An Excursion to Ilum

An Excursion to Ilum
Date of Scene:	27 January 2025
Location:
Synopsis:	Navi and the Jedi venture to Ilum to find the special kyber crystal that will open the ancient Temple on Tenoo.
Cast of Characters:	159, Cayde Alexis, Pike Windu, Annelia Belask, Navi

---

Athena (159) has posed:
A few days have elapsed since the tumult among leadership had caused some of the colonists to doubt whether this initiative would be successful at all. Yet, it would seem that those who had been present to hear Anne's encouraging words went away feeling better. However, there was always talk, and those who had not been present seemed to feel that ripples were spreading and that it did not bode well...

Regardless, Anne, Pike, Cayde and Oona would have received word from the Council expressing their keen interest in and approval of sending a team to Ilum to extract a pontite crystal. Then they would have been instructed to rendezvous with the younglings if possible,perhaps providing them some extra training by allowing them to tag along should favorable circumstances arise.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Soren likely doesn't like the idea, so Cayde is doing his best to not let the doctor see or hear about him leaving on this excursion. Pillows under the blankets on the infirmary bed probably wouldn't fool him for long, but it's something, in addition to trying not to let the man or his staff see him as he makes his way to the ship that would take them to Ilum...

Pike Windu has posed:
    The leadership tumult was in the past. The Jedi had heard from Coruscant. And Pike was still grumpy.

    Interior monologue (except Cayde, if he's poking around): "Being a Master is pointless. I should break away and start a dojo."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    As Ann walks into the meeting room, something odd furrows her brow in thought- letting out a longish sigh as she takes her seat.

    "Well, not to get to it -too- quickly, but as much as I'm loathe to give up a chance to visit Ilum... I'm not sure leaving the place without the marshal is the best plan, given recent events. Which I suppose is in part my own fault," she muses aloud to the room.

Navi has posed:
"Younglings? As in the younglings going to Ilum to select their crystals?" Navi asks Master Windu and Anne, mildly confused. "I'm fine with it, unless it involves bringing them back here. Then I'm against it with every fiber of my being. This place is too dangerous."

"Don't blame yourself, Anne. Sometimes I think the higher-up civilian leadership of this initiative drew the short straws when it came to clues," she adds. "Also, I've recently found out that this place may be in greater danger than we were told about, so staying behind is probably wise. The only downside is that someone will have to keep an eye and at least one hand on Cayde. Speaking of, where is he?" She shakes her head slowly. "I swear, I need to start a charity credit 'Where's Cayde' jar... every time someone asks where Cayde is, someone from the leadership puts a credit in. Maybe we should make the doctor do it. Might improve his sense of responsibility."

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona nods at Annelia. "I understand your concern," she says to Anne.

"But I've spoken with the security team, and they reassured me they've recruited a little bit of extra muscle from among the more capable colonists to make sure that things are stable around here. We've spent the past couple of days running perimeter checks and speaking with the locals - they've reported no unusual or suspicious activity from pirates in the sector or wildlife. Most of the nature experts here say that the ganguls, at this time of year, are busy readying their hollows for the winter and their territorial aggression is at an all time low, as per usual. They're typically only aggressive during summer, when the breeding season begins."

She smiles at Pike. "Don't look so sour, Master! Why, you haven't been back to Ilum in years, right? It will be good to visit once again..."

She turns to Navi. "The younglings won't be coming here with us, of course. Not right now, anyway. The Council's future plans for the Temple do involve dedicating a large part of the temple to training for older younglings who have already received their sabers. However, that will be a long time coming." She then shakes her head. "No, I believe it is the will of the Force for Cayde to go. But of course, ultimately, it is Anne's decision."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde isn't in this meeting, that's for sure. No, he's busy trying to avoid being seen by any of the medical staff...Perhaps fortunately for Pike, he isn't trying to snoop in the Master's thoughts and therefore isn't aware of them.

    Now which ship were they supposed to be boarding for this thing?

