The Siege of Subterrel[Jedi]

[Jace]

It was quiet out here, more so than usual. Is it because they were out in the Rim? Away from the center of the galaxy, and the many that populated it or was it because they were so far away from the war? Either way the fact remained that there was a certain tranquility here that one could not find back on Coruscant. Thought he knew it would be short-lived. Indeed there reason for being here could possibly destroy that fragile serenity.

Subterrel. Jace studied the planet from afar as the transport approached the planet. Even from here, he could sense the tainted ground below. It was once home to the Dark Lord Everos and his menacing Sith Hounds. Luckily former Grandmaster Aneem had dealt with the situation at the cost of her own life. The fact remained that something dark still resided on the planet, a sinister presence. One which Jace intended to find and purge.

As such thoughts progressed through his mind, so did he progress through the ship until he finally arrived at the cockpit. It seemed that the pilot was occupied with the entry sequence but still noticed the presence of the Jedi.

"ETA, 5 minutes, Master Beleren"

Jace merely nodded as he keyed on the intercom system throughout the ship.

"This is Jace, we land in 5 minutes. I would like the ground team to assemble in the cargo bay."

The ship lurched slightly but Jace deftly kept his balance as he proceeded toward the rear of the ship. There was a minor twinge of excitement in Jace's blood. Though he was quick to suppress it, there was no denying that he didn't exactly enjoy being stuck in the Temple. He had spent so much of his life away from it, usually in the den of some genocidal group of criminals. It was not that he enjoyed it, but atleast then he felt useful.

Only a minute later, Jace reached the cargo bay. As he waited for the others to arrive, his mind began to wander back towards Coruscant. To the Temple, to the other Jedi, the younglings, their masters but most importantly to his two friends. The two that he trusted most but had chosen a different path then themselves. Where were they now and where was their path taking them?As the ship finally touched down, Jace pushed such thoughts aside. He couldn't afford to get distracted again, not after what had happened on Coruscant. They were here for a purpose, and he would see that was necessary would be done.

[Otterling]

As the ship moved out of hyperspace and came into orbit around Subterrel, Mon’vuuem was stirred out of her meditations. She had been deep within the Force, sensing the frustrations, excitement, tension, and even wistful sorrow of her companions on this voyage when the gentle tides of the Force suddenly turned dark. Concern rushed over her as her mind turned to the energy signature of her padawan. She had only recently taken on Asani as an apprentice and part of her had been concerned at bringing the youngling so soon. Still, Asani had to be trusted and Mon'vuuem knew the young girl would stay close and follow the Master's lead.

Mon'vuuem pulled back the energy she had allowed to wander to the farthest reaches of the ship, sending just one last tendril of reassurance to her padawan before coming back to herself. Her luminous grey eyes opened just in time to hear Jace’s voice come over the intercom.

"This is Jace, we land in 5 minutes. I would like the ground team to assemble in the cargo bay."

Mon’vuuem looked at Asani and nodded. They were at Subterrel already and the sudden disturbance she felt had to be from coming out of hyperspace so close to the tainted planet. Darkness had pervaded this place for so long and the ground was still soaked with negative energy; it was little wonder that Mon’vuuem had felt it even from afar. She wondered idly how much of the darkness Asani had sensed as well as she lifted the youngling from her lap and settled her gently back on the floor. She had found that the Kushiban tended to relax more and concentrate better when being stroked and, much to her surprise, it had seemed to help Mon'vuuem as well.

The lithe Jedi slid gracefully back to her feet, using the Force to help her stand back up and position her long thin legs back under her. Kaminoans rarely sat on the ground for just such a reason. It was difficult to stand again because of their wispy forms and lack of overt muscles but the Jedi Master had found that being in close contact with the floor of the ship had often helped her to concentrate better than when she stayed seated on her sleep-couch. Perhaps it was something to do with having more of herself in contact with the same ground the other Jedi were walking across or perhaps it was simply that the vibrations of the massive engines lulled her into a sense of calm; either way, it had the added benefit of making it considerably easier for Asani to climb into her lap where the two could meditate in peace.

Mon’vuuem brushed at her robes to straighten the silky fabric and then donned her voluminous cloak. The hood fell almost to her waist line to compensate for her extensive neck and when she pulled it up and disappeared into its dark folds, she presented a most unusual sight. Kamino Jedi were rare to say the least, her own people had been reluctant to give her up, but Mon’vuuem had proven herself a well versed diplomat and upon achieving the rank of High Council member, her people had been forced to admit the correct choice had been made.

The tall Jedi reached down a hand in offering to allow her padawan a way up if she chose to take it. Mon'vuuem's long stride made it difficult for the much smaller Kushiban to keep up and in a dangerous mission like this, such a thing could have a cost the Jedi Master did not wish to think of. Asani's size also made it possible for the youngling to hide easily within the heavy folds of Mon'vuuem's hood without being seen; an advantage they could both use if needed.

"Remember, Asani," she reminded gently, "stay close to me at all times and do as I say without question. This mission may prove very dangerous."

Mon'vuuem finally strode down the hallway toward the cargo bay to meet up with the others. She slipped in to find Grand Master Jace already there. She could feel the swell of distraction and tension in the man, ringed with a layer of well tempered excitement, and she didn’t need to see his face to know the other Jedi was troubled. Why shouldn’t he be? He was now in control of all the Jedi and his decisions would shape their future. Topped with the fact that two of his closest friends had just recently parted ways with the Council after a decision made by Jace himself, Mon’vuuem couldn’t blame the man. She was troubled by the events leading to this point herself and her worries were only half of his.

Mon’vuuem slid up quietly next to Jace, the only sound of her approach being the gentle tinkle of the bells on her headdress. “They’ll be fine, you know,” she said softly, guessing at what was passing through his mind, “Masters Vreem and Rhissai are strong and wise.” She paused for a moment to watch the cargo bay doors as they began to swing open, allowing a wind laced with dark energy to sweep into their midst. “What do you expect we’ll find here?” Mon’vuuem said at last, folding her hands into her sleeves.

[Bones]

His boots thudded quietly on the steel floor of the walkway as he wandered through the ship. Put quite simple, Jedi High Council Member Kaiven Te'Baas was restless and worried by being on this planet. Sure, he was just there as an advisor, but he somehow had the feeling that he would become something more. He had the feeling his violet lightsabre would taste the flesh of an opponent.

He came to the bridge, walking up to stand next to the Grand Master. He looked out the viewing windows aswell, almost able to feel the dark side of the force enveloping the planet in their sight. He looked over to Master Beleren, his dark eyes appearing grim through the slit in his mask.

"Jace, this mission... It concerns me. The dark side of the force is all over this planet like it has been painted on, in some sick disgusting piece of art. How can we not be sure that there are still no Dark Jedi down there." He sighed, before looking back to the planet, "I am not worried about myself, or scared of conflict, I simply worry for those that we are leading to that forsaken planet."

He continued to stare out at the planet, seeing his own reflection of the man in the dark brown cloak and mask seemingly super-imposed over the unwelcoming planet. He looked to Master Beleren again before saying, "May the force be with us all. I sense we shall need it." He then turned, walking back to the passenger hold.

He took to a corner, readying all of his equipment. He even allowed the glowing violet beam emit from the black steel hilt that he held. He withdrew it, before sitting on the bench to one side of the hold, hanging his head down and closing his eyes.

[Hotel]

Asani sat on all fours in her new master's lap. Her eyes were kept closed as the only movement between the two of them was the rhythmic movement of the elder Jedi's hand stroking her soft white fur. She enjoyed these meditation sessions, nuzzled into her lap.

The sound of the intercom brought her out of her meditation. She looked up at Master Mon’vuuem just as she was picked up and placed on the floor. The little Kushiban stood up on her hind legs and straightened her harness, checking to make everything was secured. She took her Masters hand and scurried up her arm, resting herself in the crook of the long neck. "I know Master. I won't let you down." She nuzzled into the crook of her neck, then positioned herself firmly.


Asani remained hidden within the folds of the hood as her master left the ship. Her furry little head peaked out, spying the Grand Master, but she remained quiet, not wishing to interrupt the two as she spoke. Instead she just pulled back into the hood and rested against her Master's long neck.

