Kashyyyk

[Tobias Vos]

Vos frowned at the interuption- and since he did not sense danger from it- he merely ignored it, letting it play out as it did. It was one with the darkness, but Vos calmly sipped his caf, regretting the tone with how he spoke to Jaina. He needed to watch his mouth. That was what was going to get him into trouble. He didn't know what a Nhagathul was, or is, or whatever. And then... he guessed it- yup- another Jedi mission that was directly a personal matter. Yes, they had a duty to protect their own, especially a child. But- wasn't it Coraan Horn, a Jedi Master who once said that Jedi shouldn't be allowed to go on mission that involved their loved ones? Tobias agreed, to a point- his own mind flashing to Adenna and Sandy. Then to Dahar and Kirlocca each.

 

It seemed some sort of cruel joke that Darex didn't mention an investigation. He had to push that matter- apparently people could kill Jedi anywhere they pleased and get away with it. Some kidnapping, and Darex seemed to want a full task force to track those responsible down. How... disproportionate of a response. Pressing the cup to his lips- there was no more warm comfort of caf. Standing and moving his way over to the dispenser, he made sure to listen to Darex's every word. Calmly, he turned back to the rest of the Jedi Masters, his eyes locked on the liquid in his cup, his gloved hand gently stirring the sweetener in. With a slight smile, he let the spoon go with the flow of the caf in his mug. The metal spoon spun on the ceramic with a slight buzz.

 

"A moment, Grandmaster, you spoke about assumptions and leaving a bad taste in someone's mouth. I'd like to touch that first off- you assumed the Jedi have a war fleet? You're aware after GA sanctions that no one can pilot anything bigger than a corvette?" He snorted a laugh at the statement. "Perhaps I misspoke- but the crews to which I referred are shipping companies. I cannot, in good faith, tell them to not defend themselves- but as they do business on our behalf, they must look after themselves. I cannot tell them to ground their ships either- I can revoke the contract I have with them, but that would hinder our efforts on Carida, as well as Ossus, Corusant, Lehon, and anywhere else we have a temple or interest. If that is what you wish, I will do so, but the new Temple on Ossus, put into motion by Kirlocca would slow to a drunken Hutt pace. I ask you think further on that, but for now to continue business as usual. I will terminate the contract if you wish, but I ask you take your own advice and not rush into any action hastily, you are very new in coming back to us. Take some time and analyze the situation from all angles."

 

Vos pulled a datachip from a pocket inside his robes and extended it to Darex. "Secondly- here you are- the fiscal documents of the Order since I was placed on the council. You'll find income from a wide variety of sources ranging from the Galactic Stock Market, to donations from corporations and individuals, to Grants and Agreements awarded by various planetary governments and organizations, a substantial increase from a few months ago when Kirlocca, Dahar, Xae-Lin and myself destroyed a Dark Side Nexus on Gala then spurred the Order into action back home. We actually have fresh produce at Temples now, instead of cryo-meals, a significant improvement."

 

He left the datachip- which held only on-record fiscal accounting reports of the Order before they commenced landfall on Kashyyyk, as well as his role in each area Procurement, Supplies, Staffing, and Logistics- in Darexs possession. The other things, as directed, were somewhat more murky. Vos smiled, and in a private whisper- "Perhaps you can explain to me if we are not soldiers, how are we to deal with these... threats- Faust, Nhagathul, so on and so forth... do we just ask them nicely to stop being mean? Perhaps that is why Jedi are moving over to the Imperial Knights, or merely just one reason. I imagine you'll want to talk later, and I will be available for such a discussion. I hope you do right by us." Vos winked, and smiled at the new Grandmaster. Letting out a sigh, he returned to his cup of caf. Silently, he walked over to the window.

 

We can't even protect a youngling it seems, how are we supposed to take care of a Sith threat when we are such kriffing awful babysitters. And wasn't Jaina's kid a Jedi too? Part of him wanted to scold wherever temple's staff that the kid was studying at- obviously the curriculum needed to be a little more... harder. Oh wait, they weren't soldiers. That concept was going to take some time to adjust to. Dozens more Jedi were going to leave the order, how could he now augment the Imperial Knights? That seemed the only way to actually seriously deal with anything outside of babysitting duty... Those were the Kiffars' thoughts on that matter. The Jedi Order was going to be reeling after the pro-active tendencies of recent to a full stop- stagnant and powerless. Yes, they weren't soldiers, but warriors. Warriors of the mind, body and spirit- all attributed by the mystical energy they all could consult- the Force. It amazed Vos to no end how even within an Order that there were so many variants and interpretations. As he made his way back to the window where he found the best viewpoint of the scene below. Reaching out to the Force- he beckoned for an aura of calm and patience. Absently he stirred the caf- wondering what tomorrows sunrise would reveal what the Jedi Order was- a fracture of an Organization- or a new beacon in the upcoming battle.

 

In a very low whisper he didn't try to hide- but didn't advertise- his eyes closed he spoke out to the Kashyyyk Forest. "Sabatin... why didn't you kill me before I came back from beyond...?" the last two words were inaudible, or whatever he said afterwards. Regret and sorrow could be felt in his force signature, but he didn't move- his back was facing the rest of the council- not as an act of disrespect, but to make sure he allowed the others to speak. Pulling the cup to his lips, he took a sip without opening his eyes. Allowing the Force to flow through and around him. Vos had started the conversation and was hoping to consult Kirlocca, before his death, on where the relationship with the Remnant would go- and it seems he ended up taking the credit. Hopefully it would remain that way, obviously the council was going to still look at him like a Sith- even though he was told to operate in the Shadows.

 

It seemed as if the Kiffar was being pulled in too many directions- only being held in place by his will to remain here.

[Adenna Alluyen]

Though she was content keeping to the edges of conversations for now, it seemed that someone here needed her. She had spent a lot of time in social settings on Thalassia where those with power and those who wanted power or influence gathered to try to aggrandize themselves. She grew to hate those events and much preferred a quiet meeting among a few people. At least here, the Jedi and Imperials weren't too bad: there was even a sense of family among some of them and camaraderie among most of the others.

 

She was approached by one of the Imperials and told of the new operation they were planning on embarking on to liberate slaves in Hutt Space. Hearing how the Empire was going to save slaves initially stirred a sense of great joy and hope within her, but she quickly tempered it with a healthy does of suspicion. The Empire made slaves, it didn't liberate them. Surely this was some sort of trap. Maybe the Empire was trying to simply take over the Hutt's slaves to use for their own purpose. She would absolutely love to see the slaves in that vast system of misery see the freedom she helped bring to her small corner of the Galaxy, but that was simply a dream she had all but given up hope on. Surely, if this were legit, the Jedi Council would have supported it. She couldn't image the Empire conspiring to recruit just her without asking the Jedi leadership. She had to keep her hopes in check to make sure this was genuinely what was advertised and said as much to the Squire.

 

"I would love to believe you, but how can I know the Empire isn't the larger monster? If the Empire is serious, let me speak to someone with authority so that I may sense them in the Force and learn the truth." She wasn't sure it was possible, but she knew there were some high ranking members of the Empire here, if she were able to talk to them and get the sense of their intent, it would go a long way toward confirming whether this was something she wanted to be involved with.

[Aelyn]

Her mind for the moment clear, Aelyn expanded her awareness again to the gathering of Jedi and wookiees. Although the Council was still in session, there were others that she wanted to meet. There seemed to be some activity around the Imperial delegation, so she began to head that way. Getting to know one of the Imperial Knights was probably good if the Jedi were going to maintain ties to them and the Remnant as they had discussed with Raven, but beyond that, she wanted to know what sort of Jedi they were.

 

However, as she did she started to pick up on some strange things happening in the Force and she began to scan visually for their source. It was oddly chilling, given the suffusion of light that followed the Jedi Council and others of the Order. It passed almost immediately and she chewed her lip. She and Aira had experienced something similar on Coruscant -- just a fleeting touch of darkness, begging investigation but gone before she could get a fix on it.

 

This time, though, there was an aftershock. She got a distinct sense that Tirzah was in distress and this time was able to sense a direction. Without a thought she took off for the landing pads where the Open Road and the ships of other attendees were docked. There she saw a shuttle boarding ramp lower and Tirzah came stumbling out, taking several steps before collapsing.

 

"Tirzah!" she called out as she reached the girl, putting a hand on her forehead and touching her with the Force. A couple wookiees that were nearby were also rushing over to investigate. Aelyn looked urgently at one of them. "We need to move her and get help. Please get Master Skye or one of the other Masters and the nearest doctor, even if you have to interrupt the Council." Two of the wookiees immediately headed off with their loping run. The Council meeting was important, but Tirzah could be in danger.

 

Taking a deep breath, she drew more heavily on the Force, which now came easily. She forced herself to remain calm and remember what Aira had taught her as well as her limited experiences with healing. Remaining in physical contact with Tirzah, she projected her focus into the girl and found that her vitals were racing but her consciousness was somehow distant, like it had fallen deep inside her. She extended her own calm to the girl, trying to bring her vitals into line and make contact with her mind. "It's okay. You're safe. Help is coming," she said.

