And Comes A Terrible Darkness (Invite Required)

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGsvgOTCwiA​

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Orbit | Voss | Late Night |​

Somewhere high above the planet of Voss, a starship drops from hyperspace into orbit. It has a forged ID and magnetic signature. Its' cargo? A lone Dark Jedi and the smallest task force comprised of four agents garbed behind ghastly veils and wispy cloaks. Sensitive to the Force they were not, though trained to deal with those who were. Minor players, pawns even, in the larger focus of the game.

A rook has been moved into place. The target found. Fists of pink curled as she stared through transparisteel at the world below. A deep scowl formed behind blackened fabric that obscured her face. Hell hath no fury. The Twi'lek mulled for a long moment. The Jedi, their hopeless visions of bringing the galaxy into the light, their claim to protect others, LIES!

Ants. Like ants beneath my boot. They will be crushed.

"Prepare to drop." -- The man standing just behind and off to the side gave a silent nod, turning and ushering the others to follow suit towards the rear of the ship. Sure they could likely land at a hangar, but why bother troubling ones' self with starport authority? Unnecessary risks of troublesome pests asking one too many questions. Hope you've slept well Jedi. You're about to see a demon.

With a quick twist of her body the loose fabric hanging from shoulders to her back made a crack, quickly trailing behind the woman as she stormed off toward the drop pod. The first name on a list was soon to be crossed out. Little was required in terms of equipment. This mission was to be an execution, not a demolition. While she detested Jedi in general, storming the castle of a capital world was not practical this evening.

Like Seraphina, her chosen team were elected of acrobatic masters and violent assassins. Poison tipped knives, and vibroswords were their tools. One member specialized in slicing, not that Sera quite believed it necessary. No demolitions were brought along, too risky and loud. The Twi'lek knew her way around most of the Temple through the many times she'd been there in the past. Though in her mind it was due to countless episodes of torture, the workings of her new Lord and Master, Kaine Zambrano.

As for herself, Sera wore only her newly constructed armor, Demon's Veil, of which the sole purpose for its' creation was to carry out these executions. A pair of curved hilt lightsabers that burned a deep crimson were latched securely to either side of the woman's hip as she stepped into the pod, securing the safety harness after she'd taken a seat.

A quick nod to her agent and the man pressed the ejector. A decompressing hiss preceded the firing of rockets, sending the pod hurtling towards a deeply wooded area on the ground below, their landing zone. Spectators below may look up from all over Voss to see a beautiful comet descending the heavens, leaving a trail of smoke in its' wake. This was no comet, but a cometh.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Resting a boot on a curve of the marble water feature in the North Garden, Connor was on his own as night fell, sitting only under the light of an oil lamp as he wrote in his journal. The nightlife was keeping him company, bar a few Jedi seeking solace for a peaceful walk or quiet conversation to reflect on the beauty of the planet and their studies.

The Jedi Master glanced up at the stars, some twinkling more than others, and thought for a second, before going back to write. None of this datapad log, this was old fashioned pen and paper.

Contrary to what I think, we all know a change is coming. I need to step up. I've been here too long to just stand around and watch matters spiral out of control. Thurion and Coci are here and there, doing their thing, and that's fine. I've spent time travelling too. But this place needs to be my home. I've lost too much in the last few years - weeks, even - and I won't lose this like I lost

He chewed his lip as he wrote his musings on lost loves and a well overdue meeting with the Grandmaster and his good wife about the Silvers and their future. He had heard musings, heard voices talking and ideas and concerns. It was time to settle them, and time for Connor to be the leader he wanted to be for Iella E'ron in what felt like another life time.

Scrubbing out a comment, Connor looked up again for a moment and caught something more than a star twinkling. It was...he squinted....a shooting star? No, far in the atmosphere for a shooting star on the horizon. A comet? Asteriod.

He stood, folding the notebook and leaning on the babbling water feature as a few others stopped to look.