[Miri Mojito]

Mirian sat in deep meditation now while they traveled to this forsaken planet. For some it may have been beneficial to practice their fighting, or to check their gear, but the Miraluka found her piece sitting and listening to her companions. This mission in itself was one that had been odd to her, that was why she was here, to find out why it felt so wrong. After all this sith temple was supposed to have been forsaken, and forgotten by the sith. Why then was it an issue, why did they need to cleanse it. Indeed Mirian could feel that they werent being told everything. But in this case what the council hid could only help them.

It seemed the entire trip Mirian spent listening, feeling, better understanding those who she would fight alongside. Many she had never met before and not knowing someone was often a weakness in battle. With her was her young padawan Tem, a half Miraluka, and already a gifted student. Mirian had taken great pride in the young boys progression in his training.But even now she wondered if bringing him was a fault that she could not right. Without moving she adressed the padawan in a calm collected voice. "Tem... I do not know what will happen when we touch down. You must be mindful of everything you have learned, and listen to me at all times. If i tell you to run, i want you to run and not look back, if i tell you to hide, seek shelter and hide yourself from the dangers." this in itself was an odd thing for her to tell the lad. She had always emphasized never giving up ground, and never running.

A moment later a small lurch rocked the ship, not one that other would have noticed, but given her finely tuned sences she had managed to pick it up. It was followed by a voice over the intercom. Jace had requested the ground team be ready for landing in 5 minutes. The time had come, Mirian could feel it now, It was time to find out why she felt so wrong about this mission. Without another word the Miraluka stood up, using the wall itself to balance as she got to her feet. Given the coldness of space she had opted to wear foot covers, but now the time had come to remove them and feel the ground under her toes. The boots came off easily exposing her small toes, and exposed heal. And without a second thought she left them in the compartment.

The freighter itself was packed with Jedi, or atleast this corridor was. Each and every one anxious to get onto the planet surface and fight the sith. That was the ideal that most of them held. They were warriors who fought the sith, nothing more. It was sad to think that many of the older codes had been lost on so many of these arrogant and headstrong knights. With a bit of difficulty Mirian made good as to push through the jedi clogging the corridor, often stopping to make sure her padawan was following close behind her. Again her thoughts went back to him, if something should happen, if things went bad, she would protect him.

Ahead of her now in the cargo bay Mirian could feel jace and several other more powerful Jedi. They were prepared and ready to go as she too had been. She stood now not far from them, in silence waiting for her first orders. Waiting for the ship to touch down. Waitig for the storm to begin.

[Meira]

The call to the cargo bay roused Meira from her sleep. The Kiffar woman's eyes fluttered open at first, and then sprang apart as the words of the Grandmaster were finally processed. They had arrived. Meira quickly stood from her bunk and stretched out her sleepy limbs. She splashed water on her face from the sink in her small quarters before stepping out into the hall. Adjusting her belt, Meira stepped across the hall to the room her Padawan occupied and rapped twice on the door.

Arichi, it's time to go.

Meira was sure her padawan had heard the announcement, and so she put no real urgency behind her voice, but waited patiently. She had initially wondered if she should bring Arichi on the mission at all, and had come very close to telling him to remain at the temple. But meditation and the knowledge that Master Mon’vuuem would bring her new padawan brought Meira's confidence back.

Her confidence in Arichi's ability had not been what had faltered. Instead, it had been her confidence in her own ability to protect him. But Meira had to let go of her insecurity and trust in the Force. While this mission was indeed a dangerous one, she could not deny the fact that such an opportunity to learn couldn't be passed up. With the shadow of war on the galaxy, Arichi would have to face darkness like what they had encountered on Bakura again, and it would likely only get worse as time progressed. She had to trust that her padawan would be able to face this darkness, and she would have to trust in herself and know that she could lead him through it.

For a great deal of the long journey, Meira and Arichi had focused on combat training. They dueled together every day, Meira doing her best to advance Arichi's training in the still unfamiliar Niman style. But she found that utilizing her own skill in the defensive Soresu form allowed Arichi to work on his skills just as well. But the last two days of the journey had been reserved for meditation. Meira focused greatly on helping Arichi to reach out in the force and connect with others. She was near certain that when caught up in the darkness that they would soon face, he would need to know that he could open himself to those strong enough to see him through... even if it wasn't her.

Meira's last meditation before getting her final bit of rest had been on the possibility of either losing Arichi, or herself. It was almost strange how painful the thought had been, but she knew that the bond between master and padawan could often be so great that the loss of one could very well mean the downfall of the other. It had happened before, under less stressful circumstances. Meira had to face and accept the possibility that she or Arichi might not return from this mission.

Now they stood on the precipice, and Meira could feel the darkness encroaching, though she wondered if it was merely her expectation of darkness. When Arichi appeared in his doorway, Meira didn't speak but just led the way towards the cargo bay. They'd already spoken before about following orders. She knew he'd do as he was told when the time came.

They reached the cargo hold just before landing and were met by the wind as the doors opened. The dark energy of the planet made the first breath difficult, but Meira swallowed the air nonetheless, forcing the darkness back. Even existing on the planet would be some work. She hoped the Force would see them through the day.

[Charlie Sharper]

The air was thick with expectation as Master Beleren came over the comm system and asked for all Jedi to go to the cargo bay. Tem looked at his master Mirian Fel and she began telling him that if anything would happen, what he was to do, to which he nodded solemnly. “Yes Master Fel” He said as they both stood and began walking to the cargo bay. He didn’t like the thought of running from the darkness, much less leave behind his master, but he knew better then to fight when he couldn’t win, and he thought of the possible dangers that they might face in the darkness of this planet. They walked through the corridor toward the cargo bay, he stayed close to Mirian, but he looked at the others, they seemed eager, as was Tem, but he tried to calm himself with the force.

There was a lot to be excited about, he had received permission to go on a dangerous mission, and while this wasn’t the first mission he had gone on as a Padawan, this was his first action oriented mission. Tem feel a twinge of excitement when he thought of what they would be doing, he would be making a difference fighting the darkside, but he told himself that this was a dangerous mission as well, and he would have to be focused for it.

The arrived at the cargo bay and Tem stood behind Mirian as they waited for instructions from the elder Jedi present, Tem didn’t recognize all the Jedi there but he did see Grand Master Beleren, and a few other council members as well. Tem looked on as they talked and he noticed the other Jedi filing into the open space, all waiting to be told of the plan for the mission.

[Arc <3 (who is a girl)]

Kane's eyelids fluttered open almost hesitantly; he didn't want to wake up. Not when it had been so hard to fall asleep in the first place. With the mission on his mind, thinking about anything else (including sleep) was impossible. Yet somehow he had managed to take a quick nap. It was the first time Kane had slept in days, ever since he had agreed to join Master Beleren and the others on the mission to Subterrel. They were drawing nearer to the planet - Kane could sense it. Now was not the time for sleep. So he forced himself to get up. He threw his legs over the side of his bunk without a second thought, stretching his arms high above his head to rid himself of that stiff, uncomfortable aching in his bones. Then he made his way toward the sink, and he set about splashing water on his face to help wake himself.

After those painful chores had been completed, Kane found himself looking in the mirror above the sink, staring at his reflection. Was that tired, worried, worn-down face really his? He hardly recognized himself. Knowing that this mission may prove lethal, that he may die on Subterrel and never return, was enough to hamper any Jedi. The hardest part was accepting that fact and pushing past it. That was the part that Kane struggled with. He had learned to accept the deaths of his loved ones, his friends and allies, but he couldn't accept the possibility of his own death. It was... selfish. Kane shook his head and turned away from the mirror, thinking. I agreed to go on this mission. I will accept whatever happens.

That made him feel better, and he promised himself that he would be more optimistic in the future. Kane spun around and walked toward the window near his bunk, staring out at the vast expanse of land below. Subterrel. They were almost there. Even though they had yet to touch down on the planet's surface, Kane could feel the darkness emanating from within it's core. He felt it, but he did not acknowledge it. He had trained himself against such temptations. Kane had agreed to go on this mission to purge the planet of the darkness, to heal it. He would do everything in his power to make sure that happened.

"This is Jace, we land in 5 minutes. I would like the ground team to assemble in the cargo bay."