[Aidan Darkfire]

Aidan stiffened at the mention of his mother. For a moment, the noises around him seemed to muffle as his head swam. He hadn't heard from her since long before he'd decided to run away from...well, everything. At least he still heard of the exploits of the 'great' grey master Aryian Darkfire in the holonews from time to time, but his mother...she just disappeared. He hadn't thought about her since Sophia came into his life, and the thought made him mildly nauseous. Did something happen to her? It was something he'd never thought about. Guilt rolled over him briefly in an intense surge of emotion, but was quickly suppressed as he focused on remaining calm. It was a large blow, especially considering all the emotional turmoil he'd been through lately. But now to learn that she was alive?

 

"Hi Aidan! Long time since I've seen you! Congrats on joining the Imps, it looks like a blast! How are you?"

 

The address broke him from his reverie. His head still spun mildly, and he put a hand to his head to massage his temples. As he spoke, he made brief eye contact with Misal, subtly giving her the hand signals she'd taught him when he was a kid, the ones for concern and contact, though unknowingly he'd gotten the last one wrong and it was actually animal, but the woman was likely shrewd enough to pick up on the mistake and catch his meaning to keep him in the loop. Assuming she caught him doing it at all, he'd never actually had to use the hand signals before, so it might have actually shocked her that he remembered what she'd tried to drill into his head all those years ago. To everyone else, it would likely come off as just nervous fidgeting.

 

"Uhh...hi. I'm...I've, uh...I've been better. Cindy, right?"

 

Apparently a throng of younger women had gathered about him, seeing him as one of the only suitable males in the area. Last he'd checked, he wasn't a Falleen, and the Jedi still taught that attachments were the Devil (and something about a man named Bobby Boucher), so he wasn't quite sure why he'd suddenly gotten all the attention. And any other time, it might have been welcome, too, but right now it only served to sow discord among his thoughts. After a beat of silence, he'd realized that wasn't the right name, and he was just embarrassing himself.

 

"I, uhm...excuse me."

 

As he departed, and yet another woman walked over, he'd mildly felt something nearby, but there were more than enough Jedi here available to handle the problem. He needed to clear his head. After a few minutes, he found himself walking the beach, looking for smooth stones to skip across the calm waters. His mind, however, was elsewhere as his body went through the motions, thinking about his mother.

 

((Hand signals example can be found in

video))

[Ary the Grey]

Saladin pulled out of hyperspace, this time mercifully not by some forced act that would cause the mech to practically slag itself. Fully fixed, more or less, landing was relatively simple, and Aryian put down a ways from the rest of the ships. Already he could feel the presence of the Jedi assembled, and while there was some slight turmoil, it was far more peaceful than he'd felt in a while. He was an interesting sight to behold as he walked up to the gathering, only able to wash his robes and shower once while he was at Scarif, so the hodgepodge Mandalorian armor was still visible under his sand-crusted and stained white robes. His right arm was still in a sling, his eyes still wrapped, his light-tonfa lightly clinking against the thigh plates. His arm had gotten better, but still ached from the bullet wounds, and his eyes...well. For the time being Aryian would learn to live with the impairment. Because of it, he moved slower than a regular walking pace, more out of getting comfortable with the condition rather than really being unsure of his surroundings, if anything being forced to rely on the Force to see his surroundings made him far more aware of things, even to the point of sensory overload.

 

He approached no-one, started no conversations. He was simply here to mourn an old, but dearly close friend.

[Faux]

After wandering for some time, Faux paused after coming upon a group of people divided amongst themselves in conversation. Was this the memorial service I-Nine told her about? She looked around, trying to find the path upward to where that odd feeling came from, but the only way through she could see was directly through the gathering.

 

Can I just...walk into a wake to chase some non descript bad feeling?

 

She didn't know anyone here, and the only people that knew of her, to her knowledge, was the one that collected her from the Wookiees and the one that miraculously healed her. Faux had their names, but would dropping them be enough to excuse her as an interloper at such a mournful and personal event? But what else was she supposed to do, sit around at the landing platform waiting for either of them to come back? No, she had to keep moving. She had to keep her mind occupied else it fall back in on itself while she relived that beating over and over again. The enigma of the unknown sensation and exactly who these Jedi were had become more than a curiosity. They were the escapes from her own mind she desperately needed right now.

 

Well, here goes nothing.

 

Faux took a deep breath and marched on, aproaching the nearest group and tried to form an introduction in her head. Directing herself to the first person she saw (Sandy), Faux offered a congenial smile and panicked for half a hearbeat, still not sure how to awkwardly proceed.

 

"Um... Hello. I'm sorry to intrude, but I was just down by the landing pad playing with some children and... This may seem wierd. I would have dismissed it if the little ones hadn't noticed it as well, but I felt something strange coming from that building up there (Council Chambers). Has anyone else felt...um, something wicked?"

 

She felt foolish just saying it, even more so for asking it of a complete stranger, but what choice did she really have?

[Dashel Illioni]

Dashel watched Vos turn away from the Council. He allowed himself a few fleeting moments to reflect on the young man’s words and actions even as the young being stood quietly in front of the window. A long shadow seemed to stream from Vos and into the council chambers. One that Dashel’s senses told him spoke quietly of secrets (and which of the Masters did not have secrets?) and not of the Darkside.

 

For that Dash felt grateful, he could not help but remember his encounters with the icily cold Tenembris and how they’d found a compromise. Hope surged briefly through his aura concerning a successful resolution in that direction to at least one problem.

 

In that memory he remembered his own lesson concerning patience. A smile graced his countenance for the briefest of moments before he turned and bowed briefly to Master Organa. He simply said, “I was remembering working with Agent Tenebris on Coruscant. I should thank him sometime.”

 

As his thoughts turned to Tenebris and the GA, he found what he needed to speak to the Grand Master about and what he wanted to do to help make the Jedi more than another galactic warband.

 

“GrandMaster, there are two major areas that need addressing within the galaxy that I would like to address. The first concerns reports that the GA has once again adopted a dictatorship as its form of government. There are very dangerous precedents there but I am not sure we need to act as of yet. I advise a wait and see attitude in that area outside of a future diplomatic mission.”

 

He paused a moment to remember that waiting was an action and allowed for the most knowledge to be gathered and acted on in a manner befitting Jedi instead of something else.

 

“As for what can be done immediately, than might I suggest considering missions to rebuild the planets of Dathomir, Bothawaui, and Mon Calamari. Better relations the citizens of those three would provide us with additional resources to continue building our own strengths.”

[Skye Organa]

Skye felt the tension in the air rising and for a moment closed her eyes before slowly and delicately radiating out a calm empathy. When she had backed the nomination it was because she had faith in the former Grand Master and he had been a very inspiring leader before his death. Knowing him as she did Skye knew he was kind of heart, true to the Jedi and very fair and just. Besides that, if there had been any other nominations she would have considered them on their own merits. She hadn’t meant to add to his shock by supporting the motion. She met his eyes and rested her hand upon his arm to let him know she had every faith in him.

 

Skye remained silent as the Head of State for the Imperial Remnant was addressed by Master Skywalker. What she heard in the following discussions opened her eyes to what else had been going on in the Galaxy while she had been firstly going after Kern with the Commissioner of CoreSec and then after Faust and his minions. With what happened firstly on Coruscant, then Corellia and then Onderon she had sensed a growing darkness. The Sith were gaining power and the new Dark Lord would be one to watch. Where the other Dark Lords had been “open” with how they rolled. This new one dealt more from the shadows from what she had gleaned while in their company before they left Onderon. It seemed as if thinking about the Sith had brought on a dark manifestation in the form of a woman in rags appearing in the room… Nhagathul. She remained composed and watchful, the encounter being over soon after it began. The last time she had been aware of this entity was when Tares Vortex was her Master. It was after the battle on Mimban that she had been Knighted. Again she wondered what had happened to Tares that she no longer felt him through the Force… he wasn’t dead… she would have felt that… he just wasn’t there.

 

Once their honored guests left the meeting, Darex asked for her report with regards to Faust. She told the Council what she had informed Master Kirlocca of at the time regarding being attacked at the hospital she’d been working at on Coruscant by Kern - and told them that ‘he’ was Fynn Relmis. She reported that Commissioner Tenebris had made her a Temporary Agent of CoreSec for the duration of that mission. She still had to debrief with him once she caught up with him again too. She told them that they had followed the information trail to Corellia where they went to the Relmis Estate and were facing off with some of Kerns minions there when the attack came on Corellia’s CoreSec Headquaters. As Kern seemed to have gone underground they had hurried back to give aid where they could. That was when they discovered that Faust was acting through his minions - Gavo Malako. Faust was behind the attack on CoreSec on Corellia. We had footage of this Minion fighting in exactly the same fighting style as Faust and the obvious conclusion was that he was somehow in control of his minion. On Onderon he had another minion - a Givin called Geister - take items from a Dr Van Isel’s office leaving boobietraps in his wake. From there we tracked him into the Crypts were we were approached by some of the Sith Spirits that resided there. They didn’t attack us, in fact they assisted us with information - they didn’t like what Faust was doing and wanted him stopped which was why they peacefully approached a Jedi. Skye paused a moment before continuing, “Their words were…” her eyes closed in concentration to recall their conversation.

 

“Beware, the Hunter stirs once more.

His soul and body were one in the end, both cast into the pits of Chaos and Hell, scattered in the Darkness.

His mind now runs across the stars, awakened by other dwellers in the Darkness who called him False.

He seeks to restore himself to his full powers, the powers he wielded at the moment of his final defeat.

This must not come to pass or all will be ruined. The Zero-Wound was healed, but he stirs the fires of chaos.

His Legacy of Blood must be destroyed! The Eyes of the Hunters must be blinded!

