Bothawui

[Qaela]

Qaela glared at the Jedi and had to force herself to refrain from lashing out with an expletive filled response that would have drawn unwanted attention. She took two deep breaths before responding in a voice full of ice. "I believe I have answered enough questions here, why don't you answer that for me. After all, you are the Jedi, not me."

[Kitt]

Kitt was glad that Onderin could see his point, and was willing to work around it. Plus, it would help to show to Qaela what the Jedi Order needed the most of right now. Unity. It what was lacking for the longest time, and it seemed to be just outside of it right now. But if they could muster together, they would be one of the strongest Orders the galaxy has ever seen. Maybe then at that point, he would return.

 

"It is quite simple. One Jedi needs to hold onto the Wall of Light, while the other pulls the presence of the children forth. Essentially, they are just hidden behind the Wall Of Light. The wall will remain within them, but it won't hamper them in anyway."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin nodded. He suspected the Force would make the path clear, since he believed he was serving it by undoing this wrong. Abstractly, Kitt's process seemed workable, but certainly not the kind of thing he could have concluded on his own. Perhaps they could still bring this issue to rest. It would all depend on Qaela now.

 

The Jedi Master gave Kitt one more good look. "Was there anything else, Kitt? If not, I think this meeting can be called adjourned, although I suspect we'll need to meet again soon if and when this war Kitt speaks of begins."

 

He considered for a moment inviting Qaela in to the meeting for the proposal she had mentioned to him, but he and Darex did not a Council make. If her idea was so important, perhaps they could catch up with Darex at some later point or call a full Council meeting. ((I.e., with Kirlocca gone and Darex not posting for a few weeks, Qaela really wouldn't have anyone to make her proposal to...))

[Kitt]

Kitt could only shake his head. there was nothing left to be said. He had warned them of the coming danger through his insight of the Force, the rest laid upon them. He could only hope that the Council would heed his wisdom and not join in the fight.

 

"Nothing more on my end. In fact, I should return to Coruscant to report in my findings, as well as to continue to investigate this threat."

 

Kitt bowed before both men, knowing that Darex was busy with his kids, and Onderin would have his hands full with Qaela and adding Ads to his entourage, plus Dirrm's funeral, if he stuck around for it.

 

"May the Force be with you."

 

Kitt then turned towards the shadows, disappearing as easily as he entered.

[Onderin Starlisk]

"And with you," Onderin replied as Kitt made his exit. Once he was gone, the Corellian Jedi glanced over at Darex's hologram. "I suspect that we'll need to meet again soon, Darex, if Kitt's interpretation of his vision is accurate. Take care." He bowed and then left the room as well, headed back outside. He quickly spotted Qaela and Ads-Gop Flif, the padawan who had been suddenly--however justly--thrust upon him. Ads seemed young, but Onderin remembered him from a ways back in the war. He'd seemed to have been an apprentice for an exceptionally long time and under a variety of masters, many of whom had perished or simply vanished for a time. He wondered at the path the Force had directed Ads down, and considered the fact that he would be the one to finally finish what so many others had begun.

 

Unless, of course, the Force decreed otherwise. Onderin could perish at any time--he knew this an accepted it. But would his tenacity be enough to overcome the paralysis that seemed to haunt Ads' previous masters?

 

Qaela and Ads seemed to be engaged in spirited debate, and for that Onderin was glad. Ads had seen enough and been around long enough that he could be a good advocate for the Jedi, and frankly he wanted Qaela to be exposed to as many of those as possible. Just the same, he was eager to push matters forward and gauge Qaela's reaction to the result of the proceedings. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" he asked as he approached the pair.

[Qaela]

Before the Jedi pup could respond, she could sense Starlisk's discomforting aura of light get closer. It was always uncomfortable around someone who was powerful in the light just as it was pleasant to be around others who embraced the darkness. If she wasn't entirely mistaken, it wasn't as jarring as it had been when she first approached Ilum. Perhaps she was getting used to it, or maybe it was because the near pain of being around her children overshadowed whatever he was giving off.