The object was closer and the roar was louder as it streaked by and passed outside of the temple perimeter into the outer woods. Silence hung in the air for seconds, before a dull thud sent a small shockwave rippling over the trees.

Connor slipped the notebook in his back pocket and rolled his sleeves up more, in his most casual wear navy tunic unbuttoned at the neck and no cowl. He hopped down onto the gravel and started forward to leave the Garden and out to the woodland.

"Patchu," he said to a young man he passed, "go see if you can stir the Grandmaster and any others you come across will you? Send them out there. And find a medic."

A few more steps, and he turned back.

"And get everyone inside and alert the Rangers to station themselves here."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Once more found within the tranquility of the meditation chambers toward the back of the Silver Temple, the Grandmaster was in a deep state of meditation by the time Connor caught first glimpse of the incoming threat. The Light side of the Force had wrapped itself around him, causing him to hover several feet above the ground with his legs still crossed and his eyes closed shut. Complete and utter peace had taken hold of his spirit in this brief moment of respite from his duties.

While in this state, Thurion was able to sense every living creature in the vicinity; not merely sense their presence, but also feel their hearts beating and read their emotional as well as mental states. He could feel the wind blowing outside and the sound of trees caught by it. This is what his master taught him so long ago; the Living Force is in everyone and everything, whether they know it or not. A smile appeared on his otherwise emotionless face, only to be suddenly replace by furrowed brows, and his head tilted to the side ever so slightly while attempting to discern the source of the sudden sense of dread.

It was then that the strange object crashed in the woods located on the very outskirts of the temple grounds, sending tremors through the earth until they reached Thurion, who by now had awoken from his meditative state with his feet firmly on the ground. It didn't take long for the denizens to become alerted of what was identified as a deliberate attack on the Silver Temple, and so what few Jedi-in-training had remained outdoors quickly sought shelter.
[SIZE=10.5pt][/SIZE]

Upon exiting the meditation chamber, Thurion bumped into the padawan sent by [member="Connor Harrison"], Patchu. "Grandmaster! Master Harrison, he--" Thurion settled a hand upon the lad's shoulder. "I know, son. You stay inside, where it is safe. We'll deal with whatever this is." Grabbing his leather jacket off the nearby chair before the door to the meditation chamber closed behind him, Thurion made for Connor's location, running through the hallway and down the stairs until he found himself outside, facing the woods where the loud noise had emanated from. "Connor," he called out once he laid eyes on him and they quickly joined up.

"What's going on?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Voss
The Dark Heart
Late Eventide

----------------------

The majority of the facility was in darkness. The Silver Shadows that haunt the Dark Heart are either out on missions, or had turned to their homes for the night. But a Jedi life is not set to the clock, there is no hours of duty but a perpetual vigilance to serve to protect all people within the borders of the Sanctum protected space. A blue turning holodisplay of this space slowly rotated in front of her eyes, Coci stood gazing at a point on the star map that required attention, it was not in the boundaries of the Sanctum but nestled to the north, near Korriban. A patch of the galaxy that knows nothing but the darkness, and in recent times, there had been reports coming from that sector that raised her brow. Connor had left for the night, having been working to the bone over these reports as well, but Coci had sent him away to rest, to gather his thoughts afresh to start the new day come in the morning.

Moving to the side of the control panel, looking over the data scrolling on the screen, soon they, the Shadows would need to travel to Korriban and see for themselves why and what this movement was and what purpose it held. Old Primes stomping ground, some reminants of that group still lurked to the north not able to give up on their purpose either. Whether they are those that follow a code or religious bent matters little to Coci, sith are sith, no matter what cloth they cut.

She looked over the roster, a unit of the shadow legion remained on Voss, within the Temple to protect it's walls and those that live within them. But a prickling within the force told her that something approaches, something not right and a threat, and whether born out of paranoia or no, she hit the alert button to communicate with the Shadows, to be on guard for anything unusual this night. In the meantime, it was time for Coci to return to the Temple and find her husband. As she was leaving, a message came through informing her, that this feeling of danger had been realised, and the Grand Master had issued shut down of the Temple.

