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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jan 10, 2010 21:26:08 GMT -5
The floor gaped. Ka saw Astrin slip, her white cloak flaring then disappearing into a gray smudge in the distance. A passageway, through so many floors--the Tiss'shar tried to move out of the way, but the hole opened up with the same unstoppable mechanism the door in the wall had. She had to forget about Kyla above as she scrambled to get to solid ground--
and didn't make it. She fell. She scraped her claws along the rock, and the dirt pushed painfully under her nails, but to her own surprise she skidded to a stop, spread-eagled in the vertical pit, looking up at the narrow opening to the Audience Chamber. She moaned and looked down, unable to see anything below herself. Where was Astrin....?
She looked up. "Kyla, can you hear me? See if you can toss anything down, or, or get help!"
There wasn't enough time to think about why this had happened.
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Post by surfersquid on Jan 11, 2010 19:13:03 GMT -5
Kyla scrambled onto the ledge, pulling herself up with her knee and her arms before rising shakily to her feet, putting out her hands in order to feel where the walls were. "So far it just feels like stone," she replied. As she spoke, however, her palm brushed against a block that pushed back into the wall, and there was a distant rumbling that startled her, followed by a more nearby rumbling. Cautiously, she turned to see Astrin's Force presence retreating rapidly, and Ka moving about in a frenzy. "What's going on?" she called down to Ka in response to the Tiss'shar's call. Something had gone wrong, she perceived that much from the way the Force was agitated. Kyla suddenly felt terribly alone, trapped up in this alcove of stone. "I don't know if there is anything around here..." she replied further. Nothing that she could see easily, at least. "I'll try to find help!" She didn't know how far the passageway extended or where it went, but it seemed like her best option. If only there was some way to contact Master Skywalker, or one of the other Masters, or, or...anybody. Kyla couldn't do anything about this except make her way slowly and feebly down the passageway, feeling the wall carefully with her hands, each step placed with caution as she wasn't sure she would feel solid stone beneath her feet.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jan 13, 2010 0:10:38 GMT -5
Luke Skywalker sensed a disturbance.
He looked up from the datapad he had been reading as he went over training schedules in his office with a few of the other Masters. They also twitched as if irritated. It was hard for Luke to ignore the sudden feeling of panic from the apex of the temple. He had not planned for his students to be in any danger! They should have found the hidden passageway that lead to the roof of the temple, and meditated there. Sometimes the roof granted visions.
But this...
He stood up. "There's been some trouble." The others nodded, barely needing his words. "Master Horn, come with me."
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 14, 2010 3:12:22 GMT -5
Epsilon woke to the sound of his hyperdrive warning; he had arrived at Yavin. Now all he had to do was find his brothers and retrieve HHIR-9/20.
Epsilon focused on landing his ship just outside the Jedi temples guard perimeter. No need to let all his stealth technology go to waste because someone spotted the shimmer of his shields.
“Haidric? Are you here yet?” Epsilon asked over his encrypted com-link once he landed. There was still enough sun out to give him a nasty burn if he left his ship un-protected, so he spent his time switching his com-channel to his body suit’s helmet. His brothers didn’t share his sensitivity to UV light, but they had been designed for different skill sets than he had. Phax had been breed for tracking Force sensitives and Haidric for mind influence, even to the point of convincing the mind of physical pain.
“We’re here Epsilon. So how do you want to go about doing this?” Haidric’s voice asked. “I want Phax to try and pin point her. Once we know where she is, I want to find out who has been around her. The fewer people who know about her, the better.” “Sure, but what about any Jedi masters who have talked with her? I’m good at mind swipes, but not that good.” Haidric cautioned. “It won’t matter if we do this right.” Epsilon waited a beat. “I’m still waiting Phax.”
“She’s in the lower levels. Some kind of cavern system beneath the temple.” “Alone?” There was a short pause, followed by a quickly added, “It would appear that way. There are two Force signatures closely associated with her. They don’t feel like knights, so they’re probably other students.” “Are they close enough to where we can get to them without trouble from the local saber jockeys?” Haidric asked. “Hard to say. One is close enough to the temple caverns that we might be able to make contact quietly.” “And the other?” Epsilon asked charging his sidearm. “Looks to be near the roof. Not the most accessible of targets if you ask me.”