Pike Windu has posed:
    Windu looks at Navi and shrugs his shoulders. When his fellow Master replies to his mood, Pike is even more noncommital and audibly clears his throat.

    "Someone should stay behind. I don't trust these colonists. But perhaps they will learn a lesson when we are all gone."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann clicks her tongue a few times, frowning a little. "I'll trust you two's judgment on this, Masters. As for Cayde... likely I'll bring him if I'm going, but I should hope he'll be straightforward about it for once," she remarks, exhaling. And then there's that Loud Thought she's gotten pretty good at, 'wondering' where her Padawan might be.

Navi has posed:
"It's not like we're going to tell Cayde he can't come if he's already decided he's going... that's sort of like telling the local sun not to shine. I'd be really surprised if he's not already on the ship," Navi observes.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Perhaps you're right," Oona says to Pike, suddenly looking a bit sad. "If necessary, I can stay behind. I'll just have to visit with little Sheelin another time," she says softly, with a wistful smile.

As for Cayde, it won't take long for him to discover the Jedi shuttle just sitting out on the docking platform, finishing getting loaded up with supplies. The Ugnaught twins, Jahni and Yvon, are hanging about outside of it. "Oh, hello!" Yvon says with a wave. "You're early for boarding..." he says to Cayde.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Early? Oh...Cayde glances at the time, and then realizes that he didn't actually think about the fact that maybe there was an appointed boarding time.

    He smiles politely at Yvon and Jahni. [Hello] he signs. But then, there was the bit where his Master was wondering where he is. Oops. [Sorry...goodbye] With that, he starts off toward Ann's direction.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Think he's on his way now," notes Ann of Cayde, shrugging a little.

    "And for all that I'm an unruly example of a knight, it -would- be appreciated having you around, Master Windu."

Navi has posed:
"Maybe I should stay, Master," Navi says softly, resting a hand gently on Master Yutelli's shoulder comfortingly. "Technically, I'm not a Jedi, so my presence isn't strictly necessary. Besides, when the doctor demands where Cayde is, I can tell him, 'I'm sure he's fine. He's on Ilum,' and not get guilted again."

Athena (159) has posed:
Yvon watches as Cayde immediately turns around and says goodbye after greeting him. "Uh... okay," he says, scratching his head and going inside the shuttle.

"You must do whatever it is the Force leads you to do, outside of what I want," Oona tells Navi gently, bowing. "If I need to stay, then I will. It will be as the Force wills. But now at the very least I should help the others prepare to leave," she says, making her way towards the shuttle now.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde had started heading toward the meeting room, nodding in greeting toward Oona as she leaves. Then he heads inside and sits down near to Ann, glancing around at the others.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike collects himself, smiles and nods. "We should all go. The more of us, the less blame on each of us if Cayde gets into trouble."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Cayde," says Ann in mild greeting, nodding to him. "Any complaints about being brought to Ilum with the group? Assuming you weren't already working out how to sneak aboard before even finding out whether you were intended to come or not."

Navi has posed:
"The Force hasn't really pulled me in one direction or the other, Master. If that changes before we leave, I will let you know," Navi says, just before Master Yutelli departs.

She stifles a chuckle at Master Windu's comment, and again as Cayde enters. "Good morning, Cayde. Not stowed away yet?" she asks impishly.

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona smiles. "If you think so," she says to Pike, patting him on the shoulder. She glances over at Cayde, who has just arrived. "Well, then, shall we? I presume you're all packed to go..." She gives Cayde a mischievous look. "I'm glad you're eager to go, young padawan," she says to him.

A few moments later, Yvon and Jahni appear in the doorway. "We're loaded up," Jahni says gruffly. "You ready, or what?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde shakes his head at Ann's question about going to Ilum, although he flushes slightly at her comment about sneaking...and Navi's comment about stowing away.