Quickly she reached her speeder, and pushed the engines hard to get back to the Temple and find her husband.

​

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​

 

[Audren Sykes]

For once, Audren was contemplating taking an early night. It had absolutely nothing to do with how staying awake would mean he was expected to work, absolutely not. Nobody was there to check on him, but it was his company he'd be working on. He'd be the one expecting himself to work, and he didn't want to. There was so much to do, and the metaphorical pile was growing. And he'd added two capital-size ships to the mix to boot, with all the work accompanying them. He had to find a second, someone to take over the day-to-day operations.

But for now, sleep.

Except that was never truly the case. As he was shutting off the various screens, there came the roar of something passing through the air near the Temple. Not so unusual, though passes that close weren't the norm. It was a momentary distraction, nothing more. Until the minor thump that was barely felt. A bad landing some distance away, or a good landing somewhere close. Both unusual. Both merited some investigation. When he poked his head out the door though, he saw saw a Padawan go sprinting by. Patches, something like that. Also not unusual, but for the late hour and sense of urgency he was radiating. Not just him either, several others as well.

Lazy though he may occasionally be, Audren was not one to simply watch a situation unfold. Not without at least knowing what it was and why he was watching instead of intervening. With a sigh, he went back into his room and pulled on the vest and pants of his typical robes - the ones that contained concealed light armor. The gauntlets too, and various other metal plates. Given the alertness starting to spread throughout the Temple, he figured the extra couple seconds taken would pay off later. And his utility belt of course, lightsaber and baton already hooked on. Properly attired, he headed out, opposite the direction the Padawan had been running. Connor and Thurion were already present, which essentially confirmed the Sephi's suspicions.

"Trouble?"

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"Activate it." The agent followed the order given to him, pressing the emergency distress beacon on the pod which would send the galactic standard signal through all emergency frequencies for several hours. The Twi'lek then released the hatchway on the door, allowing it to fall forward and into the dirt with a soft thump. Quickly she and the others exited the pod and into the densely wooded forest of Voss, a fair distance away from the temple of the Silver Jedi. "Move. Quickly. They'll surely send parties for that beacon." The agents with the woman ascended to the trees above, moving quickly and quietly under the cover of darkness with the aide of their shadowsilk garments towards the temple grounds. Seraphina craned and cracked her neck, dark green eyes scanning the horizon with a scowl.

Several moments of silence would pass as the Twi'lek concentrated, immersing herself within the Force to shift her aura and alignment to that of her former self: a Jedi Master. Connor would expect to see Seraphina, as she were before the abduction and subsequent torture of Kaine Zambrano, and that would be exactly what he got. The woman proceeded to jog through the woods, her agents remaining out of sight and distanced far from her. They would serve as tormentors, unseen enemies chasing after the woman for escaping the clutches of their Epicanthix master. All part of the ruse intended for Connor Harrison and the Jedi. If all went to plan, it would appear that Seraphina had escaped torture and captivity, only to have the ship tracked and followed, assassins on her tail to eliminate her before she reached the safety of the Jedi.

Sera headed straight for the temple, knowing that any Jedi who may have seen the fiery blaze during its' descent may grow inquisitive and seek to inspect what the cause was. Her hope was to run into them. To warn them of the threat following her. To seek refuge within the temple. Passing off the torture would be well and simple enough, given the very real torture she had in fact endured at the Sith Lord's hand. Scars from countless lashings of a whip ran along her back, shoulders, and legs. Several burns and permanent markings were left on her arms. Even her face appeared to have lost some of the life it once had. If nothing else the story was solid. Unfortunately, she was about to attack the very people she'd labeled friends, and without the understanding that it was in fact, Kaine who had done the torturing, not the Jedi. Her mind had been terribly warped in her many months of absence, her spirit broken, and her will submitted to the bidding of the Dark Side.