“Haidric. Do you think you could do a little…persuading for our wondering student?” “A little toying with reality?” Haidric was smiling, Epsilon could hear the slight hiss between his enlarge canines. “Something to convince our roof bound student to think twice of staying there. Make the lower levels feel safer. Fear works wonders, if applied properly. Make it…convincing.” “Am I allowed to add a little more incentive if our little candidate turns out to be a stubborn one?” Haidric asked darkly. “As long as it gets the job done and doesn’t kill the target, I could careless how you do it. Now lets get moving. I want to be off this planet as soon as possible.”
The hunt was on. It would be interesting to see how their prey reacted…especially HHIR-9/20. Astrin.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jan 15, 2010 0:33:15 GMT -5
Kyla hung spread-eagled in the narrow tunnel. She heard movement above, but after Ka's reply--
she felt herself slipping. Dirt caught under her claws as she scrabbled for purchase but kept falling. The walls whipped by and she felt vertigo clamp its scaly hand around her stomach--
she clenched at the rocks, slowing her fall, working on an instinct she didn't know she had--
and landed on all fours on a solid, slightly tilted, dirty floor, fell, scraped an elbow, and rolled, and sat up, dazed and bruised but alive. She looked around, blinking dirt out of her eyes.
"Astrin?" _____________________________________
The Masters Skywalker and Horn ascended to the Grand Audience Chamber as fast as the turbolift would take them, arriving at the double doors in a flurry of cloaks. The ground had been churned up by an open pit. As Corran looked down it Luke moved to the wall where Kyla had gone. "Kyla?"
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Post by Morndakiél on Jan 15, 2010 11:09:37 GMT -5
Darth Ruen could sense Kon's base motives, the selfishness that drove him. That would make him easy to manipulate. She could dangle power like a morsel on a string.
But she also saw some of herself in it. Why had she left the order except to make her own life easier?
"Good...." She put a hand on his shoulder, barely touching him with her long nails, and steered him further into the base. "You should make a useful apprentice. But first--" the touch withdrew and she held up her hand. "You must complete a task for me. One my <i>bumbling apprentice</i> failed to do completely." Tranner came quickly to attention and jogged over to them. Ruen continued, "The Jedi Temple is guarded, but not from all points, not at all times. Tranner, you will teach this Twi'lek..."
"Kon, m'Lady,"
"You will teach him to Force push. Not far from here there is an entrance to an underground cavern that leads all the way to the caves beneath the Temple. You will clear its entrance and travel that way--the passage is too small for a speeder, but it will get you right underneath our foes. You will attack the superstructure of the building itself--the columns and stones anchoring it. If Jedi arrive whom you cannot handle...run. Now is not the time to get yourself killed out of stupidity."
***
Even used to Ruen's blunt statements, he was surprised at both her words and her plan. Of course the Jedi would sense them! Of course they wouldn't be enough to overpower Jedi Masters face to face. Better to teach Kon more about stealth. Ruen must be delusional, thinking more of herself and her meager forces than was practical.
He tried to hide these thoughts from her and wasn't sure he succeeded.
When she dismissed them and gave him the coordinates for the cave systems, he indicated that Kon should walk with him and headed for the door.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 15, 2010 12:23:29 GMT -5
Astrin had been exploring the caverns trying to find a way back to the surface when she thought she heard a thud from the tunnel behind her followed by an echoing call of her name. It sounded like Ka. Had she fallen through the same opening as well? And if so…why had it taken her so much longer to get down into the caverns.
Turning on her heels, Astrin ran to retrace her steps. When she did reach the main entrance she found Ka a bit shaken but okay despite the fall. “Ka are you okay?” Just as she asked the question, she felt a sensation of being under threat. Surprised by the alert, she opened herself to the Force trying to determine what the threat might be, it dawned on her that it was a sensation all too familiar. Seekers!
With the distance being so great Astrin was unable to read their thoughts, but their thrill of the hunt was strong in the Force. ‘Are they here because of me or because their on a raid for more Force users?’ Astrin didn’t dare wait to puzzle their intended target. She and Ka needed to get out of this labyrinth and get back to the Jedi masters.
“Ka! Ka, we need to leave now. We need to get into the main temple and find Master Skywalker.” The tone was soft and even, but the note of urgency has tainted the façade of calm. At least, Kyla was out of their reach.
*** Epsilon was treading through the undergrowth, irritated by the slow progress when he picked up the thoughts of sentient beings nearby. Initially intending to go around the nuisance, he paused when the detail of entrance to the Jedi temple crossed his mental radar. That piece of information would be very valuable. Making a quick scan of who his possible resource was, he was mildly amused to find the thoughts to belong to a group of Sith.
