CHAPTER 5
"What do you mean they failed?" Jiles spat at the young dark- skinned officer who brought him the unfortunate news, practically biting his head off for his nonexistent competence. "S-sir I mean t-that their report summarized, that a republic fleet ambushed Mortep's collection of ships. Their fleet sustained sufficient damage, and Mortep's ship the Lucky-Bantha fled. The rest of his fleet followed but when they reached the rendezvous coordinates there was no sign of Mortep or his ship." Anger filled Jiles, the rage burned cold in his spine as he slammed his fist into his steel desk. He would not except failure, not from himself and certainty not from his subordinates. "One of the surviving ships believes." Jiles raised his left hand has he wiped his face with his right.".. that the Lucky Bantha fell apart in hypersp." Jiles pointed two fingers, and blasted the well built officer to the ground with a bolt of dark lighting. The leather covered disciple of evil, turned back to his desk, lowering the hand that shielded his face, he then held down a button built into a panel secured to his desk. "Bretew!" He still shouted towards the receiver. "Come in here and bring two men to take Lt. Owens away from my sight, he'll leave a stain on the floor." As fast as if he asked for it two men dressed in standard guardsmen armors came rushing through the double door hatch as soon as it hissed open. A stocky dark-red Nikto soon followed as the solders lifted the disheveled Owens off the floor. Jiles finally found solitude in his oversized black chair which presided behind his metallic desk. Bretew stood before him in front of Jiles monstrosity of a workstation. Jiles' waited for the doors to shut after the guardsmen carried Owens out of his Office, and for all the out side light to escape the dimly lit room. The pasty human, rested his hands over the bridge of his nose, sealing his eyes from the sight of the portable text panel Bretew held in his hands and the question even he dreaded to ask. "What are our orders?" Bretew then tossed the panel onto his associate's desk. "We are to proceed to the Kamino system." Jiles looked up to the horned Sith solder. "And what?" His hands now clasped together. "And then we confront, and kill the Jedi!" "That's all?" "If you would read the plans I just put on your desk, then you would understand our exact orders, but since you seem to be illiterate at the time being I will explain our Master's wishes in finer detail for you!" Jiles simply responded with a slight nod of his head. "While the Jedi aboard the Everlasting avoided from retaining damage to their ship, during the smuggler's failed ambush. The droid you planted the Manipulator on, did manage to cripple their Hyperdrive engines. Our latest scans of that area show their ship heading for the fourth planet from the star; 'Kamino'. We are to take this ship into the system while they are on the planets surface then confront and kill all the Jedi before they can leave the system." Jiles finally sat up straight before he gave his order. "Set course for Kamino at once, maximum speed." Bretew gave a mournful exhale, then pointed his claw to the large window behind Jiles. He looked and saw that the ship had already gone into Hyperspace, and once again Jiles let his face fall into his palms. "Good work" he mumbled. "Now leave!" With a full toothed grimace on his face Bretew calmly paced out through the double doors. Leaving Jiles to his petty human frustrations, but before he stepped out the door. "Oh, and Bretew!" he halted his back still to Jiles, as if he were disgusted by his appearance. Jiles, now sitting up straight reached into his desk and pulled out his lightsabre, and without warning he activated then threw the saber at Bretew's back. The Nikto, as if it were as simple as swatting a Halloren fruit fly, caught the sabre's hilt, just over his right shoulder. He then deactivated the weapon and tossed it onto Jiles's desk, next to the touch panel. "If you are ever going to consider trying to kill me!" Bretew, only cocking his head in Jiles direction to make sure he's hearing him. "Then do it in battle, that way." his voice grew as he made his point. "You can see your victim's face, for once!" With his thought said, Bretew exited Jiles's office, leaving the human too collect his own. "Bantha-fodder!" and his hands cupped his face once again.
