Keep Your Head Down

[Apillis]

"Just had contact with Master Ea. Says the Ubese is on the move. Update us more later on after observing more."

"Guess that means we're on the move. Wonder why the Imp' operative chose to pose as a Ubese in the first place. Sorta' stands out around here."

"To us, maybe. But it's a good cover in Imperial space according to Master Ea. Sith have hired Ubese mercs for a long, long time. So out here, it isn't that unique. The operative could do her job while appearing less significant than she is."

"Think we should do anything to help with the situation?"

"No, we would cause more problems than we would solve for Master Ea. All that's needed at the moment is observation, let Master Ea handle it. You and I have our own matters to do deal with right now."

*****

The constant winter's chill blowing through Mygeeto had always been a vicious one. Its surface covered only by ice and snow--the gusts of wind blowing through the city picking up tiny glistening flakes of ice always gave it sharp bite.

Within the year around winter covered city a spy game was being conducted between two oposing sides. The Jedi who had managed to sneak into the city wasted little time engaging their gambits to obtain the information they sought. It was unfortunate for them the SAI was on the ball in their game, managing to catch onto the Jedi's infiltration. The flaw was that while the supposed Imperial shuttle the Jedi used possessed updated security clearance navigation codes to enter Mygeeto and land in Jygatp; the shuttle lacked the additional security codes generated by the SAI, which Imperial owned vessel within Imperial space each possess but only SAI and those of the higher echeleons are aware of. Essentially a set created by 'big brother' within the Sith Empire via the SAI to more easily track those within their own sphere control.

Perhaps, however, the Jedi may have been counting on the SAI catching onto this. While the SAI were also at first ignorant to the fact it was Jedi who infiltrated Mygeeto's city, Jygat. The further problem arose when the three listening posts of the SAI within the city suddenly lost their secure communications connections, and each subsequent attempt to reestablish or start new secure communication lines have been quashed.

Initially what happened was when the SAI team went to apprehend those of the SAI unauthorized Imperial shuttle, contact was suddenly silenced with them. Only a minute after contact was lost with the team communications between all three listening posts was severed completely. Someone had sliced into the listening posts' communications systems directly, through their own line destroyed it from the inside out. Tracing the signal of the initial source code that ripped into and deconstructed the SAI listening posts' communication systems came from a couple of them SAI operatives sent to deal with the unauthorized Imperial shuttle.

It has since been deduced that the faux Imperial shuttle itself was not necessarily just a means to infiltrate Jygat city, but was a trap for SAI operatives that inevitably would have come to investigate. With communications severed between the three listening posts of Jygat, each has been acting blind to the movements of the other. Each time an operative attempted to leave a listening post to make contact with another--the mission has been immediately aborted as a Jedi makes it subtly known they are tailing them. In the meantime the precise objective of the Jedi appears to be largely unknown do to the SAI having been largely stuck in a game of Hide-and-Seek with the Jedi and been losing at it thus far.

The primary SAI listening post has been able to keep contact with SAI HQ on Mygeeto, and it was field operative, Glauruna, who contacted HQ once the problem had escalated to the point of being in the current severely compromised situation they are in now.

Protocol is simple for such a dire situation: contact the Sith for them to deal with the Jedi threat. Because the primary listening post managed to still maintain communication with the SAI headquarters of Mygeeto, Glauruna was to serve the arriving Sith as their SAI liaison, and allow them to use the primary listening post as their base of operation as they would be taking control of it.

The moment the Sith arrived upon Mygeeto within Jygat's spaceport, Glauruna dressed in her Ubese merc garb and a large vibro sword across her back--using the guise as her cover, was there to greet them.

"Humble greetings, noble Sith", Glauruna uttered respectfully through the audio of her Ubese masked helm. She stood above average height for a woman, standing around five foot eight, and much like Ubese women themselves her physique is lean and willowy. By all accounts she certainly looked the part of a female Ubese mercenary, "I am here to serve your endeavors in dealing with Mygeeto's current Jedi issue as your SAI liaison. I am Glauruna.

"I will take you to Listening Post 1020, where I am based. The two other operatives were assigned to the post with me were lost in the initial investigation. Whatever more information any of you have, I will gladly give once we arrive back at my post."

((Edit: Fix'd typos and whatnot.))

