[Freebuild] The Old Man at the Docks

  It had been interesting to learn from Jul Ti that there was a Jedi that lived on Celanon. As Hayk thought about it, he was reminded of the old man who went down to the docks each day. He lived in a small hut on the hillside above the city of Besleshos, which had been derived from the name the place had been given during the Mandalorian Wars: Bes'laar b'Sho'cye, or 'Music of the Ocean'. Over the eons, the name had been cut short, but the Mando'a origins of the name still shone through the years, though many locals simply called the city 'Beslehr'.

  Beslehr was a city that had been built, connecting the southern mainland of Holvi continent with a small, mountainous island. With mountains on both sides, the city sat nestled, relatively safe from the wrath of the ocean, but also having clear access to it through the straight that went between the island and mainland. The city extended across the straight, with passages and bridges to allow boats to travel through in a few places.

  The city being built this way meant that much of the city was built on docks across the water, but it was near the island-side of the docks that Hayk had seen the old man. Hayk figured it was probably about the time of day he would find the man there, so he took a break from the droid he was trying to revive, and began the walk towards the water. The area of Beslehr that Yurk Hargin's droid repair resided on was built onto the island, with part of the city's wall built right into the mountainside. From there, there was a row of buildings across the street, and a street which led out to the beginnings of the docks. It was somewhere in this area that Hayk usually saw the man, just a short ways away from the Wet Market, which held many booths where various goods were traded. Hayk turned down away from the market towards where the docks met the water, and there, he saw the man, looking out towards the open ocean beyond the straight. The man wasn't greying, but he seemed old in a way that the years hadn't been kind to him. Hayk walked down to talk to the man.

  'Hello,' Hayk said, trying not to startle the old man. The man didn't move, and remained, staring out over the waters.

  'Good morning. You're the kid who took over Yurk Hargin's, aren't you?' The man spoke without looking away from the panorama before him. 'I've seen some fine handiwork come out of that shop recently.'

  'Yes. My name is Hayk. I don't mean to bother you, but recently, I was told by someone that they knew a Jedi that was living here on Celanon. I was wondering if you had ever heard of a Jedi living in these parts. People tell me that you have lived here for quite a while.'

  'Yes, I've lived on Celanon for about thirty years. Who was it that told you about this Jedi? I believe I knew him once, but he was always cautious about people who came looking for him.'

  'It was a fellow Jedi, by the name of Jul Ti, whom I found on Manpha. She had been a friend of my Founder, Naruun Vizsla.'

  'Those are names I haven't heard in a long time, before the dark of the Empire... before the Jedi were betrayed.' The man paused, then continued. 'Naruun was an honourable man, and it is easy to see that you have followed his footsteps. I trusted him, so will I trust you... I was once the Jedi whom you seek. They used to call me Cadus Aram. Now, that name means very little; the Jedi the galaxy once knew is no more than a fisherman now. And Jul Ti was my padawan. How is she?'

  'She seems well. She has become a mud-farmer in a remote marsh on Manpha.'

  'And Naruun, how is it that you have come here, and I have never seen him?' Cadus asked, turning towards Hayk.

  'Naruun was killed some time ago, after the Battle of Bastion.' It was hard for Hayk to re-tell the story, but he continued. '...It had been after the battle was over. We had both gone back to meet with the Mando'ade fleet. Naruun had been on his Teroch battleship, and one moment, I was talking and joking with him over a holo-communicator, and the next moment, his ship exploded. It had been sabotaged at some point during the battle. I came here after the battle, and used what credits I had at the time to buy the repair shop. I needed some time away from battle and the wars of the galaxy.'

  'I'm sorry. War takes it's toll on us all,' Cadus reminisced, bitterly. Hayk could tell that this man knew his pain intimately. 'At times it is hard to strive and push beyond the grief, and for many years, I have struggled with these things. You sought out Jul Ti before she sent you to find me, why?'

  'Naruun had told me to look for her if I ever found myself in trouble. I may not directly be in trouble, but I felt that the time had come, with the state the galaxy has been in since the UniStar threat started coming to light. Another thing, Jul Ti told me that you were once a skilled saber-crafter, and she gave me this. Naruun had given it to her for safe keeping.'

  Hayk pulled the saber-hilt template from his coat, and showed it to the Jedi. Cadus looked deep into Hayk's eyes, then he said, 'I will do what I can to help you.'