The Everlasting made a difficult descent into the ocean-world's atmosphere. Partially do to the never ending thunderstorms inflicted on the great ball of water, and partially to the strain on her already devastated engines. "From what my scans can gather." Grem made clear to the Bridge. "this planet is still recovering from a recent Ice age." "How recent?" inquired Master Skywalker. "About three to four million years ago." "Is that not long for a planet to be experiencing the after math of such a natural disaster?" The Wookiee Jedi turned his chair to face the Young Vurk across from him, realizing that manning the comm. station serves no place in landing procedure on a unpopulated planet. Master Saliv injected. "That depends on the planet, many factors can determine how a world can deal with certain events that affect its environment. Position from the sun, Size Shape, its axis of rotation, and what's in its core." "I see!" "Yes and your about to see it a lot closer" Dorshe' playfully interrupted. "We are coming up on what appears to be the capital city. Chevacca are you sure you can't pick up any signal from the colony?" The furry Jedi spun over to his console. "I' am picking up signs of powerful communications technology, but no transmissions being emitted or received from them. If there is anyone down there, then they don't want to talk. " "I guess we will find out soon enough?" Yoda commented, Dorshe' then lifted her hand over the nav. console, pointing to a large metallic structure, suspended over the vast ocean's powerful waves by great pillars. "There, that's the city. I've just set a heading for a landing platform on the other side of its largest building." "Thank you Master Oden, I'm now implementing a flyby of that building, then we will prepare for a standard landing." Master Skywalker turned his head to other Jedi situated at their stations. "May the Force be with us!"
* * *
The Everlasting made a smooth, errorless landing, considering the soaking weather conditions. The five Jedi barely managed to take one step onto the ship's access platform, before their robes were completely drenched. Master Skywalker and Master Oden, lifted their hoods, on hopes that it would actually protect their faces from the endless storm that raged outside the ship. R2 followed his loving Master, the droid knew if the Jedi planned on gaining access to any computer, in the city they would need his help. Heck as far as the astromech was concerned they would only need him to tap on a light panel. He just didn't want to stay in the ship when there's a whole new world of adventure to explore. Yoda turned to the other three Jedi standing behind him still waiting on the ship, he closed his eyes, attuning himself to the Force so as to asses the next best course of action. "Master Chevacca!..." He shouted over the tempered winds, racing outside. "You are in command while Master Oden, and I along with R2 are investigating the city. Send a message to the High Council, inform them of our predicament and also make sure to send them the location of this system. Perhaps they can shed some light on this ghost star? While you are busy doing that. Master Romdel! you and your Padawan are to oversee the repairs to the Hyperdrive. If anything should happen while we are gone, contact us through the force, we shall do the same if we encounter trouble. Any Questions?" He waited a moment, even looking to Grem to see if he would yield to the Master's concerns first. "No? good! Then Dorshe',R2 let us be underway." And the two Jedi and their droid accomplice made their path down the access ramp. As soon as they were off, Chevacca tapped the panel to reseal the hatch. When the full impact of the harsh weather hit Dorshe' she wrapped her robe tightly to her slender body, Yoda was not feeling so affected by the surrounding environment. Who was concerned over his Orveasian companion. "Are you alright Dorshe'?" "Just a little cold I guess? I will be fine don't you worry!" Cold? The master thought to himself, I still remember that mission to Hoth, when she was the one who offered me her robe because I was cold. Funny? He pondered as they finally made their way across the bridge from the landing to a round alien hatch. This place is no where as cold as Hoth, the Windstorms might be worse, but still not as cold, and yet she seems as if she is trying to conceal something. Oh yell, She's not a first year Padawan. She can take care of herself! R2 found his way into a small maintenance compartment, there he simply used one of his many retractable arms to snip two wires, then cross them with each other. That was followed by the joyous swoosh, of the circular door opening. "Took you long enough!" Skywalker jokingly snapped, as he rushed inside behind