[sparrow]

Zarene Yin wore a suit of modified light recon armor, similar to those used by officers and scouts in the Sith army. Stripes on the arms indicating rank marked her as a captain, although in truth she held no official position in the Sith army.

Their shuttle had landed in an enclosed hangar, which save for the SAI agent dressed as a Ubese mercenary that had come to greet them, was occupied only by a few dock workers and staff. "We were briefed on the situation," she said as she approached the Ubese, skipping over the customary greetings, "But only the bare bones. I will need you to fill in the rest." She kept her faceplate lowered, but the audio systems in her helmet magnified her soft voice to an audible level.

"I have heard that many agents that attempted to travel between the posts in recent days have met unpleasant ends. But you are here intact. Is there any chance that you were followed." She did not want their presence revealed before she had more info on what they were dealing with.

[Hand Soler]

A voice sounded from the shadows. "Followed? Yes. By one of those fool complacent Jedi? No, but they are aware of what she is doing, you can guarantee that much," Irad said, stepping into the lights from a dark corner behind some crates. "But then, one has to wonder," he said, pausing with his arms crossed over his chest, one hand stroking the stubble that had grown on his chin since the last time he had bothered with his appearance.

"One has to wonder," he continued after a few minutes of silence. "Why on earth would a group of Jedi, three of them, in fact, be so willing to risk capture and torture or worse by hiding themselves away on a Sith controlled planet? What's more, why would three members of the Blades of the Order be willing to risk said occurrences. What is it that the Sith have -- aside from all the planets they control -- that would be so important to my former comrades?" he said, now stepping fully into the light.

Where once his hair would have been kept up in a tight ponytail, now it hung, limp and stringy, around his face. His eyes were shot through, pupil sclera and iris, with streaks of blood-red, and seemed to linger on each individual present as though suspicious of them. Clothed as he was, in the dark he would have been near invisible. The robes were similar to those worn by the Jedi save in one fashion: where the Jedi preferred whites and browns, these robes were blacker than pitch, and seemed to swirl around him as he moved.

[Rugs]

Nieraan hung back while Zarene engaged the Ubese in conversation. That was the plan, or it felt like it was anyway. Besides, Zarene was better for this sort of thing than he was, anyway. Still, he kept his ears open to the conversation, even as he glanced around the hangar they were in. Keeping up with what the situation was would probably be prudent, even though he doubted they'd be getting into the meat of things before they left to head to whatever post it was they were going to.

As he listened, though, his attention was largely elsewhere. Someone else in the place could use the Force. It wasn't Zarene or Torran; he recognized their signatures in the Force well enough. But someone else was around, probably thinking themselves sneaky.

Someone's snooping around where they don't belong.

With Jedi on the loose in the city, there was a real possibility that one of them might have decided to show up. It would be incredibly stupid of them, especially if they were alone as the sole presence suggested, but Jedi had done stupid things in the past, he supposed.

Still, whoever it was would have to be dealt with. Zarene didn't say anything or make a motion yet, so perhaps she was waiting to see what would happen. Maybe try to draw them out.

"Followed? Yes. By one of those fool complacent Jedi? No, but they are aware of what she is doing, you can guarantee that much."

Well I'll be damned, Nieraan thought incredulously as the figure revealed themself. That was easy. While the man rambled on, apparently unconcerned or too stupid to think about the risk he'd taken in revealing himself, Nieraan glanced subtly at Zarene from the corner of an eye. Her fingers moved slightly, in a way that was easy to miss for anyone that didn't know to look or understand what she was doing.

Nieraan knew both of those things, and he knew the signal.

Attack.

Killing him would be easy. Simple as putting a saber through his chest. But he'd learned that Zarene was more reserved, more careful and thoughtful than that. So perhaps he'd just incapacitate the man and they could interrogate him later.

As soon as the last word left the man's mouth, Nieraan acted. Lightning exploded from his fingertips, searing through the air between the two of them. It was a powerful blast. Strong enough to burn clothing and hurt incredibly. Strong enough to confuse and disorient, but not enough to kill. Not without prolonged exposure, anyway.

Fortunately for the man, that wasn't the plan. As the lightning faded from one hand, Nieraan's main saber came to life in a burst of brilliant gold. The Force was in his muscles, and with a burst of Force-aided speed, he moved to stand before the man, saber hovering an inch away from his throat and under his chin.

