Coruscant

Temi Tobin stood on the bridge above the outdoor docking bay containing the diplomatic shuttle that she and the others were set to board, hands in her long coat pockets and her long brown hair sweeping down to the middle of her back. Half of her hand covered the lower part of her face in intense contemplation.

In the last five years she had been a part of the rebuilding of any sort of galactic order, after the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong and their shameful destruction on so many worlds. She had just turned 23 when everything had fallen apart; she hadn't been in service for very long. She was delighted to discover that her parents had been off-world during the events on Coruscant. It had taken everyone a long time to decompress after the traumatic time. By now, most of the bureaucrats and aides who had survived and stayed on had nerves of steel and rock-hard shells.

Temi felt that she'd more than achieved the shell aspect, but still lacked the nerves of steel as she felt her stomach twist. Never since the first days of the collapse of the government had she felt like her life was in any danger. But with all the holovid reports and inter-agency memos that had been circulated about the suspiciously high number of assassinations of Jedi in recent weeks, she couldn't help but feel nervous. She and a small group were the advance party for a number of visits and potential negotiation talks with worlds on the Outer Rim. It was hard for the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances to tell if they would be welcomed or warded off by which worlds. It was hard to gather intelligence these days to get a sense of where everyone landed when it came to them.

She pulled out her datapad and made a note of the time as part of her detailed daily journal, kept not only for personal purposes but also to track her own movements at work in case anything she did was disputed. There was no telling what stories others might try to concoct as part of political games distracting everyone from their goals. She walked off and stood outside of the elevator to the docking bay; four Verpines greeted her when the door opened. They calmly walked past, green heads towering over her. She entered and waited for the door to open on the bottom floor. A gust of warm air greeted her as she walked out onto the platform, watching the busy scene of capital city traffic sparkling and braying from behind the shuttle. The warm night air felt good. She took a deep breath as she boarded the ship, greeting the others onboard quickly as she made her way to her bunk and placed her packed bag on her sleeping pallet. She removed her maps from her bag, peeled off her coat, and straightened her scarf. There wasn't any time to be wasted.

She immediately joined the others in the main cabin of the small ship and set straight about to a briefing and updating their plan. They had to execute these treaties perfectly. Some of them didn't even notice when the ship lifted off from its platform, rose slowly into space, and then zapped off into hyperspace toward the Outer Rim.

Konah's ship arrived sometime ago in a spaceport. The port was said to be the shortest distance from the temple, yet Konah wouldn't know it from the traffic. Still a transport arrived to take the Jedi from there to the Temple, that was mere moments ago. Currently Konah makes his way from the outside platform on a higher level of the temple. The old building was restored from it's Empire days. It was even restored from the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, yes the building has stood the test of time, even without the Jedi there. This will always be a home to the Jedi, and no matter of evil forces can change that. Or at least that is what the Cathar Knight believes.

The Jedi enters the building, making his way to the Council. From there he awaited to receive his new mission. He awaited admittance into the inner chamber where, whatever Order Masters are there waiting for him. Once inside they greeted him, but wasted no time getting down to business. Apparently the ripples in the Force he felt were true. Jedi were being slain left and right. While it appears the Government has yet to act, it seems secret orders are in the works. Whether it was to avoid public panic is a mystery to him, there was only his mission. He was to investigate these slayings and apprehend whoever it was behind this.

Konah bowed and accepted this mission and was dismissed. What he had believed was true and now he had to face a killer of Jedi. Where these hunters or something much worse? He may have faced the Yuuzhan Vong but this enemy, he feels has a connection to the Force. That troubles him greatly. Could it be the resurfacing of ancient enemy thought to be dead? He will find out soon. He boards a transport returning to a way station. He needed to resupply before he headed out, feeling that this case will indeed be a long one. He reached a nearby marketplace, where he began to shop for supplies.

Konah had been busy buying some supplies, basic needs and medical kits if things were to go unfavorably. He was to have service droids return to his ship and load whatever cargo he purchased. Nearing the end of his store run he felt a Force User near him. He thought little of it, being on Coruscant, there could be other Jedi in the area. Yet the presence was upon him but didn't give much attention until he heard a voice. He turned around and leaned his head down to see a young woman with blonde hair. She was a Padawan, telling from the braided marker in her hair. While he didn't know every Jedi and their Padawan in the order, she was faintly recognizable.

