The planet of Kathisis had long been desolate. The home of a once powerful race, it now served as a memorial for the people that once lived there.
They had been masters of technology, building many a great creation. Revolutionary medical practices had practically eliminated disease and death on Kathisis, and its people lived in harmony.
Then they all disappeared.
Kathisis was abandoned, along with all of its treasures. There was no trace of the Kathisisians, or where they might have gone. Things were found half finished, as if they had left in a great hurry.
All of this was before the creation of the Republic, when most races were still in their infancy. Many archaeological expeditions were sent out by the Republic to discover the secrets that Kathisis hid, but they came back empty handed. Finally, millennia after the Kathisisians had left, the Jedi were called in to investigate. The values of Kathisis were too great to be left untouched, and the Senate wanted to know what had happened there.
That was how Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were sent to Kathisis, and to investigate the ruins of a lost civilization.
*_______________*
Anakin Skywalker was unhappy. Very unhappy. He did not like these 'historic' missions; he liked exciting, fast-paced missions which involved 'aggressive negotiations'. His master was always telling him that not every mission had to involve a fight, and that Jedi were not just warriors.
The seventeen year old Padawan sighed. Obi-Wan was a good master, but he was nothing like Obi-Wan's own master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Anakin and Qui-Gon were of kindred spirits, both using whatever it took to finish a mission, even if it meant breaking the rules.
Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was a firm believer in sticking to the rules. Anakin couldn't imagine his master ever going against the wishes of the Council. It was against his character.
Through the window, he could see the surface of Kathisis. A barren, desolate world, it had been long abandoned. He couldn't understand why the Senate had sent Jedi to do an archaeologist's job.
He torn away from the window by the call of his master. They would be landing soon, and Anakin had to get ready.
*______________________*
The sleek cruiser, piloted by Obi-Wan, landed softly on the surface of Kathisis, causing a small wave of red dust to rise up off of the ground. The two Jedi stepped out and walked down the landing platform, both looking around them with awe.
Anakin whistled. "Well, isn't this place a tomb." he mumbled softly, earning a grin from his master.
"Come Anakin," Obi-Wan said, beckoning his apprentice to follow, "We have work to do."
Anakin followed his master through what seemed to be an ancient city. Crumbling buildings and decomposing parks were all that were left. He could tell that the city had once been quite beautiful, but time and climate had taken its toll on it.
"This was the biggest city on Kathisis, thought to be the capital," said his master as they walked, "It was called Malithis, and was the centre for the Kathisisians' arts and technologies."
Anakin gazed around at the once-proud buildings, noticing weather-worn signs and notices carved into the rock. He could only see a few letters still visible, and those were barely legible, worn away by the erosion of the wind.
"Do we know what those say?" he asked Obi-Wan as they strode by.
Obi-Wan shook his head sadly. "No, the Republic's linguists were never able to decipher it."
//What a pity.// Anakin thought to himself, as he kept walking. The streets seemed to mold into each other, just becoming more and more tombstones to the people who had once inhabited them.
Suddenly, something caught his eye. "Look Master!" he cried out, jogging over to his find.
"Careful, Anakin!" Obi-Wan called out after him, hurrying to follow.
Inside one of the buildings, there seemed to be a portal of some kind. Round in shape, it was very plain except for a panel on its left side.
"What does it do?" Anakin asked the older man, still looking at the object.
"I don't know. I've never heard of any finds like this one before. The last groups must have missed it, although I can't see how."
Anakin stepped over to the panel, studying the various controls and levers on it. He ran his hand along the side of it softly, and pressed one of the buttons lightly.
A buzz came from the panel, and Anakin jumped back in surprise. The panel and its controls then lit up, and a grumbling came from the portal.
"Anakin!" cried out Obi-Wan, "What have you done now?"
"I don't know!" Anakin replied in exasperation, "All I did was press one of the-"
He was interrupted by a flash from the portal, which enveloped the two Jedi, and then everything went dark...
*This is NOT a crossover, no matter how it may seem. More to come soon, and please review! It makes my day! :)*