Retracing Steps

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

The Jedi Weapons Master Teer Ka stood in the entry to the cockpit of the Jedi shuttle she'd been riding on for the past few days, staring out the canopy at the world hovering below them. It wasn't as dark from orbit as it was on the surface, she knew that much from reading. It was mottled greens, blues, and whites. But the surface was black, grey and hazy with bioluminescent plants providing what little light there was. Oh, Teer didn't seem studious but the Togruta Master was extremely thorough in her missions. Preparation was essential to completing her task.

Other Jedi were another complication. It wasn't that she was incapable of leading or arranging work as a team. She was a natural leader in fact, with years and years of experience. But in this case secrecy was for the best, and with four people... Secrecy was a little harder to maintain. She was certain with a little time and herself she'd be able to accomplish her mission goals alone, but with her Padawan and two extra Jedi...

She started to lay out the facts in her mind. The Jedi Shadow Mansu Ryn had been here on Umbara, pursuing a Dark Jedi. He'd been making progress, and then his reports had stopped. That meant something had gone wrong. The fact he'd been out of touch long enough for the Order to assemble a search and rescue mission meant things were serious. He'd been on the trail of something sinister.

Four Jedi. Two objectives in her mind: find Mansu Ryn, and hunt down the Dark Jedi he'd been after. Completing his work and retracing his steps respectively. She'd simply have to divide the team of Jedi for both objectives. Now who was more qualified for which job? Both had a degree of danger... Locating his target would be safer than rescuing him, if he was still alive. And since Teer had a Padawan to worry about, that seemed the natural place to start. Yes. She and Sirius Kelrune would finish the Jedi Shadow's work while the other two Jedi would find and rescue him.

Umbara loomed closer, and the pilot turned to face her. "Master Ka, we are beginning our approach now." His voice was calm and even, simply reporting a fact. He had no concern or worries about the mission, knowing his task was almost over.

"Very well. Summon the others to the briefing room, I need to speak with them."

"Yes Master Ka."

Teer turned on her heel and moved back down the corridor and swept into the small briefing room, robes billowing behind her as she found her way to a seat and settled down into it.

Once the others arrived she'd brief them on her plan.

[avoim]

May the Force be with you, always

Walking into the room, Nicholas’ robes were billowing, he had his Lightsaber on one hip and his black vibroblade on the other. He would notice the other master assigned to the mission, the leader for this team, he’d show proper respect for her and bow to the Master. “Hello Master Ka, sorry that I have been silent this long trip from Coruscant, but I have been in deep meditation. Are we nearing the planet? I was summoned by the pilot to the briefing room.”

This would be the first mission he’d have been sent on in a long time, and he was a bit out of touch with the planet Umbara, so he thought it’d be a smart idea to spend as much time meditating in his cabin letting the Force teach him as much as he could about the planet, or what the Force could imprint on him, the emotions of the planet its nuances that only a Jedi Master could feel. Nicholas then took a seat that was available and waited for the other members of the team to arrive.

Whilst he waited, Nicholas got up once and that was to head to where various refreshments and foods were and he picked up a small bottle of water made of plastic. Before returning to his seat he’d speak to Master Ka again “Master Ka, would you like anything whilst I’m up?” should she say no he would simply return to his seat and open the bottle taking a sip, if she said yes then he’d ask what she wanted and provide it to her should it be in the plasteel refrigerator then taking his seat once again.

[/blockquote]

Master Betulia, Avoim Oeymo, Mizuno Betulia

Jedi Master Guardian of the Jedi Order, Grey Jedi for hire, Republic Fighter Pilot

post template made by and © to avoim of Star Wars Universe RP

[Ghostie]

Sirius was already in the briefing room when Master Ka and Master Betulia entered. He had been sitting with his head in his hands, going over different files about lightsaber combat on his datapad. He had done nothing but read and practice during the whole trip. Sirius was restless, but he blamed his nerves. After all the last time he went after a dark jedi, he lost a master. And he had never fought a dark jedi in actual combat. He kept telling himself that this was what he wanted to do now, but now that he was going to be staring death in the face, he wasn’t sure. If he became a Jedi Knight and fought dark jedi like Master Ka did, would it always be like this? Always facing death, always putting yourself in danger? Sirius didn’t think he was ready to face death just yet.

