Knights of the Old Republic: The Rise of the Jedi

[ZeroNumerous]

Citadel Station - Lysa

The Gungan Testicle is a small interplanetary transport ship that offered low rates to passengers traveling to-and-from backwater planets. It left Coruscant two days ago carrying a very precious package--A jedi.

It's boring, honestly. A group of people stuck together on a ship for a few hours, or sometimes days, with nothing to talk about and no one interesting to talk to. This trip, however, was different. A young human woman by the name of Lysa Drace was onboard. Fortunately, however, the trip is short.

Your shuttle drops out of hyperspace shortly above the world of Telos. The dusty-red sky above Telos is marred by the once massive Citadel Station. Now, the platform is just a mere military station intended to track pirates in the area. Citadel Station was no larger than your average backwater military station. Three docking bays, a hundred or so soldiers, maybe fifty dependents, and none of them could possibly want to be here. The small supplies freighter which you had bought transport on slowly maneuvered into Citadel Station's tertiary docking bay and you disembarked.

A human greeted you and introduced himself as Captain Anderson. He speaks quietly, and seems withdrawn and wary of you. He nonchalantly remarks about the prospects of a Jedi on Citadel Station, but doesn't ask about your mission or purpose. You couldn't have told him anyway, since the Order was still being very closed mouth about things. None the less, the Captain offers you transport planet-side via an automated personnel transport.

Telos Jedi Academy - Lysa

The academy comes into view as a plateau atop the frozen icecap of Telos. It was hidden during the Great Sith War, and intended as a fallback location in the event that Dantooine and Coruscant fell to Sith. That was why Revan had bombed Telos first, despite the more attractive military operations in the sector at the time. The Jedi needed to know that there would be no running away from her magnificence.

Your transport lands quietly, and you disembark only to be greeted by the Jedi Attendant on site. He's a wiry wisp of a man, with a thin body and a steely-cold glare. He wears the traditional robes of the order and a perpetual frown that only deepens as he realizes just who you are. "We were expecting you hours ago, Master Lysa." He pronounces your name as "LIE-sah".

Telos Jedi Academy - Eran and Ka-Ree.

The academy is a quiet thing, and hours pass into days seemingly without you noticing. It felt as if Master Brianna, named after her mother who had traveled with the Exile, had only just informed you about your new Master's arrival and your promotion to Padawan. In reality, that event had happened several days ago. Master Brianna had given you little in terms of details, but she did inform you that your Master was a recent promotion as well. She told you that the Jedi from Coruscant would arrive in two days, but she didn't tell you about this..

You'd been waiting in the training room for three hours now, and the Attendant was quickly growing angry. Jason, the Jedi Attendant for Telos, had always been easy to rile and tardiness was one of his hot buttons. ALID, the resident protocol droid, poked it's head in to inform the Attendant of your Master's arrival. The Attendant left in a huff, leaving the pair of you together awaiting the arrival of your trainers and partners.

[Catch]

Lysa

The deep, plodding rumble of Coruscant's lower city was a pulse, a heavy throb of life in a landscape of duracrete and plasteel. Workers crawled like insects over the skeletons of new buildings that thrust up out of the old, climbing into the ever-lit sky, layered upon structures older still. Voices added a vibrant murmur to the ambient tempo, cries of street vendors mingling with conversations in dozens of tongues, ranging far and broad from whispered secrets to shouted confrontations. Scents of all kinds wafted through the noise, those both foul and savory, the abrasive tang of exhaust not fully drowning out the myriad cuisines cooked and served from stalls on every corner. Far above, hover traffic wove sinuous lines in the sky, the rush of passing colors streaking through the gradient hues of the horizon. The swarm of bodies and vehicles and dreams of all sorts exuded an almost-tangible radiance of vitality; the Force sang there.

Here, though, in a cramped transport, the silence was unsettling. Lysa longed for the city, its steady pulsing heart beat in time with her own, and without the strong, humming throng of life, she felt hollow and empty. She shivered, a gesture that had nothing to do with the growing cold. Cal would have proffered one of his peculiar insights, had he been here. The Wookiee was gruff and barely competent with normal social behavior, yet he always was able to pierce through Lysa's usual shades of apathy, if only by distracting her by throwing them both headfirst into an explosion of trouble.