    [No good at sneaking] he remarks, shrugging. Really, it's true. [Yes master] he replies to Oona.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike gives his stuffed spacebag a kick in reply to Jahni. "Ready, willing, and able."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    A hand slapping on the table more as an emphatic gesture than anything else, Ann rises to her feet. She's still -that- kind of traveller who has all her things bound tightly in one modestly-sized backpack rather than proper 'luggage'. Which does have the benefit of having her ready to go right here and now.

Navi has posed:
"Honestly? That's probably a good thing not to be good at," Navi observes, remembering Cayde's fall off of a cliff in the dark perhaps a week ago. She shoulders a backpack similar to Anne's, only newer, and smiles to the two Ugnauts. "We're ready. If Cayde's got his stuff, we can probably go now."

Athena (159) has posed:
Jahni offers no further words, instead, he immediately starts heading for the shuttle, gesturing for the others to follow him. "Oop... right, then," Yvon says with a chuckle. "No use sitting around if we're all ready to go..."

Oona gestures for Navi and Cayde to go ahead. "I'll be right behind you," she says,"just have to get my duffel. I'll board last," she says with a smile.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde nods and holds up a bag similarly sized to Ann's. A few things tend to rub off, when you have a master. As Oona requests them to go ahead, he nods and follows the two Ughnaughts.

Pike Windu has posed:
    "But you will be onboard," Windu asks Oona.

    Withou waiting for an answer, he swings his spacebag over a shoulder and boards the shuttle.

Navi has posed:
Navi moves to follow the others, glancing after Oona. "We'll be watching for you, Master," she calls softly after her. "See you aboard."

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona smiles and squeezes Pike's shoulder affectionately. "Why yes, I will," she says softly. "Thank you!" she calls to Navi, before peeling off to fetch her own duffel.

Soon, they'll find themselves all safely aboard the shuttle, strapped in and about to hit hyperspace. Yvon had estimated they'd be gone about six weeks total, so it does seem that they'd be saying good bye to Tenoo for a while...

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde watches the frontier planet get farther and farther away as they leave orbit in preparation for the jump. The past few weeks had gone by so quickly...

    He shrugs and turns away from the window, strapping himself in. The padawan remembers Ilum...it hadn't been easy. But it was never meant to be. He glances over at Navi, wondering if she'd previously gone there herself.

Pike Windu has posed:
    After stapping in, Pike relaxes, glad to get away from the colony. But a thought crosses his mind and he reaches out with his feelings, wondering if a certain boy has stowed away.

Navi has posed:
Navi watches Tenoo recede into the distance behind them. In spite of her misgivings, she can't help but feel at least a little relieved. "I can't say I'm sorry to be leaving," she murmurs. "Something about that place has never felt right to me. Not even with a vergence."

She pats her lightsaber, safely strapped to her medic's satchel. "Wonder if I'll find a crystal there? The last time I was on Ilum feels like a lifetime ago."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann, by contrast, is fairly normal- neither additonally anxious or relaxed. Her arms cross as she sits in her seat, and... she's shortly dozed off during the rumbling of the jump, an old habit of catching rest when one can't be active kicking in.

Athena (159) has posed:
Thankfully for Pike, Tommy hasnt stowed away! Not this time, anyway...

Thankfully the trip there goes quite smoothly. Three weeks later they'll be landing on the surface of Ilum, not far from some icy, craggy peaks Oona had informed them the archives had reported had pontite crystals.

Once they start to disembark, however, Oona gathers them briefly, her brow furrowed with slight worry. "I sende something important and unexpected will happen here on Ilum," she warns. "be careful, and stay vigilant of yhe Force ..."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde disembarks with the others, frowning as well when Oona seems worried. He turns away and starts heading toward the icy peaks, reaching out into the Force as well as she'd advised. But...maybe important and unexpected could also be good?

