Unheard, Unseen, Unfelt (Open)

[Regnier]

A whisper in a sandstorm. A shadow in a solar eclipse. A pinprick in a sea of burning pain. Something you could not hear, see, nor feel stood at the top of the steps leading to the Jedi Temple.

Waiting.

Watching.

A dark presence that was unknown to all that passed by, save a few of the more powerful Jedi, but they simply glanced around in confusion before continuing on. One passing Padawan was even touched by the presence, but the only sign was the paniced look on his face and the lingering taint where the nonexistant hand had brushed his shoulder. Another Jedi paused as a sigh came from the air itself, but only took a few seconds to contemplate before moving on. It had been almost a year since this same presence had laid foot on the steps of the Jedi Temple, but is had been many since it had not remained unheard, unseen, and unfelt by those that passed by.

Jedi. Littlings, Padawans, Knights, and Masters alike, running errands, rushing to training sessions, going out to settle a dispute, returning to debrief the Council of their progress, all of them oblivious to the danger that lurked so near. The Jedi have always been so blind...it was always easy to remain unknown to them. But this dark presence was not there to kill. It had purpose beyond pain, for the time being. There was something to be done, first, then it would bring death. But hesitation and doubt ran strong. Should it be done? Or would it be too much risk for too little gain?

And so, the Assassin waited. Silent. Invisible. Without presence in the Force.

Until someone bumped into the Cathar. She quickly regained control and returned to her nonexistant state, but the contact had broken her concentration for barely a second. But a second was all it took. Her presence spilled from the barrier she had created for that second, and every Jedi nearby almost immediately turned to face the invisible spot on the steps. Damn...that accelerates plans...

((Invaders! Invaders! Okay, only one...))

[projectsunfire]

Araon descended into the grounds and looked around.

The Disturbance he had felt was not overwhelming by anymeans, but its cold touch had been distinct. Something was here at the temple. Though it seemed to have gone, as quickly as it appeared.

The Jedi in the grounds seemed busier, and Araon stopped a padawan as she passed.

"Whats the matter? What happenned?" He said looking down at her.

"Master Araon, all I know is that I have been called to main tower today for lessons rather than the lower temple." She said, followed by a low bow, and went on her way.

Araon searched the grounds, something had surely been there. Something Dark. He was unsure, but it had felt very much like the presence within the Sith holocron he had destroyed, or the Sith Lady that had attempted to seduce him, in passing his last trial.

Yes, it had the feeling of a Sith. But nothing that strong in the force could hide itself here. Not within the Jedi Temple...


...Or could they?

Araon walked slowly into the grounds. He listenned to force, and let his empathic abilities sense all he came in contact with.

He felt for fear, anger, and hate. Unwanted, yet not unfamiliar.

[Regnier]

The stream of Jedi had slowed considerably. It seemed that they were taking precautions after the little 'mishap', and the steady stream of bodies flowing all direction had dropped to but a mere trickle within a few minutes. The only Jedi in sight were almost all older, and none were obviously Padawans. They were investigating the disturbance, searching half-heartedly. Unsurprising, as the Jedi would never believe a lone Darksider would walk through their front doors, yet they were an almost overly cautious group. Afraid. Cowering behind the more powerful of their vaunted Order. Dani wasn't surprised.

She still made it a point to avoid as many of the Jedi as possible; she recognized several of them, and knew they had brought out a few of the so-called 'big guns'. Being felt was the last thing she needed at this point. An all-out search would ruin her plans; she couldn't avoid the entire Jedi Order, but she couldn't exactly swath her way through either. For now, she simply did what she did best: make like thin air.

The Cathar strode cautiously through the entrance and slowly, though determinedly, made her way through the grounds of the temple. Something caught her attention, however, something...off. A Jedi, to be specific. But it wasn't the Jedi specifically that caught her attention, but rather what he was doing. He was quite obviously searching, but...not through the Force. Curious... She quirked her head slightly to the side and circled the Jedi from a distance, before closing the distance. She was not particularly angry or intending to cause harm, yet, but merely curious. She backed off a few paces down an empty hall, still facing the Jedi.

