> Disclaimer: Star Wars and all of it's Intellectual Properties is owned by George Lucas and Walt Disney, This fictional work and all of it's original characters are however mine.
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Multi POV Chapter
(other chapter's will have this warning from now on)
Davik's P.O.V. :
As we headed to the fourth storage room, the atmosphere was noticeably tense. Jake and Rina were still quiet from Kado’s earlier reprimand, which was probably for the best. I wasn’t about to let it slide without a little teasing, though. As we approached the closed door, I smirked and threw a casual jab.
“Well, aren’t you two just the model citizens? Remembering to shut the door behind you.”
I expected a sarcastic retort from Jake or at least a defensive quip from Rina, but neither came. Instead, Jake spoke up in a subdued, serious tone.
“It wasn’t just being polite. That… feeling Arlos described earlier? The one that rattled him? We think it’s coming from this room.”
His words immediately made me more cautious. The humor drained from the moment as I tightened my grip on my blaster, my instincts putting me on edge. I didn’t doubt Jake—if he was spooked enough to mention it, there was something worth worrying about.
When we reached the door, Kado didn’t hesitate. He opened it immediately, and the heavy sensation that greeted us was almost physical.
Stepping into the room, I scanned my surroundings. The space was dimly lit despite the functioning lights, as if the air itself was darker. It was eerily empty save for the pedestal at its center, just like Jake and Rina had described.
That’s when the feeling hit me. A slow, creeping dread started to settle in my chest, radiating out like cold tendrils. It wasn’t the sudden jolt of fear from a firefight or the adrenaline spike when something goes wrong. This was different. It was the kind of dread you feel when you’re riding a landspeeder that’s completely out of control. You know what the problem is, and you might even know how to fix it—except there’s nothing you can do because it’s already too late.
I forced myself to keep moving, my gaze flicking between the pedestal and the rest of the room. The unease was palpable, and I could see it reflected in the others’ faces. Even Kado, who was usually unshakable, had his hand hovering near his weapon.
“Anyone else feel like we’re walking into a trap?” I muttered, trying to mask my tension with sarcasm.
Jake gave a nervous chuckle, but it was clear he wasn’t at ease. “Yeah, well, if it is, at least we’ve got the droids this time.”
I glanced at the skew and scout droids, which had already started to fan out, scanning the room. Their presence was reassuring, but only just. Whatever was causing this oppressive atmosphere wasn’t something a droid could neutralize with a blaster or a scanner.
Kado gestured for us to approach the pedestal. “Let’s take a closer look. Stay alert.”
With that, we moved deeper into the room, each step heavier than the last. The pedestal loomed ahead, an unassuming structure in any other context, but here it felt like the centerpiece of something far more sinister.
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Still Davik's P.O.V. :
Walking around the fourth storage room, the contents became clear: statues, relics, and other ornate but gloomy objects reminiscent of the previous room, but these seemed steeped in a darker, more sinister aesthetic. If the third storage room had been disappointing, this one was downright unsettling. The oppressive atmosphere wasn’t helping either, making even harmless artifacts seem like they were watching us.
The pedestal in the center was the undeniable focal point, though. Kado, as calm as ever, was studying it with a perplexed expression. His curiosity was contagious, but none of us were eager to approach too quickly. Kado, however, gestured to Jake.
“Jake, have the droids sweep the room. One of the Skew droids should stand guard at the pedestal while we look around.”
Jake nodded and relayed the orders. The droids moved efficiently, spreading out with their scanners humming softly. One of the Skew droids took position near the pedestal, its blasters at the ready, as if the inanimate object posed an immediate threat. Not that I was complaining—this place felt strange enough to warrant overkill.
Despite our initial wariness, it wasn’t long before we started gravitating toward the pedestal. Even I found my feet pulling me closer, despite the instinct screaming in the back of my mind to stay clear. Kado was the first to step closer, his brow furrowed in concentration, clearly trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
Jake and Rina, unsurprisingly, followed not long after. It didn’t surprise me that they lacked the self-preservation instincts to hold back. Rina, the self-proclaimed information broker, was always chasing after things most people would steer clear of. I’ve learned that most brokers tend to be half-mad, crazy enough to risk their necks for something everyone else would leave well enough alone. Rina fit the mold perfectly.
Jake, though? I’ve seen enough to know better. He might have a knack for machines and some real technical smarts, but survival sense? Practically non-existent. I’ve never forgotten that first salvage run where he decided the middle of a firefight with Tusken Raiders was the perfect time to gawk at their gear instead of shooting back. That memory would be hilarious if it weren’t so frustrating. And now here he was again, drawn to something that practically screamed bad idea.
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“Careful,” I warned, my voice sharper than intended. “This isn’t the time to let curiosity get you killed.”
Jake glanced back at me, giving a sheepish grin. “Don’t worry. The droids have our backs.”
“Sure, because that’s so reassuring,” I muttered, keeping my blaster at the ready. Rina just rolled her eyes and muttered something about everyone being too paranoid.
Kado finally broke the silence, pointing to an inscription etched into the side of the pedestal. “There’s something written here. Looks ancient.”
The unease in the room thickened. Whatever this pedestal was, it felt like more than just a centerpiece. It had a presence, almost as if it were aware of us standing around it.
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Mira's P.O.V. :
While the others were gathered around the ominous pedestal, I stayed back, glued to my datapad as I reviewed the scans coming in from the scout droids. The information didn’t make sense, and my brow furrowed deeper with every passing moment. I didn’t realize how much my confusion was showing until Arlos, ever polite, interrupted my thoughts.
