During his meditation Ryaan begins to wonder which issue takes a priority; establishing good relations with a growing rebellion or seeking out other surviving Jedi. Although knowing each is equally important Táj realizes that a search for other Jedi will have to wait. Jass remains his only lead for the time being but hopefully the Rebellion will gladly take the assistance of the two Jedi. If so, Táj could possibly persuade the leaders to organize their own search parties for other Jedi. Suddenly he awakes from meditation.
"That's it." He says quietly to himself.
"What?" Jori says coming out of her meditation also. Because the two were joined within their meditation Jori knows with some certainty what is on her master's mind.
"The Empire, they're looking for us." Ryaan says. Jori gives him a puzzled look. "They'll do all the searching for us, all we have to do is find a way to know where they are or where they're going."
"You like taking on the hard assignments don't you master?" Jori says.
"I know it'll be difficult . . . ."
"Say no more Master." Jori says returning to meditation.
Whether she thought it was a realistic idea or not, Ryaan couldn't tell. He's about to reply when Gleim comes over the comm informing them that they've reached Coruscant.
"Land the ship far away from the temple and the senate building, we don't want to attract attention." Ryaan suggests.
"You want me to come with you?" Gleim asks.
"No thanks Gleim, we'll take it from here. Besides the place could be crawling with clones."
"Wait that's it? You just want me to leave you here?" Gleim says.
"You've brought us here like you said you would, I didn't ask for anything more." Ryaan says confused.
"Okay well, maybe I'm offering. Besides what happens when Jass's friends contact you, you gonna fly commercially?"
"We'll find a ship." Jori replies.
"Wha. . . ." Gleim says almost insulted. Ryaan kneels down so he's face to face with Gleim.
"Look old friend, I appreciate what you've done for us but we need to go on from here alone."
Gleim gives him a confused look then begins to realize Ryaan's reasoning. "It's a Jedi thing huh?" Gleim says.
"Something like that but I also don't want to get you anymore involved than you already are. If the Empire learned you were helping us it would mean trouble for you."
"Ryaan I get into enough trouble on my own . . . are you sure you don't want me to hang around?"
"I'm sure, if Jori and I are the last of the Jedi we must survive as long as we can. Maybe . . . . maybe one day we can find a way to revive the Jedi and destroy this Empire." Ryaan explains.
Gleim scratches his head for a moment, then he reaches in a pouch and hands Ryaan a comlink. "If you ever need me, just call. Who knows if you end up reviving the Jedi you might need some supplies. I know a good smuggler who will be willing to take the job." Gleim says flashing that toothy smile of his.
"Thank you old friend, I'll remember that." Ryaan says shaking his hand.
Jori walks over and gives the little toydarian a hug. "Thanks again."
"Keep an eye out on your master here kid and good luck." Gleim says.
As the Jedi walk away Xafus approaches from behind. "Where to now?"
"Ord Mantell, I've been meaning to replace the negative power coupling for weeks." Gleim says as he watches his friends walk into the vast cityscape.
As suspected the Jedi Temple remains guarded by several squads of clone troopers, luckily none of them are heavily armed. As they near the temple they begin to see sections of the temple that are damaged and destroyed by blaster fire. Gleim had told them about the attack on the temple, of course he'd learned of it through the holonet. The sight was horrific to a Jedi, seeing blast marks and the scorched walls made the two cringe. As they near closer to the main entrance they hide behind one the pillars to plan their next move.
"I doubt we can sneak passed them." Ryaan says.
"Agreed, so I'll distract them and you move in from behind." Jori suggests.
"Why you?" Jori points out that her new clothing looks much less like the typical Jedi fashions than her master's.
"Okay, let's just move fast. There's probably a lot more where they came from." Ryaan adds.
"Theatrical ha!" Jori says mockingly.
She pulls over her red hood and strolls up to the clones. One of them orders her to halt and asks for her business at the temple.
"I just wanted to see the remains of the place where those awful Jedi traitors used to dwell."
From behind his cover Ryaan shakes his head in disappointment.
"Oh Jori."
Ryaan sneaks around the grouping of pillars coming up on the clones' flank and cuts down the first clone initiating the attack. Immediately Jori brings forth her yellow blades from within her cloak stabbing two of the clones through the chest. Ryaan swings downwards taking down a second clone then parries the third as he fires a blaster. The bolt is deflected and sent back to where it originated taking out the trooper. They quickly move into the temple sprinting through the halls.
"Where are we going?" Jori asks.
"To the archives, if they're still in tact." Ryaan says.
