Evening was encroaching on the horizon when they finally made it back up from Coruscant's dark underworld. The Jedi temple loomed ahead like a light at the end of a long tunnel.
Cilghal awaited the three men and their quarry at the emergency medical entrance at the back of the temple. Not as visible or conspicuous to wandering eyes, the alternate entrance made for the perfect place to haul in the figure they had chased down. Corran carried the being across a shoulder, flanked on either side by Kyp and Luke. As they grew close, Cilghal eyed the unconscious figure with her large, bulbous eyes. It wore strange, dark clothing that covered the figure from head to toe. The material seemed flexible, yet highly durable, as if some sort of armor. The mask it wore was also dark. It bore no decorative features and gave its wearer a chilling, faceless effect. The being itself was slender, though perhaps slightly taller than Corran. Cilghal accompanied the others inside and sealed the door behind them. They did not speak until they made it to the turbolift at the end of the corridor, descending to their destination. "Quite interesting," she remarked.
"And becoming increasingly quite heavy," replied Corran. He glanced over at Kyp in time to see the younger man roll his eyes. Though Luke and Kyp had both offered to help carry the figure back, he had refused, insisting that it not be out of his grasp. The potential knowledge it carried of his daughter's whereabouts were too important.
To think, 23 standard hours ago, he had tucked Jysella into bed. All had been well.
Tekli was just finishing preparations in a special room designed for the new "visitor." Deep in the bowels of the temple, on the very bottom level, it was private and contained, perfect for just such an escape artist. The chadra-fan scurried to the side as the group entered.
Corran unceremoniously dumped the figure on the small medical cot in the middle of the room that had been provided. It was clear that the situation had him in quite a bit of distress. Though, Luke thought, he would be just as distraught if his son, Ben, had been taken under similar circumstances.
They circled around the unconscious figure.
Cilghal gingerly slipped a webbed hand under the neck, then raised the other to the base of the mask. Slowly, she pulled the mask up. Along with faceless mask came the entire hood that enclosed the head.
Large, brown curls spilled out first. As the mask was pulled fully up and away, it was clear their elusive figure was a young woman.
Kyp raised an eyebrow. For someone so young, she had certainly kept the chase interesting for three seasoned Jedi. Not an easy feat.
Luke seemed to read his thoughts. "Mara about this age when she was first put into the service of the Emperor," he said quietly. "Perhaps she has a similar history?"
The comment seemed to knock Corran out of a momentary revere. He leaned forward and put a hand to the unconscious woman's forehead. "I know a way to find out. I'm going to bring her out of the trance."
The other four Jedi braced themselves. Tekli sealed the door behind them. Kyp pushed his cloak back and placed a hand instinctively on the lightsaber that hung from his belt. Cilghal and Luke stood closest to the cot and at attention, prepared for a physical struggle if necessary.
Corran's eyes fluttered shut for a moment, then he removed his hand from the woman's forehead, opened his eyes and took half a step back.
They stood in anticipation. Suddenly, her eyes began to flutter.
She took in her surroundings in stride. She made eye contact with Luke, then Cilghal, then sat up slowly to regard the rest of them in turn. She seemed eerily calm to Kyp. Her sudden complacency with her captivity was in direct contrast to her earlier desperation to flee from them in the underground city.
Luke broke the silence. "We mean you no harm," he started. "We simply have a few questions for you. We are looking for a girl. Corran's daughter," Luke gestured to the Corellian Jedi. "She was taken from her home by a person we believe you may know. Do you know where she is?"
Corran watched the young woman, waiting eagerly for a response. This was going to be it, a solid lead that would end his chase. Flashbacks from Jysella's kidnapping ran rampant through his mind on a terrible, endless repeat.
Jysella had screamed, waking both Mirax and me.
I grabbed my lightsaber off the night stand, threw the sheets off of me and ran for her room, Mirax right behind me.
A dark, looming figure stood there, near her bed. It had her in its grasp. Jysella struggled against it. The window was open; it had pried its way through there.
I lunged forward with my lightsaber. The thing turned.
It had no eyes.
Faceless.
It reached a hand up to intercept my blade. I expected the fight to be over there. Instead my blade sputtered against the armor uselessly.
What? Could it be cortosis armor?
It backed away to the window, smashing the pane and transparisteel with its free hand with the strength of several wookiees.
I lunged for it. I couldn't let it get away.
And then it jumped.
I ran to the edge and felt the strong, cold Coruscant wind cutting at my skin. I looked down after it. They had vanished.
Can't be!
Behind me, Mirax held a visibly upset Valin at the door to the room. Their faces held the same terror I felt in my heart.
How did I let Jysella slip away?
Corran felt his hands were clenched tightly into fists at his sides. He was exhausted, angry, and ready to bring his daughter home any way possible. When the young woman hesitated to answer, he fought the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake a response from her.
Luke sensed his anxiety. Calm, he sent through the Force.
Corran forced his hands to relax. Luke was right. If he was going to make any progress, he was going to have to be collected.
Finally, the strange woman responded. "You're Jedi."
"Yes," Luke replied for the group.
A sad smile crept across her face. "It's too late. She has her."
"Who?" Corran insisted. He came forward and leaned towards her. "Give me a name."
She regarded him despairingly. "It's always the same. Someone always comes looking and she captures them, too. You're falling for her game. You'll be just another pawn. You have to break the cycle. Let the child go."
"It'll be a cold day in hell!" Corran growled. "Now tell me!"
A distant rumble vibrated through the floor. The woman looked down, then back up to meet Corran's eyes.
"You're too late," she whispered.
Suddenly the floor ruptured, giving birth to a large black, faceless beast of a figure. It heaved itself up with a speed that was uncanny for its size. It was armed with unfamiliar yet clearly deadly weaponry. Its entrance flung Corran and Cilghal to the ground on the far side of the room and flipped the bed on its side. Luke and Kyp jumped backwards out of the way as the furniture slammed to the floor.
The Jedi reacted instantly. Five brilliant blades came alive in unison.
However, the thing was not interested in a fight. It lurched forward and scooped up the woman, batting aside their initial glancing attacks. She slipped a hand through a loop on its clothing on the arm and held tight, keeping her head ducked down. With her in possession, the beast wormed its way back the hole it created and slipped through.
Corran was the first to leap after the escapees, followed closely by the rest.
Corran scanned the subterranean room with his lightsaber held high for light. However, the two were nowhere to be seen.
"Sith spawn!" he cursed. "How is that possible?"
The Jedi stood in silence in the darkened room, accompanied only by the hum of their lightsabers. The mysteries of this case, it seemed, ran deeper than the darkness itself.