landing platform and Rune descended from the interior, no sooner had his foot touched the ground than he paused to utter, "I have a bad feeling about this..." The general forlorn mood of the place was sank into the young Jedi's mind, the feeling of repulsion strong in everything around them. He adjusts his robe as he strides forward, pulling the folds about his body as if a chill has struck up from the wind. Rune gives a casual but curious glance to the light emitted by the plant life, a nod toward Vhe in agreement with her comments. "I do not like this, it feels like great tragedy occurred here." The younger of the two Ysannan shifted his hazel gaze to the opened gates down the way, the path they should take lay obvious ahead. "Do either of you know anything about the one we are seeking, Kyle Katarn?" His steps begin moving down the path, an eyebrow lifted at the metal droid standing stationary at the security checkpoint, the machine seeming to keep watch over a long abandoned place.

Rey is not far behind the others, her hood is drawn up over her head and she's wearing a light grey poncho over her otherwise normal clothing. She too feels the ominous nature of this planet's enviroment, but she's trying to maintain a calm air about herself and just deal with things as they present themselves here.

"Stay alert, but remember that the tragedy this place experienced was in the past, not necessarily in the present. WE're here for simple exploration, and to hope to find a bit more on what we're looking for." She advises the other two.

A glance is given to rune as they walk. "He was former Rebellion, that's all I've managed to find out about him. He's ... a bit of a ghost, as it seems."

Rey walks onward and ahead, her clothing gently moving around her form as she goes with them toward the base.

As the team of Jedi progress down the walkway, the B2 automaton Rune had taken note of lifts its beak-like head to look upon the trio with small bolt-nut looking photoreceptors. It is an older model, clearly from the Clone Wars, with a reboot and recharge station near by, its power source fresh, for any with the mechanical background to spot it.

Rather than reach for its weapon, the droid comes to attention to greet the Jedi with a salute. A mechanically nasally voice emits. "Greetings citizens. State your purpose." The droid pointed its trio of 'fingers' toward the three. Lacking in personality, the droid did not lack in regalia. B2s were not known to wear clothing or armor, and were the result of mass production. This B2, however, wore the robe of a Jedi. Its arms were fed into the voluminous sleeves, and its tattered length reached down to the droids skinny legs. The hood is not up, but it hangs down its back where the handle of a vibro-blade sticks out.

Vhe side steps a moment, giving her a little more room so she can assess that which is before them. The droid is given a long once over, noting the robes before she inclines her head to it. "Our small group is in search for information. We believe another came ahead of us searching for the same thing. Perhaps you could help us? We would be most grateful."

She nods her head again, the beads and metal clamps holding the small tiny multitude of braids clack together, creating a soft sound that accompanies her movements.

Rune pulls up short when they're addressed by the ancient droid, a lone eyebrow cresting skyward as he looks between his two companions. The man is clearly confused, the apparel of the droid combined with its placement in a remote location on a not often visited planet definitely gives him pause. "Does it think it's a Jedi?" the novice Force user comments to the pair, eyes dragging up and down over the relic while he ponders.

As the droid comes in to view, its silhouette is a bit off-putting, in that Rey knows it's not what it appears to be wearing the clothing of. A little unsettling, to say the least, but she doesn't think too much of it, or tries not to anyway.

She regards Vhe with a quick look as she remains quiet but her eyes do dart over to Rune. "It could just be for blending in with the environment. This is an old droid, he probably has unique ways to stay operational."

She says all over that with a fairly hushed tone so as to not really include the droid in hearing it. Or so she hopes!

The droid inclines its head to one side, presenting a functioning audio-receptor to better 'hear' Vhe with, though the commentary of her companions are not detected. "Cooooome seeking information. Ano--another arrived before you?" The droid seems to be pondering, but it nods its head yes. "This unit recalls only one such person; Master Katarn." The droid points again, though it is with a degree of certainty, not a threatening gesture. "This unit was revived from the battlefield by Master Katarn and fixed with a new purpose. This unit is the sentinel of this site. You may call this unit, Scrap-Pile. It is the name Master Katarn gave it. The Master is not fond of droidsssssssss."