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Whenever Connor was around his old friends and allies, there was no need to keep up formal "hellos!" or "how are yous?" - it was down to business with one mutual understanding.

"Seems like something has come down through there - escape pod I bet. Too small for an asteroid and too much of a tail. Did you see it? Looked pretty neat."

Audren joined them through the bracken, kitted for war. At least one of them was!

"If this is an escape pod," he said as the trio walked, "then it's trouble either way. Bringing someone or something to our door means something is following it and wants them back."

As the trinity moved with caution, they all caught the Force aura and heard the sound of one coming to them in a fast jog, and there was no mistaking who it was after a moment, especially for Connor.

"Sera?" The pink Twi'lek came into view, and didn't look her usual self. He stopped and let her come to him; out of breath and sporting a canvas of wounds on her once pristine body. He cast his eyes over her. She didn't feel right. "By the Force, what happened?"

He looped an arm around her waist and looked to the others, one eye narrowing slighty and a small shake of the head. Something was very much wrong.

"Let's get her back - Thurion can you alert Coci? Audren, secure the area and make sure no-one followed her out."

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Thurion turned to the newly-arrived [member="Audren Sykes"] and greeted him with a nod. "Audren. It sure does look like it."

Out of the woods stumbled one [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"], much to everyone's surprise. While they had never really met one-on-one before, her bright pink skin was hard to mistake. Connor was the first to approach her, but Thurion was not as convinced. Last they heard she'd been captured by the Sith, and while it did appear she had managed to escape somehow, there was no telling what horrible torments she had been subjected to. This whole thing ringed eerily like a trap in his ears. Did the Sith let her go so she could lead them to the Jedi? It was a strong possiblity.

"Hold on a moment," Thurion told Connor before he could escort the Twi'lek inside, blocking their path. Taking a step towards her, he placed a hand under her chin to tilt her head up just enough so their eyes would meet. Piercing blue eyes gazed into hers, attempting to discern a hidden motive, if there was one. "What is the last thing you remember, Sera," he asked her, face etched in stone. "How did you escape?"

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

On her journey back to the Silver Temple, Coci caught the sight of the pod descending to ground and disappearing behind the line of trees in the forest near by. She turned the speeder in that direction, weaving through them to try and reach the landing place to see who had come. But by the time she got close, the pod was empty yet lingering was the sense of the darkside. Coci allowed it to enter her, a way of being able to 'track' it's path, but there was no recognition of the it, no one person she knew to identify. There was a familiarity, like it lurked on the edge of air with one of the people that had disembarked, but she could glean no grasp of it.

She kept her distance as she followed the slick of the aura which seemed to be headed toward the Temple. The force bond with her husband told her he was on the ground and prepared for what was to come, and she hoped others would be with him, they were aware and alert which served them well, and the shadow guards ready for the word of command from either her or Connor.

"Thurion, we have company", she finally contacted her husband through the force directly to his mind. Sera, would have already reached them by now, followed hot by those that had come from the pod. To Coci, the thread had been that of the men not Sera, what would be revealed there was yet to come. "There is a unit of men and women headed toward the Temple, hard to obtain numbers but there are many. You had better call for back up". They are slippery indeed working their way through the tops of the trees, but they would not have detected her, the force cloaking the Jedi Master who had left the speeder behind.

​

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​

 

[Audren Sykes]

The three walked towards whatever had come down. As they did, Connor speculated that it was an escape pod and indicated that it was indeed trouble if so. The logic was there, and the Sephi couldn't fault it, though there could be other elements in play such as ship-wide emergencies. But this didn't feel like that, this felt more like trouble.