 

She glared at him as he approached and made a flippant comment. She shifted her daughter to her other arm in agitation and answered him, "This one was going to explain to me why the Kirlocca was right in doing what it did to my children, but I would much rather hear why it was allowed to walk off still able to use the Force. This was not part of the truce we made, Starlisk. Either the Kirlocca is punished with what he did to mine or my children were to be freed from the curse put upon them. I see him gone and my children are still bound in the damned light prison."

[Onderin Starlisk]

That sounded promising, Onderin decided. He had the tools to make this work, and no embellishment of the truth or deception would be necessary. He could continue his policy of being absolutely honest with Qaela while achieving both of their goals. "When Kirlocca did what he did, he believed that he was protecting the children by hiding them from Furion and Ar-Pharazon, as so he felt it was justified. The Council disagreed--it was wrong for such a technique to be used on the defenseless, especially without consulting the Council--and Kirlocca has been removed from the Order."

 

That part was regrettable, if necessary. Now he offered a slight smile. "I have learned, however, that your children can be restored to the Force by two Jedi working in concert." He looked at Ads. "Ads, Kirlocca has asked me to see your training through to conclusion. I am prepared to accept you as my padawan. I believe that the two of us can perform the technique to bring the children back to the Force immediately."

 

His eyes darted back to Qaela. "That is, with their mother's permission. I suspect that the technique may be somewhat intrusive." She would have to trust both Jedi to do the right thing. Onderin had been careful since meeting her to give her no reason to do otherwise.

[Qaela]

She didn't buy the excuse that they were being hidden. One couldn't simply reach out and find people in this Galaxy like that except in the Holos. If they could, then the Sith would have found the Jedi bases long ago by simply trying to find individual Force users and vice versa. It made her wonder if that lame explanation was the best that the Kirlocca could come up with to cover for something more egregious such as a desire to punish her or perhaps revenge against Ar-Pharazon. She was only partially mollified by confirmation of her suspicion as to what happened to the Kirlocca.

 

She was also more than a little suspicious about what Starlisk said about undoing what was done. Why did they have to do this instead of forcing the Kirlocca to do it before it scrambled away? She knew of some spells that required multiple casters to do or undo, but the Kirlocca should have been part of the spell itself since it would know it the best. Maybe it had lost too much of his arrogantly Jedi emotionless state and the other Jedi couldn't trust him. It seemed mostly in control, if not a bit petty for not even looking at her, but that might have been an act. She didn't like this, but maybe it was better not to have the Kirlocca anywhere near her children any longer.

 

"Very well," she said, "you can try it. I can trust you enough to attempt your Jedi sorcery, but if you fail and harm them, then I will claim both of you as recompense." She gave Starlisk a wicked smile and added, "You will probably not like what I will do to you, but it would go a long way to soothe my rage over having even more damaged or dead children. I will even promise not to involve any other 'innocents' on this planet." She hoped that they would at least go to a more private place for such complicated spellcasting because she didn't want their focus interrupted. Plus, it would be so much easier not to have witnesses if something went wrong.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

"Ads, Kirlocca has asked me to see your training through to conclusion. I am prepared to accept you as my padawan. I believe that the two of us can perform the technique to bring the children back to the Force immediately."

 

What? Ads had no idea how he was supposed to restore a person to the Force. Starlisk seemed to know more about the technique, so Ads would try if asked by Qaela. That seemed far from likely though, considering how wary of Jedi Qaela seemed to be. If she did agree, it would provide a real test for Ads' ability to sense people in the Force. Especially when those are little people with no connection to the force.

 

Ads' glance danced between the children before settling on Qaela, waiting for her opinion.

 

"Very well," came Qaela's response, "you can try it. I can trust you enough to attempt your Jedi sorcery, but if you fail and harm them, then I will claim both of you as recompense." Ads suddenly became more aware of the lightsaber now clipped to his belt. He hoped he wouldn't have to use it, but he was confident that his experience with a vibroblade and training sabers would provide adequate defense, especially when coupled with the blasters holstered on his person.