And so the mission began. Kane readied himself, sliding on his boots and grabbing his cloak. He took one last look at himself in the mirror and smiled despite his appearance, filled with pride. For whatever reason, he was proud of himself for joining the mission. It was his time to shine, in a sense. Kane exited his room and made his way toward the Cargo Bay, the scene of their meeting. Master Beleren would be there, and so would his other companions. He was eager to meet them. Rushing into battle without a clue as to who you would be fighting alongside was foolish - Kane knew that. He had tasted battle countless times. Forming a bond with the other Jedi was necessary.

When he entered the Cargo Hold, Kane nodded to each of his companions. Some of them he recognized as High Council Members, and others he had never seen before. As Kane walked among them, excitement set in. He suddenly realized that the time for worry had passed. He was ready to fight against the Dark Side, to prove to himself that he was ready for anything. That thought alone would keep him going.

Kane placed his hands behind his back, patiently waiting for Jace to give them any background information they would need. Hopefully he had a good plan in mind. They would need one if they were to be successful. Fighting against the Dark Side was a dangerous game - a game that Kane hoped they would win.

[sparrow]

Ki'ang Hsun was engaged in a task of utmost importance. It was a task that required experience, precision, and a great deal of skill, a task that would frustrate most members of the Jedi Order. Everything had to come together just right. There was no room for failure.

Carefully he placed the bread on top of the delicious freshly-cooked bantha meat patty. Ah, the perfect bantha burger. Ki'ang Hsun, master sandwich maker, had done it again.

He was just about to take a bite when the announcement came. Normally, for Ki'ang, mealtime was quiet time. Peaceful comtemplation time. Ignore-all-announcements time. But this was coming from the grandmaster himself, and to aid the Order on missions like this was the reason he had come out of his semi-retirement. The old nikto sighed as he grabbed his staff and got up. The sandwich would have to wait.

Then again, it didn't have to. Five minutes was plenty of time, and the best thing about sandwiches was that they could be eaten while walking.

[Val - Warning:Contains Sarcasm]

The gentle motions of the ship moving from side to side in the gentle embrace of hyperspace hardly stirred Val as she remained in her relaxed position in the cockpit. She wasn't piloting, but her skills with the maneuvering of a ship came in handy around an array of switches. From here, too, her mind felt drawn to the planet of their destination. It wasn't like how she'd imagined the place being, as a sort of wound in the Force where there was still the taint of evil there, but then again it wasn't like how she would have imagined Korriban as being - and that was her alternative. This place was more of a depression within her senses, and pulled her towards it as though attempting to suck it into its depraved aura of influence. There she would be at its mercy, and already she could feel herself almost desperately desiring to get into the action and deal with the problems in whatever way she could. In whatever small way, but... well, she wasn't alone, and there was an entire ship filled with Jedi ready to do exactly what she wanted to do as well. Speaking of which, her eyes cast across as the leader of their expedition presented himself in the cockpit.

Jace seemed rather, well, distant, and it was clear from the tone of his voice as he ordered their gathering in the cargo hold. Her fingers interlocked, allowing her body to preserve the feeling of comfort from the chair just a little longer before drawing herself slowly forward, the presence of the leader having disappeared from the room. With a slight twist of her body she brought her attention to her padawan who was sat nearby, blind eyes observing what appeared to be the hyperspace lines ahead which were slowly reducing in preparation for entrance into the atmosphere. Rein was certainly different from the innocent boy she had met in the temple several weeks ago. Different, and not entirely in a good way, as she looked him over - her eyes coming across the invisible lines and pains around him that caused her own kind of heartache. Wordlessly she stood up, offering her apprentice a small smile of reassurance to try and inject some sort of spirit between the two that this time things may be different. At least this time she wouldn't be abandoning him to the world if she could help it.

The pilot was left alone now, and with a slow pace engaged she followed after what would be the trail of Force memory that Jace had left behind - not that she didn't know where the cargo hold would be - it was pretty standard. She drew closer, feeling more and more of their team accumulate in the one room like some sort of beacon growing brighter and brighter, and though she herself couldn't see it, she was sure Rein certainly could. She herself hadn't mastered the Force Sight that Miri had tried to teach her back on Ilum - not even in the slightest - but she was determined to learn much from the redheaded Miraluka, and in return would offer what she could in exchange. Preferably of a knowledge basis, of course, but something that would be useful in many situations, as Force Sight and Niman techniques would be for her. It made her feel a little bit powerless, in a weird way, and she flexed her left hand a little as though knowing that this was true. Twice she had suffered damage at the mercy of the world, and that was twice more than she would have ever liked. How long before the glove would not conceal the scars? How long before she lost a hand altogether? An arm? Her life? Talk of immortality was commonly seen as heretical, but she had always seen some sense in it. No good protecting the innocent if you're dead.

Entering the room now she was quickly amongst many of the more powerful members of the Order who were as dedicated as Jace when it came to purges, and that was basically what this was - a purge. The Jedi throwing their weight around, so to speak, in a way that would determine who was going to be left living on this rock and who was going to be deemed unworthy. Spotting the long red hair at the back of a head almost immediately, she wandered right next to Miri from behind and came alongside her, offering a curt nod of the head and a slight shuffling towards the other woman as they gathered around the room. Anxiety, of a sort, was there, as the Jedi awaited their opening move in this game of chess. Val knew that this mission would be pretty important, but at the moment she didn't feel it. There wasn't that team spirit or the urgency driving her, she was just here - that's what she felt at least. But at least while she was here she could be with Miri, and that wasn't a bad thing in the slightest. Also, hopefully, they could find a quiet spot with the padawans in order to conduct some lessons if possible.

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

It was wonderful to be nearly back up to snuff, a blessing even for the young Rilan knight. Only a month ago she had just returned from a horrendous mission that had found her crash landed and out of commission on Haruun Kal. Her return had been under less than pleasant circumstances, mal nourished and exhausted, and then she’d learned about the disappearances of two of her closest friends and her brother from within the Order. Where they had gone, she still had no idea. With her body still recovering, she’d been confined to the temple in those early days, able to meditate herself into madness if she’d allowed herself to. It was a good thing for all that she tempered that healing meditation with sleep and training to get herself back up to some workable level. Her first mission had come when she’d been sent out with Master Rhissai and several others to find a missing scientist. THAT mission had gone far better than her previous one…thank the force…and she’d regained some of her previous feeling of self worth. This wasn’t to mention she’d gotten her cabin fever taken care of with a healthy dose of “anywhere BUT the temple or Coruscant”…that too was a blessing.

Now, with a second successful mission under her belt since her return, the Council seemed her fit enough to join the expedition to Subterrel. It had been a most…unexpected…revelation to the young shadow. Seer she may have been, but that didn’t mean she knew EVERYTHING before it happened. Hardly…she knew very few things before they happened, and even when she did know, the images, the sights, and sounds. and smells she experienced may lead her to believe one thing, while the truth of the situation may be far more complicated than she believed originally. That was always the problem with divining the future…one could never REALLY be certain why things might come to pass. One could see a situation and try to fight the river of time and the force only to find that their struggles simply led them more swiftly to the outcome they were trying to prevent…or, one could see a situation, and try to make it come about, then end up with an entirely different outcome than one might expect. It had been her experience that, if she had a vision, she should simply go on living her life and watch for signs that the events she’d seen were coming to pass.

That was what she had been doing this entire trip, of course. As a shadow for the Order, it was her duty to hunt out and destroy links to the dark side…to help keep the balance from tipping in the wrong direction. As a seer, someone well versed in the sense and telepathic abilities of the force, she had a leg up…sort of. It all came down to dreams. Talau had been having dreams…but not just any dreams, oh no, she’d been having visions…dreams so clear, so real, that anyone skilled in such things knew they weren’t JUST dreams. Precognition, being the fickle thing she knew it to be, had struck again…this time in the forms of dark shadows, lengthening arms with clawing hands and talons for fingernails, reaching across the galaxy. Those dreams had led, later on, into more clear dreams…planets, Rhen Var and Subterrel, the strobing lights of sabers as they battled back and forth between bright beacons of light and dark columns of shadow.

…Now imagine her surprise when she’d been informed that she’d be on the team of jedi going to Subterrel.

Those dreams had narrowed yet again, however, and in the most unlikely way.