As they approached the site, a presence could be felt approaching them. Not one he recognized, though it was apparent that Connor thought he did. A name was uttered seconds before a pink Twi'lek pushed through the brush. Wounds were evident...something was wrong. And yet the reactions of the two senior Jedi were telling...there was more wrong than just the wounds. Connor suggested that the Sephi secure the area, make sure nobody was following this Sera. He simply nodded and moved out to the side, senses alert. As he did, he pulled out his comlink and opened a channel to the spaceport.

"Voss ATC, Sykes. Increase alert level, prepare for possible incoming."

If someone was chasing, not all of them might have arrived already.

Fortunately for their little group, Audren had grown up in a forest world. This particular forest was different, but he'd lived here long enough to know it. Sure, he had the Force. Yes, he was absolutely sweeping the area to the full extent of his abilities. But he'd encountered Vong before, and those who could hide through the Force. He wasn't going to rely only on that.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The woman's dark green eyes looked up as her chin was raised to meet Thurion's harsh glare. Her face remained emotionless, almost dead. Silence lingered between the group for a moment, though she never looked away nor shifted her sight from his own. Her time spent beneath the thumb and ire of Kaine proved to teach her the subtle tells of when a person was lying or withholding information. Brief shifts of the eyes to one side or the other, stuttering of words, fidgeting of feet or shaking. All signs.

"Most of what I recall are blurred visions. Torture was real, that much I know." The Twi'lek turned her face from side to side, glanced to her arms and gestured with a tilt of her head guided by her eyes towards her legs, all of which bore some bit of markings or burns. "Months I think, if not longer. I remember sleeping in a cage." She returned her focus to Thurion again. "I don't remember a lot. I remember being treated like an animal, a slave. I remember being cut from the Force, my blood filled with Ixetal Cilona on a regular basis."

She turned to face Connor, "This was the only place I knew I could go. To find you. I stole a ship when the opportunity arose, but it was like they knew my plan already. They were on board throughout the whole trip. When I was preparing to land they tried to kill or catch me, likely with the intent of abducting or killing Jedi once the ship was on the ground. I used an escape pod but I imagine by now they've landed as well."

Sera turned to Thurion once more, "We need to go inside, alert the others that an attack is coming."

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor looked between Thurion and Sera. He knew what he should do, but this was Connor Harrison. He didn't play by the rules unless the rules beat him around the head and physically made him.

"Let's get her out of the open at least Thurion, come on." He looked at Audren. "You see anything, you attack first and ask questions later."

He started to away, turning his head to the Grandmaster and gave a nod. Then, he looked to Sera under his arm and patted her side gently to try and comfort her.

"Just tell me you didn't lose Shaak Ti's lightsaber. I didn't risk my life on Selucami for that to happen," he said with a boyish grin.

The hair on his non-scarred arm rose. He hated that feeling. Not Sera...right?

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Between Seraphina's answer and Connor's urgency in getting her to safety, it became difficult for Thurion to question her arrival any further. While his doubts remained as to the nature of her sudden escape, he eventually returned Connor's nod with some hesitation. "Take her inside. Watch over her, and do not leave her side. Coci is on her way," he'd sensed through their bond. "Master Audren and I will remain watchful for any potential threat. Once inside make sure the younglings are protected."

Thurion turned to Audren and offered him a nod to confirm his command, and after looking over his shoulder to see his friend help Seraphina up the steps leading to the entrance, his eyes peered into the woods to try and discern any signs of life that shouldn't be. It was a disturbing feeling; every fibre of his being warned him that this was all a set up, but few actual signs pointed toward it. It was a question whether to go with one's gut or stay with the facts. For the time being, he went with the latter.

"I just hope we won't regret it," he muttered to himself, barely audible. He then proceeded to contact Coci over their private comms channel. "It's me. Whatever it was that fell from the sky, it contained Seraphina Shel'tah. Last we heard she got captured by the Sith some time ago. She looked pretty beat up, and I detected no obvious signs of darkside corruption in her from the brief moment I got with her. Connor was keen on letting her inside the temple, but I don't know... I have a bad feeling about this." His voice softened somewhat. "Tell me you'll be here soon."