 

Ads looked to Onderin, willing to go on with the procedure but unsure if he was the right choice to assist.

[Onderin Starlisk]

OOC: Minor character dictation to move things along... let me know if it's too much.

 

IC:

Onderin seemed unconcerned by Qaela's threats. She could speak if she wished about the consequences were the technique to fail. This journey had come too far to end in something so petty, and he suspected that Qaela realized herself that her threats were somewhat empty. He refused to believe that she hadn't come far enough to be able to restrain her impulses when they bought her nothing and in fact could cost her quite a lot. Who would be there to care for her children if she should swear revenge on the Jedi and die? Even if someone did wish to take care of them in her stead, how could they find them in the Force, cut off as they were?

 

Even claimed by the dark side as she was, certainly Qaela would reach those conclusions if only she thought it through. So far, since he'd met her on Ilum, she had been in the habit of thinking things over. It didn't matter, though; the technique would not fail.

 

"Let's go someplace more comfortable," he suggested. He headed back indoors and soon found an abandoned room with some basic furnishings. Once everyone was inside, he sat cross-legged on a chair and touched the Force. "Ads, join me if you will. This is going to take a certain amount of coordination."

 

When Ads had also touched the Force, Onderin extended to him what was essentially an invite into what was traditionally considered a Battle Meld. It had been most recently used for close coordination between Jedi in a combat situation, but Onderin wanted to use it now to help unify himself and Ads as they performed the technique. When he felt Ads' own consciousness enter the meld, communication between them became significantly easier.

 

He reached out to the children in the Force, three tiny presences barely detectable unless focused upon. "Can you feel them?" he asked Ads through the bond, helping to direct him through their meld. "There, around the children, is a wall of light... or more like a net. I need you to grab hold of the net as firmly as you can... keep it from moving no matter what. Can you do that?"

[Qaela]

Qaela had no objections in presenting the sleeping triplets to the Jedi for their ritual. She gave each an extra dose of the placating spell to ensure they didn't wake up and cause problems. It would be interesting to see how they accomplished this and if she could learn any of it herself. One could never learn too much about undoing such a wretched curse if it were ever used against her or hers in the future.

 

She stood off to the side with her arms crossed across her chest, waiting and watching. Just in case they intentionally failed in their task, she began calculating how best to take them out. She was fairly certain Starlisk wouldn't consciously betray her at this point, but she hadn't survived throughout her twenty-one years by trusting people. Ads, on the other hand, didn't seem as genuine or eager about helping her and might object to what was being done on some sort of sick philosophical grounds. Him, she would take out first because Starlisk would hesitate if it came to killing her. They might be armed, but what was a crude physical weapon next to the power of the Force? She had plenty of quick ways to drop someone without being armed.

 

She wouldn't make the first move, though. Despite what these Jedi thought of one who embraced the darkness, she did keep her word. Just because they embraced the light didn't make them enemies any more than the darkness embracing Sith had always been her allies. Starlisk had been true to his word so far, so she would trust him until it became clear he wasn't trustworthy.

 

Starlisk gave some basic instructions then began using the Force. She wasn't a part of the spell, but it looked and felt somewhat similar to the coordinated, large scale attacks that her Sisters employed against the Witches. She had never been able to create such a web, but she had been in one once or twice and seen even more. Fascinating as it was, she wasn't entirely sure how it would undo the curse, but she would wait and see.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads felt himself drawn into the Force. He almost didn't have to do anything to join Onderin.

 

"There, around the children, is a wall of light... or more like a net. I need you to grab hold of the net as firmly as you can... keep it from moving no matter what. Can you do that?"

 

Ads clenched his mind around the net...if you could call it that. He planted himself as firmly in the Force as he could muster before responding.

 

{Okay.}

 

((I'll use the braces for this to distinguish what Ads is saying to Onderin.))