She was flustered about something, distrubed, and when she told him her plight he realized. She was Master Isourex's Padawan Learner. It was mentioned to him earlier that a Master had been sent to investigate as well. Maybe he is to help him, or at least the Padawan here. Yet, she wasn't called upon the Council to act unlike himself or her master. She felt a disturbance in the Force, her master was in danger! These new develops worried Konah even more, can a Jedi Master not defeat this new foe? From what he could gather he is still alive, perhaps he should help.

Konah nodded, "Yes, it is wrong to go against the orders of the Jedi," He spoke deeply, yet calmly, "but I understand the need to rush to your master's side." "I am assigned to investigate these same matters...," Konah paused as his eyes narrowed. He was deep in thought contemplating his next move. He could go in her stead, after all, this foe sounds far too dangerous for a Padawan to handle. Then again he himself handled tough missions as a Padawan against the Yuuzhan Vong, they were not pushovers in the slightest. So maybe the young woman could be reliable, she certainly shows the determination to assist. What is Konah's place to deny her the right to help her master? She has already defied orders this far, and Konah isn't exactly an strict enforcer of the rules.

"I agree, the threat placed against us should not be ignored." "I am gathering supplies to my ship, and then will prepare to leave Coruscant." "My mission is to investigate, but if your master is in danger, I suppose I can lend my talents for your cause." "Besides your master may have valuable information that the Council would require." Konah then turned away from Alea. "Oh and my ship is a modified light freighter, if you so wish you may ride with me, otherwise I hope your a decent pilot." Konah spoke over his shoulder. He then headed for his ship, an modified YT-1760, old but still in very good condition. It was colored with a reddish-brown with some white stripes along the sides. The cockpit is a modified look, having a more flat, trapezoid tip, as compared to the more round cockpit. The neck isn't as long either and the body is a little more oval in shape. The droids have loaded what supplies where bought. Konah looked back, waiting to see if the young Jedi was following him.

While Konah awaited the young apprentice, he decided to survey the supplies that where recently delivered. Earlier several droids arrived to load the surplus into his cargo room. After watching their arrival and departure, Konah supposed he could waste a few moments to check his items. Everything he had ordered for was delivered in the amounts he requested. This should support himself and his passenger as they look for her master. It was then he began to worry. While he admired the young jedi for wanting to assist her master, the villains that endanger him must be powerful indeed. Otherwise a Master should have been enough to answer to this threat. There must be more at work, they must be something beyond the average killer.

While he had hoped to deny it, what simply was could not be denied. He was potentially walking into a disaster, one that might take both their lives. If Master Isourex is in such mortal peril, then would they be any different? Also the description from both the Council and Alea has him stunned. Using impeccable foresight, Konah decided it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially if what they are about to face, really is the return of an old enemy. Konah walked into the cockpit of the ship and activated his telecommunications. While he had minimal interactions with this particular individual, he has heard the stories of her. Someone, who was lost in the Dark Side, who has lived and experienced the kind of evil that is found there.

Konah isn't sure about his level of trust for someone like that. The Order seems to be content with her, so he should be as well. Still in the current predicament, aid is more important than his own doubts. Activating a holoprojector, Konah recorded a message and had transmitted to where Trang should be. The message would be shown as this, "Tanake Trang, this is Konah Shar Tuum." "I am transmitting this message from my ship in Coruscant." "Sorry for not showing up in person, but I am waiting on another and cannot in good conscience abandon her." "As to why I am contacting you, is because I require your assistance." "And if your are asking yourself, why me?" "It's because...you have, a certain expertize in the matter." "I have been tasked to find the murderers of our fellow Jedi." "I...I believe these murderers are...strong in the Dark Side of the Force." "I am sending you my coordinates, if you can spare the time please find me." "I shall be at my ship on Coruscant, but I cannot wait here forever, after all lives are at stake." "Farewell and may The Force be with you." Konah ended the transmission. Now he could only hope Trang received it and will considered aiding her knowledge to his case.