"Move, and I'll kill you," he said. It wasn't a lie. Nieraan looked with his yellowed eyes over at the other member of their group. "Torran, take his lightsabers."

Suddenly, one of the hangar doors opened and a group of guards came running in. Their leader was in an officers uniform, though a bit pudgier than he should have been. "I'm sorry..." he said when he got to Zarene, panting. "Slipped through before we could catch him. But looks like he's been taken care of."

[kt]

So far so good Torran thought briefly as he stepped off the shuttle, dressed in rather nondescript civilian clothes and a similarly fashioned cloak. Goggled eyes scanned the spaceport with mild disinterest as he made his way down the ramp a few steps behind Nieraan. While the Ubese woman went on to inform Zarene, a new presence was felt, one that didn't go unnoticed by Torran or the other Sith. For now the assassin would wait, wait until the unidentified being made itself known.

"Followed? Yes. By one of those fool complacent Jedi? No, but they are aware of what she is doing, you can guarantee that much,"

"........"

It seemed as though it were too easy, was this a trap set by the jedi or was this man really so bold as to assume walking in on three sith would be all nice and okay? With but the slightest hand sign from Zarene, the Kel-dor flew into action not but a blink after Nieraan, who had unleashed a bout of restrained lightning before launching at the man, saber at his throat.

"Torran, take his lightsabers."

Torran repressed the urge to chide Nieraan over telling him what to do but this wasn't the time nor the place to do so. With one lightning-fast motion, the assassin tore the two sabers from the trespasser's belt and keeping them held tight in an iron-like grip. He did this because he wanted to, not because he was told to, he would have to make that distinction clear to Nieraan later.

[Apillis]

"We were briefed on the situation. But only the bare bones. I will need you to fill in the rest. I have heard that many agents that attempted to travel between the posts in recent days have met unpleasant ends. But you are here intact. Is there any chance that you were followed."

Glauruna turned and tipped her head forward slightly as a small head-bow in showing respect to Zarene acknowledging her as though she were a superior officer she is contracted to, "Well--", she begun to speak but found herself interjected by an interloper.

"Followed? Yes. By one of those fool complacent Jedi? No, but they are aware of what she is doing, you can guarantee that much. But then, one has to wonder... One has to wonder..."

This Jedi is perhaps the biggest idiot in the Order, or the dumbest defecter in the galaxy... maybe the universe...

...

...

"Riiight, as I--", Glauruna was about to speak again after the nimrod interloping Jedi decided to stop talking for several minutes in the middle of attempting to making a redundant point.

"Why on earth would a group of Jedi, three of them, in fact, be so willing to risk capture and torture or worse by hiding themselves away on a Sith controlled planet? What's more, why would three members of the Blades of the Order be willing to risk said occurrences. What is it that the Sith have -- aside from all the planets they control -- that would be so important to my former comrades?"

"Oh for frak-sake, you have to be kidding me...", Glauruna grumbled while facepalming utterly amazed by how idiotic this Jedi was.

She then turned back to Zarene speaking just loud enough for her to hear, "He is not the Jedi that has been following us forcing us either to retreat... or disappear altogether.", she explained, "The only one we were aware of... until now... was that particular one that has been tailing us, but we were uncertain how many others there were--we estimate a few. Honestly, I'm not willing to bank off of the word of this guy, either.

"But, the one repeatedly following us we know... or at least think we do going by their MO. Which is the one-armed Jedi Master, Ea. Who has been a thorn in our side for years, even back to the Aristocrats days. The MO matches Ea's latest discriptors since the war started up: missing left arm--no cybernetic replacement, Miraluka, openly tails us to force use to fall back or eliminates us or remains hidden, pending the circumstances. There's not many one-armed Miraluka Jedi Masters who specifically targets SAI agents.

"And to be perfectly candid, I don't know if Ea followed me here. Maybe, maybe not. It's more difficult to tell if you're being tailed by a Jedi than an agent. But, if Ea did follow me here... this guy is the dumbest frakking Jedi I've ever heard of."