[Kitt]

Kitt had spent his time disappeared wrapping up final pieces that would officially close CoreSec's side of the investigation, as well as giving his own condolences to Akao before he left. The whole reason he was in a hurry was he could feel the dark twisting perversion in the Force beginning to stretch its way to Bothawui again. Even in his unopened state, he was sensitive enough to it that he did not want to be present when it struck, as it could end up risking his cover. Getting into his StarSword, he took off for Coruscant and his offices in the Upper Levels.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin turned his focus on the first of the three triplets, and he could feel Ads' hold anchoring the Force net in place around the child. "Good," he encouraged the other Jedi. "Now hold tight..." Onderin reached through the web, to the small flicker of the child's Force presence that he could still feel on examination. Then, carefully at first, he started to draw the presence through the net, as Kitt had described. As he tugged, the net seemed to contort and tug back, barring they way forward. Ads' grip nearly faltered when he tugged too hard.

 

But Onderin found that by decreasing the metaphysical speed of his psychic extraction, he could limit the strain on the net and, slowly, the Force presence filtered through. Soon, he had pulled the entire thing through for the first child, and suddenly the presence shone like a beacon in the Force compared to the muted signature he had felt a moment before. It was like trying to track an insect by sound and then suddenly hearing a blaring kloo horn.

 

He was startled enough that Onderin's eyes popped open for a second and he glanced at Qaela, nearly losing the Battle Meld for a second, before shutting his eyes again and reinforcing the link between him and Ads. "I think that worked! You're doing well. Let's see if we can get the other two."

[Guest]

Akao Den'kji had setup the final pieces of Dirmm's funeral just shortly before the CoreSec agent, Ryn Berhek closed the file case from the galactic perspective. She then moved to where Onderin Starlisk was, along with two others. She did take note that the Jedi Master Kirlocca was no longer present amongst them. When she approached the group, she waited just outside to make sure they were finished with whatever they were busy with. But she also made sure she did so in such a way that all three knew she was not happy with waiting upon them.

 

((I'll be posting the funeral events along with this character. Only 2 posts should do from my end, as I don't want to keep people waiting.))

[Qaela]

After they worked on their spell, Qaela began to notice a slow change. At first, it was tenuous, but then, like a curtain being ripped, one of her sons was free. She could feel him finally through the Force and her maternal bond, all without the disgusting sphere of light that had been smothering him. A sudden sense of hope and exhilaration flooded her and she lost the rather violent spells she had been forming in preparation of their treachery. She had expected a long and torturous quest to get them free, but this was turning out to be far more simple than expected. Starlisk was true to his word and seemed capable of getting a lot done in a short time, all without demanding anything in return.

 

If he completed his task without any complications or hidden surprises, then perhaps her next goal wasn't too far fetched after all. She would need him for it, but at the rate he was going, he would likely be more than happy to oblige her and bring her one more step toward securing a safe future for hers. She still wasn't so sure about Ads, but he would follow Starlisk's lead. She wasn't entirely sure how the pup would like what she had in mind, but that didn't matter as long as he followed his master. Starlisk, on the other hand, well. . . . She smiled at a new set of thoughts that flooded her mind.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

A speck of doubt crept into Ads' mind, the same doubt that he had pushed aside after Dirrm's death. He caught himself and pushed it aside before it could take a hold, but soon after he could feel the Force rushing back into one of the children. It was a curious feeling, similar to being around a Jedi Grandmaster, but still quite different. He kept holding onto the net, not willing to let himself fail.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin was keenly aware of the exhileration that flooded into Qaela, and even more so of what was going on in Ads-Gop Flif. The younger Jedi still had a few things to learn, but he was actually holding up quite well. There was no shortage of potential in him, and though he had never finished his training, he had built a strong foundation over the years. The specifics would come in time, but Onderin was beginning to realize that there was not actually that much that Ads needed to know. That firm foundation was what took the longest to cultivate--the rest was just technique.

