Freefall

-7:31 PM, December 7th, 2054-

-Somewhere Over Eastern Peru-

I pulled on my rifle one last time to ensure that it was securely corded to my tactical vest. Everything else was tightly strapped to me so there was nothing else to be concerned about.

The lights in the hold changed to red and started pulsing. A chime came from the speakers. "Good evening passengers. This is your captain speaking. It is a cool night in Bumblefuck, Peru. There is a slight chance of rain throughout the night with thunderstorms expected in the early morning. Wind speed is nice and slow so don't forget your blanket for some star gazing as there is only a partial cloud cover. I hear the jungle is wonderful this time of year. Try not to piss on a snake. Thank you for flying with us and you are clear to jump."

A buzzer went off as the cargo ramp started opening. It was time.

The rushing air grew loud as I barely made out a voice from next to me. "Kyle, where is your parachute?"

I glanced over and saw Tucker with a confused expression on his face. With a smirk, I started sprinting and then flipped as I dropped out of the plane.

With my back pointed towards the ground, I watched the plane get further and further away. Shadows shot out of the rear of the plane in a timely fashion.

My padawan was close behind me. He, too, did not have a parachute.

The damp and cold air pressed against my face as I flipped back over. I must have missed the part where we were diving into a bowl of soup.

Stars poked through the partly covered night skies and the shining moon fought against the darkness. No artist could ever hold a candle against Mother Nature herself.

Looking down, the dark green jungle canopy rapidly approached. I couldn't see the ground beneath the leaves that ate away the light that was already scarce.

I adjusted my trajectory by moving my arms and legs. It was almost time to slow my fall.

Less than 15 seconds had passed before I gathered my strength and let the force run free. With grace, my feet lightly landed on the ground. My landing was a clear 10.

It was barely a second before Leighton landed behind me. I glanced at him before putting my eyes back to the front. "Do you feel it?"

Leighton nodded. "Yes. I think I do."

I smiled and nodded before sitting down. Then I closed my eyes and cleared my mind. My senses stretched out, covering a massive area.

In my mind, I could feel the jungle breath. The force flowed through everything in a wild and untamed manner.

Then, I found it. There was a shining beacon in the force. It wasn't far to the East. Unfortunately, there were hundreds of lesser presences in the force in the surrounding areas. Some were much more notable than others. Even further, some of those were dark and cold.

More concerningly however...

There was a series of thuds behind me. I opened my eyes and stood up as the clicks of parachutes being unclipped ripped through the silent jungle.

Tucker walked over and examined me quickly. He was probably expecting to find a puddle of blood and guts. "Where to?"

I pointed to the East. "Shouldn't be more than a few kliks..."

I gripped my rifle and quickly aimed it at an area buried in brush. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

Everyone readied their weapons and aimed in every direction to provide full coverage. They were very well trained.

I glanced at Tucker and whispered. "We're surrounded."

From the thick brush, a mostly naked man wearing a loin cloth emerged. He was covered in colorful body paint and beaded jewelry. His face was hidden behind a feathered mask. In his right hand was a painted quarterstaff with a crystal on the end that gave off the slightest of glimmers.

I felt drawn to the crystal but maintained my gaze into the man's eyes. I almost felt connected to him through the force. I could feel his caution but there was no hostility in his intentions.

I lowered my rifle and slowly walked forwards. I pointed to my chest. "Friend."

He remained completely still. "Não entendo você."

I glanced back at the team. "Anyone speak that?"

Izzy called out from the back of the group. "He's speaking Portuguese. I'm fluent."

I nodded towards him. "Well? Talk to him."

Izzy walked over and let her rifle hang from her vest. "Olá, qual é o seu nome."

The man punched his chest and held his head high. "Meu nome é Catequil. Qual é o seu?"

She nodded. "Meu nome é Isabella. Estamos apenas de passagem. Não queremos fazer mal a você."

He eyed her carefully before locking eyes with me once more. There was an intensity behind his eyes that I had never experienced. It was sick and twisted like the Sith I had encountered. Rather, it was coming from feelings of justice and dedication. Was he a Jedi?

I could feel his curiosity. On a whim, I nodded at him.

In a stroke of luck, he nodded back. "SAIR!"

The bushes all around us rustled as dozens of similarly dressed men revealed themselves. They were armed with spears and bows.

The man then whistled. "Estamos voltando para a aldeia."

He then simply turned around and left. The tribesmen followed in complete silence. None of them made the slightest noise as they walked.

Tucker turned to me as they left. "What the fuck just happened?"

I chuckled and rested my right hand on my rifle. "The welcoming party came to greet us. Let's get a move on. I can feel the other parties getting closer to our destination."

Thus, our short journey through the jungle commenced. The cool and damp air was heavy. My exposed skin was wet from the condensation.

With the tribesmen gone, the sounds of the jungle that I was expecting resumed. Hoots, chirps, and croaks reminded me that there was life all around us.

After about a half hour of walking, I turned to Tucker and whispered. "It's just up ahead."

Tucker nodded. "Alright everyone. Eyes up and stay frosty. We're almost there."