Wings.

Oh certainly, most people wouldn’t think wings would have any negative connotation to them, but they would have been wrong. Wings, to Talau, meant something…especially when they were attached to a person…a person with shifting eye color. A Rilan…one of her own people. They were so few in the galaxy that she had been stunned to see the…she believed it to be a woman, but she couldn’t tell…in her dreams. Features were indistinguishable through the column of swirling shadows about her, but those wings and those eyes couldn’t hide from the piercing Sight of Talau…not even through the fog of her dreams and the very nature of the vision itself. Her first thought had been “Morequai”…but that was ridiculous…what in the name of the Force and the Winds would one of her people’s oppressors be doing out here, and on Subterrel of all places? She’d put that pondering aside, however, and moved on to something far more disturbing as she meditated aboard the ship that carried them now to their destination.

One last dream she’d had…this one aboard this very ship. A dream of pain…emotional and physical pain. Rhen Var wasn’t going to go as well as everyone hoped…oh no. Rhiss. Time and again, Talau’s thoughts kept turning back to the woman and the personal demon she would be facing there. Oh how she wished she’d been able to warn the kind Master of what she would be facing, but the dream had come too late to contact her personally or through the force, and she didn’t trust this kind of information across a com link. With a sigh, those shifting golden eyes laced through with a mixture of deep purple, deep blue, and silver as she eyed the ‘thread’ that bound her to Rhiss and her vornskr companion so very far away. Stretching for a moment, she stood and stretched the rest of the way, making sure that the slits in the back of her leather armor were prepared should she need them. Satisfied, she set about lazily gathering what little gear she needed.

"This is Jace, we land in 5 minutes. I would like the ground team to assemble in the cargo bay."

Yes, she’d thought so. Winding her way through the ship to the cargo bay, Talau had pulled in her force signature, concealing it from the others as she silently paced toward the congregated group. It seemed she was the last to arrive, but the thoughts and emotions that radiated from them all was enough for her to feel no need to say anything much. No doubt the Grand Master had been told several times that the others here felt the dark side below them…there was no need for her to beat a dead bantha, so to speak.

Grand Master…I apologize if I’m tardy. I was…

She paused a moment, considering how best to phrase her thoughts.

…reviewing my recent dreams. Time nearly got away from me.

A light bow and those silver beads woven into her hair tinkled together quietly, as if even they knew better than to make much of their typically merry sound in the present circumstances. A light smile was given as she straightened up again and gazed about at the group, her eyes shifting their color once more to a sedate bronze color with rays of deep purple that radiated outward from the pupil…the air about her almost one of the, yet undisturbed, large hunting cats of the wild, all contained energy and falsified relaxation. The type of air that both warned away and lure closer the prey she hunted…a silent guardian waiting to spring into action, but much preferring not to have to if at all possible…alert and quiet as she watched the little threads of light binding those around her as bonds were made in the force.

[Mr.Bøbert]

Idu Lanad was deep in meditation. He was reaching out to each planet and star as the ship sped through hyperspace. Because the ship was going so fast, he could only feel each individual planet for a few seconds before it was too far, and they passed hundreds in mere seconds. While most beings would find this incredibly confusing, but Idu found it calming. There was so much life in the galaxy. But not all that life was good. He sensed their destination long before they had even come close. The entire planet was surrounded with a dark aura.

He dropped his connection to the rest of the universe and focused on that one dark planet, trying to get a better, clearer view of what was ahead. The more he focused, the closer they came to the planet, the more difficult it became to hold onto his sense of it. The Darkness swirled around him, a dark cloud of pure evil that threatened to envelope him. Master Beleren's voice snapped him out of it's hold, batting back the darkness.
"This is Jace, we land in 5 minutes. I would like the ground team to assemble in the cargo bay."

Idu was shaken by his vision of the planet. The amount of Darkness there was too great; it must be purged before it was unleashed upon the galaxy. He could only hope that it hadn't already spread.

He stood and stretched. Calling his lightsaber to his hand and clipping it to his belt, he left his quarters; he had been prepared for the fight to come since he had boarded the ship, and needed nothing more. As he headed to the cargo bay, he thought about the planet, hoping the Jedi weren't biting off more then they could chew. And having two mouths, Idu could chew alot...

~ ~ ~

Idu arrived at the cargo bay last, he assumed. He guessed his quarters had been placed farthest away from the cargo bay as possible. Or perhaps it was because he had gotten lost in the ship. Twice.

Some of the other Jedi said a few words to Master Beleren, and from their uneasy presences in the Force, Idu assumed they were all thinking about the same thing: Subterrel, and the dark taint the world had. He saw no need to repeat the same thing again to Jace, so he just stood there, waiting.

((Meh, a weird post, yeah, but I'm still getting the hang of this whole wise-old-Ithorian-Jedi-Master thing. xD))

[Jace]

[http://www.freakygaming.com/gallery/game_art/lineage_2/goddard_hillside_fortress.jpg<----Basic idea of what the outpost is like. Not as big of course, and not all medieval looking but its just a reference]


Waiting for the others to arrive, Jace's mind drifted back to a conversation he had only minutes before. As he stood on the bridge, he felt a familiar presence approach before finally coming to a stop next to him. He need not turn for he knew that it was fellow Council member Kaiven Te'Baas. It seemed that his mind was not at ease as they approached Subterrel, and he couldn't blame him.

"Jace, this mission... It concerns me. The dark side of the force is all over this planet like it has been painted on, in some sick disgusting piece of art. How can we not be sure that there are still no Dark Jedi down there.I am not worried about myself, or scared of conflict, I simply worry for those that we are leading to that forsaken planet."

Indeed. That was the crux of the problem, but it was for that reason that they had to undertake the mission. Jace would not forsake one part of the galaxy because war consumed the other.

"We cannot be sure Master Te'Baas, it is why we must undertake this endeavor. Those that come with us today, do so of their own free will. They know that danger lay ahead of them. We must hope that it is an evil we can deal with" He stated quietly but with a hint of firmness.

Jace's mind was pulled from the memory as a comforting presence approached and was followed by the words

“They’ll be fine, you know”

He turned to see another fellow Council member, Mon'vuuem. Her presence in the Force could only be described as reassuring, almost as if it reflected her words.

“Masters Vreem and Rhissai are strong and wise.”

Indeed they were. She was right, Jace didn't need to worry about them. They were powerful, stronger and wiser than Jace could ever hope to be. He needed to focus on now, on the task at hand.

“What do you expect we’ll find here?”

"I do not rightly know. Sith or Sith troopers or Sith Hounds, maybe all of them or maybe none of them. I am afraid I have no solid answers, such is the way of the Force. There is no doubt that there is something evil on this planet, it is only a matter of time until we find out what"

Jace left it there, as many of the other Jedi began to arrive. He nodded at each of them as they entered. This was not a mission to take lightly, and these Jedi volunteered to see that it was completed. Walking into the face of the unknown took a far greater deal of courage than facing a known enemy. Thus he showed each of these beings the utmost respect for joining him in this endeavor. For some, this would be their greatest and most dangerous task yet. Indeed, Jace had been on quite a few extremely dangerous missions, but this one may top it all.

"Not to worry Talau, you were not late"

The last member of the team arrived. They were all here. Jace surveyed those before him. He saw a mixture of tension, excitement, and determination. These Jedi were ready for the mission that lay ahead, and so was he.

"We are only moments away from landing. Many of you are still wondering what awaits us on Subterrel. In truth, even I do not fully know. Reports indicate that Darth Everos' legacy remains, the Tuk'ata, Sith hounds. We are relatively certain that the Sith military presence is small. Aside from that, we have no other assurances. Our foes from the shadows may have sent an armada of Dark Jedi to defend Subterrel. Remember, the Darkside is the ultimate master of deception. Do not let your guard down, we are on a planet tainted by darkness. We must rely on our skills and teamwork to expel it.

It will be approximately 10 miles to our objective, the caves. At the entrance is a small Sith military outpost. Intelligence suggests that it is still active, and may have a small military presence. Remember, we are arriving on a registered civilian ship. This ship has no affiliation to the Republic. We must be quick in neutralizing the base. Though this should go without saying, avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

Just as he had finished, the pilot's voice came over the intercom, announcing that they had less than a minute until they landed.