 

But now he pushed onwards to the second child. Again, he started the slow process, this time taking into account what he had learned the first time through. It was still a challenge and required considerable finesse, but soon the second child had been restored as well. Sweat started to bead on his forehead as he concentrated on the final of the triplets. He was already getting much better at this, but now stamina was becoming a part of the equation for both him and Ads. Still, what he had learned already was enough that this final one took much less time, and then, just like that, there were three young beacons in the Force, strong enough to match those of the two Jedi and one dark sider.

 

Onderin took a deep breath as he released the Battle Meld. "Well done, Ads," he said to his new padawan. "Soon, you're going to need to fill me in on what you've been taught so far. You seem quite strong on at least the basics."

 

He turned to Qaela and slowly got up. The movement was a little bit shaky--the technique had clearly taken a lot out of him. He glanced past her and caught the eye of the Bothan woman who was waiting impatiently outside the room for him, but gave her a look that clearly said he was doing something important and she would just have to give him a minute. Turning his attention back on Qaela, he gave the slightest hint of his confident--and very Corellian--smile. "I believe the children are suitably repaired?"

[Qaela]

One by one, her children were restored to her senses. She could--and did--reach out to them in the Force once more and feel their familiar presences. As the last one was freed, a great sense of peace came over her. Finally, after months of anguish and searching, she had her children restored to her. Starlisk had been true to his word, and for that, she owed him a great deal. She didn't think he would turn on her now and thought that he might even be willing to help her get them all to safety back on Dathomir. Just one more step and this dark chapter in her life would be closed.

 

Not yet wanting to wake them, Qaela let them sleep on and walked over to Starlisk. She nodded at his question as she reached out to touch his sweat covered cheek tenderly. "Yes, they are," she replied softly. Silently, she began forming a spell and was surprised at how easy it came. Normally, anything to do with healing required her full attention and drained her quickly, but this wasn't as bad as in the past. She was stronger than she was a year and a half ago when she left Dathomir, and the foreign ways of non-verbal casting were easier.

 

"You have done what I have asked and I am in debt to you," she continued. "Here, take some of my strength to revitalize you after what you did." Using a similar spell to the healing she knew, she transferred some of her own life energy and stamina into the Jedi to give him strength. The last time she did this was to allow the defeated Sith, Lucifer, to survive a trip to the bacta tanks. She had not done this to very many people because it rarely was worth weakening yourself to help another, but in this case, it was worth it. With Starlisk, it was almost easy because she already knew him and had a bond of sorts that she wasn't sure how to react to. He had helped her a great deal and asked for little to nothing in response. Nobody had treated her as such before.

 

When she was done, she took a few steps back and took a deep breath. Using anything like that was tiring, but it was worth it just to sense her children once more without the pain of the light that had surrounded them. She looked at Ads and said, "I am willing to make the same offer to you, but I am not sure how you would react to someone as 'tainted' as myself touching you with the Force."

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads suppressed a small chuckle.

 

"I don't think you understand how tainted I have been in the past. I would be honored."

[Qaela]

Qaela blinked twice at the Jedi pup's response. She hadn't expected him to accept her offer, but that wasn't what surprised her. His pithy response is what gave her pause. If there was darkness in this one's past, perhaps she could find a way to rekindle it. If she could, she could find herself with a new ally who would fit quite well into her plans. A sly smile appeared on her face and she said, "My, my, maybe there is some hope for you after all, Pup. Very well, then."

 

She walked over to the younger man and placed her hand on his forehead. This time, the spell was far more difficult to muster, but she would not show weakness to this one. With Starlisk, it was almost natural to transfer some of her energy to him, but not with Ads. She didn't know him hardly and had little empathetic bonds with him. For a moment, she was tempted to give less than what she had for Starlisk, but that would have been a sign of weakness that she would not tolerate. Instead, she dug deeply within herself for the most powerful emotion she could find and used that to fuel the spell. To her surprise, it wasn't the familiar rage that came the easiest, nor was it anger or hatred. It was another, strange emotion that she wasn't familiar with. As she delved into it, she couldn't help but glance at her three children with a calculating eye.

