The old, run down, building in the Coruscant underworld flickers with A dull illumination. Inside, A sole glow lamp sits in the middle of the floor. The pale light washes over the sparse furnishings. A chair, picture, a few chipped cups. A muffled thump sounds as the ball bounces on the floor. It bounces once more, then rolls sideways. The ball rumbles and shakes and finally slowly levitates into the air, only to fall once more. Nole sits propped against the back wall, practicing the exercise. A sigh sounds from his lips as he ruffles his hair in a display of stress. Practicing the exercise dulls the boys senses, blurring the surroundings till all he can see is the ball. He blinks once, twice, then slowly leans into the wall. Giving into his exhaustion, darkness overwhelms the senses as sleep overtakes him.
Floating...
Flying...
Clouds against a blue sky. Shifting, shaping, molding into shapes. I am one with the sky.
Peace...
The boy wakes up, startled. Taking A deep breath, he examines the surroundings. His ball lays in still on the floor, were it has settled the night before. Light streams through the window, bathing the building in the dull light that reached the under city. Something brushes his hair. Looking up, startled, the roof greets him. Beneath him, seven feet of air. Realization hits him moments before the ground does.
"This place smells like bantha dung." The padawan comments, noticing the putrid surroundings that she finds herself in.
Hours earlier, Jedi Knight Thion Joruic and his padawan, Shaye Triald, had been called to investigate a report of an old Jedi Knight being ambushed and killed in the lower levels. With each level they took into the planet, the area became bleaker and bleaker. Nightclubs and Bars dotted the area, followed by rusting buildings and deserted walkways. There, they landed and set out on foot to the site of the reported murder.
"Be mindful. Some of the Coruscant residents call this area their home." The Jedi replies.
"I can't see how. I'd be wary of even stepping into these buildings., They look like they'll break any minute" She eyes the building warily.
The duo wander the streets. They move from the main speederway to a side street. The area becomes bleaker the farther away they get. Dust and grime fill the air. The walkway becomes soft under their feet. Some of the buildings are crumbling under their own weight.
"Up ahead" Thion points in the direction of another side street.
They turn into the indicated street and almost immediately see the cloud of insects hovering above A shape on the ground. Dried blood covers the area around the dead man. His eyes stare blankly up at the levels above. The smell of decay is heavy in the area. Master and apprentice approach the gruesome scene. Hovering outside the circle of blood, the two assess the situation.
"This blood has been here for days. It seems the report we received was correct." Thion comments.
He gently reaches down and examines the old wounds. His nose has been twisted sideways, broken. Shoulder, charred by A blaster. Knife wounds riddle the old mans body. His arm is twisted at an angle, towards a small, open maintenance hatch.
"Master. Look." two small patches near the edge of the blood circle are blotched. Faint blood patches dot the area, then return down the walkway.
"Follow the prints. We might find the killer."