"I shall be at my ship on Coruscant, but I cannot wait here forever, after all lives are at stake." "Farewell and may The Force be with you." The transmission ended, and the holo of the beast-man Jedi fizzled out. She had been expecting a message of this nature since she first got her hands on the reports detailing the deaths of the Jedi, nay, since she the day she was recruited into the Jedi. However it had taken much to long for such orders to be given. Like always the Jedi Counsel was in denial, refusing to officially recognize all the signs, and even now the most the Master was willing to acknowledge that the assassins were strong in the dark side. But it was clear that their old enemy, her old companions, the Sith where returning to dismantle the Jedi order before it could flourish within the New Republic. Since coming to the Jedi she'd taken more of a personal interest in history, and to her it was painfully obvious that these assassins where playing off an old weakness of the Jedi, their denial. Just as Darth Bane issued in a new Sith order that operated on stealth and cunning, acting freely and gaining power across the galaxy while allowed the Jedi to live in their illusion that the Sith had been completely eradicated, counting on the fact that would not be quick to accept the fact that the Sith yet lived.

In truth, the Jedi teachings had not completely overridden her hunger for greater power, only gave her an opportunity at greater power. Weather or not she used that power for the Jedi's " Justice " or for the Sith's eagerness for domination was of very little consequence to her. Her former life as Lord Kathe was dead to her, but that hunger for power never left her, and probably never would. And as she sat in the captain's chair within her BTL-A4 Y-wing star-fighter meditating upon the dead planet Vjun in the Outer Rim Territories, formerly Sith controlled territories, now so soaked with the Dark Side energies no Jedi who valued his sanity would venture. It was here that she secretly trained to fortify her will against the temptation and corruptions of the Dark Side, so that she may more efficiently channel the passions of her enemies to use against them. More importantly against Sith.

Why do this in secret? Of course the Counsel would never authorize such radical training methods in order to combat an enemy that no longer existed. Now she could only smile and nearly tremble with excitement at the prospect of testing herself against powerful Sith, the thought of crushing her former allies excited her in a sick way that only a Sith could appreciate. She focused again on calming her mind, she had remained on the Dark world to long, it was long past time to relieve herself of constant bombardment of Dark energies and make her way to Coruscant. She activated the ship, waiting until she was well out of orbit of the Dark Planet to enter the coordinates that would allow her to exit hyperspace in orbit above the spaceport where the Jedi Master was awaiting her arrival to begin his mission, his hunt.



She exited hyperspace as planned, identified herself and successfully landed on Coruscant where she identified Master Konah's ship with the aid of an idle astral droid. His boarding ramp was already down so she suspected he was either on-board waiting, or off gathering necessary stock for the journey. Either way, she would not assume the liberty of boarding his ship without being him being present, so she stood patiently outside the ship knowing that he would sense her arrival, and would return to retrieve her if he was away.

Time was becoming later, and he was concerned about the Padawan. Had he lost her? Perhaps her connectivity to the Force isn't as strong as his. Perhaps he placed too much expectation, or no, maybe she is just as disturbed as he is. He can begin to understand such worry and doubt, for he feels them himself. He was to face other Force Users for blood, even with the daunting aspect of the Yuuzhan Vong unaffected by the Force, seems to be a little more preferable than this new enemy. Perhaps he should go find her and consul her for the coming battle. It was then he sensed a strong presence nearing his ship. It wasn't the Padawan, the force has a far more aggressive feel to it. It must be Trang answering his call. He stood up from his seat in the Cockpit and headed out through the loading ramp.

When he exited his vessel he noticed Tanake Trang standing outside. The Cathar didn't show it but he was secretly happy about that. It was of comfort to know that someone more knowledgeable than he was around. Even if this mysterious Jedi might not share all. He slowly walked up to her and relaxingly spoke, "Ah, Master Trang, what good tidings it is too see you here." "It's nice to know that my message had reached you." "Please, if you wish, we may speak inside my ship." Konah raised his hand to his vessel. "I am still waiting on another." Konah spoke in a noticeable bass.