 

It didn't matter to her what she was feeling as long as it was powerful. Revitalizing the Padawan took a good deal out of her, but she was strong and could easily carry on. When she was done, she removed her hand and took a few steps back while trying to control her breathing. Her face was a little flushed from the effort, but at least she was standing without difficulty. "Most interesting," she said quietly. "I have not tried that spell twice in such a short time before. Normally, just doing it once leaves me weary for hours, but this wasn't nearly as bad before. Those Sith were onto something when they tap into emotions." She didn't say which emotions she was using. Best not to reveal too much of herself to a relative stranger like Ads.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin almost refused Qaela's transfer of energy. She clearly still didn't understand why he was doing all of this. It was simply beyond her that he would help her not for his benefit and not even truly for hers, but simply because it was the right thing to do. Although she had gained a tremendous amount, he suspected that on some level this was still a game to her, trying to see how much she could get out of him. His first goal was to behave as a Jedi Master should and follow the will of the Force, putting himself aside in the process; his second was to show Qaela that same thing and so enact a change in her. If she at some point came to the conclusion that she could manipulate him into doing what she wanted, then both purposes would be lost. Most of the time, she was impermeable, and he couldn't quite tell if it had gotten to that point.

 

Other times, though, he could almost see right through her. When Qaela had channeled her restorative technique, he had felt nothing in her that would indicate she had fueled herself with anger or any of the emotions that typically empowered the dark side. Her comment revealed that she was ashamed of it. Perhaps she was slowly changing, though she tried to hide it. Maybe the path forward was to keep on as he was doing, and hope that in time she fully understood why he was helping her, even if she didn't at first.

 

For now he simply gave her a knowing look and turned back to the Bothan, approaching her. "I assume you're here about the funeral," he said. "I am prepared to attend. Ads, you should come with me. Qaela, you can choose to come or pick up the supplies you need for your children and meet us back at the ship."

[Guest]

Akao Den'kji could almost see Onderin Starlisk with his typical look of business only, a look that she was used to getting as a representative aid during the Rebellion time when he was an Admiral. No matter how much he choose to be a Jedi, he was an Admiral at heart. It was one of the reasons why she felt so strongly about having the Jedi separated from the Galactic Alliance. Until now, Dirrm had always opposed the idea, feeling that the Jedi could hold a key piece in maintaining peace. She had yet to see it from them yet.

 

"Yes Starlisk, it begins shortly. I can escort you and your... party to the viewing area with me."

 

SHe would wait for them to acknowledge her offer, but she felt like perhaps maybe the woman in the group would decline the offer, as she had an ill looking face upon her. Almost as if she reeked with a stench of something that would dishonor the Bothan culture. Although, she felt the same way about the Jedi as well.

[Qaela]

Qaela considered her options and decided that she wanted nothing to do with any funeral. Starlisk was correct in that she needed to get proper supplies for her children. What kind of mother would she be if she didn't at least take care of their base needs? "I believe I will leave you to your Jedi business and tend to my children," she said casually. She briefly considered sneaking in a kiss just to see how Ads would respond, but decided against it. Instead, she only smiled and gathered up her children.

 

As she walked away from the Jedi with them in tow, the thought occurred to her that this was the first time since being captured on Ilum that she had the opportunity to escape with everything she wanted. She could disappear and find some way to get off planet. It wouldn't be too difficult, even without killing someone. Money wasn't as necessary as one might think when the Force was in play. Taking over some fool pilot's mind for a few days wouldn't be all that difficult. The question then came down to where she would go if she did leave.

 

She didn't need the Sith any longer, not now that she had her children back. She still wanted to work with Furion on improving her Clan's position, but now she didn't need to come to him as a beggar looking for his benevolence in saving her children. In their future dealings, things would be different, but how different was something she needed to figure out before returning to him or his servants.

 

Going home to Dathomir would need to be her first stop. Her children needed to be kept in a safe place well away from the Sith and anybody like the Kirlocca who might wish to harm or use them for their own purposes. It wasn't that her own Sisters were much more trustworthy, but if she could establish her supremacy and power among them, they wouldn't dare touch them. Her alliance with the Sith would be a major boon, as would her own inherent strength gained through her own children.