Sirius looked up as the two Jedi Masters entered the room. It must be time to go over the mission. He powered down the datapad and put it in his lap. He didn’t want Master Ka to know that he had been going over Soresu moves. She had been trying to teach him Djem So since day one, but Sirius figured that against a dark jedi he would need both defense and the style he knew the most about. Soresu fit the bill.

“Hello Master Ka, Master Betulia. Need me for something?”

Master Ka looked as she always did, straight faced and calm. Even though she was getting older, those who underestimated her usually turned out to be wrong, as she was one, if not the best Weapons Masters Sirius had ever met. Not to mention at times she seemed to have the strength of a wookie. Being the Jedi Master with the most experience on this mission, she was in-charge. Sirius would definitely be sticking close to her.

Master Betulia though… well, Sirius didn’t know what to think of him just yet. Master Betulia had been distant to just about everyone during the trip. He was the first Jedi Sirius had ever seen carrying a melee weapon other than a lightsaber. Sirius made a mental note to ask him about it, and see if he would be willing to teach Sirius a thing or two about swords.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

“Hello Master Ka, Master Betulia. Need me for something?”

Master Ka nodded as she folded her arms and began to speak about the mission.

"Yes Sirius. Throughout this trip you have been fully briefed on exactly what we are going to be doing, but now is when you learn how, and what each person's part is in the plan."

The imposing Togruta pulled out a datapad from her belt and started to glance over the notes the missing Jedi Shadow had left behind, the catalogs of his steps.

"Mansu Ryn was onto something here, and his notes indicate he had suspicions about the industrial district of this capital city. You and I Sirius, will retrace his steps and work to track down his quarry. Undoubtedly he is being held by them, unless of course they've killed him. When we have confirmed their location, we will call on our fellow Jedi to join us in an assault on the enemy. We'll find this nest of vipers, and eliminate it. Fast, and hard."

Master Ka looked around the room with her jet black eyes, scrutinizing every face...

"Any questions?"

[Reemu Kraj]

Why is it that whenever there is even the slightest hint of quiet a gong has to ring in my ear like an incessant child? Grimacing slightly, Reemu adjusted his posture, scanning the cantina he was sitting in for signs of untoward activity. Having just finished a mission in the quadrant Reemu was contacted by the Jedi Council and told that his help was requested on a mission in the capital city of Umbara, one of the worlds in the system. Apparently a Jedi Shadow named Mansu Ryn had gone missing while on the trail of a Dark Jedi, and while a team had already been dispatched to locate and rescue him it was decided that additional help was a good idea, hence Reemu's involvement.

Sitting quietly in the otherwise bustling and active cantina, Reemu pondered the information he had been given by the council. Master Ryn's trail had gone cold after it was beginning to look as though he was making progress in tracking the Dark Jedi he was seeking. The simple explanation was that said progress resulted in Ryn locating the Dark Jedi, and that the Dark Jedi had either captured or killed Ryn as a result. There are other possibilities, but it seems fruitless to speculate further at this point. I'd only be running into theoretical dead-ends.

A series of beeps and vibrations alerted Reemu that his communicator was receiving a transmission. Apparently the Jedi team that had already been dispatched was nearing the planet. Sighing slightly, Reemu stood up and swept out of the building, leaving a smattering of coins on the table as payment for his unfinished drinks.

While hiding in plain sight was often a valid approach to communications that shouldn't be overheard, this mission potentially reflected a Jedi's life being at stake and as such Reemu had no desire to allow a spy or even an unsuspecting passerby to hear any relevant details. Slipping into a deserted corridor off one of the dirtier streets, Reemu leaned against the wall and opened his communicator, punching in the frequency for the incoming Jedi Shuttle.

The device beeped and whirred as it attempted to connect with the vessel, leaving Reemu to his own thoughts once again for a moment or two. I sense an unusual amount of fear and aggression in this city. That will make locating this Dark Jedi more challenging, assuming they managed to cover their tracks after encountering Master Ryn. Retracing his steps is a potentially strong first step, though perhaps the leader of this team the council has dispatched will have different ideas. I'll soon see.

