Two Hours Prior
Jessa Senn walked through the widely empty corridors of the Temple, allowing her dark brown robes to drag behind her. She never fully understood the reasoning behind Jedi outer robes. To her, they were nothing but an inconvenience, serving no purpose beyond casually annoying her, and polishing any floor which she chose to walk on. Despite this, the young Jedi knew both her place, and her duty. The robes, no matter how annoying, were among the numerous honors bestowed upon a Knight of the West Republic, and she chose to respect them.
The Temple, in its long history, had seen many thousands of wars. The Jedi had, since coruscant's founding, considered this structure, over a kilometer high, and 3 long, their home. In its long history, the Temple had seen much conflict. Between its sacking in the days of Darth Malgus and the Sith Empire, to its invasion by the earliest Imperial forces lead by Darth Vader, the Temple had been damaged, abused, and in many cases, burned to its very foundation. Yet, that foundation, the mountain around which the Temple was constructed, never fell. In over 5000 years, the Temple had never been destroyed.
The doors to the Jedi High Council Chamber slid open with a light hiss. Jessa entered, allowing all of her thoughts to exit as quickly and discretely as they had entered, and she focused on the 12 Jedi she saw in front of her. In the center of several orange and silver chairs sat Jedi Grandmaster Kade Signus. A man of legend among the West Republic, Signus had risen to the rank of Grandmaster after successfully winning the New Mandalorian Crisis at the second battle of Mandalore. Ever since that day, the True Republic had held Mandalore in compliance to the Treaty of Concordia, leading to well established peace in the Outer Rim Territories, up until the Fifth Great Schism half a decade later.
"Master Senn." Greeted the masked Kel Dor Master sitting next to Signus. Jessa lightly bowed, causing her copper hair to fall over her face. Brushing it back, she replied:
"Master Gashal."
"You're likely wondering on what terms we've called you here." Signus assumed. Jessa's light green eyes turned to analyze the Grandmaster's features. He was a tall man, with long, dark hair which he had twisted into a series of inconsistently sized dreadlocks.
"Yes, Master." She replied. The Masters all exchanged looks with each other, before setting their sights on Jessa one by one.
"We have gotten reports of strange happenings on Yavin IV." Said Master Hak Tye, a chocolate colored man with a clean shaven face and balding head.
"It seems," continued Master Signus, "That the Knights of the Galactic East have a new threat on their hands." Jessa pressed her thumb to her lips, her mind rapidly pondering what the Masters in front of her were getting at. She desperately wished that they would stop with the vague exposition and make it to the point, but knew better than to voice such an opinion.
"What makes you say that?" Jessa questioned.
"One of our patrol units came across an encrypted signal in the Yavin system. At first, we believed it to be East intelligence, perhaps about their workings on Yavin IV, but as it turned out, we had intercepted a distress signal." Signus explained.
"Our units arrived to find a lone survivor of what seemed to be a deadly encounter with an unidentified, Force sensitive, being." Gashal continued after a second's pause. Jessa's thumb pressed harder against her lips. Every spare resource within her mind had been dedicated to picking at the new mystery she had been faced with, and within a 4 second pause, she had gathered enough potential information for 7 likely scenarios, yet still asked:
"Was this not one of our Jedi? Or an East traitor?"
The three masters directly in front of her turned and looked upon one another. Gashal stroked the sides of his dark grey respirator, and returned his shielded eyes to Jessa.
"We have no record of any West Jedi in the Yavin System." He explained. "According to intersected Eastern transmissions, no such traitor is said to exist. Whomever we are dealing with is as of this moment unknown to us."
"And the survivor - "Jessa interjected, "Where is he now?"
"Master Tullius Kord, a member of the Eastern Jedi Council, is currently being held in the Republic Detention centre here on Coruscant." Signus explained. "This is where your assignment comes in. We want you to speak to the Jedi. See what you can gain from him."
Jessa nodded.
"Am I to focus specifically on this unknown assailant, or Eastern intelligence?" She asked.
"The assailant is our main concern." Gashal replied. "Considering that we have the East on retreat throughout most of the galaxy, it can be safely assumed that this Schism is nearly at an end."