‘Well, well. Skywalker had better keep an eye out.’ Epsilon thought to himself. ‘My brothers and I aren’t the only ones eyeing your precious little academy.’ Slipping between the foliage, Epsilon emerged from the shadows just a stone’s throw away from the one named Ruen. Despite his black body armor and helmet, stepping into the light always had a momentary flicker of hesitation. Pain was a harsh teacher, but her students learned to avoid future mistakes. Epsilon had learned long ago to be weary of his environment.
“That is an interesting plan of yours if I do say so myself. Perhaps we can work together to accomplish our goals.” He greeted the Sith with a nod. “Epsilon!” Phax barked in his helmet. “What are you doing?” “Taking advantage of an opportunity.” “Does that include blowing cover?” Phax growled. “Easy Phax. What kind of advantage Epsilon?” Haidric asked. “A quiet entrance to the temple and a diversion once we’re inside.” “I still don’t like it.” Phax snorted. Haidric just chuckled.
Looking directly at Ruen, Epsilon waited for a response.
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Post by Demarion on Jan 15, 2010 14:44:49 GMT -5
"Yes, My Lady." Kon said obediently after Darth Ruen had finished speaking, laying her tasks at hand. The red-skinned Twi'lek followed Tranner at his beckoning, their boots clicking on floor of the ragged temple. He sensed ever so slightly that the Togruta was shocked or irritated at the Lady's words, but Kon had no idea why. Was Lady Ruen a difficult woman to serve for? She seemed certainly commanding, but most leaders were, he knew that well.
Her methods? Kon didn't know anything about the Jedi Temple, or whatever it was she was saying. Maybe it was a poor plan? He was lost in thought that he didn't catch when Tranner was speaking to him. Kon apologized and asked him to continue.
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Post by Morndakiél on Jan 16, 2010 12:18:52 GMT -5
As she looked at the man standing silently in front of her and her students walking away, for a moment she felt her plan's death knell. She hadn't sensed these people--and there were more than one; the one who had snuck up on her so neatly was talking into a comm, silent but giving its telltale clicks.
She drew herself up and looked imperiously at the black-armored man (creature? it's Force sense was strange, unnatural.) "You dare invade my sanctum and invite yourself along into its mysteries? Explain yourself, or face the consequences."
And she could always skip the talking part and go right to the smacking...
***
Tranner put a hand conspiratorially on Kon's shoulder, not thinking about how new this all must be to him. Tranner's empathy sense was a bit lacking. "Ruen sounds good, but it's all pose. We need her now, but afterward...would you rather serve the Sith or lead them?"
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jan 16, 2010 12:31:45 GMT -5
Ka stood up with Astrin's help and looked around the dank cave. It appeared to have begun natural but been added to over the millennia so that people could walk relatively comfortable on its tumultuous surface. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, helped by Astrin's bright clothing. She looked at the other girl with fear and wonder. Astrin's tone was even, but with an undercurrent of urgency. There was more going on here than a problem with the flooring. She followed Astrin's lead. "Why, what's wrong?!"
Of course when she actually had an adventure she didn't have her bo staff with her.
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Post by Demarion on Jan 16, 2010 21:22:01 GMT -5
Kon's lekku twitched at Tranner's words. So there was something he had felt from the Togruta. A bit of animosity, perhaps?
The Twi'lek grinned slightly, baring neatly pointed teeth. "I would think the answer to that would be obvious. However," his smile faded, "I still need to be trained more if we plan to go up against her... if that's what you're implying."
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 17, 2010 0:22:49 GMT -5
“Oh no my Lady Ruen, you misunderstand my intentions.” Epsilon cooed lowering his head conspiratorially. “My brothers and I have no quarrel with your kind or desire to ruin your plans. In fact your success only helps us with our mission.” He smiled at her evaluation of him. “You’re analysis is very accurate. I am a rather peculiar creation and quite unnatural. Like you, I prefer the realm of shadows.”
He stalked closer until they were an arms distance from each other. His senses alert for any thought that would betray her intention of attacking him. “My name is Epsilon. And like you I don’t much care for Jedi.” He nodded to the Temple. “I’m merely desire to acquire my targets and leave.” He tilted his head back at the Sith master, a confident smile on his lips. He’d complete the mission regardless of what the Sith replied, but it would make things a little easier if she cooperated.
*** Astrin paused for a beat as she turned to look at her friend; the light reflecting off the pools were casting erratic shapes over her scales. What’s wrong? There was a lot behind that question so she forced herself to simplify it down to the bare minimum facts. “Do you remember when I told you and Kyla that I wasn’t ashamed of my past? Well a bit of my past is now on the hunt here on Yavin. There are three Seekers coming to either kill or capture targets here. I can’t read their thoughts because they are too far out, but they are looking for someone here in the temple.” She looked up at the stone ceiling. “I don’t know how to get back in the main temple though.”