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

She stopped her pursuit of the men to take a message from Thurion. "Sera? she was on that pod?", her brow creased together with concern for the women but something was not right with all of this and Thurion had voiced his concerns as well. "It seems very strange my love, for not only she was on that pod but what appear to be assassins or the like. I am tracking them and they are about to arrive". Before the communication had ended, the sound of blaster fire was heard through the link as Coci had been detected.

She ran for cover, hiding behind a large tree in the forest and before her face her purple saber ignited. Some of the men had doubled back to make sure they had not been followed and dropping her guard, they found her. "Be careful of her, something is not adding up". With that, Coci sprang from cover and charged at the nearest attacker baring down on her location. In conjunction to this, Sera's men would have made it to the edge of the forest surrounding the Temple, before them would be the long sweeping open lawns.

One body lay on the forest floor, the burn of her purple blade still smoldering on the armour cut through, bolts hit the ground around her only inches away from her. They moved through the trees like liquid and she was certain she was out numbered .. it was time to get to Thurion and the Temple. Coci ran for her speeder once more, kicked it into start and pushed forward and once out of range, she arced back toward the Temple out of range of the rifles.

​

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​

 

[Audren Sykes]

"You see anything, you attack first and ask questions later."

The very-junior Master didn't both to give that a reply, just a glance and slightly arched eyebrow. One of the benefits of being a Jedi...one could know they were being talked at in a group even without having to look and confirm. But that - attacking first - wasn't how things worked as a Jedi, not unless there was imminent danger, the kind where him not attacking would result in grave injury or death for someone else. Beyond that single glance however, his attention didn't waver from the surroundings.

For his part, Audren studiously ignored what Thurion said after speaking to Connor. From the pitch and the fact he was speaking into a comlink, it was obvious the Valkyr hadn't intended for them to be audible. It would be rude to listen in. Besides, hearing was one of the most reliable senses for detecting those moving through a forest.

It wasn't the noise that ended up alerting Audren. It was the lack of it. As the agents came closer, the natural wildlife became quieter from that direction. It was a natural response of prey not wanting to be. So when things got quieter, he got wary. All of the sudden, the Force alerted him to something dropping down at him. It could be nothing more than a seed cone falling at random, so he just took a step to the side, the step of a bored guard. Except it wasn't a seed cone, he could see the shadow of a knife hilt quivering in the ground. A flare of anger came from above, then another two items were thrown from similar but different angles.

So there were people chasing this Seraphina.

A crouch allowed him to grab the knife, and two tendrils of Force power slightly elevated the knives already in the air so they thudded into the trunk behind him rather than hitting him. As he stood, he flicked the knife he'd grabbed up at one of the attackers. It didn't catch the agent in the torso or throat like he'd intended, in fact it missed entirely as the being dodged. But he couldn't dodge the powerful cable of Force power sent at him. That send him arcing above the tops of the trees...gravity would bring him back down.

Behind the Sephi, another agent silently dropped down from the branches. He had a vibrosword in hand, poised to slice right through the near-human Jedi. But the Force didn't need sound to warn of the attack, and a half-spin to one side allowed him to dodge easily enough. The follow-up strike was blocked not by a lightsaber but by a gauntlet stopping the wrist of the sword hand, and a sparking baton slapping into the man's torso. It wasn't a powerful enough jolt of electricity to kill, but the attacker would be out for a good while and have a massive headache when he came to. Compared to the silence of the initial attacks, the snap of extension and crackle of the stun baton was clearly audible.

"They're in the trees above us!"