"The information you seek is further inside. Follow Scrap-Pile." The droid performs a to-the-rear marching maneuver and begins to march past the security check point. "The structure you seek is in the central courtyard. Since its destruction, organics have returned to claim the overgrown location." March, march, march. The droid leads them into the heart of the base where they pass crumbling structures.

The terrain here is dark, shadowy like the rest of the world. Old structures cracked with age and exposure to elements now have glowing plants covering them. Some appear as breathing plants that puff out as they pass, making itself look larger to ward off 'predators'.

"The route to the court yard will require.. additional means to scale its wall. Doors have sealed, welded shut by the Five-Oh-First." March, March, March.

"You mean the native fauna," Vhe supplies about organics. "Scrap-Pile, I am Vhe Tenara, a student and Rune also a student. This is our Master, Master Rey Skywalker." She glances back at Rey who gets a faint smile and then the Ysanna settles into a pace so that the group progresses forward.

"Five oh..oh the Imperials. I see...Scrap-Pile do we have any reason to believe the local organics will be hostile to our presence here? I am not familiar with the species of the planet." Even as the drift deeper her hand strays to the bronze saber. Her eyes are for their surroundings, alert, curious, cautious but still somewhat awed by the history left behind.

"Nice to meet you, Scrap-Pile." Rune intones after Vhe's introduction, the group moving along cautiously behind the droid as he leads them further into the compound. "Nice to know that Kyle left him here instead of someone else. Though not terribly imposing, I would much rather follow a droid than deal with one that had a nefarious purpose." the younger of the Jedi remarks, as his eyes continue their roam of the location.

The walls of the structures are, in fact, im- and op- pressive, the walled off section of the courtyard looming higher as they draw near. Just as it stated, all the doors are shut tight with the vegetation's overgrowth spilling over the top of the walls from the inside. "Hmmm... so opening the doors could be tricky. Over the top then?"

Rey's eyes go back over to the droid as he says the name Katarn, which is, a great sign! She even shows a quick smile toward it, dimpling the sides of her cheeks before she lets the smile go as she hears the nickname given to the droid. Another grumpy person, oh dear, will Katarn be like Master Luke was when she first met him? Disagreeable, to say the least.The marching starts and Rey looks to Vhe, then to Rune as they go. Her eyes drift over the

flora and its impressive luminous shine. She's grown in to a bit of a 'green thumb' role at the Jedi Temple and it takes all of her resolve not to take samples of all the plant life here on this strange planet.

"Student Vhe Tenara is correct in speculating.." The droid pauses its speech to repeat Vhe's phrase. It had recorded her voice. "..Native Fauna..". As they arrive, the droid comes to an abrupt halt, looking up then down. They have arrived at a section of the base where the 'court yard' is. It is a walled section, forming a large circular like structure that climbs high. Presumably, there is no roof, because vines have grown from its center and hang over the edge of the walls and down along its exterior, within reach of the droid and Jedi companions.

Turning back to the group, the droid motions. "Does your Master Skywalker share Master Katarn's distaste for droids?"

"The only organics Scrap-Pile has detected are wildlife. Some are dangerous, some just stay away from Scrap-Pile; All of them have a distaste for Droids too.." The droid glances down, opening its robe to show the 'scars' from fauna failed attempts at consumption.

It closes the robe, then points to the walled structure, the voice that follows isn't the droid's. It belongs to Kyle. "..I hate planets that try to eat me. Scrap-Pile.. stay here.. I'm climbing up. The key.. it's inside, which means I have to go inside. Wish me luck.."

"Scrap Pile wishes you luck."

The moment her chosen phrase is repeated back to her but in her own voice through the droid's emitter, Vhe lets out a faintly huffed laugh. A glance back to Rey when he inquires if she distastes droids and Vhe takes that moment to start studying the vines, reaching out to tug on one to see what happens. The flora itself seems wild and unpredictable. She doesn't want a surprise halfway up. "Sturdy enough," she remarks faintly, her head tilting back to get a look at the distance.

