Authors Note

You may have noticed I've merged chapter 2 into chapter 1 as it was really too short. Chapter 3 is now chapter 2 and chapter 4 is now 3. The new chapter 4 has been written and just needs to be typed and posted. Enjoy and review

Chapter Two

It was time.

Avarren stood and stretched, setting his eyes on the temples gates. After sitting down for over twelve hours even he needed to stretch. As Avarren turned his focus and attention to his task he shoved his memories of Vette back into the depths of his mind and set off towards the gate. As much as he wanted to lose himself in the memories he could not afford to with such a delicate plan. This all hinged on him getting into the temple peacefully and not being exposed.

As he drew close to the gates, Avarren noticed the two guards stationed there where much more tired than he had original hoped. Smiling as an idea came to mind Avarren changed his plan and slowly moved his hand in front of him, manipulating the force. The guards slumped against the gate as they their minds gave into the suggestion Avarren gave them with the force and fell into a deep sleep.

Gently and quietly Avarren open the gates slightly and slipped in, disabling the security systems with another wave of his hand.

'Child's play' he thought. 'Technology hasn't changed much in the time I have been...' He paused as he considered the right word. '…removed from the galaxy'

He transcended the steps to the main entrance and looked at how big and grand it was. 'And I thought the Sith made overly large doorways' He mused, remembering the large entrance to the academy on Korriban. This dwarfed it by far.

Looking around Avarren spotted an open window a few floors up, exactly what he was looking for. The main entrance would no doubt be guarded and with cameras unlike the outside wall. And opening a window might set something off, but an open window would be unguarded and unprotected.

Avarren gathered the force around him and jumped up to the window, landing gracefully on the outside ledge and quietly ducked into the room. As he looked around he frowned and discovered he was in someone's room. He mentally smacked himself for being so careless; an open window would of cause more than likely lead to a room which someone was using. Luckily for him though, the occupant of this room was out and he quickly and silently slid out the door and into the corridors.

After about ten minutes of attempting to navigate the corridors Avarren sighed with slight annoyance. He looked left and right, in front of him and behind him and slumped his shoulders admitting defeat to the simple fact that he was lost. What annoyed him the most is that he could be a single meter away for the room he wanted or on the complete opposite side of the temple, he just didn't know.

Deciding that doing something was better than standing there doing nothing, Avarren turned and walked down the corridor to his right and then turned right again. In his frustration he had failed to notice the force signature of the Togruta Jedi quickly coming around the same corner so was in complete surprise when she slammed headlong into him, causing him to fall to the ground with a muffled "oof".

Shaking his head, Avarren looked at who he had just run into and cursed in his mind. He had been careless because of frustration and if this Jedi discovered him then he was done for. But perhaps, he thought, he could turn this to his advantage.

The Togruta Jedi jumped up from where she had landed on the ground. She may have just glanced off the man's side but because of his cloak, she had tripped and ended up sprawled on the ground. She was still frustrated after her master had left her behind when he left with Rex to assist Master Shaak Ti on a particularly dangerous mission as he had called it.

She knew he was just being a bit over protective after she nearly got shot down but it still hurt that he didn't trust her to take care of herself. It was frustrating being cooped up inside the Temple for weeks and this poor man just became a victim of her impatience.

"Hey!" cried the Jedi "Watch where you're going."

She spun around to see who she had crashed into and paused. His hood had come off and she could see his face. He was a handsome Zabrak with blood red skin and an angular jaw. He had black tattoos over his face as most Zabrak had and horns slightly longer than a normal Zabrak. He was wearing a plain black cloak which covered most of his body but she could make out some black robes underneath. And he was tall, as tall if not a small bit taller than Master Kenobi.

Avarren slowly got up off the floor and brushed himself off.

"I believe it was you in your haste who actually crashed into me." He stated

"Yea, well…you didn't get out of my way either." She countered "you're just as guilty as me!"

Avarren smiled a bit at her use of the word guilty, as if he had just been caught doing something wrong and she was accusing him.

"You are right, my apologies." Avarren gave her a slight bow of his head as he apologised to show he meant it.

The Jedi eyed him with a glare, she didn't recognize him and he wasn't a Jedi.

"Who are you anyway? I don't recognize you from the temple."

Avarren paused for a second before answering. If she didn't buy this, then his plan was sunk.

"I'm merely a humble visitor to your wonderful temple. One who has also gotten…." He bowed his head, almost embarrassed to admit it. "…lost while trying to navigate my way. May I enquirer as to your name Jedi?"

The Jedi paused as she considered. Avarren had set her off guard having just clearly stated he was not a Jedi but he wasn't attacking her, so he wasn't an intruder. She didn't know what to make of him.

Tentatively she answered "My name is Ahsoka Tano and I'm not a Jedi, at least not yet, I'm still a Padawan."

"Ah, I see, my apologies and it is a pleasure to meet you Ahsoka Tano." Avarren said with a bow.

Confident this Padawan wouldn't think he was a threat Avarren paused for a moment to look around, trying to figure out where to go next.