[Ghostie]

The mission seemed pretty simple to Sirius so far. Sneak in, grab Mansu Ryn if he was still alive, kill the quarry the Jedi Shadow was tracking down, and walk on out. There were rumors of what exactly Mansu Ryn’s quarry was. Sirius had talked with some the crew of the shuttle and they thought he was tracking down some dark Jedi. If that was the case, Sirius wasn’t sure how well ‘eliminating his quarry’ would be. He had never fought a dark Jedi before, and his last encounter didn't end well. Sirius wasn't sure if he could do it or not.

“Sounds simple enough Master Ka, but I have a few questions. One, are the rumors true, that Mansu Ryn was tracking dark Jedi? And two, if Master Betulia is are only other Jedi, why doesn’t he come with us?”

Just then, the comm on the table Sirius was sitting at went off. It as tracking a call coming from the planet itself, not the pilots in the ship. Who could possibly want to talk to the Jedi? Mansu Ryn was last reported captured, and they would know otherwise. The general populace wasn’t suppose to know that the Jedi team was coming either.

“Who could possibly want to talk to us…?” Sirius wondered out loud.

He got up and stretched, the datapad falling off of his lap and clattering to the floor. It didn’t matter much. He reached over and activated the comm., waiting for one of the other Jedi to begin talking to the mysterious caller. Hopefully, one of them knew who it was.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

“Sounds simple enough Master Ka, but I have a few questions. One, are the rumors true, that Mansu Ryn was tracking dark Jedi? And two, if Master Betulia is are only other Jedi, why doesn’t he come with us?”

"Yes," Teer answered, "He was on the trail of at least one Dark Jedi when he stopped checking in. And to answer your second question, we need someone capable guarding our only way off the planet. It would be a prime target for sabotage."

Nothing was too crafty when it came to Dark Jedi, they were cunning and dangerous adversaries, and they'd tried everything imaginable. Undoubtedly this was going to be an intense experience.

Luckily, intense experiences were where she thrived, and she was ready to see everything done that had to be done. No matter what that entailed.

Teer was the sort of woman who placed the mission above all else, including the methods. No matter what occurred, the Dark Jedi would be leaving Umbara in body bags. That was her way.

“Who could possibly want to talk to us…?”

Teer frowned. This was odd. "I don't know, but we'll find out."

Sirius activated the comm and Teer spoke into it.

"This is Jedi Master Teer Ka, who is this?"

[Reemu Kraj]

Reemu stood silently while the communicator continued to attempt to connect to its accompanying receiver, keeping watch on the entrance to the alley in which he had hidden himself. While he was sure that he had not been followed it never hurt to ensure that no accidental visitors found their way into his vicinity.

Never has expect the unexpected been so applicable.

Right on cue the communicator beeped loudly and crackled into life, signalling that the Jedi shuttle had accepted his attempted communication and was transmitting. A relatively gruff and clipped voice greeted him "This is Jedi Master Teer Ka, who is this?" Reemu frowned slightly at the sound of her voice. If Master Teer Ka was involved this mission was more dangerous than he was initially led to believe, given her reputation as a fierce hunter of Dark Jedi.

"This is Jedi Knight Reemu Kraj, the council requested that I lend you my services for this mission." Reemu debated apologizing for contacting them in such a fashion but decided against it, reasoning that they'd understand his desire for security given the sensitivity of the task at hand.

Pausing slightly before continuing, Reemu contemplated how best to convey his role in the proceedings to Master Teer Ka. Eventually he added softly "I am under your command, Master Teer Ka."

[Ghostie]

So it was true, there were dark Jedi. Sirius felt nervous and excited at the same time. This is why he came under Master Ka’s tutelage, to hunt the darkside across the galaxy. But the last time he encountered one, Master Wolf died. If a dark Jedi could take down a Jedi Master, what chance did he stand? Sirius knew he would be alright if he was with Master Ka, but there was still reason to be worried. A voice came over the comm. just then. It was a soft voice, quite as if he didn’t want to be overheard.

"This is Jedi Knight Reemu Kraj, the council requested that I lend you my services for this mission. I am under your command, Master Teer Ka."