Dorshe'. R2 then put away his tool and wheeled in after the Jedi before the door could close him out with the storm. Once shielded from the dangerous environment, the Jedi removed their hoods and R2 simply shook his dome back an forth so as to shake the water away from his sensor pallets. Dorshe' took a breathe in, as if she held it from the outside winds. "The air is stale, old." She commented. Master Skywalker realizing the hallway that they were in, was only lit by the crashing lighting outside, turned to his droid. "R2, see if you can find a way to access the lighting controls!" The little wheeled robot, simply replied with a sarcastic whistle, more in response to his own premonition, rather than his Master's request. Yoda noticed that Dorshe' was looking down at her abdomen, as if to examine a wound. "Are you sure your okay, Master Oden?" She looked up to her old friend, and gave him a humoring smile, she had known Yoda Skywalker since they were at the Temple, and they were in the same Padawan clan under Master Tulareff, before they took on masters of their own. She remembered when he was that dangly little blonde human who could hardly hold his own training sabre, or how could she forget the time Yoda programmed his mother's house keeping droid to do the Twi'lek slave girl dance. Boy!, Master Sharlace was upset. They grew up together, shared so many adventures and were even sworn into the Council together, but she couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. She knew her friend would concern over her too much to focus on the mission to tell him the truth now. "Don't worry about me, dear friend!" She placed her left hand on his right shoulder. "Keep your mind focused on the here an now, we have a mission to fulfill!" She ended her thought with a comforting smile. Yoda returned the gesture, but the touching moment was broken by the illumination of great white lights mounted into the walls. "Good work R2!" Skywalker commented with his hand shielding his eyes as they adjusted to the bright lights. "Now see if you can access their internal scanners, try to find any signs of life in this city." His eyes finally relaxed themselves to accept the ambient light. Yoda also took a second to see that Dorshe' wasn't affected by the change in illumination, but he remembered a time when she told him of the difference between Orveasian's and most other humans, was their unique sensitivity to the environment, which also attributed to their powerful physical strength and their additional internal organs. If this was the case then that could be accountable for Dorshe's earlier state, but something was still amiss in Master Skywalker's mind. Focus on the now Yoda, Dorshe' will be alright! He thought to himself. "Anything R2?" the small droid replied with a single 'beep', his version of a yes, then emitted an aged holographic cross-section of the city. There was a large red dot in what seemed to be a large storage or holding area deep below the colony, and even farther underneath the ocean's surface. "R2, can you clean up the image?" Dorshe' mentioned to the over- aged droid. Soon the image projected was replaced by a newer, cleaner version, although some sections were still blurry, the map would be far less helpful to everyone in its prior state. "There, the life signs are coming from sub-level twenty four, area B-nine. Storage rooms one through seven?" "Storage rooms?" the Jedi's pondered. "Perhaps they are in stasis?" "Unlikely." Master Oden, squinted closer at the projection, then viewed the bio-signature readout. "These life signs are quite small, they might just be rodents trapped in a cargo hold." "Or by the looks of their lack of movement, dinner in a giant ice-trap!" "Doesn't seem very worthy of investigation." That's when a great feeling of assurance washed over the two Jedi. "Did you feel that?" Dorshe' broke the speculation. "Yes, a vergence in the Force!" Master Skywalker took a moment to himself, returning his attention back to the schematic hovering over R2's dome. "I believe the Force wants us to go down to level twenty-four, and find out what exactly is in those storage rooms." "But, what if we don't find this city's people." "Well, if we are stranded here, at least we will have dinner tonight." Not even bothering to respect that joke with a comment, Master Oden walked off to an apparent lift at the end of the hall, and waved for R2 to follow. They were eventually followed by Master Skywalker himself. Master Oden, and the astromech waited as Skywalker caught up them. He took a step into the chamber and said. "Can't win them all, can I? Dorshe' gave the tan skinned man, a short glare with a supportive smile as R2-D2 interfaced with the lifts control. "Nope.", and the circular door quickly shut.