With both hands she adjusted the visor of her Ubese helm to get a good look at this silly Jedi interloper. She then stated, "This guy... I don't know what to say... I mean... he's next to worthless to us. Think about it, he may give us some insight about what Jedi he's aware of that are here. But, so what? By his own admitted ponderings he doesn't know what they're after. If he's trying to infiltrate us, well, that's stupid--because we may as well just execute him now. Or he's stuck in a position of us seeking to rip information from his grey matter... no matter how little it maybe.

"If he's defecting... it's even worse. If Ea did follow me, the Jedi now know he's defected. So it makes him especially useless to us, because now we can't use him to infiltrate his 'comrades' to relay information back to us on their positions and goals. At best he's just an extra sword arm if he truly is defecting."

The agent again then turned back to Zarene as if turning to a Sith military superior whom she is contracted to, "Ma'am, how do you suggest we proceed?"

*****

"Qur, just got word from Master Ea... seems we have a defecting interloper. Sending holo images now. One of our own..."

"Why reveal himself openly like that?"

"Probably a mixture of stupidity and lack of foresight. Relay the holo images to Republic intelligence. They'll get it to the Order."

"Affirmative. Did Master Ea say how we should proceed next?"

"Yeah, we move on listening post 02 immediately. The Ubese agent is from the primary listening post, we want to avoid that now as that might be where they'll go next. They seem to have brought in a high ranking officer and two Sith... Sith security seems to be on the scene there, too. Maybe to deal with the defecter."

"Ha. Maybe we should send the Sith a beer in thanks for dealing with him for us, then."

"My thoughts exactly."

[sparrow]

Zarene looked the newcomer up and down as Glauruna spoke. He was scruffy and disheveled. Had she encountered him anywhere else she might have mistook him for some bum. She waited for Glauruna to finish.

"Interesting. You're either extremely foolish to have revealed yourself in this way, or there's something that you want from us badly enough that you would take such a risk." She took one of his sabers from Torran, examining the handle. "But that doesn't matter now. What matters is what you could possibly offer us right now that we would be inclined to keep you alive. Speak quickly."

Wait... If the security here had been lax enough to allow one in, it was possible that there were others. She turned towards the dock manager, who was standing idly by his console. "Lock this place down. Now." She motioned towards the security officers that had stumbled in after the bum. "Close the hangar doors. Nothing gets in or out. And you, Doe, sweep the room. Make sure we don't have any more of these Jedi lurking about in the shadows. I want this place clean." Zarene tapped a button on her armor, and the eyes of her mask seemed to glow faintly as the helmet's IR vision interface switched on.

[Hand Soler]

He shrugged. "Eh. Doesn't bother me any," he said, raising his hands out to the side, the sabers flipping out and into the approaching Sith's hand. "And honestly, I don't see any reason why I should fight you, when after all," he said, and a cold chill seemed to creep into the air as he drew himself up.

"I have knowledge on the three that are here, knowledge only someone that has spoken with them and spent time training and learning with them. Yes, I was a Jedi once, I admit it. Once. I was weak, careless... too terrified of true power to realize what measure could be attained by letting go."

He lowered his hands. "I tasted that power once, and that single taste was enough to keep me thinking when I was so weak and hungry for the approval of those I THOUGHT to be my peers that I returned to their foolish ways." He shook his head. "I was blind. But now, thanks to a... a now dead friend, I can see the truth again."

He opened his eyes. "While you may think I'm nothing more than a simple sword arm, there's more to me than meets the eye. No, I don't know what they're after. But I can give you names. Names that might get you answers as to what they might be grouped to come after."

He shook his head. "I'm just here because I was sent along as, as you called me, a sword arm. I'm a master of the Niman and Jar-kai styles, with a fair hand in Ataru as well." He smiled. "But there are other things I can do as well. It's your choice what you do. But I will tell you this. There are those that have tried to kill me from time to time, but none of them have succeeded. I tire of the garbage one has to go through to learn more with the Jedi. There is not enough power in those tired old tomes they spend lifetimes studying.

"I want more."

[Rugs]

Nieraan didn't move while the exchange between the Ubese woman, the idiot of a man, and Zarene played out. As still as he was, he could have been a statue, were it not for the movements of his head and eyes, flicking back and forth between the gathered beings.

The Ubese woman claimed she didn't know what was up with the idiot. Nieraan was inclined to believe that, but who could say in scenarios like this? Zarene ordered a shutdown of the hanger and for Torran to be sure the area was clear. Nieraan remained where he was, lightsaber still hovering an inch from the man's throat.