Do this and victory will forever be beyond his grasp, his soul never to reform again!

 

Once we were back up in the Palace Courtyard we had a run in with Faust - or rather the mechanised version of him. I fell prey to a sonic attack, realising too late what he was doing.

 

Whilst I was unconscious from Faust’s sonic attack a Wraith communicated with me. The information I received from the Wraith was about Faust. I was informed that before Faust’s ship The Bhelliom was destroyed and he died at the Memorial, his cyberlink had “backed up” to a safehouse on Coruscant. He is cloning a real body to revive himself so he can draw his full spirit back to a living vessel. The Wraith spoke of two spirits holding him in the ‘Chaos of the Dark Side’ as he put it. The reason Faust wanted me was that he has been having problems with the clones not holding onto vitality. His darkside influence causes a rot that saps the vitality from these clones so he cannot currently perfect a clone to what he was before his demise. What we have been fighting are puppet vessels of his will. The wraith was unable to tell me where these clones were being created though warned that we must stop Faust from creating his perfected vessel. We are to ‘seek the puppeteer, the root of the malice and cut those strings. We are to find the Eyes of the Hunter’. It was in the process of telling me more when the wraith was pulled away.

 

Skye paused a moment before she continued. “Faust had attempted to capture me and would have succeeded had it not have been for Commissioner Tenebris and his CoreSec agents. We ended up surrounded by the Sith en mass. I think Faust may have put a call out to them as I had to you. We ‘met’ the new Dark Lord, Exodus and took the opportunity to leave when it was offered otherwise I believe we would have remained “guests” of the Sith.”

[Sandy Sarna]

Welp.

 

Kriff me this was a mistake.

 

The little crush her heart had harboured for nearly a decade went up in a poof of embarrassment, disappointment, and sadness. A lot of embarrassment. When he first tried to get her name right and failed she knew that everything had blown up like a thermal detonator on a deadman’s switch. Instantly a flood of embarrassment overtook her calm and cheery demeanour and her pale freckled pace turned red with a flush of defensive blush. Darkening the angular scars that crossed her cheeks and chin. Her gaze fell from his lovely chiseled features onto the outstretched plates of dessert she still held out, and then passing by them came to rest on her brown leather boots. Her embarrassment echoing through the force and all but blinding her to the planet based kidnapping dark side thingy.

 

She closed her emerald green eyes as he excused himself, not taking any of the dessert and wandered away. She had totally misjudged the situation? Or maybe he just straight out didn’t like her? Her mind raced as she still held out the uneaten pastries, perhaps the imperial knights had more extreme rules when it came to attachments and eating dessert? She hadn’t even tried to go on a date or anything, just to all outward appearance had been wanting to connect to an old friend.

 

Maybe it's my scars

 

That was it, it had to be. She was just plain ugly. The long scars that crossed her cheeks lit up with the flush again and she closed her eyes with a squint of pain. Her voice was shallow and soft when she spoke.

 

“Oh ok, bye then Aidan….”

 

She exhaled slowly through her tightly clenched teeth after she finished speaking to his retreating back. She reached out instinctively to get support from Joelle in the force but realized she was still very much untrained.

 

Dammit, don’t cry.

 

She exhaled slowly before passing the plates to Malin and Sophi and then turned around to sprint to the refresher to bawl her eyes out when she ran straight into a slightly older girl (Faux) dressed in what appeared to be fur and leather wrappings. Sandy initially would have guessed she was a Dathomiri if it wasn’t for the whiteness of her skin. She reached out and caught the girl before she knocked the two of them over. She shook her head and wiped at her eyes for a second before responding.

 

“I think the Imperial delegation is up there, perhaps they are exuding the darkside! Though I admit to not paying attention in the slightest. What a Jedi I am eh?”

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

“‘Mind Walker’?” Xae echoed.

 

If what he was saying was true, and a brother she never really knew was dying, then she wondered what she might be able to do from this great a distance to prevent it. “Mind Walker...a vision. You had a vision, but you don’t think it’s happened yet and I can stop it?”

 

Before the tree-like being could respond, the Exorcist sensed a brief surge of darkness that left her looking for the source and the movement of an auburn-haired Jedi toward one of the shuttles spurred her to follow suit with a quick word of apology to Frond and a promise that they would go.

"We need to move her and get help. Please get Master Skye or one of the other Masters and the nearest doctor, even if you have to interrupt the Council," The girl she now recognized as Aelyn was holding a very still Tirzah.

 

The Jedi Exorcist paused just long enough to perform her own scan through the Force. Surprised when she found that the girl hadn’t simply retreated within herself the way she had with Master Quietus’s apprentice. Tirzah - or what made up who the girl was - was gone. “I’ll go get Master Organa and the girl’s mother,” Xae waved over the Wookiees to help move the girl to the Jedi healer’s ship. “Stay with her.”

 

Her mind worked quickly to try to place what could have happened on what seemed a relatively safe place for the girl, utterly surrounded by the light of the Jedi and the beauty of the forests of Kashyyyk. That flash of darkness that had drawn her attention had to have something to do with it. The Jedi Masters would surely know more.

 

As she stepped beneath the shadow of the gathering canopy, she bowed low and offered her apologies for interrupting them. “Jaina, something’s wrong with Tirzah and it’s not like the last time. Aelyn’s with her, but I believe we need Master Organa’s expertise. I sensed a flash of darkness, but it was too brief to isolate and I fear her condition might have something to do with it.”

 

Silently and only to Jaina she added through the Force, I can reach out to Emily or even Quietus if you think they might provide better insight considering the nature of what I sensed.

[Kyrie Eleison]

The Imperial General walked quickly through the halls of the Kashyyyk memorial center. She could smell the spice of the forest carried on the wind through the open halls. She longed to take off her boots and experience the forest floor like a child, to be carried back to the bosom of innocence and to block out the woes of the galaxy, but she had not the luxuries the council afforded themselves.

 

...Bid that rising anger directed to righteousness…

 

The Exorcist drove her emotional turmoil into the song of the Force, letting her rhythm meld with it, and its flame grow within her. It burned hot inside her, as if she had caught a fever, and it bid her footsteps quicker. The breeze passed her by, carrying the scent of distant cooking fires. The aroma of Wookiee cuisine bid her stomach to rumble, but she passed the feeling of hunger to the Force, using it as tider to the fire.

 

She approached the one she had been bidden to speak to. The young exorcist had read of her in the databanks, studied her tactics, her struggles. The Jedi was half a decade older than herself, with hair a shade lighter than her own, and a bit shorter. Within the Force, she could feel her streadfast strength, a beacon that shone brightly into the night.

 

“Master Adenna Alluyen'… I have read of your battle with Geki, and your crusade against the slavers of Thallasia…”

 

Kyrie extended a hand in greeting, and within the Force, opened her mind for communication. They had faught the Sith on the same side before, not in the same battles, but they had a mutual bond in fighting the darkness with unrivaled passion

 

“My name is Kyrie Eleison, leader of the Imperial Knights, and strikeleader of the fight against slavery in the Empire.”

[Adenna Alluyen]

It didn't take too long after relaying her concerns to the young Imperial Force user that one who radiated a great deal more power, control, and confidence approached her. Adenna's initial caution immediately turned slightly sour at both the mention of Jidai Geki and the woman's calling her a "master," a highly insulting term among Thalassians and a position she had not earned within the Jedi Order. That, and being an Imperial didn't help the woman's cause, but she was willing to give her a chance. She lightly probed the woman with the Force, trying to get a sense of her. She was glad to sense that there were no blocks and that the Imperial Knight was open to her.

 

"I appreciate your Order's interest in someone like me. I am also always interested in anything that works toward eliminating slavery in the Galaxy, though I find it hard to believe that the Empire is the one to take charge." Her left hand subconsciously rubbed the scar on her side where an Imperial blaster had charred her body and caused a great deal of harm. "The Empire has not typically been friendly toward the Jedi nor have they ever had a problem enslaving or slaughtering innocents. Why should I trust that this whole mission isn't simply designed to capture the Hutt's slaves for your own benefit?"

[Kala Ianauria]

Kala heard her master speak of fighting slavery to Jedi Alluyen. She shivered as she considered that doing so might bring her into conflict with her own family. A smile graced as face as the chill turned from one of fear to one of pleasure. Dismantling the wealth and luxury brought to her family brought her no pain.

 

Still she watched silently from behind her master as her master opened negotiations with the Jedi in order to secure allies for a coming fight. She watched, but somewhere within her mind she wandered what part she would be playing it. She reached to open her bracer's comm unit and contacted the 'Wild Bunch' via a simple code word.

 

By the time she joined, her ship and crew would stand ready to serve the Empire.

[ObliviousKnight]

“That could have gone better.” Sophia muttered as the young Imperial Knight made an abrupt about-face and withdrew from the gathering. Her hand withdrew from her face, revealing that the redness around her amber eyes that the trace of cosmetics around the rim of her eyes had smeared. She hadn’t done quite as well at hiding her reaction as she hoped; she had turned pale at that revelation.

 

The elderly Miraluka swiped away at something just in front of the bridge of her nose, an attempt at straightening a veil that had been abandoned some two hundred kilometers away in the Shadowlands. Misal had hoped to walk her grandson and the chimera through this news more gently; it was certain to be distressing, even disturbing, but she’d hoped to have had this conversation in a somewhat more private setting so Aidan wouldn't run off distraught. And with these teenaged and adolescent Jedi, with the complications of their pubescent hormones and the Order’s ridiculous, reactionary dogma against personal relationships… this had been a dreadful miscalculation.