It took only an a hour for the nine out of the original twelve High Council members to join up in Council chamber, in the largest of all nine freestanding towers on the great temple. Within the center of meeting chamber, a life size projection of Jedi master Chevacca presided from the device mounted into the floor. So as to inform his colleagues of the mission's unpredicted turn of events. His grammatical roars and groans were drowned out by the cold tone of the projector's translation matrix. "Under the orders of Senior High Council member, Master Yoda Skywalker. The mission to investigate the possible resurgence of the Sith, in the Unknown-territory has been postponed at this time, do to damage sustained on the Jedi-cruiser, 'Everlasting'." This news, brought little reaction among the council members. Master Vul'et Dak'om, an Ishi Tib Jedi master, raised a concern to Chevacca. "Master Chevacca, what of your current position?" "There in lies another mystery, Master Dak'om." The translator continued, "Our ship's hyperdrive systems failed in an uncharted solar- system, somewhere near the boarder between the mid and inner-rims, and south of the Rishi Maze, in an abandoned city on a large planet, completely covered with water. " The Wookiee's image tapped an invisible button, then the Robotic voice continued. "I'm currently transmitting to you a copy of our latest scans of the nearby systems, hopefully with the assistance of the Jedi archives, we can place a name to this forgotten place." "I will oversee the research, and investigation of this puzzle myself." Replied the Quarren Master, Fessak Ulomar, known well for his focus and determination in his duties. "Thank you Master Ulomar, I hold nothing but the greatest of hopes that the search will prevail under your guidance." The Wookiee returned to his original thought. "As of this time, the Everlasting is undergoing repairs by Master Saliv Romdel with his apprentice Grem Venad, are." The Corellian Jedi, Master T'sa Jhellows, asked a question that was eating at her mind, but feared the response too. "If I may Master Chevacca, how did your Hyperdrive come to be disabled?" "The complete story to that is complicated, but we believe it was the work of a Sith warrior, sent on a mission to sabotage our ship in the hopes of leading us to an opposing enemy fleet." "and how did you escape, without complete destruction?" She continued. "That is were it gets complicated!" he remarked. "needless to say my report will go into further detail. So I will continue where I left off, if you would pardon my abruptness." Jhellows, clasped her hands in her lap. "My sincerest apologies, please continue." Chevacca gave her an understanding look, on the Council when anything that involved the Sith, it was no lighthearted matter. "As I was saying, while the three of us are onboard the Everlasting, Master Skywalker and Master Oden, along with his droid R2- D2 are investigating the possible life signs within the colony we landed on, in hopes of discovering where exactly we are." Master Baldos Amtlar, a green Mon Calamari, and acting head of council while Masters Skywalker and Chevacca are away, spoke to the projection in front of him. "Master Chevacca, once we have discovered your location, it is my wish to dispatch and lead a small taskforce of Jedi battles cruisers to provide additional protection for the Everlasting on her mission." "I understand your concern for our safety Master Amtlar, we await your arrival, until then we will do our best to unravel this mystery from here." Chevacca's projection took a final look around the council, then bowed his head before giving one more translated growl. "May the Force Be with you!" and then the transmission faded, and Master Amtlar dispensed specific duties, to each of the High council members. He turned to Master Ulomar, seated directly to his right. He then pointed a claw to Master Crebbem, a dark yellow Ithorian seated across from himself. "Master Ulomar, you have your assignment, please take Master Crebbem, to help you in your research. As soon as you have discovered this lost star, I and Master Jhellow will assemble a fleet of five of our Battle cruisers, and we will then proceed to the Everlasting's position. Any thoughts on what other courses of action we should take?" Master Kriss Willshard, lifted his voice to the large eyed Mon Calamari. "Master Amtlar, what if we should encounter the Sith, on this mission." "Then Master Willshard." He responded with the utmost confidence "We show them the Light!"
