Undercover
Mayken and Obi-Paulo walked through the main entrance area of the Temple as they looked around at the walls. P7 as ever close on their heels to make sure Mayken didn't get into any trouble and if so to get her out of said trouble.
"Isn't this amazing P7?" Mayken asked in excitement but then she stopped dead as she walked around two pillars and screamed.
Outside the Temple, the others were unloading the ship of the essential equipment when they heard the Padawan's scream.
"Mayken!" Alazea yelled as she dropped the crate and ran into the Temple without thinking as the others followed her. When she reached her daughter and saw what caused the young teen to scream, she gasped in shock.
"What's wrong?" Serin demanded in concern as he approached them and saw the two skeletons that had been there when he had come to the Temple with his Master two years previous. Then the Jedi Knight turned to Alazea and when she saw his face the Smuggler looked away.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think," Alazea said as she left the building immediately.
"Just be glad that the Temple didn't close on us," Serin stated firmly as he placed a hand on Mayken's shoulder.
"What happened to them?" Obi-Paulo asked in shock.
"They were Jedi Masters whose Padawans failed to complete their trials," Serin answered seriously, "Only a Master and Padawan can open this Temple."
"Why would my mother coming in here cause the Temple to close?" Mayken asked still in shock.
"Because the Jedi Temple is a sacred place that does not take too kindly to trespassers, the only ones that are welcome here are members of the Jedi Order," Serin answered very seriously, "It's okay, I explained it to Alazea on the way here. She understands and respects the Jedi Order's rules," he reassured her softly.
Jania sighed, "Come on Mayken, let's go get something to eat," she invited, "You too Paulo."
The two younger Padawans followed Jania out, closely followed by Gav and P7 after he gave Serin a few disgruntled beeps.
"It's sad, that they were just left here," Kai whispered.
"Well this is where the Council sends Masters who took Padawans on without their permission as if to make them risk their lives to prove that they made the right decision," Serin growled in agitation.
"Which is why they sent Master Olin here with you, I understand," Kai said sympathetically.
"We should leave them in peace," Serin stated firmly as he left the building and went back to unloading the equipment.
Kai looked solemnly at the two dead Jedi Masters and bowed in respect before following his friend out of the Temple.
About an hour later Serin and Kai walked into the small eating area where the two Senior Padawans were sitting with Mayken and Obi-Paulo who were both fairly shaken up by finding the skeletal remains of two Jedi Masters in the Jedi Temple.
"Serin, I want a word with you outside," Jania said in frustration as she got up from her seat and walked out.
Serin groaned and followed her to be greeted by a barrage of questions from a very irritated Jania who did not get angry very often since Treb had left.
"Why didn't you tell us that there were two dead Jedi Masters in the Temple?" Jania demanded accusingly, "Mayken is now too terrified to go back in the Temple especially when you said that the Temple would close if Alazea went in there."
"Hold on just one minute, I told Alazea before landing that she shouldn't enter the Temple and second of all I got no warning when I came here with my Master. The Temple had closed on us as soon as we entered because it could sense what we were there for," Serin growled back.
"I don't care," Jania scowled as she rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger as she rested her nose in her palm as she tried to calm herself down, "Mayken is only sixteen years old and out of all of us she has been couped up at the Jedi Temple for most of the time that she has been a Padawan on top of the years she spent there as a Youngling."
Serin remained silent as the Senior Padawan continued her now calm rant.
"She hasn't even seen a dead body yet let alone a skeleton. It's even worse because those two skeletons in there were once Jedi Masters," Jania stated seriously, "Now try and see what she saw from her point of view. You need to apologise to her for not warning her about what was in there," she added in finality as she re-entered the ship again, leaving the Jedi Knight to his own thoughts.
Three days later, the star skiff belonging to Senator Cyrinity Kallus exited hyperspace and Eric saw the planet of Lothal in front of him. Admittedly this had been his first time on this planet and, so he knew very little about it, most of which he had learnt from other Smugglers he interacted with over the years.
"This is the Lothal Control Tower, please transmit your clearance code," a voice came through a communication channel.
"This is the Starskiff of Senator Cyrinity Kallus of Lothal, patching through clearance code," Eric responded as he pressed a few controls.
"Very good, stand by while we check the code."
Eric groaned, "You should be able to give clearance to land just by checking the ship's bloody model code, idiots," he grumbled impatiently.
After a few minutes he received a response, "You are cleared to land on the designated platform number A361."
"Thank you," Eric replied in a snarky tone as he went through the landing cycle.
Once they had landed, everyone walked down the loading ramp. Raven hung back and came in line with Eric, "You know what to do," he whispered.