Although they find no bodies throughout the temple the two are appalled when they see blood stains or whole sections of the temple destroyed. They arrive in the archives to find it completely decimated. A tear begins to form in Jori's eyes as she kneels.
"All that knowledge, all the Jedi history just gone like the Jedi themselves!"
"Gleim wasn't kidding." Ryaan says seeing for himself the scope of the devastation.
"Isn't there anyone left, what about the younglings?" Jori asks.
"Well since we last saw them they grew up two years; they were probably fighting along side the masters." Ryaan says as he walks over to a computer console.
After a moment he informs Jori that all of the security recordings were eliminated.
"Why would they all be erased?" Jori asks.
"To hide something obviously but what?"
"Maybe the attack on the temple, Gleim said that the Chancellor told the senate that the Jedi were attempting to betray the Republic. Obviously that can't be, what if the recordings showed the attack on the temple by the clones." Jori explains.
"Or Vader?" Ryaan says theorizing.
After searching the entire temple Ryaan and Jori find themselves in the council chambers.
"Master Yoda, Master Windu, Luminara, Ki-Adi, Kit and Shaak Ti! I just can't believe they're all gone! What do we do know?" Jori asks.
"We run." Ryaan says.
"What?" Jori says confused as Ryaan looks through the window at the temple entrance.
"Clones! Lots of them!"
Jori walks over to the window to see at least a legion of clone troopers amassing in front of the temple.
"Let's move!" Ryaan says spotting several gunships in the air.
"There had better be something left in the hanger bay!" Jori says.
They arrive in the hanger bay to find it nearly empty, only a few Jedi starfighters remain.
"None of these fighters have a hyperdrive!" Jori says.
"We don't need to get off the planet just yet, we just need to lose them in the city." Ryaan says as he notices two gunships approaching the outer wall. "We've got to hurry, find two that are fueled." Ryaan orders as Jori begins entering commands into a control console.
Jori quickly finds two of the original Aethersprite model starfighters which are still undamaged. She punches a key on the console and suddenly the automated system comes online and begins to prep the fighters for launch.
"Good let's go!" Ryaan says.
"Wait wait, I can do better."
"They're fine let's go." Ryaan says.
"No not the ships the automated defenses; if they haven't been disabled then we can use them."
After entering the correct commands the automated defense guns lower from the ceiling. Several of them are destroyed however two remain in tact. She informs Ryaan that the system was disabled but it can be fixed.
Still somewhat impatient Ryaan notices the security hologram to his right is still working. He spots a group of clones about to enter the hanger.
"We've got to go now!" he says pointing to the hologram.
"No, if those gunships get the hanger doors open before we're ready to go then our fighters will be blown to bits. The defense guns can take them down, I just need another minute."
"What about those troopers, the guns will most likely not train themselves to fire on them!" Ryaan points out.
Jori looks up at her master realizing his point. "Then you've got to buy me some time, it'll take the gunships awhile to get the doors open from outside. All you have to do is hold off the troopers."
Without hesitation Ryaan runs to the doors ready to intercept the clones. Sparks begins to come forth from the door as he realizes the clones are attempting to cut through. Ryaan walks up to it and ignites his green lightsaber. On the other side the clones standby as one of them operates the fusion cutter. Suddenly a green blade penetrates through the door and into the clone. As the blade retracts clone falls dead to the floor, the squad commander orders his men to place thermal charges.
"Squad commander to base, suspicion confirmed there are Jedi inside!"
When a guard detail of clones was found dead outside the temple they knew someone was inside. They suspected it might be a Jedi due to the cauterized wounds of the bodies.
"Copy that commander, relaying information to headquarters. Get in there and take them out!"
Somewhere in the inner rim the Jedi Hunter I is receiving the report of a Jedi presence inside the temple. Admiral Jafan stands on the bridge as he is informed of the report by Major Garan.
"Set a course for Coruscant and sound general quarters, all clones to their stations." Jafan orders.
Before Garan can reply a terrifying voice booms from behind them.
"What is the report from Coruscant, Admiral?" Vader says.
Jafan and Garan spin around in attention amazed that they didn't even hear Vader walk up behind them.
"My lord, it seems an unknown number of Jedi have infiltrated the Jedi Temple. Imperial headquarters has dispatched a battle unit there and is surrounding the temple as we speak and I have already given the order to return to the capital." Jafan says.
"Good, when we arrive have the ship come into orbit over the planet. Your fighters will be needed in space if the Jedi attempt to flee the planet." Vader orders.
"Yes lord Vader." Jafan replies.