Be mindful of the present. She sighed, pushing both wayward nostalgia and the nagging Jedi Code from her mind, concentrating on here and now. Unbidden, irritation seeped into the vacancy as Lysa acknowledged her purpose here on Telos. The austerity of choosing a Padawan--as if she had the option not to pick one--was lost on her, and the process felt more like an ordeal than it did a bestowal of authority and responsibility. The mantle of "Master" was a weight, not a title, and she though she no longer harbored the notion of rejecting all of this entirely--the Council had dealt with that--Lysa still felt unprepared to take on the duty of training a student, especially since she still was one herself. Padawans were were ignorant, stubborn and arrogant, slow to learn; they were exasperating and to many, she still was.

As the transport settled down onto the landing platform with a gentle thump, Lysa rose from her seat slowly, adjusting her brown Jedi robes and exhaling frustration as well as breath. Calm and chill air replaced both, and she descended though the open gangway in no particular hurry, once again centered. She spotted the rail-thin attendant, recognizing the subtle signs of barely-reigned frustration that often greeted her presence. Obviously, his expectations had not been met, which hardly served as a surprise, and neither did his bumbling of her name.

Trotting past the man, she spared him a glance and murmured dryly, "I do recall something in the Code about patience." Surveying the frozen waste all around, Lysa held back another sigh before setting on the path towards the entrance to the Academy. She hoped her stay here would be brief.

"Come on, then," she called to the attendant, "You shouldn't keep everyone waiting."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

Once Jason leaves, and the serenity of the room is restored, Ka-Ree stops her rhythmic pacing of the room, and seats herself cross-legged on a bench, wrapping her robes around her. The blonde human girl, almost grown now (although at just less than 1.6 meters, 'grown' is a relative term), spares Eran the briefest of glances before closing her eyes in meditation, practicing attuning herself to the ebb and flow of the Force. One bright-blue eye occasionally flickers open to scan the room, showing that she is not unaware of her surroundings. Nevertheless she waits patiently for the Master's arrival, unable to stop wondering about what he or she might be like.

[Kyace]

Eran

Going through the motions of the stances and forms of the little bit of sword fighting he knew, Eran tries to imagine a lighsaber in his gloved hands. Skinny, the youth had taken to wearing weighted gloves in the hopes of building up strength. Trusting Ka-Ree and his sharp ears to alert him of the Master, he stumbles through the forms as best he can.

Spoiler

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OOC: Exactly how long after KotoR:II did you say this was so I know what age range of Padawans make sense. :\

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"Shii-cho?" Ka-Ree asks in her lyrical alto. Her eyes flicker open for just a moment to observe before closing again. "I always find it easier to practice with something in my hands, even if it's simply a stick."

[ZeroNumerous]

Jedi

The world of Telos was a dead thing, and not just in the sense of physical death. The entire world was a silent echo of the screams of those killed during the bombardment. Revan left nothing of the world alive, no civilians, no military, no animals, not even buildings above ten feet high were left in tact. Many Sith felt that Revan had been too thorough in her destruction of Telos, and that it's death was ultimately unnecessary. But with what you know now, what one of the few Jedi Masters remaining has informed you of, is that Telos had to die as a statement to the old Order. The echo of the dead upon the barren rock of Telos reinforces what you have been taught. "When committed to battle against the Sith, one cannot expect the choice of retreat. Revan has taught us this, and we have learned it well."

Lysa

The frozen winds of the polar ice cap rips your cloak about, and obscures the finer details of the Attendant. The wind is refreshing when you think of the cold, quiet feeling that emanates from all other directions across the planet. It's cold bite tells you that you still live, and it spoke of a tale told through out the ages. For a moment, you feel a sense of calm in the thought that as long as Jedi live then Telos will not be forgotten.

The Attendant frowns openly when Lysa speaks openly. "The Code also speaks of patience, yes, but we have been taught punctuality and respect for all living things, Lysa. I have read the reports about the wookie, Cal. I would want you to know that I do not approve of you, your "training", or your appointment to this position." Once again, your name is pronounced incorrectly and he even goes so far as to omit half of Cal Thurrtok's name. Thats ignoring the fact that he spoke it as "Cual" rather than "K-al".