Sirius almost smirked. The Jedi Knight had no idea what he just did. Master Ka was commanding and hard, and sometimes you didn’t agree with what she did or said. But you didn’t really have a choice in the matter. But there was another issue. Even Master Ka didn’t know who was calling in. So apparently no one had been informed of another Jedi joining them. How did the Jedi on the shuttle know Knight Kraj was who he said he was?

“Padawan Kelrune here as well. Not to be disrespectful, but how do we know who you really are? We’ve been informed there will be dark Jedi working against us, we just need to make sure.”

The shuttle had already broken through the atmosphere, and was approaching the city as they spoke. Sirius felt the weight of the shuttle switching from artificial gravity to the actual gravity of Umbara. Any minute now, they would be circling the city. As they approached, the connection to Knight Kraj became clearer.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

“Padawan Kelrune here as well. Not to be disrespectful, but how do we know who you really are? We’ve been informed there will be dark Jedi working against us, we just need to make sure.”

Teer patted Sirius on the back proudly. There was the keen mind she was honing, having him carefully work to verify such things. She whispered to him as she went to deal with the issue.

"Stall him."

The Weapons Master bustled over to the computer console in the corner and called up a holonet connection to the Jedi Temple's archives, which was no easy feat for a technophobe. Well, it wasn't so much that she feared technology, it was that she had minimal use and interest for it and in it. It was just a nuisance for her, but in this case it was valid concern.

She had to authenticate this Jedi, make sure he was who he said he was. And the first step to that was verifying there really was a Reemu Kaj in the Order. Luckily she easily had the authority to search a roster for his name.

She keyed in the characters of his name as near as she could guess, and looked for any results.

(OOC: Short. Sorry.)

[Reemu Kraj]

Reemu cursed at himself silently as the two Jedi who replied to his signal expressed legitimate concerns about whether or not he could be trusted. Why had he not thought of this before sending the message? True, it was unusual for the council to have not informed them that he would be accompanying them on their mission but Reemu knew better than to assume such things. Or at least, he usually did.

The only other possibility to the council having neglected to inform Master Teer Ka of his participation was that these two were imposters, which seemed hugely unlikely. They would've had to not only sabotage the shuttle but subdued one of the greatest Dark Jedi hunters in the order; no mean feat, to be sure. It would seem the council simply hadn't yet informed them, which was accompanied by its own set of inconveniences.

There's good reason to trust another Jedi. There's no reason whatsoever to trust someone who claims to be a Jedi.

"No offense taken, Padawan. Judging by your reaction it would seem the council has not informed you of my participation in this mission." Reemu frowned slightly, musing over the various options in his mind. There was very little he could do to truly verify who he was that wouldn't take more time than he likely had. Shrugging his shoulders slightly Reemu decided that the best course of action was to simply be patient. Either they would find some way to verify his legitimacy before landing or he would just have to wait for the council to contact them.

"I await your orders."

[Ghostie]

Stall the ‘Jedi Knight’. That was definitely something Sirius could do. Master Ka went over to a terminal in the room, Sirius assumed she was looking up just who this Reemu Kraj person was. Sirius took a second or so to run through different possibilities on how to stall him. Coming up with a few ideas, Sirius put them to the test.

“We’re having a slight… Bzzzzt… with the communication. Can you… Bzzzzt… while I try to… Bzzzzt… it?”

He had to be honest, for coming up with it on the spot, it was a fairly good static noise. Or at least Sirius thought it was a fairly good one. After all, he made it. He turned off the comm. and waited for a minute. He looked over to Master Ka, who was still hovering over the terminal. She hadn’t turned around yet or given any indication that she had found what she was looking for. Sirius would have to stall the Kraj longer.

“Alright I think I got it fixed now. Hey I got a question for you…”

And then Sirius started to mumble incoherently for a minute or so. Anyone who was listening wouldn’t be able to hear what he was saying. But Sirius knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the Jedi Temple and Coruscant, and how the city looked at night. It was the very first thing that had popped into his head. A few words popped up every now and again that Kraj would be able to make out such as ‘Jedi’, ‘Coruscant’, and ‘Lights’.