 

“Try to not take that too personally. I just gave my grandson some rather distressing news, and he didn't take it too well. Moriarty,” Misal made eye contact with the historian as best as a Miraluka could, an odd inflection passing into her voice. “You and I have important business to discuss, If you'll please come with me.”

 

From the slavish way that the historian dogged the Miraluka’s footsteps away from the beach and up into the catwalks in the trees, and the minute ripple in the Force, it was clear that Misal had just coerced the younger woman’s cooperation with a disguised Mind Trick. Sophia simply held onto the plate she’d just been offered as she followed, not noticing that her fingers were starting to get sticky from some honey-based sauce was drizzled over the layered pastry. It wasn’t until they were alone, away from any Wookiees or Jedi who might have had an interest in intervening, that the momentary fugue lifted and the historian realized that she was alone with the black-clad spymaster.

 

Sophia quickly tapped in a command on her wrist-mounted datapad to begin recording on her holocam, just in time for Misal’s bony hand to shoot out and grab the historian by the ear. She gave a yelp of pain as she was dragged forward, upending her plate and sending the pastry falling to the forest floor.

 

“Your datapad,” the Miraluka hissed. A muffled voice was issuing from Misal’s comlink, recognizable as the baritone belonging to the commander of that dreadful hag’s fireteam. “Sync it to my comlink to receive a holorecording. Study up and tell me what you think.”

 

Inputting the command into the device, its screen was filled with the videofeed from… most likely a helmet-mounted camera or heads-up display, judging from the rhythmic bobbing of the image. Sophia glanced at a set of coordinates, recognizing them as Kashyyyk’s system coordinates. She watched as the owner of the holocam trudged their way across the penumbra of Kashyyyk’s endless forest, glancing from side to side occasionally to ensuring that they were flanked at all times by a number of armed sentients in armor of unadorned plate. Sophia scanned through the remainder of the files she’d just been forwarded: scans of some unusual crystal shardsand a scorched piece of misfired blasting ribbon, excerpts of customs records that had been stolen from the Wookiees’ archives, dossiers on some prominent robber barons and researchers from all over the galaxy.

 

“Gods, Misal, some of these people are worth billions of credits.”

 

“Ten of billions, two of them. Which is likely to make what happens next somewhat complicated. I am going to need allies if I am ever going to see my daughter again…. or at least a blind eye from the Jedi Order while my men start making these creatures disappear.” Misal sightless gaze passed up towards the temporary Council chambers in the trees and she nodded as she limped further up the catwalk. “Continue studying. I need you informed when I speak to Master Trevelian.” The Miraluka sighed, then withdrew her vibroblade to roughly slash up a piece of her sleeve and tied it up to function as a crude eyeband.

 

Sophia paused, staring at a briefing before she remembered herself and caught up with the Miraluka. “So one of these people--or corporations--abducted her and… the implants in her body. If they could be reverse-engineered, it could be worth billions. But if they realized that you were on their trail, they could move her anywhere in the galaxy.

 

“Indeed. For all of your innumerable faults, you’re still one of the better analysts that I’ve met and we must be absolutely certain before we make our next move. And… for the moment, you have access to Imperial Intelligence’s records.” The elderly Miraluka’s lips tightened and the two halted about twenty meters from the entrance of the temporary Council chamber, close enough that Trevelian wouldn’t be able to leave without being noticed.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

Paralysis.

 

The sudden influx of vibrant emotions silenced Jaina like a stealthy hand from the Force had clamped over her mouth. Not sinister or dark in its motion, it withheld a series of scathing retorts intended for the impertinent Vos, it kept her feet when the spectre of the hag appeared with a dark omen that she did not immediately comprehend, it restrained her when the sharp voice of the Empress decried the truest sense of the Jedi understanding of the Force that she felt she could have possibly offered.

 

But it could not restrain her from this. The name of Nhagathul had ignited dread in her spirit; Xae's entrance set her limbs to weakness. Tirzah. Her daughter was gone. All else fled from her mind.

 

Such was the danger of attachment.

 

"Xae-Lin," she said breathlessly, pain alight behind her eyes. "Keep watch over her, please. There is nothing we can do for her here."

 

A poor attempt at a smile flickered at the corners of her lips. Slowly, deliberately, she extended an arm to Xae, as though welcoming her into the assembly. In truth, Jaina was desperate for a grounding presence. Not even imperiled, the girl was completely absent from Jaina's senses, as cold and lifeless as death, absent from Kashyyyk in its entirety. What she had told Xae was true, and it would not do any good to worry over Tirzah's corporeal form: she no longer inhabited it. It was not a matter of stabilizing her, or treating her medically, but rather a matter of retrieving her. Taking Darex' admonishment to heart had not prevented the worry of a mother to well up in her gut, but he was right. They needed a plan, especially as she now had a journey to make to a planet she would have liked to leave far behind her. How? How had she been found, and why? As much as she had done to atone, the sins of her past found her again and yet again. The absence of Tirzah's bright spirit proved one thing to her.

 

The sins of the fathers--or the mothers--did indeed pass on to the next generation. Nhagathul had wanted her daughter, Nhagathul had taken her daughter.

 

Stepping in as a spokesperson amidst the meeting with the Empire had simply revealed how out of place she truly was among the gathered. Her face grew hot, chastised as she had been by her fellow master who somehow kept himself locked up tighter than the Yaga Minor library. The darkness that surrounded him, under careful examination, was not the sinister blackness of soul, but the careful weariness of one who had borne up under too many secrets for too long, who had seen injustice one too many times.

 

Nevertheless, it was his last comment that finally loosed her tongue. "The Jedi cannot be soldiers, Master Vos," she said firmly, finding her voice once again, albeit a trembling one, "and for my part, I would readily dismiss from service any Jedi who wish us to be at the beck and call of a government. Advisors, protectors, defenders, investigators, but not soldiers. Never soldiers."

 

You were a fool to place your faith in the conveniently virtuous... The taunt rang in her mind, and Jaina swallowed the chaos of emotion within her into a single streamlined harmony, pushing aside all useless thoughts of her own inadequacy. The Force was with her. She had fought for her place at this table. She had made the mistakes that led to darkness already and she had vowed to protect others from them. The time had come for the Jedi, and especially the Council, to no longer be the paragon of virtue only when it suited them.

 

Educational reform had never been anywhere near the top of her to-do list before, but it was steadily growing in its efforts to vie for attention.

 

"If we are losing Jedi Knights to the service of the Empire," she continued, "then maybe it is a good idea to reevaluate how seriously we are taking their education in the way of the Jedi. It's not for everyone, and it is certainly not understood by most. If what Master Vos says is true, then maybe we do need to look into the current roster."

 

Crouching in the center of the room, she seized the discarded sleeve that still dripped with black ichor, and folded it neatly onto itself. Turning back to Darex, she met his eyes sincerely, her sudden clarity apparent.

 

"Master Kirlocca appeared to me," she announced, "with a couple of recommendations. The first, well... the first is personal and irrelevant."

 

The warring counsel she had received from Kirlocca and Xae where Tobias Vos was concerned vied for acknowledgment in her mind, so she let it be for now. As he had cautioned her, she would trust the Force. The sharp manner of the other Master was off-putting and seemed a far cry from the man she had met on Tython, but then again, they were all present on Kashyyyk in a time of great change. Perhaps she was just reading into things. It certainly seemed as though his opinion of her was not favorable, but it gained nothing to dwell on such things. They didn't have to like each other, but they did have to work together.

 

"The second was that a war is on our doorstep. As Master Illioni has suggested, I think it's imperative that we establish what our relationship with the Alliance and the Remnant are going to be sooner rather than later. If Master Organa or Master Illioni has a previous connection to this new Supreme Commander, perhaps one of them can represent the cause of the Jedi to the Alliance. Kirlocca believed that a relationship with Head of State Zinthos was of utmost importance."

 

She glanced at the door through which the Imperial delegation had disappeared. "I do not disagree with him, but I know also that we can't be beholden to them. Jedi start wars as quickly as they stop them, and a lightsaber can be used to maim and murder as easily as defend. If they don't want us as advisors, and choose an order of their own making, I feel there is very little room for us."

 

Looking back to Tobias, she concluded, "He also told me that there is a holocron aboard his ship, still docked on Carida, that should be retrieved and unopened, to be held in trust until the Force wills it to be given. If you're going to Carida, I think it would be prudent to retrieve it and return it to Ossus for the time being."

 

Kirlocca had insinuated that such a task should pass to her specifically, but if she was to display trust in Tobias, this was perhaps the best way she could think up on the fly, with as distracted and fragmented as her thoughts currently felt.

 

A returning warmth from Emily's soul pressed into hers, and Jaina took momentary comfort in it. Even if there was not resolution between herself and her niece, apparently there was no lingering ill will, and the thought emboldened her. Maybe not everything in her life was evaporating and fragmenting.

 

But the brief touch recalled Raynuk's presence to mind, and as she touched the connection in her mind that belonged to him, Jaina recalled another important point of order, though she found herself inexplicably hesitant to bring it before the Council. "There is one more thing," she began slowly. "Master Ardel and I, in our travels, ran across a cult calling themselves the Cult of Morthos. They seem to be more sophisticated than your average brainwashed psychopath. They're collecting tomes of ancient knowledge, and I don't know why. They raided the Sith library on Raxus Prime, and I have reason to believe they may have attacked several other sites in addition. I have a handful of contacts who have been in pursuit of this cult, and I would recommend that we dispatch a small task force of some kind to continue this investigation. I would go myself, but I fear I am the only one who will be able to retrieve my daughter."

