Chapter 11: Council Meeting
"He's here." Kuno's sudden appearance in the Council Chamber with Akantha in tow, and his matter of fact statement seemed to startle the twelve Jedi Masters into silence.
"Certain you are?" Yoda asked.
"He killed zree of me friends, here, on Coruscant." Akantha answered for him. The ripped and soiled bright colors of his cloak seeming to ooze onto the polished floor of the Council Chamber.
"Akantha is a data lord. The Renegade has been inquiring into means of entry into the Temple." Kuno elaborated.
"This is rather troubling. It seems that Knight Windu has been correct and his ultimate goal is Coruscant. But what does he want in the Temple?" Mephisto asked.
"Kalé perhaps?" Another Councilor supplied.
"But why? She seems to be immune to his weapon, and at the same time incapable of explaining why." Kuno said.
"Answers, Ismene Taliba might have. Researching Kalé, she has." As if on cue to Yoda's words, the doors opened to admit a rather slight looking Bothan woman, with silver-white fur covering her face, and brilliant blue eyes. She bowed to the Councilors, raised an eyebrow at Kuno, and ignored Akantha.
"I might have found something of interest." She began. Yoda nodded for her to proceed. "Three centuries ago, a small group of Jedi seceded from the Order and settled in the desert wastes of Lethes. This group of solely human males was known as the Perdita Jedi. We have always assumed that they died out without heirs as no trace has been found of them since. Further research shows that secluded Desert Tribes populate the area. It could be that they integrated themselves into the social structure and became part of these tribes."
"Then our Renegade is a member of these Perdita Jedi?" Mephisto asked.
"I believe so," Ismene answered. "The profile fits."
"This still does not tell us why he would be interested in Kalé." Kuno said.
"I have two theories. The first: she just happened to be there for him to see. Being the first female Jedi he encountered, he wished to claim her as his mate." Ismene shrugged at her own theory, as if she herself found it as implausible as the others seemed to.
"The second theory?"
"Kalé herself is from the Desert World." Mephisto immediately interrupted her.
"That cannot be. She is an orphan from the lower levels of Coruscant. Her mother was a bedrock level beggar." But Ismene shook her head.
"I don't believe that her mother was quite what she claimed to be. Not if I can believe the pictures of her I have seen." She pulled out a small holo device and projected a wavering picture of a woman holding an infant child in her arms. A cloak with hood hid most of her features. Ismene pointed to the left arm where a silver gleam was visible, and to the part of the forehead which the security cam revealed. "The bracelet is encrusted into the skin, the visible part denotes her as a clan mother from one of the Lethian desert tribes. The part of the tattoo on her forehead symbolize her skill as a sand witch. Kalé, as her mother, comes from Lethes."
"Then Kalé is also descendant from the Perditas?"
"Such is my believe."
"Explain the Renegade's interest in her, this would. But not her immunity to the weapon." Yoda leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. Weariness seemed to pull at his face, and his ears drooped for a moment.
"I've heard of ze weapon." Akantha suddenly spoke up. All present turned to stare at him. Nearly absentmindedly he began to pace back and forth near the back of the Chamber where he'd been standing, seeming oblivious to the aggravated looks from Ismene.
"Where?" Kuno asked, knowing full well that the Data lord would tell when he was ready.
"A bit of a legend, me picked up in a spaceport near Omega Prime. An old tale of sith ta scare children wiz." He shrugged as if this were all he could remember. Kuno knew the Data lord too well to be fooled by him.
"Maybe you could assist Keeper Taliba with a search for some more precise documents. Maybe this would jog your memory." A rather displeased frown pulled down the corners of Ismene's lips, but she nodded and indicated the data lord should follow her.
"We'll stop on the way to get you some fresh clothing which does not offend my nose." She sniffed, and turned on her heals. Akantha followed after her with a wide grin on his face. Access to the Jedi Temple's archive's was every Data Lord's childhood dream, and it was about to be fulfilled for him. Kuno walked to the side of the chamber and stared pensively out of the windows.
"An old Sith weapon?" He asked the silent room.
"No Sith has lived for over a thousand years. It must be an isolated artifact he found." Mephisto spoke also as if to himself.
"Troubling, this is, and dangerous to our Order." Yoda spoke, before he could say more, a comlink built into the armrest of his chair demanded his attention. "Yes?" He asked, only to find Mace's voice floating up at him.
"Sensors show that one of the lower levels maintenance access shafts has been broken open. I'm on my way down to check it." Several councilors frowned at the invisible Mace.
"Careful you must be, the Renegade, this could be."
"Such is my fear." The connection cut. Kuno turned on his heals, and headed out of the Chamber at a run. If it was the Renegade, then Mace would need help.