Navi has posed:
"Is that a good feeling, Master?" Navi asks Oona softly, shouldering her pack and, with some trepidation, leaves the shuttle with the others. The relative tranquility of the last few weeks (aside from the occasional Cayde-based turmoil) had been relaxing, but Master Yutelli's advice ends that in a hurry. "We'll be mindful... and careful. Cayde, try not to wander off?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    After meditating for three weeks, Pike is stiff and groggy. He opens himself to the Force and feels energized.

Athena (159) has posed:
Neither Cayde, Navi, or even Pike will sense much -- just the same vibrancy of the Force that is characteristic of Ilum.

Oona sighs. "I don't know, it's hard to describe. All I know is we may not see it coming," she says. "So do keep your eyes and ears peeled."

She then notices that the shuttle with the younglings have arrived. "Ah," she says, "I'll speak with Grandmaster Yoda and fetch the younglings. I believe a few of them will be joining us in our quest for pontite."

She peels off, then returns several minutes later with three exuberant looking younglings. "Now we get to look for -another- kyber crystal," a young Rodian girl exclaims. "Yippee!!" And she leads the charge in heading straight for the entrance of the caves. Oona follows soon after, calling out for them to be careful and watch their step on approach.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Whether Cayde heard Navi's question or not remains to be seen. But he watches the younglings hurry ahead instead of running along with them, turning back momentarily to glance at the others. Well, Ann more specifically. He waits for her before pressing forward. Hopefully the kids don't get too far ahead.

Navi has posed:
Navi stifles a giggle at the exuberant Rodian girl. "/Someone's/ happy to be here," she observes, moving to follow the younglings and Master Yutelli, with a hand on her medical satchel just in case. Someone might get an owwie, what with the way they're running ahead and all. "It's hard to believe I was ever that young."

She does try to open herself to the Force, obeying Master Yutelli's directive to be mindful of the Force and expect the unexpected. Watching the younglings and Master Yutelli, along with Pike, Anne, and Cayde, reminds her uncomfortably of her late Master, and she hugs her elbows against a shiver and a flashback.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike is in no hurry to join the Younglings. Though the Force is a wellspring, he still hasn't eaten for awhile. From his spacebag, he digs out a couple of ration bars.

    "This place gives me the creeps."

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona laughs quietly at Pike's comment. "Why, weren't you excited the first time you came here, Master Windu?" Oona says, trailing after the younglings charging into the icy cave ahead of them. "I haven't been back since my first time," she says softly, "Have you?"

Once inside the icy chamber, the younglings are at least mindful enough to stop running and wait for the others to catch up. The young Rodian girl looks up at Navi. "Are you okay?" she asks, noticing that the young Sephi is hugging herself and perhaps looking somewhat forlorn.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann's in no particular hurry- happy to enjoy the leisurely walk in the half-remembered atmosphere of the planet. Rather, she just pats Cayde on the back as he looks back, chuckling.

    "Go on, then. This is one of the places you ought to be free to roam with the younglings if you like. Just try not to get up to too much mischief, hm?"

Navi has posed:
"What..?" Navi murmurs, looking down to find the young Rodian girl. "Oh. Sorry. I was just reminded of something sad, that's all." She manages a hint of a smile, though it's a wistful one. "I'll be all right."

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike shrugs his shoulders as he finishes off his ration bars with a swig from his canteen. His body's need met, the Jedi stands.    

"Tell me again why we're here, Master."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    A brow goes up slightly at Ann's comments. The one time he did wait, he is told to go on. Well, maybe that meant he's been doing -something- right. The padawan nods. <Thank you Master>

    Then he hurries after the younglings.

Athena (159) has posed:
"Oh," The young Rodian girl says. "Sorry about that. But I'm glad you'll be okay. I can't wait to find more kyber crystals! I really, really wanna be the one to find the pontite one!"