"Curious indeed..." Came the thick Cathar accent from an empty space in the hall, a whisper just loud enough to be understood.

[projectsunfire]

Araon had cautiously made his way to the entrance of the temple, still searching through his Zeltron empathy. His gate was long, yet slow, cautious.

He passed by a three meter tall statue of a Jedi Master, when he felt the oddest sensation of hunger. No interest, or perhaps curiosity. Centered on him. He halted his movement and looked around warily. There was no one close enough, or anyone even looking at him. It was disturbing to say the least.

Something unseen, unheard, elusive, yet undeniably there.

His eyes searched, yet there was no one.

He was about to turn and go back when his ears heard a soft whisper. "Curious indeed...". A thickly accented tone, in basic.

He searched for its source, yet there was no one.

'Direction, come on, direction.' He thought, and concentrated. Searching now not only with his empathic abilities, but with the force as well.

The feeling of interest was fleeting, but unmistakeable, and then it was gone.

Araon, had felt it, just close enough.

He turned down an empty hallway and removed his lightsaber from its clip. He knew he would need to be ready.

[Regnier]

An invisible hand raised slowly halfway down the hall and brushed the Jedi's shoulder through the Force, almost as if beckoning him forward. "Come, Jedi...am I what you seek?" Curiosity changed to a trace of amusement as the whisper sounded from the air again. Jedi could be so fun sometimes. Or, at least, as 'fun' as the Assassin considered anything. Again, a tug came on the Jedi's shoulder, nudging him forward. But the origin moved.

"Your senses will betray you, Jedi." This time, the voice was closer and nearer to the wall. "Nothing is as what it seems. Can you find a ghost, I wonder...?"

"More importantly, can you kill one?" Again, the whisper moved to the opposite side of the hall, though farther away this time. "For such 'passive' beings, you Jedi are always quick to assume an aggressive stance. So quick to assume the unknown is dangerous. Such fools...blind fools and hypocrites, every one of you..."

A faint click came from down the silent hall. No more was said and no more was done. The Assassin still had time to play with the Jedi.

[projectsunfire]

Araon, felt the physical force of somone pushing against his shoulder and he halted again. 'At least I know I'm on the right track. Let them think they are toying with me.' He thought. The brush was gentle, almost friendly, though Araon knew it to be nothing more than a game. Could he be so sure this was a sith?

"Come, Jedi...am I what you seek?" Came the soft whisper, accented with... 'Cathar. They must be a Cathar.' He realized, yet he hid his triumph.

His empathic abilities sensed amusement, but not from where the voice was coming from. 'Oh yes, you like to play games.' He thought. Again, a tug came on his shoulder, nudging him forward. But the origin moved. Not however, where it was falsely leading him. He could nearly sense their location now. Their glee bringing him closer, and closer to the true position.

"Your senses will betray you, Jedi" This time, the voice was closer and nearer to the wall. Came the whisper. "More importantly, can you kill one?"

Again, the whisper moved to the opposite side of the hall, though farther away this time. "For such 'passive' beings, you Jedi are always quick to assume an aggressive stance. So quick to assume the unknown is dangerous. Such fools...blind fools and hypocrites, every one of you...".

Araon smiled his most gentle smile, and spoke. "Indeed, Jedi are not all seeing or all knowing. The force can hide, as well as reveal." Araon stepped slowly forward still useing his empathy as well as the force to feel for his Companion.

"Blind though we may be to you... You are no ghost." Araon closed his eyes and concentrated on where the Cathar was. Yes, he could empathically sense the amusement, the perverted joy of toying with ones pray, yet they were still hidden in the force.

"Quite an interesting skill you have." He calmed himself in the force, and listenned, eyes shut. Not for voices, but for the sound of soft boots on marble.

Then it came to him. Perhaps he was going about this the wrong way. He openned his eyes and waited.

[projectsunfire]

Araon felt an emotion, hard to place. The closest word to describe it, was indecisiveness. Now was the time to bring his "Companion" out in the open.