You enter the Academy proper through the roof elevator. The ride is short, and the Attendant says nothing. It empties you both out into a short hall, where the Attendant points out the large council chamber ahead. It, like Telos, lies empty. "That is the Council Chamber, but the Council is out traveling to find new recruits. Off to the right, you'll find the dorms. But we're going left, to the training room."

Ka-Ree and Eran

The time passes rather quickly after the Attendant left, and little more than ten minutes later you get a feeling in the Force. Someone has arrived, and they are not who you expected. The door to the training hall slides open with a quiet whoosh, and you see a woman in traditional robes with a slight slouch standing in the doorway. Her auburn hair is short and uncropped as she appears to be letting it grow out. She carries a look of youth that puts her at around twenty or so, but you suspect that she's here for one of you.

Group

The Attendant enters in behind her, and motions for the two padawans to sit in one of the two couches beside the large training mat that dominates the room. He flips open his clipboard, then points out Eran. "Eran Chrons. Human, age unknown, blood-type O-, Guardian trained." He then points out Ka-Ree and flips the page to the next page on his clipboard. "Ka-Ree Nafeel. Human, age 18, blood-type AB positive, Sentinel trained."

He then turns and faces both Padawans. "This is Master Lysa Drace. She has been assigned to be your trainer and will oversee your future development." The Attendant waits for a second, then politely excuses himself. The door closes behind him with a harsh hiss.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

The girl's eyes snap open alertly as she feels the approaching presence. "They're here," she says to Eran. She watches passively as the pair enter and Jason leaves again, not moving from her seat on the bench. "Master," she says in respectful acknowledgment, as the three are left together. She waits to see what Lysa will do or say.

[Kyace]

Eran

The youth goes to a couch as ordered. With a respectful bow of his head, he greets the Jedi after Jason leaves. "Master. I was born on a small planet which was tidally locked: it lacked a day-night cycle, let alone a yearly season cycle, thus most people didn't bother trying to keep track of long calendars." He appears roughly 16. After speaking, the boy waits for their Master to say something.

[Catch]

Lysa

Drawing a chilled breath from the winds that enveloped her, Lysa let her eyes slip closed, feeling for the Force. The ebb of life was subtle here, quiet in a way she had not felt in her time on Coruscant. Always there was a thick, heavy pulse that had been inescapable, beating in time with the plodding rhythm of the city. Here though, the Force was a whisper, still within her grasp. It was soothing, she thought, this almost-silence, yet the great absence of life still felt unnatural.

Having ignored the attendant for a moment, Lysa blinked at him finally, a a slow look of catlike disinterest. If he expected her to be in any way ruffled by his disapproval, the man did not read her file thoroughly enough, though his mangling of names seemed to indicate as much. Older, wiser and more pedantic Jedi had delivered far harsher criticism, which she pointedly had ignored. "At least we can agree on something," she said, unabashed.

Following the wispy man down the elevator, Lysa was content to slouch in silence, incubating her thoughts for the moment. It was likely that she would be expected to deliver some sort of address to the newly-raised Padawans, but it had not occurred to her to prepare anything, which was her standard approach to just about everything. When the lift's doors slid open, she followed the attendant out, though in no particular hurry, taking a moment to appraise her surroundings. The Academy seemed scant, as she expected, considering housing Jedi runts was not the structure's original purpose. Again, Lysa hoped her stay would be brief.

Best get on with this, then.

Paying no mind to her appointed guide, she stepped into the training room, unannounced as was usual for her. She surveyed the room in a quick glance, raising an eyebrow in skeptical surprise, as if she had been expecting something else. Waiting for the attendant to leave, she offered him a clearly satirical smile which dissolved immediately after the doors slid shut. "Your little secretary could pass for a protocol droid if you gave him a coat of paint," she mused, "though I'd imagine his pronunciation programming would need some fine-tuning first."