“Lady Mira,” he said, his tone tinged with concern, “have you discovered something troubling?”
His question snapped me out of my concentration, but it also caused the others to pause. I glanced up to find them all looking my way. Jake and Kado, who were standing closest to the pedestal, exchanged glances before turning to me, and even Davik, who had been circling the room, stopped mid-step.
“What is it?” Kado asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. “What did Arlos see?”
Realizing I had no choice but to explain, I took a deep breath. “The scout droids picked up something... odd. There’s an open space below the vault. It’s sizable, too. But...” I trailed off, glancing back at my datapad as if the answers would suddenly become clear.
“But?” Davik prompted, his tone sharper than Kado’s.
“It doesn’t connect to the vault,” I finished, holding up the datapad so they could see the scans. “At least, not in any way that’s obvious. There’s no direct passage or structural link. It’s just... there.”
The room grew quiet as everyone absorbed the information. Jake was the first to speak.
“An open space?” he asked, stepping away from the pedestal. “What kind of open space? Like a cavern? A chamber?”
“The scans aren’t detailed enough to say,” I admitted. “The scout droids can’t get below the vault itself, so all I’m getting is a faint outline. But it’s definitely there.”
Rina leaned closer, peering at the datapad. “Could it be a natural formation? Something left behind when the vault was built?”
“It’s possible,” I conceded, “but unlikely. The outline is too clean. This looks intentional.”
Kado crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. “If it’s intentional, then there has to be a way to access it.”
“Maybe,” I replied, glancing back at the pedestal. “But we haven’t seen anything in the vault that suggests how to get down there. Not yet.”
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, his earlier enthusiasm dimmed by this new mystery. “So... what do we do? We can’t exactly start tearing up the floor.”
“We don’t need to do anything rash just yet,” Kado said firmly. “Let’s focus on understanding what we’ve already uncovered. If this open space is important, we’ll find a way to access it—carefully.”
Davik gave a low whistle. “And here I thought the weird statues were the end of the surprises. Guess I was wrong.”
Arlos, standing beside me, nodded respectfully. “What do you think this means, Lady Mira?”
I shrugged, feeling the weight of their expectations. “I’m not sure yet. But one thing’s certain—it complicates things. And we’re going to need to tread carefully moving forward.”
The unease in the room seemed to grow heavier. Whatever secrets this vault held, they were far from fully uncovered.
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Jake's P.O.V. :
This is turning into one of those moments that scream bad idea, but we all keep going anyway. The whole setup reminds me of Earth movies—Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, or maybe even Uncharted. There’s the weird pedestal, the cryptic clues, and now some talk of hidden mechanisms. All I need is a fedora and a sarcastic sidekick to complete the vibe. Except, you know, I’m stuck here with the actual threat of death looming over us. Fun.
I glance at the pedestal again. Third room had figurines and furniture, and now this? A whole lot of nothing with a pedestal in the middle. Kado seems convinced it has some purpose, but it’s just not clicking for me. Rina, though? She’s all in. Her eyes light up as she crouches beside the pedestal, running her fingers along the edge.
“Hey!” she exclaims. “There’s a hole here—just big enough for a hand.”
Oh, great. A hand-sized hole. That always ends well in stories. The rest of us exchange glances, and I can tell nobody’s particularly thrilled with her excitement. I’m mostly relieved because if this goes south, I’m not the one who touched it this time.
“Probably some sort of mechanism inside,” Rina theorizes, her voice buzzing with excitement.
“Or a trap,” Kado counters, folding his arms.
Mira pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs, already looking done with all of this. “If you’re going to mess with it, at least let the droids scan it for traps first.”
Rina hesitates, then nods sheepishly. “Fine, fine.”
Kado directs Nick-01 to check the pedestal, and the droid dutifully scans the area with its manipulators. “No blades, no projectiles, no immediate danger,” it chirps in its monotone voice.
Before anyone can say anything, Rina plunges her hand into the hole, twisting something inside. The rest of us collectively shout, “Rina!” but it’s already too late.
The floor rumbles beneath us, the sound deep and foreboding, and the door to the room slams shut with a metallic clang. I freeze, my heart skipping a beat, and then everyone’s attention whips to Rina, who has the audacity to give us an embarrassed chuckle.
“Oops?” she says, offering a sheepish smile.
“Oops?!” Davik barks, his voice tinged with frustration. “The last time someone said oops in a situation like this, it involved Tusken Raiders and blaster fire!”
“Hey!” I interject. “That was—” I stop myself, realizing I probably don’t have much of a leg to stand on here. “Okay, yeah, fine. But this isn’t my fault this time!”
“No one cares, Jake!” Kado snaps, already moving to inspect the now-sealed door. “We’re trapped. Rina, what in the stars were you thinking?”
Rina fidgets under the weight of everyone’s glares. “I—I thought maybe it’d unlock something cool! It felt like it was turning...”
Mira groans, leaning against the wall. “And now we’re stuck in a room that’s shaking like it’s about to collapse.”
“I... I didn’t think—”
“No kidding,” Davik mutters, cutting her off.
I glance at the pedestal. It’s now glowing faintly, an ominous red hue spreading from the center outward, like veins of lava crawling through stone. “Well,” I mutter, “this definitely feels like the start of something awful.”
“Everyone stay calm,” Kado says firmly. “Let’s figure this out before the shaking gets worse.”
“Any ideas?” I ask, my voice tinged with nervous sarcasm. “Because I’m fresh out of ancient-vault crisis plans.”
Rina’s hand goes up, but Kado shoots her a glare so sharp she slowly lowers it without a word.
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