"May the Force be with you all"

There was a rough nudge as the ship finally touched down. The landing ramp descended to reveal the darkness that was Subterrel. Jace stepped off the ship and studied his surroundings. They had found quite a deserted but rather desolate place to land. He couldn't sense any major presences nearby, but that didn't mean he let his guard down. He waited for everyone else to disembark before turning to the group.

"Talau, Kane, Val...I want you three up front with me. Kaiven, you hold up the rear. Remember to space yourselves out reasonably. Lets get going"

It was a relatively simple strategy. If they all walked as one group, they could easily be eliminated in one shot. Jace had no intention of truly splitting up yet, but a little spacing between them could go a long way. Thus the Jedi master made his way forward over the rugged surface of Subterrel. Jace and the other three were essentially scouts, ahead of the rest but still within eyesight. Hopefully they wouldn't run into any trouble on the way, they would probably have enough to deal with once they reached the caves.

The miles went by as the Jedi made their way cautiously towards the caves. Jace hadn't seen anything unusual, though no matter where they went, a dark presence seemed to follow. It was more of an omnipresent feeling rather than being followed by a specific entity. The answer may lay ahead thought Jace as the outpost came into view. He signaled for everyone to regroup on him, just below the crest of the hill.

"Alright, we will approach the outpost from three sides. We need to move quickly. The outpost doesn't look heavily guarded from here, probably because they aren't expecting any sort of trouble here. Mon'vueem, Val, Ki'ang, Talau, Kane will approach from the left side. Kaiven, Mirian, Idu, Meira will approach from the right. On the other hand, I shall be going through the front door, a distraction of sorts. Keep to the flanks, and then move once I reach the front gate. Good luck."

Jace nodded to the group, raised his hood over his head, and walked straight toward the outpost. His plan wasn't to just slash at the front gate with his lightsaber of course. He had something a little more subtle in mind. Jace just needed them to focus on him rather than his comrades who were sneaking in. It seemed that security was rather laid back as he wasn't stopped until he was right in front of the gate.

"Who are you?What is your purpose here?" came a voice from what he assumed was a speaker.

"Fool!Do not ask stupid questions!Is it truly your wish to upset a Sith Lord?!" stated Jace in his most menacing voice. He had gained some practice from his days as a Shadow, he hoped he hadn't lost his touch. Not to mention his robe was not the standard Jedi brown. If it was true that the Sith had returned, it wasn't that much of a stretch to think that this place holds some sort of importance. Not to mention this had once been the home of Darth Everos, these outpost may have been originally created by him.

"F-F-F-Forgive me my Lord" stammered the man as the metallic gates cracked open. Jace could only hope that his friends were on the move now. Even as he entered the base, he could see that the troops had all seemed to been drawn to the title of Sith Lord. Many more than he had originally anticipated. He would need to improvise.

"Please accept my apologies, my Lord. I had thought you were a Jedi at first..." said a soldier who quickly approached him. The soldier bowed and then slowly looked up at Jace

"That is because I am" stated Jace coolly

Jace watched the man's eyes widen just before his fist crashed into the soldier's face. A sickening crack followed by the man collapsing to the ground. An alarm went off, soldiers yelled and raised their weapons, all were directed at Jace. This wasn't exactly what he had planned initially but there were sentry guns placed on the flanks of the base, not to mention some light ground armor. Though this was a little more reckless than he usual self.

Well if this isn't a good distraction then I really don't know what is

[Otterling]

((Edited!!: Changed the ending to better suit the plan once I understood what Jace was going for. That should work much better now.))

Mon’vuuem waited in silent patience as one by one the other Jedi on this mission filtered into the room. Fellow Council member Te’Baas was the next to arrive and she could feel the Force ripple ever so slightly with his anticipation of the coming mission. His concern, however, wasn’t for himself so much as for those around him, typical of his selfless nature. Mon’vuuem had grown quite fond of Kaiven in the time she’d known him and her respect for the man was unwavering. Around her neck, she could feel Asani’s reassuring Force signature as well. There was an odd comfort in the warmth emanating from the youngling as the kushiban settled in and prepared for the journey ahead. The Master/Padawan bond they had begun to form was growing in strength already much to Mon’vuuem’s surprise and enjoyment. She had never bonded so quickly with a padawan before and it gave her a great deal of hope when it came to the years that she would spend teaching the child. Already she had begun to form an attachment that she would one day have to admit even to herself.

Mon’vuuem reached within the folds of her hood to stroke reassuringly across Asani’s head. The darkness around them was growing as the ship descended and though she kept it well hidden, the Jedi Master harbored a little fear for what she was bringing her brand new padawan in to. The fear was dismissed quickly though. What would be, would be and Asani was growing up in a time of war. The child would have to learn the ways of the Force quickly and it would not do to shelter her too much. No, it was best that she came on the mission. She would need to see firsthand the darkness of the galaxy and how better to learn how to defeat it than in the company of some of the Jedi’s finest?

Soon enough, the trio was joined by more and more Jedi until the whole of the cargo bay was alive with their energy. Mon’vuuem could feel it wavering and swelling like the pull of heavy waters; Mirian’s stout determination and the well hidden concern for her own padawan, Tem’s excitement, Meira’s apprehension and her own parental concerns for Arichi, Kane’s anticipation, the quiet and pleasant hum of contentment from Ki’ang as he chewed on his sandwich, the note of pain in Val and Rein who had both recently been through so much, the swell of concentration and resolution in Talau, whose energy seemed ready to spring off her at any moment like a living thing, and the subtle but powerful resonance of Master Idu. They weren’t the only Jedi on the mission, there were a few others, mostly young knights who had wanted to join in a more active role during the war but who had not resolved to take the same course of action as Masters Took and Rhissai, but their energies had mingled into a soft white haze for Mon’vuuem. Her attentions, however, were on the Grand Master beside her. Much rested on his young shoulders.

Mon’vuuem mulled over his words as they waited for the ship to land, her full attention given over to him as he once again began to speak and the details of their plan of action came forth. She committed the plan to memory and then bent her knees lightly to brace for the thump of impact as the ship touched down so that the only sign she’d even felt the movement was the slight swaying of her cloak around her heels. The doors opened onto a barren wasteland riddled with a light acidic fog that wafted in around their feet even as the doors opened fully. The atmosphere burned Mon’vuuem’s large sensitive eyes and she blinked rapidly for a few moments as the only sign of her discomfort before she glided easily down onto the planet’s surface. The sooner they had cleansed this place, the happier the Jedi Master would be. It struck her for a moment, as she turned her eyes skyward, that her own home world was not too far off from this one. She half wondered if Kamino would have been visible in the night sky here.

The thought was erased quickly as Mon’vuuem refocused on the mission ahead. Jace, Val, Kane, and Talau moved ahead of the rest of the group and Mon’vuuem used her long legs to propel her off to the left, making note as she went of the positions of the other padawans in the group. They were her main concern during this mission. She knew each master would in turn protect their own, of course, but the tall Jedi had no intentions of allowing anything to happen to the young ones if she could help it and an extra set of eyes on them wouldn’t be amiss. Having found the locations of Arichi, Tem, and Rein, Mon’vvuem placed herself in such a way as to keep them all within a few Force assisted strides of her. As the group made its way across the broken and dry terrain, she sent out thick waves of comforting Force energy from herself, smoothing away the darkness as much as she could given the circumstances. She knew her actions wouldn’t completely calm all those around her but she hoped it would at least help should anyone else be looking for some sort of bolstering. Her own strides were born of nothing but utter calm and confidence. She had wiped away her own concerns as best she could.

“Asani, you are in a valuable position within my hood,” Mon’vuuem whispered softly to her padawan, “Stay there and stay hidden. If we should find ourselves in battle, it may give us both a tactical advantage if our enemies are not aware of you.” She stroked over one long soft ear on the young kushiban as an added note of affection to the girl. “And I am not worried about your ability or you letting me down, young one. I think you will find yourself stronger than you know when the time comes.”

