In the beginning...

? - ? Republic Reckoning

Zara and Karthad had just finished a supply run to That Other Town for the small hamlet of Canton on the planet Aysemius. They had discovered that the planet still had not received any off-world visitors and so spare parts were running tight. In fact, one of the chemical plants that produced essential goods for the colony had gone down, making Kurgan's request for some caulk unable to be fulfilled. However, they needed to prepare for the last nerf drive into town to get the final supplies before winter settled in. As a dance/social at the town hall was breaking up that evening, the daughter of one of the aldermen, Kayl looked up into the sky, saying "Mommy, something bad is going to happen." Zara had seen something flickering just out of the infrared as well, but couldn't find anything on Kurgan's binoculars.

After a snowstorm delayed them a few days, Zara set off ahead to scout the pass and make sure it was clear enough as well as rush young Kayl to the doctor in That Other Town, as she had come down with a fever and some pneumonia. While crossing the pass, Zara saw something up in the glacier that wasn't there a few days earlier. However, her radio wasn't working and she didn't get this radioed in until that evening after dropping Kayl off at Dr. Vandur Hale's place for treatment and using his neighbor Bill's equipment. The crew running the nerf drive said they'd check it out.

Kurgan, Karthad, and Charlie climbed up to the glacier and investigated. It was a ship, maybe a pinnace, buried nose-into the ice, with just some engines sticking out. Karthad was lowered to the ship from the top and found a hatch. The ship still had some battery power, and the heroes made their way in. Karthad discovered that the engines were very advanced and had some sort of stealthing on them, and that there had been some battle damage. The others encountered a locked door at the end. Karthad was able to get through that no problem and they found themselves in a command room. There was a pilot slumped over her console, a cybernetic arm embedded in the ice of the glacier. Obviously, the nose of the craft had been wrecked.

A surprise was that the pilot was actually alive. Kurgan cut off her cybernetic arm with his vibroax, Charlie did some first aid, and Karthad began disassembling the ship for vital components. Kurgan and Charlie removed the pilot, and the engines came out on their repulsors. One failed and dashed itself on the base of the glacier while the other floated safely to the base of the pass. Other parts were taken for the repulsorlifts back in the town. They met back up with the rest of the drivers and rode on into town.

The pilot went to the Doctor, who discovered she was in good health, but with reduced life signs. There was a lot of mental activity, as if she was dreaming. The engine parts bought lots of caulk and other supplies and was the talk of The Other Town, while the Heroes went out with their newfound wealth.

That evening, the Doctor awoke, thinking he heard something downstairs. Investigating, he discovered that the pilot had gotten out of her bed, and was nowhere to be seen. She snuck up on him as he was searching, demanding to know if any patients were "acting weird." After being pacified, she identified herself as Myrin Nashtali and became very insistant on discovering the fate of her arm. She was led into the restaurant where the Heroes were dining, and pointedly asked about the fate of her arm. When assured it was entombed in the glacier, she relented. When pressed about her ship, she didn't care much, stating that it was obsolete, being a full six months old. Finally, Myrin used Bill to send a message after rewiring his system.

The Heroes picked up Kayl and went home. After a few days, a larger combat vessel arrived in town, carrying the Doctor, Myrin, and two other Jedi, the leader being Arvandus Quesnel. He explained that the galaxy was in a state of conflict, that most of the Core worlds were lost to Sith action, without being very specific. When asked about the new design lifecycle, it was related that there was a very adaptable enemy the Jedi were fighting and they needed to shorten the useful life of weapon systems. Otherwise, Arvandus used his ship's engineering capabilities to manufacture items for use in the villiage. However, there was a secondary reason they were in town.

Arvandus had initially landed at That Other Town, and did the same thing -- meet, greet, and help out by building essential items. But after a few days he approached Vandur and asked him to tell him where Kayl lived, as Myrin may have exposed her to a dangerous parasite that most adults can fight off but that could be dangerous to children. Upon landing, Myrin and Vandur asked Zara to find her parents, who were locked in their house, and threatening to run and hide. Zara talked to them, but Myrin and Vandur had followed anyway. A polite scan came up negative, and they left, but not without leaving a sense of unease with Zara, Kayl's parents, and the Doctor.

The evening before they were to leave, Arvandus was alerted to an event back in That Other Town. He said he'd run off and check it, that it was only a minor medical emergency. Vandur insisted in following, as it would be his patient, and Arvandus reluctanly agreed. Myrin remained behind with the others. The next morning, the ship returned, dropping off the Doctor and picking up Myrin before leaving again quickly. The Doctor was shellshocked and told of a horrible virus that caused people to become monsters, tearing their families and neighbors apart and that only this Parasite could cure it, but that it carried with it a 50 year or one lifetime debt of service to the Jedi Order. Immediately plans were made to quarrantine all visitors, but the mood turned frostier than the falling temperatures of winter...

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