Eventually, Pike, Anne, and Oona will catch up to Navi, Cayde and the younglings. Oona smiles warmly at everyone, and starts handing each of them a device. "This scanner should pick up readings for both pontite and kyber crystals. However, the readings are general, so there will be a bit of poking around we'll have to do." She takes out a holoprojector and shows all of them an image of what a pontite crystal looks like. "Note its distinctive shape," she says, "this is how you'll be able to tell it apart from the other crystals." Then she puts it away. "Once someone has found a pontite crystal, please let everyone else know you've found it and we'll all rendezvous back here so we can board the shuttle together." Her grin broadens as she beams down at the younglings. "And remember, today will be one in which you helped to discover a crystal that was key in opening the ancient Temple ruins on Tenoo."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann nods- and sets off into the cave for the moment. She's almost immediately back to an odd habit from when she was here as a youngling herself- the mostly-buried crystals she flicks her nail against idly, listening to how they vibrate at the contact. Not that she can make much of it, but it seems to help her process... somehow.

Navi has posed:
"Thank you for checking on me," Navi replies softly to the Rodian girl, her smile remaining as she moves to rejoin the others. "For what it's worth, I hope you find a pontite or two."

As they advance into the crystal tunnels, she opens herself to the Force more than usual, trying to see if she can sense a pontite crystal, or any kind of kyber crystal, really... it's been so long since she's been here that it's hard to remember what they felt like.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike takes the scanner handed to him and dutifully begins...scanning. Though he lets the Younglings scan ahead of him.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde takes the scanner and starts heading toward wherever the highest concentration of kyber seems to be. That should at least maximize his chances of finding one, right?

Athena (159) has posed:
"And please," Oona adds as they begin to branch off into their own search groups. "Be careful! Younglings," she says, and then looks pointedly at Cayde, "Do not wander into areas that haven't been mapped yet, and do not go anywhere alone. These tunnels can get confusing and in some parts, the ice is thin and may not support your weight." Then her normal cheerful demeanor resumes and she smiles, looking relieved to have gotten that off her chest. "Otherwise, have fun!"

The vibrations won't tell Anne much, but looking ahead just in front of her will -- there's a narrow icy bridge that looks exactly like the kinda Oona had been warning them about.

And Navi's reaching out into the Force will yield a strong intuition to cross the bridge ahead of Anne. Pike and Cayde won't feel much in the Force, but a red dot on their scanner will blossom into view and pulse gently. It's located in the direction that Anne is heading. The younglings get the same notification, and in their excitement, hurry quickly towards the narrow, icy bridge. They rush across it, and thank the light, don't fall down. But once they're across, there's a cracking sound...

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann pauses, sighing as the younglings run across. She looks over her shoulder. "Master Yutelli, could you send word to have some of the bridge equipment sent in? I have a feeling the little ones will need it to get back. Certainly quite the lesson to be learned when finding crystals."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde arches a brow at Oona's pointed glance. Was she calling him a Youngling? He pouts slightly. He isn't a child any more...

    He starts toward the bridge, but then it starts cracking after the younglings have rushed across.

Navi has posed:
The first thing Navi feels is an intense tug toward the passages on the other side of the ice bridge. The second is an even more intense sensation that she needs to get to the other side NOW.

Which may be why she breaks into a run, pelting past Anne just as that ominous cracking sound echoes through the tunnels. Tweaking and intensifying the flow of the Force between herself, the ground, and the air, she gives a tremendous /leap/ at the head of the bridge, landing inches clear of the opposite end of the span, and hastily checks her run, managing to stop in a few big steps, almost in the middle of the gaggle of younglings.

"Stay back, everyone... that bridge sounds unhappy," she advises the younglings, positioning herself between them and the bridge. "Everyone stay together!" Even as she speaks, she's looking over the kids, to see if any of them are hurt or too cold. "Are all of you okay? No hurts or chills?"

Pike Windu has posed:
    "I've got something. It isn't much, but it could be...HEY! Be careful."