Signus, along with numerous other Masters, nodded in agreement.
"Interrogate Kord." Signus told her. "He has not yet spoken to anyone, but we trust a Jedi with a reputation such as yours will get the job done, by any means necessary."
"If this assailant is a threat to the Republic, you have the Council's permission to pursue and eliminate him." Hak Tye finished. Jessa nodded and turned. She took four steps exactly before Signus spoke again:
"Oh, and Jessa. Kord is much too dangerous to be kept alive. When you've taken what you can from him, dispatch him."
Jessa turned and bowed. "It will be done, Master." With that, she turned and exited the chambers.
The Jedi turned and looked amongst themselves.
"Let us hope Master Senn can break the Jedi." Hak Tye prayed.
"And that this assailant remains a threat only to the East." Gashal continued. Signus, among the other Jedi, nodded. He turned to notice a small flash coming from the centre platform of the chamber.
"It seems we have a communications request." He observed. With a wave of his hand, he activated the council chamber's primary holoprojector, giving way to two life sized, pale blue holograms, each depicting a Jedi.
"Master Signus." The leftmost Jedi, a young man with shortened blond hair greeted.
"Master Cass." Signus replied as he looked at the young man. "Master Hane." He turned to the rightmost Chiss Jedi.
"Master Signus." Cad Hane said. "We're here to report on the current happenings on Mandalore, and Dantooine, respectively."
"Good." Signus replied. "You may proceed with your report, Master Hane."
Cad nodded. "Loyalists, as they have decided to call themselves, have become something of a disturbance to the peace here on Mandalore." He paused, closing his vibrant red eyes and sliding his hand through his thick black hair. "They've spread propaganda against the Jedi order across the planet. While we've managed to subdue the majority, a few violent outbreaks have taken place in Sundari, Keldabe, and Enceri."
Gashal stroked his mask. "You've dealt with the protesters accordingly, I imagine?"
"Yes, Master." Cad replied. "The body count currently rests at just above 96 rioters, over 4 isolated events."
"Without their Duchess, it's hard to see the Mandalorians amassing any large scale threat to the Republic garrison there. Good work, Cad." Gashal replied. Cad bowed.
"And what of your efforts on Dantooine, Narko?" Hak Tye questioned.
"We've encountered resistance due to recent events here, as well." Narko explained. "It seems that the revolts are more organized on Dantooine than Mandalore, though the matter is well in hand."
"Have you isolated the root of these uprisings?" Signus asked.
"We believe so, yes." Narko replied. "It seems the rioters are rallying under the name Fanus Sovi, a known loyalist. Our intelligence suggests the name is in association to the senator of Dantooine, Kahn Chandra."
"This is disturbing indeed." Hak Tye acknowledged. "If the senators begin allying themselves with the Loyalists, it could prove catastrophic for the Jedi Order, and thus the Republic it leads."
"Aye." Signus replied. "It seems the future is clouded in darkness. Between the civil war, these uprisings, and now this new assailant, the Jedi have their hands full."
"We are too few in number to tackle so many threats at once." A member of the council pointed out.
"That we are." Signus bowed his head for a moment, considering his options. "Master Cass, I'm sure an operation against the Loyalists is in the works."
"Yes, master." Narko confirmed.
"Good. Capture Fanus Sovi alive, if possible, and bring him here to Coruscant. Afterwards, speak to the council for your reassignment."
Narko bowed, and the holoprojector depicting his image flickered out. The council turned to Cad.
"Remain on Mandalore. It is of vital importance that the Mandalorians cannot rally together. Should they manage to organize a resistance, or worse yet, rejoin the Loyalists, our grip on the Galaxy will be loosened greatly." Signus directed.
"Understood, Master." Cad replied, and the hologram flickered away.
The Council turned their gaze upon one another, each of the Masters taking from the conversation their own reflections.
"I sense a great darkness." Hak Tye admitted. Gashal nodded.
"Yes," He started. "I sense this darkness will reveal itself to us soon."
"Then let us act against it, so as to keep the Jedi from certain doom." Signus declared.