He began to impress an emotion of security, upon the intruder. Hopeing that they would feel safe enough to reveal themselves, to him. The least he would have, would be a look.

"You have great skills of infiltration, Cathar. Though I am confused as to your purpose. Surely if your intentions were peacefull you would have presented yourself to us openly rather than hideing. Or do we scare you perhaps?" Araon sensed for the intruders emotions, for the tiniest inkling of fear. His skin began to glisten with sweat born from concentration. Was the intruder concentrating this hard as well?

[Regnier]

"Indeed...the Force can reveal more power than any Jedi, or Sith, can imagine. You're both too narrow-minded to see things clearly. It will be your downfall..." The Cathar began pacing slowly, but there was no sound, no even the faintest of footfalls, nor even the sound of a taken breath. Another faint click came from down the hall; the click of metal on metal. She continued pacing the end of the hall.

"It is more than a simple skill." She said calmly, the amusement fading into blankness. "It is a gift. Not some burden to only be used for the so-called 'innocent'."

She stopped pacing suddenly. Odd...I don't feel safe even in my personal quarters, yet I can't help but feel so in the middle of...the Jedi Temple...something is not-

"Empath!" She hissed, whatever she had felt before quickly being replaced with disdain and anger, yet her voice remained quiet. With a barely perceptable ripple throughout the Force, the black armored figure replaced the space that nothing had occupied seconds earlier, a deactivated lightsaber in either hand, held calmly at her sides. Yet, there was still no presence in the Force, just an empty space where life should have been. "I have no fear of you and your kind, Jedi...I know your vaunted Order better than you, and I have faced beings that could destroy you with their gaze!"

"This game ends here, now! You will not stop me from my task, and if you stand in my way, I will simply add your blade to those of all the others who have tried." And like that, the anger was gone, replaced with...nothing. And empty pit as devoid of emotion as the sheer black mirror of the visor that covered her face. Still, the armored figure stood, motionless.

Waiting.

Watching.

The trap was set.

[projectsunfire]

"Indeed...the Force can reveal more power than any Jedi, or Sith, can imagine. You're both too narrow-minded to see things clearly. It will be your downfall..." She said, her location becomeing all too obvious her arrogance was mixing in with all sorts of other feelings.

"It is more than a simple skill." "It is a gift. Not some burden to only be used for the so-called 'innocent'." Her amusement dissapeared from that mixture.

She stopped pacing suddenly. Odd...I don't feel safe even in my personal quarters, yet I can't help but feel so in the middle of...the Jedi Temple...something is not- Ahh yes, she can feel it.

"Empath!" She hissed, whatever she had felt before quickly being replaced with disdain and anger, yet her voice remained quiet.

With a barely perceptable ripple throughout the Force, a black armored figure replaced the space that nothing had occupied seconds earlier, a deactivated lightsaber in either hand, held calmly at her sides. Yet, there was still no presence in the Force, just an empty space where life should have been.

"I have no fear of you and your kind, Jedi...I know your vaunted Order better than you, and I have faced beings that could destroy you with their gaze!"

"This game ends here, now! You will not stop me from my task, and if you stand in my way, I will simply add your blade to those of all the others who have tried." And like that, the anger was gone, replaced with...nothing. An empty pit as devoid of emotion as the sheer black mirror of the visor that covered her face. Still, the armored figure stood, motionless.

'No one is that calm. Only a jedi in a state of meditation had no emotion in them.'

Araon strummed the grip of his Lightsaber with his fingers, but did not ignite it. His attempt had the impact he had hoped. His eyes remained gentle, yet focussed on the dark armored figure.

"That is unfortunate." Araon pulled a comlink from his pocket and pressed the transmit button.

[projectsunfire]

((No-Match? I don't die and you escape, either completeing your mission or not? Come on Reg, don't leave me hangin ;D ))

[niben]

Then, another small jedi padawan walked in. He wondered who had called him in here.

[niben]

"Did someone call me in here," Scylla asked shyly

[projectsunfire]

Araon looked at the youngling as he walked into the room. When he made a sudden stop noticing the dark armored figure and himself stareing at one another lightsabers drawn. Now he had more to worry about than the Intruder. His eyes darted from the youngling to the intruder. With a burst of force speed he ran to the youngling, scooped him up in his arms and used a force push to start the speedy decent of the bulkhead door he was running toward.