Sirius couldn’t keep stalling Kraj forever; he was running out of ideas. He might even need to open up the comm. and delve into it for the next trick he was thinking about. Luckily it didn’t come to that. Master Ka was finished, and she was ready to address Kraj. Apparently she had found what she was looking for. Speaking in a normal voice with no fake problems with the comm., Sirius moved so Master Ka could step in.

“And here’s Master Ka again. Talk to you later Knight Kraj.”

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer found her bit of information at long last, Reemu Kraj. A human Jedi Knight, with a section about his brief biography, and a picture. She committed every detail of his face to her keen memory, knowing when they arranged a meeting her life could very well depend on recognizing that face.

She committed another few details of his file to her mind, preparing to test him.

When it came to security for an operation, you couldn't be too careful. Danger was everywhere, and these Dark Jedi would try anything to foil the plan, including infiltrating. It was precisely the sort of thing she'd have done in their place.

Of course they weren't her, and not everyone had such a paranoid and wary mind. But that mind had kept her alive through easily forty fights with enemies wielding sabers. More if you counted enemies without.

In her estimation, those were the ones that didn't count. Only enemies of her caliber counted, enemies who commanded the Force. Those were her calling to face. Or had been as far as she could remember now. Since she was a Padawan.

Sometimes now she wasn't so sure. She was no longer young, if not quite old, and she'd raised up one successful Padawan to the rank of Knight. She still hoped for one more in the form of Sirius, but after she was satisfied with his progress, maybe it was time to ease herself out of the battle slowly and let the younger Jedi fight.

For now though, once more unto the breach.

Teer returned to the comm link and spoke up again.

"Knight Kaj, who was your master? Answer that question now, then meet us at the landing pad promptly." Where we'll see if you really are one of us...

[Reemu Kraj]

Reemu found himself listening to Padawan Sirius blather on about something in decipherable as the communication signal appeared to be intermittently cutting out in the midst of his speaking. When it did come through the young Padawan's voice was so low as to be impossible to discern what he was actually saying.

I suspect there's nothing of consequence hidden in what he says, though frankly it's hard to tell.

Declining to bother replying as the Padawan finally came through clearly, saying "And here’s Master Ka again. Talk to you later Knight Kraj.” The sudden re-emergence of signal clarity was suspicious to say the least, and Reemu suspected that they had merely been stalling while they did something in the background they didn't want him knowing about, but whatever it was, it was of no import to Reemu at this juncture.

Master Teer Ka's voice barked out yet again from the transmitter, as she asked a question and gave an order in the same breath. "Knight Kaj, who was your master? Answer that question now, then meet us at the landing pad promptly."

"My Master was Tey Horris. I will await your arrival at the landing pad."

Turning off the communicator and sweeping away without a moment's hesitation, Reemu headed out of the alley he had been hiding in and back onto the main street, moving swiftly towards the landing pad. No need to waste time, it seems as though Master Ka is eager to begin. Moving quickly but without haste, Reemu made good time through the capital city, quickly arriving at the landing pad the Jedi were expected to land at. Gazing up at the sky, Reemu positioned himself in clear view of the pad so that there would be no doubt who he was as they came in for their landing. There's enough suspicion on this mission already, let's not add more fuel to that fire.

[Ghostie]

Sirius didn’t think Knight Kraj seemed untrustworthy. But he didn’t know what to think about him really. And there was always the off chance he may be a dark Jedi planning to ambush Sirius and Master Ka. They could not let that happen. Master Ka may be an infamous hunter of the darkside, but even she could come down. Sirius couldn’t lose another master.

The ship passed through skyscrapers in the city and dived between lanes of traffic before making it to a rather mediocre landing pad. Walking down the landing ramp of their shuttle, Sirius scanned the platform for any sign of the Jedi Knight. The city was in a constant state of darkness, just like the rest of the planet. The city was lit up however, and it gave the impression of just a normal city at night.

There was only one person on the pad, so it was fairly easy to spot the Knight. With the shining saber at his belt and the presence Sirius could feel in the Force, this had to be him. Or his imposter. They still weren't sure. Or at least Sirius wasn't.