"What do you mean they failed?" Jiles spat at the young dark- skinned officer who brought him the unfortunate news, practically biting his head off for his nonexistent competence. "S-sir I mean t-that their report summarized, that a republic fleet ambushed Mortep's collection of ships. Their fleet sustained sufficient damage, and Mortep's ship the Lucky-Bantha fled. The rest of his fleet followed but when they reached the rendezvous coordinates there was no sign of Mortep or his ship." Anger filled Jiles, the rage burned cold in his spine as he slammed his fist into his steel desk. He would not except failure, not from himself and certainty not from his subordinates. "One of the surviving ships believes." Jiles raised his left hand has he wiped his face with his right.".. that the Lucky Bantha fell apart in hypersp." Jiles pointed two fingers, and blasted the well built officer to the ground with a bolt of dark lighting. The leather covered disciple of evil, turned back to his desk, lowering the hand that shielded his face, he then held down a button built into a panel secured to his desk. "Bretew!" He still shouted towards the receiver. "Come in here and bring two men to take Lt. Owens away from my sight, he'll leave a stain on the floor." As fast as if he asked for it two men dressed in standard guardsmen armors came rushing through the double door hatch as soon as it hissed open. A stocky dark-red Nikto soon followed as the solders lifted the disheveled Owens off the floor. Jiles finally found solitude in his oversized black chair which presided behind his metallic desk. Bretew stood before him in front of Jiles monstrosity of a workstation. Jiles' waited for the doors to shut after the guardsmen carried Owens out of his Office, and for all the out side light to escape the dimly lit room. The pasty human, rested his hands over the bridge of his nose, sealing his eyes from the sight of the portable text panel Bretew held in his hands and the question even he dreaded to ask. "What are our orders?" Bretew then tossed the panel onto his associate's desk. "We are to proceed to the Kamino system." Jiles looked up to the horned Sith solder. "And what?" His hands now clasped together. "And then we confront, and kill the Jedi!" "That's all?" "If you would read the plans I just put on your desk, then you would understand our exact orders, but since you seem to be illiterate at the time being I will explain our Master's wishes in finer detail for you!" Jiles simply responded with a slight nod of his head. "While the Jedi aboard the Everlasting avoided from retaining damage to their ship, during the smuggler's failed ambush. The droid you planted the Manipulator on, did manage to cripple their Hyperdrive engines. Our latest scans of that area show their ship heading for the fourth planet from the star; 'Kamino'. We are to take this ship into the system while they are on the planets surface then confront and kill all the Jedi before they can leave the system." Jiles finally sat up straight before he gave his order. "Set course for Kamino at once, maximum speed." Bretew gave a mournful exhale, then pointed his claw to the large window behind Jiles. He looked and saw that the ship had already gone into Hyperspace, and once again Jiles let his face fall into his palms. "Good work" he mumbled. "Now leave!" With a full toothed grimace on his face Bretew calmly paced out through the double doors. Leaving Jiles to his petty human frustrations, but before he stepped out the door. "Oh, and Bretew!" he halted his back still to Jiles, as if he were disgusted by his appearance. Jiles, now sitting up straight reached into his desk and pulled out his lightsabre, and without warning he activated then threw the saber at Bretew's back. The Nikto, as if it were as simple as swatting a Halloren fruit fly, caught the sabre's hilt, just over his right shoulder. He then deactivated the weapon and tossed it onto Jiles's desk, next to the touch panel. "If you are ever going to consider trying to kill me!" Bretew, only cocking his head in Jiles direction to make sure he's hearing him. "Then do it in battle, that way." his voice grew as he made his point. "You can see your victim's face, for once!" With his thought said, Bretew exited Jiles's office, leaving the human too collect his own. "Bantha-fodder!" and his hands cupped his face once again.