For someone who was quite literally an inch away from death, the self-proclaimed Jedi didn't seem very concerned about himself. You keep acting like I'll move this lightsaber, he thought with a sour sort of amusement as he watched the man shake his head while he spoke. I'll throw your corpse out the side of this building once you've killed run your own throat through.

When he was finished making his plea, claiming that he was a potential ally, and that he wanted the power of the Dark Side, Nieraan looked to Zarene. And then back to the man, and then Zarene again.

"I don't trust him," he said flatly. "It's too easy. He just shows up, conveniently wanting to join us and rat out his Jedi buddies at the same time?" He'd seen similar traps unfold back in his gang rat days on Metellos. Offer a truce, send a mole or defector with the promise of information. Plant the wrong evidence, or gain the other side's trust and then lead them into a trap.

"I say we tie 'im up and deal with him later. Search him to make sure he doesn't have some comm or tracking device on him," he said, turning his gaze back to the man. Sparks flickered around his empty hand briefly, threateningly. "Or take him back with us and see what he really knows."

[kt]

(If anything in this post is not okay, please notify me and modifications shall be made.)

Doe, sweep the room.

With a silent nod, Torran clipped the remaining confiscated lightsaber to his belt and began a slow, measured pace away from his associates. I say we tie 'im up and deal with him later. The kel'dor couldn't help but agree with Nieraan's proposition of detaining the would-be defector now and dealing with him later. If the man truly was sincere about joining them, then he would agree to their terms, silently, Torran hoped.

Melodramatic speeches aside, the Initiate continued his walk around the circumference of the hangar, expanding outwards with the Force to aid in his search for anymore unwanted guests. Minutes of scanning past as Torran found himself on the other side of the hangar, something having caught his attention, if only slightly. There was a subtle ripple in the Force, it was faint, so much so that he almost missed it. A precautionary hand hovered inches from his lightsaber, ready to strike if someone was indeed here. Keeping his lightsaber close, Torran kept the possible presence in the back of his mind, continuing his walk around the perimeter, his feet going slower than before.

[Apillis]

"Something's wrong."

"What is it?"

"I can't feel Master Ea's presence in my mind anymore. And the link between our comms has been severed."

"Then we need to double our efforts."

"You continue for Listening Post 02, I'll head for Listening Post 03."

"I don't think that is wise. We should stick together and remain with the plan. Master Ea likely devised our plan around such an eventuality."

"We don't know that, and this feels different than the past."

"Master Ea was your master, you should know better than either of us. You need to trust your master."

"Spare me the lectures. Master Ea can't have planned out every little detail. It's time to improvise."

"Telk, this is stupid. We need to stick together!"

*****

Impulsive...

Through her Ubese helm she looked about where she stood analyzing her surroundings. She then looked to Zarene to make mention, "Are the air ducts and maintenance routes connected to the hangar apart of the same lock down sequence?"

Turning her gaze downward as she crossed her arms taking on a thoughtful posture she remarked, "If Ea is here watching us. We have to think like a spy. That's how Ea works, like a Republic spy. Not surprising considering how often Ea's operations were tied with Republic Intelligence. Ea likely adopted many of their methods."

She then glanced observantly at those present and once more at her surroundings, then back to Zarene, "Speaking as an SAI operative. If someone was aware of my presence as I was spying on them, I would immediately drop everything. Cut my losses, cut off communication, and evacuate the vinicity and restart my efforts elsewhere.

"The longer we stay here, the more my Listening Post is vulnerable. With each of the three Listening Posts communication with one another having been severed, I cannot speak for their current situations. Whether or not they had even been targeted, I don't know.

"So, speaking as an operative. After cutting my losses here do to threat of discovery--where should I turn my attention next to to mine for information on my marks? The next most vulnerable areas... ones that lack communication."

[sparrow]

She slowly scanned the room, looking for anything out of place, anyone attempting to hide in shadows. Nothing. She switched off the IR function in her helmet and her vision returned to normal.

"Are the air ducts and maintenance routes connected to the hangar apart of the same lock down sequence?" the Lieutenant asked. A strange question. Why would they not be? Zarene motioned towards the dock manager standing at his terminal. "Are they?"