Sirius leaned forwards as they walked and whispered to Master Ka.

“It may be a little late to ask, but did the Knight answer the question right?”

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Master Ka stood at the top of the ship's ramp, gazing down at the night-shrouded landing pad around them. Perpetual night. Dark deeds for dark people, an appropriate place for a Dark Jedi enclave. However the literal darkness wouldn't disguise them, wouldn't hide them from Teer Ka's prying eyes. She was going to finish Ryn's work, locate the Dark Jedi and eliminate them. One by one.

Or en masse. It didn't much matter to her as long as the results were thorough. That was simply the way it had to be. As long as their were servants of the dark, servants of the light would have to wage an existential struggle to survive. That was the way of the Force. All that was left to the individual was to choose a side.

She'd chosen hers. They'd chosen theirs. Gone was the time for preparation, and the time for fighting was looming ever larger, dark as the skies of this world. There would be blood.

Sirius leaned over to speak to her, seemingly forgetting her hearing was much more acute than his own by virtue of her differing sensory organs. A very human thing to do. But she ignored that and instead focused on his words as she spoke her own reply in a soft tone.

"Yes, he answered correctly. But we have to be prepared for him to have been turned by them. Don't turn your back on him Sirius. You may find a knife in it."

Teer laid a hand on her Padawan's back for a brief moment before lowering it again and striding down the ramp and directly over to Reemu. She paused before him and pressed her palms together, bowing her head in a Togruta greeting.

"Knight Kraj," She began. "Let's dispense with formalities, we haven't much time time. One of our own is dead or held prisoner right now by a group of Dark Jedi. It is our task to find them, and I suggest we divide our efforts. If you have any suggestions to make, now is the time to make them."

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

(OOC: Hate to double post, but I have to keep this mission going for the two remaining people.)

Master Ka waited a few moments to allow the other Knight to speak, but it became apparent quite quickly that he didn't have anything to contribute, or that he didn't want to speak.

She could appreciate silence. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it though. She still didn't have full trust for him. It wasn't in her nature to simply trust him. She was a suspicious woman, and her experience had taught her that being careful kept you alive. Being sloppy and lax could kill you. She'd seen it happen before. She'd taken advantage of it.

And she wasn't about to give her trust instantly. His initial 'test' had been passed, but she still wasn't willing to fully trust him. On this mission the only people she could trust were herself and Sirius, her Padawan. The only people she could vouch for personally and attest were not compromised in any way.

A Jedi was missing. This wasn't child's play. Every single step was tenuous and had to be made with the greatest care.

"Very well Knight. We are going to Separate. You will scout the commercial districts. Reach out with your senses and look for odd businesses that could be facades. These wouldn't be the first to try it. Sirius and I will examine the industrial districts and look for anything amiss. Contact us on the comlink if you find anything. Now go. May the Force be with you."

Master Ka nodded her head to him as she turned and set off, trusting Sirius to follow.

Step by step, they left the landing pad behind, walking through the dimly-lit city streets, passing bulbous architecture that was extremely alien. The gloom was overbearing, oppressive even. It was early morning on the planet, though it was perpetually dark. The streets were deserted, and theirs were the only two figures.

As they carried on, Master Ka decided to strike up conversation with Sirius in her own slightly gruff way. Geared to prepare him for what lay ahead.

"Sirius, have you ever faced Dark Jedi before?"

[Ghostie]

Sirius found the perpetual darkness of the city, the whole planet, somewhat depressing. He couldn't imagine living in darkness his entire life. He had always grown up with a sun on Coruscant. Sirius began to think maybe he took something simple, like a Sun, for granted. The everlasting darkness gave the city a bit of an eerie feeling as well.

Master Ka and Sirius walked down one of the streets in the city, from the looks one of the main streets. It was early morning. Not a speeder flew by, not a pedestrian crossed the street, no shop was open. This only added to the eerie feeling Sirius had. He stayed close to Master Ka.

"Sirius, have you ever faced Dark Jedi before?"

Master Ka began to strike up conversation. Had he ever faced a dark Jedi before? Yes, he had. But it had not ended well. Sirius had once fought a dark Jedi alongside Master Kellar. He ended up losing his memory and gaining a permenant residence in the Healing Ward of the Jedi Temple.