 

Her tone was bitterly regretful and her heart felt like lead. There was nothing easy about the road the Jedi had before them. But her foreboding had more to do with the sleeve she clutched in white-knuckled hands.

[Aelyn]

"Well this isn't good," Aelyn said absently, more or less to the wookiees that were with her watching Tirzah. She was glad that Xae had run off to bring this to the Council's attention, but as she focused on the girl in the Force, she wasn't sure if there was anything that could be done.

 

Tirzah was gone. Her body lived, maybe, and her hand that Aelyn gripped was warm, but there was no hint of her left in it. One moment, she had been aboard a shuttle practically surrounded by the best of the Jedi Order. The next, she was totally gone.

 

Aelyn frowned. There had been a dark side disturbance right before Tirzah had been attacked. There was no way the two events weren't linked. Focusing on that, she started to examine Tirzah in a new light, picking up on the dark residue left by the event on her metaphysical being. The technique of psychometry was fickle and Aelyn didn't have a lot of practice with it, but with the Force she could interpret the impressions left by that residue and get a sense of the event that put them there.

 

She closed her eyes and the temperature seemed to drop sharply, shadows rising around her. There were... figures with bright eyes. They felt odd in the Force... like they were black holes, so deep the Force could not exist within them. She then got a sense of flight. A pursuing agent. The scene was rank with fear. Something was being shouted. But it was all so shadowy and indefinite.

 

Aelyn opened her eyes again and shuddered, hoping Skye would get there soon. She was out of her depth.

[Darex Trevelian]

The Grandmaster listened as the Council presented him with the information he had asked for, fully present and aware in the Force, reaching out to sense the emotions of each Jedi that spoke. Tobias seemed...almost annoyed, as if Darex's words frustrated him. His whispered words at the end bespoke the fact that he was quick to action, a trait more and more common in Jedi these days. Darex pocketed the datachip and nodded.

 

Then Dashel spoke. Darex had no hesitations about helping out those damaged worlds. The GA's new direction was troubling indeed, and was a bad omen. He'd need to assign someone to suss out the truth.

 

Skye's words were more troubling. Faust himself may not be fully back, but Darex knew him too well. His spirit would have lost none of it's potency, even if he could not yet take fully physical form. Some thoughts stirred in his mind about the prophecy, and he nodded.

 

Finally, Jaina informed him of yet another threat, a Sith cult that seemed to have been lurking in the background for some time that had now come forth. Darex knew that that, too, would need continuing investigation.

 

Once all the others were finished, Darex leaned forward in his seat. "Thank you all." The Force prompted him, filling his mind with plans and ideas, and he spoke them as they came to him, a mouthpiece of the will of the Force. "It is my intention to assign Jedi to each of these tasks. I also want to Jedi to start reporting to the Council more frequently. Here are the assignments:

 

"Jaina, see to your daughter. Figure out what is going on there. If you need assistance, don't hesitate to call."

 

He turned to his old master. "Skye, you've been working on investigating Faust. I want you to continue that. You have the resources of the Order at your disposal.

 

"Master Illioni, I want you to take the lead on restoring those planets that you mentioned. Take Knight Giv'rah with you. I believe he also has a padawan. The three of you should work on restoring those planets and assisting their governments as requested.

 

"Master Ardel," he said, turning to the woman who had come bursting into the Council chambers, "will continue to investigate this Cult of Morthos that has cropped up. She will report to Master Skywalker, and Jaina, you can join her once you have saved your daughter."

 

Finally, he turned to the last Jedi in the room. "Vos, after you retrieve the holocron Master Skywalker mentioned, I want you to coordinate with the Imperial Knights in investigating Kirlocca's death. But I want to be clear: it is only for the purpose of figuring out what happened. It is not to revenge ourselves on his killers.

 

"With the Council's blessing, I'll assign Knight Cadan to investigate things with the Galactic Alliance. As for myself, I intend to see these corvettes for myself, and take care of some other business to finish catching up."

 

The Council continued to talk for a brief time more, Darex filling them in on what was expected of them, and them giving him the information he was missing. But he tried to keep it moving; he could sense Jaina's growing impatience, although she was doing an admirable job at keeping her seat. "Please keep me updated on everything, and pass on reports of those who report to you. Council dismissed. Vos, if you'd stay for a moment."

 

Suddenly tired, he leaned back in his chair again. Hopefully with increased communication and accountability, the Order would grow stronger and more unified.

[Frond]

Frond stood puzzling after his newly departed newfound conversationalist Jedi. True, he had felt the strange twinge of darkness in The Force, but it had not bothered him nearly as much as it seemed to be bothering Xae; who had taken off with a promise to return and venture forth regarding his vision.

 

This promise, however rushed, was good enough for Frond. "Younglings. Rushing always." he pondered with a slight grin spreading across his wodden features as he turned, taking in the greatness of the soaring Wroshyr trees for a moment before turning and shuffling away from the remaining crowds in the opposite direction where many of the Jedi had gone to gather. Strange. Mourn and meet. Seek overcome; yet darkness.

 

Making his way down to the landing area where numerous offworlders had come for the memorial surface, Frond sighed in relaxation, as trivial as it was in comparison to The Force, there was something about starships that fascinated the ancient sentient herbage. It had been centuries since Frond had even laid his eyes on a star-faring vessel. Their illusionary status had changed. "Such dedication. Such care. Such perseverance. All illusion. Such waste. But waste beautiful yet." he said aloud as he ran a viney hand over the smooth hull of one of the docked starships along the outskirts of the landing platform.

 

Those that were around and saw Frond paid him little heed, after all, what was another plant on Kashyyyk? It had the significance of another snowflake on Hoth or another credit in a Muun bank account.

[Skye Organa]

When Xae-Lin entered the Council room and apologised for the intrusion, Skye rose from her seat though extended a soothing mental touch to both Mother and Master of the poor girl that Nhagathul had ‘taken’. Two words that Xae said had her voice her query, “Last time?” When Jaina asked Xae to ‘watch over her as there was nothing they could do for her here.’ Skye spoke in answer, “I can keep her body stable, in fact it might be wise if I put Tirzah in a stasis field in my medbay.”

 

The Healer listened on as Jaina courageously went on to report that she’d had a visit from Kirlocca’s spirit and what he’d had to say. When Jaina asked Vos if he would retrieve the holocron from Master Kirlocca’s ship and return it to Ossus she inclined her head towards the Kiffar. He was one Master that she didn’t recall meeting before. One day when time allowed for it she would like to get to know him better.

 

As Jaina went on to mention the Cult of Morthos, Skye turned towards her once more. “Faust mentioned them and his minion on Corellia referenced them when he wrote the message on the wall. I believe this Cult and Faust are linked in some way.” The Healer fell silent before asking, “Who are these contacts Jaina? Would one of them be Emily?” The second question was asked because they had mentioned Raxus Prime and she knew that young woman used to live there. Skye hadn't heard from the young woman in years and wondered how she was.

 

Her attention shifted back to Darex as he began to speak once more, issuing instructions to them all. She inclined her head in acknowledgment of hers before she spoke once he had finished and before she took her leave to go and see if she could do anything for Tirzah here, “There was one more thing that Master Kirlocca mentioned to me. He wished for Knight Giv’rah to do his Master’s Trials.” With that said she excused herself and hurried back towards her ship using her comm. implant to contact I-Nine as she went telling the droid to watch out for a new patient being brought in and what to get set up.

 

---

 

After the comm. from Master Skye, I-Nine made for the loading ramp, watching out for whoever it was that was bringing Tirzah to them while Flitter went straight to the surgery to set up the stasis bed. Spotting the Wookiees and Aelyn the protocol droid waved them over, “I am I-Nine and my counterpart is Flitter. I was informed you would be coming. This way please. We shall take her straight to the surgery. Master Skye is on her way now.” I-Nine led the way, pausing while they made their way through the decontamination scanner. Arriving in the surgery the protocol droid waved them over to the medical bed Flitter was hovering above. With Tirzah laid out on the bed the droids began some scans, Flitter putting up a holographic display just as the Healer walked into the surgery.

 

Skye gave a reassuring smile towards Aelyn as she approached the young woman, “Xae told me that you found Tirzah. What you might not know is that Nhagathul paid us a visit. That was the darkness you may have felt, and why Tirzah no longer seems to inhabit her body. I will run scans and make sure her body is stable and place her in a stasis field and then it is just a waiting game. Jaina is going to bring her daughter back but for that to happen she will have to travel to where Nhagathul referred to as the ‘dark city’. I cannot tell you much about Nhagathul, it has been years since I have been where this dark entity has shown itself. There are others who would be able to tell you if you wish to know more.”

 

As she spoke she began to read the display that Flitter put up. As far as she could tell, Tirzah’s body was fine so the Healer would keep it that way. She placed a drip into the young girl’s arm to keep her body hydrated and then activated the stasis field around her. This would monitor her vitals and perform functions of keeping her stable and functioning for when Tirzah’s mind returned to her body.

[Aelyn]

Aelyn was very glad to see Master Skye and have someone trained for this sort of thing take over Tirzah's care. She vowed silently that she wouldn't neglect healing as she continued to develop her Force talents.