The Everlasting made a difficult descent into the ocean-world's atmosphere. Partially do to the never ending thunderstorms inflicted on the great ball of water, and partially to the strain on her already devastated engines. "From what my scans can gather." Grem made clear to the Bridge. "this planet is still recovering from a recent Ice age." "How recent?" inquired Master Skywalker. "About three to four million years ago." "Is that not long for a planet to be experiencing the after math of such a natural disaster?" The Wookiee Jedi turned his chair to face the Young Vurk across from him, realizing that manning the comm. station serves no place in landing procedure on a unpopulated planet. Master Saliv injected. "That depends on the planet, many factors can determine how a world can deal with certain events that affect its environment. Position from the sun, Size Shape, its axis of rotation, and what's in its core." "I see!" "Yes and your about to see it a lot closer" Dorshe' playfully interrupted. "We are coming up on what appears to be the capital city. Chevacca are you sure you can't pick up any signal from the colony?" The furry Jedi spun over to his console. "I' am picking up signs of powerful communications technology, but no transmissions being emitted or received from them. If there is anyone down there, then they don't want to talk. " "I guess we will find out soon enough?" Yoda commented, Dorshe' then lifted her hand over the nav. console, pointing to a large metallic structure, suspended over the vast ocean's powerful waves by great pillars. "There, that's the city. I've just set a heading for a landing platform on the other side of its largest building." "Thank you Master Oden, I'm now implementing a flyby of that building, then we will prepare for a standard landing." Master Skywalker turned his head to other Jedi situated at their stations. "May the Force be with us!"
* * *
The Everlasting made a smooth, errorless landing, considering the soaking weather conditions. The five Jedi barely managed to take one step onto the ship's access platform, before their robes were completely drenched. Master Skywalker and Master Oden, lifted their hoods, on hopes that it would actually protect their faces from the endless storm that raged outside the ship. R2 followed his loving Master, the droid knew if the Jedi planned on gaining access to any computer, in the city they would need his help. Heck as far as the astromech was concerned they would only need him to tap on a light panel. He just didn't want to stay in the ship when there's a whole new world of adventure to explore. Yoda turned to the other three Jedi standing behind him still waiting on the ship, he closed his eyes, attuning himself to the Force so as to asses the next best course of action. "Master Chevacca!..." He shouted over the tempered winds, racing outside. "You are in command while Master Oden, and I along with R2 are investigating the city. Send a message to the High Council, inform them of our predicament and also make sure to send them the location of this system. Perhaps they can shed some light on this ghost star? While you are busy doing that. Master Romdel! you and your Padawan are to oversee the repairs to the Hyperdrive. If anything should happen while we are gone, contact us through the force, we shall do the same if we encounter trouble. Any Questions?" He waited a moment, even looking to Grem to see if he would yield to the Master's concerns first. "No? good! Then Dorshe',R2 let us be underway." And the two Jedi and their droid accomplice made their path down the access ramp. As soon as they were off, Chevacca tapped the panel to reseal the hatch. When the full impact of the harsh weather hit Dorshe' she wrapped her robe tightly to her slender body, Yoda was not feeling so affected by the surrounding environment. Who was concerned over his Orveasian companion. "Are you alright Dorshe'?" "Just a little cold I guess? I will be fine don't you worry!" Cold? The master thought to himself, I still remember that mission to Hoth, when she was the one who offered me her robe because I was cold. Funny? He pondered as they finally made their way across the bridge from the landing to a round alien hatch. This place is no where as cold as Hoth, the Windstorms might be worse, but still not as cold, and yet she seems as if she is trying to conceal something. Oh yell, She's not a first year Padawan. She can take care of herself! R2 found his way into a small maintenance compartment, there he simply used one of his many retractable arms to snip two wires, then cross them with each other. That was followed by the joyous swoosh, of the circular door opening. "Took you long enough!" Skywalker jokingly snapped, as he rushed inside behind