That was more for the benefit of those around him, on the unlikely chance that the Grandmaster or others didn't already know. The elfin Jedi already knew this, he didn't need to shout to tell himself such news.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

None would see, but the faintest smirk donned the Twi'lek's lips as Connor began to walk her up those beautiful temple stairs towards the inner sanctum. The briefest flash of vibrant white teeth gleaming against the moonlight before ascending to the final step that overlooked the wilderness beyond. From the distance the others had followed in her wake. Although their timing could have been slightly better, it was good enough. By the time the commotion erupted between the agents and the Jedi, Sera and Connor would have already made it inside and down the corridor. The men she had brought along were expendable, as were all servants of Kaine. This had long since been established, and those who failed were conditioned to die.

Retribution comes.

"Lightsaber?" She thought for a moment. Her mind was still a terribly hazy place for her. "Shaak-Ti's lightsaber?" She pressed her hand against her head, leaning much of her weight on him as she stumbled through the halls to a room with a bit of furnishings, though appeared not to be occupied. A number of the youth, aged in their early teens down to the younglings peered out through their own rooms at the brightly skinned Twi'lek and Master Harrison. "I..." She felt a small pain in her mind while attempting to recall whatever bit of information had laid there, but was at a total loss. "I'm sorry. I don't remember anything about any lightsaber of hers."

Even if she had wished to lie about the subject, Kaine had perverted her mind so terribly that recollection of many events was difficult at best, and at times often impossible at worst. Happiness had been turned to sorrow. Success to failure. The beacon of light she had once been snuffed out, replaced by shadows and a veil of darkness. She had vowed never to stray from that path. It was not who she was at the core, but after months of rigorous torture, a disconnect from the Force, and brutal treatment, she had succumbed to her captor's will, her own freedom and identity relinquished.

"Kaine..." Her eyes closed, hands pulling away the fabric from her upper arms and shoulders to reveal some truly horrifying marks left by the endless torture. "He did things. Terrible things. It's far worse than just what you see here though." Green eyes opened once more, brightly colored orbs staring into Connor's. "What he did inside is far worse." She said, motioning towards her head and lekku. As she spoke, the twin headtails wrapped slowly around the front of her shoulders.

"I had to come here. I had to find you."

To kill you.

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor carried her through, her arm around his neck and his around her waist. Passing by the main lobby, he keyed in a code for the Temple to be on amber alert; a silent alarm. Noting the eyes on them both as they arrived in, it was prime for gossip among the Padawans and Younglings - Master Harrison saved a pink twi'lek! Was there a fight? He didn't grant any of them eye contact. He just kept moving.

"It's ok, keep your strength up. We will get this sorted, I promise. What are you like," he smiled, straining a little as his arm started to get pins and needles.

He listened to her as she spoke, and he navigated her down away from the main Temple to the depths where the med-bay and holding cells were. A place he knew all too well but a place that was secure, away from eyes and ears and not near anything of importance.

"Come, this way, please." Connor stopped in the large white doorway leading to the cells and med-bays. He carried her through as the door closed silently behind them. To the left, a small med-bay with a small bed and lots of instruments and aid. To the right, a larger room with a control panel in the centre and a long bunk on the far wall. He nodded to the right, the bunk on the far wall.

"Go in and lie down on the bunk. I'm going to scan your wounds and make sure there's no internal damage or poisoning that could be dangerous to us, and then I'll patch up your sores, ok? Get you good as new."

Slipping her arm off his shoulder, he indicated with his head for her to enter.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

The young knight was up, late. This was not uncommon. He was in the Medical Bay. Again, not uncommon. He was intruded upon by Master [member="Connor Harrison"], and a pink Twilek. Uncommon.

As the two came in he was entering the central hub of the bay from a side office. A datapad was held, keen golden eyes observing information from behind the mask. He could almost be heard muttering, ".... That explains the fever, but not the blisters. The sores would require this ointment, but it would exasperate the feverish symptoms.... No, it has to be...." he would trail off, noticing the two.