 

Furthermore, Skye seemed to have a much better picture of what was going on. Aelyn had never heard of Nhagathul before, and the brief explanation was difficult to grasp, but that wasn't the only perplexing thing that Skye said. "Wait, Jaina is Tirzah's mother?" she asked. She immediately recalled the reaction she'd felt from Jaina in the cafeteria on Tython when she'd seen Tirzah, but she also remembered that Tirzah had told her on the Eternal Vigilance that her mother had abandoned her. She wasn't sure now what the full story was, but even more confusing was the fact that Jaina appeared to be not much older than Aelyn and Tirzah was too old to be her daughter.

 

It seemed that everything had stopped making sense about the same time Aelyn had met Aira. There were Sith plagues, people coming inexplicably back from the dead, Liv and her weird possession thing in the middle of a CoreSec precinct that seemed completely ineffectual, a "dark city" / entity that could steal people from their bodies and yet still be visited by the living, and whatever was going on between Jaina and TIrzah. Maybe this was normal for a Jedi, but Aelyn wasn't quite used to it yet.

 

"I tried to use psychometry on Tirzah to find out what happened to her," she explained to Skye, for now moving on, "and I got some pretty strange vibes. I guess I got a sense of her abduction. She was surrounded by people who felt sort of like holes in the Force. Does that mean anything to you based on what you know of Nhagathul?"

[Tobias Vos]

Vos soaked in the conversation going on behind him. His back turned, but not as a sign of disrespect, but as a form of psuedopunishment on himself. Looking out into the Forest, he looked for the yellow-skin of his former master. The business of this Cult of Morthos... things started to make sense. One- The Gala Base was pillaged bare- there were no relics there except where he found his crystal, and Dahar had claimed Jedi Holocrons. Two- Padawan Trushaun had been tracking and recovering various groups inquiring and selling force-sensitive relics. Three- Jedi Master Chal'lar had collected such a collection himself, and had surrendered them to Vos. Four- Chal'lar was here, and could be questioned. Five- and it just tingled at the back of his mind-

 

What had Dahar done with those Holocrons?

Where was Master Chal'lar?

Where was Trushaun?

 

Five- the Sith Temple on the Imperial capitol of Carida had been sacked!

 

What was in that Temple? What else was there to plunder for the Sith?

 

His mind racing, he never-the-less went to make another cup of caf. As he made it- he reheated his own just a touch. Then, everyone was dismissed, except him. Darex slouched into a chair. He, of course, had gotten the Murder Investigation- and he knew not to exact vengeance, or revenge. Such was the way of the Dark Side, his old life. He was surprised when Darex backed up his own assignment upon Xae-Lin as a master. It was a both a boost to his pride- and irritating of the reminder of what she squandered away- and presumed of him. Walking over closer to Darex, he watched the last person leave. With a sigh, Vos set down a cup of caf for the man.

 

Sitting down himself, a little off to the right side of Darex, his spoon stirred his caf. As if it was the only thing that mattered right now- his gaze was locked on the swirling liquid, but his voice was soft. "I was reflecting on the way my old master, Sentry Sabatin of the Seekers and the way he taught lessons, versus how Kirlocca has taught me a few lessons." His voice was as if he were just sitting on the porch of some home, drinking tea and nerfing with an old friend- instead he was here- appointed Jedi Master Tobias Vos- and his dozen titles- of the Jedi Council. A crazy comparison to be sure. Without breaking his gaze on his drink, he nodded back to the window. "An amazing person, he was. Showing us all that people from so many walks of life were touched by him- sad to see him go. The Force surrounds us, and binds us all together. If he isn't at home with the Force, at peace- I don't know if I ever could. He taught me alot you know, about blind faith- not of the Force, but of someone you had only ever heard rumors, stories, or whatever. Putting faith in that person... He showed me that kindness, and I had a cold shoulder to the notion. I'm not a trusting person- regardless. But if I could do some good, as he had- impact that many people that was here just a bit ago- I think I may just make up for my rudeness to him. Or at least I would like to think so- and try. Kirlocca was a bit vague- I guess in an effort to let whomever had to learn the lesson interpert it in their own way, where was Sabatin had a more... direct method.w"

 

Vos let out a small laugh, short and unoffensive. His lips parted to expose his teeth as he grinned. "I will never forget seeing a Wookiee falling through a ceiling and launching himself at a Dark Side monolith. Talk about an entrance!" Vos whistled, and mouthed a 'wow!'

 

"Anyways." His gaze broke as he took a sip of caf, and pulled another two datachips from his robe. Taking another look at the pair- he set them on the small table he had placed the first chip- in front of the council- on the table. "The datachip I gave you shows the 'on the record' stuff I have been up to. This second has the 'off the record' financial things I have been up to. I hate to tell this story from the beginning, but you must understand why there are two different sets of financial books...Before Grandmaster Kirlocca, there was Grandmaster Dahar. Dahar and I traveled together after... I came back. How I did so is a topic for later. But... he appointed me a Jedi Master, as well as part of the Council. The Force awoke- bringing many of us back into the light side of day. With a slight anti-Jedi sentiment, I slowly began to do as Dahar instructed- build a Jedi Army for what was to come. He told me to do so as the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. I was to tell no one of this, so I did not- I set about my work- sending Xae-Lin and Jaina off in the Eternal Vigilance. The later disappearing- and the two went out into the galaxy, while I... crafted war plans. Perhaps Dahar thought to prepare one way, but, I knew better. To face it- we not only have to be ready- but the galaxy has to be ready. I poured what resources I had at my disposal- money, resources, people, droids, ships, real estate- contacts with words, contacts with the Senate- in the end, galactic commerce is blossoming once again- I've procured several deals where dots are connected where they hadn't been beforehand. I knew if what was coming for us- that if the galaxy was ready- we all stood a definite chance."

 

He took a moment and a sip of his drink- and tilted his head to either side- but not looking at the Grandmaster. "I will admit, I did buy weapons- but in exchange for a lot of other things- other resources and materials. Trading weapons to police forces, militias, and sometimes all the way down to farmers. In came food- out went food, medical supplies, clothing, building materials, work, and so on. I think we only have enough blasters for our own internal security- if anyone needs a stun bolt for example. I made sure none of the weapons got into the wrong hands. That was the war schematic I worked with for months. Then... I don't even know exactly where it all went sideways- but Dahar broke- in his own mind, in his own force signatures. Then Kirlocca was named Grandmaster- and after meeting with him- he named me The Jedi Shadow."

 

A growl low in Vos's throat showing his displeasure of that decision. "He didn't even let me explain to him what I was doing- you, Darex, don't have a choice in this. So I'm not stabbed in the back, I'm telling you all this whether you like it or not. I'm sorry, but I've seen it coming and I know there are others out there that know this conflict is going to happen, and that the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order needs to know what a far reach I have, should we need to move on something- if you see something I do not. To touch on what Master Skywalker said, I don't think of the Jedi as soldiers, more... Warriors- not mindless brutes bullying their will unto others- but rather as these diplomats or whatever- and relying on their combat training and skills- a true warrior is a rounded individual, skilled with words, as well as with a blade. And if we want to keep our Warriors-" he corrected himself, "- diplomats, negotiators, whatever- then we need to be able to back them up when they need it most- words first, then the blade if it comes to that. We need to be able to help who we can, there are just some beings who will never let the light shine upon themselves."

 

Lifting the mug to his lips- he downed the last of his drink then sighed looking at the bottom of the mug. "So... there is the Jedi Dirty Laundry, and a bit of my personal feelings on the matter we're going to discuss." He paused as he looked over to Darex- "Still want the job?" Vos had a playful tone in his voice, and he winked as a smirk came across his face for a moment. "But in all seriousness...I am prepping the galaxy for the big fight about to erupt, and I still have plans in motion, so ordered by both of your predecessors. How would you wish me to proceed?"

 

Vos reached out into the Force to relax and calm down, his heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to pop out of his chest cavity. The heart rate slowing down just a touch- he felt Adenna out there- further, his heart calmed down. In a way- he wanted done with this meeting and moving to Carida- curious if his mission still stood- and if Adenna or Sandy would even want to come along. They would get to the third datachip after the second was discussed- and whether or not Darex chose to look at it. A meaningful game of sabaac. No, more like djerick. Politics...

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex listened carefully and quietly as Vos explained everything in more detail. His words explained much about his actions. As the new Grand Master listened, he formed his own thoughts. But he held his tongue until Tobias finished. There was a moment of silence, and then Darex spoke. "Your former master is indeed at peace. Being one with the Force...it is something utterly unlike anything you can find in this galaxy, and it is good. Trust me, I know." He paused. "It sounds like you have done an excellent job following the orders that were given to you. I commend you. You've taken resources and multiplied them and done the best you can to make sure that the Jedi are ready for the war that Dahar and Kirlocca sensed on the horizon. Let me state it plainly: good work, Master Vos."

 

He smiled briefly, then continued. "But this is a new dawn for the Jedi Order, and you all," he said, making a waving motion with his hand to encompass the seats the entire Council had recently vacated, "have put me in charge of it. I know little of Dahar Raikanda, other than the fact that it was I who granted him his Knighthood. But Master Kirlocca I have known for many years, even serving with him as co-Grand Master for several years. He was a good Jedi, but he and I have different opinions on the role of Jedi in war. I'm not going to go into the philosophy now. But I bring that up to say that I too sense a war on the horizon, and I know the Jedi will be involved, but the days of us fighting on the front lines under the banner of the New Republic are over." He knew Starlisk would be turning in his grave at that. "Nevertheless, we will need resources if we are to defend the innocents of the galaxy. To that end, I intend to utilize the resources you have gathered." He tapped the data card. "In fact, I will investigate them immediately. Some ships may have to be retrofitted, but you don't need to worry about that.