The trip across the ten miles ended abruptly and without incident at the foot of a hill. Jace laid out their plans for attack and Mon’vuuem nodded her assent when her own duty was called out. When he was finished she smiled at him from under her hood and called over her shoulder as she turned to the left. “Force be with you.” With that, Mon’vuuem let her long legs carry her swiftly to the side, around the hill where the entrance to the fortress sat. She could hear the other Jedi behind her as the rest of her team made their way in the same direction and she took one last glance at young Rein, throwing him a playful wink, before pressing low to the ground and slipping the rest of the way up the hill. Her gangly form made low crawling exceptionally difficult but, though it looked a tad awkward, the Jedi Master managed it without slowing, and slid along into the shadows of the left wall in time to see Jace making his way up to the main doors.

She paused and shrank back against the wall as Jace exchanged words with the guard and waited with utter patience for the plan to succeed. She had no concerns that it would fail, Jace was a skilled Jedi and could easily pull off this little ruse, and so she was not in the least surprised when the doors to the fortress began to creak open. The hinges squealed with protest as the doors swung open and it served to mask the movements of the other Jedi. Though she could not see the other half of their party, she could still sense them flowing through the Force on the other side of the doorway from where she and her companions were crouched. The doors of the fortress stayed open even as Jace disappeared within and Mon’vuuem could make out his exchange with the soldier as she eased closer, using the Force to wrap around and silence the bells on her headdress.

The crunch of fist on bone sounded through the open doors and Mon’vuuem shook her head. Such barbarity, she thought with mild amusement. In truth, Jace’s tactics had just saved that soldier’s life since the alternative involved a lightsaber and that rarely ended well for anyone on the receiving end. As soon as the dull thud of a body hitting the floor resounded from within, Mon’vuuem was on the move. She summoned the Force around her in a thin weave and used it to help propel herself up the steep incline of the Fortress wall, keeping herself hidden carefully in the shadows as she moved. As she lighted on the top of the wall beside the gate, she could sense Master Kaiven across the way from her and knew without doubt that his team was already on the move as well. She flipped silently off the wall in a graceful dive, drawing the Force around her to silence her movements and to hold Asani firmly to her shoulder as she landed.

A thin tendril of energy flowed along her bond to her padawan. Hold on, Asani, the next moments may be rough. If you wish to engage an enemy, you may but stay close to my side. [/color] The message drifted across the Force to the youngling Mon’vuuem carried as she headed for the soldiers whose guns were trained on Jace. She pressed in close to the inner wall, laying her tall form against the stone and using the web of Force around her to ghost across the minds of the men closest to her. Their surprise at Jace's announcement was easy enough to feel but she could sense it turning quickly to anger and fear. She held out one hand and brushed it across the air as if wiping away something and the two Sith soldiers closest to her quietly lowered their guns, their faces fading to an expressionless mask of calm as Mon'vuuem sent soothing waves of energy over them, blanketing their minds in warmth and serenity. As she drew her fingers in toward her chest, both men turned and walked silently toward her stopping only a few feet away. Mon'vuuem moved swift and silent, brushing her fingers over their foreheads. "Shhhhh." The two guards sank to the ground, their fall slowed and aided by the Force, until they lay in a heap at her feet, their minds completely lost to slumber. She knew the two men would stay unconcious for a while and it would give her team a chance to come down silently in her wake. Now if they could just finish removing the last of the guards as a threat without making any undue noise, they could make an attempt to reach the fortress proper without being noticed.

[Anackis]

Rein stares at the passing lines of force that hyperspace made available to his sight. His sight he had come to realized was more valuable then he could have imagined. His brow furrowed at the recolection of the yulsimir that had been so lovingly strapped to his back causeing him to be blocked from the one thung that kept his frail body moving, the force. Never had he felt such desperation, such fear, and such hate all at the same time. It was those same feelings he vowed never to lose, they were a reminder of how things really were, how trust was not something to be given lightly.

He gripped at the lightsaber that sat in his lap, a new developement since Metellos. He had practiced a great deal since he had finished building it. The small device was more trusting then anyone else on this ship. At his command it would come, it would work, it would help him. Not like these jedi who had their own agenda to attend too. An agenda he was certain he was thrown into as yet another way to rid his master of the pathetic excuse of a padawan that he was turning out to be.

He let out a few quick coughs, something all to common for him, and glanced at the door as the so called leader of this expedition took the time from his busy schedule to make an announcement. It was one thing to ask people to gather and another to order them, Rein was not sure which Jace had done but he was already aprehensive about this mission. Master Adeera gave him a reassuring smile, a smile that actually seemed to calm his troubles for a moment. Perhaps she was concerned about properly training him, it was a thought he had to hold onto even though everything else told him it was false. He truly wanted to become a good jedi, one that people looked up to. Even if that meant he had to wade through those who had other plans for him. He still had a chance to prove to master Adeera that he was a worthy Padawan and he hoped to be able to lend some assistance this time and present that proof.

Slowly he stood, clipping his lightsaber at his side. He followed Val to the cargo hold, even before they arrived he could see the force eminating from those who were already there. With another painful cough he sighed as they joined the others. It almost seemed like a happyh reunion between long lost friends. Everyone was talking between themselves, quietly disturbing the gentle hum of the engines. Rein leaned back against the wall taking deep breaths, he did not want to inturrupt anyone conversation with his hacking, but he knew sooner or later it would come.

[Bones]

To say that Kaiven only heard the words of the Grand Master would be a lie. He could feel them, the passion, knowledge, worry and other emotions mixing into every syllable to give Kaiven a greater understanding of the words coming from the other man. Of course, they were all right. Of course, Kaiven would follow him to the end, if that’s what it came to. He turned, facing the other council member in the loading bay. Kaiven kept to himself, and as such, he had few true friends, and he was coming to consider the Kaminoan Jedi Master, Mon’vuuem as one of them. He smiled, even though he knew his mask hid it. After all, nothing was hidden to the force, and her presence was rather comforting.

He heard the sliding door to the cargo bay open, and felt the large mass of force auras entering the room. He turned to face them, glancing over each one as they entered. He could feel their emotions, wether they tried to hide it, or came to terms with it, how they felt was no secret to them. He looked away, thinking to himself, Here I am, on possible the most dangerous mission I have ever been on, and I am accompanied by Jedi I do not know. Atleast, Jace trusts them, so I do too. He smiled at each of them in turn, waiting for the crowd to settle.

Once again, it was if he was feeling Jace’s words as he gave the short briefing, and while the man spoke, he could feel the dark taint of the evil planet coming ever closer towards him. He sighed, eventually feeling the slight jerk as the ship touched down. He smiled, pulling his hood up, completely hiding his mask by the shadows.

He followed the group silently, just as he had been ordered, his hands folded into his cloak, hiding him completely except for the dark brown fabric covering his body. It was welcome against the cool, night wind that rushed past them. He felt comfort from the cold, but not the darkness. His senses scanned left and right, hoping that nothing would be hiding out there, intent on stopping their plans. Suddenly, the group stopped, and so did he. He listened, nodding to Jace when he ordered him to flank the opposition.

He turned to the others in his group and said quietly, ”Silence will be our biggest ally here. Use it to your advantage.” With that, he turned, heading up the sharp slope to the side. He stared down the cliff, examining the small fortification around the gate. He looked along the path, looking for trouble. He could see a tank, aswell as a platoon of soldiers further up. He smirked behind his mask, so this would be interesting quickly. As soon as he heard the gates creak, he dropped, guiding his body through the air with a force so that he landed lightly. He waved both arms, sending two Sith Soldiers slamming into the walls, the gates hiding the sound of the crunch as they hit them. He moved forwards, staying in the shadows before he spoke out to Grand Master Beleren in the force. ”There is a tank and more soldiers up the road, presently en route to our location, Grand Master. Investigating the ship, maybe?”

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

((as far as I know, Subterrel is all cave network for us, the surface is supposed to be acidic hence my slight deviation from Jace’s post as far as setting goes…sorry to hijack…follow or not if you like. From the Wookiee: Atmosphere: acidic -- Climate: acid fog -- Primary terrain: Caves))

She nodded silently to Jace’s words, brushing a few tendrils of her presence against his. A show of understanding and, potentially, even reassurance and comfort. No matter what happened out there, she was ready to help however she could, and that was one of her ways of showing it. She just hoped it didn’t offend him in any way. As he spoke about the mission, she recoiled slightly. Tuk’ata…they were the proverbial werewolf of the jedi community…the things that went BUMP in the night. Most jedi had heard of them, but none (that she knew of) had ever actually seen one. The fact that they might be here…even if they were few in number…it wasn’t a pleasant thought. As he finished, Talau finally piped up.