Crossing her arms, the girl looked from the younger boy to the girl, cocking her head slightly. "Just two of you?" she asked rhetorically, her crisp Coruscanti accent stretched out in a lazy drawl. "Well. 'Master' Lysa Drace doesn't exactly warrant an entourage," she finished dryly, giving her name as 'El-sah.' The boy's explanation earned a twist of her mouth--which might have passed for amusement in the right light. "Sounds like Ryloth," she commented, "As long as you know one end of a lightsaber from another and can go to the refresher by yourself, though, age isn't important to me. I doubt I'm much older than either of you, so this 'Master' business won't be necessary once we're off this rock. I'll be your teacher, sure, but you can probably tell I'm not particularly partial to formalities. Ask what you like and speak your mind, always. Jedi should be allowed that much," she finished.

Taking a seat, Lysa settles onto one of the couches near the two Padawans, reclining naturally. "So, I suppose you have questions, and I'd rather listen than talk. Too many instructors fall in love with their own voices, I've found. Tell me about yourselves, what you know and what you want to know, or anything else that comes to mind. I expect we'll be keeping company for some time, so I'd best know a little about you if I'll be expected to teach you anything."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"Master," the girl says again, willing to speak first. "There isn't much to tell, unless you wish to hear tales of the care and growing of cibi beets. I was born on a small, agrarian world of no consequence to a farming family. Master Brianna found me there when I was nine. She brought me here to train, where I've been for nearly ten years, learning the ways of the Force. I have learned 'one end of a lightsaber from another'," a faint touch of humor crosses her voice briefly, "although I have yet to learn how to construct one for myself. And I have, of course, been taught the Code. Stronger than any other lesson, perhaps, is that evident all around us-- the devastation the dark side brings. I have endeavored to learn to sense its seductions in others and how to avoid them in myself." She eyes the newcomer with some curiosity, deciding to take her at her word. "Master, it would perhaps serve us as well, if we knew your story."

[Kyace]

Eran

"I would be curious to hear where we're heading once we're 'off this rock' as well, Master." A bit unsure, he hastily adds: "... if you don't mind, of course."

[Catch]

Lysa

As the blonde girl recites her personal summary, Lysa watched over steepled fingers, her head coccked at an inquisitive angle, seeming to weigh and measure her new charge with half-lidded liquid amber eyes. She remains silent after Ka-Ree finishes, for a moment that seems to hover in the air. Finally, her consideration apparently finished, Lysa lets out a small sound of could be amusement, raising her eyebrows in frank appraisal.

"Hm. That wasn't bad. Simple, honest, and humble, yet direct and eager to please. I suspect you were an excellent student, chosen for your good marks and strong grasp of the Code, which would be enough to satisfy any scholarly Jedi," she explained smoothly. Pausing, Lya leaned forward to catch the Padawan's eye. "Except me. You may have passed the trials, but the world outside is far more complex than you have been taught, and the Dark Side is never clear--with me, you'll find that the universe is painted in more than two colors. Remember that."

Breaking the tension, she smiled slightly, which seemed genuine enough, though her lazy expression made the gesture seem wry, then ran a hand through her red-brown hair before continuing. "I'd share some of my story, but it requires a few hours and at least one pot of caf, so we'll have to postpone the telling for now. Suffice to say that it involves intergalactic politics, one drunken Wookiee, dozens of cantina fights, and a council of ruffled Jedi Masters."

To the boy's inquiry, she raised her eyebrows mysteriously, the ghost of a smile still haunting her lips. "Soon, maybe, but the choice is up to you. Either I stay for a while and teach you a few lessons, or we go find your stuffy attendant and see if he has an assignment." With an appraising stare that might have passed for curiosity, she added, "But I'll need to know about you first. You don't seem the talkative type..." she trailed off, tapping her lips in contemplation. "Perhaps you connect better with your hands, or simply choose your words carefully. Neither are flaws in a Jedi, but hesitation is the seed of doubt. Trust your instincts and speak your mind."

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"On the contrary, Master, I was chosen because Master Brianna spotted me using the Force to clear rocks from a field. I had no idea what it was at the time, of course. I learned to be, as you say, 'an excellent student', but I was not chosen for that reason. And while the Universe may be full of color, the Force has but two sides, does it not?" She has yet to move from her meditative position, although she has been fully alert since Lysa's arrival.

[Kyace]

Eran

"Very well. Most people that view the universe as being too complex to either lump together as 'Good' and 'Evil' tend to have either suffered what they considered unjustly or tend to view themselves as less than 'Good'. How do we know we can trust your lessons to not lead us to the Dark Side?"

