Xera

2|Vestibule

The white temple stood in the distance, ready to be picked clean. Solise was far enough away to survey the land from a ridge. No beasts in sight on this day. Solise had managed to get there right as Iroh's light began to shine on Raiyfe. The full-grown scorps had retreated to the darkness again and the babies had not yet awakened. Perfect time for a jackpot. No chances today: Solise had already began scanning the surrounding area for life. A small electronic device of her own creation provided her peace of mind. Nothing found.
The trek to the stone structure was hastened by the slope of the elevation the scavenger had perched herself on. In no time, she was climbing the ruined stairs into the entranceway. A beautiful hall lay in front of her. Adorned with murals of the great war, faded from years of weathering. This was the first sign that the temple had been untouched. The paints scrapings alone could fetch something. There was a quality to these murals that Solise had not seen before. She couldn't place her finger on it but something felt...off. These were grimmer visuals, intense reds and dark blues. Thousands of ships, led by an imposing figure. One Solise had no knowledge of.
His battle vestments were bright white and adorned with thousands of marks from previous battles. The face was hidden behind a dark hood, revealing only sinister red eyes. In one hand: a flaming sword. In the other: a smoldering crown. The records of the war were scant, at least on Raiyfe. Yet, Solise couldn't help but feel some weight behind this depiction on the temple ceiling. This was someone of importance to somebody. Perhaps imposing enough that no one had dared to venture here in ages.
Something did feel strange about this place. A foul odor hung in the air, enhanced by the chills of wind rushing through the hall every so often. Not a strong wind, more like a breath of something quite large. Yet, there was no sound but the dripping of water, deep within. It was as if Solise had been enveloped in a vacuum the second she had passed the archway. She was in a new world now: a silent, cold world. An older world, one that should've died long ago...yet it lived on in this tomb. It was as if she were standing inside the skeleton of a being that hadn't quite finished perishing.
Suddenly, she could feel something moving deep within. She was not alone. Breath became easier to hear, metal clanging on the stone as something drew closer, with haste. Solise did not ready her stick to defend herself; it was as if instinct has ceased to exist for a moment. The tinge of fear in her spine locked everything else in place as it grew to become a full-blown panic. Stuck in place, awaiting...something. However, as the sound drew closer to her, nothing. No foe nor beast had rushed to face her. The silence returned, worse than before. No breeze to fill the ears this time. The stench had lessened too, or Solise had merely gotten used to it.
There was enough of a pause that Solise felt safe enough to continue inward. The light disappeared past the bit that was leaking in through the entranceway. She compensated with a torch she'd carved from some driftwood. It was from a norzo tree, allowing it to be burned without deteriorating. The light of the torch guided her through many adventures and plunders. Time after time, covering dark corridors with the orange glow of a flame. In this place, the light spread no further than a few steps in front of her. Even the darkness of the temple was abnormal. More like a fog than the absence of light. The thought that her torch could go out, deep within, was enough to prevent her from wandering too far.
This didn't make for much of a haul, sadly. Some vases, old coins, a few pieces of jewelry, and whatever segments of the murals that had naturally fallen onto the floor. She wasn't comfortable with desecrating it herself. Even if the atmosphere of the temple wasn't as it was, she would not have done this. Art like these murals was rare on her little rock of a planet. Destroying one, even for her own profit, seemed in bad taste. Seemed a waste to familiarize herself with the great war and then attempt to erase its memory. It wasn't necessary, in any case. There was more than enough here to fetch a price with at least one merchant.
That was what she convinced herself of, at least. She wasn't one to rattle easily...so the temple's effects on her were impressive. She eventually managed to locate an inscription on the arch she entered through. A name, carved in old speak, was hidden behind some flora above the entranceway. The Vestibule of Arex. At least, I think that's what it says. Solise's knowledge of the old speak came from her salvaged texts, so there were enough gaps for doubt to inhabit. Even in her texts, this wasn't a name she had seen before. It could be a word I haven't seen yet. No. It has to be a name.
She didn't have much time to sit with these thoughts. Soon, a whirring filled the air as the land around the temple began to shake. Something was approaching from above. It soon began to lower itself over the temple, creating a massive shadow. Solise slid down the backside of the temple and hid away in the nearby root bushes. They were thick enough to keep her concealed while leaving cracks for her to peer through. It was through these cracks that she was able to assess what was even occurring.
It was a ship. A sleek one-pilot cruiser was gradually lowering itself to the ground. This wasn't something Solise was used to. The ship was far too nice for anyone on Raiyfe to possess. Those that had transport generally didn't have the kind that could just hop into space. Travel was almost exclusively terrestrial. It was also far too new. No desert carnage told its tale on the exterior. It came from space. I doubt that ship's ever been on Raiyfe before right now. The scavenger's thoughts ran wild as the ship touched down. The span of time from the landing to the cockpit hissing open felt eternal.
First, a steam emerged from the cockpit. Then, a figure in white robes. Robes that reminded Solise of the mural she just observed. These ones were far nicer than the ones in the mural. They appeared to be of excellent quality and condition. Wrapped around them was a belt with two sheathed blades that had been flourished with ancient-looking beads and talismans. Beneath the figure's white hood was a face of metal and gears. At first, Solise mistook him for an android. She wasn't certain such an advanced model existed. Perhaps Raiyfe existed in the past, compared to the rest of the galaxy. The figure moved too fluidly to be robotic, yet there was an otherworldly quality to him that sent a shiver up Solise's spine.
He was a two-armed biped, like herself. However, he was quite tall and his developed musculature could even be seen through his robes. Though she had seen larger beings in her travels, something about this one set her on edge. The alien nature of everything happening in front of her made Solise want to run. She remained out of curiosity. If she ran now, it would bother her for the rest of the day. The thought of anything new happening on her planet was an exciting enough prospect to keep her here for the time being. She had to stay until the figure was at least in the temple. Somehow, it didn't even enter into her head that he could be there for any other reason. Much like her, he was searching for something. She hadn't emerged to investigate further once he disappeared into the Vestibule.