Finally she smiles, "Thank you Scrap Pile, you have been immensely helpful. Hopefully your luck will also help us..." She steps up and bracing one foot into a firm enough foot hold she begins to climb, using the Force to help guide her path, choosing correct placement for her hand next and then her other foot. She begins to traverse the distance up the wall and towards where the vines have spilled over.

"Everyone okay?" She calls back to them.

And with that final recording, their path is made clear. "Over the top then..." What a very helpful droid! Nearly every other droid Rune had encountered since his time off Ossus has tried to kill him or a friend, if only more of them were like this one he wouldn't have mechanical trust issues. "Indeed thank you, Scrap-Pile. You have served your Master well." He remarks, patting the friendly droid lightly on the shoulder. "Be well and try to avoid the nastier creatures out there."

With that farewell, he turns to appraise the wall, eyes narrowing when he looks from the base to the top, the vines hanging nearby the clearly obvious way for them to scale. Vhe begins up the wall and Rune is shortly behind her, giving his chosen vine a small tug to ensure it holds his weight. It's a good thing he did as the vine snaps part way up and cascades down, coiling about him like a dead snake. "That is not a good start..." The native Ossusian chooses a second and gives it a more firm tug. Fortunately this one holds and he begins his ascent, not nearly as graceful as Vhe, the younger Ysannan slipping and scrambling at some points, but he's steadily rising. "So far!" he calls back in reply, a glance behind to see how Rey is faring.

Rey was eying the vines to plan her route up the structure when she overheard the question of her thoughts on droids. "I love droids." Rey replies without looking. "Some of my best friends are droids." Which is true, D-0, R2, Threepio, and little BB and his ever-bent-antenna, among the other droids at the Jedi Temple.

"Thank you, Scrap Pile." She says before she starts up the wall after the others. She's not far behind them, and looking up to see Vhe ascend and make it to the top. "Careful, Rune." She tells him. "Plan where your hands are going and don't think about what's below." She tries to offer climbing advice.

This one is reminding her of the first time she went to Yavin IV and scaled the temple there to its peak. One ofher most memorable moments, that one. Meditating on top of the temple tower while staring at the gas giant in close orbit...

Here and now? Rey reaches the top and offers Rune a hand to help him up as well. "Excellent." She then says to them both, nodding to Vhe. "WEll done."

A glance is given to the droid below before Rey nods onward. "Seems Katarn is a good planner of the future." She comments.

At the top, the team finds a singe metallic gangplank is fastened across the center of the 'courtyard'. It is damaged, hanging twisted like something has tried, and failed to pull it inside the center. It is sturdy though. Sturdy enough to walk on and look down inside.

Whilst the climbers ascended the wall, Scrap Pile replies to Rey, "Scrap Pile's sensors tell it that it is pleased with this answer. Scrap Pile will remain to observe whether Master Skywalker and her students make it back alive." What was that supposed to mean?! Scrap Pile did not react to Rune's patting its shoulder, aside from nodding its comically long head at him and turning to watch their climb.

A holo-communicator goes off on Rey's belt, and when activated, the caped form of Aryn appears, standing with one of the younger members of the Order presumably at the temple. <<"I hope I have caught you at a good time,">> Aryn prefaces. <<"It took some digging, but I found the shape of this monument's key.">>-- The younger member waves sheepishly. <<"Hello Rey..">> They say. <<"If you find the monument, it may have fallen apart. You will need to find a way to piece it back together. I do not know what happens after though.--Now.. hit that button to send it to her. Yes, that one.">> The learner hits the button and a BEEP follows. File received. <<"I wish you good fortune. May the--">> <<"Lady Aryn, I hit the right button, right? Did they get it?!">> <<"Yes, I am certain they have. -- Be safe!">> Aryn offers curtly, killing the transmission.

The interior of the courtyard below was a mess of crisscrossing vines, but a monument like structure and an alter can be seen at its center. Below them. However, the monument is in five (5) pieces. Somehow, these pieces are tangled with the vines and placed all over the interior of the court yard. The shapes can be made out though, and the file Aryn sent indicated what shape the final one should be, according to Katarn.

Rey is making her way toward that twisted gangplank when her holo-communicator goes off with a repetitve beeping sound. She has to pause and dig in to the satchel hanging at her hip before she can find it and pull the palm device out. When she activates it the images of the familiar faces appear.