The smuggler nodded slightly so as to not get noticed and then he disappeared into the shadows to find a Cantina.
This task did not take him very long at all as he found one right around the corner from the platform and entered to find it full of pilots, smugglers, farmers and more. Eric approached the bar and ordered a drink before quietly taking a seat in a corner of the cantina, settling in to wait and listen. If there was anything suspicious goings-on on Lothal this was the place to hear about where the drink loosened the tongue.
Meanwhile, the entourage had arrived at the main Governmental building and the Jedi Knights were greeted by the assisting Governors of the planet of which there were only three.
"I apologise, Senator, your brother and father are still away on business," one of the maids said when she was asked about the whereabouts of the rest of the Kallus family.
Cyrinity nodded strictly, "Very well, thank you."
"Governors, this is Jedi Knights Dubreas, Solak, Vitalis and Novastar. They are here to investigate the assassination attempts while the Senate appointed this Clone Captain and Mercenary to be my bodyguards until the assassin is found," Cyrinity introduced, "Master Jedi, these are my Governors. Fyra Araluu, Pyrene Chur, Keth Nivix and Gadon Barezz."
Ashlyn, Raven, Kayli and Daly all bowed in greeting to the Governors, each of whom gave a simple nod.
"Please do not be afraid to ask for information from anyone about the assassination attempts," Cyrinity stated, "Please excuse me, I am tired and need some rest," she added as she excused herself from the main hall.
A maid approached the group, "If you could follow me Master Jedi, I will show you to your rooms," she said in a very soft voice.
Raven exchanged a momentary look with Mia who still had her helmet on but she knew that he was asking her to be careful.
The next day, Gilgaro landed the ship on a trading port landing platform and soon after that, he walked the crates off with Ancor right beside him.
"You know I have never actually heard you say what the name of your ship is?" Ancor asked curiously as he looked up at the vessel.
"The Shooting Star is a real beauty but that doesn't stop the know-it-all from telling me I should upgrade her," Gilgaro said, ending in a sour tone.
Ancor paused for a moment as he looked back up at the Bando Class Spector and shrugged with a slightly scrunched up face as he understood where Eric was coming from as the ship was rustic and old.
"But she is my ship and I will do with her as I please," Gilgaro stated seriously when he saw the expression on Ancor's face.
The ex-Jedi raised his hands in surrender and replied, "No, it's okay. I agree with you."
Gilgaro took a double-take for a moment, "You do?" he asked incredulously.
Ancor nodded trying to make it believable.
"You know, I knew that we would make a good team together when I first met you," Gilgaro said in an impressed tone, "Now come on, we have to get this equipment to the market and start talking to the locals," he added as he started to lead the way to the marketplace. Upon arriving they found Inoma and Chewbacca had already set up their stall so Gilgaro decided to set up his stall at the opposite end of the street.
Meanwhile down the street, Inoma was talking to a doctor who had come to her stall and he had a few interesting stories about a few jobs he had attended to for the past couple of years at a compound a few hours out of the city.
"Interesting, what exactly is the compound?" Inoma asked in faint curiosity.
"Why it is where the Lothal Planetary Security train new recruits, good group of boys they are," the Doctor stated, "Thank you for the bacta supplies, I have been running low and need to top up my supplies," he thanked her as he walked away.
"Watch the stall for me, would you Chewie?" Inoma requested quietly as she walked away.
Inoma headed down a side alleyway and stood behind a dumpster as she took out her comlink, pressing a button and waiting anxiously for a response.
"Dubreas here."
"Ash, I was just talking to a Doctor and he told me about a compound that is located a few hours out of the city," Inoma said, getting right to the point, "Should I contact Serin?" she asked.
"No, it's okay Inoma. I will contact Serin, please continue gathering information," Ashlyn said then there was silence for a moment, "Did you ask what the compound was?"
"Yes, apparently it's the Lothal Security Training Academy but I am not too sure about that," Inoma responded thoughtfully.
"Why do you say that?" Ashlyn asked in a concern filled tone.
"Well, he pointed in a different direction to where I thought the Academy was. It might be a new one but why would Lothal Security need to have two facilities when this is a relatively crime-free planet. I mean the worst crime I have heard of occurring here is the previous Senator's sudden death being suspected to be an assassination," Inoma explained where she was coming from.
"Fair enough, I will pass it along," Ashlyn stated.
"Skylark out," Inoma whispered as she ended the communication and put her comlink away before stepping out of the alleyway.
A/N: Really hope you are enjoying reading the series.
Ashlyn Dubreas.