 

"I want you to take a step back. Secrets breed distrust by their very nature. They fester and cause division, and are weaknesses. The Jedi should be unified in direction and purpose. No more of this 'Jedi Shadow' business. You no longer have any need to keep this information secret. In terms of the plans you have in motion, I'd appreciate it if you let me take over in that area, and let me see what is going on and what exactly should stay and what should go. I wish to set you free to return your focus on simply being the best Jedi you can be, listening to the will of the Force to guide you, and acting with openness and honesty." The Force nudged Darex's mind, and he continued. "Also, for now, I think it'd be best for you to stay off the Council. I get the sense that it is simply a burden to you. Perhaps in the future, you may retake your seat."

 

Darex picked up the third datachip. "As I said before, you've done an excellent job in trying times, working under difficult and fractured leadership. Hopefully we can move forward together in what is best for our Order and the galaxy." He paused. "So, are you going to tell me what is on this one?" he asked, trying to match Vos' dry humor. He could sense someone waiting for him outside the Council chambers, and if it was who he thought it was, it would not do to keep the crotchety Miraluka waiting.

[Aira Cadan]

The memorial for Kirlocca had been moving, allowing each of us to remember the old Wookiee and say our farewells. For my part, I had remembered Kirlocca teaching me my first steps in the ways of the Force, and the mission he had sent me on with those other hopefuls, and then his leadership during the last years of the war. You'll be missed, I thought.

 

After the ceremony, some of the Jedi began to mingle. I didn't know most of them, although I did wave at Xae-Lin and Jaina. The Masters hurried off to Council, however, and I felt the Force prompting me to take a walk down the beach. After glancing over to make sure Aelyn wasn't needing me, I headed away from the gathering.

 

I walked for a long time, thinking and processing. Aelyn was ready for her trials. There were a few things left she needed to face, but those could be taught through the testing that her trials would bring. Force knew there wasn't anything left that I could teach her. She was ready to be a full Jedi. I know she doubted that, but I didn't. She'd be a better Jedi than me. I always felt like an outsider among the Order. I hoped that it would be different for my padawan.

 

I was in the middle of planning her trials when my comm chimed. As I listened to the message, my heart sank into my stomach. So...the Galactic Alliance has indeed failed. Sorrow crashed over me. I had held out hope that democracy and sound minds would prevail. But the GA was militarizing, and Devanus was pushed out of office. This new leader--I noted his title with some unease--I had never met, but it would be interesting to have him as not a military man, but rather an investigator. I'd have to meet him and get a sense for him. Godfrey had been the Senator who had been highly suspicious of my account of Raven's plans; he was a hard case, and I was sure that his hotheadedness would only serve to push the GA further to war.

 

My heart was heavy, but I thought I could nevertheless hear the Force speaking to me. A memory stirred of speaking with that vet back on Chandrila, and the same sense of rightness crept back over me. There was good I could do in the tattered remains of the GA. And if I was right, they'd need that now more than ever.

[Tobias Vos]

Vos snorted a high-pitch laugh. His shoulders heaved with the force of the laugh. Standing and walking over to the table that held the caf pot, he set the half-full mug down. The Kiffar chuckled as he made his way over to one of the tables placed towards the middle of the room- he had retorts and arguments all set up for this meeting- this exact moment. He was betrayed- Vos stood there- his bulky figure slowing at the table. Pressing both gloved hands onto the table- he looked squarely at Darex. A smirk was drawn across his face. Vos was measuring the man who had appeared out of nowhere to be nominated straight into the Job he came back for. Sure, Vos could have objected- but he was the outsider here- the Jedi didn't really believe in second chances. So many questions were answered- Darex played the role perfectly.

 

Vos straightened, after figuring he was done committing the appearance of Darex into his mind. Reaching behind his back- he pulled one of the two lightsabers from his back. Setting it down slowly- he made sure it connected with the table with a loud slap.

 

"Grandmaster Darex, you've taught me a few lessons just now that I will never forget. Haha! Wow." Vos reached out in the Force- not with any malice or any hint of the Dark Side- just disappointment and confirmation could be felt from him. The datachip slipped from Darex's possession. "Actually," Vos rotated the chip in his hand- his gloved hand. Examining it with his eyes- as if screening it for any tampering- or to admire the nano-craftsmanship. "There are two documents on here, neither of which pertain to you now, you have taken care of both. It is also an odd token I've held onto ever since I started my crazy journey from dark to light. Gaps are missing- something I regret, but when you walk beyond the Veil...you do not get to choose what you take with you. Blessing and a curse, really. I wanted to record the emotions and events that happened here today for future meditation."

 

He slipped the datachip into his pocket. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. Every day the Force shows me another lesson- or gives me some insight about a particular instance. I hope you do not think you know everything, Sir. I hope you realize you do not know me, and that is a shame. Regardless, what is done- is done. I'll be off to Carida shortly, until next time, Grandmaster." Vos, still smiling, bowed his head, clasped his hands and turned to leave the room. A smile on his face, all the way down the hall out of sight.

 

Reaching out- he felt Adenna and Sandy's presence in the Force. Seeking out Adenna, Vos was sure to grab a bottle of liquor from the Wookiee Brewers. They chuckled at the human who got the boldest brew they had- a full bottle of it. They looked at him with obvious skepticism. Tipping well, Vos turned to find Adenna talking to the Imperial General, Sandy was elsewhere- a good sign, he thought. Raven wasn't around, so Vos made his way to Adenna's side- and eased into the two ladies. He wasn't trying to interrupt, just poke his head in and let Adenna know the council meeting was done, thanked Kyrie for coming to the Council meeting and that he was looking forward to working with her back on Carida as the investigation got underway. Tobias didn't know what the two were talking about- just slipping in and out. Calling out to Sandy in the Force, he imprinted an image of the spaceport to her- a message that he was back at the ship, but also that he wasn't in a rush- so- if she were to wander elsewhere, she was a Jedi Knight now- not tied to him or Adenna. He smiled at the memory- and looked around the spaceport. The YT ship- he supposed he needed to come up with a name- had the boarding ramp down and facing the Forest.

 

So he sat down, and pulled out the bottle from the bag he held. His brow furrowed as he was about to rip open the bottle- and got to his feet, he walked a few paces to the edge of the ship and lept up- calling on the Force to boost him just a bit. Sitting down- he gazed out into the forest, and toasted the twilight encroaching on this side of the world.

 

"I'm tired, Dahar. Why did you put me in that spot? Kirlocca, why did you reinforce that position? Darex, why do you have to be such a power-hungry politician? Sabatin-" His voice grew cold- but remained steady. "Why didn't you kill me before I came back?" He took a drink from the bottle. A very-berry taste- and the feeling as if a hovertrain slammed into his mind. Chuckling, he let the train hit him. More than that would have to get him intoxicated. He read the label- trying to avoid his datapads. So there he sat- legs crossed- talking to himself and the Forest beyond. It was good to just talk plainly, and not require conversation- just to let his mind wander and vocalize what was going through his mind. The droids didn't come out, and for that, he was also happy. He let his mind venture to the Forest with no real purpose or direction.

 

"There is no chaos, there is Harmony." Was another toast, and he felt comfortable saying that and braced for the hovertrain feeling. That aftertaste was- marvelous. It was a shame there were no rocks here to just throw out into the abyss.

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

No sooner had Darex’ words released her from his presence than Jaina went flying out of the chamber, down the convoluted system of ramps and staircases, and onto the grassy dunes above the beachhead that contained the landing platforms. Steeled against whatever eventuality she might uncover, she followed Skye’s presence to the Serenity, where she was setting up a stasis field around Tirzah. Jedi Master or no, the image that she beheld caused a quickening of her pulse and a sinking feeling in her gut. The girl’s vital signs were steady, aside from an elevated heart rate, but there was something unnaturally pale about her features that stole Jaina’s breath.

 

Her delicate curls stuck to her sweaty forehead, fearful features seeming more mannequin than lifelike. Laying the back of her fingers alongside the girl’s face, Jaina’s brow knotted in carefully controlled anguish, knowing far more than she would have liked to admit about the girl’s predicament.

 

“Have you ever felt the effects of an ysalamiri, Aelyn?” her voice came, far more controlled than she was expecting it to be. The surprise at the lack of tremor in her voice gave her pause, but when she continued, she turned to meet the apprentice’s eyes. “Did it feel the same?

 

Hope fled, but Jaina grasped its heel. She would do what she must, and Xae’s suggestion was beginning to take root. Perhaps if she had need to journey to Nhagathul, she might not need to go it alone.

 

Into the bond that she shared with Raynuk she delved. Surprisingly, she had found herself relatively unaffected by it for the most part since arriving on Kashyyyk. Either the bond itself had dimmed in intensity, or she had gotten better at learning how to control it. Without knowing whether words would carry across the ethereal nature of their bond, she nevertheless poured into it her vulnerable anguish, that weakness that she dared not show to anyone here, her Achilles heel that was somehow being used against her.

 

Tirzah’s gone…

 

It was all she could muster, even wordlessly, but it was all she needed to say, as her eyes turned back to the unconscious form of her daughter and her free hand clutched the dirty sleeve of Nhagathul’s robe.