"You said you're lost right? Well, do you even know where you want to go?" Ahsoka asked? This man looked hopelessly lost.

Avarren gave a small sheepish smile, embarrassed by his predicament. "Well, I was hoping to visit the room of a thousand fountains, I've heard it's one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the galaxy."

Ahsoka looked at Avarren in disbelief "WHAT? You're on the completely wrong floor. It's on the first floor. This is the fourth floor, the dormitory. You know, where people sleep?"

Avarren looked around again at the walls and doors. "Ah, that's why all the doors look the same." He mentally smacked himself again, he should have realized after he climbed through the window into that bedroom. It could quite possibly have been the room of this Jedi Ahsoka.

"C'mon I'll show you the way. It's not like I was going to get to sleep anyway." Ahsoka started walking down the left corridor and Avarren hesitantly set off after her. He didn't want to be any closer to the Jedi than he needed to be yet, he was still intruding into their temple but he still didn't know his way so he reluctantly followed Ahsoka to the elevator.

As they stepped into the elevator Avarren asked "what did you mean by you wouldn't get any sleep? You seemed frustrated about something when you ran into me"

Ahsoka pouted and said rather hotly "it's nothing really, I just nearly got shot down during my last mission and so when a slightly harder mission comes along, I'm not allowed to go. My master doesn't think I can handle it."

Avarren glanced down at her as the elevator descended. "He's just trying to protect you, you know."

Ahsoka sighed "I know, but how am I meant to continue my journey, become a better Jedi, if I can't face tough challenges? I've come so far already."

Avarren looked away and was silent; his head bowed slightly and then recited the words that Master Yanlach had once said to him. "What does it matter how far you have come…if your journey ends here?"

Avarren smiled at the memory; Yanlach was an old fool in many respects but a nice old fool.

Ahsoka looked up at him and frowned. There was obviously deep, personal meaning behind those words and she concluded that it might have something to do with what was now holding her attention, his appearance.

"You're a Zabrak and a red one at that. You may want to steer clear of Master Kenobi; he's master, master Qui Gon was killed by a Red Zabrak by the name of Darth Maul."

"Darth, so he was a Sith then?" Avarren's interest was piqued. So there where still Sith but how many?

"Yea, one of the last. Now there is just Count Dooku, his bald Assassin Ventress and a mysterious Sith lord who is Dooku's master. We don't know who he is though."

Avarren raised an eyebrow at the news but then donned his hood again. He could use this. But before he could say anything, Ahsoka interrupted.

"Wait, how did you know a Darth is a Sith?"

"When you travel you come across this and that and some things you just remember." Avarren bluffed.

"I think I'll wear my hood to avoid giving your master Kenobi a heart attack"

Ahsoka shook her head with an amused smile before turning back to the elevator door

The elevator stopped and the door slowly slid aside after the ding.

"You were showing me the way?" Avarren asked with an amused smile on his face, his hand gesturing towards the open door. Ahsoka took the hint and lead the way to the room that Avarren was after.

Avarren smiled slightly as he approached the door, hearing the sound of gently slowing water. Ahsoka opened the door and stood aside, letting the grateful man step through.

Avarrens smile widened as the sight of the room of a thousand fountains greeted him. It was not well lit as it was night time but a few dull lights paved the main path.

Turning around Avarren bowed to Ahsoka and humbly thanked her, knowing that if it wasn't for her help, he would never have found this place and his plan would be ruined.

Ahsoka left for her room in the hopes to get some sleep since her master was returning to the temple soon and after actually talking about what was nagging her, she felt marginally better about it. Maybe he would take her out on the next mission.

Avarren slowly walked through the lush gardens and fountains till he found a spot he liked and sat underneath a tree on his knees facing a fountain and there he waited for several more hours, meditating until the early hours of the morning. The poor Jedi where going to get a shock, the least he could do was let them have the rest they needed.

Dawn.

Avarren smiled as the first rays of the sun started to flood the temple. His eyes were still closed in meditation but he could feel the suns warmth as it lit the room.

He knew not many would be up, it was too early for many but the best surprises not only come from the least likely places, but also happen at the least likely time.

Avarren then focused on the force around him and took a slow, deep breath and removed the shroud he had used to hide his force signature and at the same time he let off a pulse in the force.

Sure enough, he soon heard the startle cries of Jedi and people running around to secure the temple. It would only be a matter of time till they found him in the confusion but he doubted it would take long, even the weakest of Jedi would be able to track a pulse that strong.

Over in the Senate tower the Chancellor of the Republic shuddered and looked out towards the Jedi temple. It was impossible for anyone who had the force not to feel the presence which came with the pulse. Someone very powerful was now in the temple, someone who hadn't been there before. His plans were already in motion; he didn't need any more problems. He would deal with it quickly, whether he could use this or not. A new player had entered the game.

Down in the depths of the under city of Coruscant the former assassin now bounty hunter Asajj Ventress gazed in the general direction of the temple. Someone else with power had come to Coruscant but as long as they left her alone she didn't care. Turning around Asajj went back into the Catina, another drink was needed.