Grand Master…I should inform you now, that I am…fairly certain…there will be sith here as you believe, and not simply the military types. I cannot tell you details, I don’t trust visions that way, but I do believe that we will encounter other force users here, their numbers, strength, and position…however…elude me.

She’d darkened her presence as she spoke, the dark brown leather of her armor and the noticeable lack of anything ‘jedi’ about her save boots and belt, making her seem like something other than what she was. She wasn’t seeking to overly hide her presence in the force, just mute it and darken it…a poorly trained grey or dark jedi, perhaps. The chain that dangled round her neck, tucked into her clothes, held the only other symbol of the jedi order, a shield with the Order’s emblem on the front and her identification information etched along the back, Talon hung blandly at her side, darkly colored and obscure, Helluin tucked into a pouch at the back of her belt for easy access, but still hidden out of sight. As Jace moved out of the ship, she followed, never a sound made by her footfalls along the ramp or the rock floor of the caves, despite the vaulted and echoing chambers Subterrel’s cave network created.

Another nod was given to the Grand Master’s instructions, the woman settling herself some three or four yards to the left of Jace, senses expanding out as far as they could. Eyes scanned the darkness, the sinuous and bloody colored threads of the force, tainted with the darkside as they wafted about, crossing and re-crossing, an intricate web of deceit and malice simply waiting to ensnare them if they made one wrong move. To say that she disliked this place would have been a grave understatement. She held no love for Haruun Kal after her…extended visit…to the planet, but that distaste was a mild one compared to what she was feeling for THIS one.

As they made their way along the dark system of tunnels, Talau was exceedingly grateful for her sight. While not much better than most human’s sight, the rilan vision gave her an extra ‘heads up’ to if there was something living near by. Auras, life forces, shown clearly through the darkness, and with her sense abilities as strong as they were, the force granted her the boon of being able to see those auras through the less dense obstructions, walls, and stone. Fortunately, however, there wasn’t much to see…not until one of those bloody threads caught her eye, glistening before her. Drawn to it, she stepped over, pausing just as it would have touched her skin had it been made of tangible material.

Those eyes unfocused, her vision covered by a red haze and half animalistic thoughts coursed through her mind. Immediately she drew away and shook her head, trotting swiftly forward to take up her previous position. Her mind was swiftly sorting through what she’d felt, when it came over her like a wave, the darkened voice of a man speaking as if right beside her yet at a great distance. The shadowed forms she’d dreamt of before, eyes…red, glowing, eyes…and wings. Barely on the edge of that vision she caught the sight of wings. Cursing internally, she reached out toward Jace through the force even as he stopped below the crest of one of the hills in the vast caves, rallying them about him once more. A surge of impatience ate at her for a moment as she stilled herself and waited for him to finish giving his instructions.

As he finished, Talau reached out again…he needed to know this…but no sooner had she done so than he was walking away and her group was moving. Growling slightly, she followed Mon’vueem toward the walls …slipping into the shadows there and eying the sith through the metal walls they thought shielded them. Not from her view…oh no. A small smile slipped across her face as she dialed down the setting on Talon to a…less than lethal…one that would stun her enemy and give her time to work if she needed it. Numb limbs on an enemy tended to help quite a bit in pinch, and allow time for her to get a good grip on her foe mentally if she hadn’t been able to before. Once more, in a break in the conversation between Jace and the guard, she tried to reach out to him…too late…the sound of fist meeting cartilage stopped her up short. It wouldn’t do to distract him now that there would be enemies to defend against…she’d get him soon enough…she hoped. Leaping up and over the walls, not far from Mon’vueem and Val, she crouched there in the shadows, her mind wrapping around one of the soldiers taking aim at the Grand Master. His hand jerked upward as he shot, the bolt flying through the air above Jace’s head before the soldier fell unconscious.

Standing, she walked almost carefree through the sith, the men not seeming to see her as she diverted their attention to the spectacle Jace had made of himself. Each one she passed dropping unconscious in a matter of moments. At this time the sith soldiers were still relatively spaced out, and attention to her was minimal with the course she was taking, sticking close to the shadows of the buildings and walls. It wasn’t until she happened upon one of the more intelligent groups that she felt the need to actually be more cautious. Slipping around behind the group as they brought their weapons to bear on the sight of the ‘foolish’ jedi, Talau swiftly went to work. The first of the four found himself in a chokehold and pulled backward, the second had the thick python that was the young knight’s will wrapped around his mind forcing him into unconsciousness. Now noticing their companions, the other two sith brought their attention around to Talau herself as she dropped the first unconscious soldier. The barrel of one rifle was caught hold of and shoved into the solar plexus of her would be assailant, knocking the wind from him as she instantly turned her mind on the one that remained with his weapon trained on her, locking down his motor functions and ability to shout for help before he too fell unconscious. Wresting the rifle from her gasping opponent, she brought it around with a dull thunk against the man’s head, his body slumping as she left him and his weapon there. He too would wake later…with a splitting headache.

Slowly she worked her way closer to the Grand Master, slinking through the shadows and playing the part of mental ninja toward those who passed near to her in their attempt to subdue the Jedi who’d had the audacity to walk right through their front gates. Pressing herself against one of the walls beside a formerly sealed entrance into the base, she felt three more coming up behind her and toward the doorway. Right hand grasped Talon as the left shot out, clotheslining the first to attempt to make it through the door, sending him to the ground, the fall knocking him out as his head slammed against the ground. Her mind battered against the next solder before the woman could do anything, dazing her and causing her to trip over her comrade and, unfortunately, stumble into the line of fire of one of her own. Talau winced slightly…that certainly hadn’t been her intention…but…oh well, she wasn’t perfect. The third to exit the door found his motion blocked by Talau’s body, saber emitter jammed directly against his stomach as it flared to life then deactivated just as swiftly.

Stunned and painfully numb, the man blinked at her dazed and baffled…weren’t lightsabers lethal? She chuckled slightly and he too fell unconscious under her direction as she let go of him and slipped back into the shadows. Finally a moment of respite for Master Jace it seemed and she seized the opportunity.

--Master Jace, the sith…they are here…they must have the hounds also…I saw eyes, glowing red eyes…and I think…I think they have a handler. It looked like a noghri, but I can’t be sure, it was too blurred. Its name was Wroth…the handler…if the vision was true we must be even more cautious. By the way…behind you.--

Her mind had immediately turned from Jace to the group of sith taking cover behind one of the barricades and preparing to fire on the Grand Master. One dropped unconscious, then another…but she wouldn’t be able to send all of them into the darkness before they got their round off.

[sparrow]

As the doors to the ship opened, the Jedi quickly divided themselves up and took off at a brisk pace. Following the left group, Ki'ang plodded along after them, staff in hand. The old nikto couldn't move as nearly as fast as most of the other Jedi, and right now in the dark, he had to be careful not to take a wrong step and break his leg. Very soon he found himself falling behind as the distance between him and next nearest Jedi increases. Kids these days, always rushing into things! They were no better than those Blades!

There seemed to be some sort of commotion ahead, and he tried to quicken his pace. Apparently Jace had already started what was supposed to be a distraction, trying the brunt of Sith forces to him. Good man, Ki'ang thought. He didn't know the Grandmaster very well. When he had gone into his semi-retirement on Carratos the fellow was probably still just a padawan. But a man who wasn't afraid to take the brunt of the enemy attack in order to take the pressure off of his allies so they could complete the objective was someone that Ki'ang could respect.

He managed to catch up with a tall Kaminoan. Considering that there was only one Kaminoan on the mission, that must have been Mon’vuuem. The tall master had just taken out two soldiers telepathically. Seeing how quickly she had been able to do so, Ki'ang had to admit that her reputation was well-deserved. He himself had never possessed that sort of telepathic power with the Force, and considering his age, probably never would.