 

Now, if she were to bring her Clan a peace agreement with the Jedi, that would be most interesting. She had wanted to talk with their Council about exactly such a thing, but the dismissal of the Kirlocca had apparently disrupted things too much for that. For decades, her kind had been afraid that the Jedi would return and finish what the Skywalker had started. One of her greatest surprises upon coming into this Galaxy was that it seemed that neither the Sith or Jedi remembered the Nightsisters nor cared what happened to them or the Witches. She had quickly realized that the Jedi weren't waiting for the right time to wipe out her Clan because they had either forgotten them or had far more important issues to tend to. She couldn't convince her Sisters of that fact, but bringing a Jedi Master such as Starlisk home to testify as such would go a very long way toward doing just that.

 

Starlisk was an amicable sort of man. He seemed to want peace over death and violence, otherwise he would have killed her as a dark sider and been done with it. She felt fairly confident that she could convince him to come with her to Dathomir in order to make a peace treaty with her people. Such a thing would benefit the Nightsisters greatly since they wouldn't have to worry about Jedi attacks and could finally grow into their own right. They would require a great amount of watching over to ensure that things didn't go awry when he approached, but she was confident that between his strength and her own, they could ward off any overzealous Nightsisters. Of course, the wording of the treaty would have to be very careful to ensure that the Nightsisters would have enough room to live according to their traditions and yet, not so loosely that the Jedi couldn't tolerate it. That could be worked out later, but it would be most interesting to see how it played out. Furion wouldn't like it much, but as long as it didn't violate her agreements with him, he would have to live with it or waste his preciously scarce resources against her and extend himself out for a Jedi counterstrike.

 

Qaela strolled into a market place feeling more hopeful about her future than she had in a long time. Security for herself and hers was within her grasp. Peace might not be something that could be tolerated forever, but there were times when it was necessary. She had experienced enough fighting and danger, it was time to rest and recover. Her children needed to grow and become strong. Her people needed time to adapt to the Galaxy as a whole and find their place among the powers that reside here. Striking out for the sake of fighting had cost the Sith Coruscant. She wouldn't make the same mistake. If there was to be blood that must be spilled, she would rather it be later than now. Sooner or later, someone, be they Jedi or Sith, would want to come after her and hers. If she could take a few years to prepare them for that eventual attack, then she would and perhaps some of them might survive.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads was able to thank Qaela before she departed. He felt a fleeting, devious impulse emanating from Qaela, but it passed as quickly as it sprang up and Ads didn't think of it anymore. He turned and nodded to Onderin, ready to head to the funeral.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin watched Qaela walk away. It wasn't lost on him that this would be the first time she'd been without Jedi supervision since Ilum. It was possible that she would take this opportunity to just leave. She had certainly gained quite a lot, and only on her own honor would she hold her end of her agreement with him. Even if she stole or purchased transport back offworld immediately and he never saw her again, he would feel as though he had served the will of the Force in this situation and had made a significant impression on her which might just sow the seeds of change in her life.

 

All that said, he expected that she would be back. They both knew that she had more to gain from Onderin Starlisk, and he was hoping that she would uphold her other agreement to learn a little about the way a Jedi used and viewed the Force. On that topic, Onderin thought Ads might be a significant boon. He would just have to wait and see how things played out.

 

"Please, lead on," he said to the Bothan. Soon they were on their way to the funeral and Onderin mentally steeled himself. It was the right thing to do to be here and recognize the accomplishments that Dirrm had achieved in life. But being here at a time like this, where everyone would know who he was as Admiral Onderin Starlisk, Come to Pay His Respects, he would have to dole out and endure more than his share of fake smiles and muttered condolences. This was exactly the reason he hadn't gone into politics. That was for men like Rasil Talis. Still, it was worth it. He truly did respect Dirrm's life and service.