Instead, she took the opportunity to sneak away. I bet it's nothing. Nothing worth halting my agenda for the day. She convinced herself, as she trekked away from the temple. In reality, the fear she had felt upon seeing the figure had played a large part of her decision as well. Solise was naturally inquisitive: not pressing further in a quest for information was unlike her. She did her best to put the thoughts of the man in the Vestibule away by the time she reached the nearest trading outpost.
No friendly faces to adjust prices in this outpost. Grinkubau had a reputation for being one of the rougher spots on Raiyfe. Quite the achievement for a small grouping of shacks that didn't even occupy an acre of land. Solise avoided it the best she could, as did most of the traders that came through. It happened to be the closest to her find today, it would have to do as a first stop. If she could find the right price, she could lighten to load a bit. The payouts here somehow managed to range from sizable to negligible. Sometimes, there was no payout at all. Only theft and beatings, both things Solise preferred to avoid.
Her time here was brief. A high payout for one of the vases, nothing else. The leering bandits outside the local watering hole made sure Solise's exit from Grinkubau was as swift as her entrance. The next outpost was far. Far enough to leave the scavenger alone with her thoughts for longer than her liking. Who was that? What was that? Why would someone with a ship that nice ever come to a place like this? By the time she reached the trader in the city of Moloray, her head was swimming with theories about the figure in the temple.
The elation that would normally present itself upon the trader snatching up the painting pieces was drowned out by her racing feelings. Something wasn't right about that. I should've followed him in. What would that have done? Think, Solise...think. Well...maybe provide some answers to all that. Those murals, why were they...like that? Who or what is Arex? I really should've followed him in. The inner-conflict alone was a rare feeling for her. Most days in her life unfolded in a similar manner; seeing a sight that left her in mental turmoil had an air of excitement to it. Even once she'd made her way back to Teetan with the last bit of her plundered trinkets, she couldn't be rid of the thoughts. Her transaction and subsequent journey to her hut was a trance, occupied by visions of the man.
These didn't rid themselves from her head until Bix signaled that he was on his way over. Her mind was forced into cleaning mode. The hut was a mess. It was always a mess, but Solise tricked herself into thinking that throwing her various projects into crates was an improvement. In reality, the crates stacked up and only added to the clutter. Not that Bix was one to complain. Any change of scenery from his own home was a pleasant diversion. The struggle of seeing his father wither away had eroded whatever sense of home had previously existed. A brief journey to Solise's hut was like an escape into an oasis.
He slid down the ladder, awkwardly sticking the landing. Bix possessed a quality to his character where most were unable to tell when he planned to do something and when he didn't. He had a way of making things work. Or, perhaps, it was that even his smoothest of maneuvers seemed accidental. Solise had learned to pilot cruisers from him. Years of secondhand knowledge from Bix's pilot training. Despite this, Solise's handling was smooth while Bix's was hectic. This offset his calm and collected persona. A shell bound by a smile kept the outside world from seeing anything other than joy. It was as if nothing could phase him.
In truth, as is often the case, many things got to him. There were times where facing the day with a sense of hope seemed like the largest struggle in the galaxy. One he had to climb if he wished to carry on. Solise had seen him in these moments and helped him through many of the darker times. Their bond was strong. They were the only ones privy to certain secrets in the other's life. Only Solise knew that Bix once stole his father's speeder and wrecked it, forcing her to rebuild parts of the chasse. Only Bix knew that Solise once ate nothing but gerxer rats to make it through a tough winter. Their friendship spanned most of their lives. Both had seen seventeen cycles around Iroh, with Bix advancing in age a fortnight sooner than Solise.
Bix was the social one between them. His early life was spent exposed to a strong family setup and many encounters with family friends. Even when he wasn't feeling up for a conversation, he managed to keep the energy flowing. He had a bright smile that radiated positive energy and a very expressive face. There was never any doubt he was listening when Solise would go off about her day, his face said it all. His complexion was dark, as was his hair. Something present in his entire family. Seeing them all together often made Solise wonder what she may look like paired next to her own parents.
Unlike Bix, she didn't even have a picture to remember their faces from. Only the faintest wisps of her youthful memories. Bix often envied her position in this regard, though he would never say so out loud. His mother had provided a caring upbringing but his father was another story entirely. His love was displayed with stern looks and discipline. By the time Bix had realized this was to ensure a better life on another planet, lunar lung came for his father. Now, all he had left to do was sit in the shell home and wait for the pained breathing to cease. There was a large part of him that wished he could just walk away from everything, with no attachments to worry about.
Solise managed to keep these darker thoughts from Bix's head by filling him in about her day...to an extent. Tales of a great haul and enough credits to start saving up for food. No mention of the strange figure that had entered the temple. However, she did mention the one in the mural. She would've asked Bix about the name Arex but she knew he was far more unlikely to have encountered it. His interests were not in history the cataloguing of it. His well of knowledge was more firmly in that of the modern galaxy. Early years spent studying under his father had given him insight into the workings of the galaxy at large.
While Solise was learning about the conflict of the two kingdoms, in the age before Xera, Bix was busy learning the ins and outs of the Vawe economy. He knew each planet by name and their major exports. Even which beasts and natives inhabited them. Solise had no such knowledge. Her awareness of her own planet was only formed by exploring so much of it. The larger galaxy seemed like a vast expanse where anything could be possible. She had her basic teachings of the planets and the capitol on Vawe, but that was it. The lack of a unified education system within the galaxy meant that certain planets were predestined to be hives of ignorance. The subject of the name Arex was the rare topic that was unknown to either of them.