Athena (159) has posed:
"Yes," Oona says, "I'll have Jahni send out the drone suspensors. Those should support it enough to allow the younglings to cross safely on the way back." She calls to the younglings, "Master Windu is right, please be more careful next time," and they give her sheepish looks. "Sorry, Masters!" they call synonymously. They look over at Navi. "We're fine," the young Rodian girl says. "But we broke the bridge..."

Moments later, several drones carrying slats attached to chains hover out, quickly moving into place under the ice bridge and positioning the slats under the weakened parts of it, making it much safer to cross. Oona makes her way over, and this time, stays close behind the younglings.

Ahead of Navi and the younglings is a cavernous space that has three tunnels branching off from it, and according to their scanners, each tunnel ends in an area of red. Once Oona has safely crossed the icy bridge, she looks over at Anne. "Marshal?" she says softly. "How should we be divided, if you do think we should split off into groups?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "I'm not much for splitting when we don't have to. Uncharted regions aren't to be toyed with- cavers get trapped anddie every day, all over the galaxy," answers Ann simply, shaking her head. "I'll trust others to pick a route, but I suggest we stay as one to delve it."

Navi has posed:
"The bridge can be fixed. But you're not so easy to repair. You're okay, and that's what matters most," Navi replies, taking a knee and gently hugging the Rodian girl. "Just be more careful next time, please? There's ice everywhere down here, and it's easy to slip and fall."

"See? They're already shoring up the bridge," she adds, indicating the droids bracing the bridge with extra slats. "Take care of /you/. That's the important thing."

Looking between Master Yutarri, Master Windu, and Anne, she adds, "I'm feeling something over here, very strongly. I'm just not sure what's beyond here," she calls to them.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike makes his way across the bridge with as much Jedi lightfootedness as he can muster. He nods in agreement.

    "A sensible precaution, Marshal."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    As they approach the 3-way split, Cayde reaches out with the Force again. But this time, he feels a tug. A strong pull toward the passage off to the right side of the cavern.

    Even as the group is discussing, he simply starts heading that way.

Athena (159) has posed:
The young Rodian girl hugs Navi back. "We'll try...!" she says.

Upon hearing Anne's decision, Oona inclines her head. "Then stay together, we shall," she says. "Younglings, stay close to me, please?"

She nods at Navi. "Then we shall do as the Force says to you," she says, "as long as no one has any--"

And then Cayde just takes off, without telling anyone before he just branches off and starts heading for one of the tunnels.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "This was not what I gave you leave to do, Cayde!" calls Ann after him, kicking a rock down the tunnel after the padawan. That said, presuming it's the same direciton Navi called out, she'll begin heading down herself.

Navi has posed:
"Well, so much for staying together... that plan's just been Cayded," Navi says wryly, watching Cayde disappear into the rightmost of the tunnels. "We'd better all go after him if we don't want to get separated," she adds, starting after Cayde and Anne.

It doesn't hurt that the Force seems to be pulling her strongly in this direction. Whether it's a 'here there be pontites' pull or a 'save Cayde from himself' pull isn't clear to her, but she's committed to following it.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    A rock skids along from behind him, and he turns around to see Ann calling after him. But he'd told him to go ahead? Had he misunderstood? Maybe he'd been expecting him to dig a bit deeper than that?

    Well, at least he slows down.

Pike Windu has posed:
     Pike sighs as Cayde disappears down one of the tunnels. But the Jedi Master shrugs his shoulders again. "Trust in the Force. I'll bring up the rear."

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona sighs. "Well, I suppose the right tunnel is as good as a place to start as any," she says to Navi with a shrug. She glances at the younglings. "You probably shouldn't follow his example," she says to them. Then she nods at Pike. "Thank you, Master Windu," she says, giving him a wan smile.

Then she goes to catch up with Anne. "I meant to ask," she says, lowering her voice. "How has he been doing, communication wise, in comparison to before...?"

Cayde may or may not notice that the ceiling of the tunnel he'd just entered slopes upwards and is dotted with massive, pointed icicles that are dripping water onto the ground below him, making it extra slippery...

