Chapter 7

The stone pyramid of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was in pristine condition. After the Darth Krayt's Sith had conquered the Temple, they had destroyed the triangular green buildings that had once been the Temple, and built a single stone pyramid, dedicated to the dark teachings of the Sith.

Of course, that day was long ago. The Sith were once more a legend, almost nothing more than a bad dream. Krayt's influence still shone across the galaxy, as any Mon Calamari may say, the Jedi Temple was not one these influences. Although the Jedi kept the stone pyramid built by the Sith, the rest had been thoroughly purged of the dark powers. The Order's most powerful Force-users worked on the Temple for months, purifying it and riding the Sith from the Temple. Once the task had been complete, and the evil artifacts shipped off to an undisclosed location.

Then began to work of rebuilding the Temple in the image of the Jedi. The front of the Temple was erected with great symbols of the Jedi. To counteract images of Sith dominance on the capital planet, massive statues of Jedi were erected. Great bronze statues of Jedi long past were built to restore the heroic image of the Jedi—an image nearly lost by the final years of exile during the years of Krayt's rule. Large statues of Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Arca Jeth, Lucien Draay, Lord Hoth, Nomi Sunrider, Odan-Urr, Bastila Shan, and more. There were even smaller statues and memorials scattered the courtyard, such as a memorial to the Lost Twenty and a small group of statues of a human male, a Trandoshan, a Snivvian, an Arkanian, and what appeared to be a Mandalorian, all labeled with a plaque reading "the Heroes of Serroco." For the Temple building itself, the stone exterior was preserved, but overlaid with durasteel and transparisteel. They were laid in rows; the base of the pyramid was metallic gray, followed by clear layering, and so on until the very tip of the pyramid, which was a small triangle of complete transparisteel. Inside this small triangle was a chamber which normally was the office of the headmaster of the Jedi Temple. Today, it served as the meeting location for the Jedi High Council.

The Council walked in a slow procession to seats that normally belonged to the Headmaster and his pupils. The Temple was no longer the main location for the Jedi, as it once been. Part of it was used as the main connection between the Alliance and the Order, an ever weakening connection. The main focus of the Temple was training of younglings. While those Jedi born into Jedi families were generally trained on Ossus from the time they were toddlers, those Force-sensitive individuals that the Jedi Order discovered during their travels were sent to Coruscant. Here the younglings trained for the first couple years of their lives, later transferring to Ossus around age 10, when the more advanced and specialized training begins. Even though the Temple was no longer the main bastion of the Jedi, its image was the one the GA often used. The majesty of having the Jedi close to home was too tempting for the politicians to simply push aside.

The Masters took their seats, in an oblong shape rather than the circle they were accustomed to on Ossus. As Torrent Horn sat down next to his wife, he scanned the room. He didn't need the Force to see that most of the Council members were sleep deprived. He was, too. He woke up several times on the journey to Coruscant. Almost every time, he found his wife Anat awake as well. The Jedi plot was too much for the Horns to bear. But what could they do? Many times, Torrent had considered running away, exposing the Council's plot. It was clear, though, when Torrent deliberated this that it was impossible. Even if he could expose the plot, it would make no difference. Katarn would carry out his plan one way or another. Torrent would have to spend the rest of his life running, looking over his shoulder to see if Jogrum Katarn or Scorpio Grottl were chasing him. Worse still, what would happen to his family? The Horn family was big, but Katarn was still powerful enough to take them out. No, Torrent knew he couldn't put his family at risk, even if it was for a just reason. He only had one child, Kieran, but Torrent knew that he would pay any price to keep him safe. For now, all Torrent and Anat could do was sit quietly and seize the small opportunities to slow the other Council members.

Of course, sometimes, Torrent knew, he could get away with small challenges to authority, and was even able to sway Katarn. At least, that was the way it used to be. This seemed to be one of those instances when Torrent cautiously asked, "Where is Master Manuush?"

Katarn rubbed his tired eyes. "Master Manuush is no longer a member of this Council."

Torrent's eyes widened. Manuush was one of largest voices of opposition to Katarn. "But we didn't vote on it! We can't dismiss a member without a vote."

"We had a vote. You were not there." Katarn responded calmly.

The meaning of Katarn's words sunk in. Torret and Anat exchanged a glance. They both realized that their vote in the Council no longer meant anything.

Horn did not know how to respond to Katarn, but he was saved from having to when a small knock sounded at the door. Katarn wearily raised a hand, and used the Force the slide open the door. In slid a young Jedi dressed in brown. Over his robes, the Jedi wore a red breastplate and arm gauntlets, and a lightsaber hung down from his belt.

The strawberry blonde Jedi was opening his mouth to speak when his lightsaber detached itself from the Jedi's belt and sailed into the hand of Jogrum Katarn. Torrent watched as Katarn examined the weapon, studying the hilt with his fingers, and then seamlessly activating the blade with a quick snap-hiss.

"Hmm, a green blade…and such delicate detail to saber hilt. Simple, yet more elegant than the others of your kind. Not the kind of saber I would expect from an Imperial Knight," Katarn spat the title like an insult, "but I see you still favor the armor of your kind."

Cam scrunched his face in a little look of confusion, "Um, well no, we're not Imperial Knights anymore. My ancestor Cade changed that, we're just Jedi now."

"Cade?" snorted the Grand Master with contempt, "You mean that pirate Cade Skywalker was the basis of your supposed-Order?"

Torrent looked on with longing, trying to provide assistance to the young Skywalker, who seemed a bit overpowered by the Grand Master's words, "Former pirate, actually. He became a Jedi Master in his own right—I can tell you the history of our Jedi Order if you like—"

"You—Jedi?!" laughed Katarn out loud. His laugh was followed by the laugh of several of his colleagues, although only Sorpio Grottl's sounded truly genuine. "You are not Jedi. This is the true Jedi Order. Here, take your toy back." Katarn roughly brushed the weapon back to the young Jedi.