Astrin looked back hopefully at the other student. “Please tell me you know how to get out of here.”
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Post by surfersquid on Jan 17, 2010 2:29:35 GMT -5
As Kyla stumbled around in the stone void, not really wanting to see where it went because every step was taking her further away from familiarity, she saw two bright Force presences approach below her, and barely had to hear Master Skywalker's voice to identify him. She stopped cold and turned around. "Master Skywalker?" she called back tentatively. This had stopped being fun. Astrin and Ka were gone--they seemed to have fallen through the floor or something, judging from how their Force signatures had moved. They could be hurt. Kyla was lucky that she hadn't been down there. Then again, it had been her fault in the first place; she had accidentally pushed the lever.
"Master Skywalker, what do you want me to do?" Kyla shouted. It was the best she could think of to say at the time. Perhaps there might be some advantage to her being up in this ledge, and the best course of action would be to wait for further instruction from someone who knew the Praxeum far better than she did.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 17, 2010 12:34:10 GMT -5
Phax hissed a sigh of frustration as he knelt in the shadows at the edge of the forest. He could feel the student up near the roof. She, as it turned out, gave off an interesting signature. For some reason it registered in his mind like tidal waves, rolling out to her surroundings and returned only to repeat the cycle once more. For a moment Phax wondered if she was a seer. He only remembered having met one in his childhood. Their births were coveted since they were a very rare skill set. If trained properly, their blind gazes could see far more than just those around them in the Force.
“What’s wrong Phax?” Haidric asked at his side, interrupting his thoughts. “Jedi are closing in on our target near the roof. She’s staying put until they find her.” Phax whispered. Haidric studied his brother’s face for a few seconds before frowning. “There’s something else you’re not telling me. You have that look on your face that says you feel something interesting.” “I think she’s a seer.” Phax replied dead pan, not taking his eyes off the temple.
Haidric’s eyes widened. “Well that is a sweet prize. How do we get to the gem I wonder?” “As I said, she’s not moving. She’s waiting for someone to find her.” Phax muttered leaning back on his heels. “I don’t think she’s been here on Yavin long. She feels frightened.” Haidric huffed. “Is there a way we can get in without detention?” Phax closed his eyes, trying to get a mental picture of the temple’s tunnel networks. “Us? No. We’d be spotted too easily if we tried to enter the main temple, but there are tunnels on the level our seer is on that lead out of the temple itself.” Phax opened his copper brown eye to look back up at the temple. “If she went down one of them, it would take her out into one of the near by courtyards.”
Haidric’s looked at the temple questioningly. “Why have tunnels that lead outside your temple?” “They were for the builders. Excess stone or building materials were thrown down those access ways, so they wouldn’t take up working space. It doesn’t do us much good though if the seer will not move.” Haidric snorted. “Oh, I’ll make her move alright. Give me a moment to get a lock and I’ll motivate her to come our way.” “She won’t be able to see your illusions Haidric. She uses the Force as her eyes remember?” “All the more reason she’ll believe them. Force illusion against Force sight.” “Don’t scare her too badly, Haidric.” Phax said, surprised by his sudden concern for the girl's welfare.
“Going soft on a target are we?” Haidric teased. “I’ll scare her until she does what I want. If I have to, I’ll add a bit of sensation to it to make it feel real. Pain gets a response one way or another.” Phax didn’t argue but Haidric could see the tension in his posture that he didn’t like his answer.
Haidric smiled a feral smile that matched the illusion predator he was sending after his target. If she didn’t move quickly enough, it would give her a mild taste of its phantom fangs. Best she not wait around for that to happen.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jan 17, 2010 12:57:33 GMT -5
Ka tried to do what she thought a Jedi should do--calm down and categorize her emotions. She took a few shallow breaths. She felt fear, excitement, and...was that a grudge? A little thought that maybe if Astrin hadn't shown up and brought her retinue of bad guys with her, Ka's life could go on as usual?
But there wasn't anything "usual" about life as Jedi. This was exactly the kind of adventure she had always wanted. And it was scary...
but she had to prevail and act confident, or else she'd be letting herself down.
But she had to say, "No...no idea. I didn't even know these tunnels were down here. Ah...let's start wandering..." A question popped into her mind that she thought might sound stupid but also was appropriate. "Do you have any, er, weapons?"