Dorshe'. R2 then put away his tool and wheeled in after the Jedi before the door could close him out with the storm. Once shielded from the dangerous environment, the Jedi removed their hoods and R2 simply shook his dome back an forth so as to shake the water away from his sensor pallets. Dorshe' took a breathe in, as if she held it from the outside winds. "The air is stale, old." She commented. Master Skywalker realizing the hallway that they were in, was only lit by the crashing lighting outside, turned to his droid. "R2, see if you can find a way to access the lighting controls!" The little wheeled robot, simply replied with a sarcastic whistle, more in response to his own premonition, rather than his Master's request. Yoda noticed that Dorshe' was looking down at her abdomen, as if to examine a wound. "Are you sure your okay, Master Oden?" She looked up to her old friend, and gave him a humoring smile, she had known Yoda Skywalker since they were at the Temple, and they were in the same Padawan clan under Master Tulareff, before they took on masters of their own. She remembered when he was that dangly little blonde human who could hardly hold his own training sabre, or how could she forget the time Yoda programmed his mother's house keeping droid to do the Twi'lek slave girl dance. Boy!, Master Sharlace was upset. They grew up together, shared so many adventures and were even sworn into the Council together, but she couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. She knew her friend would concern over her too much to focus on the mission to tell him the truth now. "Don't worry about me, dear friend!" She placed her left hand on his right shoulder. "Keep your mind focused on the here an now, we have a mission to fulfill!" She ended her thought with a comforting smile. Yoda returned the gesture, but the touching moment was broken by the illumination of great white lights mounted into the walls. "Good work R2!" Skywalker commented with his hand shielding his eyes as they adjusted to the bright lights. "Now see if you can access their internal scanners, try to find any signs of life in this city." His eyes finally relaxed themselves to accept the ambient light. Yoda also took a second to see that Dorshe' wasn't affected by the change in illumination, but he remembered a time when she told him of the difference between Orveasian's and most other humans, was their unique sensitivity to the environment, which also attributed to their powerful physical strength and their additional internal organs. If this was the case then that could be accountable for Dorshe's earlier state, but something was still amiss in Master Skywalker's mind. Focus on the now Yoda, Dorshe' will be alright! He thought to himself. "Anything R2?" the small droid replied with a single 'beep', his version of a yes, then emitted an aged holographic cross-section of the city. There was a large red dot in what seemed to be a large storage or holding area deep below the colony, and even farther underneath the ocean's surface. "R2, can you clean up the image?" Dorshe' mentioned to the over- aged droid. Soon the image projected was replaced by a newer, cleaner version, although some sections were still blurry, the map would be far less helpful to everyone in its prior state. "There, the life signs are coming from sub-level twenty four, area B-nine. Storage rooms one through seven?" "Storage rooms?" the Jedi's pondered. "Perhaps they are in stasis?" "Unlikely." Master Oden, squinted closer at the projection, then viewed the bio-signature readout. "These life signs are quite small, they might just be rodents trapped in a cargo hold." "Or by the looks of their lack of movement, dinner in a giant ice-trap!" "Doesn't seem very worthy of investigation." That's when a great feeling of assurance washed over the two Jedi. "Did you feel that?" Dorshe' broke the speculation. "Yes, a vergence in the Force!" Master Skywalker took a moment to himself, returning his attention back to the schematic hovering over R2's dome. "I believe the Force wants us to go down to level twenty-four, and find out what exactly is in those storage rooms." "But, what if we don't find this city's people." "Well, if we are stranded here, at least we will have dinner tonight." Not even bothering to respect that joke with a comment, Master Oden walked off to an apparent lift at the end of the hall, and waved for R2 to follow. They were eventually followed by Master Skywalker himself. Master Oden, and the astromech waited as Skywalker caught up them. He took a step into the chamber and said. "Can't win them all, can I? Dorshe' gave the tan skinned man, a short glare with a supportive smile as R2-D2 interfaced with the lifts control. "Nope.", and the circular door quickly shut.