"Mother says something's going on all over the planet. Strange people showing up. The villages are getting cleanup crews and repairs." Bix said, upon the conclusion of Solise's recounting of her day.

"Cleanup crews?" Solise inquired. She had never heard of such a thing coming to the planet. Most villages and outposts wore their years of wear and tear on their face.

"People in royal garb. Fixing up the structures and setting up some tents." Bix informed her. After a moment, he spoke again. "You didn't see them? Mother said they were everywhere in Dazergo."

Solise had passed through Dazergo in her travels that day. It was where she fetched quite a few credits for the last vase. She hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Of course, she wasn't really paying attention. All part of the fugue state set on her by what she witnessed at the temple. Bix could see that something wasn't right in Solise's reaction. It was as if she had wandered off at the mention of the outpost. Before he could react, she returned to the conversation. "I wasn't looking. I wasn't really...present today." She seemed lost. Confused by her own words. Why couldn't I stop thinking about that? She was in her head, once again.

The time had finally come to tell Bix of the figure from the sky. It was with his assistance that she was able to finally quell the memory. "Just some royal spook coming to help with whatever is going on. That's the more abnormal thing, I feel. New people showing up? Here? What's this about?" He rattled off, in an attempt to help. It worked, this new information was painting a larger picture. Something bizarre was happening on Raiyfe. Solise had never seen a royal ship in her lifetime. It made perfect sense that they would have something like what she saw. Yet, there was still a chilling uncertainty. Was that a royal? A guard? What are capitol employees doing here?

Neither of them had the answers to these questions. They were left to ring on as thoughts in their heads as they drifted off to sleep that night. Bix had decided to stay in the hut, rather than face the beast-ridden desert at night. As rare as company was, overnight stays were next to non-existent. In all their time together, Bix always did his best to get home before dark. A mix of intriguing conversation and the desire to be away from the house had kept him in place past dusk. For once, it was nice to have a place other than home to turn in for the evening. It was good practice for the bunks he'd eventually have to reside in, once he departed to the royal academy. Having this time with Solise was an easy call. Much like her, he was quite aware of how little time they had left together. They were the only thing in the way of friends in either of their lives.

Peace and serenity were rare on a place like Raiyfe. There were only a handful of moments in either of their lives that they could label as such. This was one of those few moments where the chaos of the outside world managed to melt away. As the friends drifted into slumber, it suddenly didn't matter that they were stuck on the least eventful rock in the galaxy. One so bland that even the lightest of activity was enough to create a day-long brain fog for Solise and a growing curiosity for Bix. They were no closer to having any answers but it didn't matter at this moment. Right now, all that was clear was the two friends were happy to be in each other's company. Still, there was one ever-present thought that could only be banished to the back of the mind for so long: what's going on and why is it happening in a place like this?