The man looked nervous. He had likely come in that day expecting another quiet boring day at work. He hadn't expected to be caught in the middle of a conflict between Jedi and Sith. "Y... Yes," he stammered. "It's... standard procedure. We comply with all the protocols set by SAI!" Zarene nodded. "Yes, of course." Why would the Lieutenant have asked a question like that?

The Lieutenant suggested a return to her Listening Post, but Zarene shook her head. "No. I've been told you've already lost two posts. Is there anything in the third that they could not have gotten from the first two? I won't move out in the open with insufficient information, especially not when we still have this loose end to tie up."

She drew her blaster from its holster at her hip, pointing the barrel directly at the captive Jedi. "You're not being very convincing," she said flatly. "You want more? I don't care. I don't need another sword arm. And even if I did, I don't want yours guarding my back if you're just going to stab it as soon as you hear another offer promising you more."

"We are going to try this one more time." The metal end of the barrel was positioned only a few inches from his forehead. "Let's start with your name, and then the names of these Jedi, and then everything you know about this Master Ea and his friends."

[Hand Soler]

His eyes went cold, and one single eyebrow went up. "Your threats don't impress me, Dark Sider. But as for more information, that much I can give you. First, it's Master Ea and HER friends. I, personally, am Irad Demiar. Once Knight of the Jedi Order, but now, just the name.

"The Jedi you face are three. Jedi Master Ea, one-armed swordsman with a penchant for acting more like Republic Intelligence agents than a Jedi. Ea's a Miraluka, and technically considered a bit... grey. Her entire purpose as she sees it is to blind SAI and the Sith Military by proxy."

He paused, folding his hands in front of him, seeming to nearly vanish into his cloak. "Then there's Jedi Knight Telk. Human, Ea's Padawan, been with her pretty much since she became a Knight. He's a bit impulsive, and all about proving to her that he can be just as powerful a Jedi as she is.

"Then there's Knight Qur. That one... He's inseparable from Telk. Bit more level-headed than Telk, and has the utmost respect for Ea. However, he too is prone to impulsiveness from time to time as well."

He stopped talking, seeming done, and then he smiled. "However, there's a weak link. Telk. He has... feelings for Ea, feelings that aren't reciprocated. That can be exploited to remove him from the equation, if handled correctly. The three of them work well together though, so you would need to isolate him from Qur before doing anything. Qur acts as his counterbalance with this group of three, and you've got bad news with them being assigned to this backwater world."

He shrugged. "That's about all I can tell you, honestly. Though as I said, Telk might be manipulatable, and if you can get him separated from the rest, he can be completely removed from the equation. However, I will say this," he said, raising a hand, one finger pointing skyward. "Do not engage them in a pitched battle unless you feel confident you can defeat them. They are all THREE skilled duelists, and their skills with a saber... Hehehe."

[Rugs]

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Nieraan snorted once the Jedi had finished running his mouth. He was confident in his own skills as a duelist, anyway. Torran was decent, and Yin had unorthodox methods, but he imagined she was capable.

Besides, they were on their home turf. It wasn't as though they weight they could bring to bear against the three Jedi was limited only to themselves.

The question mark, at least in his mind, was still this man. If he was silly enough to go waving his arms around while a lightsaber hovered not inches from his throat, could he really be trusted?

And even if he's telling us the truth, how do we know it's not part of some plan?

Curiously enough, it didn't feel like the man was lying, but Nieraan still decided to take the approach of not trusting him farther than he could throw him.

Again, he looked to Zarene. She'd taken the lead. He'd see what she did with the information given to her.

[Apillis]

((Short post!))

"Why are you keeping silent, Master...? What's happened?"

*****

This is becoming problematic...

Glauruna while she had a severely low opinion of this 'Jedi' before them, some of things he related to them she could not deny. It fit after all, blind the SAI, the Sith military's eyes beyond the battlefield in front of them are if not blinded--at the very least--quite dimmed. But there is a little more to it than that, for really--the SAI often finds itself babysitting the Sith military, often cleaning up after it for the mistakes it is prone to making by way of being victim of the Sith Empire's own culture. In fact, the SAI even has agents who devout themselves entirely to such managerial tasks. Pitty those poor bastards.