Rey listens to them, even showing a soft smile before she nods her head. "We're making progress, Aryn, thank you for your diligence. We'll contact you when we have more info, but yes, Kyle was here, fairly recently it seems."

Once the file is recieved, Rey raises her holo-projector up and shines it down for the others to see. "Here we go. Seems we need to... restore this." Rey tells them as she moves out on to the gang plank some and stares down at it.

"I think we can do this, fairly easily. Team work." She smiles at Rune and Vhe.

Rey leads by example and closes her eyes as she looks toward the yard below and reaches a hand out to focus on a part of the 'puzzle' that they need to put back in its place. She wraps her mind around it through the Force and tries to tear it free of the bindings that have held it in place for far too long...

"I knew it, this was going to be too easy...nothing is ever easy in ruins." Lamentation briefly strikes a chord through her voice as she wobbles with the sudden wobbling of her person. Her hand snaps for the lightsaber. "We have to clear its hold or we are going down...there is no reasoning with it." Vhe says and as the pale cyan blade sweeps the air her footfalls slide and the wobbling sends her strikes just slightly off, the hissing of the blade as it catches the walkway at one point makes her gasp.

"Its quick! Can we try to uproot it?"

With the roar from below, the thing Rune sensed awakened and seemed rather peeved. When the 'vines' around him whipped into the air, he dug into the robes and pulled his newly fashioned lightsaber from his belt.... and the fastener on the metallic tube fell off, spiraling into the darkness below. The hunk of metal in Rune's hand was much like him, rough around the edges, however this thing apparently had more edges than it did surfaces. Held together by sheer will would be a good way to put it. It seems to do the trick though because, with a press of a button, out slides a brilliant green column and Rune lifts to the ready.

He moves out onto the metal walkway, intending to remove some of the tentacles that grip and twist at their footing. Three swings fly at the offending appendages, and all three swings miss, the humming of the blade intensifying as the column of light danced through the air. "You all make these things look so easy!"

Rey lowers her hand once she has the first piece in place, she sweeps around to watch Vhe and nods approvingly to her progress. A quick smile is shown before she looks to Rune who seems to be visibly struggling to do the same kind of work. Rey moves toward him and steps around him as she watches. "Relax your mind." Rey tells him. "The Force isn't something that you, force." She speaks softly, explaining things for him as best she can. "You do not have to strain, as you are not picking this object up, you are willing the Force that binds it to move it for you..."

Rey's danger sense is tickling her own mind just before the menace presents itself though and she snaps her eyes back to the courtyard and steps back out as her lightsaber flies off of her belt and slaps in to her hands. She ignites it and swings for the creature at first opportunity!

When the beast is knocked back by her blade's growling golden energy, she looks back in to the yard below and calls upon the Force as she'd said to Rune, willing another piece of their puzzle to move in to place while side stepping away from the tentacles of the rathtar-like creature...

"Oh noooooooooo... not again," Touts the nasally robotic voice of Scrap Pile, who unfortunately, was captured from the outside of the court yard and dragged up the side of the wall. The droid pulls its Vibro-blade and attempts to free itself from its captor, but the angle is too much and results in whiffing misses. The droid hits the catwalk, losing its weapon but hanging on against the pull of the tentacle wrapped around its legs. "Heeellllp." Spouts the droid, whose point of leverage was effecting the stability of the catwalk.

Rey's decisive strike against the Vixus has driven it back inside itself, a fresh cut forming a molten orange line where its flesh was seared by the golden energy blade. Tentacles move away from the catwalk as a result, granting a temporary boon of time. It seemed Kyle had left this creature here.. a deterrent maybe? It is not clear!

"Nicely struck," Vhe says, not really having the ability to help give lessons to Rune. "It is more a trusting of the Force..." she says but then Scrap Pile is crying for help and as the creature below withdraws she can focus on getting the last piece. "The sooner we are out of here the better," she remarks and yanks at the fourth one, the vines popping away, snapping and falling away as she turns her form to keep and eye on the pinnacle they are making of the stacked figures.