Next was silence. Katarn looked deeply into Cam's eyes; his brow furrowed in study. Torrent was sure that Katarn was probing Cam with Force, examining the thoughts he could access and the emotions unhidden. After a long moment, Katarn finally said, "So you're the next Skywalker…Chief Tam informed us of his meeting with you in the Ankus system. You're a curious one, aren't you?"

Cam ignored the strange comment and continued, "Masters, as Chief Tam should have informed you, the Empire has been hiding out in the Unknown Regions, but by an agreement with former Chief of State Gar Stazi, we are permitted to return in times of dire crises, which brings me here. My mother, the Empress, and I have all experienced terrible visions through the Force. We saw the galaxy consumed by blood and fire and ash, until it tore itself apart from the inside. I have been sent here by my mother, Grand Master Skywalker, as an advanced party, before the main bulk of the Empire enters known space.

What we want to know is, has expertise of the Council discovered any dangerous events that might explain or corroborate what we felt out in the Empire? Something like a vision or a premonition…?" Cam stared pleadingly to the Council, but only received cold, masked faces staring back at him. Torrent Horn was sending out comfort through the Force to Skywalker, and he could feel his wife doing the same. "Masters?"

Through a gritted teeth and a face of steel, Katarn intoned, "You will never get away with it."

"Wha-excuse me, masters?"

Katarn rose to his feet and starting roaring from his chest, "Your Empire will never get away with it! You Skywalker tyrants have dipped into the dark side too many times to be sincere and genuine. A real Jedi would never ally themselves with an organization that more than once tried to exterminate our kind! Leave, go. Get out of our Galactic Alliance. This is a place of liberty and goodness, and if the Empire does not leave immediately, we will be forced to take action."

"But-but-but masters—" Cam stammered, flustered by the incongruous response from the Jedi Council.

Katarn wouldn't hear anymore. He burst out of his seat and gave a small shout, extending his arm and using the Force to, quite literally, throw Skywalker out of the room.

After a short moment of silence, Torrent ventured to say, "Master, perhaps we should consider what the Skywalker boy has said. After all, does what he said not match what Wori-Ky prophesied?"

Katarn glared at Horn through tired eyes, but before he could dismiss his rival, Suri Da-Boda said, "He is right, Grand Master. Didn't you hear was the boy said? A vision of blood and fire and ash, the same as Wori-Ky said." Katarn continued to say nothing, but Suri lowered his voice a bit, and layered it with the Force. "Jogrum don't ignore this warning. What if our plans will only fulfill this prophecy? What is our plans are no longer just—"

"Our plan will bring the Jedi what has been coming to them for thousands of years!" Katarn screamed. As he saw the other Masters staring at him, he regained his emotions and settled down. He said in almost a whisper, "Tread lightly, Master Da-Boda. Our actions are just by the will of the Force. There can be no doubt. This Empire will bring ruin on the galaxy."

"And remember," croaked the usually silent Osias Farril, "what Wori-Ky said. The heir to a great legacy will threaten the Jedi. Who else could it be but that Skywalker?"

Katarn smiled at the ingenious old man, "Thank you Master Farril. This is it, my friends. We will regain the prestige the galaxy owes to the Jedi, and wipe out the threat the Empire and the Skywalkers present to the galaxy in one swoop. I know what path our plans must take. It is now time for action."

"How did it go?" asked the Imperial officer that had escorted Cam to the Temple.

"Not well at all."

"Oh." The officer responded. "Then what is our next move, sir?"

"Grand Master Skywalker is meeting with Chief Tam right now." Cam said, "Afterwards, I think she needs to see what has become of the Jedi Order here on Coruscant."

Her eyes were steel—not so much in their color, but the apparent apathy exuded from them. A smile would be misplaced on her cheeks, but she was not unattractive. Rather, her pale face was rather majestic given the right light; not hidden behind a dark visor as it was. Her name—well, as far as was anyone's business—was Agent-22.

Director Virmon, head of Alliance Intelligence, extended a hand to his returning agent. "I trust your early return means you were unsuccessful?"

Agent-22 pressed the small button on the side of her helmet. The visor lifted to expose her face, which behind a permanent scowl hid disappointment. "Didn't even make it off Cinnagar. The trail starts and stops cold at the sight of the assassination. I can't even get a positive ID on the murder weapon."

Virmon grip tightened, as did the small around his lips. "That is…disappointing, 22."

"If I could just have a chance to look at Trell's body-"

"You know I can't allow that."

"But why?"

"Chief Trell's death is still a highly publicized issue. Until we have the killer in custody, we cannot risk any exposure." Virmon gestured away from 22's craft, and towards the exit.

Tenuously following, Agent-22 added, "You know, if it's a problem of faith, maybe you could send Onpaar. It's his mess to clean up anyways."

A large stomping sound echoed throughout the hangar and Virmon planted himself. 22 almost ran into him, but caught herself with inches to spare from Virmon's backside.

"You know I have complete faith in you, ever since you're recruitment. If you'll recall, I oversaw your training personally." Virmon turned his head to stare into 22's eyes. With a small furrow of his brow, he sent a fierce warning radiating through the hangar. "So don't you ever doubt my confidence in you."

22 quieted quickly, "Yes, Director."

"It is because of my confidence," Virmon continued, passing through the hangar doors and into a brightly lit corridor, "that I am reassigning you."

"Reassigning-?"

"You are not being punished, 22. Things on Coruscant have simply taken a—ah—dramatic turn, if you will. Your young age and anonymity will be most useful. Come, we need to prepare you for the meeting."

"What meeting, Director?"

Virmon said nothing, and kept walking.