[Catch]

Lysa

"Chosen to graduate, Ka-Ree," she clarified, "but you've raised a more important question, I think. The answer isn't as simple as you'd imagine, though. Consider Eran's home planet," she began, drawing a lazy circle in the air. "It's tidally locked, stuck facing one way. One side is always toward sun, so it's scorched and uninhabitable. The other never sees day, so it's a frozen wasteland. But down the central meridian of the planet, the two sides touch. There in the middle, a band of twilight circles the whole world--that's where the people reside. Such is the Force. The two sides are polar, direct opposites each other, but both stretch out through the galaxy and reaching the hearts of all species. The presence of darkness doesn't remove the light, and the light can't totally banish the darkness. Always--always, there are shadows and reflections. Nothing is simple, no choices are clear. You've got to trust your instincts, not your mind."

"Acknowledging the Dark side doesn't mean welcoming it into your heart, though," she continued, now speaking to Eran. "You haven't seen much of the world outside the Academy, so you're insulated, and developing a diametric view of the universe is understandable. Even so, a narrow mind is where arrogance can grow, where a fall to the Dark side starts. People who believe in only good or evil usually see themselves and their actions in the same way, only good or evil. A Jedi who believes he's never wrong is a terrible and dangerous creature because he ceases to see. Anything can be justified, if you believe you're furthering the cause of "good"--even murder," she explained.

"You've read the Jedi histories, I'm sure, so you'd know about the Mandalorian Wars, right? Winter--she was called the Exile, then--she joined Revan to fight the Mandalorian clans, even though the Council forbid her. The intention was to stop them from conquering the Republic, so in her eyes, she was right. 'A Jedi respects life in all forms,' and all. So she fought the Mandalorians with Revan, and for six years, they advanced, pushing back the Republic. More and more, Revan's tactics became ruthless--as much so as Mandalore's, all in the name of winning the war and protecting the Republic. Revan believed she was right in protecting the Republic, so anything done in the name of that goal was acceptable. In her eyes, Revan was infallible. She had no mercy, no forgiveness, no tolerance of weakness. She'd ceased to be everything that makes a Jedi, all for the sake of protecting the galaxy like one," Lysa went on, then paused.

"And you must have read about Malachor V. The Exile was there, under Revan's command, and a massive Mandalorian fleet had gathered, fighting Revan's to a standstill. It wouldn't have been an easy victory if Winter had chosen to fight it out. They may have lost, badly, and the Mandalorians would have pushed farther towards the Core, butchering millions. But you know what happened," she said gravely. "Winter, she activated the weapon that Revan designed and annihilated both fleets in an instant. After that battle, the war was over. Winter and Revan had ended the conflict for good, but the cost of life was massive. Both of them had intended to stop the Mandalorians in the name of 'good,' but in doing it, millions of people lost their lives."

Cocking her head inquisitively, Lysa looked first from Eran, then to the girl, letting silence fill the air for a long moment. "So. What would have been 'right?' Would destroying them utterly be succumbing to the Dark side, for callously annihilating all those people? Or would it a good act, preserving more lives by ending the conflict quickly? Would it be following the Light side to fight the Mandalorians honorably, knowing the war would drag on for years, killing millions? Or would it be Dark, to discard all those lives simply for the sake of your principles?"

Finished, she folded her hands, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "Can you clearly say you know what is right?"

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"No, Master. I wouldn't presume to know what is right. I would rely on the guidance of the Force to find the right path. Was not Winter's first mistake in choosing to rely on her own judgment instead of listening to the Force?" She speaks with a certain conviction-- not in herself, but in the Force.

[Kyace]

Eran

"We could focus on the small decisions first and hope we choose correctly for the big planet wrecking decisions."

[Catch]

Lysa

After the two padawans offered their replies, a pregnant silence hung in the air, and Lysa peered at them from her perch on the couch with an expectant look, as if she was anticipating more of an explanation. She twisted her mouth in what might have been irritation, after a moment, almost rolling her eyes--she caught herself about halfway--instead choosing to exhale quickly. She eyed each of them with a look of not-quite disappointment, then offered a smile that seemed stale and unnatural.