As it settles into place she glances back to see the strike and there is a nod. "Good...and we have only one left. Let us quicken our discovery."

The cry of any creature in peril is always attention pulling, this one just happens to have a metallic air about it. Rune whips his head to the side just in time to see Scrap-Pile be pulled over the wall, his vibroblade spinning out of his hand toward the creature below. "Hang on!" The young Jedi cries as he makes his way over to the droid, dodging the whipping tentacles along the way. It's not like the B2 has any other choice, the droid having caught hold of the crosswalk before being pulled into the pit below.

Rune stops above him and, with a narrowing of his eyes, trying to will a bit more accuracy with the vibrant blade, he swings down and hacks at the appendage holding the droid. The green blade slices easily through the creatures hide and it releases its hold on the droid. Quick as he can, Rune stoops to offer Scrap-Pile his handm hauling the defenseless droid onto the catwalk beside him. "Now I see where those scars came from." He replies with the edge of a grin.

Rey is quickly looking around at the situation and deciding that the puzzle is more important that cutting this beast to pieces enough to clear their path. That will likely happen organically on its own after all.

So with Vhe's light touch of assistance, Rey grabs the last piece and sweeps it over to add it to the stack, twisting it in to place. She is aware of Rune and the droid, hearing the effects of that fight going on to her side as she rushes to the edge and drops down to a small ledge enough to get a closer 'look' at what they've pieced together here.

"Focus on the stack!" Rey calls out to the other two. "Can you feel its presence in the Force?" She adds. "Open your mind to it and reach out to touch it with your senses."

If nothing else, this is shaping up to be a heck of a field training scenario.. Though Rey is well aware of their dangerous enemy here, getting chills down her spine back to the day on Han's freighter and the giant monsters that were after she and Finn... which feels like a million years ago now.

The final piece is in place, they FEEL it. A collective feeling ripples in the force like a beacon, beckoning them to influence it; to will it like Rey explained. A moment passes and something DEEP shifts, like a lock tumbler moving. The sound is so jarring that the Vixus retreats completely. Something had manifested that it did not like. (It was the Force's will that it move.)

The altar, completed, suddenly begins to part open, revealing a staircase that leads down into flickering light. The danger.. seems to have passed, but something inside that new pathway calls to them in the Force.

Scrap Pile's voice convey's Kyle Katarn's earlier comment upon Rune's rescue of the unit, "I hate planets that try to eat me." The droid is thankful of the help and mimics Rune's earlier gesture of endearment by awkwardly patting the young Jedi's shoulder. "Scrap Pile thanks you."

There is a way down now that the tentacles have retreated; a hidden staircase at the other end of the catwalk. It is still structurally sound.

Vhe nods to Rey and then looks down as they focus on the structure they just made. As the Force flows through them and suddenly something clicks into place she turns her head slowly to regard the other two Jedi and then Scrap Pile. "I wonder if whatever was once here, still is.." She lets her voice trail off and then she glances aside. "A set of stairs." Most like they can all see it

Vhe begins the walk across the catwalk and finally to something more sound. But the tentative steps down are taken, hoping the creature does not get up the gumption to return despite what scared it off.

The pull of the Force is strong and calls for the trio to concentrate as a whole. Rune focuses as requested, eyes slipping shut, lightsaber lowering, his hand lightly stretching out to put his all into the pull. Suddenly there's a deep sense of accomplishment and the Ysannan's eyes snap open, just in time to catch the retreat of the tentacles and the creature they belonged to.

The flickering of a light appears when the altar parts, revealing the way for the Jedi to pass. "Me too, Scrap-Pile... and you are welcome." Rune remarks to the droid, his heavy handed pat only minorly bruising the young man's shoulder. With a nod, he heads toward the newly appearing staircase, looking to his companions as he goes to descend into the unknown. With the light guiding the way, he deactivates his saber, moving to put the cylinder on his hip when he notices the clip missing from the tube. A deep sigh accompanies a shake of his head, the saber remaining in his grip for now.

Rey looks to the beast as it is pulled back by the structure around it shifting and changing upon the lock being keyed and the door opening. Stairs, a passage...

