Quoted By:
It’s hard not to smile. How many times had you done that in your own apprenticeship with Master Larid? Every new planet had been a marvel, but there was always something special about the first world that wasn’t Coruscant or Ilum. And that beyond the spires of the temple and the halls of the Jedi, there was…<span class="mu-i">is</span> a greater, wider galaxy out there.
The two of you step quickly onto the main road, and let the market envelop you. With your lightsabers carefully hidden, and your blaster displayed openly on your belt, you stride confidently, taking it all in. Rion might be far off the beaten path of the trade lanes, but that doesn’t make it any less diminished as a resort world. Everything, from the stores on main street to the side attractions, has been carefully and deliberately curated to get visitors to spend their money.
And as the first in many a visitor’s stop, Lapa Spaceport plays host to the more ostentatious displays. Jugglers spin dozens of knives, some even while blindfolded. Drummers pound a frantic rhythm to the movements of dancing men, women, children and animals in varying degrees of (un)dress. There is even a beautiful fire-eater with flame tattoos running up and down her limbs, distinguishing herself not so much by her beauty as by the fact that she manages to light a candle through a spall piercing where her throat meets her collarbone. That, you and Ceyla watch for a moment, then throw a handful of credits as a sign of acknowledgement.
Once upon a time, there would be buskers aping at pretending to use the Force to read palms or divine fortunes with cards. Force knows there were plenty of those on Coruscant, little pop-up shops in alleyways or dingy third-floor offices in the underbelly of the city. But with the dark times, those have all disappeared. There isn’t any real Imperial presence on Rion, but nobody’s taking their chances.
But you continue your way forward, stopping only once more to buy yourselves a snack.
“So where is it that we’re meeting them?” asks Ceyla, chewing on her fish skewer.
You point towards a white multi-complex series of buildings within a gated enclosure. Its property encompasses not only a sizable chunk of the immediate jungle, but a portion of the bay and a wet-navy marina. “Tana’s Resort. Advertises itself as the premiere relaxation destination within walking distance of Lapa. Family-owned for the last two-hundred years and built by expats from the Mid Rim.”
She tilts her head. “You know a lot about it. Was the resort in Master Larid’s files?”
“Nope. I got it off of their HoloNet page in their ‘about us’ submenu.”
Grinning, you pat Ceyla as she recovers from her near stumble. “Sometimes, you gotta do your own fieldwork and research. Not everything’s gonna be on the <span class="mu-i">Bantha</span>. Or the <span class="mu-i">Albatross</span> in our case.”
Even without the right equipment, your apprentice is able to convey the motion of rolling her eyes. “Right...”
(cont.)