***
Luke sighed when he heard Kyla's hopeful reply. "Come back down, please. We need to find the others." He turned aside to Master Horn and said quietly, "Find Kam and scout out the jungle. These tunnels may come out." Would going down there be the best thing? Maybe it would--who knows what the students could come across.
Of course, leaving them would teach them far more than the apex would...
Yoda would have left them.
But he could sense darkness, a real but undefinable threat.
Maybe there was a middle ground. He knew one location that might lead to the two. "Kyla, how do you feel about going on a mission with me?"
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Post by Morndakiél on Jan 17, 2010 13:35:32 GMT -5
'Unnatural' was a word that could mean many things, but Epsilon's desire to find his targets was a more understandable one. She said,"Explain to me who your targets are, and then we shall see whether I shall let you pass. One more ally against the Jedi is not something I will decline."
***
Tranner laughed softly. Kon may not know the ways of the Force yes, but he knew conspiracies. "I am simply implying that there are beings who work better alone. And you will receive more training." Another tight smile, but here was where he was a bit frightened; Ruen had far more experience teaching than he did. Kon might switch sides again.
But he would deal with that when it came.
He forged through the jungle, looking for the tunnel...then sensed Ruen's anger in the distance. He had known there were people talking to her, but hadn't known they were...knew. He stopped, struck with a sudden suspicion.
"Kon, did you bring anyone with you?"
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Post by Demarion on Jan 17, 2010 14:17:00 GMT -5
Kon stopped short as to not run into Tranner. "No... I traveled alone. Which now... in hindsight was a bad idea." He tilted his head quizzically at the Togruta.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 18, 2010 0:10:39 GMT -5
"My main objective is to capture a Jedi student by the name of Astrin." He pulled out a data clip and activated a holo image of a pale skinned humanoid, with peaked white hair and deep crimson eyes. "She will being wearing protective gear to protect her skin from UV light." Epsilon informed as he pressed the device a second time to change the image to one he had stolen from the medical center's security cameras of Astrin in her white robes and gray cloak.
"She is the main target." Epsilon said closing the image. "There are two other students that have caught our interest. I don't have much detail other than their Force signatures." Allowing her momentary access to his own thoughts, he gave her a glimpse of the students signatures looked like in the Force before shielding himself once more.
"I'd prefer to have all three as my prize, but no sense in allowing greed to tarnish a mission." Epsilon concluded. "So. Have I passed your little test?"
*** Open as she was to the Force for threats, Astrin picked up on Ka's thoughts and grimaced behind her mask. It was probably true that she was the reason trouble had come their way, but how was she going to fix it? She mentally shook the thought away and focused on Ka's question. "Sorry, but I don't. I haven't received combat training yet." She replied apologetically. "Do you have a comlink on you? Mine broke after I fell through the trap floor."
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Post by surfersquid on Jan 18, 2010 15:39:11 GMT -5
"I'll try," Kyla called out to Master Skywalker, "but it was pretty high up and--" She interrupted her sentence with a scream. Something large and glowing with malevolence had just appeared in front of her, blocking the way back to the main room. "M-Master Skywalker," she whimpered, backing away from it, "th-there's something up here..." How had it appeared so quickly? There were no side passages, as far as she could feel. But she sensed and saw it as clear as any other life signature. And it seemed hungry.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jan 19, 2010 22:28:15 GMT -5
Haidric smirked at the seer's reaction to his illusion. "Phax, where is the nearest exit to her position?" There was a short beat of silence followed by, "Not far. Just keep pushing her to the end of the tunnel and get her to turn into the first nook on the left. Its wide open and not too steep that she'll hurt herself on her way out of the temple. The courtyard has enough cover for us to collect her without too much risk, but we'll need to move fast."
"Sounds good to me." Haidric concentrated on his illusion. It was one thing to make the mind see an image but the real magic occurred when you added those fine little details that made it oh so believable. The distinct rasping scrap of claws against stone, a moist heat to imitate breath, and the earthy scent of fur. Haidric made his predator let loose a snarl and began to advance. Its jaws snapping at the air hard enough for its jaw to sound like a steel trap clamping shut. Occasionally he'd make the animal swipe out with its claws to add emphasis, but he never allowed the strikes to land.
"How are you going to make her turn into the nook?" Phax asked watching quietly from the sideline. "You'll see." Haidric muttered. When the seer was in position, he'd make his illusion crouch for a forward lunge. She'd have to dodge and fall into their trap. Haidric was looking forward to it already.
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