[Guest]

Akao Den'kji walked both male Jedi to the main area of which the funeral would take place. She had them sit next to her, but clearly off just enough to where they were only seen as being present, but not officially tied fully into the Bothan way of life. With so many cameras present as his funeral was being broadcasted on the Holonet, she wanted everything perfect. After a few reflections were given over Dirrm and his life, a moving speech was made by his wife, Akao stood up as it was now her turn in the events to speak over the events. But even as she did, only those who were connected to the Force would feel like strong feeling of a dark and ominous presence fill up the room as if it came from a great distance to make it's presence known.

 

"As the Bothawui Representative for nearly eight years now, I have come to know Dirrm very well. I have seen his life lived out fighting for our people time after time as each threat would present itself to the galaxy. I can say that his life was not vain, nor was his death something worth us spending too much time in grievance over. We as a people will unite, we will grow stronger because of this."

 

There was a sudden surge in the Force, as the ominous presence pushed itself fully now over Akao.

 

"Because of the recent events, I have decided to take up Dirrm mantle, as his own council wants. And as my first act, I am withdrawing Bothawui from the Galactic Alliance, and declaring war on those who did this to Dirrm! We Bothans know that those who are responsible are the Imperial Loyalist who got off of their war crimes, and are now taking their own actions upon the job that they did not yet finish! We will go to war against these traitorous Imperials!"

 

Akao Den'kji then stepped back from the podium and was greeted by the entire hall filled with Bothan's in a roar of approval in her actions and statements.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads felt a chill run down his spine as Akao spoke. He had a sudden flashback to his time in the Sith throne room years before. Everything felt wrong.

 

"What?! She told Kirlocca that she would put Dirrm's position up to the public and that she didn't want it! What's going on?!"

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin was stunned by Den'jki's sudden declaration and astounded by the strength of the swell of the dark side he had felt in the Force. Even as Ads pointed out the discrepancy, Onderin was on his feet along with the rest of the room. He meant to object to this sudden move, but the practical side of him quickly caught up. The resounding emotion in the room was that of support, not outcry. A Senator could never act against the wishes of her people, and the Bothan race did not go to war easily. A lot of really good arguments sprung into his mind about what Dirrm would have wished after all his years of service, but he suddenly realized there was no audience for such reason.

 

Anything he could say here would fall upon deaf ears, no matter who he was. And a representative of the Galactic Alliance he wasn't anyway. He would report on this situation as soon as he could, and no doubt the GA would send someone to talk it over with the Bothan government, but it wasn't Onderin's job to start a debate.

 

As a Jedi Master, however, it was his job to figure out what by the Emperor's black bones had just happened. He looked at Ads. "Something very powerful is influencing these people, just as they had a hand in Dirrm's death," he said to his apprentice, letting the roar of the crowd keep the words private between them. "We must see if we can find it."

 

Onderin matched words with action and stretched out with his feelings, trying to find the echo of the disturbance he had felt and, if possible, track it back to its source. Such influence was typically short-range, he knew, though it had felt as though it were distant, and if he could stop the Sith--or whatever it was--here then he could prevent a war.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

As the crowd roared to its feet, Ads became even more confused. He could perhaps understand there being a popular movement for secession from the GA, but for suddenly declaring war? It made no sense whatsoever. As Ads bemusedly eyed the crowd, could barely hear Onderin speaking to him over the din.

 

"Something very powerful is influencing these people, just as they had a hand in Dirrm's death. We must see if we can find it."

 

As Ads glanced over to Onderin, he could see his new Master was searching for the source of the abrupt change in the Bothans. Ads followed suit, unsure of what would come about by looking through the Force. What he saw--or perhaps what he couldn't see--was dark. He was unsure of where it came from but he could definitely tell that it at least had been there. He looked to Onderin, unsure of what to say; whatever Ads had felt, he could be sure that Onderin felt more. Ads surveyed what was once a funeral, but now a site of politicking, chaos, and the influence of the dark side. Ads knew danger could come from anywhere and be in any form--Dirrm had already demonstrated that the Bothans were willing to do whatever it took to get something done.