"M-master Harrison! I.... Uh.... I apologize. I was not expecting any patients at this hour. Forgive me. Do you need any assistance?" The masked Knight inquired, observing the two, as he moved towards the treatment area, getting the lights on and preparing it for the patient. He moved quickly, getting what resources he felt was needed, just from his cursory glance of the woman from across the room. Anti-septic, bandages, pain-killers. Just a few things to help make his Force Healing that much more effective.

He did not wait for the answer, obviously. He was a Medic. He healed. She was injured, so his training took over. He winced internally, hoping he was not overstepping his bounds by forcing his aid upon the Master and his.... guest? Friend? Ryn did not know, but knew it did not matter. Those in need of help were to be helped. That was all.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Audren Sykes"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Looking to the canopies above, Thurion took a wider stance and extended both hands towards them. "Not for long," he replied to [member="Audren Sykes"] and summoned the Force. It seeped into him from the ground into his feet and throughout his entire being, ending in his fingertips. His breath remained calm and steady through gritted teeth as the mighty trees around them started to creak loudly before seemingly come alive, shrugging their canopies and the thick branches hiding the assailants. It didn't take long before unsuspecting Sith assassins began falling helplessly to the ground, some 20 metres or so.

In his peripheral another assassin closed in for an attack, which was promptly dodged by the Grandmaster who quickly stepped aside before countering with an overpowering takedown, knocking the man unconscious. As the trees ceased their shedding of hooded assailants, the few who had managed to remain now leaped down at him from all sides. The two coming from the front were easily tossed aside via a burst of telekinesis, but the one from behind managed to sneak up on and snatch Thurion's lightsaber from his belt. This inevitably caused the man to spin around and grab the assassin before he could do anything with his newfound Jedi weapon.

Holding him by the wrist, Thurion began twisting the man's arm in a tortuous manner, causing him to slump to his knees while attempting a couple punches against the arm holding his with pitiful results. Once he'd been forced to drop the saber, the Grandmaster launched a powerful blow to the assassin's noggin' and watched him fall to the ground, writhing in pain. Plucking his trusty companion off the ground, Thurion placed a quick kiss upon the Valkyri symbols etched into the handle before activating it, showering the surrounding area in its blue light. More came at him on foot, their red sabers ignited and raised above their heads. Now locked in close-quarters combat, Thurion was in his truest element.

All the more unfortunate for his attackers.

[member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Ryn'Dhal"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

After the assassins that had divided off to follow, Coci had managed to give them the slip, only for them to move back to the main unit and regroup. Those in the trees that had been detected by Audren and Thurion and engaged, had come across a force they would not have counted on in the form of the two Jedi masters, but soon they would encounter the second wave. On the edge of the forest that lined the lawns of the Temple, Coci concealed herself in the force. The pull of light to her body, manipulated to bend around her rendered her invisible. No sound would enter the bubble that cloaked her nor would it escape as her feet raced across the lawn toward her husband and Master Sykes. The only indication of her arrival would be felt by Thurion, their force bond would allow him know of her presence and intentions as a set calm enter her mind fueling her purpose to the fight.

A dead calm. Dangerous and still.

But these are well trained assassins, have the ability to be able to block her intrusion through the mind as she tried to penetrate them collectively. Yet, she persisted, little by little breaking down the mental barriers until cracks forms, slight at first and in only a few but that would be enough. In the minds of two she was able to seep doubt, make them question why they are here and to what purpose they hold the rifle and blade. Confusion set in, unclear of who was foe and friend and soon two of the assassins turned on their comrades and fired. She left them to their 'new found purpose'.

Whether Audren would allow her to speak to his mind, she did not know, but try she would and so she spoke collectively to the two of them. "There has to be a leader, it is unclear which one it is .. look for any sign to give away the head". It was difficult to ascertain, as they are all dressed alike and beside Thurion was rather busy at the moment. But she could not see Connor, was he not here before she had thought she saw him and now this worried her. There was no Sera either.

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Ryn'Dhal"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Audren Sykes"]​