Navi has posed:
Navi follows Cayde, more slowly since she's well aware of the ice underfoot. "Pity he's not a droid... we could fit him with a restraining bolt," she grumbles. "Which isn't something I like to contemplate for droids, but if Cayde was a droid, I'd SOOOOOOO make an exception..."

"I just hope this is one of those times when him running off is a good thing, not a bad thing," she adds, sticking close to Anne. "I hope this tunnel doesn't go on much farther. At least then we could catch up..."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "He'll talk, in his way," says Ann with a shrug. "Sometimes unprompted, too. But it's often like he forgets the context he's in- like he has blinders one. That's not communication, just something that he'll have to learn better than or learn to work around in one way or another," she explains simply.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike follows the others, mindful of the Younglings and the slick rock underfoot.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Some drops of cold water dribble onto his robes, but he doesn't seem to notice them. He almost looses his footing on the now wet and slippery ground, but manages not to fall. This results in him slowing his pace, trying to tread more carefully this time.

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona chuckles. "Now you're being a bit extreme," she says to Navi, but sounds amused. "And I certainly hope the same."

"I see," she muses when Anne responds. "And what's the workaround, for now?" she presses, sounding mildly concerned.

Thankfully for Pike, being mindful of the slippery ice will keep him from slipping, but while he's watching the ground he may not notice the large icicles ahead. One of the younglings cries, "Masters look!! Those icicles are SO huge!"

However, it seems that the vibration of them treading in the tunnel is loosening the wet icicles, and suddenly, several are plummeting downward towards them!

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Not much workaround right now- just keeping atop him when necessary... but also letting him have some space when I can. I'm fairly sure once it sinks in that he's not going to be locked in his room at every turn, he'll calm some when it comes to these things. If I had been pushed back and shut down at every turn as a youngling- not that I wasn't without some of that- I suspect I'd have felt compelled to do things before I could be stopped, too. Some might argue I -did- when my master fell."

    But as the cave rumbles and ice begins to fall, a reflex that seems speedy even for the frequently-prescient (And yet, somehow kind of slow as Ann goes) pulls her saber into her hand, igniting as she sweeps it through the air as the ice falls over herself and those around her.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde reaches out with the Force, doing his best to push away the ones headed toward people and re-direct their fall somewhere away from the group.

    Ann's display of expert saber skill never fails to draw his attention, though...

Navi has posed:
"When necessary? Wow... I've got an ointment for saddle-sores, if you need it," Navi observes softly. Her eyes get big and round when Anne mentions her Master falling, however. "I'm so sorry about your Master," she whispers sympathetically.

And that's about all the time she has before the giant icicles start raining down! She dives for cover, tumbling to a stop clear of the danger, just in time to witness Anne's true potential with the lightsaber, and Cayde's true telekinetic potential. All she can do is stare...

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike tries to dodge an oncoming piece of ice. But he only manages to hurl himself into the path of one of the icicles Cayde has deflected, catching the frozen water square in the chest.

Athena (159) has posed:
"I really want to believe you," Oona says, "and maybe I do, to some extent. I don't blame him, or you. But I suppose I'm just a little... concerned for him."

But then their conversation is cut short when the icicles above them plummet from the ceiling! Thankfully, between Cayde's telekinetic skills and Anne's saber prowess, mostly everyone ends up safe.

"Wow!!!" The Rodian youngling shouts after it's all over. "That was some amazing lightsaber-ing! And using the Force!" she cries, clapping her hands together in glee.

But just then, Jahni's voice comes in over the comms. "You lot done yet, or? Real bad storm's blowing in soon, and gonna make getting out of here hard."