"Ambitious of Ea...", Glauruna remarked, "I thought you said the Jedi were 'complacent'... But stabbing at the eyes of the Sith military, while acting with all the paranoia of a spy... There's nothing complacent about that. Which means, we should act accordingly to such a target working against us, rather than being dismissive. Underestimating an opponent via a commonplace stereotype... I can't count how many agents that has gotten killed."

The agent stood there pensively for a moment, "I suppose... the presence of the two Knights, one being her--... uhh... Padawan? Those are Jedi apprentices, yes? If one of the Knights was her own... then that could work to your advantages if I understand it right. Correct? I have to concede ignorance in the ways of the Sith's conversion methods through the Force."

She then turned back to Zarene, and with a respectful tilt of her head, she stated, "I still standby my previous counsel, irregardless. But, let it not be said that I disobey orders from my superiors. By your lead, what do you suggest?"

[sparrow]

Her... So Ea was a woman. That was an interesting detail that Zarene had not known. But perhaps most important were the names. With the names, she had something with which she could use to search through SAI's extensive databases, retrieving any information that the agency had acquired on them over the past decade, perhaps more. Yet at the same time, something just as important was missing, any hint of their current location.

"No, I don't think so," Zarene said after a long pause. "There's no reason to go immediately after Listening Post Three when One and Two have already fallen. Our ship has plenty of communications equipment for us to set up a temporary command post here."

She turned towards the docks master. "I need your fastest speeder here on stand-by. And sent one of the communications officers here to me. I need a line to the city's chief of security." The man nodded quickly and ran off. As he left, Zarene reached up to remove her helmet, as she gestured to the others towards the ship's boarding ramp.

"I can't strike until I know where they are," she mused to herself as she walked up the ramp. "But in the meantime, I can take back all three listening posts. Don't have to to do that myself, not when I have the city at my command..."

The communications officer arrived a few moments later, getting to work quickly. A minute later, Zarene sat in her chair in the communications room on the ship, with a hologram of the city's police chief standing before her. He was a bit skeptical about her authority at first, but his eyes widened slightly as he saw the series of identification and authorization codes that sent him, and he quickly stammered out an apology.

"Don't need an apology, just competent performance." Zarene said curtly, and the man in the hologram nodded and his face immediately became stern and businesslike. "I need a squad at each of these three locations," Zarene continued. "Sending the coordinates to you now. They are to secure the area around each of these locations. Should they encounter any jedi, they are to attempt to them hemmed in and to track and report their movements, but they are not to engage until Force-user backup arrives." She gave Onin and Doe a sideways glance. "That's you."

The man turned and began barking orders at an unseen subordinate when the hologram flickered out. "Onin, Doe, do whatever you need to do to get ready," Zarene said as she spun her chair around away from the communications console. "And Lieutenant, see what else you can wring out of that man, Demiar. Knowing that one of the knights has feelings for the master is good. Knowing anything about their current locations in the city would be better. He has to know something."

[Hand Soler]

Irad simply chuckled, spreading his hands wide with a smug look on his face. "You don't need to go trying to 'wring' information out of me, when all you have to do is ask me questions, and I will answer to the best of my ability. I have no love for the Jedi Order, and especially for the overzealous and yet overcautious fools that make up the Blades. Zeal coupled with caution makes for slow progress, if any, in my experience."

He dropped his hands, his eyes closing as he exhaled sharply. "As for where they are in the city... last I was aware, only Qur and Telk were within the city. Ea.... I'm not so sure on her. She's a strong one, and more than capable of hiding herself from the Force." His eyes opened. "Sensing others through the Force was never my strong suit, much to my own chagrin on several occasions."

He chuckled again. "Though I can tell you that if she has been foolish enough to allow herself to be separated from the other two, it's a bad day for her. While she is a skilled duelist... Well. With one arm, it kind of ties you up if you have to rely on your only hand to wield your saber, wouldn't you agree?" He went silent again, his eyes expectant, standing rather confidently, even though he was still staring down who KNEW how many armed individuals, and with no weapons of his own. At least.... no physical ones.

[Rugs]

{IIiiiiiiiiii've forgotten what's going on, so here's a fluff post. Enjoy?}

Nieraan stood quietly, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. Lots of talking, lots of waiting. Too much, for his tastes. But preparations had to be made, especially without knowing everything they needed to about the situation. At least the promise of some action was near. So he could deal with waiting. For the moment.