As the door slid low, Araon An'mar leapt for the threshhold, and he slid across as his cloak was closed in the falling metal door.

He panted as he rolled the Youngling off his chest.

He lifted his transmitter to his mouth and spoke into it. "We have an intruder in hall 8. All Jedi available to Hall 8 close off her escape. Double up the walls. It's a Cathar in a Mimetic suit. Use alternate means to track. The force is inneffective, repeat force is inneffective."

He leaned his head back, resting it on marble floor. Araon turned his head to look at the Youngling who had been stareing at him as he shouted into his transmitter."I'm Araon An'mar, whats your name young one?"

[niben]

"I'm Scylla," he answered shyly. He had know knowlege whatsoever of the situation. "Whats going on?"

[projectsunfire]

The young boy seemed slightly intimidated by Araon's appearance. His empathic abilities sensed reservation. He slipped off his now stuck cloak, and stood up. Looking at the child, with his gentle gaze. "Well, we better get going. You can help me." He walked quickly down the hallway away from the door. "And in answer to your question youngling, there is an intruder in the Temple. We need to keep them from escapeing, but you won't be coming with me, you need to warn the other younglings to stay out of the way and to stay in their classes. Speaking of why arent you in class?"

[niben]

"All of the younglings in their quarters. I was called by a jedi. Or so it seemed," Scylla began to lighten up a bit. "An intruder? Can I help? Im the top of my class. I train with two lightsabers," Scylla said eagerly.

[projectsunfire]

"All of the younglings in their quarters. I was called by a jedi. Or so it seemed,"

He had never called for the child, perhaps the force had sent him. His eyes shifted down to the child as he kept pace with Araon's long gate. The youngling continued.

"An intruder? Can I help? Im the top of my class. I train with two lightsabers," the youngling said eagerly.

Araon An'mar shifted his gaze away, and kept his eyes forward on where he was going. The terminal lay ahead of them as their feet trod the hard marble.

"Perhaps you can help. I do not know what brought you here into this, but the force does not lead people astray. perhaps this is meant to be." he said eyeing the youngling again sideways. He seemed like an upright sort, completely devoid of fear. Death could be around the corner for him, yet he seemed ready for that.

"Ok, how are you with computers Scylla?" He said as they halted in front of the terminal. "I need you to shut down the exists, and entrances. Turn on all the sensors in section 12 back there, including hallway 8. Take your time, no rush." he turned slightly looking back toward where he had blocked the Cathar's escape.

[niben]

The padawan started tampering with the device. He had done this several times to listen on the council when he was not in class. After a few seconds, he said "Ok...now this goes here....and...there we go! All ready." Suddenly, the doors started to close, as Araon had told him would happen.

[projectsunfire]

The youngling started tampering with the device. Araon empathized a slight amount of mischief from the boy, but let it go. It was not his responsibility for the moment.

"Ok...now this goes here....and...there we go! All ready."

Araon watched as the doors closed, behind him and he heard others throughout the corrider shut down as well.

"Well done Scylla. Stay with me though. Your way back to the dormatories will be completely blocked. We need to figure out where the intruder is headed." Araon said. He clipped his lightsaber and tapped out a new code on his comlink as the youngling tagged along at his side. He hit the transmit button and spoke into the reciever. "Tichi. Tichi, are you still in the control station? I need you to monitor section 12 for heat blooms. The intruder is carrying two sabers." He switched his comlink to recieve and waited while he and the Youngling walked.

"Be very careful Scylla, the intruder is quite capable at stealth. They could be around the next corner."

[niben]

Scylla thought for a moment as he was running along with Araon. "Maybe he is after the archives. Or maybe he is going to the storage," Scylla said trying to keep up with Aroan. who is Aroan? Why have i not heard of him? How do I know HE is not the intruder? As these questions swirled in Scylla's head, he glanced up at the Jedi, his eyes shivering with fear.