Oona glances around at the group. "Master Windu!" she cries, hurrying to Pike's side. Then, suddenly, more icicles plummet from the ceiling, along with several large chunks of glacier. Thankfully, they fall behind them, so no one is in danger, but their way back is now blocked. Oona frowns. "We'd best press forward," she says, "there's a crossover to one of the other tunnels past where all the kyber crystals are. We'll be able to make it back... it will just take longer."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Nothing wrong with being concerned," says Ann, frowning as she stows her saber and looks down at Master Windu. "But it should go for all of us- clearly. Master Windu, do you need a shoulder for the way out?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    When one of the deflected icicles hits Master Pike, Cayde's eyes widen.

    No no no...

    He hurries over to the elder Jedi to see how bad it was, trepidation mounting. Even the Younglings can feel the seed of panic starting, as flashes of what had transpired on Jedha with Tomi start flooding back.

Pike Windu has posed:
    Pike waves off his comrades as he get off the floor of the cave.

    " I'm alright. Just got the wind knocked out of me. Is anyone injured? The Younglings?"

    The Jedi winces in pain.

Navi has posed:
Navi gasps, her hands flying to her lips, as Pike is struck by one of the icicles. Seeing the others lunging to his aid, she turns her attention to the younglings instead. "Keep back, everyone," she directs, gently but firmly. "Let them have room to work. Is there anyone else who has been hurt, even a little?"

She looks back to Master Oona. "Let's not forget to secure those crystals before we go, too. I'd rather this eventful trip not be for nothing."

Athena (159) has posed:
Oona pats Pike gently. "Thank the light," she murmurs gently, "But do let us know if we need to slow our pace," she says softly. "The younglings are alright," she says, glancing over at them.

She then looks to Anne, Cayde and Navi. "Shall we, then? If a storm really is blowing in, then yes, we ought to find the crystals as quickly as possible and get back soon."

She then leads them deeper into the icy caves, and about half an hour later, they'll find themselves in an icy chamber bejeweled with kyber. "I've never seen anything like this," she murmurs quietly. "But lets fan out and start looking for the pontite..."

However, the Force may call out to Navi or one of the other Jedi, signaling to them that there is a pontite crystal in here, in the far back of the chamber behind some jagged icy structures...

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann nods, moving on into the cavern- returning to the search, albeit to not as much avail as some others.

Navi has posed:
Navi stays within easy view of the others, moving cautiously toward the back of the chamber. "Maybe behind those sharp-looking ice formations?" she suggests softly. "I'm feeling a pull from the Force in that direction, but nothing more specific than... wait."

She freezes, then moves forward, reaching out to touch the icy wall behind one of the would-be ice sculptures. "I think it's in here!" she calls back to the others.

Pike Windu has posed:
     Pike feels feels very little through the Force as he concentrates on his pain. But he watches with interest as Navi finds what they seek.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Pike seems to be fine...although that wince has Cayde worrying that the man is just trying not to concern anyone by concealing how much pain he's actually in. As much as he keeps trying not to think about it, glimpses of what he'd unintentionally done to Master Tomi keep going through his mind...and then, he hadn't been the only one ever, either...

    When the others start moving into the chamber, the padawan doesn't follow, his expression appearing to be fixed on some non-existent point. Those well-attuned to the Force, and those who know him well will feel the turmoil brewing.

Athena (159) has posed:
And there it is, just behind the icy wall Navi has discovered. It's beautiful and distinctive in shape, just as Oona had said. And Navi will be able to feel with all of her the rightness of what she'd just found.

The young Sephi girl will find the crystal warm, and therefore easy to dislodge and pocket.

"Excellent work," Oona says to Navi, "but come, quickly. We have a long trek back to the main chamber, as the crossover tunnel is steep and the tunnel we must take to return is twice the length of the one we took here." She gathers the younglings, and then goes over to Pike. "I hope you're feeling alright enough to make the hike back," she says. Then she calls to Cayde through the Force, urging the young padawan along. <Cayde, come! We must return to the main chamber. A storm is brewing and we must hurry...>

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    After a few rounds of Oona's nudging, Cayde finally seems to snap out of it. However, he lags behind and appears to be in very low spirits, as if he'd seen something deeply depressing or disturbing.