Rey looks over to the others to see that they have a route to reach it, and thusly she starts to run across that small ledge she'd dropped to before she leaps in to the air! A trail of dust and leaves trail after Rey as she sweeps through the sky and arches down toward the staircase, landing beside it and deactivating her saber.

She stands up then and turns to look to the others before she clips her hilt back to her belt and exhales. "Lets hope that thing doesn't come back." She tells them before starting for the stairs, her footfalls light and a jump to her step.

When the others move to the stairs, Scrap Pile follows, going below and into the clearing to reclaim its discarded sword, clamping it into place across its back again. The droid dutifully march, march, marches behind Master Skywalker to follow her, and her students, into the new pathway.

Inside, they find a large, open room consisting of old dirt and small pebbles, like a zen garden. At its center, a single sphere sits heavily, runes carved into its surface in perfect designs preserved by time. Footprints leading across this opening reveal the path Kyle took to reach the center stone.

The droid comments, "Master Katarn called this room a 'seeing stone'." He uses Kyle's voice. Continuing in Kyle's voice, the droid recites the recording, "It is used to communicate in some way.. yet this one is tied to the Valley. It is one of the keys. Step back, Scrap Pile.. I need room to think.. to use the Force.. now how did Luke do this..." The recording ends, and the droid looks between them idly.

Vhe's saber is slowly lowered, the pale blue ligth dying as the blade hisses away. She straps the hilt back to her side as she draws closer to the stone and tilts her head, rounding it so that everyone can get a look. She glances up at Scrap Pile during the recording. A question remains unspoken on her lips for the droid when the draw of the half sphere protruding from the floor beckons her and she steps closer. "I feel it..." Her hand lifts, like directing the Force she pulls upon through the unseen bonds. It wraps around her, through her and the instant she connects with it and the others she feels the sudden blast of response. The push back is strong but the Force abides all.

Vhe tilts her head down, the multitude of braids that make up the usual wild mane of her hair are thrown backwards. Her robes part, caught in the blow back as she keeps her place. What comes next leaves her speechless as it rings through her senses and causes her lips to part, the thrilling exhilaration of it all causing her eyes to widen in wonder.

He looks around at the stones erected outside of the circle, walking along the edge, examining them while Kyle's recording is played. "Seeing stone that is tied to the Valley... interesting." Rune looks back and forth between his companions in the Force. "I feel it is beckoning to us, that it wants to communicate..." at that he follows his instincts and Vhe's lead, closing his eyes to reach out with the Force.

No sooner had the trio touched the stone together that a blast of energy rushes past the lot. Rune doesn't even have time to spare a thought to the poor droid who was thrown backward before his mind is lifted through the galaxy to Ruusan. There, the Force shows him the activation of the 'monument' on the ridge, one of six unlocking, the success of their first journey beheld.

Rey's eyes are on the stone, a sense of connection to the Force coming straight from the object, reminding her of something from Ahch-to, whispering voices talking to her, and yet not talking to her at the same time.

Another step is taken just as the gust of wind comes from the stone, the power of the object filling the room and spreading out around them all. Poor Scrap Pile goes flying right past her shoulder, but she's unable to do anything about it since her mind is on the stone and the power that its yielding.

Rey's attention goes to what its showing them, her clothing whipping about her form and her loose dark hair streaking across her face from the left side to the right. Whoever this Katarn guy is, he sure knows how to build the drama and clearly knows a lot about the Force... how was he not there to help Luke?

She has so many questions for him, wherever he is...

All at once, the 'transmission' draws to a sudden, succinct close and the group's consciousness has returned to Umbara, to the silent room they occupy where the dust begins to settle, and the sand floor has been replaced with ripples instead of footprints. A voice lingers on the edge of their mind, distant but communicating in some manner made possible by this stone, or through a manner of projection.

"It's about time. Hurry up!" Kyle! It was Kyle Katarn!

The droid hefts itself back up, straightening. "Master Skywalker, Scrap Pile humbly requests to leave this world and accompany your students. Scrap Pile has fulfilled its purpose, and wishes to return to its Master, Kyle Katarn; if you will have it?" The Jedi robe garbed droid bows its head, awaiting the answer which would decide the sentinel's fate!