"Not much I need to do," he muttered, shrugging slightly. "Might take a few more men, if we really need to secure the place. " He had his blades, he had the Force. That was all he'd need for this. Just that and information on the situation and the Jedi they'd be dealing with.

But that was where the stupid Jedi that'd come bounding in on them came in. If he can be trusted.

He listened as the Lieutenant fed back what the Jedi was saying. One thing was for certain about Demiar--he was more than willing to spill whatever beans he had on his former comrades. Whether an earnest attempt to gain the Sith's trust or some attempt to set them up, Nieraan wasn't sure, but he took the information offered. With a grain of salt.

"Two inside the city," he muttered, "but Ea off in hiding somewhere. Perhaps staying back to try to cover them somehow. Or," he snorted, "maybe this guy just doesn't know what he's talking about."

[Apillis]

((Short post))

Glauruna remained silent for the most part. She stood quiet and motionless for a trice while the Sith and the foolish Jedi defector spoke amongst themselves for a time. But upon their discussing how to respond, it sounded like a lot of indecisiveness to her. She arched a brow under that mask of hers. She did not expect young Sith to hesitate, she expected command and diving headlong into a situation. She saw their caution as either being a boon or a bane given the current situation.

After hearing Neiraan speak, she then chose to humbly add what insight she could offer. After all, while the foolish defector while able to give insight into the identity of the three Blade members in Mygeeto, he had nothing to offer as to what they were doing. So, she mentioned this, "If they are operating under the usual Republic Intelligence spy protocols--while Ea is out and about spying on us... even to the point of eliminating my comrades while they operate in the shadows. The two others will likely be striking at the Listening Posts to pilfer whatever it is they are after. One serves as the simultaneous distraction and iron fist, while the other two do the leg work. It has proven to be a sound modus operandi for Republic Intelligence in the past. Though, they do not usually use it on the SAI, because we would expect it, but then again... they are not Republic Intelligence--they are Jedi. We would not expect such methods from Jedi. And that if I had to venture a guess, that is likely what Ea is banking on."

Gazing off a bit thoughtfully, Glauruna crossed her arms under her chest as she remarked, "Maybe... if we under-cut the two Jedi hoofing it doing the operation itself... it then also undermines whatever Ea's mission is. It will give us an opportunity to learn what it is they are precisely after.", she shifted her weight from one leg to the next as she went on to say, "Albeit, if I'm wrong in my estimations--it could all go south very quickly, leaving us wide open to disaster. And I have no interest in being buried in an unmarked grave beside my comrades. So, by your lead..."

[sparrow]

((sorry about the delay. last 2 weeks have been extremely hectic for me))

Zarene sighed as she hunched over the communications console. "Take back the listening posts. You've said that. Many times, in fact. That's why I'm taking back all three at once." She paced across the room. "Let those Jedi show themselves if they dare," she whispered. "I'm ready for them."

The console suddenly flickered to life once again, projecting the holo-image of one of young squad leaders that had been sent out to secure the area around the listening posts. He spoke quickly, going straight to the point. "Commander, we've sighted the jedi. Sending the coordinates now."

"How many?"

"One. Maybe two. It's hard to tell for sure. The boys are being cautious, don't want to get too close."

Zarene nodded. "Don't lose them. I'm sending people your way." The console fell silent as she turned towards Onin and Doe. "Take them down quickly. Capture one alive, if possible. But whatever you do, make sure they do not escape."

Now was the worst part. Waiting. Waiting and uncertainty. Two Jedi, which meant that the master was still unaccounted for. All she could do right now was attempt to constrict she movements, systematically rule out places where she could be. If Doe and Onin could indeed capture one of the jedi, perhaps it would force her to reveal herself and make a move. Perhaps.

But what if she actually was with the other two? Would Doe and Onin be able to hold back all three, even with the assistance of the security forces?

Too much risk.

As the two Sith departed, she turned towards the Jedi defector. "Demiar, you want to prove yourself to us?" This was a big risk too. Sometimes you couldn't make any move without taking a large risk one way or another. Acting with incomplete information... it made her uncomfortable, on-edge. "I'm giving you your sabers back." She hoped desperately that this was the right play. "Follow them, but hang back. You're the only one here who's ever interacted with Ea before. I need you to watch for her. Make sure she doesn't get the drop of us. If she's out there somewhere, I need you to find her."