The Scarlet Glow

Previously:
"Not quite, you might be able to help me," Eleodie announced, zhe slowly began to approach Aegon. "I don't help pirates!"
"It could be extremely beneficial. Kona bring the case..." Kona quickly saluted and started to trawl a large case over. "Inside here is an artefact you're older than I. Maybe you'll know of its origin." Eleodie unlocked the case, inside was velvet sheets perched carefully on top was a golden pyramid encrusted with dark red jewels. "This looks ancient," Inna ghasped.
"Now you can help me discover it's secrets..." Eleodie smiled.
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Aegon lifted the artefact and began to carefully study it. "I may be older than you but this thing is way before my time? Heck it may pre-date the Republic."
"What do you believe it is?" Eleodie asked, zhe placed her index finger and thumb on her cheek and watched Aegon. "It looks suspiciously evil."
"It looks beautiful," Inna began to approach it looking almost entranced by the object before her. "What are you Inna... Possessed?" Aegon shouted and pushed her back slightly. The encased red material began to suddenly glow. It slipped out of Baron's hands, the glow grew brighter as it made contact with the ground below. "What the-" Baron Aegon exclaimed. The four corners of the artefact turned a few degrees, Inna eyes were wide open, staring deep into the scarlet light. Suddenly a galactic map fizzled into existence, holographically illuminating a route into the Mid Rim, the Semagi Sector to be precise.

Eleodie was surprised, none of her crew had been able to activate this strange ancient device. Now suddenly these two strangers had done it easily. "Befale, get here!" Eleodie ordered. A cloaked alien stumbled over to Eleodie's side, Befale was Eleodie's wise old navigator. Even Befale himself had lost track of how many worlds he had navigated to. "What world is this?" Zhe extended her claw and pointed to a highlighted world. "Cerea I believe," Befale snapped. "Cerea? Interesting." Aegon nodded. "Why so?" Eleodie asked.
"Me and Inna recently encountered a Cerean you don't see them around much. So what's on Cerea?" Baron wondered.
Inna stumbled towards the holographic planet. "A temple," she mumbled.
"What?" Aegon asked, he had not known her too long but he had never seen Inna like this. Something about her was different. "We must go to the temple at once." Inna whispered to Aegon. "Pardon me Captain but I've never seen my friend here like this, respectfully I'll be keeping this device and be on my way." Aegon bent over and lifted up the artefact, it snapped shut as soon as his hand made contact with it. "You can't do that!" Eleodie barked.
"Oh trust me I can." Aegon grabbed a blaster from one of the crew, quickly firing at the Trandoshan. She bolted backwards. Baron grabbed Inna's wrist and began to run, now they had got on the bad side of pirates and the Empire. Aegon started to wonder who else he could possibly annoy.

Soon they had made it back to the Nimble Dragon. Niner had input the coordinates to Cerea, informed that a ticked off band of pirates were on their tail. Something about this mission had been off, Baron didn't like it. Aegon called Ristt. "General Ristt I am on my way to Cerea."
"Why?" Ristt demanded.
"I have encountered something that has told me to go there, it's too difficult to explain. Even if I did explain it I don't think you'd like it."
"Have you lost your mind Aegon, we have detected a spike in Imperial activity around Cerea. To go there would be suicide!"
"I have no choice!"
"You may have no choice but I can order you not to. Do you really wish to defy the Rebellion?"
"I think this is important!"
Ristt huffed angrily. "Very well but only this time, I'll have reinforcements ready in case you get into anymore trouble."
"Thank you General."

To Be Continued