It took only an a hour for the nine out of the original twelve High Council members to join up in Council chamber, in the largest of all nine freestanding towers on the great temple. Within the center of meeting chamber, a life size projection of Jedi master Chevacca presided from the device mounted into the floor. So as to inform his colleagues of the mission's unpredicted turn of events. His grammatical roars and groans were drowned out by the cold tone of the projector's translation matrix. "Under the orders of Senior High Council member, Master Yoda Skywalker. The mission to investigate the possible resurgence of the Sith, in the Unknown-territory has been postponed at this time, do to damage sustained on the Jedi-cruiser, 'Everlasting'." This news, brought little reaction among the council members. Master Vul'et Dak'om, an Ishi Tib Jedi master, raised a concern to Chevacca. "Master Chevacca, what of your current position?" "There in lies another mystery, Master Dak'om." The translator continued, "Our ship's hyperdrive systems failed in an uncharted solar- system, somewhere near the boarder between the mid and inner-rims, and south of the Rishi Maze, in an abandoned city on a large planet, completely covered with water. " The Wookiee's image tapped an invisible button, then the Robotic voice continued. "I'm currently transmitting to you a copy of our latest scans of the nearby systems, hopefully with the assistance of the Jedi archives, we can place a name to this forgotten place." "I will oversee the research, and investigation of this puzzle myself." Replied the Quarren Master, Fessak Ulomar, known well for his focus and determination in his duties. "Thank you Master Ulomar, I hold nothing but the greatest of hopes that the search will prevail under your guidance." The Wookiee returned to his original thought. "As of this time, the Everlasting is undergoing repairs by Master Saliv Romdel with his apprentice Grem Venad, are." The Corellian Jedi, Master T'sa Jhellows, asked a question that was eating at her mind, but feared the response too. "If I may Master Chevacca, how did your Hyperdrive come to be disabled?" "The complete story to that is complicated, but we believe it was the work of a Sith warrior, sent on a mission to sabotage our ship in the hopes of leading us to an opposing enemy fleet." "and how did you escape, without complete destruction?" She continued. "That is were it gets complicated!" he remarked. "needless to say my report will go into further detail. So I will continue where I left off, if you would pardon my abruptness." Jhellows, clasped her hands in her lap. "My sincerest apologies, please continue." Chevacca gave her an understanding look, on the Council when anything that involved the Sith, it was no lighthearted matter. "As I was saying, while the three of us are onboard the Everlasting, Master Skywalker and Master Oden, along with his droid R2- D2 are investigating the possible life signs within the colony we landed on, in hopes of discovering where exactly we are." Master Baldos Amtlar, a green Mon Calamari, and acting head of council while Masters Skywalker and Chevacca are away, spoke to the projection in front of him. "Master Chevacca, once we have discovered your location, it is my wish to dispatch and lead a small taskforce of Jedi battles cruisers to provide additional protection for the Everlasting on her mission." "I understand your concern for our safety Master Amtlar, we await your arrival, until then we will do our best to unravel this mystery from here." Chevacca's projection took a final look around the council, then bowed his head before giving one more translated growl. "May the Force Be with you!" and then the transmission faded, and Master Amtlar dispensed specific duties, to each of the High council members. He turned to Master Ulomar, seated directly to his right. He then pointed a claw to Master Crebbem, a dark yellow Ithorian seated across from himself. "Master Ulomar, you have your assignment, please take Master Crebbem, to help you in your research. As soon as you have discovered this lost star, I and Master Jhellow will assemble a fleet of five of our Battle cruisers, and we will then proceed to the Everlasting's position. Any thoughts on what other courses of action we should take?" Master Kriss Willshard, lifted his voice to the large eyed Mon Calamari. "Master Amtlar, what if we should encounter the Sith, on this mission." "Then Master Willshard." He responded with the utmost confidence "We show them the Light!"