"Well. That's suitable for now, I suppose. And it appears I've done enough talking for all three of us. Why don't we find your attendant here and see if he doesn't have an assignment for us? I doubt they'd bring me all the way here just to babble about history," she finished dryly.

[ZeroNumerous]

Attendant

Almost as if on cue, the door slides open with a quiet hiss and Jason enters carrying a small holopad. His eyes scan the room quickly, and his frown becomes a scowl when it settles on Lysa. "The Council just sent me a message for you, Master Lysa. Here." The attendant crosses the small training room quickly, then hands Lysa the holopad.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

Whatever reply the padawan had for her master was left unsaid as Jason made his reappearance. She watches passively, one eyebrow arched in curiosity, waiting for a reaction from the Master.

[Catch]

Lysa

Taking the pad from the attendant with a sardonic smile, Lysa glanced at it briefly, scrolling through the message with casual interest. She made a small sound of amusement, as if something in the communique had tickled her, then handed the pad back to the fussy older man.

"Seems we've been called on to run an errand for the council," she began, addressing her students. "I don't know much about our destination, but we're headed off-world, so pack up what you think you'll need and meet me back here within the hour. You," she gestured to the attendant casually, "can furnish a shuttle up to the Station, yes? I wouldn't want to intrude on your hospitality for much longer."

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge (Galactic Lore): 1d20+8=14
Knowledge (Social Science): 1d20+8=11

[Kyace]

Eran

"Yes, Master." He leaves to gather up his items.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"I am already packed, Master," the girl says, rising from her seat for the first time, revealing her height-- or lack of it. "I shall retrieve my pack and return shortly." True to her word, she reenters the room less than ten minutes after leaving. She takes an attentive and patient pose near her new teacher.

[Kyace]

Eran

Eran returns with a fairly large bag at his back and stands beside Ka-Ree.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The Academy has several unmanned personnel transports to send students off to Citadel Station. One is prepared, fueled, and fired off into the vacuum of space carrying three young Jedi. The trip to Citadel Station is short and uneventful. You arrive in the small planetary transport dock, but no one seems to arrive to greet you..

Citadel Station

When you disembark from the transport, you note that the room around you is about twenty feet wide and thirty feet long. It's barely able to contain the two planetary transports that now rest inside it side-by-side. The far end of the room contains a single large cargo bay doorway, obviously intended to load supplies in the transports for the Academy. No one but cleaning and maintenance droids make themselves known.

[Kyace]

Eran

Eran looks around. "Huh, quite deserted up here. I guess people didn't like the view."

[Catch]

Lysa

The elder of the three Jedi had boarded the shuttle tepidly, in no particular hurry, and said little during the short flight up to the decaying station. Citadel had declined greatly in past years, she had heard, and visiting the remnants of what had once been the hope of the Telosian revival hardly made for light spirits. Disembarking, she frowned around the empty dock, having expected some welcome, if a brief and terse one.

"Either my reputation has once again preceded me or we weren't expected," she remarked to no one in particular. "So unless either of you feels like getting social with the maintenance droids, I suspect we'll have to find our own way."

Trotting across the bay, Lysa heads for the cargo doorway, keeping her eyes out for a sentient, if not friendly face.

[DarkLadyOfTheSith]

Ka-Ree

"If necessary," the girl says, remembering to drop the appellation of 'Master', "I would be willing to pilot a craft. It may help arrange for our passage."

[ZeroNumerous]

Deeper into Citadel Station

The bay door empties out into a tight corridor a mere five feet wide. Another maintenance droid, a small round orb, scans the entire corridor with a bright blue light then wordlessly moves past you. The corridor empties out into a near-claustrophobic space-control tower. From the entrance you're already five feet away from a large blinking red panel. Opposite the entrance, also only five feet away, is a large blaster-proof plasti-steel door that doesn't open automatically when you approach.

[Catch]

Lysa

Advancing down the corridor, Lysa answers the younger girl's offer with a shrug. "If you want to do the flying, you're welcome to. I never liked handling ships, myself. It's better left to droids, if you ask me." Stopping in the cramped control room, she glances around the small room before her eyes fall on the blinking panel, then moves to inspect it more closely.

"Hm? What's this?"