With Tahl, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went over everyhting they could learn. But consitering no one has ever heard of Halie, thre was practically no information for them. Only some assumed coordinates. It seemed hopelessly obvious that they wouldn't find any useful imformation on the planet, so Tahl decided to show them the message. Obi-Wan was practically frozen to his seat, fixated on the hologram.
"Hello. I know you possibly don't know me. Or remember me. But I and my people are in desperate need of your help, Obi-Wan Kenobi." The speaker was a girl around Obi-Wan's age, with wavy hair that they couldn't distinguish a color because of the entire image being blue. But he knew the face, and those eyes. And he turned away from the hologram, it was Cestri. But he couldn't peel his gaze away for long.
She as a girl Obi-Wan knew on a mission. She worked with a group of children who called themselves "The Young". He had grown to love her, and he had left the Jedi so she could help her and the others win a Civil War. But then she was killed in the square, this for him was like having a limb torn off. He was heart broken. But she always wanted peace. Because she was gone, he had nothing left there and returned. Because of his mistake, it took so long to improve his relationship with Qui-Gon again. But he never forgot about her.
"My people are disappearing and soon are found dead, drain of their blood." Then her image looked up with large, pleading eyes that seemed to hold Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's attention. "Please come, Obi-Wan. And to those in charge of him, please let him. I need you. My people need you."
They need me. I must help them. Obi-Wan thought. I must.
Then the hologram ended and the two were staring at the empty space where the girl's small figure was for another few seconds. For some reason, Obi-Wan felt more distant from himself than usual.
"Am I the only one who's noticed that everyone who watches this message starts behaving differently?" Tahl asked as she turned towards them. His sightless gold and green eyes fixed nearby the two.
Qui-Gon was first to answer. "I don't see anything wrong. And she does need help."
Tahl blinked and focused more on his general direction. "I should have figured you would too." She sighed. "Am I the last person here who can't seem to get what's so urgent an important with this single message. We get a ton of these and yet this one was suddenly top priority. What am I missing here that everyone hasn't?"
"You don't sense the desperation?" Obi-Wan exclaimed.
"No. I sense a voice that sounds a little to overly dramatic to me." Tahl retorted.
"Come, we must leave immediantly." Qui-Gon said as he stood up and walked towards the door, Obi-Wan matched his pace. All while Tahl stood there with confusion and misunderstanding written across her face. It wasn't long for them to get a transport and leave. But the trip was long and silent. Neither spoke, they were still focused on that message.
Please come, Obi-Wan. And to those in charge of him, please let him. I need you. My people need you.
The planet itself was mostly a rich blue. White crystaline formations were standing tall, straight out of the water and sparkling in the sunlight. Multiple platforms stuck out from the water, around the sizes of large cities. One in particular, a landing platform was ready for them, and they let their ship come to a smooth stop before they left the ship and were greeted by a lanky woman with light blonde hair tied back in a messy ponytail, a smile across her face.
"It's so good to see you have come in our time of need, Obi-Wan." She said cheerfully. Then she casted Qui-Gon a glance, as if she were not expecting another to arrive. "And who might you be?"
"I am Qui-Gon Jinn. And I come with Obi-Wan because he is my apprentice." He answered.
She nodded, even though it was clear to anyone but the two that she didn't want anyone other than Obi-Wan there.
"Where is Cestri?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I'm sorry. I do not know of this 'Cestri'." She apologied.
"But I saw her in the message." He told her. "I didn't think it was possible, but I saw her."
"We have many people here, my friend." She responded as she looked up into his eyes. Her voice calm and words flowing like a song as her deep teal eyes shimmered. "You must have mistaken her for someone else."
"I must have mistaken her for someone else." Obi-Wan repeated back, then seemed to forget seeing Cestri in the hologram at all.
The woman smiled and looked up at Qui-Gon, who stood a head taller than her. "I'm so glad you came and joined us as well. The more help we may get, the better." Then she started walking, her silky white dress gliding across her soft pale skin and appearing to flow like the water and her voice. "Come, I will show you around our Capital city of Anlu."
So they followed her, seeing happy people roaming the streets of the platform city. There wasn't much transport on the streets, but at the docks, there were tons, some going from city to city, and others heading out on the water. Woman led their children through the marketplace and were haggling with merchants at stands. All around there were sky scrapers made from shimmering glass that almost matched the white crystals out in the ocean. Everything was peaceful and appeared to be serene.
Their guide then turned and said, "I will bring you to our governer's office, he will be pleased to know you have arrived." Then she led them inside one of the white glass buildings and they went to the top floor, where they had a view of the entire glistening platform city. Both stared out at the breath taking sight of the buildings shining like the crystals in the water.
It was then the door opened behind them, both turned, but neither expected what they saw.