“Yes, I have Master Ka. Once. It didn't go so well.”

They continued the walk towards the industrial dristrict, with a small breeze picking up and blowing through the city. Sirius tried to watch both sides of the street at once, just in case.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer stared at the buildings in silence for a moment with her jet black eyes as they crossed the threshold into what was obviously an industrial district filled with warehouses and factories. They were dark shapes, punctuated by the occasional light, but still dim, with uncertain sizes where they faded into blackness. It was an eerie place and an eerie time. The very atmosphere seemed dark and brooding.

Her finally tuned senses were picking up something. The taint of the Dark Side. This was a dark place. They were on the right track.

And it wasn't so surprising. The Dark Jedi wanted secrecy, a place where they could hide from prying eyes. Her first instinct for such a place had been warehouses. They could be converted for habitation easily for a small band, they provided anonymity, and they were free from scrutiny. On any planet the industrial areas were those least travelled, and they were generally cheap to obtain a space in.

Now the question was which warehouse. That was something she'd know at the right time, when the Force spoke to her.

In the mean time, she had a Padawan to prepare.

"When we face them I have confidence you will be ready. Your training has been carried out very carefully, and you have grown to be precise. I have confidence in your skills as a fighter. That isn't something I say lightly. But this will test your abilities."

With the praise over, the aging Togruta master began the real preparation. The discussion of the dark, the taint surely even her Padawan would be feeling, even if he couldn't place it.

"You feel how the air seems to be colder, the shadows darker? We're near them now. There won't be more than a dozen of them. They'll be isolated. Small numbers are harder for us to track. And easier for us to kill. When the time comes, follow my lead. And expect dirty tricks. They won't fight fair, neither should you."

Abruptly Teer pulled Sirius back from the light, dragging him into darkness by the warehouse, shoving him rudely around the corner as she peered furtively around it.

Her attention was met by the presence of a figure who stepped out into the light. He was wearing a black cloak, with two objects visible in his hand. One was a lightsaber, the other a comm link. He spoke into the latter as he looked around furtively, peering into the shadows where they were, but seeing nothing.

Master Ka couldn't make out his reply, but she guessed it was negative as he turned and headed back the way he'd apparently came.

Teer whispered a few brief words to Sirius in her slightly raspy voice. "A sentry. Now we follow him, quietly."

She took her saber into her hand and moved away from cover, a shadow, making no noise as she followed the man, closing on the moment to strike.

[Ghostie]

Master Ka was right about the surroundings. It was getting darker. The shadows longer. Some of the shadows of buildings or objects started to overlap, giving them odd appearances to making things look like they had two shadows.

It was comforting to hear her say that she had faith in his abilities to face a dark Jedi. Sirius wasn't going to lie. He was deathly afraid of what might happen. A dozen dark Jedi verses a Jedi Master and her padawan? Those didn't seem like good odds. Sirius would stick close to Master Ka and they would fight as a team, and hopefully they could come out of this okay.

All of a sudden Master Ka dragged Sirius into an alleyway and out of the light of the streetlamps and shoved him, rather rudely around the corner. He took a moment to recover from stumbling from the suprise, and was about to ask Master Ka what that was all about when he saw her peeking around the corner of the building. She must've saw one or more of the dark Jedi. Sirius stood next to the wall of the warehouse, leaning against it as if he was taking cover. Sirius did not know what was going on, but he heard some distant talking.

"A sentry. Now we follow him, quietly.”

Master Ka slipped out from the corner and sliently drew her double saber. Sirius followed suit, slipping his own silver hilt from his belt and following close behind her. The dark Jedi walked down the street. Occasionally, he would look over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being tracked. Master Ka and Sirius would duck into an alleyway or behind something such as a speeder when he did so. It was good a majority of the city was still asleep, as this whole debacle would look ridiculous to anyone who watched.

Inside another alleyway, hiding next to a dumpster, Sirius stood behind Master Ka as she watched the dark Jedi again. Sirius was getting annoyed at having to duck every few steps when the dark Jedi looked over his shoulder.

"When do we strike?"