[Aelyn]

Aelyn thought that she'd heard her father talk about ysalamiri once before, but wasn't really sure what they were. "Sorry, I'm not sure," she answered. "They felt like... shadows, maybe. Like not only were they not there, but the Force wasn't there." If that was how ysalamiri felt, she wasn't super excited to ever encounter one.

 

She put a hand on Jaina's shoulder. "Is there anything we can do for her? I want to help if I can."

 

For not the first time Aelyn suddenly wished she were more capable. She'd learned so much recently and she could already do a ton of things she'd never fathomed before. There was a real sense of danger surrounding what was happening right now, though, and she wasn't certain at all that she was equipped for it. Honestly, her biggest challenge so far had been dodging kinrath in a cave on Dantooine. There were a lot of other things she now knew how to do but she had no real grasp of just how far they would get her or if she would just end up getting killed doing something brash.

[Faux]

Faux's brow furrowed at the stranger's response, raising only more questions. What would a delegation from the Empire be doing at a memorial service for a Jedi? Did they have ties to these Jedi? And what was this Dark side that these Imperials may be exuding? It sounded ominous enough to account for the malicious feeling she experienced back on the landing pad, but didn't give her any answers. Further, this girl claimed to be a Jedi, but admonished herself not noticing the 'Dark Side' presence that Faux felt. Did that mean these Jedi were accustomed to sensing these sorts of things? Tie that with the capacity for remarkable healing, and what did it mean?

 

The monks back home were sometimes able to sense things about a person without touching them or asking a question. Just the way a person held their posture said volumes about their health to the monks, and a single finger on a pulse could map out a person's entire flow of energy. She had always been in awe watching them in their mastery, always asking them to teach her these tricks. But they would always smile knowingly and told her to keep practicing the fundamentals. Did these Jedi know even more than the monks?

 

"Oh, well...um, thank you." Faux smiled, clasping her hands in front of her and gave a courteous bow.

 

She looked around the crowd, featureless and nondescript. If this Jedi didn't notice the presence, would any of the others? The more she looked around the less possible solutions she found. Most everyone seemed preoccupied. She started wandering, not really sure where she was going or to what end.

 

Well...what now?

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

"That is the general feeling that ysalamiri give, but ysalamiri are a faint hope at this point," Jaina said grimly, "knowing where she has been taken."

 

A gentle touch on her shoulder broke her gaze upon her daughter, and she turned to meet Aelyn's concerned eyes. The confusion that leached into the Force was palpable, and as much as Jaina wanted to push away all responsibilities but the ties of family, some part of her acknowledged that she now had a job to do. Kirlocca had brought her onto the Council as one who had tasted darkness and chosen to walk away, such that she might palpate the darkness for its weak points, or prove to be more than simply a cautionary tale. Here, before her, there was an opportunity to teach, and the heart of a budding Jedi wreathed in compassion, willing to learn. Aelyn's demeanor in and of itself was a refreshing change from the bickering of the masters overhead, and her eager kindness did her credit.

 

"I'm sorry, I'm not making much sense, am I?" she sighed, shaking her head sadly. As Skye continued to bustle around the surgery, Jaina mounted an attempt to give some outlining explanation. "There is a planet that I only knew by the name of Nhagathul, and many years ago, when I was young, I was taken there. There was a darkness there, some kind of strange being. They called it the 'Dark City', and I only assume it hated the presence of light. Sith Lords used to hide out on the planet because if any Jedi came knocking, their souls would be ripped away from their bodies the instant they came within reach."

 

Glancing back down to the pre-teen on the stretcher, she gestured with a slight nod of her head. "Just like, it seems, happened to Tirzah."

 

Thinking once more upon the strange appearance in the midst of the council meeting, Jaina's brow knotted into a frown. "But I've never heard of Nhagathul extending its power beyond the planet before. And not only that..." Unfurling the sleeve she clutched in her hand, she held it in the light for the plain examination of the others. It was, to all observers, obvious that it was the heathered brown burlap of a traditional Jedi robe. "If I am correct, Tirzah may not be the only one captive on the planet."

 

Now come with me, Nhagathul...

 

A passing chill shook her shoulders as the woman's hissing demand filled her mind. The tawny fabric gave her some small measure of tactile comfort, proving that the sudden appearance of the hag, the woman, and the nursing infant had not simply been a shared hallucination. Filthy with oily ichor, it raised questions to which she had no answers, that which would only be obtained by a visit to the Dark City itself.

 

"Your insights serve you well, Aelyn," she continued, "but I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do here other than watch over her and keep her safe and comfortable."

 

Deftly folding the sleeve into a small square, she tucked it into a pouch on her belt. "These are uncharted stars," she added vulnerably, offering the apprentice a wan smile.

[Darex Trevelian]

Tobias’s sudden change in demeanor was disturbing. One minute they were discussing calmly the orders he had been given, orders which—if Darex’s senses served him well—seemed to be ones that Vos himself hadn’t really liked; and the next, Vos’ whole attitude had changed. The man slapped his hands down on the table, and stared right at Darex, a disturbing smirk on his face and the feeling of betrayal coming across through the Force. He snatched the datachip right back out of Darex’s hand, essentially telling him it was no longer his business—but the entire time leaving Darex wondering just what had prompted this sudden dramatic change. Had it been removing Vos from the Council? No, that couldn’t have been it, for it wasn’t as if there was any demotion happening—and a true Jedi didn’t desire power or authority anyway. Had it been Darex’s elimination of the role of Jedi shadow? No, it couldn’t have been that, either, for Vos had insinuated that it had been a role he had taken on with great reluctance.

 

When Vos placed his lightsaber on the table between them, Darex was even more surprised. Was the man really doing what it seemed like he was doing—resigning from the Order? He would have protested, but Vos didn’t give him the chance to interrupt. He merely said he’d continue with the mission Darex had given him, and then vanished.

 

Darex rubbed his hands over his face in exhaustion and puzzlement. What had that all been about? Was the man even still part of the Order? He had turned over one of his lightsabers—Darex had seen another clipped to his back when Vos had turned to leave—but also said he’d still continue on to Carida? What had been the significance of the lightsaber, then? He thought about chasing Vos down, trying to get a straight answer out of him, but after a moment, he gave up the idea. He’d speak to the others on the Council and see if they could give him some insight. For now, though, he supposed that was that.

 

“Back into the fire,” he muttered to himself. Vos’ actions proved one thing to him, however; if the man was really so changeable, he had made the right decision to not have him on his Council.

 

Rising to his feet, Darex gave a stretch, and reached out with the Force to his children. They seemed shaken, which was no surprise. Tirzah…she was simply gone. Concern he hadn’t been allowing himself to feel bubbled up in him; he needed to go check on his padawan, and the twins could join him.

 

The Grandmaster didn’t get very far though. Right outside the Council chambers stood Misal Draygo, one of the few sights in the galaxy that could give the Jedi Master pause. The few times they had spoken had been enough to give Darex a healthy respect for his best friend’s mother, and he knew she wasn’t a woman who beat around the bush. “Hello Misal,” Darex greeted her, coming up to her. “It’s been a long time. How is Armiena? I was surprised not to see her at the funeral.”

 

___

 

 

Meanwhile, the Trevelian twins had been hurrying around, asking everyone where they could find Tirzah. When they saw Grandma Skye rushing back to her ship, they followed. Now they stood at the ramp, their bright presences nervous for their friend. Alana, always the bolder one, finally reached out and knocked on the hull. “Can we come in?”

[Sandy Sarna]

Oooh that wasn’t helpful at all was it

 

Sandy bowed graciously, and attempted to not blush in embarrassment again, she pointed to Master Xae-lin-Ardel, an exorcist, “She may know more, as she is an exorcist and is far more in tune than I in feeling the dark side of the force. I apologize for my unhelpfulness.” She smiled slightly and ran off to hide her embarrassment at the whole situation waving goodby to Joelle. Through the force she could feel the turmoil echoing through the force from her old master Tobias and could feel the accent of the darkside slowly decreasing from the Jedi Council chambers. Whatever had happened it had shaken all of her friends.

 

As she walked the long pathway from the thick forest to the beaches, she practised her calming techniques, reaching out with the force to guide her thoughts and footsteps. With closed eyes she slowly walked away from the turmoil and the throngs of people at the funeral and made her way to the beach. When she felt the crunch of sand under foot she sat, pulling off her boots to feel the warm sand between her toes. She sighed and let go of the force, opening her eyes to see the beautiful beach before her. And him. The valiant Imperial Knight that she had scared away by so rudely interrupting his family gathering. Immediately she felt the blush pooling back into her cheeks and she looked around. They were alone, and he had probably felt her through the force.

Boy oh boy do I get myself into the crappiest situations there is no running from this now. You are a Jedi, act like it.

 

Swallowing her pride, she walked towards the young man skipping stones and bowed to Aidan when she was close enough to talk.

 

“I apologize for so rudely interrupting your family event, it was not my intention to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable. Do you mind if I join you skipping rocks for a while? You don't have to talk if you don't want to."

 

She had let her stupid heart do the talking back there, now was the time for her to use her brain. And she wouldn't blame him if he threw one of those rocks at her head. He was in turmoil and she had done the opposite of help. She reached down and found a sort of smooth rock and threw it into the tide where it skipped once and sunk. She laughed at the failure and searched for another one.