"Master Mon, wait up!" he called out. He wasn't quite sure how to pronounce her full name, and figured that right now wasn't the best time to ask her to say the syllables slowly. "At my age, I don't jump and I certainly don't run." A light in the corner of his eye, and he instinctively held up his hand, weaving a shield with the Force. The blaster bolt struck the invisible barrier, dissipating in a flash of crimson light. "What happened to the rest of the group?" The fellow who had fired the blaster suddenly found himself gripped by an invisible force, throwing him upwards, his head hitting the cave ceiling with a crack. Seriously, what had happened to the group that they were supposed to be in? Master Mon was here of course, and Master Berelen front and center holding back the tide. He could also detect Master Te'Baas guarding the flanks. But save for those three, Talau was the only other Jedi he could currently see, who for some reason was currently running towards the distraction that Master Berelen was providing for them, the distraction that was supposed to allow them to get the center of the Sith stronghold with minimal resistance. Hopefully the reason was that they were just being more stealthy than he was. "May I suggest that we stay together? I don't have eyes on the back of my head and I don't think you do either, and we can't be spreading ourselves too thin this early in the game."

[Jace]

[Alright peoples, this is where we all kinda split up. It is up to you how you want to proceed from here, and with whom. You are welcome to make new threads, and jump between the existing ones. This way, there is no set posting order, and as such we can all post at our convenience without holding others up. Any questions, just let me know]


Jace's body was a symphony of quick yet precise movements. He worked furiously with his lightsaber to deflect the massive amount of blaster bolts directed at him. Of course he couldn't block them all, so his feet were moving about as fast as his hands were. He could say for certain that his plan had worked. Almost every soldier, weapon, and bolt was pointed at him. This wasn't something he could keep up indefinitely but he was managing for the time being.

3....2....1

The first of the other Jedi made their move. Sentry guns were taken out, guards were either falling to the ground or flying through the air. It was then that Jace received a 'message' in the Force, which seemed to focus his vision on the right side of the base. It was there that he noticed a certain vehicle, which had a rather unpleasantly large turret mounted on it. It also just happened to be in the process of aiming at him. Using the confusion caused by the other Jedi, Jace quickly extinguished his saber. He then projected a Force Barrier a short distance in front of him. It wouldn't hold for long, not against this amount of firepower. The Jedi focused on the APC, gathering the Force about him. Then amidst all the chaos of the battle, the vehicle began to rise slowly. The barrier that Jace had put up was beginning to falter. He wasn't so powerful that he could manage both at the same time without serious effort. Then with a powerful surge of the Force, the APC went crashing through one of the base's walls and into the side of the large cavern.

He managed to dive to the side just as a barrage of blaster bolts broke through his Force barrier. Jace was a little slow to recover as his previous effort had taken a good deal of concentration. The good news was that the soldiers had decided to charge him instead of shooting at him. The bad news was that now he was almost smack in the center of the base. Jace rolled to the side as a vibroblade crashed into the ground where he was moments earlier. The Jedi's leg shot out and crashed into the man's knee, causing the man to buckle and then fall. One punch was enough to render the soldier unconscious.

Jace could hear the footsteps of many more soldiers running towards him. They were attacking him from every direction, he wasn't left with many options. His mind first turned to his lightsaber, but he didn't move to grab it. There would be more than enough bloodshed ahead of them, that much he knew. Jace relaxed his posture ever so slightly as he took a deep breath. Almost in unison with his exhale, his fists began to glow a light blue, followed by the crackling sound of lightning. Violence was unavoidable at this point, but maybe death wasn't.

Flying forward, Jace's fist connected with the first soldier with immense force. He spun to the left, narrowly but safely dodging another blade. Jace followed up by sending an open palm into the man's chest and finished with an elbow to the face. He grabbed anothers arm and sent a jolt of paralyzing but nonlethal electricity through the man's body. He parried another sequence of attacks before incapacitating two more soldiers. It was around this time that Jace had bought himself a brief respite.

--Master Jace, the sith…they are here…they must have the hounds also…I saw eyes, glowing red eyes…and I think…I think they have a handler. It looked like a noghri, but I can’t be sure, it was too blurred. Its name was Wroth…the handler…if the vision was true we must be even more cautious. By the way…behind you.--

The Jedi didn't even turn as the guns discharged their deadly bolts. Even as the closed down upon him, Jace still remained still. Then mere feet from his back, the bolts crashed into an invisible wall and dissipated. Jace had spent much of his time as a Jedi in becoming proficient at the art of protection. His master had always explained that the ability to save a life was much more important than the ability to take one. He spun around and focused on the soldiers, sending them flying back from the barricade.

It seemed that most of the resistance had been neutralized and thus it was time for their true mission to begin. The Jedi master approached the large gates that provided entry to the true evil that lay ahead in these dark tunnels. Thus as the gates opened, Jace steeled himself for the true challenge to come. There in front of him were multiple tunnels, leading off into different directions but no doubt the same danger. The Grandmaster turned to those behind him, and his eyes reflected the same determined looked that they all possessed.

"This is where we must part. Each of you knows what must be done. Be cautious, our enemies wait within. Do not be careless with your lives. We shall all meet again soon, of this I am certain. May the Force be with you"

Jace nodded to the group, and with that, he proceeded down the central tunnel.

[Otterling]

Mon’vuuem folded her hands delicately into the sleeves of her robes and watched with the detached patience of someone enjoying a peaceful afternoon as Talau and the other Jedi worked to take down the last of the guards. The young woman’s methods weren’t quite perfected yet but that was what learning was for and the Kaminoan figured Talau would work things out for herself as she went. The death of one of the guards was unfortunate but there was little the Jedi master could do about it at that moment. She turned her luminous eyes toward Ki’Ang as he approached, heralded long before his arrival by the sound of his heavy footfalls, and offered the Nikto a slight smile as he called her name. It wasn’t uncommon for people to not use her full name and she didn’t mind. It was a sight better than having it mangled into something unrecognizable as so many in the past had been prone to do. Her sincere smile deepened at Ki’Ang’s comment on his age, she knew he was certainly older than she was especially considering the shorter life span of her people, but even she had begun to feel the pull of time creeping up in her joints. She was still quite flexible but she knew that wouldn’t last forever.

Mon’vuuem didn’t even flinch as the blaster bolt dissipated mere inches from Ki’Ang, her attunement to the Force allowing her to sense the thin ripple of energy that was protecting him. Nor did she much seem to notice the sudden jerking of the blaster’s owner into the ceiling though she was certainly aware of it. Ki’Ang’s ability with the Force was truly an impressive thing and though Mon’vuuem had never met the man before this mission, she had heard a few stories about him and had decided that anyone foolish enough to underestimate this man was likely to find themselves in for one heck of a surprise. His calm manners and bright upbeat attitude had assured him a place of affection with the Council Member though it was often hard to tell when the kaminoan was being affectionate.

“"What happened to the rest of the group? May I suggest that we stay together? I don't have eyes on the back of my head and I don't think you do either, and we can't be spreading ourselves too thin this early in the game."”

As Ki’Ang spoke, Mon’vuuem’s mind was already reaching out beyond her into the far reaches of the tunnel they were occupying. She quickly picked up the Force Signatures of the rest of their small group as well as Kaiven’s as they moved swiftly along into the tunnels. “It appears that our teams are well on track,” she said in her quiet sing-song voice, “but I would be honored to take you up on your offer, Master Ki’Ang. Shall we?” She gestured in the direction Jace was heading even then and turned to glide after him, pausing as she pulled up close by. Jace gave them their orders and then headed further into the tunnels leaving the rest of the teams in his wake. Mon’vuuem looked over to Ki’Ang and the young knight Talau before turning her face toward the tunnels and reaching out deep into the structure ahead of them. The Force surged around her like a tidal wave as she pressed her mind out into the long reaching spaces before her, seeking out some sign from the Force as to which direction they should head. Her head swung around on her long neck to face a tunnel far to the right and as she opened her eyes again, she began to slowly make her way in that direction. “I believe we should go this way,” she said lightly, “I should very much like your company, Master Ki’Ang and would certainly enjoy yours as well, Knight Talau.”

Mon’vuuem figured it might do the young woman some good to spend a little time with the older and calmer masters but she wasn’t going to make it an order if the other Jedi wasn’t interested. Without further ado, she drifted down into the darkness ahead, her senses keened to the possible looming threats they would face. “Stay mindful, young padawan,” she whispered to Asani, “there is much darkness here.”